Mature Content 17+ || Savage Wolves MC Book Three
Talia's been through hell and back. After suffering at the hands of Dmitri Petrov and his band of goons, she was left broken and ruined.
But, she isn't going to let that stop her from being the woman...
*It's funnier if you imagine Ryder actually wearing these sunglasses.*
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•Ryder•
Talia borrows Kitty's compact little Honda, driving slowly through the city. It's midday, plenty busy but not as crowded as it gets at night. There's still people making their walk of shame from the night before and plenty of people still celebrating as if the night never ended. They fill the streets, flood the bars, come and go from casinos. It's always a party here, no matter the time of day.
I follow behind Talia in her borrowed vehicle, making sure I don't lose her. With how slow she's driving, I'm not in any danger of that happening.
We don't stay on the road for long and soon we're pulling off on a side road, away from the hustle and bustle of the main strip and down a quieter street filled with smaller restaurants and cozy little shops that tourists don't seem to frequent as often. It's almost like a hidden gem for locals.
There's a garage behind the restaurant Talia is pulling into and we park, her getting out and flattening her hands against her thighs to remove the nonexistent wrinkles from her dress.
"Do you think I look okay? I feel like I'm trying too hard to impress her. I don't have to impress her, right? This isn't a date. She's not my girlfriend or anything. I shouldn't be so nervous. She's just a girl and I'm just a girl and we're just having lunch so we can talk. There's nothing to worry about...right?" The hesitancy in her voice has me stepping forward, grabbing her by the waist and pulling her into my chest. I take the side of her face, making sure she's looking into my eyes.
"Don't be nervous. This girl helped you and now is your chance to thank her. Everything is okay. Please try and breathe. You can do this." I lean forward and kiss her forehead, my lips lingering for a moment.
She takes a deep breath, closing her eyes and leaning back, placing her hands on my chest and rubbing her thumbs against my solar plexus. Her shoulders fall, releasing some of her built up tension. I wonder if she drove all the way here as tense as she was.
Giving her hip a gentle squeeze, her eyes pop back open, those deep pools of icy waters staring straight back at me. They're filled with uncertainty, but I have a good feeling about this meeting. There's no need for all that worry.
"But thanking her isn't all I'm going to be doing. What if she can't help the club? I mean, she's just a girl. I doubt she holds any kind of sway over her family's business."
I shrug. "You never know. Crime families are more tight knit than any other kind of family. She may not be directly involved in anything, but I'm sure her family would at least listen to her if she had something to say."
Talia's face falls and I pinch her chin lightly, bringing it back up. "What if she doesn't want to help? Just because she helped me not die at the hands of Dmitri doesn't mean she's going to want to help out with the club."
