Ryder (Savage Wolves MC) #3

Chapter Thirty-Two

•Ryder•

I'm eavesdropping.

And I'm a terrible person for it. I can't bring myself to walk away from my bedroom door, though. At least my ear isn't pressed against the wood, straining to hear even better.

"What are you doing man?" Stone asks, holding hands with Effie. She looks blissed out and I wonder what she's on to give her that dreamy look on her face. Or maybe Stone really railed her good in his room. You can never tell with the Sheep when they get themselves around him.

"Shh, keep walking." I place my finger over my lips and he chuckles, mimicking me. Effie follows suit, placing her finger to her lips too before they take off down the hallway. They break out into laughter and I'm sure drugs must have been involved at some point during their rendezvous.

Listening to Talia without her knowing isn't what I came up here for, but now that I'm here, I'm glad I came to check on her.

My brows furrow at her words. Words I've not heard from her myself at all. She's not bothered to tell me any of this—aside from her father being sick. I didn't know they were struggling to pay for his care. And I most certainly didn't know she was considering moving back to Texas full time to be with them in his final days. I know we discussed it, but the last she said was that she wasn't going to go. That her life was here and she couldn't go back there permanently.

I'm grateful when she seemingly comes to the conclusion to stay here, because I honestly don't know what I'd do if I lost her. I know she needs her family, but I'm her family too. At least, I want to be. I'm attached, like a hook to a line. I can't let her go. I need her like the air I breathe.

But I want her to be happy and I want her to be there for her family. So if she changes her mind, I will let her go. Even if it kills me.

She doesn't say anything else when she gets off the phone with her brother and I back away, not wanting to get caught standing outside, listening in to what she thought was a private conversation. She would forgive me, but she'd be embarrassed. Her family not being able to afford her father's cancer treatment is obviously a touchy subject or else she would have already told me all about it.

She's stubborn and bullheaded. I know she must think this is all on her, but I can help. The club can help. Something can be done to raise the funds for her dads medical bills.

Grasping for my pack of smokes, I open it to see they're empty. "Shit," I curse, reaching for my breast pocket again and pulling out a half-smoked joint instead. It'll fill the void my lungs seem to be swirling in until I can grab another pack from the store.

It's a little crumpled from being in my pocket and stinks like a week old Heineken that's been sitting in the sun, but it'll do. It'll take the edge off and get my mind working.

Heading downstairs, a plume of weed smoke following in my wake, I pass by Callie and Gray. He's lovingly got his hand on her stomach and not paying anyone else any attention. Any time now and the princess is going to pop. Then we'll have a brand new princess—according to Callie at least who swears she's carrying a girl.