Education equaled freedom in my eyes. Robin didn’t see it that way. She went to the streets, seeking attention and numbness and like always, the greedy bastards welcomed her with open arms. The wrong elements drug her along and in the blink of an eye, it was too late to save her from drowning because she was hooked.” Her eyes became glassy with unshed tears.
“A Robin and a Lark both with broken wings.”
She sniffled. “Original.”
He shrugged. “Got your mind off things, didn’t it?”
She snorted. “I’m getting the Pan moniker now.”
“You trying to say I’m immature?”
She shook her head. “Just lighthearted and caring, when maybe you shouldn’t be. This is my problem and once we get through this, I’ll take care of it. I’ve never asked for help before and I won’t now.”
“You think I’m just going to leave the two of you down there in Mexico with no
protection?”
She shrugged.
“Fuck that. I’m seeing your ass back across the line. Maybe you don’t give a shit what
happens to the two of you, because you want to hold on to what’s left of your pride. But I don’t want that burden on my soul. It’s black enough.” His thoughts rolled over to his brother, Monster. He caused the fire that stole his brother’s ability to live a normal life. Burned on over fifty percent of his body, Monster spent years, ostracized, demonized and ignored. But he’s happy now. Pan stomped down the little voice. A year of happiness didn’t negate over twenty years of the exact opposite. That burden made him go the extra mile for Lark.
Maybe it made him feel less like dog shit on the bottom of someone’s shoe. Relief from the demons that plagued him and the bottle that was leading him down the same path of his father before him. It was a path he’d been on already and to change this would be nothing short of a miracle at this point. Even now, he could feel the slight tremors of his hand. He needed a drink in the worst way. He half thought his president sent him here to make him take a serious break from the bottle and his brother. Seeing Monster besotted with his wife and fawning over the baby, made him look at himself and how much he didn’t have.
It was a fucked up loop that fed on his self-hate. Sick of his emotions, he strode toward the door and opened it. “Let’s go Lark and remember…it’s either me or the Minions.”
“Like you had to remind me.”
“Something tells me you got a streak of stupid that comes out when it comes to your sister or what you perceive as getting help from someone. In this world, you don’t exist. Don’t try anything else stupid, cause it’ll be both our asses strung up for it. You get me?”
“Yeah, I get you.”
“Alright.” He gestured
for her to walk ahead of him. Pan shut the door behind him,
following her out. It wasn’t the type of place where they expected you to return your keys in person, so he bypassed the desk and headed out the side entrance into the night. He guided her to his bike. “You ever been on one of these before?”
“Yeah, I know the drill.”
Her response peaked his curiosity. She was a woman with a million secrets, enough pride to get herself into trouble and a body that went on for days. It’d been months since he saw anything more than his misery. It made him more interested in her than he should be. He climbed on the bike and she slid on behind him, enclosing him in her thick thighs. He cranked the engine and cleared his throat, adjusting in his seat to keep from squashing his hard on.
She wrapped her arms around his waist and plastered herself to his back.
Her breasts were full and her nipples were hard. They pressed into his leather vest, making his jeans even tighter. There was something between them that had nothing to do with their roles of kidnapper and victim. Pulling out of the parking lot, he shut down the thoughts coming from the head between his legs and let the one in his cranium take over. Business always came first.
Chapter Two
They pulled into the parking lot and Lark hid her horror. The men had killed a man in cold blood and would’ve done the same to her had it not been for this man who’s heart didn’t match his exterior. Both his arms boasted full sleeves. Red, Blue and black symbols of hearts, swallows, dice, along with other things blended together seamlessly. Thanks to her favorite show, Inked, she recognized the style as American Traditional. She slid off the bike and clutched her hands behind her back.
This world was new and terrifying. Anything that stole her power made her sick. After a lifetime of being controlled by a manic mother, she’d vowed to never let it happen again. She’d broken up with men at the first sign of possessiveness. Now, she had to trust the devil she knew.
Shoving her shaking hands into the pockets of her shorts, she took deep breaths and willed her nerves to steady.
Pan climbed off the bike and she studied his face. The five o’clock shadow that lined his jaw added to his rugged appeal.
“You remember what I told you?” He narrowed his eyes. His thick blond brows coming