by Kay Maree
“Thank you,” he said softly. I looked down at him certain this hardened man didn’t say those words often. “You should be scared and in hysterics, but you’re not. You’re sitting here patching me up. Why?”
“I don’t really know.” I took a step back from him. “You saved me. Why only me? Why not the other girls too?”
“I saw them drag you into the house. I couldn’t let them do to you the awful things my imagination was coming up with.” He shrugged and stood, looking away from me before turning to the sink and washing the blood off his hands. Once he was satisfied, he left the bathroom without a word.
I guess sharing time is over.
I shrugged and followed him into his sparse bedroom. His tanned back was to me and I noticed the scars he had. My eyes traced the pale, almost iridescent lines that crossed his back, and I realized my original assessment of him had been true. He’d lived a dangerous life. Was I in danger? I didn’t think so. This man had saved me and treated me with kindness even if he was a bit gruff. I’d already seen the tattoos that graced his arms and chest, but I hadn’t gotten a good look at them, too focused on patching him up.
“I have a shirt, but I doubt any of my sweats or shorts will fit you, even if you did cinch them all the way up.” He turned to me handing me a T-shirt. “You can sleep in here. I’ll be on the couch if you need anything. I’ll go out early and see if I can find you some clothes. We can figure out the next steps in the morning.” He said it all without any kind of emotion, then grabbed a pair of sweats and a pillow.
“Thank you.” I ducked my head and rushed into the bathroom. Things were starting to sink in, and the shock was beginning to wear off. I needed to get the grime off me. I could feel the disgusting man’s hands on me still and it caused me to shudder. Shower. It was time for a shower.
CHAPTER FIVE
Tank
I watched her scurry into the bathroom and shut the door. The idea of her in my shower caused my cock to become rock hard. I hadn’t wanted a woman like this in months. None of the usual women were cutting it anymore, but there was something about this Latin beauty with just the hint of an accent. I could tell she wasn’t from here and the almost cultured way she spoke meant no matter where she ran away from she had money. It made me even more curious about her. Fuck, I didn’t even know her name. I was the biggest idiot in the world.
I berated myself as I left the bedroom with a huff. I needed to get my head on straight. I’d already fucked up and went against the old man’s orders. If I had waited twenty-four hours there was no telling what would have happened to her during that time. I wasn’t sure if she’d already been hurt. I hadn’t even bothered to ask while she was fixing me up. I’ll blame my illogical thinking on the hole in my shoulder.
I used the guest bathroom and rushed through a shower. I didn’t want to be distracted for too long. Those bastards were more than likely already looking for her. I needed to be on my game, or she could end up getting hurt.
I wasn’t able to sit still on the couch; I couldn’t get comfortable knowing she was in my bed. The cold shower I’d taken hadn’t helped and I laid there staring at the ceiling for hours. I needed a bigger couch. The door down the hall opened and closed quietly and I jumped to attention, grabbing the handgun I’d stashed under the couch cushion.
A quiet gasp filled the room. I looked up to see the girl staring at the gun in my hand with wide eyes. I blew out a breath and stuffed the gun back in the couch. “I-I was thirsty.” She took a step back. I realized what an ass I’d been. She was probably starving and dehydrated after what those animals did. I cursed myself in my head and stood to go to the fridge.
“C’mon, I’ll make you a sandwich and get you a bottle of water,” I said gruffly.
“I don’t want to keep you awake. I can do it.” She ducked her head shyly.
“It’s no trouble. I couldn’t sleep anyway.” I pointed to the kitchen island where I had two rickety bar stools and opened the fridge. All I had were processed meats and cheeses. I shrugged. If she was too hoity-toity to eat regular food, then that was on her. At least I was trying to feed her. When I turned around, she was sitting at the island watching me curiously. “What do you like on your sandwich?”
“Sandwich?” She looked genuinely confused. I raised my brows in shock.
“You know a piece of meat and cheese between two slices of bread? You’ve never eaten a sandwich before? How is that possible?” I was shocked. She must have really come from some money not to have eaten a sandwich before. “Who are you?” I asked almost to myself.
“My name is Nadia. I’m not from here.” She hung her head but didn’t say anything more. I pulled out a loaf of bread and grabbed the mustard. She wrinkled her nose in the cutest way and I realized even a princess knew what mustard was, though she had probably only ever had the fancy shit rich people eat. I grabbed the mayo and she cocked her head to the side as she watched me spread it with a butter knife.
When I was finished putting it together, I set it in front of Nadia and turned to the fridge to grab a bottle of water for each of us. I unscrewed the lid and set it in front of her at the same moment she moaned around her first bite. My whole body locked up tight at the sound. I grabbed my water and decided hydration was the only way I was going to hide from the lust pouring off me. I tilted the bottle back and gulped the water, hoping it cooled me down some. When the tiny bottle was gone, I was no closer to being cooled off.
“This is so good,” she mumbled around another bite.
“It’s nothing fancy.” I rubbed a hand over my neck. It was just ham and cheese. I was not a cook, so I basically lived off microwaveable shit and ham sandwiches. It had never bothered me before but now that this rich girl was sitting in my shitty kitchen eating that shitty sandwich it bothered me a whole hell of a lot.
“It is unlike anything I have eaten before. My father was very particular about what I ate. It’s nice not to have to worry about that.” I averted my eyes to continue making my own sandwich. She shouldn’t have been so open with people like me. If the wrong information got to the wrong people, she could find herself in a ransom situation.
“No matter what you do, don’t tell anyone where you come from. Including me. It could be seriously bad for you. You could find yourself in a situation I wouldn’t even be able to get you out of. Hell, I should just send you back to wherever you came from right now before anyone realizes what I’ve done.” I shook my head. She was so innocent. I should’ve tried to find out who her family was; I should’ve sent her back home, but there was something about her. I just couldn’t get her out of my head no matter how hard I tried. I was a selfish bastard and I wanted to keep her for myself.
CHAPTER SIX
Nadia
His words were a shock. Was that why I was drugged and kidnapped? Had they found out who I was; who my father was and what he would do to get me back? Or, was there a more sinister plot to turn me over to the Mexican drug cartel to use against my father? My mouth hung open in shock as I stared at the half-naked man in front of me. Would he turn me over to my father? I hoped not. My father would not be happy if he found me, especially after I ran the way I did.
“You wouldn’t, would you?” I turned big watery eyes up to him and he flinched.
“I have already risked too much by grabbing you before I was supposed to. If the Prez orders it, I don’t have a choice. I could lose everything.” He shrugged, noncommittal. I flinched.
“Why did you risk so much for someone you don’t know?” I asked softly. He grunted and I watched as he smashed one piece of bread on top of the other practically smashing it into the counter.
“You ask too many questions,” he growled and stomped to the nearby couch where he laid back with one hand behind his head, before taking a huge bite, practically eating half the sandwich. I took a sip of water as I watched him beneath my lashes. He was shirtless and as he chewed the muscles in his neck bounced. He was sin incarnate
and there was nothing I wanted more than to curl up beside him. I shook my head. What are you thinking? He just admitted that if he was ordered to, he would ransom you. Stupid girl. It didn’t matter though, no matter what he said, I knew he wouldn’t do it. Especially after the way he went against everything he knew to save me from a fate worse than death. Despite what he said, I trusted him. Maybe I was a moron, maybe I was asking for failure but in the end, my gut told me he wouldn’t let me down.
I finished my sandwich which was surprisingly good. It wasn’t much but the flavors were much better than any of the organic garbage my father had made me eat my whole life. Even when I went to college, I was watched carefully so I didn’t do, say, or eat the wrong thing. I’m pretty sure he’d even had my future husband picked out, but he’d never said that. He would have been super angry if he knew I was sleeping in a man’s bed even if said man wasn’t in it. Tank rolled over and I saw how cramped his huge frame was on the couch. “You take the bed. You’re much too large for the couch.”
“No, anything can happen in the night.” He laid there thoughtfully, assessing me. “Are you thinking about running?” He smirked and I rolled my eyes.
“Fine, we can share it. I hate the idea of you uncomfortable because of me. You already risked too much to help me and I’m in your debt.” I ducked my eyes away. I had never owed anyone anything and the very idea of it filled me with guilt.
“No, I’m fine. You go to bed before I tie you to it so you can’t leave.” His eyes widened as the words slipped past his lips and there must have been a look of horror on my face because he backtracked quickly. “Shit, I was just kidding. I didn’t mean it. I wouldn’t do that to you against your will.” The last words had me pausing. Against your will? So, he would do it if I wanted him to? Good to know. I had never been tied up except in that awful place and I didn’t know if I would like it under normal circumstances. A part of me said I might like it if Tank were the one doing the restraining. My thoughts were everywhere at once as I thought of all the ways he might want to tie me up and do wicked things to my body. Shit, Nadia! Stop it. You do not want this life, or do you? I was so confused by everything my head was spinning again. If that damn infuriating man wasn’t going to take the bed, then I would. I was exhausted despite just having woke from a nightmare. Shrugging, I walked past him and down the hall mumbling a quick goodnight as I passed.
“Goodnight, Nadia,” he said in his sleepy tone and I knew there was no way either of us were getting any sleep that night.
***
Despite what I’d thought the night before I found myself waking up to the sun shining through the partially opened curtain. I shielded my eyes from the sun but it wasn’t enough to keep me from losing the peace I had felt while asleep. The smell coming from the other room had my stomach growling despite my late-night meal with Tank. I grudgingly got out of the comfortable bed and made my way to the bathroom only to find a small stack of clothes sitting on top of the vanity. I felt the material and found the small thin tank surprisingly soft. Everything still had tags, so I knew he’d been out shopping just to make me comfortable. My heart warmed briefly before an errant thought crossed my mind and I did my best to shut it down. He would turn you over if he was ordered to. Don’t forget that, Nadia. I shook the thought away and focused instead on how thoughtful the gesture of new clothes was before hopping in the shower.
I hadn’t felt clean since the men had taken me. I scrubbed and scrubbed until my entire body was raw. It hurt but it got the job done. I slipped into the clothes Tank had bought for me and it was as if I felt better than I had in weeks, months, or maybe ever. I had a little extra pep in my step as I made my way to the kitchen. I stopped abruptly and my eyes went from one man to the other as I tried to backpedal but both men looked at me wide-eyed.
“It’s okay, Nadia.” Tank motioned me to him. “This is my old man. He was the one who found out what was happening with the women in town.” He nodded to the older man who smiled with kind eyes as he motioned for me to sit in the same seat I had the night before.
“I know how horrible my son’s cooking skills are, so I came to make you a proper breakfast after the ordeal you’ve been through.” He tried to pull off a kind smile but there was something darker behind his eyes and I shuddered as I realized it reminded me of the man who’d ordered my capture in the first place. I looked to Tank who nodded, and I remembered what he said. The man began peppering me with questions as he dished bacon and scrambled eggs on to my plate.
“Where did they grab you?” He asked with a raised brow.
“I’m not sure. I have no idea where I am,” I said as the man motioned with his hand for me to eat. I picked up a piece of bacon and my eyes rolled in the back of my head as I savored every crispy bite.
“Where are you from?” My eyes flicked to Tank and I saw the almost imperceptible shake of his head before I looked back to his father.
“Down south.” I shrugged. He didn’t need to know how far south I meant. South could mean anything from the across the border to Southern California. He raised an eyebrow at me, but I just shrugged. I didn’t owe him anything. He wanted to leave me there to rot. The other girls were god knew where and I felt myself saddening at the idea. I had been saved but I’d done nothing to help them.
“What happened to the others?” I asked, frantic.
“We have a man watching. He will let us know if they move them,” the man said clinically.
I’d known the other man was watching, but he was only one man. “Have you heard from him? Are you sure he’s still there?” I asked completely forgetting about my breakfast. For some reason his answer meant more to me than it should have.
“Miguel reports every hour. He is still in position and waiting for my order.” Tank’s father leveled me with a stern gaze, and I shrank back from him.
“For fucks sake, Pop. She was just chained to a bed last night. Ease up on the girl,” Tank growled.
“Should I ease up on you too? The guy who singlehandedly started a war with one of the most sadistic motorcycle clubs around.” He leveled Tank with a hard stare.
“Stop it!” I yelled. “None of this bullshit posturing is helping. When can we help the others? I may have led a sheltered life before all this, but I saw those girls and they were resigned to what was happening to them. They’ve already lost hope of being rescued. You’re either out to help them or you are just as bad as the rest of them.” Both men raised their eyebrows at me in shock, but I shook off their questioning stares. I didn’t care what either said, I wasn’t going to let those girls be sold into human trafficking rings if I could help it. “If I have to, I will pretend I escaped on my own and go to the authorities and have them rescue the rest of the girls.” Tanks father moved toward me so quickly I almost didn’t see him, but Tank was there before he could lay a hand on me.
“Don’t.” He stared his father down. “You don’t hurt women no matter what, remember. She may have an idea there anyway.” Tank stood between his father and me so I couldn’t see his expression. But from the look on his Dad’s face I knew I wasn’t going to like the next suggestion. “She could go to the police and say she escaped and there are more girls being held captive. That way, there would be no trace back to us. We help all those girls without ever getting our hands dirty with the Devils again.”
“The only reason a war is starting with the Devils is because you let your cock guide you instead of your brain. They know there’s another MC in town now and they will be looking for us. We have to stop this before people start getting hurt. Namely, the girls who’ve been tortured.” The old man stiffened. I realized then this man cared about women just as much as his son did. The two men stared each other down as I took another small bite of bacon.
“I can’t go to the police. They’ll send me back,” I mumbled letting them believe whatever they wanted about me.
“You’re illegal?” The old man asked with a raised brow. I shrugged.
<
br /> “Shit, I thought you said you were going to medical school.”
“I had a student visa. I’m sure once I ran away it was revoked.” I refused to meet his eyes.
“How long ago did you run away, Nadia?” Tank’s father asked.
“Only a couple weeks,” I sighed.
“They wouldn’t have revoked your visa yet. You could go back to school and finish your degree without any difficulty.” He raised an eyebrow as I shook my head.
“Why not?” Tank asked. “What are you running from?”
I hunched in on myself not liking the questioning. Could I tell him what it was like growing up always locked away and followed around because of what my father did for a living? How my father choose everything for me even my career path and the man he wanted to marry. No. I couldn’t tell him that.
“Hey, you don’t have to tell me anything. It’s okay.” He came around the counter glaring at his father who shrugged. Tank put his huge palm on my back rubbing it in soothing circles. I felt better instantly, but that didn’t mean I was ready to tell him all my secrets. How could the daughter of an agent from one of the top law enforcement agencies in the world be with the future president of a notorious motorcycle club? I didn’t know, but I found myself wanting desperately to find out.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Tank
The old man being there when she woke up hadn’t been the plan, but after the initial questioning we’d settled into an easy banter that seemed to amuse her. I was glad for it. After all the heavy conversation it was good to see her laughing with us. It was the first time I’d heard her laugh and it was the most beautiful sound I’d ever heard.
“So, Nadia? You ready to go down to the club house with us?” The old man asked, and I stiffened in my seat beside her. “Tank. She can’t stay here alone. What if the Devils followed you and are waiting for you to leave her alone?”
