by Susan Stoker
Holding out his hand to Dakota, he said softly, “We need to go, sweetheart. Looks like our time has run out.”
“Aziz?” Dakota asked in a whisper.
“Or his goons. But we’re not going to wait around to find out.”
Glad to see determination on her face rather than fear, Slade took hold of her hand and squeezed. “I’m going out first, then I’ll help you. You need anything from your car that isn’t in that backpack?”
Dakota shook her head and whispered, “I keep my stuff with me as much as possible. I always have a couple changes of clothes and a few personal items. Just in case.”
“Good. My bike is parked to the side of the restaurant. I filled the tank with the gas I brought with me after we parted last night, so it’s ready to go. We’ve got enough to get back to civilization. There’s not much cover between here and my bike though, so we’re going to have to make a break for it. You ready?”
She nodded, but pulled on his hand when he went to climb out of the window. “I’ve never ridden a motorcycle before, Slade.”
He took precious seconds he wasn’t sure he had to lean down and kiss her lips hard. “All you gotta do is hold on, sweetheart. I’m not going to let anything happen to you. Trust me.”
“I do.”
“Good. Then let’s get out of here.” Slade let go of her hand and quickly eased out of the window. Because he was so tall, his feet hit the ground before he was all the way out. He grabbed hold of Dakota as she began to climb out, and had her standing next to him in seconds.
Without letting go of her hand, Slade quietly moved to the side of the trailer and peered around the corner. Standing at the far door was a Middle Eastern man fiddling with the lock. Obviously not Fourati, if Dakota’s description was correct, but certainly one of his flock. He briefly wondered how the man had found them, but didn’t have time to ponder it. It wasn’t relevant anyway. It didn’t matter if this was the last trailer he’d checked, or the first, he was here now, and it was time for them to not be here.
He turned to Dakota and pulled her back the way they’d come. He cautiously peeked around the corner of the trailer and saw nobody. “New plan. See that truck?” He pointed to the rusted hulk of what used to be a truck sitting about twenty feet away from the trailer.
She nodded.
“Go and hide behind it. Do not come out no matter what you hear. Got me?”
“But—”
“Dakota. I was a SEAL. I got this. But I need you to help me. If I’m worried about you, I won’t be able to do what I need to do. Please. I need you to hide. Hunker down and wait for me to come get you.”
“Okay, but don’t get dead,” she whispered fearfully.
His lips twitched. She was kinda funny even when she wasn’t trying to be. “I won’t. Now go on. You’ll hear me coming. Be ready.”
“Am I supposed to leap on the back of your bike while it’s moving like they used to do to horses in the wild west?”
He couldn’t hold back his smile this time. Funny. “No, smartass. I’ll stop. If we have time, you’ll also put on the helmet I bought for you.”
“You bought me a helmet?”
Slade rolled his yes. “Yes. Now go.”
Without hesitation, she stood on her tiptoes, kissed him, then took off running for the rusted truck. Slade felt his lips tingling where she’d touched him, and licked them as he watched her disappear behind the dubious safety of the rusted vehicle.
Forcing himself to leave her, Slade headed back toward the front of the trailer. He waited until the man had entered to make his move. He had no idea if the guy was by himself—not likely—so he couldn’t dick around.
Looking around to make sure no one witnessed him entering the trailer, and not seeing anyone lurking nearby, Slade slipped in behind the man silently. He needed to get Dakota out of town, but he couldn’t just leave this asshole walking around free and clear. It wouldn’t sit well on his conscience if he blew up the A’Le’Inn or killed anyone in town while looking for Dakota.
Five minutes later, the man was unconscious and tied up in the trailer, and Slade headed for the bar. He needed to warn Pat and Connie that there might be more terrorists lurking about and get them to call the police. It would probably take a while for help to arrive, but at least the asshole in the trailer wouldn’t hurt anyone in the meantime.
Slade figured the man had a partner, or partners, somewhere, but couldn’t take any more time to try to track them down. He’d warn the owners and make sure they were safe before getting the hell out of dodge.
The second the guy’s partners realized he’d been compromised, they’d be hot on Slade and Dakota’s trail. If they were going to escape, they needed a head start. It wasn’t as if they could disappear in the small town, and there was only one road leading into and out of Rachel, with absolutely no cover whatsoever. As much as he didn’t like it, his best option at the moment was to bolt, not track down an unknown number of terrorists.
He made one other quick stop before hurrying to his motorcycle. They needed to be far out of sight before the man, or men, knew which way they’d gone. His actions might buy them some time, but Slade had a feeling things were just getting interesting.
Chapter 6
Dakota heard Slade before she saw him. She had stuffed herself as far under the rusted-out old truck as she could and hoped she couldn’t be seen from the other side.
Her heart was beating wildly and she had to constantly force herself to stay where she was and not peek around the truck to look for Slade. He said he’d come and get her, so she had to stay in place until he did.
The morning had been intense, there was no doubt about that. But whatever weird connection she felt for Slade was obviously returned. She’d never felt as strongly about a man as she did him. She’d been scared for so long, it felt good to have someone care whether or not she lived or died.
Besides the physical attraction she and Slade had for each other, there was something more. Something almost divine. It was if her soul recognized him from the second their eyes met.
Dakota was a romantic. She knew it and didn’t try to hide it. She read romances, watched sappy movies, and cried at the end of Cinderella every time. But she hadn’t ever had that ah-ha moment she’d always felt so sure she’d experience when she met the man destined to be hers. At forty-three, she figured she never would. She’d been to sixty-seven weddings in her lifetime. Sixty-freaking-seven. When teachers in her school got married, they’d inevitably invite her and she’d go. To every one. And each time, it felt more and more like a stake in the heart as she watched her friends and colleagues tie themselves to their soul mates. Knowing she’d probably never have that, hurt.
But now here she was. On the run from a terrorist who wanted to make her his love slave, in danger, not knowing what her future would bring, and it had finally happened. Slade Cutsinger had walked through the door last night and she’d known he was hers with one glance.
The amazing thing was that apparently, he felt the same. But he was in danger while she hid like a coward. Suddenly staying put didn’t seem like the best plan after all.
She sat up and began to brush off the sand from her legs, determined to do more than hide like a coward, when she heard a loud engine approaching.
Dakota held her breath and sighed in relief when Slade pulled up next to her on his Harley.
“Climb on, sweetheart. No time for a helmet right now. We’ll stop in a few and get you all set. That’s it, put your left foot there on the peg and swing your right leg around. Good. Watch that, it gets hot, don’t let your calf touch it. It’ll burn the shit out of your leg. Hold on. No…hold on. Good. Here we go.”
And with that short intro to riding a motorcycle, he gunned the engine, sand spewed behind the tire, and they fishtailed for a few yards before Slade gained control of the huge machine between his legs and they shot forward.
Dakota squeezed her eyes shut and held on to Slade for dear life. She guessed tha
t her fingers were probably white with the pressure she was exerting on his belly. Her chest was flush against his back and the wind blew her hair crazily around her head. The bun she’d put her hair in after her shower was quickly torn out as they raced down the road at what seemed like an insane speed.
She kept her eyes closed as Slade raced away from Rachel. Dakota had no idea which direction they were even going, but at the moment it didn’t matter. Slade would take care of her…she had no doubt.
It could’ve been hours later, but was probably only fifteen minutes or so, when Dakota felt the bike slow. She waited until they were completely stopped before opening her eyes. Slade had turned his head and was watching her.
“You okay?”
She nodded shakily.
He put his hand around her fingers still clutched together at his belly. “Come on, sweetheart. We can’t stop for long, but I need to take care of you before we continue. Let go.”
Dakota forced her fingers to uncurl, surprised at how stiff and cold they were.
“I’ve got a pair of gloves for your hands. I’m sorry I had to wait so long to pull over. I would’ve picked you up faster, but I had to take care of something.”
“Take care of something?” she asked with a tilt of her head.
“I couldn’t in good conscience let the asshole who broke into the trailer possibly take out his frustration at finding you gone on the residents of Rachel.”
“Did you kill him?”
“No. But he certainly won’t feel like doing much anytime soon. Come on, stand up, let me get you outfitted properly.”
“Outfitted properly” included a leather jacket exactly her size, a pair of gloves, and a helmet. “I’m sorry I can’t fit your backpack in my saddlebags. Are you okay wearing it?”
“Of course. It’s no problem,” she told him. “Were you that sure you were going to find me?”
“What do you mean?”
“You have a jacket for me…which fits perfectly, by the way. And a pair of gloves in my size. And the helmet.”
Slade put his hands on her shoulders and turned her so her back was to him. He began to gently finger comb her long, tangled hair. “I was that sure I was going to find you,” he confirmed. “Because I wasn’t going to stop until you were safe.”
Dakota swallowed hard at the feeling of his hands in her hair and said simply, “Okay.”
“Okay,” he agreed, then began to braid her hair.
“Why are you doing that?” she asked softly.
“Because we have a while to go. And it’ll just continue to get tangled if I don’t. And…” He paused dramatically and she felt him lean into her. “It gives me an excuse to run my hands through your hair.”
She chuckled, but didn’t protest. He quickly finished the simple braid and tied it off with her hair elastic. Then he turned her to face him and picked up her helmet. He gently placed it on her head and wiggled it a bit. “How’s this feel? Too tight? Too loose?”
“No, it seems okay. Not that I’d know how a motorcycle helmet is supposed to fit though.”
“Let me know if it pinches in any way when we get started.” And with that, Slade buckled the strap under her chin and stared down at her for a long moment.
“What?” she asked nervously. “Does it look stupid?”
“No, Dakota. It doesn’t look stupid. It looks great. You look great. I just can’t believe you’re here. On the back of my bike. I know the situation sucks, but I can’t be sorry. I’m so happy to be here with you.”
“I’m glad you’re here with me too,” she told him softly.
Then he tapped her on the end of her nose with his finger and smiled down at her. “We gotta get going. This time you need to open your eyes,” he teased, then threw his leg over the Harley and settled in, looking back at her expectantly.
Ignoring his jibe about her eyes, she said, “Are you sure we won’t be followed?” Dakota settled in behind him as she asked. Her arms tentatively circled his waist. Now that they weren’t moving, she wasn’t sure where she should put them.
Not even hesitating, Slade reached down and took a hand in each of his own and wrapped them tighter around his waist once more. He linked her fingers together, then pressed them against his stomach, giving her a nonverbal command to keep them there.
She was plastered against him once again, but now that she was wearing a leather jacket, she was warmer and could appreciate how his muscles moved under her hands and chest more.
He started the motorcycle and turned his head so she could hear him over the motor. “Followed by the guy I knocked out, no. But I’m not sure about any of his buddies. I did stop and pierce the gas tank of the only other car that hadn’t been there when we entered the trailer though,” he said matter-of-factly. “If there was more than one of them, they aren’t going to be going anywhere for long in their piece-of-shit car. I bought us some time to get back to San Diego ahead of them.”
Dakota’s arms tightened involuntarily. “Back to California? Is that a good idea?”
Slade’s eyes met hers, and the reassurance she saw there made her relax before he even said a word. “I want you on my turf. I’ve got people there who will have our backs. I can communicate with my friend, Tex, who will give me a head’s up on what’s happening with Fourati. I know it’s scary, but I can end this faster if we’re there.”
“You won’t use me as bait, will you?” Dakota asked quietly, her voice barely audible over the roar of the engine. It was a concern. She figured it was cowardly of her, but she wasn’t exactly GI Jane. She was an elementary school principal, for goodness sake. The last thing she wanted to do was see Aziz Fourati again, even if Slade and his friends were watching over her. He scared the crap out of her.
“Fuck no,” Slade bit out with a shake of his head. “There’s no way I’d allow you to put yourself in danger like that. If there’s even a one percent chance that something could go wrong, I won’t do it. And since this Fourati guy is obviously off his fucking rocker, there’s no telling what he’d do if he got his hands on you. So no, you won’t be fucking bait.”
Dakota thought it was somewhat amusing that the more emotional Slade felt, the more he used the f-word. Wanting to soothe him, she ran her hands up and down his stomach. “Okay, Slade. Good.”
“Good,” he agreed, and turned around to face forward once again.
But before he grabbed hold of the handlebars, he reached down and picked up her right hand. He kissed the palm before placing it back on his stomach.
Dakota’s own stomach tightened at the tender gesture. She couldn’t feel his lips since she was wearing gloves, but somehow her hand still seemed to warm.
As they took off, Dakota realized she still wasn’t sure which way they were headed, but assumed north. They could take Route 95 down through Goldfield and into Vegas, then get back on Interstate 15. But at that moment it didn’t matter. She was on the back of a motorcycle with a man she trusted down to the very marrow of her bones, and she felt safer with him than she’d felt in a very long time.
Ten minutes later, Dakota felt the motorcycle slowing. It was still early morning, but the the sun had come up, warming the chilly air enough so she wasn’t freezing. Slade’s body heat, the leather jacket, and the helmet went a long way toward keeping her body heat in as well.
“Why are we stopping?” she asked in a loud voice to be heard over the engine.
Slade was bent over a piece of electronics and didn’t answer her immediately.
Giving him time, Dakota looked around. There was a mountain range in the distance ahead of them. She had no idea how far away it was because distance was skewed out here in the desert. It could’ve been two miles or twenty. Spatial reasoning wasn’t her forte.
There were big puffy clouds in the sky, and it would’ve been beautiful if it wasn’t for the fact they were trying to outrun goons who wanted to do her harm.
“How’re you holding up?” Slade asked.
“I’m okay,�
� Dakota said immediately.
“No. How are you holding up?” Slade repeated firmly.
Her brows drew down in confusion. “I don’t know what you’re really asking.”
“You haven’t ridden a bike before. It’s chilly. You’ve been tense the entire ride. The morning has been stressful and I’d like to do whatever I can to keep that stress at a minimum for as long as I can. I’m sure your legs are probably beginning to get sore from straddling the seat and the vibrations of the bike. I’m asking how you’re feeling so I can determine which route we’re going to take to Tonopah.”
“What are our choices?” Dakota ignored his incredibly accurate rundown of the morning. She would be sore later, no doubt about it. Slade’s Harley was big…he was a big man, after all. The vibrations had started out feeling good, like a large erotic massager, but as they’d ridden on, they began to get irritating. Her teeth felt like they were still rattling even though they weren’t moving. And forget about her girly parts being aroused, numb was more like it.
But she was beginning to understand Slade a little more. It was crazy, it wasn’t as if she’d known him all that long. But she knew without a doubt that he’d put her comfort first…even if it wasn’t the best tactical decision. She might not be the strongest woman in the world, but she refused to be a burden.
“We can continue on the blacktop road. It’s probably another forty miles or so to Tonopah. The road heads north, then turns west directly to the small town. It’s a straight shot. With no cover.”
Dakota understood his concern. The desert was beautiful, but if she could see for miles, so could the people who were after her. If they managed to somehow catch up with them, there would be absolutely nowhere for them to hide.
“And our other option?” she asked.
Appreciating that Slade didn’t treat her like a child, he laid it out. He pointed to his left. “This dirt road leads to the Tonopah Test Range Airport. It continues on to Tonopah itself. It’s rough. Really rough. We won’t be able to drive very fast because of the likely condition of the road.”