Force (The Disciples Book 5), page 12
“You got an appointment, beautiful?”
“Is Dolly or Doug around?” The guy reaches for a blow dryer and motions with his head to another area. I start to head in that direction when both of them walk out. Doug’s carrying a bowl of hair dye and Dolly, well, Dolly is pregnant.
“Oh shit.” Dolly grabs Doug’s arm. He promptly shushes her.
“Sorry.” She shakes her head and comes over to me. “I’m surprised is all. Is Gia here?” She smiles, revealing red, glossy lips.
“No. Just me. I’m sorry. This was a spur-of-the-moment decision.” My face floods with heat. What was I thinking? The last time Dolly saw me, Ryder was fucking me against the wall. And the scene with Cindy afterward was mortifying. I… we ruined Axel and Antoinette’s wedding.
Jesus. I’ve been so preoccupied with Ryder and all my drama, I forgot about Cindy.
Cindy.
This has to be why everyone is acting so weird.
“Stop it, we’re thrilled to see you.” Doug stops me from bolting, which I couldn’t do even if I wanted to. And I do because Dolly is blocking my escape with her hands on her hips and cute belly.
“Congratulations. I didn’t know you were pregnant,” I croak. Of course, I didn’t know she was pregnant—I’m an outsider.
“Yeah, six months.” She waves a hand. “Are you okay?” She looks up at me with big brown eyes—Dolly looks like a perfect porcelain doll. I don’t know her that well, but at the wedding she was the first one to hold Cindy back when she tried to attack me and Ryder.
I sigh and start to laugh. “No, probably not. Look…” My eyes go to her face, then Doug’s.
“I want a change. I need to change. My life’s a train wreck. I left New York yesterday and told my dad off, so I’m sure he’s disowning me.” After vomiting all this out in the middle of the shop, I take a breath. “To be honest,” I finally say, “I don’t care if he does. My ex-husband, who technically won’t sign the final divorce papers, is gay, and now he says he’s not—”
“Jesus.” Doug smiles as he interrupts me. “I love you already. Follow me, beautiful. I can help you change.” He guides me to a couch in the front, right by his station.
“Is Ryder still with Cindy?” I blurt out.
He freezes for a second, then smiles at his current client in the mirror. She’s sitting in the chair closest to me.
“Dolly, you’re up,” he calmly says as he starts to put dye on the woman’s hair. She’s blatantly staring at me. Again, everyone says New Yorkers are rude, but LA is the worst.
“Okay. No, but it’s complicated.”
I blow out the breath I was holding and sink down into the velvety couch.
“You must think I’m either crazy or the worst person or both. I know she’s your friend.” I shake my head, cross my leg, and cover my face. Memories of that day pour in.
“We’re here. Is Gia okay?” Eve looks back at us. I glance over at her. Gia, along with me, must have passed out on the way. God, she looks terrible: mascara on cheek, her hair that we had done earlier a tangled mess in the back. We need to get ourselves together, but they don’t need to know we’ve been drinking for a solid week.
I clear my throat. “Well, you heard about Gia leaving the tour, right? She hasn’t been sleeping much.” It sounds absurd. I guess I’m still a terrible liar.
“Fucking Granger. I’m never downloading another song,” Eve gripes as I look over at the massive property. I should be nervous, yet I’m not. Maybe I’m still intoxicated because I feel like I’ve been waiting for this moment to happen.
“God. I need to get Jason, I mean…” She looks at Rip, then back at Gia who hasn’t moved. “Rip, we can’t have Axel seeing his sister like this on his wedding day. We have enough drama going on,” Eve yells.
“I need to use the restroom.” I open the door and slide out. Neither of them pay me attention as they both argue about what to do with Gia. I shade my eyes and start toward the clubhouse, then stop as I stare, my heart leaping into my throat.
Dark.
Commanding.
Dangerous.
It’s as if all the air has been sucked out of me as my eyes cling to his. At one time, he was my everything.
Now he is my destiny.
In five steps, he stands in front of me. His golden-brown eyes caress my face like he can’t believe I’m real.
And I know. Deep inside I know he is mine. Time, age, none of it matters. He takes my hand and I follow him. I’d follow him anywhere.
I look up at Dolly who is dropping herself down next to me on the couch, her hand rubbing her baby belly. “I have to apologize for that day… the wedding, I did not mean for that to happen,” I say, groaning into my hands.
“Stop. Look at it this way. All of us will always remember it.” She smiles at me, her brown eyes kind. “We can’t help who we love.”
I go to tell her I don’t love Ryder, but that’s a lie, so I don’t say anything.
“Wow, Dougie, this might be serious.” She holds up a hand to stop anything he was going to say. “Now I know this is tricky with the Cindy thing. But ultimately this boils down to the heart. And Ryder has always been waiting…” She cocks her head at me. “I think Ryder has been waiting for you.” She slaps my leg.
“Baby Doll, stay out of it.” Doug sets down the brush he was using to put dye on the woman’s hair and sets a timer. He turns to face me. “Julianna, what are we thinking?”
“I want to dye my hair and cut it.”
He takes off his gloves and takes my hair down, his hands going through its thickness. “Not short. I’ll put some layers in, but I can’t allow you to go short.” Dolly twists to look at me.
“I can’t believe I’m saying this, but with her complexion and those blue eyes”—she grabs Doug’s arm—“she needs to go red.” She sighs dramatically. “You know how I feel about redheads, but somehow, she can pull this off.”
They both stare at me as if I’m a piece of meat they’re deciding to buy.
“Agreed.” Doug nods. “Fucking fierce. I love it.”
“Do it. She’ll look stunning, fit for our Ryder. I have a soft spot for him.” She winks at me, and I grin back. There’s something about little Dolly that’s kind of amazing. She’s the one who’s fierce.
The girl with blue hair whom I saw outside walks past us, wiping her lips.
Dolly stops and calls out, “OMG, why do you have blowjob lips, Jenny?”
My eyes widen. She does. Her lips are all red and puffy. Before anyone can say anything, Ox walks in, talking on the phone, the pink gated door slamming shut after him.
“Unbelievable.” She throws up her hands. “Please, for the love of God, tell me no one saw you?” She shakes her head.
Ox smirks and lowers the phone. “How much longer?”
“Hours. Go away,” she snaps, grabbing my arm. “We need to get you waxed.”
A phone rings, interrupting the madness that seems to happen in this shop.
“Dolly, it’s Eve,” Jenny states flatly, almost gloating as she reapplies her lipstick using the screen on the laptop for a mirror. “She said she’s been calling your cell. It’s important.”
Dolly glares at Jenny who peeks over the laptop screen and smirks. “You get yourself in all this drama.” She holds out a cell phone to Dolly.
Doug walks over and takes the cell, looking at it. “Text her and tell her that Julianna made a guest appearance.” He hands Dolly her phone.
“You do it,” Dolly says over her shoulder.
“Can’t. I’m Switzerland.” He looks at his client in the mirror.
Dolly rolls her eyes. “Don’t even. You can’t be Switzerland. That’s not how it works.”
“I have to be. Robert and I spend a lot of time with…” His eyes get big and I know they’re talking about Cindy.
After following Doug to the seat in his station, I settle in and look out the window. The best way to handle this is to actually ask Ryder. And if he says that he’s still involved with her, then I’ll decide what to do. After all, I just showed up.
I lean down to grab my phone out of my purse so that I can surf TikTok and ignore their hushed whispering while Jenny dabs oil around my face.
“How long have Doug and Dolly known each other?” I say, glancing up at Jenny who’s chewing gum. Her lips look normal again.
“Years. They’re like brother and sister. This thing with Cindy is stupid. Ryder hasn’t been into her for years, but they are terrified of upsetting her.” She shakes her head. I’m about to ask her more since I’m liking what she’s saying, when Doug walks up carrying the bowl filled with my new color.
“Okay, gorgeous. You ready to be fierce?” His dark eyes search my face as if he’s trying to decide whether I’m up for the task.
I smile back at him in the mirror. “I can’t wait.”
RYDER
Present
Disciples’ clubhouse
Burbank, CA
Not gonna lie, today never got better. Pulling into the clubhouse, I think about the meeting with the president of the Sinners. It went fine. I watched him. Saw every single expression he tried to hide when Blade told him his daughter left a week ago, and that the stepdad was a degenerate gambler. There’s always that moment when you look into a man’s eyes, and you can see if this fucked-up world has sucked the life out of him. They’ll be dead, soulless. Rex’s held pain—that can make him dangerous, another fucking headache. We don’t need the Sinners coming in and tearing up Los Angeles. Although, talking with Rex did solidify my belief that the Sinners are not involved in any of my mess, which should have made me feel better.
It didn’t.
Ox interrupted me three times with texts asking questions about Julianna, the last one letting me know Rip’s nose was broken. I texted back he’s lucky I didn’t put a bullet in his skull. After that, Ox went silent.
All I want is a bottle of Jack and Julianna. Maybe I’ll go easy on her. After all, she had no idea how big a betrayal that is for me. Christ, to be honest, I’m more pissed off that Julianna was on the back of Rip’s bike than when she married the fucking gay guy.
Irrational, yeah, but I’m far from perfect. Thinking about it again makes me angry. I’m not going easy on her.
Julianna broke the rules. She’ll either be a hundred percent on board, or she’ll be gone tomorrow. Either way, we’ll be on the same page. I swing the screen door open, going straight for the bar area.
Ox sits in the corner with Roxy. Fosters and Needles are playing pool, laughing. Most of the other brothers are relaxing and drinking. They nod, giving me my respect as I pass.
I grab a bottle and head toward the kitchen. I need to apologize to Amy. Laughter stops me at the entrance.
“Motherfucker,” I say as my heart pounds. I know that voice. I know both of those voices.
“God, remember, Rip? Gia blamed it on some nonexistent girl who confused everyone so much they ended up dropping everything.” Laughter fills the room as my eyes take in the kitchen. Edge stands, arm slung around Dolly’s neck, as they all laugh at whatever the woman whose back is to me is saying. This woman has long red hair, like a sparkling bag of rubies, and she’s laughing so hard that she grabs Rip’s arm.
“Remember? You were freakin’ thinking Axel was gonna kill you.”
“How could I forget.” He laughs, shaking his head. A huge bouquet of flowers blocks my view for a moment. This must be what I spent four-hundred dollars on. Where the hell is Amy? I didn’t get them to make the kitchen smell nice.
I take a breath, because I’m ready to break Rip’s ribs if Julianna doesn’t stop touching his arm. This must be why Ox went radio silent. He wasn’t about to tell me she changed her hair color.
She must feel me, because she’s the first to turn, her eyes instantly finding mine. And that’s when the world, universe, everything changes for me. This is the moment I allow myself to bleed for everything we might be, but more than likely will never be.
She was beautiful before. Now she’s fucking exquisite. A goddess, my own magical siren, put on this earth to enchant and destroy me. She will be what takes me down, not a Russian or any other thug. It will be this woman whose big blue eyes watch me, clear and open. She shows me her soul, and it’s entwined with mine.
Mine.
Raising her chin, I caress her face with my thumb. So delicate. Her lips are stained like plum-red berries, and I almost dip my head to suck on them knowing they taste as sweet as sugar.
“Ho-ly fuck.” Dolly’s voice shatters my sphere, the one that’s only me and my jewel.
“Where’s Eve when I need her?” Her big brown eyes are bugging out of her head. “I mean, this is… are you guys seeing this?” She points at us.
I arch a dark brow at Julianna and trace her lips with my thumb.
She smiles at me. “Do you like it?” Her voice is raspy, and she bats her long black lashes up at me.
“I do.” My hand trails down to her neck.
Edge clears his throat. I glance over to witness him scooting a reluctant Dolly toward the door.
“Stop watching them.” He laughs as she tries to knock his hand away
“But—”
“Babe, you can tell Eve all about this later. We’re late picking up Gunner.” He keeps moving them out of the kitchen.
“God, I should have filmed that. What was I thinking?” her voice fades as I turn to stare daggers at Rip.
Lighting up a joint, he leans his ass against the counter. “Don’t mind me.” He grins, inhaling deeply and holding it.
“Christ.” My hands drop as I take in his face. He looks like shit. His nose has a butterfly bandage across the arch, and he’s got two black eyes.
“Oh my God, Ryder, did you hear what happened to poor Rip?” Julianna grabs my bicep, and I feel her touch go straight to my cock. I’ve never liked any sort of public affection. In fact, it’s always annoyed me, but a small touch from Julianna makes me feel like the whole world is better.
“He got hit by a car,” she says. Looking down at her, I force myself back into the room with Rip, unfortunately.
“I hope you got the license plate number.”
“Actually…” He exhales the residual smoke. “It was a truck, Jule.” He grins. “I got taken down by a truck.” He lets out a laugh.
“Yeah, you’re lucky you lived.” Reaching out, I caress Julianna’s red strands and dip my head to smell her. Like apples dipped in caramel.
“Have you eaten?” I pet her.
She nods, licking her lips.
Jesus Christ, I’m like the Big Bad Wolf in Little Red Riding Hood. I can’t wait to eat her.
“Go ice your nose,” I growl over my shoulder, placing my hand on Julianna’s lower back and guiding her out.
“Nah. Don’t worry about me. I’m big and strong. Just need a little tender loving care from some special woman,” he calls after us.
Fucking Rip. I shake my head. As if I’m gonna let this go with him. He’s lucky Edge and Dolly were in the kitchen. Two minutes ago, I might have tossed him out the glass patio door. On the way upstairs, I drop my hand to Julianna’s ass—it’s perfect, round, and fucking ripe.
She gasps and looks down at me, then over my shoulder to see if anyone is watching us.
“Ryder,” she whispers, her cheeks turning pink, but I’m done.
Grabbing her hand, I pull her into my clean room, the faint smell of Lysol still lingering. Amy must have cleaned it while we were gone. I slam the door shut, and Julianna’s eyes move to mine. Pulling off my cut and T-shirt, I toss them to the floor.
“Is everything, I mean, did some… Oh God.” Her eyes widen as I kick off my boots and jeans.
“Strip,” I demand, dropping into my chair and unscrewing the lid of the Jack Daniel’s bottle.
She bites her lip but pulls off her top.
“Faster,” I hiss.
She jumps, squinting her eyes. “What’s happened?” Raising a foot, she gracefully removes her ballet flat with one hand.
“Did I say you can talk?” My eyes hold hers, and she blinks at me, then shakes her head, dropping the shoe. Her hands move to her jeans and she unzips them. I take a deep swig of the whiskey and spread my legs. My cock reaches up to my abs, and I slowly stroke it while watching her strip out of her clothes.
“Leave the panties on,” I snap.
Her hands drop as she cocks her head at me.
“You look confused. I’m gonna tell you how this goes with us.” I watch the play of emotions on her face as she tries to breathe. She’s aroused yet trying her hardest to remain calm while she waits. Her fucking nipples stand erect, taunting me to come suck on them, but that can wait.
“Did you get on the back of Rip’s bike?” I take another swig of the burning whiskey, watching her frown.
“Speak,” I order.
She jumps, then snaps, “Yes.”
My eyes narrow.
“Rip is an old friend of mine. And he gave me a ride yesterday to protect my heels…” Her eyes grow wide. “Holy shit. You’re the truck.” She shakes her head, her hands inching up to cover her breasts.
“I’m the fucking enforcer! Rip’s lucky that’s all I did. He knows better.” I set the bottle down. Her eyes lock with mine as she digests this.
“I abhor violence,” she whispers.
I cock my head at her. “Well, baby, I’m nothing but violence.”
When I stand, she takes a step back, her eyes widening as if she’s only now starting to understand who and what I am.
“Kneel,” I say.
She hesitates, which makes my cock throb. She can fight, doesn’t matter.
“And crawl to me.”
Her eyes narrow, and her breathing is harsh. She stands straight and tall. So fucking stunning. Hair like fire spilling around her shoulders, puffy lips slightly open like she’s trying to decide whether she should obey or bolt. But it’s pointless. I own her body, and her mind craves my attention. This pull I have inside me is the same for her, like a junkie in need of a fix.
