Safe In His Arms (Motorcycle Club Romance, New Adult Romance): Devil's Riders (Hot Blooded Heroes)

by Joanna Blake

  But he also wanted to get to know her better. And even more than anything, he wanted to know what was making her so fearful. He had an overwhelming desire to protect her. To tell her everything was going to be okay. That he'd protect her, if she'd let him.

  He was good at that. Protecting women. He'd learned early, helping his mom look after his little sister, Marie. He'd had to protect them both. He hadn't always succeeded, but as he got older, it got easier.

  The old man hadn't stood a chance against an angry fifteen year old Donnie.

  Mean old bastard.

  Donnie pushed the thought of his father aside and readjusted the flowers. He hoped she wouldn't mind him just showing up like this but it couldn't be helped. He didn't have her damn phone number!

  But he'd get it today. Damn straight he would.

  He pulled up in front of her house. He felt a bit nervous as he walked up to her front stoop and knocked. He heard pattering little footsteps and smiled. Then he heard a chain being unhooked. And another chain. And a couple of locks.

  Damn, the place was like Fort Knox!

  She peeked out from a sliver of the door. There was still some sort of chain on it. He smiled, even though the number of locks was throwing him. How had he not noticed that before?

  "Hi Sally."

  He grinned and held up the flowers.

  "These are for you."

  She just blinked at him like a tiny little owl. Probably figuring out that she had to open the door to accept the flowers. He felt a bit like a heel, knowing he was being pushy. But she was so damn elusive that he didn't really have a choice. If he wanted her, he was going to have to use every trick in the book.

  And God Damn did he want her.

  "Oh. Thank you."

  She closed the door to unhook the chain and opened it up again, wider this time. He almost swallowed his tongue when he saw her. She was wearing a pink tank top and a pair of tight jeans. Her feet were bare and her cute little toes were painted a sparkly purple color.

  Jesus, the woman was trying to kill him.

  He handed her the flowers while trying to send her a message telepathically.

  Let me in let me in let me in let me in…

  "Would you like to come in?"

  He grinned so wide he felt like his face would split in two. Every inch he got closer to her felt like a triumph. He stepped inside and watched as she locked the door again. He was staring at her door as her busy little hands clicked each lock into place.

  She had eight locks.

  He felt a cold weight settling in the pit of his stomach.

  "I'll just put these in water…. is something wrong Donnie?" He tried to keep his face devoid of emotion. He was shocked at how angry he was at the thought of someone threatening a sweet little thing like Sally. His sweet little thing.

  "Has someone been bothering you Sally?"

  She blanched and took in a sharp little breath but didn't say anything. He was practically vibrating with the need to punch somebody's face in. Whoever it was that made her this afraid.

  "Tell me and I'll take care of it."

  "No- there's just been- a lot of break ins around here. I'm alone here so…"

  She licked her lips nervously. She was lying. He knew it.

  "I'll get a vase."

  He followed her into the kitchen. It was faded yellow and white, run down but spotlessly clean. He saw a guitar leaning under the window by the table. The window had bars on it.

  He looked back the way they had come. Bars on those windows too.

  A can of mace on the counter top.

  Fuck.

  "Would you like a cup of coffee?"

  He nodded and she gestured to the kitchen table. He sat down. Five minutes ago he would have been negotiating to sit on the couch in the living room. Much easier to get horizontal on a couch.

  But now… now he knew that something was very wrong here. Now he had other things on his mind.

  "You play?"

  She jerked her head around, staring at the guitar as if it was a ghost.

  "Oh. Not really. I'm not very good."

  He narrowed his eyes at her back. Now she was really lying to him.

  "As good as you sing?"

  She shrugged and went back to making the coffee. She turned around and smiled at him while it percolated.

  "I've had five cups already. I should be bouncing off the walls."

  "Late night?"

  She shrugged again.

  "I couldn't sleep."

  He nodded. He hadn't slept much either. She looked pretty as a picture though.

  A picture that was lying through her teeth.

  He stood up and crossed the kitchen.

  "Sally."

  She looked alarmed as he took his jacket off and pulled his t shirt over his head.

  "What are you doing Donnie?"

  "Relax darlin' I just want to show you something."

  She looked ready to run as he turned side ways and showed her the tattoo on his shoulder. He could tell the moment she saw it. It was the face of a pretty young girl. Underneath it said 'Marie.'

  "She's beautiful."

  He nodded gruffly, turning the other way.

  "That's my sister. And this-"

  He showed her his other tattoo. This was another woman, older but still lovely. Underneath it said 'Mom.'

  "Is my mother."

  "They'r beautiful Donnie. But I don't understand why-"

  "Because."

  He leaned toward her and put his arms on the counter, boxing her in.

  "They are the reason my arms exist. To protect them. I couldn't do it at first. He was too big. But by the time I was fifteen I started fighting back. He never laid a hand on either of them again."

  Her mouth opened. He could see tears forming in her eyes.

  "I won't let anyone hurt you again Sally."

  "How did you know?"

  He leaned forward and kissed her forehead, then pushed off and went back to the table.

  "Let's just say you remind me of her. My sister. She was always jumping at shadows."

  "Oh. What happened?"

  "To my dad? I finally beat him so bad that he took off, never to be seen from again. Marie though, she was too little. She took too many knocks in the head. Now she's… not the same."

  He glanced up at her.

  "Tell me who did this to you. Who hurt you bad enough to make you hide yourself away like this?"

  She took a shuddering breath and turned away to pour their coffee. For a minute he thought she wasn't going to answer. When she did, the words came out broken, like they hurt coming out.

  "My road manager. Carl. He ran my crew at first and then he was my fiancé."

  "He hit you?"

  She nodded, not looking at him.

  "He did lots of things. Hitting was one of them."

  Donnie saw black. Then red. Then black again. He forced himself to stay calm. He didn't want to scare her.

  "Where is this joker?"

  "I don't know. Back in Nashville probably. He said he'd come after me, but maybe he didn't mean it. I don't know. I keep meaning to get a dog. A big one."

  "I don't want you to worry anymore. You have a big dog. Right here."

  He made a fist and thumped it against his bare chest.

  "No Donnie. If he does find me, he'll kill you. He said he was going to kill me too, if I ever ran off or if I ever…"

  "If you ever found yourself a man?"

  She nodded. Well no fucking wonder she was so skittish. He felt like a giant ass for kissing her outside the other night. She'd been looking for this Carl bastard. He almost hoped he did come looking for her. He'd be in for a big fucking surprise.

  "Do you want sugar?"

  He was on his feet again before he knew what he was doing, his hands reaching for her, spinning her to face him and taking her mouth in a kiss that scalded both of them. He could not stop kissing her, could not stop his hands from molding the curves of her body to his, c
ould not stop wanting more.

  He wondered if he took her to bed a couple of times if this unquenchable thirst for her would be satisfied. He doubted it. It would take a thousand times and he'd still want her. But maybe he'd be able to think about something else for five minutes.

  Donnie knew he was in danger of falling for this girl. Hard. But he didn't care anymore.

  He had her leg around his waist with his huge palms cupping her round little cheeks when he finally came up for air. They were both breathing heavily. One of her tank top straps had slipped off, revealing a smooth golden shoulder. He kissed her there, lightly. Then moved up her neck with small deliberate kisses until he reached her ear.

  "I want you Sally."

  She moaned a little bit as he pressed his erection forward, nudging her sex. She lifted her hands up and placed them on his chest.

  And gently pushed him away.

  "I can't Donnie. I'm sorry."

  He stepped backwards, breathing heavily. He squeezed his hands into fists to keep himself from reaching for her.

  "Don't you like me Sally?"

  She crossed her arms over her chest and looked away.

  "I just- I just want to be left alone. It's easier that way."

  He stared at her for a minute, hoping she would relent. But she wasn't even looking at him. She looked small, like she was trying to shrink into herself and become invisible.

  "Please Donnie."

  He cursed under his breath and grabbed his shirt and jacket. He didn't wait for her to come and unlock the door. He clicked open lock after lock until the door opened. It was beautiful out- a perfect balmy afternoon in late spring. But he didn't care.

  He didn't care about anything.

  6

  Sally had finally cried herself to sleep a couple of hours before she had to be at the diner for the morning shift. She was working a double for the third time that week. If she was at the diner, she didn't have to think about Donnie.

  Or Carl.

  She had hated him before, feared and despised him. But now she was even angrier than she'd been when he hurt her, when he stripped away her self esteem and stole her country music career out from under her boot heels.

  Now he'd robbed her of Donnie.

  No, Donnie was just a nickname. His name was Donahue. She didn't even know his real first name. And she was unlikely to ever get a chance to. She's sent him away time and again. There was no way he would want her now.

  At the diner she was like a shark; in constant motion. If a shark stopped moving it would die. Sally felt the same way. If she stopped moving she'd have to face the mess she'd made of things. She'd have to face the prospect of being alone.

  Forever.

  She looked around Mae's after putting the mop away. The place was clean when she'd come in earlier that morning, but now it was cleaner. Spotless even. She sighed. It might be just a diner but she'd miss it when she left town. Mae was always kind to her and had given her a job even without ID or experience. Charlie, the line cook was a sweet older guy. And Kaylie was a real friend.

  Oh God, Kaylie!

  With all that was happening with Donnie she'd forgotten all about her friend. At least she'd be in this afternoon so Sally could find out what was going on with her. Maybe she'd made a decision about Devlin and his impromptu proposal.

  It would be good to talk to a friend. She kept feeling her eye straying to the clock, waiting for Kaylie to start her shift.

  **********

  "Throw it!"

  "Donnie…"

  "Come on man! Throw the little bastard."

  "Alright…"

  Mike the prospect wound up his arm and threw a full beer can. Straight at Donnie's head. Donnie held his fist up and punched the can out of the air, spraying his whole body with beer. He laughed.

  "Do another one!"

  "Donnie, man I got to get inside and run the bar. It's starting to get busy in there."

  Donnie had a moment where he debated pulling rank. Or just beating the shit out of the prospect.

  "Okay Whisky Beard. But when I come in, I expect chilled tequila in a glass."

  "Chill the tequila? Or the glass?"

  "Both man! Jesus."

  Mike shook his head and walked inside. Donnie looked around for something else to break. He'd been drinking and breaking things for days now. He was almost starting to enjoy himself.

  Almost.

  After she'd kicked him out he'd come to the clubhouse. That was five days ago. He hadn't been home since. The guys were all giving him a wide berth. Nice Donnie was gone. Mean Donnie was in full effect.

  So far he hadn't taken any of the sweet butts up on their constant offers to lay or blow him but he was thinking about it. How would Sally like that? He frowned. She probably wouldn't care but if she did… well, he didn't want to make her feel bad. He didn't really feel like rolling around with one of those skanks anyway. Not after he'd had her sweet perfection in his arms.

  Donnie never lost his head over a woman. He scowled again. Actually he didn't think he'd ever wanted more from a woman than a quick tumble or some head. Oh God… Sally's soft lips would feel incredible on his shaft. He started getting hard at the thought of Sally kneeling in front of him, taking him into her sweet mouth… Christ! He wouldn't let her do that right away though. Not until he'd made her explode in his mouth.

  Hmmm… he just knew she'd taste delicious…

  Jesus Christ, he was whipped and he'd never even gotten a taste!

  Well, maybe he had gotten a little bit of a taste… of her lips anyway. But that only made him hungrier for her. Even worse though was the fact that she wouldn't let him protect her. She couldn't stop him from driving by her house in his rare moments of near sobriety though. He'd driven by every morning after the bar had closed down around six and again every evening before he got too shit faced. Not that he could tell much with all her curtains drawn.

  But maybe, just maybe he'd have a chance to see that she was okay.

  Maybe he'd catch that bastard Carl.

  He'd been fantasizing about what he would do to that asshole for days. BOOM. He kicked through a piece of scrap wood. That was Carl's femur. SNAP. He took a bat to an old oil barrel. That was the shit heel's head he was busting.

  But always the best part, the part that he saved imagining until right before he slipped into the unconsciousness that passed for sleep, was when Sally thanked him. She'd throw herself into his arms. She'd cover him with kisses. She'd lead him to her bedroom where they'd make screechy, rusty music on the old springs until dawn.

  And she wouldn't be afraid anymore.

  He kicked his boot heel through a piece of plywood that was leaning against the brick wall.

  He had to snap out of this. She didn't want him, no matter how she'd responded to his kisses. She'd told him to go away. He wanted to believe that she hadn't meant it. Deep in his gut a little voice said that she didn't really want him to stay away forever.

  But maybe she did.

  **********

  Kaylie gave Sally a weary smile as she stowed her backpack under the counter. She looked at her friend and realized that Sally looked worse than she did. Kaylie was at least sleeping a few hours a night. Especially now that she'd decided to talk to Dev again.

  She just hadn't told him yet.

  "Hey Sally. Busy today?"

  Sally shrugged. The girl looked bone tired.

  And heartbroken.

  "Take a load off, I can handle the tables for a bit."

  Sally smiled gratefully and Kaylie got busy, making sure to bring Sally a cup of green tea with lemon. "Can't drink coffee all day. Unless your stomach is made of iron."

  Sally sipped the tea gratefully.

  "Thanks Kaylie. My stomach has been a little sour."

  Kaylie put her hands on the counter and gave Sally a look.

  "So, Janet told me something happened with Donnie."

  Sally's eyes got real wide. Guess she didn't realize that bikers gossip too. A l
ot actually. The clubhouse was like a hive, constantly buzzing about this guy or that old lady. Kaylie hid a smile.

  "What did she say? Is he okay?"

  "He's been drunk for a week according to Jan. Moping around."

  She leaned in and winked.

  "Ignoring all the sweet butts."

  Sally blinked at her.

  "You know what that means right?"

  Sally shook her head.

  "It means Donnie, who is a legendary ladies' man by the way, is turning down all offers from easy women."

  "Oh."

  "Sounds like love to me."

  Sally shook her head vehemently.

  "No. Why would he care? Nothing even happened really. That's the problem."

  "That's not what I heard…"

  Kaylie picked up the coffee pot and started making the rounds. She knew Sally would be busting a gut by the time she got back to the counter.

  "Kaylie! What are you talking about?"

  She hid a smile.

  "So you do like him. I knew it!"

  Sally slumped onto the counter, with her head on her hands.

  "I don't want to!"

  Kaylie patted her shoulder gently.

  "That's always the way. You should have seen Janet! She was cranky as hell until she and Jack stopped dancing around each other."

  "Jack dancing?"

  "Well, you know what I mean. Now, do you want to hear my news?"

  "Oh my God! Yes, please tell me!"

  "I'm getting engaged."

  Sally stared at her blankly.

  "But I thought-"

  "As soon as Devlin asks me properly. Talked it over with Mama and we decided it was kind of sweet, him getting ahead of himself that way. Besides, it's not like it's not inevitable."

  Sally came around the counter and hugged her quickly.

  "That's wonderful Kaylie! Congratulations! Devlin must be ecstatic."

  Kaylie winked at her as the dinner crowd started to shuffle in.

  "He will be."

  "Will?"

  "He just doesn't know yet!"

  "Kaylie, what?!?"

  "Don't worry Sally. I think I have the solution to both of our problems. We are going to out-sweet the sweet butts."