Running Wild (Hell Ryders MC Book 1) by J.L. Sheppard Read Free Book Online

phone to his ear. Trig tried to keep his cool, but it was hard. They had a situation, and it wasn’t good. “It’s Allie.”
    “What happened?”
    “Don’t know the whole story. What I do know is someone reported her missing, and she’s on the news.”
    Army let out a curse.
    Exactly his thought. Compared to his brothers, he didn’t find any of this funny. He’d bet his life her dickhead father in cahoots with her cheating ex-fiancé were trying to manipulate her, and it worked. From what he overheard, she planned on heading to the city, giving them the opportunity to spew shit about how sorry they were, how everything would change. Maybe then, she’d give it another go and stay where she obviously didn’t want to be.
    “Where is she?”
    “From the looks of it, she went for a run.”
    “Shit. I’m on a guard, but I’ll be there by the time she gets back. Don’t let her leave.”
    “What’re you gonna do?” He bit the side of his mouth, knowing he shouldn’t have asked. He couldn’t let on he cared.
    “No other option. Gonna go to New York.”
    About to hang up, Army said, “Thanks for the heads-up, bro.”
    “No problem.” Ending the call, Trig headed outside the garage and waited. He wouldn’t chase her, figuring she needed to run like he needed to ride. He’d let her have it, but when she returned, he’d be there, and he wouldn’t let her out of his sight.
    ****
    Allie was exhausted, drenched in sweat, and it felt great. She’d needed a run for days, and after Wyatt’s infuriating stunt, she needed it more.
    As she headed into the garage, she pulled up the bottom of her shirt and wiped the sweat off her face. Taking a deep breath to slow her heartbeat, she looked up and found Jace only feet away, wearing a black wife beater under his cut, and jeans hanging low on his waist. Her stomach clenched at the sight; he looked so good. Her gaze drifted to his, his on her stomach, undisguised lust written on his face.
    Her cheeks flamed.
    His gaze shot to hers and hardened. Like it was her fault he caught a glimpse of her bare stomach. Like it was her fault he liked what he saw. Like he hated he liked what he saw.
    He took a step, schooled his features, and then he casually asked, “Good run?”
    Damn, he was good. He so easily disguised what he felt, what she caught a glimpse of.
    “Yeah.”
    He crossed his arms over his chest. “Your brother’s on his way.”
    She didn’t know why he told her. She said nothing.
    “He wants to talk to you.”
    Talk to her? About what? Oh, God. Jace told her brother about her tantrum! Why else would Jace be waiting for her? Why else would her brother want to talk to her?
    “You told him?” she asked, abashed, her face heating. “Why would you… I’m allowed to have feelings, you know.” She believed it. She just didn’t think she was entitled to show them, but instinctively, she defended herself. “I know I lost it, but I’m entitled to feel. Just because—”
    “What’re you talkin’ about, Allie?”
    The way he said her name with his deep voice made a shudder run though her. She fought to ignore it, and then she fought to remember why she should be angry.
    “What’re you talkin’ about, Allie?” His voice grew harsher.
    Why did that make her shiver? “I’m losing my mind,” she mumbled under her breath.
    He closed the feet between them until he was so close she had to tilt her head back to look at him. “I’m talkin’ to you.”
    “I know, but I have a lot on my mind right now, and I was side-tracked for a second. And I’m not sure I want to talk to you after you called my brother to tell on me.”
    He leaned toward her. A breath away, she lost track of thought because his lips were so close she could almost taste them. Powerlessly, her gaze gravitated to them.
    He clenched his jaw, swallowed then mumbled a barely coherent, “Fuck.”
    She snapped out of her trance. Her gaze went back to his.
    “It had to be done.”
    Letting her