Ride Or Die | Book #1 ✓

Chapter 18

"She was a sales director..she always traveled for her to get more commissions in different states.." I trailed off.

"All those business trips were her coming back to Crestmont to help but soon she became most wanted. A gang called the Vipers that were based on the West Coast had threatened your mother that they would come after you, your brother, and dad if she did not recruit them. She had to leave Crestmont and soon started helping the Vipers. She never told your dad either and to this day he does not know. She did it to protect you guys, without you knowing they wouldn't come after you." Xander continued "When Aster started to act out and eventually moved out to New York it was because he knew about your mom. Aster met the Westwoods and they promised to help solve the mystery of your mom."

"Crestmont is in your blood Aspen." Harley forced a smile "You weren't just some recruit we picked. The day we found out you were moving to New York we knew we needed to protect you and that you wouldn't be able to do it on your own. The Coinston's and Crimson's had been working together and if you're just like your mom then you're a triple threat."

"No." I shook my head in denial. This couldn't be, it just couldn't. My mom was not some gang leader, and she wouldn't have constantly left us for it. She wouldn't have lied to my dad either. The shock hit me like a brick and I refused to believe anything that was being said. They couldn't know...could they? My heartfelt like it had sunk in my chest from my childhood being a lie. While I begged my mom and cried on the nights she'd leave for her flights, she wasn't going to work for our family, she was going to work for some gang.

"I know it's a lot to taken in." Sawyer sympathized with me. I turned around to look at Pierce who still had the same expressionless face. "You knew?! You knew and not once did you fucking tell me!"

I felt betrayed, I felt lied to. It felt like I was just practically told everything about my childhood and my mom was a lie. She wasn't the woman who I thought she was, she worked in drug deals, prostitution and stripping, drag racing, and more all while her kids thought they lived a normal life.

"It wasn't my place." Pierce shrugged slightly "We've all been walking around on eggshells around you because of this. Not wanting to let it slip, it's the reasoning behind everything and all the questions you ever ask but can never get an answer."

Aster knew too...I felt so oblivious. Even my own brother continued to let me live a lie. "I'm sorry Aspen, we just didn't know how to tell you. We kind of all figured you'd eventually find out on your own-" June offered a smile but I could see the guilt in her face.

"Aspen, you are just like your mother. A splitting image, Ashlynn was an amazing woman with a kind heart. You are just as strong-headed as your mom and we believe you could be what Crestmont needs. What needs to be done to get all this mess done and settled with." Xander said sternly "You just need to be the one to accept that."

I didn't know how to react, I was at a loss for words. I mean what do you say after finding out your own mother had been running a gang behind your back for your entire life? My mom died from a motorcycle accident and they said they never found her body. My mom went riding one day, alone after insisting she'd be ok with my dad. She was going to a friend's house that was about a quarter-mile up the road but wanted to take a shortcut. So she took what we called the "Rails." It was an open rode within the mountains but overlooked a massive lake, but between no guard rails and the falling rocks, it was a dangerous road.

They said she crashed over the cliff, losing control of her bike, and fell into the lake below but were never able to find her body. That was it, that was the last time I had ever seen my mom and my dad had beaten himself up about for years after for letting her go alone.