Closing the curtains, I sat staring into space. Again, I saw Matlock’s tatted-up body slick with water and begging for my tongue to worship it.
A knock at the door startled me out of my reverie, and I jumped up to see who it was.
Except before I could get there, the bathroom door flew open and I ran smack-dab into a damp, inked-up, perfectly sculpted chest.
“Oh shit!” My hands went out to push myself back, but as soon as they made contact with his warm skin, tingles and shockwaves ran through my fingertips and up to the roots of my hair.
Wide-eyed, I glanced up at him before stepping quickly back. “I’m sorry!”
Truth was, I was anything but. Good Lord, did he feel good. The visualizations in my mind quickly went from the NC-17 that they’d been before to extremely X-rated.
His nostrils flared, and he stepped back as well. Hooded blue eyes watched me like I was a strange, alien being he couldn’t figure out. Then he turned to the door I’d been headed toward and looked through the peephole.
Opening it right as Gunny had raised his hand to knock again, he stepped back to let him in, holding a finger to his lips and pointing to the sleeping girl.
I noticed Gunny was on the phone. He turned it on speaker, and I heard Soap talking but I didn’t know who he was talking to.
“You make it home okay? How did work go today? I know it’s only been three days but I miss you. Yeah, hold on, let me go outside where I have better signal.”
When I looked from Matlock to Gunny, they both had furrowed brows. There was a change in background noise as he stepped out of the hotel into the night.
“Two Demon Runners are at the front desk asking for her. Described Raiven to a T, and one said she was his sister. She got a brother?” They both looked to me. I shook my head.
“My guts are sayin’ this ain’t good. We need to move. Get out. Take the back door. I’ll catch up after I see y’all leave. Have her duck down when you go past the front doors. Move quick.” Without waiting for confirmation from either of the two men with me, he hung up the phone.
“I’ll go grab our things too. Back in two.” Gunny left the room in a hurry.
“We need to go. Get your shit. We have five minutes.” Matlock spouted the orders, then stepped back in to the bathroom but didn’t close the door. I couldn’t help but stand there transfixed as he dropped the towel and started to dress. He pulled jeans on commando, and it was impossible to miss him tucking the biggest dick I’d ever seen inside.
“Pick your jaw up off the floor and let’s go.” His tone was firm, but there was a hint of a smile on his lips.
Spurred into action, I slipped on a pair of slides, tossed the few things I had unpacked back in into my suitcase, and zipped it shut.
While I’d been doing that, he’d done the same. Another knock on the door had Matlock pulling a pistol out of a holster on his belt. I didn’t know how I’d missed that before. A quick peek and he opened the door. Gunny had two small bags in his hands.
“Ready?” He looked around the room. “Give me your bag and you grab Elvis.”
Matlock nodded, tossed his bag to his brother, tucked the gun in the holster, and gently lifted his daughter to his arms.
“Let’s go.”
Pulling my suitcase behind me, I grabbed Presley’s small backpack and moved quickly between the two men.
Fear and adrenaline raced through my veins as we hurried out of the hotel.
In no time, Presley was buckled in and, with only a minor grumble as he placed her in her car seat, she remained sleeping. He tossed all the bags in the back seat, and he and Gunny exchanged a few quiet words.
Matlock leaped into the truck, and we pulled out. Gunny was right behind us. As instructed, I leaned down as we passed the front doors of the hotel.
Once we were nearing the parking lot entrance, I sat up. A car was turning in. It all seemed to happen in slow motion. The back window rolled down, and my eyes glued to a pair of dark brown ones.
The same dark brown eyes I thought I’d been in love with once upon a time.
Stefano.
“Go! Oh my God, Matlock, go!” My heart was pounding to the point of exploding.
Thankfully, Matlock heeded my urgency, and we peeled out of the lot as if the hounds of hell were on our heels.
He didn’t know it, but they were.
“What’s going on?” He checked his rearview. “Who’s that?”
“Just go.” My entire body shook in fear.
“Who. The. Fuck. Is. It?”
I had no idea how he’d possibly known where I was, since I hadn’t used a single credit card during the trip.
My phone vibrated in my bag. Panic reared its head when I realized I’d forgotten to shut it off after sending the text to my aunt. Stefano’s smiling face and his name flashed on my screen. I hit Ignore.
Staring at my phone where it lay in my trembling hand, I realized I’d fucked up. Bad.
“Raiven. Goddammit. Answer me. Who was that? And who’s calling you? I thought you said you shut it off!” Glancing his direction, I saw the muscle in his jaw tick.
“I wanted to check on my aunt and uncle,” I whispered. My phone vibrated again. I stared at it like it would bite me.
“Why didn’t you just ask to use my phone?” He sounded exasperated.
“I don’t know. You were with your friends and I didn’t mean to leave it on. I only meant to have it on for a minute.” I bit my lip.
“Answer it.”
Not hesitating at his demand, I swiped the screen and held it to my ear. My hand shook so hard I was afraid I’d drop it. Words escaped me.
“Raiven. What do you think you’re doing?” The sinister sound of his voice over the phone made my stomach churn.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. Leave me alone, Stefano. I told you I’m not saying anything.” My voice came across stronger than I actually was in that moment.
“It’s too late for that. You know that.”
A large tatted hand was suddenly in front of my face. “Give me the phone.”
Without a complaint, I dropped it in his hand as if it was on fire.
“Listen, you fuck. Leave her alone or you’ll be dealing with me. You feel me?” Matlock ground out in a low growl.
“Who the fuck are you?” I heard Stefano yell.
“Someone you don’t want to fuck with.” Matlock ended the call, and his gaze flickered in my direction. “You bring this phone with you from Chicago?”
I nodded. Tears floated in my lower lids.
He rolled down the window and tossed it out.
“What are you doing?” I shrieked, then looked back to see my phone as it bounced and shattered all over the road. Suddenly afraid my scream had woken Presley, I looked at her as she slept, peacefully oblivious in her seat.
“If your phone’s been on the whole time, he’s probably been tracking you since Chicago.”
“You don’t really think he tracked my phone. Do you?” Except deep down, I knew that was the type of power men like him had.
Fear that he had done exactly that had me swallowing hard as the tears that had previously hovered began to fall.
Fuck that phone. I’d get a different phone on the way. There was nothing in that thing I was worried about more than my life or those of my aunt and uncle. And now the two other people in the truck with me.
In less than twenty-four hours, Matlock and Presley had become two of the most important people in my life. A fact I was sure he wouldn’t appreciate now that I’d brought this shit to his proverbial doorstep.
“Everything Falls Apart”—Korn
Gunny was on our tail as the lights of town faded in the background. Within approximately thirty minutes, a second headlight sped up out of the night and joined Gunny behind us. Knowing Soap was safe eased the tension in my chest slightly but my adrenaline was on overdrive.
“I need to know everything. Now,” I demanded. I wasn’t in the mood to use kid
gloves.
“What do you mean?”
“Don’t play stupid. That’s not just some possessive, abusive boyfriend. Is he with the Demon Runners?”
“Who?” She seemed genuinely confused. “I don’t know who that is.”
“The Demon Runners were at the front desk asking for you by name and description. Then we pass that car and you freak the fuck out. Which is quickly followed by what I can only assume was your boyfriend calling. Tell me how far off I am.”
She sniffled, and I quickly glanced her way. Despite the tears, her head was held high and her mouth was a flat line.
“Tell me who he is or I’ll drop your ass off on the side of the road. My daughter is in the truck. If she’s in danger because of you, I have a right to know why.” I wouldn’t really drop her off like that but I needed to fucking know why the crazy bastard had followed her all this way. My gut told me there was way more to her story than I’d been given. I wondered if Pops knew the whole story.
Her eyes dropped closed and her head tipped to the headrest. Defeat filled her tone. “I thought I won the lottery with Stefano at first.”
Impatiently, I waited for her to continue, shoulders tense.
“He was attentive, sweet, lavished me with gifts, bought me jewelry, a new phone, took me to fancy dinners, everything a girl would want. I thought I loved him.” The last was a tortured whisper. It made my teeth grind.
Taking a deep breath, she started to speak but her voice cracked. Risking a glance her direction, I caught the glint of tears tracking down her cheeks. Without thinking, I reached over and clasped her hand in mine.
The contact was electric. I’d be a fucking liar if I said it didn’t scare the fuck out of me. Except I didn’t have time to deal with processing those feelings.
“What changed?”
She sniffled and turned her head to stare out into the blackness of the night. “He’d gotten controlling, but at the time I hadn’t noticed it. He hated my job, didn’t like me touching other men. He didn’t like my clothes because they were too revealing. He didn’t like my friends. Little things like that. I was out to dinner with some friends from school. We were having girls’ night, a reunion sort of. Stefano and I had argued about it. He finally agreed to let me go. While we were having dinner, I saw Stefano enter the restaurant and head toward the back. I was excited to see him and wanted to apologize for our argument, so I told the girls I’d be right back. I saw him enter a door at the end of the back hall. I almost turned around, but figured I’d just say hi then leave him be. Except, as I reached the door, I saw it was mostly closed. He was talking to a man sitting at the desk. I didn’t hear what they said but it seemed like they knew each other. Then Stefano pulled out a gun and….” She choked and her entire body shuddered. I squeezed her hand.
“Oh my God, Lock, he shot him. Twice in the chest and once in the head. It was so quiet. I thought gunshots would be loud. The sound of that man’s head exploding was louder than the gun. The blood. Oh my God, there was so much blood. I fell backwards and bumped a picture on the wall. Stefano whipped around and saw me before I could think. I thought he was going to kill me next. He smiled. It was so reptilian. He was on me before I could get my shit together. I begged him not to kill me.” She gave a sad laugh.
I stayed silent and let her talk.
“He told me he wasn’t going to kill me as long as I could be quiet. I promised him I wouldn’t say a word. He pulled me into the room and shoved the gun in my hand. I remember staring at it like I’d never seen one. Then he whispered in my ear that if I left, my prints would be on the gun. That’s when I realized he’d been wearing gloves. He left and came back quickly with my purse. I can only guess what he told my friends. He took me to his apartment. He… he….” A sob escaped her, and I rubbed her hand with my thumb. The need to kill the bastard with my bare hands was overwhelming.
“I could barely crawl out of bed, but as soon as he left the next morning, I snuck out. Call it divine intervention, but my uncle called and said he was coming through to see my dad and did I want to have lunch while he was there. I raced to my apartment, packed my bag, and left. I literally rode the train and buses all over town, back and forth. I even slept on the train until I got a phone call from the nursing home where my dad lived. He’d died in his sleep, they said.” She sobbed and sniffled again. I was afraid I knew where this was all going.
Then she confirmed my suspicions. “Stefano called my phone. He’d been texting me, but I hadn’t answered. After getting the news about my dad, I wasn’t thinking straight, and I answered. He told me my dad was a warning, if I didn’t come back, he would find me and I’d be next. I wasn’t dumb enough to believe he wouldn’t kill me anyway. I called my uncle to tell him about Dad and that I needed to get out of town. He argued that we needed to deal with my dad first. When I broke down and told him my boyfriend had beat the shit out of me, he wanted to go fuck Stefano up, so I told him I needed out of town ASAP, he met me at the bus station, and we left town. Dad had actually already made all of his arrangements years ago. He wanted to be cremated with no ceremony and placed in the veterans’ cemetery, also with no ceremony. It killed me not to be there even though he had set things up that way.” She quietly cried, and I let her.
My mind was reeling. I needed to talk to Gunny and Soap, but they were on their bikes. We’d barely crossed into Kansas. My plan had been to hit the turnpike and skip the stops I’d initially planned along the way.
Deciding I’d stop in Topeka to fill up, I looked her way before returning my eyes to the road. “Pops know Stefano killed his brother?”
“No,” she whispered. “I was afraid he’d try to go after him. I didn’t want him going up against Stefano after what I’d witnessed.” Her horrified gaze met mine as I’d looked her way again. “He killed that man in cold blood without a bit of remorse.”
I kept the fact that I’d killed without remorse to myself. Even though the situations were different. A combat situation changed the rules on killing someone. Especially when it’s self-defense. Them or me.
“What did Stefano do for a living?” I had a sneaking suspicion but I wondered if she’d realized.
“I’m not sure. He always told me he was in the personal security and investment business.”
I snorted.
We reached the edge of Topeka, and I pulled into the first well-lit gas station. The guys pulled in behind me.
“Stay in here with Presley.” She nodded, fear in her eyes that tore me up inside.
The guys had each pulled in on either side of the pump behind mine. I started the gas, then moved in their direction.
“What the fuck was that back there?” Gunny was the first to ask.
“Fuck. Evidently, she doesn’t know anything about the Demon Runners, but the car we passed was her ex. I’m not sure, but I have a feeling he’s connected with the mafia from what she said.” Frustrated, I ran my hand through my hair.
“Jesus,” Gunny huffed.
“Well, that explains why he whipped around and tried to follow you guys,” Soap piped in.
“What happened, by the way? I was getting worried when you took so long to catch up.”
He grinned. “Well, I pulled out in front of him in a way they couldn’t get around me and pretended I couldn’t get my bike started. He was pissed and cussed me out. I was ever so apologetic.” He snickered. “When I figured you had a good enough head start and before the Demon Fuckers came back out, I miraculously got it to start. I made sure they weren’t following me and then caught up to you.” He shrugged like it was no big deal.
“We need to be careful. I think he was tracking her phone.” I shoved my hands in my pockets. Now I was worried about my daughter, the woman in my care, and my brothers. We were in a shit storm of a situation.
“So that’s what went flying out the window. Thanks for that, by the way. You damn near hit me, fucker,” Gunny grumbled.
“Sorry about that.”
“Yeah
, right. So now what? I’m getting tired. There hasn’t been anyone following us. How much longer before we stop to get some shut-eye?” Gunny scratched his beard and yawned.
“We might as well see what’s here, because soon we’ll hit the turnpike and then the places to stop are extremely limited.” They both nodded at my suggestion.
“I’ll get the rooms, since he may have figured out who you are if he saw your plates.” Soap nodded toward my truck.
“Good point.” I searched on my phone for the nearest decent hotel. “This okay with you two?” I showed them what I’d found.
“Sounds good. Fuck, as long as there’s a bed and a pillow, I’m good. Let’s go.” Gunny grabbed his helmet and mounted up.
I put the nozzle back and grabbed my receipt. Scared blue eyes met mine when I climbed in.
“Now what? You want me to take a bus from here? I’m okay with that. I’m sorry I involved you in this. I didn’t want to, but I also didn’t think he’d follow me, let alone find me.” Her nose was red and slightly swollen, and her beautiful eyes were red from crying.
“Hell no, I’m not leaving you. I promised to get you safely to Styx, and that hasn’t changed.” What had changed was me wanting to leave her with him. He was single and a decent-looking guy. The thought of her being with him set my teeth on edge.
I checked to make sure Presley was still sleeping and started the truck. “We’re stopping for the night.”
“Okay” was all she said. I didn’t like that the previously spunky woman was so beaten down and subdued.
It didn’t take long for us to find the hotel and get checked in. We only brought the necessities in with us in case we needed to leave quickly again.
By the time we all made it up to our rooms, we were dragging ass. I laid Presley in one of the beds and stepped back into the hall. Raiven went into the bathroom.
Lock and Load: A Demented Sons MC Texas Novel Page 7
