Hard Ride (Men of Valor MC)

“Tomorrow, baby. I promise.”

“This sucks. By the time I get home, you’ll probably be asleep, and it’s no fun getting off without you now,” she admits.

“The feeling is entirely mutual. I’ll probably still be working, so text or call me when you’re in bed.” Nova slides off my lap, standing, as if I’ll let her watch as I leave the parking lot.

“Get inside, Nova. You can watch from the door.” I smirk. She rolls her eyes.

“Fine, but payback is a bitch.” She struts away, putting all that feistiness in the sway of her hips, not giving me any damn relief. I stay in my spot until she’s under the eave of the building before I kickstart my bike, pull the throttle back, and take off with a smirk plastered on my face knowing that we’re finally on the same goddamn page.

8

Nova

Tonight has been one for the record books, well, in my wallet at least. My feet are a whole other story. It was well past three when we finally called last call, it took another thirty minutes before they cashed out, then we had to clean and restock everything. The rest of the employees dipped out earlier, which was fine. They technically aren’t mandated to stay as long as I am, plus being the bar manager tonight, I had a few extra things to do. That’s why I’m alone as I walk out the back door to the parking lot, my only thoughts about getting to my car to drive home, shower, and pass out for about ten hours. Okay, maybe not that many hours because then I’d miss out on seeing my dad before I head out with Gage tonight.

My keys are in my hand, my cell phone is in my back pocket, my tips from tonight on the other side. I never bring a purse in; it’s one more thing to store and to keep track of. No freaking thanks. The entire time, I’m replaying how Gage came by, the searing kiss he gave me, the way my neck looks like we’re back in high school and played Seven Minutes in Heaven with the large bruise he left on me. But ask me if I care, because I don’t, not in the slightest. The only thing that is ruining my vibe right now is that I’m ready to collapse and it’s still a ten-minute drive back to my dad’s place. It’ll take me another thirty to shower, wash the smoke out of my hair, and decompress. Then, though, I’ll be making a phone call to Gage, hopefully hear his voice, and that will lull me to sleep.

I’m just sliding into my car when I hear a guy shout, “Help! You gotta help! Please, someone help! It’s my wife, she’s having a seizure!” I don’t usually answer to calls like this, but I can hear the desperation in his voice, so I hop back out of my car, apprehensive the entire time, stupidly leaving my keys in the ignition. Thank goodness I have my phone in my back pocket though.

“Please, help me!” He’s running around an old beat-up car.

“Okay, I’ll help, but let me call 9-1-1.” My phone is out of my hand the second I bring it to view.

“Not so fast, dumb bitch,” he sneers. I look at him in shock. There is no way this can be happening. He tries to grab at my arm, but I shrug him off, my knee slamming up and hitting him in the balls. It doesn’t stunt him though, not even when I turn around to run. Nope, the worthless dickhead snatches me by my hair, pulling me back. His arm bands around my throat. I attempt to elbow him, but he’s holding me too tightly. My daddy didn’t raise a sissy, so I lift my leg and stomp down on his foot. It loosens his hold, but not enough. I can’t believe this is happening. This is not what I had in mind, not now, not ever. Valor is a pretty calm and sedate town. Nothing really happens, and if it does, the MC takes care of it, and us.

“I don’t think so. You’re not going anywhere, Nova Johnston.” He rattles off my address, how he knows where my dad works, what he drives. It’s like he’s been stalking me for impossibly way too long. If Gage knew of anyone who so much as wanted to hurt a hair on my head, he’d kill them, and that was before we solidified our relationship. I heard him tell Rock just who I was to him and thought then if that were the case, why is he just now coming after me? And how does Gage not know about this sicko?

In a last stitch effort, I slam my head against his and hear the crunching of his nose. I really was hoping it would do way worse damage, but instead, my nose is now being covered by a cloth. My last thought is that this little cocksucker had to use chloroform to knock me out. What a pussy.