by Lowe, Aden
In her shoes, he would have claimed the wrong car and tried the door to set off the alarm and get attention. Wary, Trip took the key from her and unlocked the car with the remote. "Climb in and scoot over. I won't hurt you and you'll go home and hug your kids."
Miraculously, she did as he said, and got in the car and climbed awkwardly over the console. He slipped into the driver's seat and closed the door, tossing the woman's keys onto the dash.
She took a deep breath. "I'm Marie. I have four kids. My daughter just started high school."
"Hi, Marie. I'm glad you paid attention in your self-defense training, but I'm not going to hurt you, so you don't need to try to make me see you as a person. Now listen carefully, okay?" He waited for her nod of understanding. "I just want to ask you some questions, then I'm gone, okay?"
She nodded again. "Okay."
"A buddy of mine was brought in earlier by ambulance. Big guy. Has a bad injury to his dick. I need to know how he's doing, but I'm not related, so they won't tell me anything." Hopefully she would know something he could use.
She relaxed a little. "Oh. Him. He's still in surgery. His brother and girlfriend are there, maybe they could tell you more."
"Where are they?"
She gave him directions and when asked, explained she'd been in the ER when Buffalo came in. Trip thanked her and left her car after asking her not to tell anyone about him.
Walking back toward the ER doors, he lit another smoke and considered his options. Go inside and find Freak, or just leave and deal with however things went with the Saxons. Even though she promised to keep the secret, he fully expected Marie to call for help right away. That meant he had only a few minutes to find Freak, get info, and slip out.
Either way, he had to do something.
Chapter Twelve
Tanya sat at Freak's side while he texted and fiddled with his phone. The surgical waiting area was crowded, but quiet, with people coming and going at regular intervals. It was better than the ER waiting area, at least.
They waited what seemed to her like forever, then Freak stood and stretched. "This chair is killing my back. You stay right here. I'll be back in a few minutes." Without another word, he left.
The woman sitting across from her offered a tentative smile and Tanya cringed inwardly. She must look awful. For the first time, she realized she'd left in the ratty old yoga pants and faded t-shirt wore when she wasn't expected to entertain. At the compound, she never had to worry about how she looked. She and the other girls all wore similar clothing, and whenever they were offered to outsiders they were made to clean up quickly and wear only a thong. That woman's smile made her feel as if everyone could see right through her and knew exactly what she was.
God, she couldn't breathe! Tanya stood and paced back and forth a couple of times, but the feeling only grew. She had to get out of the small room. She pushed out into the hallway. If Freak came back before she could go back inside, she would just have to take the beating. She leaned against the wall and covered her face, trying to slow her breathing.
Why couldn't she just open her damn mouth and tell someone she needed help? With Freak not right at her side, she could do it before he had a chance to hurt her or anyone else. So it didn't make sense. What was stopping her?
Even as she asked herself the question, she knew. If she spoke up and no one believed her—or worse, no one cared—and no one did anything to help her, Freak would find out. And he would kill her in a horrible way. In spite of her thoughts that death would be better, she still wanted to live. For some reason, she still had a faint hope that a better future waited for her.
At the moment, none of that knowledge helped. Tears streamed down her face and her legs refused to hold her upright any longer, so she collapsed to sit on the floor, leaning against the wall. People walked past, some slowing, but none intruding. She probably looked like a crazy woman, so no wonder.
Heavy boots approached, along with the creak of leather and rattle of keys on a belt. Freak. She braced herself, ready for his fist when he found she disobeyed his orders. The boots stopped in front of her.
"I-I'm sorr—"
"Tanya?" Gentle fingers took her jaw to tilt her head up. "Where's Freak?" Trip squatted down in front of her.
Surely she was seeing things. He couldn't be there. But when she blinked, he still filled her vision. "I-I don't know. He got tired of sitting."
"Good." He took her hand and stood, pulling her to her feet. "Come on. You're going with me, and this time I'm not taking no for an answer." He started walking, practically dragging her along with him. She had to almost run to keep up with his long strides.
"Wh-where are you taking me?"
"Away." He paused, glanced around, and pulled her inside a patient room, closing the door behind them. Rifling through the room, he quickly returned to her side. "Put this over your clothes." A hospital gown was thrust into her hands while he pulled a hair cover over her head.
While she figured out how to get the gown on, he grabbed a wheelchair parked just inside the room, as well as a pillow and a blanket.
"Okay, sit. You're a patient." He pushed the pillow into her arms and flung the blanket over her. And just like that, he wheeled her out the door as if he did such things every day. He whisked her down the hall to the elevator and within moments the doors opened to the first floor.
He continued on as if he were on official hospital business, and when the exit doors whooshed open, he didn't even slow down. The sudden transition to sunlight made her eyes sting, but Tanya didn't say a word. All she could do was wonder what would happen when Freak caught up to them.
Just outside the doors, he pushed her behind a bank of hedges. “Okay, dump the gown and stuff. You walk from here.”
She followed orders once more without question and followed him across the parking lot, weaving between cars. Finally, he stopped beside a motorcycle and swung on, then patted the seat behind him.
“Let’s go.”
Tanya just stared at him for a moment, then followed orders again. Getting on the bike behind him proved awkward. Despite all the time with the Saxons, she’d never been on a bike. That privilege was reserved for the old ladies.
Once she was seated, he reached back and grabbed her behind her knees and pulled her up snug against him. “Here. Put your feet on the pegs and wrap your arms around me. Hold on tight.” He showed her what he meant. “Ready?”
She nodded, not really sure she was, but didn’t know what else to do. The engine roared and the seat under her started to vibrate. Her stomach flipped when they started to roll and she squeezed hard until she worried she might hurt his ribs. And suddenly they wove through traffic at breakneck speeds.
***
Trip’s heart pounded in his chest. Stealing another MC’s property was an act of war. But when the opportunity presented itself, he acted without thought. She might not want anything to do with him, but at least she would be able to make the choice herself. He wouldn’t slow down or look back until he reached the other Raiders.
Well after dark, he rolled into the rest area where he had decided they should lay up for the night. The men staked out the whole end of the truck parking area and ranged the bikes around the perimeter they’d set up.
Fabio waited for him at the front of the tractor trailer. “Go okay?” His curious gaze settled on Tanya, but he didn’t ask.
Trip shrugged. “I didn’t get much in the way of information.”
“Looks like you got something, though.”
He helped Tanya off the bike and stood beside her. “This is Tanya. And I suspect if they figure out where she went, the Saxons will be looking to get her back.”
“Shit.” Fabio grinned. “I thought this was a peaceful mission.”
“No worries, it was. Not like I went into their compound or took her away from any of their brothers.”
Grin firmly in place, Fabio turned to Tanya and offered his hand. “I’m Fabio, Tanya. Nice to meet you. We grabbe
d some fried chicken and stuff if you’re hungry.”
“Thanks, man.” Well, that went better than he expected. Trip slipped his arm around Tanya’s thin waist. “Let’s get you something to eat, okay?”
She nodded and followed.
The Raiders had claimed one of the picnic tables the Park Service or whatever provided, and laid the food out. Buckets of fried chicken, tubs of potatoes, gravy and other sides practically made the table groan under the weight. Trip made sure Tanya filled her plate, and took care of his own, then led her away from the group to a grassy area where they could talk while they ate. Despite the dark, moonless night, the security lighting allowed him to see her face.
“Tanya, are you okay? I didn’t exactly take time to ask if you wanted to come with me.”
“I-I’m okay. I wanted to come.” The uncertainty in her tone belied her words.
“Are you sure? I’m sorry, I had the impression…” Of course she wanted to leave. She’d said it herself before. They considered her a slave. “Don’t worry. I’ll keep you safe from them. And you’re free to do whatever you like now. I’ll help you get set up, get a job, whatever you want.”
“Okay. Thank you.” She took a careful bite of her chicken, and the look of pure delight that crossed her face made his heart do a funny little flip.
He had a ton of questions for her, but they could wait. She probably had some of her own, too. But for the moment, Trip was content to watch her eat. He’d never seen anything so sensual in his life.
When she’d eaten her meal, she just sat, as if waiting for orders. That gave him a queasy feeling. No one should have to go through what she’d been subjected to.
After a few minutes, she squirmed a little. “I-is it okay if I go to the restroom?”
Damn, he should have thought she might want to freshen up. “Of course. It’s over there.” He pointed to the squat building a couple hundred yards away.
She stood. “C-could you walk with me?” She fidgeted, wringing her hands.
He got to his feet. “Sure.” He walked with her, entirely unsure what to say to her. “I…uh have a fresh shirt if you’d like to clean up or anything. We can pick you up some clothes and stuff tomorrow.”
“O-okay.”
“Here we are. I’ll just run back and grab that shirt for you. Okay if I just bring it inside?”
She nodded and hurried inside the Ladies Room.
Trip started back for his bike, walking fast. For some reason, he couldn’t wait to see her in his shirt again.
Fabio approached as he searched in his bag for a clean t-shirt. “What’s the story there, man?”
Trip shrugged, hesitant to explain. “I met her the other day when I cleared the run with the Saxons’ Prez. Tried to get her to leave with me then but she wouldn’t. Today when I went to check in, she was there, and I asked her to come with. This time she did.”
“That ain’t like you, Trip. They’re going to be looking for her?”
He thought about that for a moment. They would hopefully think Tanya had just walked off. None of them knew he’d been at the hospital. “If they do, they shouldn’t have any idea where to look.”
Fabio nodded. “Okay then. I’ll get ready for a shit-storm to dog us all the way home.”
Trip grinned and held up the shirt. “Gotta get this to her.” He headed back to the restrooms at a jog.
He hesitated a moment before shoving the door open. “Tanya?” No answer. He stepped inside and took a quick glance around. A bank of toilet stalls stood to one side, and sinks to the other.
Beyond, a pair of other stalls were closed off with shower curtains. The sound of running water drew him like a magnet. He tapped on the edge of the wall. “Tanya? That you?”
The water stopped and the curtain slid aside. Tanya stood there before him, naked and dripping wet.
“I-I’m sorry. I-I saw the showers and it’s b-been a long time I could get one just because I wanted to.”
Trip sucked in a deep breath and told his dick to forget it. He was not going to lick away the droplets of water glittering like gems on her tits. “Don’t worry. I brought you the shirt. I guess you can use your other one for a towel?”
She nodded, blinking water from her long lashes.
His mouth went dry. A shower seemed like a really good idea all of a sudden.
He tried to suck in a full breath. "You're fucking beautiful."
She just looked at him, eyes wide, lips parted.
Fuck, he needed to taste her again. Slow as hell, trying not to frighten her, he leaned down to brush his lips over hers. Her small gasp spurred him on, and he lingered to sweep his tongue over her lower lip. She opened for him and let him taste the inside of that delectable mouth.
Every instinct in him screamed for him to shove her against the wall and pound into her soft heat. He groaned with the battle to resist, needing to be inside her like he needed air.
No. He couldn’t make her think she owed him. No matter how much he wanted to get into that tight little body.
Part Two: Present Day
Chapter Thirteen
Tanya gave a little satisfied smile as she finished up in the kitchen. A couple nights a week she cooked for the Hell Raiders who happened to be at the clubhouse. The men seemed to appreciate it and she got to make a payment on her debt to them. Of course, she couldn’t tell them that. But the fact remained, without their help and acceptance, she would still be a slave to Buffalo and the other Saxons.
Badger came in from his usual spot on the porch. "Need any help?"
She smiled. "Just got everything put away. Thanks Badger." Not so long ago, she wanted to run whenever any of the men spoke to her. Finally, though, it seemed like her body started to believe what her head told it, that these men were good and wouldn't hurt her. After her time with the Saxons, any man paying attention to her scared her pissless.
Except Trip. Right from the start, she felt an intense attraction to him, and a sort of trust she'd never known before. He was totally different from any other man she'd ever met, a mixture of decency and dark edginess.
Trip said her fear of men was something called PTSD. She didn't give a crap what they called it. Only the stupid, mindless fear mattered. No matter how much she knew these men wouldn't hurt her, she still had no control over the need to run from them. For a long time, she worried her fear would insult the men, but Trip assured her that wasn't the case. They accepted everyone for who and what they were at the moment, no questions asked.
The older biker grinned at her. "You know some of us don't mind cleaning up, especially since you feed us so well." He grabbed a beer from the fridge. "You and Trip heading home tonight? Or bunking with us?"
The men constantly offered to clean up, but she always turned them down. Not only did the work keep her mind and hands busy, it gave her an excuse to keep some distance between herself and the men. If she were busy in the kitchen, she didn't need to be out in the club room while Trip talked with the others or worked on something outside.
"I don't know. He hasn't said yet." Hopefully they would go home. She might love the Hell Raiders in her own way, but that didn't make her any more comfortable sleeping in a house full of men.
"Gotta admit, I kind of like when you stay over. Only time there's a real breakfast to be had around here." He opened his beer, lifted it in a small salute to her, and left the room.
The rest of the dishes sat on the counter, dried and ready to be put away. With that completed, she took a quick look through the fridge and cupboards. She would have to go to the store soon. The men ate a lot, whether she cooked for them or not, and she tried to keep the kitchen stocked for them. Left to their own devices they would live on beer and chips and hot wings.
Footsteps behind her made her stand and turn quickly. Trip stood against the counter, watching her, eyes glittering with something he left unsaid. "You about ready to head for home?"
"Yeah, I just need to set the coffee up for morning."
&nbs
p; He chuckled a little. "You know, you take better care of these boys than their own mommas did."
She smiled a little at the thought. "That's okay. They deserve to be looked after." The idea pleased her. She liked taking care of the men who made her good life possible.
The arrival of someone else created a small stir out in the club room, but she ignored it. There were plenty of leftovers in the fridge if anyone came in hungry.
"Hey Trip, need you out here for a minute." That sounded like Kellen from the main room where the men spent time watching TV, playing games, gossiping like old women, or just hanging out.
"I'll be out here when you're ready." Trip leaned in for a small kiss, taking care to move slowly, as he always did.
She watched him leave, thinking once more how lucky she was. The day Trip walked into that hospital and told her to go with him had saved her life. In the two years since, she'd started to live again. Every step of the way, Trip had been patient with her. Right from the beginning, he made no secret of being attracted to her. And she'd offered him sex, but he always turned her down and said they had plenty of time.
At first, his refusals confused her, and then offended her a little, especially when she wanted him. After a while, it triggered jealousy. She saw him at the Raiders' parties, saw how women threw themselves at him. He always turned them down, too. She had never known a man to refuse sex, especially when a drunk woman stuck her tits in his face. But he always did. It raised a ton of questions in her mind.
One night, after a beer and before heading for her empty bed, she asked him if he were gay, or what. His eyes had gone dark for a moment before he replied. "No, Tanya, the truth is, I want you so bad I can't stand it. But I won't take you until you actually want me, too. Not just because you think you need to pay back a favor or something. You'll have to want me, just because." He'd stuck by that for over a year, until loneliness drove her to crawl into his bed one night.
"Hey, Tanya? Can you come out here?" His voice interrupted her memories.
