“You’ll see.” She winks at me.
They both climb out like it’s nothing and I hesitantly slip out behind Sloane. Shit. My red bottom heels click over the concrete ground as the heavy metal music wreaks havoc on my eardrums. Slipknot “Unsainted” is playing loud enough to raise hell. I take another step. Everything starts connecting in my head as I begin to make out the patch on one of the guy’s vests. It’s not until we’re directly at the start of the side garage when I freeze, blood draining from my face. My hand shoots out to Sloane.
“I can’t be here!”
Sloane turns, rolling her eyes. She hooks her arm in mine, tucking it closer to her. That’s when I finally see what’s going on inside. Drunk bikers and naked women sucking off random body parts. There’s a large metal emblem hanging above the bar that reads:
Wolf Pack MC.
Fuck.
Fuck.
Fuck.
My heart beats in my chest, my breathing matching every thud. I spin around to run out of the garage and find a different way home when I crash into a hard chest. An inferno of flames lick around my skin as the smell of rich cologne, subtle soap, burned cigarette, and worn leather infiltrate into me. I rub my cheek. “Sorry.” Then my eyes travel up, finding the patch, reading the same club words and Vice President underneath it, and then they go farther up, landing on—
“Royce…”
“Duchess.” His eyes go over my shoulder, and I turn to see who he’s looking at. He winks at Nellie, who raises her glass in the air. Then my eyes find Sloane, who is studying me with fearful eyes. Before I can bring my attention back to Royce, his lips find my ear and his voice coaxes me like an open box of memories. “So glad Nellie got you here safely…” I snap out of it, bringing my attention up to him. He leans down, so we’re eye level. “Heard you’ve been making new friends.”
“What!” I whisper, searching his eyes. “I’ll leave. I didn’t mean to come here.”
“Nah.” He chuckles. The slight enmity in his tone doesn’t go unnoticed. “You just got here.” His eyes find Sloane. “Sloane looks good too.”
“I’m leaving.” I go to shove past him, but his arm flies out and before I can shove him away, he’s tossing me over his shoulder. I heave at his shoulder pressing against my belly.
“No, you’re not, Duchess.” Then he drops me down onto one of the sofas that are tucked near the billiard table. “Billie!” he calls out, his eyes never straying from mine. “Make sure Sloane has a place to sleep.”
No. No. I go to stand, but he rams me back down, his powerful arms rippling as they drop to either side of my body. “You will not fucking move, Duchess, and you will do as you’re told.”
“Or what?” I snap, tears building behind my eyes. I won’t show him the pain that lies beneath my resentment. He’ll only use that as a weapon.
His eyes search mine, a smirk flashing across his mouth. “Or I’ll hurt you.”
“You wouldn’t,” I say, swallowing past my nerves.
“Hmmm, there’s so much you don’t know about me now, Dutch.” He leans down closer, the curve on the corner of his lips deepening. “So. Fucking. Much.” He pushes up from the sofa. “You’ll be stayin’ with me tonight. Don’t fuckin’ fight me on this.” He disappears into the masses of people, making his way to the bar that’s at the back. My eyes find Sloane instantly.
“I’m so sorry,” I mouth, shaking my head.
She finally makes her way toward me, tearing herself out of the arms of whoever it is that has his hand around her arm. “We can run.” She drops down on the sofa, her leg pressing against mine.
I shake my head, defeat seeping into my bones. “It won’t matter. He will chase us. We’ll just wait it out until morning.” The bar to the back is made of wood, their Wolf Pack MC regalia hanging proudly on the wall. There’s a vest in the middle, spread out open eagle. I want to study everyone, see what they look like, but the heavy atmosphere has me going back and forth, not wanting to remain focused on one area for too long.
“Man,” Sloane murmurs, crossing her leg on top of the other while unscrewing her flask. “I thought he would still be all about his little pet, but I am wrong.”
I ignore her, thinking of ways that I can hopefully get us both out of this mess.
“Stay here.” I stand from the sofa and shove through the swarm of bodies. The age difference is diverse, ranging from my age to our parents’ age to older and younger. I head for the bar, because that’s where I saw Royce head to when I slam into a rock-hard back.