Dauntless (Sons of Templar MC 5)

“Let me out of these. Right now,” I ordered, my voice dripping with venom. It disguised the panic. Not only was I restrained in a small space while battling with withdrawals, but I was stuck with him. The one person I needed to be far, far away from. Well actually, there were two people I needed to be far away from but the second was myself, and unfortunately, you couldn’t escape yourself. I’d tried. Came out with a drug addiction and, more recently, handcuffed in a truck with a hot biker.

“Can’t do that, Becky,” Lucky replied, eyes on the road. His body was relaxed, voice even, as if this were a totally normal thing to do.

I glared at his profile. “Um, I think you’ve got shit upside down. What you can’t do is throw someone over your shoulder and handcuff them in a motor vehicle. I know you live in some alternate biker world, but I’m thinking this particular act is a universal no-no.”

Lucky gave me a sideways glance before turning his attention back to the road. “The world I’m livin’ in has a beautiful woman who’s under my skin, drowning, struggling, and too fucking tough to ask for help. I’m not gonna let you drown, firefly. Letting your light go out? That’s a universal no-no.” He paused. “I knew you wouldn’t come willingly, so I’m doing what’s necessary.”

I took a long deep breath. A clean one. I needed a fucking smoke. And a lock pick kit. “I’ll come willingly, just let me out of these cuffs,” I said, my voice even.

A grin tickled the corner of his mouth. “The moment I do that, I’ll see that sexy ass running away from me. I can catch you, no doubt about that, and I’ll have fun doing it, but we’ll save that for later.” Another pause and the grin left his face. “For when you’re better.”

I pursed my lips together, a thin film of shame washing over me. The silence in the cab was deafening, the truth saturating the air. I scratched my arms, the itch coming back full force.

I watched the town pass us by and houses disappear, replaced by the ocean on one side and empty fields on the other.

“This is kidnapping,” I observed.

“You’re not a kid, so it’s technically adult-napping,” Lucky replied.

I scowled at him. “You missed your calling. You should have been a fucking comedian instead of a biker.”

“I moonlight. Best of both worlds, baby.”

“You’re impossible. And deranged,” I informed him.

“I’ll get that put on my tombstone.”

I let out a totally ridiculous little squeal and whipped my head around to glare at the passing landscape. There was obviously no way I could try and reason with him, so I just had to buy my time and wait for my moment.

What scared me the most was that on the surface, I was desperate to escape, but the little part of me that I was trying to ignore was desperate to stay. Because every second since I’d woken up in the hospital, I’d been drowning. And now, handcuffed and going God knew where, I was treading water.

Chapter Eight

“She wore a thousand faces all to hide her own.”

-Atticus

“Where are we going?”

“That’s for me to know and you to find out.”

For the millionth time, I scowled at him. “I need to pee.”

“About time,” he said, glancing my way. “You must have a bladder of steel. I thought women had to pee like all the time. You’re always going to the ladies’ room, so if it’s not to use the facilities, what is it? Is there some kind Jell-O wrestling thing going on in there? You can tell me. I can keep a secret.”

I decided to ignore that.

“Okay, don’t tell me. I’ll just use my imagination.”

I ignored that too.

“Now we’re coming up to a gas station. I want to establish a circle of trust. You trust me to get the good snacks while you pee, and I’ll trust you not to make me chase you when I uncuff you. I’ve already had my cardio for the day,” Lucky said, slowing down and changing lanes so he could get off the freeway and onto an exit.

I rattled my arm which was becoming numb. “Why in the name of Barbra Streisand would I trust the man who handcuffed me to a fucking truck?”

“Because of my devilish good looks and enticing charm?”

I glared at him.

His attractive face turned serious and he gave me his full attention for the first time since he started driving. “How about because I’m going to do anything and everything in my considerable power to protect you, to get you well, to chase the darkness from your eyes. Because the only thing that matters to me right now, besides a chicken burrito, is your trust.”

I gaped at him for a split second, his words taking me by surprise and filling me with stupid warmth that I chased away. “Protect me? Is that what you call this?” I rattled the cuffs. “I don’t need protecting. I can take care of myself.”