I fought back the stupid tears at his betrayal.
As I waited for the inevitable to happen, I heard the door open and the shuffle of footsteps that indicated that they’d gone inside the bar, and then I was left alone. Alone! My eyes rounded with astonishment, and then my flight instincts took over and I dropped the broom. I didn’t even think about what I was doing, or where I was going, as I took off through the parking lot toward the main road.
The only thing I knew for certain was that I had to get away. It didn’t matter that I was on foot, didn’t matter that I didn’t have a thing to my name other than what I was wearing, and the little bit of money I had left over from the money Hawk had given me. I ran like the very devil was hot on my heels, because in my mind, he was. Dane was not going to let me go, sending his henchmen to find me and drag me back to him. I didn’t know the man’s name, but I recognized him as one of Dane’s friends, and in my mind they all worked for him.
His showing up at the club wasn’t a coincidence and could only mean one thing, that Hawk had struck a deal with Dane. How else would he have found me? Tears finally broke through as my emotions got the best of me. How could a man be intimate with a woman, and then basically sign her death sentence the next? Maybe “death sentence” was premature, because I didn’t really know what Dane had in store for me. All I knew was that he’d threatened to punish me if I didn’t do what he said. For the first time I began to accept that Hawk was really the cold-blooded, unfeeling bastard that he said he was.
I ran and ran, high on the adrenaline of fear, determined to get as far away from there as I could. Too late I remembered that we were deep in the country, but I couldn’t let that stop me from at least trying to escape. I ran to the tree line, deciding it would be best to stay close to them in case I needed to duck for cover. I could hear the sound of running water, and knew that there was a stream nearby. My dry mouth reminded me that I was thirsty, but there was no way I was going to venture into the Maine woods.
I walked for a while, running when I’d rested up enough. I wanted to put as much distance between me and Hawk as soon as possible. Traffic was sparse, almost non-existent on the country road, and the lack of traffic lights told me that was probably the norm. It didn’t take my addled brain long to realize the isolated location of the clubhouse was going to be my downfall.
It wouldn’t take Hawk long to discover my absence, and then what? If I didn’t find a place, fuck, civilization soon, I might as well give up. I stopped at a crossroads to catch my breath before looking in four different directions to determine which way to go. It was hard to see any great distance because of the hills and curves in the road, and the trees.
Then I came to a ‘Welcome to Solon’ sign, population nineteen hundred. At the same time I heard an approaching vehicle. My first thought was to thumb for a ride, until I realized that it could very well be the man in the black limo. I quickly ran and hid behind a tree, too afraid to peek, too afraid to breathe, as it passed by where I was squatting. When I could barely hear it anymore, I slowly left my hiding spot. I squinted, taking in the backend of the luxury car.
Damn Hawk to fucking hell for doing this to me. I sobbed, hating him. He must have known by then that I’d run away, why else would Dane’s people be leaving? I had no doubt that once Hawk found me again he’d turn me over to them. Cursing at the weakness, I brushed my tears away angrily and began to run again, anger fueling me. I just had to come to something soon. Solon was a small town but I guessed it must have businesses in it. Nineteen hundred people had to work and eat.
I sensed that I was getting nearer to town. Homes dotted the area, and traffic picked up. Since I assumed that Hawk and his men would be on motorcycles, I began to trust that the occasional car or truck that came up behind me wasn’t the enemy. Still, I held my breath until they continued past. Businesses came into view, and I slowed down to a jog until I finally came to the Main Street that every town seemed to have.
I stopped and dug into my pocket for my money. A quick count showed me that I had enough for a cheap room and something to eat, a few things I needed from the drug store and maybe a bus ticket to the next town. If that didn’t work out then I’d be forced to thumb for a ride. It would be dangerous, but I didn’t have any choice.
I didn’t find the usual corner drug store, so I settled for the small grocery store. The sign out front boasted that it had everything. I went straight to the hair section and picked up a pair of scissors, and a kit to dye my hair blonde. Then I picked up a ready-made sandwich, a bag of chips and a bottle of soda. As I was standing in line I snatched a candy-bar.
“Is there a hotel or anything around here where I can get a room for the night?” I asked the girl behind the counter. “Something, ah, cheap?” She rang up my items and I handed her a twenty.
“Got no hotels around here.” She handed me my change. “You could try Miss Minnie’s place. She sometimes rents out of her house. Don’t know if she’ll do one night, but she’s real nice, and I know she can use the money.”
That sounded encouraging. “Miss Minnie’s? Where do I find her?” I took my bag from her, my eyes nearly bugging out of my head when I noticed a motorcycle ride past. Was that one of Hawk’s men?
“Big white house across the street.”
I glanced out the window. There were several big houses across the street and they were all white. It could be any one of them.
“She has a sign on her mailbox,” she said, as if reading my mind. Then she moved on to the person behind me.
I hesitated at the door, looking up and down the road. Other than an occasional vehicle, mostly trucks, there was nothing. Across the street an elderly couple walked their dog, and a few kids were playing in their fenced-in yard. I squinted, trying to read the mailboxes and looking for a sign, but didn’t see one. The mailboxes were located next to the front doors. It didn’t look like I was going to get a break, but as I was crossing the street, one box in particular drew my eye.
I walked up the porch steps straight to the mailbox. A tiny-and I mean tiny-note was taped to the rusty black box. Room for rent, the lettering so faded that it was hard to make out. That’s all it said. Just as I knocked on the door, I heard the unmistakable rumble of motorcycles. Ohmygod! My heart was in my throat as I frantically knocked a second time, looking wildly around me. I saw them. Bikers. They’d just entered town and were riding in my direction.
I swung back around, as if no one would recognize me from behind, and was about to knock a third time when the door opened. The smiling face of a sweet little old lady greeted me.
“Hi, please−” I tried to calm myself down, aware of the panic in my tone. “I’m here about a room for rent.”
The woman’s smile grew wider. “Why, of course, dear.” She stepped back and I took that as an invitation to open the door between us. “Come on in.”
The bikers were close! As soon as I had control of the door I closed it behind me, and then turned to face the woman. I smiled, trying to put her at ease when I saw the slight concern move across her face. She was probably wondering why I had shut the door so quickly.
“I only need it for one night,” I said, hearing the bikers go past the house. They kept going. I breathed in deeply with relief. “Do you rent nightly?” I hoped.
“Honey, I rent by the hour sometimes,” she laughed.
Was she serious? I must have looked surprised at her comment, because everyone knew what renting by the hour meant. Wasn’t that a kind of universal thing? I guess she really did need the money. I laughed in spite of myself. “How much for one night?”
Her sharp blue eyes moved over me, and I got the impression that she could see right through me. I know I looked a wreck. Sweaty and dirty, my hair was everywhere, and my clothes, well, I knew they didn’t fit me. Not when half my ass cheeks were hanging out. “I have money,” I said, thinking that she might be worried that I didn’t. I reached inside my pocket, pulling out the small wad I had left.
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p; “Honey.” She put her shriveled up, crooked hand on my arm where it was wrapped around my bag of meager items. “I wasn’t worried about the money. You look like you’ve been to hell and back.” I remained silent. “You in trouble, girl?”
Oh, God. Not a conversation I wanted to get into right now. But then I realized that I might gain her help if she thought I was. Women were sympathetic to women abused and in trouble, weren’t they? I wasn’t exactly abused, but I would be if Dane or Hawk got their hands on me again.
“Maybe a little,” I finally said. “But not with the law,” I added quickly so that she wouldn’t get the wrong idea.
“Running away from a man?” she asked. I nodded. “Poor dear. At least you’re leaving him. Some women just stay and take it, thinking they don’t have a choice.” The whole time she was talking she was leading me toward the back of the house. “My name is Minnie, what’s yours?”
I opened my mouth. Should I lie? The fake name came out before I could stop it. “Liz.”
“Well, Liz, come with me. I bet you’d love a nice hot shower and some clean clothes, and probably something to eat, too.” She led me into the kitchen and to a door off to the side. I was surprised to see a bedroom when she opened the door. “I know it’s odd having a bedroom off of the kitchen, but my poor old Joe couldn’t manage the stairs at the end of his life so we converted the formal dining room into a bedroom for him.”
It was a nice room, and seemed to have everything for a renter. Half was furnished as the bedroom, the other half as a living area. I smiled at the old TV, wondering if it even worked.
“This works out perfect for renters. You have your own bathroom.” She pointed to a heavily painted door with an old brass doorknob. “And you’re right off the kitchen, so everything is close by.”
“How much?” I asked.
She hesitated. “How much do you have?”
I frowned, but counted the month in my hand anyway, a little embarrassed. “Sixty-one dollars.”
Minnie cocked her head, and I could see she was working it out in her head. She really was a sweet lady, somewhere around seventy, I guessed. Her hair was completely white and done up in an old fashioned bun. But it was the stark clarity of her blue eyes, set deep in a face lined with wrinkles that kept my attention. They were filled with life and kindness, yet I sensed that she could be just as shrewd when she wanted to be.
After a while she smiled. “Ten dollars,” she said, drawing a gasp from me. I opened my mouth to protest and she said, “No, I won’t hear it. It will take you thirty-six dollars to get to the next town by bus, and I’m not going to leave you with nothing.”
I felt my bottom lip tremble. This woman didn’t even know me, but she was willing to help me. She was a saint. I fought back the tears and entered the bedroom, feeling overwhelmed by the whole situation. I set my bag down on the closest piece of furniture and handed her ten dollars. “Thank you so much, Minnie. You’re a life saver.” I expelled a deep sigh. “I think the first thing I’ll do is get a shower.”
“Wait just a minute.” She turned and hurried away, returning with a garment in her hands. “Give me your clothes and I’ll run them through the washer for you.”
I glanced down at the robe in my hands. “But I—” I stopped, taking in the understanding in her eyes. She wanted to do this, and I couldn’t help wondering if she was just a lonely old woman who needed some purpose in her life. Any purpose, even if it was something as mundane as washing a stranger’s clothes. Her smile was contagious, and I found myself returning it. “Thank you.”
She nodded with satisfaction. “Just leave them outside the door.”
I did as she asked, feeling very vulnerable standing naked in someone else’s house. After locking myself in my room, I went and took a long, scolding shower. I hadn’t even thought about shampoo and soap, but there was an assortment to choose from. Lavender had always been my favorite, and before long the bathroom was steamed up with the pleasant scent. Twenty minutes later I was dry and wrapped up in a soft, terry robe, and lying on the bed in exhaustion over everything that had happened.
I closed my eyes. I needed to cut and color my hair. Instead, I let the quiet surrounding me calm my frayed nerves, sooth my weary body and overworked senses, and eventually claim my tired mind.
I don’t know how long I slept. The first time I woke just long enough to eat and drink something, before allowing myself the luxury of sleep again. The next time I opened my eyes it was to the early morning light filtering through the split in the heavy drapes. Did I close them? I didn’t remember. All I knew was that I felt totally rested and full of energy.
My gaze lit on the stack of clothes folded neatly on the foot of the bed. Minnie must have had a key, because I’d locked the door the night before. I left the bed, went to the bathroom and then came back out and went to the mirror over the dresser. I fingered my curls, frowning. I hadn’t cut my hair in a long time, it was way past my shoulders and most of the time it was a wild mess. I’d never colored it either, but I guessed there was a first time for everything. Most redheads didn’t like their hair color, but I loved mine.
Grabbing the bag, I dug out the scissors and hair color. How short did I need to go? Very, I decided. How would I look as a spiked blond? It didn’t matter. It was something I had to do. If I could alter my appearance enough to go unnoticed, I would be able to move around more freely, and without the concern of being captured. Sighing, I picked up the scissors and brought them up.
“Cut one lock of hair and I promise you won’t be able to sit down for a fucking week.”
I screamed and turned around. Hawk was sitting in the chair and I hadn’t even noticed him! He was pissed, his taut jaw twitched, and the coldness in his steely gaze revealed to me how angry he was. I could practically see the waves rolling off him, like the kind that you see on the road when you’re driving on a hot, sunny day. He may as well have been breathing fire, if his fisted hands were any indication of his rage. The thought crossed my mind that maybe he would kill me himself and save Dane the hassle.
He got up and came to me, and all I could do was react. Fear was a strong emotion, but stronger still was the will for self-preservation. The scissors were still clutched in my hand and without thinking I raised my hand and brought it down in a stabbing motion. “No!” I cried out, throwing myself at him. “I’m not going back with you!”
I’m not sure what I thought I was going to do. Hawk was a giant next to me and I couldn’t hope to match his strength, but if I could slow him down enough to get away, I would do it. I ignored his animal like growl of outrage, but I couldn’t ignore the pain of his grip around my wrist when he stopped my downward motion in mid-air. The next thing I knew I was fighting him like a wild animal, backed into a corner. I refused to go down without trying to hurt the man who’d hurt me.
“Let me go, Hawk! How could you? How could you?” I threw all of my weight against him but it was like going up against a stone wall. He easily held my hand with the scissors, shaking my wrist violently until the scissors went flying. “Bastard!” I screamed, leaning forward and biting him on the arm.
“What the fuck—”
“Kill me now because I’m not going back with you!” I spat, jerking and pushing against him.
“That can be arranged,” he snarled. “Stop!”
I brought my knee up, but he twisted before I could connect with his balls. I raked my nails down his face with my free hand, until he grabbed it and brought both arms behind my back. Enraged by my helplessness and how easy he countered my every move, I leaned forward and bit him on the chest this time. He snarled like a wounded bear and captured both my wrists with one of his hands to that he could bury his other hand in my hair. He grabbed the wild mass and yanked my head back roughly. Our gazes clashed with the mutual desire to conquer and subdue.
“Audra, stop before you get hurt!” Hawk warned.
A laugh escaped me. “Go to hell!” I kicked him in the shin, broke one of
my wrists free from his hold, and began to punch him with it. “How much is he paying you, Hawk? How much?” I hit him in the face. “You tricked me into thinking I could trust you!”
His growl revealed his frustration, and I could tell that he’d reached his limit. He grabbed me by the front of my robe and threw me onto the bed. I bounced a few times before I was up and on my knees and facing him like a wild lioness. I was breathing fast and my heart was pounding so hard I could feel it in my chest. “I saw you two together! Did you think I was just going to calmly go with him?”
That little ray of sunlight coming in through the separated curtain landed on something on the bed, drawing my gaze there. The scissors! I snatched them up and threw myself at Hawk. Without thinking my hand shot forward and I winced at the feel of them slicing into his side. Blood instantly appeared.
“Son of a bitch!” he roared, grabbing the scissors from me. “What the fuck is your problem?” He threw his great weight down on me, pinning my arms above my head.
My first insane thought was about the blood getting onto Miss Minnie’s covers, and then, hadn’t he been listening to me? I twisted and bucked, feeling tears of hopelessness fill my eyes. It was a losing battle, but what hurt the most was Hawk’s betrayal. “I’m not going back with you, Hawk.” I could hear the defeat in my soft tone. “I know what you’re planning.” I sobbed, hating my weakness in front of this man.
Phantom Riders MC - Hawk Page 15