by Faith Gibson
She didn’t know Warryck...? She didn’t even know his last name. Knew nothing about him other than he was there and had rescued her. That didn’t automatically make him one of the good guys. Steven had claimed to want to help her, and look how that turned out. Still, she was thankful he’d come along when he did, or she’d be on her way back to The Sanctuary and probably back in the inner chamber for more than a couple of days. Warryck left his phone with her so she could call her parents, and that alone helped her trust him, at least for the time being.
After choosing a T-shirt from Warryck’s bag, she removed the ruined one she’d borrowed from Gideon’s closet, noticing her driver’s license had managed to stay put in the granny bra she’d been forced to wear. Not wanting to risk losing it, she dropped it into Warryck’s duffel. She slipped Warryck’s borrowed shirt over her head then pulled her long hair out of the back, her hands coming away wet and muddy. The blood on her fingers had dried, and the ripped nails stung. She dug around in his bag looking for wipes but came up short. She’d just have to deal with being dirty until they got to the hotel.
She picked up the phone and punched in her mother’s cell phone number. Her heart hammered in her chest as it rang, and when it went to voicemail, it calmed back down. “Mom, it’s me. Kerrigan. I’m safe. I’m using the phone of the man who found me. We’re at the Green Mountain park, and he’s taking me to the Twin Ridges Inn, a hotel about twenty miles south of here in New Woodland, Vermont. I’ll wait for you and Dad there. Call me back on this number when you get the message. I love you.”
After she hung up, she repacked the duffel before rolling up the sleeping bag. She was ready to get on the road. She’d never ridden a motorcycle, and the thought was both daunting and thrilling. She certainly wasn’t dressed for it, and if Gideon had men riding around looking for her, she’d be easily spotted.
Warryck stuck his head into the tent. “It’s safe for now, but we need to move.”
She stood, having to bow her head inside the tent. “Here’s your phone. I called my mom, but I had to leave a voice message.”
Warryck slid the phone into his back pocket. “Did you tell her where to meet us?”
“Yes. Depending on when she listens to the message, it’ll take her a while to reach me. She’ll have to catch a flight, and I’m not sure where the nearest airport is to here, since I don’t exactly know where here is. I know you said we’re in Vermont, but that could be anywhere.”
“We’re in the southwest corner. New Albany is probably the closest major hub, but don’t worry. I’ll keep you safe until they get here. I would offer to fly you home, but you’re pretty banged up, and I’d rather get you to a doctor while we’re waiting.”
Kerrigan stiffened at the mention of him taking her to a doctor. She’d fallen for that line with Stanley – Steven – and that hadn’t turned out so well. But Warryck was different. She felt it all the way to her soul.
“You okay? You look like you’re ready to run.”
“I... Honestly? No, I’m not okay, because the last time someone offered to take me to a doctor, I ended up in a cult.”
“Kerrigan, I—
“No. Warryck. For whatever reason, I trust you, but no doctors. Okay?” And she meant it, but she couldn’t help remembering what she’d been through.
Warryck was angry. Shouldn’t her words have eased his mind?
“Okay, no doctors. And we’ll discuss where you’ve been later. Right now, we need to hit the road. Are you ready?”
“As ready as I’ll ever be with no shoes.”
“Fuck, I didn’t realize.” His eyebrows dipped, and the skin between them wrinkled. Kerrigan shouldn’t have found that sexy, but everything about the large blond was a look she appreciated. His hair was longish, and he had several tattoos on his corded forearms. The attraction was a no-brainer, because the man could be on the cover of a magazine. What she couldn’t understand was the pull. Like there was an invisible rope, and he was lassoing her to him. It was probably something akin to hero worship. That’s all it could be. Her luck with men lately warned her against giving in to the attraction she felt bubbling inside every time he was near.
“It’s okay. I might not be able to walk too fast because my feet are pretty torn up. But once we get to your motorcycle, it shouldn’t be too bad.”
“Damnit. Let me take a look.”
When Warryck entered the tent and picked up one of Kerrigan’s feet, she pulled it away. “No. They’re gross.”
“They’re just feet, Sweetheart. And I kinda... Never mind. Don’t worry about walking.” Warryck dug around his bag and pulled out a pair of socks. As if he were tending to a child, he rolled them over her cut feet, taking care not to hurt her. “Let’s get you out of the tent, and I’ll carry you to the bike. We really need to get out of this area, and sooner rather than later.”
“You don’t need to carry me. I’m not a small woman.”
Warryck frowned. “Are you saying I’m weak?”
Kerrigan huffed out a laugh. “Not at all.” Taking a deep breath, she agreed. “Okay, let’s do this.” She had never been carried. Or had she? Something niggled the back of her brain. Something just out of reach she felt she should be remembering, but Kerrigan couldn’t pin it down. One minute she was ready to be torn apart at the jaws of the dog chasing her, and the next thing she knew, she was being laid down on something soft.
“Here.” Warryck held out a black leather jacket. “Let’s get you wrapped up so the wind won’t cut too deeply. The air is crisp on a bike, and if we didn’t need to get you somewhere safe, I’d wait for you to dry out. But that’s not a luxury we have right now.”
When the jacket was wrapped around her, Kerrigan couldn’t stop herself from taking in the smell of leather and man. After slipping the straps of the duffel over his shoulder, Warryck cradled one arm behind her back and placed the other under her knees, lifting her as if she weighed nothing. “See? I’ve got you.” Kerrigan wrapped her arms around his neck. Warryck’s mouth was so close to hers. Too close. The short beard that covered his lower face looked soft. If she leaned forward just a couple inches, she could touch it with her lips. Warryck cleared his throat, and she looked up to find his blue eyes had darkened.
Shit. He probably had a girlfriend or wife at home. Looking away, she mumbled, “Sorry.”
“Nothing to be sorry about, Sweetheart.” Warryck took off away from camp, and Kerrigan looked back over his shoulder.
“What about the tent?”
“It’s just a tent. I can get another one.”
Before she knew it, they exited the trees and he was placing her atop the baddest motorcycle she’d ever seen. He bent over and flipped down a foot peg before going around to the other side and doing the same thing. When he stood back up, Warryck tucked her long hair under the jacket before zipping it up. He then placed a helmet on her head and fastened the chin strap. “That’ll help hide all that gorgeous hair.” Warryck looked her over. Clearing his throat again, he strapped the duffel around the back of the bike before stretching his right leg over the seat in front of her. He rocked the bike upright and looked back over his shoulder. “Your hands are probably hurting, but you’ll need to wrap your arms around my waist and hang on. We’ll be taking some curves, but I don’t want you to try to lean into them. Just hang on to me, and let the bike do the work, okay?”
Kerrigan nodded. “Where’s your helmet?”
“You’re wearing it. I don’t have an extra, because I never double anyone. Don’t worry. I have a hard head.” He smirked before turning away, but she hadn’t missed the playfulness in his eyes. God, everything he did was sexy as hell.
Kerrigan did as he said and leaned forward to reach around his body, putting her snug against his back. Yes, her fingers throbbed, but the pain was dulled by the feel of his hard planes beneath her hands. She’d dated several men, but none had been chiseled like he was. If this was another lifetime, she would dream of being his woman and beg to see hi
m without a shirt. The bike rumbled to life beneath her ass, and the sensation brought something else to life. Warryck tightened her grip. “Hang on, Sweetheart.” He eased the bike out of the clearing, carefully maneuvering the Harley until they were on the road. Warryck rolled on the throttle, and Kerrigan tightened her grip around his waist as he moved through the gears, accelerating until they were up to speed.
At first, she concentrated on doing as he said. It was hard to keep from leaning when they came to a curve, but she ignored the urge and just held on. Kerrigan pressed her chin to his shoulder, his long hair whipping with the wind. Turning her head to the side, she closed her eyes, allowing her body to just feel. The breeze across her face. The scents of rain and woods in her nostrils. The rumble of the bike between her legs. But the one thing that stuck out most was freedom. The man in front of her had given her that. How, she didn’t know, but in that moment, flying down the road with nothing tethering her but her arms around Warryck’s waist, she didn’t care. For however long it took them to get to the hotel, she was free. Soaring.
The ride ended too quickly. Warryck geared down, slowing the bike enough to pull into the parking lot of the hotel. He pulled into a spot near the back of the building and cut the motor. When he turned and looked at her, a grin tugged at his lips. “You enjoyed that, didn’t you?”
“How could you tell?”
“Because your face is still lit up.” Warryck pushed the kickstand down, and the bike leaned to the side. Kerrigan tightened her arms, and she could feel Warryck’s stomach bunching beneath her grip. “It’s safe. I promise.” He’d been laughing at her. Well, didn’t she feel stupid?
Unhooking her fingers, Kerrigan sat there because she didn’t know exactly how to get off the motorcycle without falling on her ass. She shouldn’t have worried. Warryck slid his long right leg over the seat and held out his hand for her. She took it and allowed him to help her stand. Her legs were a little wobbly, but she still felt energized. Warryck unhooked the strap and set the helmet over the handlebar.
“Let’s get inside and get you cleaned up.” He unhooked his bag from the bike and placed his hand at the small of her back, ushering her to the door in front of the bike. Using an old-fashioned key, he unlocked the door and held it for her.
Kerrigan hesitated briefly before moving into the room. If he’d wanted to hurt her, he would have done so out in the woods where he could bury her body. Dramatic much? Once they were inside, the first thing she noticed was the single queen bed.
“Sorry about the one bed. I’ll sleep on the floor. When I rented the room earlier, I only did so to get out of the rain. I didn’t expect to find you.”
“How did you find me?” That was a question she’d been running through her head on a loop.
Warryck gave her his back and set the duffel on the small table where the television was. When he turned back around, it was evident by the frown he was conflicted. “We have a lot to talk about, and I promise I’ll answer your questions. But first, you need to get cleaned up. I’m going to run out and get you some new clothes if I can find a place that’s open so I can take you to a doctor. I’ll do that while you shower so you can have some privacy.”
“I’ve already told you I don’t want a doctor. If you can get some antibiotic cream and bandages, that should suffice.” She held her hands out in front of her, assessing the damage. Her nails were broken, but they’d grow back out. Her ribs hurt, but she already knew from when Dalton beat her nothing could be done for them other than allowing them to heal on their own.
Warryck shoved his hands into his pockets. “Sweetheart, are you sure?”
Kerrigan didn’t want to leave the hotel until her parents came to get her. “Yes. All a doctor will do is slap a bandage on my cuts and charge me a ton of money I don’t have.”
“Don’t worry about the money. I’ll cover it.”
“No. You’ve done too much already. Please?” Warryck opened his mouth, but Kerrigan’s stomach growled before he could argue further. Laughing, she said, “And, uh, maybe you could find food?”
Warryck grinned. “Anything you want. What would you like?”
“I didn’t see any restaurants when we came through town. Then again, I wasn’t really paying attention. I could really go for a cheeseburger with bacon.”
“What would you like to drink?”
“Beer. A six pack, even. You don’t know what you’ll miss until you can’t get it.”
Warryck gave her a funny look. “We’re definitely going to talk when I get back. Is there anything else you need?”
There was something, but there was no way she’d ask Warryck to grab a box of tampons for her. She’d just have to pray she didn’t get her period until after her parents came to get her. “Nope. Medicine and food. And beer.”
“I’ll be back as quickly as possible. Don’t open the door for anyone. If someone knocks, it won’t be me.”
“Got it. I’ll probably be in the shower until you get back anyway, unless it runs out of hot water. It’ll take me forever to get all this hair clean.”
“You do have a lot of hair.” He pushed a strand behind her ear before jerking his hand back and striding toward the door. He paused for a moment before he turned back. “Lock the door behind me.” With that, he was gone. It seemed she wasn’t the only one struggling with the attraction between them.
Kerrigan hadn’t missed the way Warryck brushed her hair away from her face when he’d lain her down on the sleeping bag. Wait. Was that a memory or a dream? Wracking her brain to remember the time between falling down and when she overheard Warryck outside the tent was evading her, no matter how hard she tried to recall what happened. It would make sense if it was a dream, but if it had happened, Warryck had shared a tender moment with her. Sighing, Kerrigan retreated into the bathroom to wash away the dirt and blood. She needed to focus on getting clean, not the way Warryck made her forget she should stay away from all men for the immediate future.
Chapter Nineteen
War
WAR hated leaving Kerrigan alone, but it couldn’t be helped. If they were in a larger town, he could have had everything delivered. Instead of getting on his bike, he set out on foot. The walk would help to clear his head. It had taken every ounce of willpower not to kiss her. To beg her to let him take care of her. He’d already made the mistake of pushing her hair behind her ear. He didn’t understand why his head was so muddled where she was concerned. Originally, he’d set out to rescue the woman. He’d succeeded, but now he wanted more than that. He wanted to get to know her. Find out why a woman as beautiful as she was would allow a dick like Dalton Watkins to lay his hands on her in anger. Why she was with the douchebag in the first place. It wasn’t his business, and before he laid eyes on her in person, those things hadn’t mattered. But once he saved her from the jaws of the dog and held her in his arms, everything changed. What he couldn’t figure out was why.
Because she is ours.
“No, she’s not. She has been through a traumatic ordeal. Yes, we saved her, but that doesn’t mean we get to keep her.” Warryck wasn’t looking for a relationship. He had just started to figure out what he wanted to do with his future, and that didn’t include a woman. He’d already had a wife.
We deserve a good mate.
Warryck bristled. “Harlow was—”
—Greedy and selfish. You know this. We deserve someone who has our back and doesn’t try to snuff out any part of who we are.
“Tell me how you really feel.” His Gryphon pushed against his mind. It was strange having it in his head so strongly after having silence for so long. It was right; Harlow had been selfish, but that didn’t mean War was ready for a relationship.
It’s been too long.
“Stop. Just...” Warryck pulled his phone out of his pocket and dialed his twin, needing to tell him he’d found Kerrigan and to have Ryker pull the other Hounds off the search.
“Hello, Brother.”
“I found her.”
“Kerrigan O’Shea?”
“Yes. It’s a long story, but she was running for her life. She mentioned something about a cult.”
“Motherfuck. If that’s true, we need the family on this. Where are you?”
“I’m in New Woodland near Green Mountain. She’s already contacted her mother, and I’m keeping her safe until her parents get here.” War had known Maveryck would immediately want to bring in the Hounds as soon as the word cult left his mouth. It was one of the reasons he’d called his brother. Witnessing Kerrigan running for her life lit a fire inside War, one that hadn’t been there in too long to remember. It also took his mind back to a different time when Harlow had been running for her life, too. He hadn’t been able to save her, but Kerrigan... If he hadn’t listened to his Gryphon when it urged him to leave the hotel, he would have been too late.
He now understood why his family did what they did in going after the Ministry. Was this the same group who’d taken Kerrigan? He needed to get back to her so they could have that particular conversation, but first, he had first aid supplies, food, and beer to purchase.
“Are you okay?”
“Yes. Why wouldn’t I be?”
“Because this reeks of when Harlow was taken.”
Damn. He should’ve known Mav would latch on to the past the same way he had.
“I’m fine. I’ve got to get some first aid supplies and food. When I know she’s physically able, I’ll ask her the details.”
“I’m going to need all the information she can give you before calling Ryker.”
“And I’ll call you back as soon as I have it. She hasn’t shared much, because I only found her a couple hours ago. I had the pleasure of meeting the ones who were after her. They were chasing her with a dog, for Zeus’s sake!” War carded his fingers through his hair and huffed out a breath. “Once she’s safe with her parents, I’m going to go back and find those motherfuckers and make them pay for every scratch and bruise on her.”