Safe In His Arms (Motorcycle Club Romance, New Adult Romance): Devil's Riders (Hot Blooded Heroes) (3 page)

             
"What now?"

             
"If we go around the far side, where the dumpster is-"

             
"Kaylie?"

             
She turned to see Devlin standing behind her. He looked utterly baffled. And hurt.

             
Darn it.

             
"What's wrong sweetheart?"

             
She closed her eyes. There was no holding back now. No running away to lick her wounds and gather her thoughts. It was now or never.

             
"Weren't you even going to mention this to me before telling the rest of the world?!?"

             
"I thought you liked surprises."

             
"Devlin, listen to me. You've been making decisions for me since the day we met. But this is something I have to decide for myself. Besides, I am too young to get married!"

             
"I thought you wanted this. You said you wouldn't move in with me until we were married."

             
She just stared at him, mouth agape. How could he miss the point so completely?

             
"Don't you want to marry me sweetheart?"

             
He looked at her with those big green eyes of his and she almost melted. Almost.

             
"It's not that Devlin. It's just- I'm so young. And you didn't even ask me! A girl wants to be proposed to!"

             
"I'm asking you now."

             
She felt tears welling up in her eyes. How badly she wanted to say yes- to just forget the high handed way he'd asked her- no,
told
her.

             
"I'm sorry I just- I need some time to think."

             
His face was white as she backed away from him. She'd never seen him look like that. He looked lost.

             
She grabbed Sally's hand and ran.

**********

             
Sally followed Kaylie around the side of the building and through the crowd around the front gate. Then suddenly they were out on the street. She breathed a sigh of relief as they hurried down the sidewalk. She didn't like crowds.

             
Not anymore.

             
"You okay?"

             
Kaylie was walking fast with tears rolling down her face. Sally put her hand on her younger friend's shoulder.

             
"Weren't expecting that, huh?"

             
"How could he? The day you get engaged is supposed to be one of the happiest days in your whole life!"

             
"I'm sorry Kaylie."

             
Sally felt awful for her friend. What a mess. But she was glad to get out of the clubhouse and away from Donnie. Not that she didn't like him. It was that she liked him
too
much.

             
That was dangerous for someone like her.

             
He
was dangerous.

             
A tough guy like him was just the sort who would manhandle a woman. He was a criminal after all. Weren't all bikers? And she'd seen the way they treated the scantily clothed women at the barbecue. They'd been pure cavemen, taking their pick of the girls without asking. That's what Devlin had done to Kaylie, even if he'd been sweet about it.

             
That's what Donnie wanted to do to her.

             
She shivered suddenly, the image of Donnie throwing her over his shoulder and taking her somewhere private to have his way with her. Her body was hot suddenly. She wouldn't mind that so much. What she minded was what happened
after
.

             
First he'd get used to her, start taking her for granted. Then he'd start barking little commands at her. Telling her what to eat, where she could go, what she could wear. Then came the insults… and finally the fists.

             
She'd rather be alone than go through that again.

             
Maybe she was fooling herself, thinking she'd be safe here.

             
Maybe it was time to find a new town.

             
"Sorry about all of this Sally. I think I need to go home. My mom will be home from work soon."

             
"Don't apologize to me. I was ready to leave anyway. I have a class this afternoon."

             
"Oh okay. I'm glad you came, anyway. I'll see you at the diner later this week?"

             
"Yes. Have a good night Kaylie. Call me if you want to talk."

             
"I will. And thanks."

             
Sally watched Kaylie turn down the street that she lived on. Sally's house was just a couple of blocks further. She looked behind her suddenly, feeling like someone was watching her. She shivered suddenly as her arms broke out in goosebumps.

             
But there was no one there.

2

             
Donnie and Jack sat in silence in the slowly emptying parking lot. Janet had left shortly after Kaylie and Sally to go see if her friend was okay. Meanwhile Dev was in the clubhouse bar, slowly drinking himself into oblivion.

             
"What a disaster."

             
Jack just nodded. No one had expected Kaylie to run off like that. Dev must be destroyed right now.

             
Donnie knew it was selfish of him but he was more upset that Kaylie had taken Sally with her. He'd barely had a chance to talk to her at all.

             
He considered going in to keep his friend and leader company. But the thought of drinking heavily was unappealing to him. He wanted to be sitting with a certain pretty lady, eating chicken wings. Or not. He'd really rather be tasting her right now… those sweet lips… her earlobes… then lower…

             
He should go see if she was okay. Offer to take her out another time. He had a vague idea of where she lived, just from seeing her walking around town. It wasn't in the best part of town, that much was certain. It was odd, all the little things he'd noticed about her in the past year. All without realizing he was doing it.

             
Kind of like a stalker actually.

             
He stood up abruptly.

             
"I gotta go."

             
"Okay. I'll keep an eye of Dev."

             
"Thanks man. I'll check in later."

             
He was out the gate and on his bike in less than a minute. He pulled his helmet on and smiled. He never had chicks on the back of his bike but he kept a spare helmet back there just in case. He kind of hoped he would need it.

**********

             
Sally pulled the hoodie down over her face and walked faster. If she could get there in 5 minutes, she could make the 4 o'clock class at the dojo. You weren't allowed in if you were late. Jerry Davis, who owned the place, was very strict.

             
Then again, he always made exceptions for Sally.

             
She did her best to ignore the fact that Jerry pretty openly had a crush on her. After almost a year though, it was hard not to notice the discounts, special attention and lingering looks. It's too bad he wasn't her type. He was blond and reasonably good-looking. A total jock. A nice guy with his own business. Exactly the kind of guy she should be going for. But he just didn't do it for her. He was too… boring. She hoped he never actually asked her out because she would hate to hurt his feelings.

             
After all, this place had changed her life.

             
Before taking classes she'd been weak, at the mercy of anyone stronger. Now she could at least stand up for herself, if not win, a fight with someone twice her size. Plus she had the element of surprise on her side.

             
No one expected a pretty little blond like her to whoop their butts.

             
She almost hoped she'd get a chance to use her new skills.

             
Almost.

             
She hustled and slid into class just before Jerry shut the doors. Good. She needed this today. She needed to feel empowered.

             
Jerry's eyes flicked over the seven students lined up. Oh no. An odd number. Sally knew what that meant.

             
"Sally, you'll spar with me."

             
She nodded and joined Jerry at the front of the classroom. She bowed and they began. Jerry was laser focused, challenging her at ever turn. That's until she took her work out jacket off.

             
Oops.

             
She regretted taking it off immediately.

             
She almost rolled her eyes at the way he was so distracted by her body. Her tight tank top and jogging pants, with the tiny glimpse of a hot pink jog bra was not standard gear for the dojo.

             
But Jerry did not seem to mind. In fact, he was barely paying attention to anything other than her torso. Or her butt. Or her legs. It was almost insulting how blatantly he was ogling her.

             
Then again, he was distracted so…

             
She got a direct hit to his chest, sending him stumbling. He landed against the wall and was on his feet in an instant, glaring at her.

             
Uh oh.

             
Jerry wasn't distracted
anymore
.

             
They sparred for the rest of the hour and a half class until she was exhausted and soaked in sweat. He challenged her at every turn, keeping her on her toes, really honing her instincts and technique. She was wiped out by the end, with jello for muscles.

             
It was tough as hell.

             
It felt awesome.

             
She was patting herself down with the towels Jerry kept at the front desk when she looked outside and saw him.

             
Donnie.

             
He was outside, lounging on his motorcycle with his long legs stretched out in front of him. He really did look like a model pretending to be a biker. But what was he doing out there in the dojo parking lot?

             
Oh god. He was...

             
Waiting for her.

             
"Friend of yours?"

             
She nearly jumped out of her skin from the voice behind her. Jerry was practically whispering in her ear. He was that close.

             
Too close.

             
She could feel his breath on the back of her neck. She stepped sideways toward the exit. Now she was getting annoyed. Couldn't the guy take a hint?

             
"Yes. He is."

             
"Be careful Sally. The Spawns aren't good guys you know. They don't treat women well."

             
Oh, and you would?

             
She gritted her teeth and forced herself to sound calm and most importantly- cool.

             
"I can take care of myself, Jerry."

             
She pushed the glass door and stepped out, almost missing the odd look Jerry was giving her. He didn't look like a nice guy in that moment. Not at all.

             
Donnie smiled and stood up as soon as he saw her. She squared her shoulders and walked over to him. She reminded herself that she had nothing to be afraid of. He was just a guy. A really, really hot guy, but a guy all the same.

             
Relax.

             
He was holding a helmet in his hands. She stared at them for a minute. His hands were huge compared to hers. He could do a lot of things to her with those hands… good and bad.

             
"Hi Sally."

             
"Hi Donnie.What are you doing here?"

             
"You disappeared so fast that I didn't get to talk to you."

             
"Sorry. Kaylie was pretty upset."

             
"Yeah, I gathered."

             
She just stared at him. He looked big and tough in all his leather but the look on his face was similar to what a puppy looked like when it wanted a bowl of kibble.

             
An enormous, muscle bound puppy with gorgeous blue eyes.

             
He looked utterly harmless.

             
She was afraid of him anyway.

             
He held out the helmet. There was another one on the seat behind him. Oh dear.

             
"Come on, let me give you a ride. It'll be fun."

             
"But I'm all sweaty."

             
He grinned at her in a way that made her heart start beating double time.

             
"It's hot out. So am I."

             
She did not want to get on that bike. She did not want to wrap her arms around him. She did not want to feel his body against her chest. She did not want to rub their sweaty bodies together.

             
She was such a liar.

             
"Okay."

             
He grinned and helped her put her helmet on. He was standing so close to her that they could have been kissing. She stared at his chest, ignoring the insistent tug she was feeling. The urge to look up at him and… just be.

             
She was just going for a ride, that was all.

             
Baby steps.