She’d felt safe in this hotel room but no longer. Kent had violated this space too. She hit the floor and peered under the bed. Nothing. Then checked behind the bathroom door. Nothing. There was no closet to check, only a wire rack bolted to the wall for clothing.
What the hell?
The lingerie had been laid out on the bed just so, as though waiting for her to put it on—white lacy stockings, matching panties, and a merry widow along with a white leather collar decorated with rhinestones, which spelled out Baby Girl.
And on the bed was a card.
She snatched it up, ripping open the envelope. It was expensive, thick stationary, emblazoned with flowery script. She recognized Kent’s girly handwriting.
It read: For my slave, a new costume for your homecoming. I love the way you look in white—like a bride.
Shuddering, she dropped the note on the floor. After grabbing her bag and throwing on clothes, she ran out of the room. She didn’t stop running until she got to the truck.
As Rose fumbled with the keys, trying to shove the right one into the lock despite her trembling hands, she was seized from behind. Then she felt a knife blade press against her throat. Gasping, she peered at the reflection in the truck’s window and saw Lester, Kent’s security guard with the cheap suits.
“Evenin’ bitch.” He wrapped one beefy arm around her torso. “Thank you for coming out to the parking lot all by your lonesome. I’ve been tryin’ to grab you for a long time.”
Rose shuddered.
“Never the right moment, though. Your little biker boys were always around.”
Oh, God. How could she have been so stupid? She ran from safety and into a trap.
Rose could feel the beginnings of panic about to set in. Her heartbeat picked up, and she started to breathe heavily. She tamped down on her fear and tried to think. Rose focused on her training, tried to remember everything Duke had told her.
Trying to distract him, she asked, “Did you put that… gift in my room?”
“Nah, I got some inside help—all Kent’s idea. The boss likes to give his girls presents. Freaky and a waste of time, if you ask me.”
Who’d helped him? One of the bikers? A hellion?
Then it hit her.
What if Duke’s hellion had helped him?
Lester made a disgusted noise in the back of his throat. “I’ve been waitin’ for you to come back fucking forever, cruisin’ up and down the street like I’m in some dumb ass parade.”
Lester pressed her hard up against the truck and then dug in his pocket for his cellphone. He pressed a few buttons, and then she could hear the phone ringing.
She heard Kent’s voice on the line. “Do you have her?”
“Yeah, I got her. I’m bringin’ her in now.”
“Excellent.” She could hear the smug pleasure in his tone.
This wasn’t happening.
Rose wouldn’t let him take her. She’d rather die, right here, right now in the parking lot than be that man’s slave again.
Lester pressed the knife more tightly against her throat. “You remember how much I like knives, don’t you? Now, you’re gonna be a good girl and get in my trunk without kickin’ up a fuss. If you don’t, I’ll give you exactly what you deserve. I’ll cut you, leave you to bleed out on the concrete. You won’t even be able to call for help.”
“I’ll be good.” Rose would say anything to buy herself some time.
Lester dragged her toward a black SUV hidden in the shadows behind the building near the Dumpster. The Horsemen didn’t have security cameras, and with the parking lot so dark, she bet no one had noticed it. He must’ve smashed the floodlights overhead.
Rose knew better than to struggle against the knife. It’d be easy for him to split her throat open. And anyway, he had a knife fetish. He’d probably get off on cutting her, making her bleed. When they reached the trunk, he popped it open and then grabbed a roll of duct tape from his jacket pocket.
“Hold out your hands, Goldilocks.”
That’s when she struck.
She stomped on his foot, hard. Then she reared back, slamming her head into his teeth—it hurt like hell, but it worked. When he gasped and relaxed his hold on her, she brought her fist down hard on his groin.
With a grunt, he finally released her.
“You fucking cunt. I’ll beat the shit out of you for this.”
Rose spun around, drew back, and kicked him square in the nuts like a quarterback with a football.
With a yowl, Lester clutched his balls. His phone clattered to the ground along with the knife.
Rose snatched them both and ran for her vehicle, then shoved the key into the lock.
He came limping towards her, and she spun, lashing out with the knife as she did.
“Oh, no, you don’t.”
Oh, yeah. She was definitely in touch with her anger now. Rose wanted to kill him.
He could have reported Kent, called the authorities, but he’d kept his mouth shut and collected a paycheck. She thought of the way he’d shoved his cock down her throat, participated in her victimization.
Rose wanted to leap on him, plunge the knife into his chest—watch him bleed out on the pavement.
As though sensing her dark mood, he backed away, holding out his hands. “You’re a crazy bitch, aren’t you?”
“You’ve no idea. Why don’t you come on over here, and I’ll give you what you deserve?”
“Because I ain’t got a death wish. I’m gettin’ paid. This ain’t personal. It never was.”
“Oh, yeah? When you stuck your dick down my throat, it felt awfully God damn personal to me.”
“To hell with this. The boss can come get you himself. You ain’t worth it.” Lester backed away until he reached his car. He got in and took off, leaving rubber on the asphalt.
Rose jumped in the truck, jammed the key in the ignition, and headed straight for Duke’s house.
***
Duke opened his front door to find Rose standing there, shivering. Her hair was wet from the rain, and her eyes were haunted.
Something was wrong.
“What the fuck happened?” Duke pulled her inside.
Rose wrapped her arms around him and pressed her head against his chest. Hot tears streaked down her face.
“What is it? Tell me what happened. Are you hurt?” He ran his hands down her body, reassuring himself she was in one piece.
“Kent. He sent his security guard for me.”
“Fuck me. Is he there now?” He pulled the gun from his hip.
“No, I’m sure he took off. When I got to the hotel room, I found lingerie laid out for me on the bed, and I bolted. And then he grabbed me in the parking lot.”
“How’d you get away?”
“I broke his hold, like you taught me.” She slid a cell and knife from her back pocket and handed it to him. “I disarmed him and took his phone.”
“Jesus.” Duke grabbed both of them, setting them on the table. “Maybe Coyote can trace the number and find Kent.” He grabbed his phone and fired off a text message to Coyote. Tomorrow morning, he’d drop the thing off at Inferno.
“Did he say how he got in your room? Hades is swarming with Horsemen. I can’t imagine one of us would let a strange guy walk in a hotel room. Someone from the club had to let him in.”
“Lester said it was an inside job.”
“It wasn’t one of the brothers. I’m bettin’ it was a hellion or maybe one of the fucking prospects. Don’t worry. I’ll get to the bottom of it.” He had a sneaking suspicion Chesty was involved in this. She hadn’t taken their break-up well.
Hadn’t she threatened to make him sorry?
“You’re staying here tonight. No arguments, and you aren’t leaving my sight until I put Kent six feet under. I’ll bury the guard next to him too.”
She nodded, still shaking. “Um… Duke?”
“What?”
Jesus Christ. He could have lost her tonight. If she hadn’t been so b
rave, the fucker would have carried her off or killed her. The thought alone enraged him, made his heart ache, and filled him with an unknown dread.
“I wanted to kill him. I had the knife in my hand, and I… imagined it. Fantasized about pushing it into his chest.”
Rose was more like him than he realized. “Ain’t no harm in thinkin’ about something. The point is, you didn’t do it.”
“But I wanted to. I still want to.”
“No, you don’t. Once you open the door, you can never close it. You don’t want to become like me.” He hoisted her up into his arms. Duke started to carry her down to the The Vault, intending to tuck her into his big queen bed all by herself, but he didn’t want her there, he realized.
No, Duke wanted to put her in his own bed. Duke knew he wouldn’t be able to sleep without her tonight. He wanted to check on her, reassure himself she was all right.
Thankfully, she didn’t protest when he laid her down in his bedroom. He slid the covers over her and headed for the door when her voice stopped him in his tracks.
“Don’t go.”
Duke turned back. She looked tiny in the black four poster bed, her eyes impossibly wide.
“Please? I don’t want to be alone.”
“I ain’t leavin’. I’m gettin’ you some water.”
“I’m not thirsty. I… need you. Could you hold me? I know we don’t, um, cuddle unless it’s after a session, but I—”
“You need it. I understand. I’m happy to give it to you. I care about you. I’ll always see to your needs.” Truth be told, Duke needed it too.
He curled himself around her on the bed, pulled her in against his body, and she was still shivering. He wrapped an arm around her, sharing his warmth, and she snuggled against him. Duke held her, stroking her hair, soothing her.
Eventually, she stopped trembling. Her breathing slowed, and her body temperature went back to normal.
Before long, she was fast asleep in his arms.
Duke sighed. He should get out of this fucking bed. He didn’t sleep with women, never allowed them to get this close to him, yet here he was, lying next to her, watching her slumber.
Rose felt good against him, her curves fitting into the hollows of his body. He wished he could tell her a thousand things, but he couldn’t choke the words out. He loved spending time with her, talking to her, and having her in his bed was sheer bliss.
Duke loved the way she poured syrup on her waffles and how she scrunched up her nose when she slept. The sweet scent of her fucking befuddled him to no end. He loved how she trusted him, even after everything that happened to her.
Duke loved… how… no, Duke loved her.
He cursed under his breath. The realization was startling, but he could feel the truth of it deep down in his bones.
Duke had no fucking clue what to do about it either. He couldn’t tell her. Not right now, because she’d had a shitty night. Duke wasn’t even sure he wanted her to know. After all she’d been through, could she handle a relationship? Rose deserved someone better than him. Someone who wasn’t damned by his past and his own terrible choices.
He should be rounding up prospects and hellions to question, not lying in the dark brooding over her. Yes, he ought to be getting to the bottom of this, but somehow he couldn’t make himself move.
Couldn’t leave this bed.
This mystery would have to wait until morning.
Duke texted Shepherd, letting him know what was going on and asking him to assemble the prospects the following morning for a come to Jesus meeting.
For the moment, Duke wasn’t going anywhere.
Chapter Seventeen
The next morning, after dropping the guard’s cell at Inferno, Duke took Rose with him to Perdition. He refused to leave her alone, and she didn’t protest.
She’d spent most of the morning in deep thought, despite his efforts to engage her in conversation. Duke bet she’d scared herself last night. The bloodlust had come barreling out of her subconscious, and she didn’t know what to do with it.
Duke knew where it’d lead. After all, it was the same path he’d taken. He’d spent decades soaked in blood—went from being a healer to a sniper—ending lives instead of saving them.
Then he’d offered himself up as an enforcer for the Horsemen. All of the men he’d killed had it coming. It was the only thing that kept him sane some days. But he wanted more for Rose. True, she needed to defend herself, but he wouldn’t let her harness the rage and forge herself into a cold, calculated murderer like him.
When he’d arrived at Perdition, he’d sat Rose down at the bar. Daisy and Eddie were talking when they walked in and both women looked at him questioningly, but he shook his head. Rose could explain while he went to the meeting.
In the meeting room, the prospects sat in a row, eyes wide and fucking terrified.
That kind of fear always made Duke smile.
Shepherd stood behind them. They’d exchanged a few texts this morning so he knew exactly what the fuck was going on, and the VP was pissed too. Well, pissed and tired. Like a zombie with hair sticking up, the beginnings of a long-ass blond beard on his cheeks, and a big set of bags under his eyes.
As soon as Duke got in the room, Shepherd started in on them, pacing back and forth like a parole officer with a row of particularly stupid juvenile delinquents.
“Club loyalty is very important to the Horsemen. We protect our own and betraying the trust is serious. Anyone want to confess your sins?” Shep asked.
Duke sighed.
He didn’t fucking have time for a life lesson Leave it to Beaver sort of moment right now. Duke had shit to do—so he butted in.
“Okay, fucktards, I’m gonna make this short because I’m tired, and I don’t have time to play games with you little bastards. Which one of you put the lingerie in Rose’s room?”
“Or we could jump straight to the point.” Shep propped himself up against the wall, crossed his arms over his chest.
Duke scanned their faces, looking for signs nervousness. He’d been trained to detect lying.
Pretty Boy ran a hand through his hair, a bored expression on his face. Fetch’s eyes widened in surprise. Dash seemed confused. Then again, it was his normal expression. That boy was dumber than a box of rocks.
But Crash looked queasy.
Duke singled him out. “Tell me what you know.”
“I don’t know anythin’.” He held his hands up like he was under arrest.
“I believe you.” Duke removed his gun from the holster, flashing it in front of the prospect.
“Holy shit. Don’t shoot me.” The rest of the prospects had wide eyes, looking like they were about to piss themselves.
Except for Pretty Boy—who yawned.
“Talk!” Duke shouted.
Crash spoke up, “I didn’t let anyone in, but I saw Lisa go in the room earlier yesterday.”
Now it was Duke’s turn to be confused. “And who the fuck is Lisa?”
Pretty Boy snickered. “Lisa is the hellion you were fucking. Jesus. You didn’t know her name? Way to keep it classy.”
Shep placed a hand against his mouth and coughed, but Duke bet it was to smother a laugh. Dickhead.
So, Lisa was her name. He knew it began with an ‘L.'
Duke scowled. “Watch your fucking attitude, kid.”
He didn’t quite catch Pretty Boy’s mumbled reply, but he doubted it was respectful. Fortunately for the prospect, he had bigger problems to deal with at the moment.
He glanced at Crash. “What did she do?”
“She keyed in the room, and she had a bag with her, but I didn’t think anythin’ of it. I figured she’d brought groceries over or somethin’.”
“Yeah, she didn’t fuckin’ bring bread and milk.” He sighed, feeling a big headache comin’ on. “All of you can fuck off, we’re done.” He tucked his gun back into the holster.
They shuffled out the door, leaving him alone with Shep.
“This i
s a big fuckin’ problem,” Duke said.
Club loyalty meant everything, and one of their own had violated it. All of the Horsemen, from brothers to old ladies to prospects –and yes, even the hellions–were trustworthy, or supposed to be, anyway. In their world, allegiance to the club meant the difference between life and death.
“You ain’t said shit. We have to take this to the president.” Shep ran a hand down his face.
“Can’t we send her away? Tell the prospects to keep their fuckin’ mouths shut about it?”
“Naw, man. Kent was in bed with the Raptors, might still be. Captain has to decide what to do with her, and he needs to know the extent of the damage. For all we know, she could have been feeding him intel about the club. Ain’t no way around it—she could have exposed us to the Raptors.”
“You’re right, but it’s gonna be harsh, brother.” Yeah, the bitch had betrayed them, but it didn’t mean Duke relished the world of hurt about to land on Chesty… Lisa.
If anything, he wanted to forget about her and move on, but he couldn’t say she hadn’t brought this on herself. She knew the rules and violated them. Hopefully, she hadn’t been spying for Kent. If she hadn’t been, Captain would run her ass out of town. But if she had betrayed them to the Raptors? Well, then, she’d be leaving town real permanent-like.
What a fucking mess.
“Yeah, I know, but I’ll take care of it. I’ll have Fetch round her up, and I’ll bring her over to Captain’s place, man. Here’s to hoping she didn’t dig herself in too deep. But there’s another problem we gotta deal with.”
“Dammit, Shep. I can’t take anymore today. What?”
“To explain this situation, I’ll have to let the club know about Kent and the video—as well as the trainin’ you’ve been doin’ with your girl. Ain’t gonna be pretty.”
Duke figured as much. “Rose is out there with Daisy right now. I’m sure she’s fillin’ her in.”
“Oh, really?”
Duke groaned.
“Happy trails, my brother.” Shepherd clapped him on his back. “If I were you, I’d get myself a bulletproof vest.”
“I’ll be lucky if she tries to shoot me. Knowin’ Daisy, she’ll cut my balls off.”
Joy Ride: A Virgin Romance (Let it Ride Book 3) Page 30