Born to Ride

by Kasey Millstead

“How can I get out?” I asked.

  She laughed. “That, I don’t know.”

  “I wouldn’t without my family anyway.”

  Her head cocked to the side. “Smart or stupid, you are, but I can’t work out which one. I know I’m stupid, because I keep staying here. So maybe you’re the same?”

  Probably.

  “Josie, what are you doing in here?” David came through the door.

  “Nothing, Daddy. Um, I mean, I brought our guest some supper.”

  Oh my flipping God. Was this for real? I mean I'd always wanted to role-play where Talon was a pirate and I was a damsel in distress...kind of like now.

  But they're roles were just fruited up.

  Jesus, why hadn’t I seen how crazy this fucktard was from the start?

  He stalked across the room. Josie backed up until she hit the wall. “I told you not to call me daddy around people,” he hissed through clenched teeth, and then slapped her across the face.

  She whimpered and sunk to the floor. “I’m sorry, David.”

  “Don’t be an ass,” I said. He turned to face me.

  Better me than an innocent girl.

  His arm outstretched, grabbed me by my hair, and dragged me from the bed. I cried out when I landed on my knees in front of him.

  “Don’t,” Josie screamed. She jumped onto his back, clawing at his face. He swore and flipped her off; she landed beside me with a thunk. He kicked her in her side and she groaned.

  With a fist, I punched him in the balls. It was his turn to groan, bending at the waist.

  “Run,” I yelled to Josie, but she didn’t move. Staying in her protective ball.

  “Jefferson,” David called. In ran Jeff. “Take my wife to my office. I’ll deal with her in a minute.”

  “You are nothing but a perverted cocksucker, David. Or should I call you daddy too? Isn’t that what you like, you hairy sac sucker?” I yelled.

  “Take her now,” David barked. Jeff dragged me up and threw me over his shoulder. I clenched my teeth from the pain.

  We moved down a hallway, but I noticed David walk out of the room behind us and lock the door. I smiled to myself; I’d pissed him off that much? I guess he wanted to deal with me first. At least that left Josie alone...for now.

  Into the office, Jeff threw me onto the couch.

  “Leave,” David ordered.

  Jeff smirked down at me, gave me a tap on the head, and left, closing the door behind him. David turned the lock into place.

  He started pacing the room. “I used to think that when I got you back we could have worked this out. But you’ve changed.”

  “Lucky for me, eh?” I sat up straighter and wondered why I wasn’t bleeding through the pants I had on. I felt my leg where David had stabbed me. It was covered by some sort of taping.

  “Shut the hell up,” he screamed. I felt like telling him he screamed like a girl, but I didn’t think that would go down well. Though, my chances were getting slimmer by the second.

  I love you, Talon. Tears threatened.

  All I could do now was pray that he got here in time to save the children and my parents.

  “I should have never been with you, David.” I laughed. “I thought I knew what love was, but I didn’t. Because now I know what love is, the love I feel for Talon is bigger than anything I’ve felt before—”

  He ran at me, grabbing my shoulders, and roughly shook me. “Shut up. Shut up. Shut up. You are nothing.” He spun away and walked to the desk.

  Oh shit.

  He pulled open a draw and pulled out a gun. “I would never have wasted my time in finding you, but your life insurance is going to make it worth it.”

  Say what, now?

  “Um, hold on a second.” I giggled. “Have you thought this through? Won’t the insurance people know something's up if I’m riddled with bullets?”

  Why am I helping him? Jeesh.

  It was then I realized that I wasn't scared of David. I was no longer scared. What was in front of me was an old, mean man and nothing else.

  “The police wouldn’t question a break in, where my dear wife was killed defending our home. Well, not home—seems you made me fucking travel a state away to kill you,” he yelled, and then shook his head. “But our new holiday warehouse is nice, here in Melbourne. Isn’t it wonderful? I get a dead wife. I get money, and a new place. Yes, I think I’ll intend on living here...with my two daughters.”

  “No!” I screamed.

  He raised the gun and fired.

  My body bounced back into the couch. I looked down as pain shot through my arm; blood started to soak my tee.

  Damn it, I liked this one.

  “Practice shot,” he smirked. He raised the gun again.

  Chapter Twenty Four

  Talon

  I’d organized to stop a block away, in an old, unused, supermarket car park. I didn’t want to rouse suspicion with Harley pipes, as well as large fuckin’ cars pulling up to the warehouse.

  I got out of my car just as twenty or so Harleys were roaring down the street and pulling to stop. Blue was the first over to me, Griz, Deanna, and Violet.

  “What’s the plan?” he asked.

  “We need to be fast, get in and get out. The warehouse is a block away at the end of a dead-end street. Not much goes on in these parts, so there shouldn’t be any witnesses we’d need to buy off.”

  Fuck. I felt like I was wasting time standing here explaining; all I wanted to do was get in there, kill the fucker, and get my family back.

  Violet stepped forward and rested her hand on my arm. “We go in on foot from here; we don’t want them knowing we’re coming.” She looked over Blue’s shoulder to a white Sedan family car pulling into the car park. It stopped just behind the Harleys. “Good, just in time.” She grinned as Warden got out of the car, went to the back of it, and opened the trunk. “Everyone needs to swap over their weapons for one of ours,” Violet shouted to my brothers.

  “Shit, Vi.” I closed my eyes. “How the fuck are you going to explain firing off twenty or so guns to the cops?”

  She shrugged. “We’ll deal with that when the time comes.” I shook my head as she added, “Do you think Zara would want her man in jail after just saving her? No. Do it for her, Talon.”

  “Do I get a fuckin’ gun now?” Deanna asked.

  “No,” Griz growled. “You stick with me, princess.”

  She sighed loudly and rolled her eyes. “Fine. But I want a piece of him.”

  “We’ll see,” I said. I wanted him first. My hands itched to choke the fucker for layin’ hands on my family in the first place. “Right, let’s load up and move out,” I called.

  Violet had me send Warden in first to remove—if there were any—cameras. Not that I believed a large motherfucker like Warden would get in there undetected, but he came back saying the coast was clear.

  I spread my brothers out so we had the whole warehouse covered. I went straight for the front door with Griz, Deanna, and Violet. Then Blue came running around from the side to inform me, “We’ve taken out five men.”

  Then why the fuck wasn’t the front covered?

  I gave a chin lift in response and tried the front door. It was locked. I took a step back, ready to kick it in, when Deanna stepped forward and knocked. I sent her a ‘what the fuck’ look.

  Seconds later, the front door was opened, and one of Rocko’s men, still in a betraying ‘Vicious’ vest, stood there.

  “Fuck,” he hissed. He went to grab a walkie-talkie at his waist when Deanna punched him in the face. He teetered back. Blue jumped him and held him to the ground.

  “I’m sure Rocko wants to deal with this fucker himself.” Blue grinned. “You guys go. I’ll find something to tie him up with,” he said, while emptying the dick of weapons.

  I bolted for the stairs, just as my other men came through the back door and went searchin’ through the bottom area.

  Taking three step at a time, I climbed the stairs with the others foll
owing.

  A gunshot sounded in the distance.

  “Shit, shit,” Deanna chanted.

  We reached a hallway. I signaled for everyone to stay quiet and keep their eyes open. I opened the first door...nothing. Griz got to the second just as another of Rocko’s men was walking out. He reached for his gun as Griz knocked him out with one punch.

  “Leave him. One of the brothers will deal,” I whispered.

  Vi was at the next door to the right; she opened it, but nothing again. I wasn’t here on a fuckin’ scenic tour, so I took no notice of what was in the room and moved on.

  The fourth door was locked. Violet pulled something out from the back of her jeans pocket and started working the lock; within seconds, it clicked open. She moved out of the way. I held the door handle and turned it; I threw it open while I stepped in with my gun raised.

  A gasp, a sob, and a frightened squeal was what I heard first.

  I looked around the darkened room and saw four bodies huddled in the right-hand corner.

  “Dad?”

  My eyes closed upon hearing Cody’s voice. I lowered my gun, knowing Vi and Deanna had my back. I wasn’t sure where Griz was.

  “Told ya he’d come,” Cody said with pride.

  “Talon,” Maya cried, as she ran at me; I had enough time to brace as her little body hit me. I picked her up and hugged her close, gesturing to Cody to come to me.

  “Richard? Nancy?” Deanna asked.

  “Why, hey there, Deanna girl,” a man said as he stepped forward into the hallway light.

  “Oh my God.” Deanna gasped, tears in her eyes. I studied the man; he was an older image of Matthew, Zara’s brother.

  “My, my, it’s so good to see you, Deanna; and in the flesh, instead of on Skype.” A woman stepped around Richard...fuck, she was an older image of my woman. “And you're just a hot piece of eye candy.” She smiled, looking up at me.

  Violet and Deanna chuckled. Griz came running into the room, and in his arms was a young teenage girl.

  “Found her in a room. She’s unconscious, but alive.” He laid her on the bed.

  “Have you seen Zara?” I asked.

  “Oh, my. No wonder my girl couldn’t resist you with a voice like that.”

  Richard sighed. “Nance, focus. We saw her earlier, but that was a few hours ago. We don’t know where she is.”

  Another gunshot sounded not far from where we were.

  “Fuck,” I hissed. I put Maya on her feet. “Stay here with your grandparents. Deanna, you gotta stay here with the girl in case she’s gonna be trouble.”

  “Sure, boss,” she said, taking out her taser. She was itchin’ to try that out.

  “Keep ‘em safe,” I said to Richard, as I handed him my back-up gun.

  “Oh, sure, he gets a gun,” Deanna complained.

  Richard nodded when Nancy piped up about something regardin’ me and grammar. I ignored it and knelt down to the kids. “It's gonna be good. I’ll find ya momma, baby girl, and then we can get outta here.”

  “I know you will.” Maya smiled and patted me on the face.

  “Good luck, Dad; and kill that fucker,” Cody said.

  “Boy, language,” I growled, gave them both a peck on their heads, and ran from the room.

  Another gun shot, but at least that time, I was able to pinpoint the location. It was the last fuckin’ door at the end of the hall.

  I tried the handle. Locked. I didn’t waste time for Violet to pick it; instead, I kicked it open, with the gun held up, and with Vi and Griz at my back, I stepped in.

  Fuckin’ motherfucker.

  I saw my woman on a couch, bleeding.

  Shit, there was fuckin’ blood everywhere.

  “Who the hell are you?” David asked.

  As I stared him down, he backed up, and Violet ran to Zara.

  “Tell me she’s breathing,” I said.

  “H-honey?” my woman said, but then starting coughing.

  “Christ, Talon. We have to get her outta here. She’s got three gunshot wounds, and she’s been beaten.”

  “You are not taking her,” David yelled.

  “Back the fuck up,” I roared. I stalked toward him. “You bloodied my woman, you beat her, raped her, and fuckin’ shot her. Fuck!”

  Fury. All I could feel was fury. This fucker did not deserve it quick and painless.

  He was going to pay.

  He went to pick up the gun he’d dropped on the desk when we’d bounded into the room, but I got there first and shot his hand away.

  “Damn it!” he screamed, holding his hand to his chest.

  “Talon! We have to go, and now,” Violet screamed.

  “Griz, take him. Clean this. I’m getting’ my woman outta here.”

  Griz smiled. “Sure, brother.”

  I stalked over to the couch. “Jesus, babe,” I whispered.

  “I-I k-knew you’d come. Kids? Parents?”

  “They’re safe; now let’s get you safe.” There was no time for an ambo; so as gently as I could, I picked her up in my arms, but still, she cried out.

  Pain laced thought my heart.

  “Vi, clear the way; make sure the kids don’t see.”

  “On it,” she said, running from the room.

  “H-honey...”

  “Yeah, kitten?”

  “I-I don’t know...if this is gonna work. I-if I can—”

  “Shit, kitten. Don’t. You’re gonna be all right, you’re gonna be good. Fuck, babe. I know you’re gonna be good ‘cause I love you, and my fuckin’ love for you is strong enough to keep you that way. So let’s get you fixed yeah?”

  “Y-yeah, honey. You k-know, I love your alpha-ass too.” She smiled up at me and then passed out.

  # # # #

  As soon as we reached the hospital, they took her away. They took her from my arms and told me to stay. The cops were called; still, my brothers got there first. The waiting room looked like a party at the compound. But instead of havin’ a good ol’ drunken time, everyone was sober and somber.

  I sat in a chair with my head in my hands as they worked over my woman. Zara's parents had the kids at her house, with more of my brothers watchin' them. They were waiting to hear from me...I just hoped to fuck I had good news to tell them.

  No. It will be great, fan-fuckin'-tastic news that I'll tell them!

  Griz was deflecting the cops, tellin’ them what had gone down at the warehouse...well, our story of it. He told them that Zara had been kidnapped by her crazy ex, and that when we turned up, David'd taken off. We hadn’t bothered chasin’, ‘cause we had to get Kitten to the hospital. It was lucky enough that we had a witness, the young girl Josie, who David had held hostage for the last three years. When Billy had brought her in, she'd said that she was willin’ to tell the cops whatever we wanted, and she did. That, at least, brought me more time to sit and wait for my woman to get fixed. Though the cops said they’d still need my statement at a later date, as well as—how’d they put it? — ‘MissEdgingway’s if she pulled through.’

  If.

  If she fuckin’ pulled through.

  That was when I punched a cop, swingin’ and yellin’ to get the fuck out. Blue had to pull me off him. The cop told Violet later that he wouldn’t be pressing charges, that he understood.

  Not that I gave a fuck.

  By the time the doctors came out, I had a child in each arm, and Zara’s parents sitting with me. They decided not to wait at Zara's house after all, and came in after showering and changing. I couldn't blame them.

  Deanna had turned up earlier, screamin’ that she missed out on her shot, that she missed out on her retaliation on the fucker. That was when I'd whispered, “Not yet, you ain’t.”

  She fuckin’ grinned with pure glee, and then sat her ass down to wait it out with us.

  The doctor teetered backwards when she spotted the waiting room full of bikers.

  “Uh...family of Zara Edgingway?”

  “That’s us,” I said, standing. Za
ra’s parents held the tired children close.

  “Oh, okay. I just wanted to say she’s through the surgery, and it looks like she’s going to be okay.”

  I sank to my knees, and for the second time that day, I fuckin' prayed my thanks for savin' my life. 'Cause I knew I wouldn't have a life without my kitten in it.

  Epilogue

  Six months later

  Zara

  “Talon,” I moaned.

  “Jesus, kitten,” he groaned as I rolled my hips. We were in his room, at his...our house. The kids were at my parents’, and it was time for us to have a private party for two. He was sitting up against the headboard, naked as the day he was born. I was just as naked, besides some rocking heels my man had bought me for my birthday last week.

  I was working my inner-cowgirl magic, riding him like I was meant to.

  Leaning forward, I kissed him.

  I was never going to get enough of him.

  Never.

  “Babe,” he groaned.

  “Not yet, honey.”

  “Fuck, kitten.”

  “Not yet,” I uttered through clenched teeth. “Oh, God, honey. Now.” I gripped the headboard behind him as he pounded his cum into me, and I climaxed around him.

  Exhausted, I rested my head against his shoulder, breathing hard.

  “Christ, woman. We are never doin’ that position again. I come too fuckin’ quick.”

  I giggled. “Hell to-the no. I love taking control.”

  “Only in the bedroom you can, and only when I let you,” he growled.

  “Whatever,” I said, pulling back so he could see my eyes roll. He grinned. I got out of bed and went into the en-suite to clean up. When I came back out, Talon was lying down with a sheet covering his bottom half. I ran and leapt right onto the bed. He chuckled at my antics. I turned off the lamp on the bedside table and snuggled in. Then I wiggled as close as I could to him, knowing he’d curl me into his arms just like he always did.

  “You happy, kitten?”

  “More than happy...but a little worried.”

  He laughed. “No need to be, ‘cause I’ll be here right alongside you. Always.”

  “I know, honey. That’s why I love you.”

  “And I you, babe. Now sleep.”