Sinners & Saints (Ravage Riders MC Book 2) Read online

  #2

  A twist on traditional MC romance with a dash of science fiction and time travel

  Copyright © 2020 Nikki Landis

  All Rights Reserved.

  No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  Cover: Victoria Cooper Art

  Cover Model: Connor Smith

  Image: R + M Photography, Reggie Deanching

  Edited by Kathy Denver, iPublishGlobal

  Table of Contents:

  Chapter 1 – R.J.

  Chapter 2 – Cara

  Chapter 3 – R.J.

  Chapter 4 – R.J.

  Chapter 5 – Cara

  Chapter 6 – R.J.

  Chapter 7 – Cara

  Chapter 8 – R.J.

  Chapter 9 – Cara

  Chapter 10 – Cara

  Chapter 11 – R.J.

  Chapter 12 – R.J.

  Chapter 13 – Rae

  Chapter 14 – Edge

  Chapter 15 – Cara

  Chapter 16 – R.J.

  Chapter 17 – Cara

  Chapter 18 – R.J.

  Chapter 19 – R.J.

  Chapter 20 – Valan

  Sneak Peek at Ridin’ for Hell, Royal Bastards MC

  Also by Nikki Landis

  About the Author

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  ...

  R.J.

  Bad luck seems to follow me wherever I go.

  My mother is a whore.

  My stepfather is an abusive drunk.

  I've lost the only woman I've ever loved.

  Our rival MC wants to take our club down.

  My best friend has a price on his head and now all hell has broken loose.

  Worse, I've just had the biggest revelation of my life . . . endangering everyone I know.

  I'm offered one chance to make everything right. It's risky.

  There's just one question . . . is it the devil playing games or an angel dangling salvation?

  There’s a lot at stake when you’re nothing . . . but a heathen and a SINNER.

  ...

  Cara

  I’ve done everything right my entire life.

  I volunteer at the local food pantry.

  I’ve never used drugs.

  My grade point average is a perfect 4.0.

  In just three months, I’m supposed to marry my high school sweetheart.

  He’s a perfect gentleman. Wealthy. Educated. Lethal.

  In public, he’s everyone’s best friend. Behind closed doors, he’s my worst nightmare.

  I’m trapped . . . and I’ll do anything to find a way out, even if I have to lie, cheat, steal, or betray everyone in my path.

  There’s a lot to lose when all you want is freedom . . . especially when people consider you a SAINT.

  ...

  The Ravage Riders MC wreaks havoc in Providence, CA where reality and fantasy collide. RIDE OR DIE baby . . .

  Playlist:

  ...

  R.J.

  Locked & Loaded – Godsmack

  I Am an Outsider – Three Days Grace

  Saints & Sinners – Godsmack

  Superhero – Through Fire

  Rescue Me – Thirty Seconds to Mars

  Jumper – Natalie Taylor

  Mindfield – Crucifix

  Cara:

  Of These Chains – Red

  Sick and Tired – Through Fire

  I Don’t Care Anymore – Saint Asonia

  History of Violence – Theory of a Deadman

  Sever – Red

  Shakin’ Off the Rust – The Blue Stones

  If you or someone you know is affected by abuse or domestic violence and needs support, please know YOU ARE NOT ALONE. Help is available.

  ...

  National Domestic Violence Hotline

  1-800-799-7233

  “The only difference

  Between the saint and the sinner is

  That every saint has a past,

  And every sinner has a future.”

  ~ Oscar Wilde

  Chapter 1 – R.J.

  “Watch your six,” I whispered, moving in tandem with Edge.

  “Plan on it,” he answered with a low chuckle. “And if I don’t, got about six brothers doing it for me.”

  He had that right.

  “You sure Bryce is good?”

  Edge scowled. “Wish you would let up on my brother.”

  “He’s not RRMC. That’s an issue and you know it.”

  Edge paused, closing his eyes briefly as we both tensed, waiting on the movement we could hear down the hall. “Bryce puts the club first. Said as much to all the brothers and Mack. That should be good enough with my word.”

  “Maybe, but it’s caused a lot of tension among members. They need to know where Bryce’s loyalty rests. He can’t keep one foot in the RRMC and the other in the SOMC. Just isn’t possible.”

  “I promise you. He’s one of us, remember?”

  “I know.” Wasn’t enough. I was sure Mack would agree.

  “You’re not gonna let this go, are you?”

  “I will,” I promised, just as the pop, pop of gunfire could be heard a short distance away. “Guess Ghost and GQ found the Outlaws.”

  Edge shook his head and we moved silently forward into place. “Devlin is stupid. Thought he would have been smart enough to leave Providence. He’s leading his club into trouble.”

  “They’ve always hated us. That rivalry is at least a decade old. Mack and Striker made sure we all had enough personal vendettas to keep this feud going for years.”

  “That doesn’t mean we’re gonna do it,” he reminded me.

  “Yeah,” I agreed but it was still an issue.

  Devlin and the SOMC were our biggest rivals but it was the blood feud between the clubs that made the difference. We both lost our pres and neither side was forgetting all the shit that went down just a few months back. That was why we were here, infiltrating one of their underground parties where they held illegal dogfights. Shit was brutal and I didn’t like how the animals were treated. Edge wanted to teach them all a lesson. I had no problem with it.

  The howls of the animals could be heard above the gunfire and I realized the noise was intentional to spook the dogs and make them more vicious. They were treated mean on purpose. Vicious dogs took their opponent down fast. It was bloody and gruesome. I couldn’t figure out why anyone would find enjoyment in it.

  Edge and I moved into the main arena and kept to the back, out of sight. The rest of our club had closed in as I spotted Ghost across from me, GQ further down on the right, and Valan off to the left. Mack was probably a bit higher up since there was multiple levels of seating. The pit below us held two dogs that were literally ripping each other apart as money exchanged fists and people shouted, waving and yelling at the fighters.

  I should have been more careful, but I didn’t realize I had stepped into a little strip of light. Devlin must have sensed something was up. He lifted his head and our eyes met as he reached behind his back and
pulled out a gun, firing immediately in my direction. I ducked, cursing as I hit dirt.

  That stupid fucker! He could have shot anyone.

  I scrambled behind a giant partition that separated the cages from the arena. The place was crude, but it served their purpose. I peeked around the barrier and found Devlin waiting. He fired off a couple more shots as I leaned back. As soon as I heard a lull, I poked my head out and aimed a few bullets in his direction. One hit, slamming his body back as it entered his shoulder.

  “Fuck!” he cursed, yelling more profanity as he backed away and exited through the other side of the building. Gunfire was exchanged on both sides as the place emptied out and the SOMC made a hasty exit.

  Devlin was heavily wounded, but he wasn’t dead. That sick fuck would be back and probably with a greater vendetta that before. I would never forgive him for the role he played in the deaths of several people that I cared about. He was going to suffer, even if we had to take him out one piece at a time.

  Today served its purpose.

  We weren’t going to stop until he left Providence. Maybe this time he would come to his senses and leave town before he ended up with a bullet between his eyes.

  Edge cursed as a low whine snagged our attention. One of the dogs in the arena was dead. The other was fatally wounded. Pissed, I knew we had to put him down. It was far worse to leave the animal to suffer. Just another reason Devlin and the SOMC were a stain on society.

  “He’s not getting away with this shit. Sooner or later, we’re gonna catch up to him and he’s not gonna be able to run anymore.”

  Edge was right.

  “We’ll get him,” I agreed. “And we’ll make him pay.”

  “I want to be there when he realizes he’s meeting his maker. He needs to suffer for what he’s done to this club and my family.”

  Mack walked into the room, his expression pure disgust. “This was the last ring. The rest are all shut down.”

  “Good.”

  If we couldn’t catch Devlin, we could at least hit him where it hurt, reducing the SOMC’s income.

  “Let’s roll out. I sent in a cleaner.”

  Following Mack out, I knew the rivalry between our clubs had just escalated. Devlin was gonna want payback. The thought made me smile.

  Bring it on, motherfucker.

  Chapter 2 – Cara

  For as long as I could remember, my mother and I volunteered at the local homeless shelter and food pantry. It was our thing since I was a little kid. She was a woman of faith and strong conviction but also limitless love and acceptance of others. A true servant of the community.

  There wasn’t a single person who didn’t know who she was or that I was her daughter. In fact, I gained quite a few “uncles” and “aunts” that were more than happy to watch over and correct my every decision. It wasn’t awful. Most of the time I was spoiled and given precious trinkets by these lost and wounded souls.

  When I was young, the tattered and dirty clothes, weathered skin, odd smells, and poor health conditions of those who came to the shelter used to frighten and intimidate me. As I grew older, I became friends with the regulars and cared about their wellbeing. Their harsh lives and experiences served as life lessons and the choices they shared – both good and bad – helped shape the person I became. A little mixture of humility, compassion, and understanding that combined with the thorough education my parents insisted that I receive.

  I graduated the top of my class with honors. A perfect 4.0 grade point average and a master’s degree in social work. I finally found my calling in life. Working with kids and families had been my dream for years and now I was finally working in my field. My new job as a Child Welfare Caseworker for the local school district felt like my life was falling into place and everything was going to work out. A little optimism never hurt anyone, right?

  I sat up straight as my supervisor walked in, plopping down in the chair across from my desk. My office wasn’t large, but I didn’t need a lot of space. Folding my hands on the desk, I waited on Mrs. Howard to speak.

  “Well, dear, how are you settling in?”

  “Mrs. Howard –”

  “Jean,” she cut in.

  “Jean.” I smiled, trying not to clench my hands too tightly in nervous agitation. “What can I do for you?”

  Today marked the end of the first week of my new position. I settled into my office and the school, adjusting to the flow and familiarizing myself with the students. There were several different counselors in addition to me and Jean who were the only Child Welfare Caseworkers. The principal was friendly, about the same age as Jean who I would guess to be in her mid to late forties. Overall, I liked the staff and the elementary school. There was a happy chaos always present that I enjoyed.

  “I have a few children that are high on the priority list. One in particular that I’d like you to meet today.”

  I nodded. She’d given me several students to follow up with this week already. Another was no surprise. “Sure. Which one?” I’d taken the liberty of grabbing all of the files on the children who were considered at risk or possible risk, and those who had experienced any kind of shift in their family dynamic over the last year.

  “Leah James.”

  I was familiar with her file. “She’s had quite a few adjustments over the last year. Longer, if you count all of her nearly eight years.”

  “She has,” Jean agreed, “but she’s a bright and happy child. At least, until recently. I’ve noticed a change in her behavior. I’d like your opinion.”

  “I don’t know her personally yet.”

  “No, but I have a feeling you’ll get along just fine. Come on. She’s in Ms. Peterson’s third grade class.”

  I followed Jean out into the corridor and then down the hall, pausing outside the door to observe the classroom.

  “She’s the one with the dark curly pigtails in the back, last row on the right.”

  “Red sweater?” I asked, just to clarify.

  “Yes.”

  “She’s beautiful.”

  “She is,” Jean agreed. “Inside and out. Sweet temperament until the last few weeks.”

  “You’re concerned,” I surmised, turning to glance her way.

  “Of course. Leah isn’t speaking to her teachers or fellow students about what’s been bothering her, and I hope it isn’t something at home. I’m wondering if a new face could help.”

  That was where I came in. “I’ll try.”

  The bell rang and the children stood for recess. We let them play and observed Leah. She didn’t join the others, just played jump rope on her own. It wasn’t terribly odd until a few of the little girls asked her to play. She shook her head, refusing to join them. Her classmates seemed disappointed. This wasn’t a case of bullying or seclusion. There was something else bothering Leah.

  When the children came inside, I entered the room and spoke to Ms. Peterson. Once the students were settling down, I walked over to Leah and crouched down at her side.

  “Hi, Leah. I’m Cara.”

  Big brown eyes met mine, full of youthful vigor but lingering in the depths was a sorrow I couldn’t deny. “Hi.”

  “Would you like to take a walk with me?” I offered, hoping she’d agree.

  “Why?”

  Smart girl. “I’m new and I don’t have any friends yet,” I confided. “I thought I’d introduce myself to the students.”

  “You want to talk to me first?” She bit her bottom lip and smiled shyly.

  “Yes,” I answered firmly. “What do you think?”

  She tilted her head to the side and then nodded. “Okay.”

  I followed her out of the classroom and outdoors to the playground where the bright California sunshine beat down from above. We settled at the swings and each took a seat. Leah dug the toe of her sandal into the soft turf. She seemed nervous or anxious and that was partially due to the fact that I was a stranger.

  “Did you want to swing for a bit? I haven’t done this in a lon
g time.”

  Leah shrugged but kicked off and began to swing, higher and higher until she was much faster than I was moving, her little legs kicking back and forth to increase momentum. A smile appeared on her face and spread wide as she giggled.

  I laughed along with her, enjoying myself as we both let the wind whip at our clothes. “This is fun!”

  She agreed. “Bet you can’t jump off when you’re really high!”

  “I can,” I contradicted, grinning as she leaped from the swing and landed on her feet. Following after her, I laughed as I wobbled and fell to the ground and she giggled, sinking next to me.

  “I like you, Cara.”

  “You do?”

  “Yeah. You’re not afraid to have fun.”

  Her comments touched my heart. “I think you like to have fun, too.”

  “I do,” she whispered, her expression sad. “Just like my sister.”

  “Your sister?” I knew about Rae but didn’t want to bring her up first.

  “She’s my favorite.”

  “I’m sure you’re her favorite as well.”

  Leah bit her lip, blinking back tears. “It’s different now.”

  Frowning, I wanted to reach out and give her a hug, but it wasn’t appropriate. “I’m here if you want to talk.”

  She shook her head. “Can I go back to class now?”

  “Sure.”

  I stood with Jean about five minutes later, observing Leah through the door of the classroom. The hall was quiet. After giving it some thought, I knew what I wanted to do about Leah. Turning to Jean, I knew she would agree with my suggestion.

  “I’d like to do a home visit.”

  “Agreed. I think her behavior and sadness warrants a closer look into the family. I don’t believe anything inappropriate is happening, but she lost her mother, was in foster care for five years, and is now in the custody of her adult sister. It’s a lot of adjustment for a child.”

  “I want her to trust me. There’s no way to help her if she doesn’t.”

  Jean placed a hand on my shoulder. “I knew I liked you the moment you interviewed. You’re a good fit for Pinehurst Elementary. I’m glad you’re on staff.”