Ride With The Devil (Devil's Riders 2)

But he wasn't really mad. He was elated.

She was okay.

They hadn't hurt her.

She was safe.

Devlin smiled and shook his head, climbing onto Jack's bike.

"Always wanted to ride this thing man. Have fun at the cabin."

Chapter Thirty-Six

Jack

Janet's eyes fluttered open. She was in an unfamiliar place. Not the basement anymore. Not in her locked room, either.

Where?

Sunlight came streaming in through a window. She could see tall trees outside and hear the tinkling chorus of song birds.

Birds?

Where the heck was she???

She sat up and swung her legs over the edge of the bed. She stood up gingerly, feeling incredibly stiff. That's when the smell hit her.

The delicious, wonderful, marvelous smell.

Pancakes.

There was a dresser with a mirror across the room. She hurried over to it and stared in shock at the wan looking young woman staring back at her. She was wearing a large black t-shirt and nothing else.

Not large. Humongous. Built for a giant. It hung down to her knees.

Was she dreaming when she'd imagined Jack and the Spawns? Was she still kidnapped? Or had Jack saved her?

And more importantly…

Who had changed her out of that hooker outfit she'd been wearing?

Her stomach gurgled and she tentatively peeked into the hallway. Might as well get this over with. If she'd been sold off, she'd have to confront her keeper sooner or later. If it was Jack, she had to face him too.

But first she wanted to eat. She wanted to eat a horse.

Well, one made out of tofu anyway.

She tiptoed through the house- it looked like more of a cabin actually- following her nose down the stairs toward the delicious smells in the kitchen.

There was an old 1950's mint green table and chairs in there. A huge stack of pancakes was on a plate in the center of the table, along with a plate of bacon, a bowl of fruit and a carton of OJ, two glasses, and two plates. One of the plates had been eaten on. And there was an empty coffee cup.

Oh dear God, she smelled fresh coffee. Good coffee too, not of that instant little individual brew cups.

She'd never smelled anything so good in her life.

She caught movement out of the corner of her eye and turned abruptly. Someone was coming in from the deck. Leaning on the door jamb and staring at her.

Jack.

Not kidnapped then. Rescued.

He didn't say anything at first. He just took a sip of his coffee. He looked like he'd just taken a shower. His button down shirt was open in the front and she could see…

Oh dear lord.

She could see his chest and stomach. Hard and lean, with the ridges of flesh covered in tats. She tore her eyes away from all that glorious man flesh to see the glint of humor in his eyes.

"Sit."

She sat. She sat down so fast that her teeth knocked together. He strolled over leisurely and picked up her plate. He piled on pancakes first, then turned to look at her.

"How long was I out?"

"Fifteen hours give or take. You're a vegetarian right?"

She nodded mutely. Jack was… talking. She had never heard him put that many words together in one sentence before.

"So, no bacon."

“No bacon.”

He loaded her plate with fruit and set it down in front of her.

"Eat."

She just stared at him.

"You- did all this?"

He gave her a mildly exasperated look and poured syrup onto her steaming stack of pancakes.

"Eat, Janet."

She did. She put the first bite of pancake into her mouth and moaned in ecstasy. She hadn't had real food in- oh god, almost a week. She shoveled in a few more bites, stealing glances at the man who sat across from her, calmly sipping his coffee.

Then she noticed something.

He had a dishtowel thrown over his shoulder.

Jack, The Viking, had a Goddamn dishtowel thrown over his shoulder like a regular chef!

"How did you learn to cook?"

He stood up and grabbed the empty coffee cup, walking to the counter.

"Coffee?"

"Yes please."

He poured them each a cup from the ancient percolator. It smelled so good. He carried it back over to her and set it down. She grabbed it and inhaled deeply. She'd never wanted coffee so much in her life. She took a sip and moaned. She’d never tasted anything so good in her life, either.

She looked up at him, not sure what to say. Jack was standing there, looking at her. Really looking at her. Not scowling. Not running away.

She'd never seen anything so good in her life.

He looked so clean and good and strong. His long wet hair falling to his shoulders in waves. His tight jeans hugging that insanely beautiful body. His dark eyes watching her watch him.

That's when it hit her.

She was in love with him.

Oh dear God, she was in love with the Viking.

She would have run out of the room if she'd had the strength. This was not good. Not good at all. How could she fall in love with someone who wanted nothing to do with her?