Free A Secret Ride: A Biker Erotic Romance (Karthadossian Riders MC) by Emily Stone Page B

guts about being one of Xander’s 'elite' guards. Said he had helped set me up for the loss of the two clubs down by the county line and the bogus drug running charge.”
     
    “After a couple more scores he started telling this story about Xander using the smaller clubs he’d stolen from me for gun running. Not petty stuff either. We're talking high dollar military-grade weapons, just about every kind of explosive money can buy, and plenty of ammo for everything.”
     
    Ellie felt sick at her stomach. Manny was watching her closely and she knew that he understood how much this was hurting her. It didn’t make his information any easier to deal with, especially added to what she heard with her own ears tonight.
     
    “Rex, I had to keep you out of the loop because of Ellie. I wasn’t sure if it was coincidence that you and Ellie had hooked up so soon after me getting out or if Ellie was in on some plan of her Dads to get close to you.” He shot Ellie a sheepish look. “Sorry, kid.”
     
    Smiling, Ellie saluted him with her beer bottle. “No problem. I’d be suspicious of me too. Although I’m still dying to know how you found out about all—this.” She gestured at herself and Rex, curiosity causing her to cock an eyebrow his direction.
     
    “One of the new guys at my club saw you two leave a bar together. He’s trying to get in good with me so he rushed back to tell me that Rex left with Xander’s daughter.” Manny shrugged. “He wanted to know if I wanted you followed but I wanted to wait to see if he’d tell me about you.”
     
    “And when I didn’t you decided to send me away on a fake errand.” Rex was finally relaxed enough to sit on the stool next to Ellie, but he avoided looking at her face.
     
    “Yes, I thought it best that you not be around since I couldn’t exactly tell you what was going on.” He pinned his gaze on Ellie. “Then this one shows up and almost ruins everything.” The words were said with an indulgent smile.
     
    “I guess I went a little crazy, thinking I could just walk into Dad’s office and demand he tell me the truth.” Ellie shook her head, the lump in her throat growing again.
     
    Rex and Manny looked at each other, faces serious. They needed to convince her of how dangerous her Dad could be. It was Manny who decided to speak up. “Ellie, honey, your Mom tried so hard to keep the truth about you Dad from you. Maybe that wasn’t such a good idea, but she thought it was the right thing. I had a lot of respect for your Mom. She stood up to Xander and got you out of that life, even after he had her beat half to death. He’s a psychopath, Ellie. He likes hurting people, even people he claims to love. You have to stay away from him.”
     
    Ellie looked confused. “He beat my Mom? When?”
     
    “When we were about six, I guess.” Rex said, his eyes full of sympathy. “Dad found her out on the path between our old houses. She didn’t want us to tell you. I think you went and stayed with an Aunt for a couple of weeks, in Arizona, maybe?”
     
    She stared at the counter, tears spilling over and dripping onto the surface. “Everyone knew, didn’t they?”
     
    “Yeah, pretty much.” Manny reached across the counter and patted her hand, never much good at dealing with female tears. “It’s part of the reason why our club hates your Dad so much.”
     
    Ellie nodded, suddenly so exhausted that she couldn’t think straight. “All this time she let me believe that he was the one who didn’t want me involved in the club. If I’d gotten in with him, there’s no telling what he might have done to me the first time I screwed up.”
     
    “That lie might have very well saved you a lot of pain.” Manny got up and threw his bottle in the trash can.
     
    “I’m sure you two can manage the rest of this without me. I’m going to take a hot bath.” Ellie didn’t wait to see what they would say about her announcement. She got up and escaped to her master