Ringer: Perdition MC Shifter Book 1 Read online

  RINGER

  Perdition MC Shifter Book 1

  By BE Kelly

  Ringer (Perdition MC Shifter Book 1)

  Copyright © 2020 by BE Kelly

  Cover design: Michelle Sewell- RLS Images Graphics and Designs

  Imprint: Independently published

  First Print Edition: May 2020

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to locales, events, business establishments, or actual persons—living or dead—is entirely coincidental.

  Table of Contents

  Sophie

  Ringer

  Sophie

  Ringer

  Sophie

  Ringer

  Sophie

  Ringer

  Sophie

  Ringer

  Sophie

  Ringer

  Sophie

  Ringer

  Sophie

  Ringer

  Sophie

  Ringer

  Rios

  Aylen

  Prologue

  Ringer

  Five Years Earlier

  Ringer pulled his day pack from his shoulder and fished through it looking for a snack. His camping supplies were about depleted and he was running out of excuses to go home to New Orleans. Honestly, he was just being a coward not facing down the woman he wanted. Sophie Payton was a grown woman now—not the same little girl who used to follow him and her older brother around, begging them to spend time with her. Hell, he’d give just about anything to hear her beg him for a few minutes of his time. Yeah, she was all grown up and he wanted to do things to her that would make her blush. She was still too young for him and then there was the matter of his friend Reaper—her older brother. How could he do that to his friend? Wanting Sophie and making her his were two different things. There was a line and even though it was an imaginary line that he had imposed on himself, it was still there. Taking Sophie would be crossing that fucking line and he couldn’t do that to his oldest childhood friend.

  “Hey there,” an older man called. Ringer looked down the path to where three men were making their way toward him. “You out here all alone?” Ringer worried that if he told them he was alone, he’d be setting himself up for trouble, so he lied.

  “Naw,” he said. “My hiking partner wasn’t feeling well this morning. He’s just around the bend at our campsite resting.” He pointed the opposite way from where they had just come from, for good measure.

  “Sorry to hear that,” the older guy said. He looked him up and down and smiled, though it didn’t touch his eyes. “You’re welcome to hike with the three of us if you’d like. Hiking alone can be dangerous,” he warned. Ringer worried that the guy was right and he had just run headlong into that exact scenario.

  “I’m Nix and this is Husk,” the other guy said. They nodded at him and he did the same in return.

  “Ringer,” he said. “I’m good with hiking on my own. I’m not going to be out here long today. I need to get back and check on my buddy,” he lied. “I’d hate to cut your hike short.”

  The first guy held his hand out to Ringer. “I’m Akin,” he said. “Listen, we’re not trying to impede on your alone time. It was just an offer.” Ringer wasn’t sure if it was a good idea to get caught up with strangers but he’d been hiking and camping in Yellowstone for a few weeks now and he had to admit, he’d be missing human conversation. Talking to the lizards, birds and occasional snakes that crossed his path was not as satisfying as it was at the beginning of his little quest. He was out in the middle of nowhere, soaking in his alone time, trying to forget the woman he wanted. The problem was, the longer he stayed away from her, the more he wanted her. He knew it was a cliché but whoever said, “Absence makes the heart grow fonder,” wasn’t entirely wrong.

  “I guess if you don’t mind me tagging along for a bit, that would be great,” Ringer agreed. “I appreciate the offer, Akin.”

  The three men started on the path he had been heading down and he easily fell into conversation with them. They were easy to talk to and he loved the carefree way they seemed to tease each other. He was pretty sure that Nix and Husk were brothers and if Akin wasn’t their dad, he was definitely in charge of their little motley crew.

  “So, you been out here long?” Nix asked.

  “A few weeks actually,” Ringer admitted.

  “Where you from?” Husk asked.

  “Originally, New Orleans but I’m not sure I’m going home any time soon,” Ringer admitted.

  “Ah—when a man says shit like that he’s either running from the law or a woman,” Akin said. It was a good guess but the very last thing Ringer wanted to do was get into his love life with three virtual strangers.

  “Yeah,” Ringer admitted.

  “Well, which is it?” Nix asked.

  Ringer sighed, “Woman,” he said, hoping that his small truth would earn him a reprieve from their questions.

  The three guys laughed and he wanted to tell them to shut the fuck up. “So,” Husk said. “You have a girl back home that’s giving you trouble?”

  “No trouble,” Ringer admitted. “She’s just not the woman for me and I had to get away to figure things out.”

  “She turned you down?” Akin pushed.

  “No,” Ringer said. “I never asked, so she never turned me down.”

  “So, you never gave her a chance to tell you no?” Nix asked.

  “Right,” Ringer said. “Listen, how about we change the subject. You guys been out here long?” Nix and Husk shared a look and Ringer wasn’t sure they were going to answer his question.

  Akin cleared his throat, “Just a few days,” he said. “We’re just here for a quick vacation—you know just to get away for a bit.” Ringer could feel the tension between the three guys and he wondered if his new friends were being completely truthful with him. It had been some time since he was around anyone long enough to have a full conversation and then there was the fact that he had trust issues. His father had drilled into him that you can never fully trust someone else and that was the only lesson Ringer had taken away from his relationship with his dad. He was expected to take over his father’s business with Reaper. Their dads had started the textile manufacturing company together and he’d even studied business in college. But, it wasn’t what he wanted to do. He had fallen in love with stocks and trading while taking one of his classes and if he was being one-hundred percent honest, that was what he wanted to do with the rest of his life. Or, maybe even take some of the money that he had earned through his impressive investment portfolio and start up a new business. He didn’t want his father’s hand me downs. Besides, he was pretty sure his dad’s business wasn’t quite on the up and up, although he couldn’t prove that his father was doing anything illegal—it was just a gut feeling.

  They hiked out about two miles and Ringer was starting to feel antsy about getting back to his campsite. “I think I’m going to head on back to camp,” he said. “I’m thinking a nap sounds like a good idea and I need to make a food run.” What he needed to do was make up his damn mind about what was next for him. Sure, picking up food and camping out in the middle of nowhere sounded like a good plan but really, it wasn’t. He needed to man up and stop being a coward—going home was a reality he’d have to face sooner or later.<
br />
  “I think we’ll head back with you,” Akin said.

  “Yeah—maybe we should check in on your friend,” Nix said. “My brother has some medical training and I’m sure he wouldn’t mind looking your friend over, would you Husk?” Husk nodded.

  “Friend?” Ringer questioned and then remembered the story he had made up about his hiking companion, just in case the three of them were crazy murderers or something. He didn’t completely trust them, but that was just who he was. Ringer was pretty sure they weren’t going to murder him and leave his body out on the trial for the scavengers to pick apart.

  He chuckled, “Well, I kind of made my friend up. I wasn’t sure if you guys were on the up and up. A guy hiking alone can’t be too careful,” he defended.

  “No, you’re right,” Akin agreed. “In that case, how about you join us for dinner? Saves you a food run and you won’t have to be all alone.” Ringer thought about telling him, no but he liked the idea of hanging out with other people and having dinner with actual people to talk to was a bonus.

  “Thanks, I’d like that,” Ringer agreed.

  “Great,” Nix said, clapping him on the shoulder. “Our site is back this way,” he nodded up the trail from where they had just came and Ringer wondered how close they were to his site.

  “I’m in that same direction,” he said.

  “Let’s head back and build a fire,” Husk said. “I’ve been dreaming about the steaks we picked up since we left this morning.” Steaks did sound pretty damn good. Hell, Ringer’s mouth started watering at just the thought. He’d have dinner with his new friends and then he’d get some much-needed sleep. He was going to have to decide what to do next with his life but that would hold until morning. For now, he was going to enjoy some good food and company. Tomorrow he’d decide what to do with the rest of his life.

  Ringer woke to the sound of something scratching at his tent. At first, his tired brain thought it might just be a branch blowing in the wind, pressed up against his tent. But then he fully woke up and realized that there were no bushes or trees around his campsite.

  He had dinner with Akin, Nix, and Husk and he had to admit, he like the three of them. They were easy to talk to and Nix was funny as hell. It was nice to spend an evening talking to other people rather than commiserating about what to do about the woman he wanted. He barely thought about sexy little Sophie at dinner but that all changed once he made his way back to his camp and tried to sleep. He spent a few hours tossing and turning, her beautiful face running through his mind. He got himself off a few times and finally drifted off to dream about the last time he saw her. It was when he told her he was leaving New Orleans and wasn’t sure if he would make it back or not. The look on her face nearly broke his heart but he wouldn’t allow himself to turn back and make her promises he wasn’t sure he’d be able to keep.

  The scratching noise was louder, drawing his attention back to his present situation. “Who’s there?” he foolishly asked. Of course, no one answered him. Akin and the guys were about a quarter-mile down the trail and he wasn’t sure they’d be able to hear him even if he yelled his loudest. His only option was to man up and check things out for himself.

  Ringer hesitantly pulled the zipper down, opening up the small door to peek outside of his tent. He wished he had his shotgun but he hastily left that in his pick-up the night before. He was tired and all he wanted to do was crawl into his sleeping bag.

  Ringer noticed the glowing eyes of what he assumed to be either really big foxes or wolves. He quickly counted the pairs of eyes and decided that either two or three animals were watching him. Ringer looked over to his truck, trying to figure out if he’d be able to make it before the eyes glowing off in the distance would be able to catch up with him.

  “I have a gun,” he whispered, mostly to himself. Yeah, they probably didn’t understand a word and he nervously laughed at just how stupid he was being. He’d learned a lot being out in the middle of nowhere. Ringer knew that if a wild animal was near his campsite they were probably looking for food. Well, they were out of luck because he didn’t have any. Once they figured that out, they’d leave him alone and be on their way, at least, that’s what he was hoping.

  “I don’t have any food,” he shouted. Again, nothing but silence and he was starting to feel like a fool for talking to whatever was out there. He looked over to where his pick-up was parked once more and decided he’d make it. What other choice did he have? He would be safer locked in his truck that in a nylon tent with nothing to protect himself from the glowing eyes that seemed to be circling his campsite.

  He stepped out of his tent and sprinted for his truck. A howl rang through the still night and he knew what he was up against—wolves. “Fuck,” he swore under his breath. He just about made it to his truck when he felt a sharp, stabbing pain radiate through his ankle. He wasn’t fast enough and the wolf that now held him pinned to the ground was all the proof he needed. Ringer didn’t make it to his truck. He was an idiot to think he’d be able to outrun wolves.

  Three big wolves stood over him, staring him down as if daring him to make a move. “I won’t hurt you,” he whispered, shielding his face from the big gray one. It was a lie, but the animal would never know that. If given the opportunity, he would hurt him and his two friends who snarled and glared down at him. He’d fucking kill them all if given the chance.

  Ringer watched them, waiting for whatever they were going to do next. He looked into the grey wolf's eyes and swore that they looked familiar. He’d seen eyes like that before, so blue that they looked like the summer sky on a clear morning—Akin’s eyes.

  “Akin,” Ringer whispered. He was losing his mind. Akin was a man, not a wolf. Ringer tried to push back from the three wolves and before he knew it, the two brown wolves each took an ankle in their mouths and started dragging him over the dusty ground. He fought like hell to shake them, thrashing and shouting but they were relentless. He felt every rock on the ground as his body slid over them and he knew for sure that when this was all over, when the wolves finally finished having their way with him, he’d never see the woman he had fallen in love with again. He’d never be able to tell Sophie how much he loved her or wanted her. She’d never know that she consumed his every thought because he had chosen the cowards way out and left. That was the last thing he remembered thinking about just before his world went dark. Just before the giant gray wolf bit down into his shoulder, ripping and tearing his flesh. Ringer let the darkness consume him and the last thing he saw was her face—Sophie.

  Sophie

  Five Years Later

  Sophie Payton stepped out of the shower and wrapped the entirely too small towel around her curvy body. It had been almost a month and a half of living in the shithole motel with Ringer, hoping that her attempts to block the sexy biker’s advances would hold up. Honestly, she was starting to give into wanting him and letting her guard down scared the fuck out of her.

  Anthony Castes, Jr. or Ringer, as everyone called him, was someone she had wanted since she was just a kid. Ringer’s dad and her father had gone into business together and she had known Ringer her whole life. Her brother, Reaper and he had been friends back before all this shit when down with the business. When her dad passed, he left his half of the company to his son and Reaper had found that Anthony, Sr. hadn’t been on the up and up with his half of the business. He had been trafficking women and using the company as a front. He got away with it for a while, since her father was sick for so long, but now, Reaper was working with the Feds to bring him down and Sophie wasn’t safe. Ringer had convinced her that he’d be better able to take care of her if they left New Orleans and if she was being one-hundred-percent honest, the idea of getting out of town appealed to her. Sophie was only twenty-three years old and being stuck in the same place her entire life was getting on her last nerve. She wanted to see the world but she’d settle for seeing the country.

  Sophie looked at herself in the mirror and sighed. She had the s
ame routine every night. Take a hot, steamy shower while thinking about all the things she wanted Ringer to do to her body. Give herself a pep talk in the tiny bathroom’s only mirror about how she was going to stay strong and not give in to her basic desires for the only man she had ever truly ached for. She’d then slip into her unflattering, almost manly, oversized pajamas and pretend not to see Ringer check her out when she finally emerged from the bathroom in a plume of steam. Sophie would crawl into the rooms only bed and pray that the wall of pillows she had put up between them would be enough to keep her from wandering over to his side of the double bed during the night to wrap her body around his. Yeah, it was her new routine and one she worried wouldn’t hold up for much longer. There were so many nights that she wanted to walk into that room naked and demand he take her body. Hell, he had flat out asked her to fuck him and she turned him down even when her body was shouting at her to agree.

  The question was—could she do it? Every time Ringer asked her to spend the night wrapped up in his arms, he only promised her a one-time deal. His offer of, “Spend the night with me, Soph,” didn’t sound like a lifelong promise and why would he make her any of those? Ringer wasn’t someone who settled down long term. Sophie knew the score—she would agree to have sex with him and then he’d dump her, having his fill of her. That wasn’t what Sophie wanted. She knew that sooner or later, she’d let him have her body but God, she wanted to give him so much more. She wanted to give him her heart and that wouldn’t end well for her.

  She reached for her ratty, old pajamas and cursed as soon as she realized she had forgotten to bring them into the bathroom with her. “Fuck,” she whispered. “How the hell am I going to go out there like this?” she asked her reflection. She couldn’t—but what choice did she have? Sooner or later, she’d have to come out of the bathroom and her clothing choices were towel or no towel.