by Opal Carew
* * *
The feel of his warm fingers brushing against her skin as he unfastened the choker sent shivers down Laurie’s spine. His touch was gentle and somehow reassuring.
The necklace dropped away from her neck and she drew in a deep breath. It was like finally being free of Donovan.
Steele slid the necklace from her skin, then walked in front of her again. Then he held the very expensive necklace out to her. She took the delicate piece from his big fingers, not quite sure what to do with it. She wanted to throw it out the window, to totally reject the unwanted reminder of Donovan, but she couldn’t do that.
The fact that Steele gave her back the expensive piece of jewelry reassured her somehow. If he wanted money, that thing was probably worth a lot. Of course, the gesture was just symbolic, because as long as he held her captive he could take it from her at any time. He could just be giving her a false sense of security.
But her gut said otherwise.
“I put a change of clothes on the bed for you. Hopefully they’re more to your liking.”
She walked toward the bed where a T-shirt and jeans sat neatly folded. She picked up the black shirt and glanced at it. It was adorned with hearts and skulls and a smattering of glitter, and was far too small to fit the big biker’s broad chest.
“Where did you get women’s clothes?” she asked.
“Those are Raven’s. She rides with us. I thought you’d like a change of clothes and she was happy to help.”
“Oh, well, please tell her thank you.”
He nodded. “I’m going downstairs. Join us when you’re dressed.”
She watched him cross the room and go out the door. As soon as the door closed behind him, she dropped the towel and tugged the shirt over her head. Then she pulled on the jeans. They were well worn, with shredded bare spots on the legs, and were a little loose around the waist, but there was a studded, black leather belt on the bed, so she pulled that through the loops and tightened it.
She glanced in the mirror at herself. Add black leather wristbands and a leather jacket and she’d pass for a biker chick.
This Raven woman was a biker chick, which meant she was one of the gang. Any hopes of gaining her sympathies and maybe talking her into helping Laurie escape evaporated.
She sat on the bed and wondered what to do next. If she just stayed up here, Steele was bound to come and get her. Maybe at that point his patient manner would change, just like Donovan’s charming manner had changed when he became annoyed with her. She didn’t want to chance it.
Anyway, she could use a cup of coffee, and she was getting hungry.
She walked to the door and grasped the heavy black doorknob, then turned it, her heart thumping loudly. She peered out the door and saw no one in the long, wide hallway. She slipped from the room and closed the door, then walked along the hardwood floor toward the stairs. She could hear masculine voices talking downstairs.
“There you are,” an unfamiliar male voice said behind her, then strong arms wrapped around her waist and she sucked in a breath as she was tugged through a doorway and spun around.
Untamed
Laurie’s hair swirled in her face and she found herself encased in big strong arms, and a raspy masculine face brushed her cheek as the man’s mouth found hers through the curtain of hair. His tongue teased her lips but she turned her face away as she pushed against his chest.
“Baby, what’s wrong?” he asked as he loosened his hold, but didn’t let her go. Then he pushed back the hair covering her face. “Oh, shit.”
“‘Oh, shit’ is right,” a woman said from behind her. “What are you doing, Rip?”
The man named Rip released Laurie and she scurried back, then he glanced at the woman in the doorway. She simply stared at him with an amused smile.
“Raven, I thought it was you. Those are your jeans with the rhinestones on the pockets.”
Raven pushed herself from the doorway and stepped forward.
“Because my ass looks like any other woman’s in those jeans.” She circled around behind Laurie. Then she smiled.
“Okay, if you think my ass is as great as that, you’re forgiven.” She stepped into Rip’s arms and kissed him, then he pulled her tighter and deepened the kiss.
Laurie just stood frozen to the spot. She was still trembling from being dragged into the bedroom with yet another rough biker. The fact that it had been a case of mistaken identity didn’t alleviate the rush of adrenaline through her.
Finally, the couple parted and the woman gazed at her, then stuck out her hand.
“Hi, I’m Raven.”
Laurie took the offered hand and shook it.
Raven nudged the man beside her, who had slipped his arm around her waist. “And this crazy man is Rip.”
Rip held out his hand, but Laurie couldn’t bring herself to take it. He drew it back.
“Sorry about the kiss. I didn’t mean to scare you,” he said.
Laurie pushed her shoulders back. “I wasn’t scared.”
Raven grinned. “You’re probably hungry. Shock makes a mean omelet and I smell bacon. Why don’t you go ahead down? We’ll be along later.”
Laurie nodded, then left the room. As she walked down the hall, they closed the door and from the way they’d looked at each other, she had no doubt about what the couple would be doing in there.
They didn’t seem to be worried about her escaping, but why should they, knowing others were downstairs.
She started along the dark-stained oak hardwood floor toward the stairs again, her heart thumping. It had been dark when Wild Card had brought her in last night, but she remembered that on the main floor the stairway was a short straight path from the door. She took the first few steps down the solid wood stairs. She could see the entryway and the front door ahead. The stairway was wide, but closed on either side.
She clung to the smooth, wall-mounted wood railing as she continued. As she approached the bottom, she peered around. There was a large room with big sunny windows to the left and a small hall with a couple of doorways on the right. She could smell bacon from that direction.
Maybe the others were in the kitchen eating.
As quietly as she could, she hurried toward the door, then reached for the knob.
“Don’t even think about it.”
Steele’s commanding voice stopped her in her tracks. She couldn’t see him, but his voice came from the big, bright room on her left.
“Come in here and sit down,” he said.
Defeated, she turned away from her possible escape.
Wild Card, the man who had kidnapped her last night and brought her here, came out of the room and walked toward her. He wasn’t as tall as Steele, but he was still intimidating, towering over her. She still remembered leaning against his big, hard chest, his arm around her waist as they had sped through the night on his motorcycle. And how frightened she’d been.
And still was.
She drew in a breath.
“You okay?” His hazel eyes were warm and concerned.
She shook her head. “I’ve been kidnapped and brought here against my will, and I’m being held captive.” She stared up at him with as much defiance as she could muster. “So, to answer your question, no, I’m not all right.”
Instead of looking apologetic, he simply held her gaze. “I know you don’t like the situation you’re in, but I’m not sorry about bringing you here. Have you thought about what would have happened if I hadn’t come along and gotten you away from that asshole?”
A shiver shuddered through her.
“That guy was going to hurt you,” he continued, “and you know that. I couldn’t let that happen.”
He gestured toward the other room and she walked toward it.
As soon as she stepped into the big room, filled with sunshine from the huge windows overlooking a glittering lake, she was aware of Steele. He sat in a big armchair, his booted foot resting on the wooden coffee table with wrought-iron trim in front of
him as he stared outside, sipping from a steaming mug.
The blended décor continued through the rest of the house, with the log walls and heavy wooden cabinets and shelves, and the latest electronics tucked into place in the rustic furniture. The upholstered furniture was big and comfortable looking, in earth tones.
“You can sit at the table. Shock is making you some breakfast,” Wild Card said as he followed her.
Laurie walked to the dining table at the far end of the room and sat down.
“Coffee?” Wild Card picked up a thermal jug and poured steaming coffee into one of several empty mugs sitting on the table.
Laurie nodded, her throat too choked up from memories of last night and the way Donovan had treated her. And the realization that if this man hadn’t shown up, Donovan would have hurt her. If he’d stopped even pretending to be civilized, she was sure he was capable of raping her, beating her … hurting her badly. And with his money, he would make any potential consequences just go away.
Wild Card pushed the filled mug toward her, then poured another. Laurie poured cream into her cup, then added a spoonful of sugar and stirred. As she lifted the cup, the aroma helped draw her from her dark thoughts. When she took a sip, her taste buds danced at the delightful flavor.
Wild Card smiled. “Yeah, the people who own this place have great taste in coffee.”
Her gaze darted to his. “Did you break into this house?”
“No,” Steele said. “A friend arranged for us to stay here.”
A few minutes later, another tattooed man came into the room with a plate of food. He had the darkest brown eyes she’d ever seen, with an even darker rim around the edges. His hair was thick and wavy, long on top and cut tight at the sides, accentuating his ruggedly handsome face. On his bicep was a bright-colored star tattoo. As he walked closer, she realized that there were two dragons—one red, one blue—framed in the star, facing each other, each with a claw on a single sphere between them.
He walked toward the table and smiled.
“Hi. My name’s Shock.” He placed the plate in front of her. “I hope you like western omelets.”
She glanced at the perfect half-moon-shaped omelet with two strips of bacon lying beside it and a sprig of parsley. It smelled heavenly. Who knew a rough-and-tumble, badass biker could cook. And with such a flourish.
She nodded. “Thank you.”
Shock poured himself a cup of coffee and sat beside Steele.
Laurie ate in silence. She could only manage half of the omelet and didn’t even touch the bacon, before she pushed away the plate. She glanced at Steele, still taken aback at his stunning good looks. Her gaze shifted to Shock then to Wild Card, who sat across the table from her. He watched her but didn’t say anything.
She drew in a deep breath. “So what happens now?”
Wild Card pulled her plate toward him and grabbed a strip of bacon. “Well, since Shock cooked, I guess I’ll be doing dishes.”
She pursed her lips. “How long are you going to keep me here?”
“That’s a good question,” Steele said. “One I don’t have an answer for.”
Her stomach tightened. What did they want from her?
The sound of footsteps hurrying down the stairway and a woman laughing interrupted the flow of questions swirling through her brain. Raven burst around the corner followed by Rip. He grabbed her arm and pulled her back to him, then drew her into a deep kiss. She wore an oversized T-shirt and nothing else and when his arm tightened around her waist, the hem of the garment hiked up and Laurie assumed they’d all get a good view of lacy undies, or maybe bare flesh if Raven was wearing a thong, but the flash of red fabric under the shirt covered the essentials.
“I’m going into town to pick up the list of groceries Shock asked for,” Rip said. “Anyone else want anything?”
“If cream’s not on the list, add it,” Steele said.
“And more beer,” Shock added.
“Cream and beer. You got it.” Rip kissed Raven again. “You be good.”
Raven grinned. “Oh, I’ll be better than good. I’ll be exceptional.” She glanced at the men in the living room. “Right guys?”
“She’s always been exceptional when I’ve been with her,” Shock said with a grin.
“Me, too,” said Wild Card.
Rip chuckled then kissed her again. “I’ll see you when I get back.” He strode to the door and went outside.
“I’m going for a swim.” She smiled enticingly. “Anyone want to join me?”
“Not me,” Wild Card said. “I’m on cleanup duty.”
“And I’m resting up after slaving over a hot stove,” said Shock.
“Steele?”
He shook his head. “Maybe later, Rave.”
Her gaze slid to Laurie, but then flickered away. “Okay, you know where to find me.”
She walked to a big cupboard by the window and pulled out a beach towel, then slipped out the front door. Laurie watched her through the big window facing the driveway as she trotted along a grassy path heading toward bushes, instead of toward the beach they could see from the window facing the lake.
Wild Card picked up Laurie’s plate and the two empty mugs, then headed out of the room. Long moments passed and no one said anything.
Laurie sat impatiently, wondering what to do next. The two men seemed happy to just ignore her. Shock had picked up a book and was reading while Steele just gazed outside.
She stood up and walked across the room, having to pass behind the men sitting on the couch.
“What are you doing?” Steele asked.
“Nothing.”
She kept moving toward the front of the house. He stood up and followed her. Her heart thumped, but she walked toward the entrance, and the front door.
She reached for the doorknob.
“Where are you going?”
She gripped it and hesitated. “Nowhere.”
He said nothing more, so she turned the knob.
“You said you weren’t going anywhere.”
She glanced at him. “I just want to go outside.”
“No.”
“But I—”
“No.” His tone was sharp this time.
She drew in a deep breath and sighed. “You’re treating me like a child.”
His lips turned up in a grin, wiping away the severe expression of a moment ago. “Maybe I should spank your bottom.”
She drew in a deep breath as she stared at him. The thought of his big hand smacking across her bare behind sent a shudder through her that wasn’t entirely unpleasant. A confusion of need and anxiety swirled through her. She didn’t know what to make of her own response.
His expression turned serious again. “Don’t look at me like that. I’m not really going to punish you.”
Her throat tightened and she dropped her gaze to the floor, then stepped back from the door.
* * *
Damn, the trapped frightened look in her eyes tore at Steele’s heart. Clearly, she didn’t believe him. And why should she? They had brought her here against her will, and now they wouldn’t let her go. She had no reason to trust him. And given how her boyfriend had treated her in the parking garage, she had no reason to trust any man.
A question sprang to his mind. Had that bastard of a boyfriend mistreated her before? And how badly?
“Laurie, I’m not going to hurt you. I promise you that. Nor will anyone else here. You’re under my protection.”
She nodded again. “I just … want to go outside,” she said in a stilted voice. “I need fresh air. And exercise.” She drew in a deep breath, her hands clenched at her sides. “I just want to go for a walk.”
He grinned. “Now you sound like a dog.”
“Does that mean you’re going to put me on a leash?” she asked, her eyes flashing.
He almost thought she was joking to lighten the mood, but the haunted look in her eyes told him maybe she was talking from experience … and not a pleasant one.
He gazed at her, assessing. It wasn’t right to keep her locked up in here. The sun was shining outside. It was a beautiful summer day, meant to be enjoyed in such a stunning location.
Wild Card appeared from the kitchen and walked toward them. “Why don’t I go for a walk with her?”
Steele glanced at her, wondering how she’d feel about that since Wild Card was the one who had kidnapped her, but her expression gave nothing away. Well, that was the choice she was given. Go with Wild Card, or stay here.
“Okay, but under one condition.” He was not going to chance her running off. He could tell she was just as headstrong as his sister Chrissy had been, and would defy him just for the sake of it, so until he could convince her she was better off staying here, he had to take every precaution to protect her.
* * *
Laurie’s stomach tensed as the door swung open, revealing the gravel road leading to the cabin. The damned man had handcuffed her to Wild Card, which had dashed her hopes of finding a way to slip free and disappear down that path.
She stepped outside, Wild Card by her side. She breathed in the fresh air, enjoying the sunshine on her face and naked arms. There were three big motorcycles parked in the gravel area by the house. The man named Rip had gone into town, so there was one bike for each man in the house, but not one for Raven.
If Laurie could figure out how to drive one of the big machines, maybe at some point she could use one to escape, but even if she could slip away from her escort, they would hear her start it up, and they would be able to easily chase her down. Either way, she’d probably be killed trying to ride one of those things any distance. And she didn’t even know how to start one, or even if they needed a key like a car.
“The place where Raven went to swim is over that way.” Wild Card pointed to a path that disappeared through the trees as he fell into step beside her. “There’s a beach out in front of the cabin, but she found a quiet, secluded spot she likes. She’s probably still swimming if you want to join her.”
“What about these?” she asked, hoping he’d suggest taking them off.
He shrugged. “They can get wet.”
Disappointment washed through her, but she would dearly love to go for a swim on this beautiful day. She loved the water.
