Safe In His Arms (Motorcycle Club Romance, New Adult Romance): Devil's Riders (Hot Blooded Heroes) (9 page)

             
"No baby. You are with me now and it's time people knew."

             
He pulled her into the hallway. She went with him willingly enough, though she had her doubts. When they walked into the barroom she was in for an unpleasant surprise.

             
Kaylie and Devlin were gone. Janet sat at the bar with Jack. She waved them over.

             
As they walked through the room it erupted in boisterous cheers. The whole place was chanting Donnie's name. Sally's face was red as she pulled her hand out of his grip.

             
He swiveled his head back toward her.

             
"I- have to use the ladies room."

             
He nodded and pointed back the way they had come. She hurried back toward the restrooms as the men slapped Donnie's back. She turned back and saw Janet scolding Jack for giving Donnie a high five. Then she ran.

**********

              Devlin stared at the woman on his bed. The woman he was trying to make love to.

             
His woman.

             
But Kaylie just wanted to talk.

             
He sighed and paced back and forth in his room above the clubhouse.

             
Pacing was the only thing keeping him from jumping her.

             
Maybe if they talked, she'd let him...

             
"I'm confused Kaylie. I thought you didn't want to get married?"

             
"No, Dev I said I didn't want to get married
yet
. Besides you never even asked me."

             
"I asked your mom!"

             
Kaylie rolled over and pulled her button down shirt shut. He moaned inwardly. Once she started buttoning that thing it would take forever to get her out of it again. He hadn't had her in a week.

             
And it had been a long week.

             
He'd spent it wondering if he'd ever get to hold his sweet girl again.

             
He'd spent wondering if he'd ever recover if he didn't.

             
"No Devlin. You asked her if she'd like you for a son in law. She said yes. She meant it. She just didn't think you meant right away."

             
"Is she mad?"

             
Kaylie shook her head, causing her golden brown waves to ripple over her shoulders. Her clothed shoulders. Well, it was hard to be mad when she was looking so sweetly at him. He could see her white lace bra peeking out from her still unbuttoned shirt.

             
"No. She thinks it's sweet. And she said it's up to me."

             
He waited expectantly.

             
"So?"

             
She rolled her eyes and reached for her buttons, slipping one into place.

             
"You are going to have to ask me properly and find out."

             
He started towards her. Well, if that was all it took-

             
"With a ring. And not right now."             

             
She sat up and primly started to dress herself. He growled and pounced on her. She squealed as he started devouring her earlobe. He knew that made her crazy. And she smelled so sweet.

             
He unbuttoned her shirt again, making her laugh and push at his shoulders.

             
"Devlin! We are having a serious discussion here!"

             
He lifted his head and stared down as his beautiful girl.

             
"Yes. We are."

             
He saw the surrender in her eyes a split second before his lips were on hers, kissing her senseless.

             
All he had to do was ask.

             
He'd think about what that meant. But later.

             
Much later.

9

             
Sally ran along the dark sidewalks, wiping hot tears off her cheeks. How could he humiliate her like that? He must have known what would happen. Damn him!

             
She had a moment of regret- imagining how he would feel when he realized she'd run out on him. She knew he wouldn't understand why she was so upset. But she was a private person. She'd learned to protect her personal life when her career had started to take off. What had happened between them was secret and special.

             
Very, very special.

             
She'd never felt anything like that in her life. Not even close. He'd shaken her to her core, opened her up with his words and hands and mouth and… then exposed her to the club. It felt like the worst kind of betrayal.

             
He owed her an apology at the very least. And she owed him- nothing. She'd given him what he wanted already. He'd just have to be satisfied with that.

             
Besides, she wasn't sure she could go through that again even if she wanted to his girlfriend. Everyone in that clubhouse knew what they'd been doing. They'd cheered for him like she was some sort of conquest.

             
She felt sick.

             
Well, she didn't have to go back. She was a free woman. He'd given her one night of unforgettable passion but that was it. They'd both have to move on. She certainly wasn't laying down for him in the clubhouse again. Maybe she should move to another town.

             
Another state.

             
The thought of leaving filled her with sadness. She'd made a life for herself here. It was a far cry from the glamorous life she'd had in Nashville, but in a lot of ways it was better. More real. She'd miss it.

             
She'd miss Donnie most of all.

             
She walked up to her tiny little house and pulled out her keys. She unlocked the door without thinking.

             
Without noticing that not all the locks were making that same satisfying thud they usually did.

             
She walked inside and flipped the light switch.

             
Something was wrong. Very, very wrong.

             
"Hello sweetheart."

             
She spun, reaching out for the bat.

             
It was gone.

             
Carl was standing in the hallway, holding the bat in his hands.

             
Sally's whole body turned ice cold.

             
He was going to kill her.

             
Hell no
.

             
She wasn't going to let him.

             
WHAM

             
He backhanded her across the face, sending her sprawling into the living room. She scrambled for the couch and the hidden mace under the cushion.

             
He was laughing behind her.

             
The bastard was
laughing.

             
When Carl laughed like that it wasn't just a bad sign.

             
It was the
worst
sign.

             
"Whatcha lookin' for sweetness?"

             
He walked toward her and she scooted back on her hands and knees as he circled around the room.

             
"I found all your little toys honey. I've got them now."

             
He held up her bat, taunting her with it.

             
"Oh, don't worry. I'm not going to start with this. It would be over too quickly that way. Let's start with an old friend. Then we can warm up to… other things."

             
He tossed the bat aside and pulled his belt off. She shielded her face as he brought the belt down on her head and shoulders.

             
THWAP.

             
Dear God it hurt.

             
He lifted his arm again and again. Sally stopped trying to figure out a way to fight back and started to pray.

             
Please lord, save me from this peril. I swear that I will never take the lord's name in vain. I will never-

             
"Ahhhhhh!"

             
She couldn't help it. She screamed.

             
Carl was beating her in earnest, not holding anything back. He stopped for a moment and kicked her with his heavy boots. She peered up at him from between her crossed arms. He was snarling like a rabid mutt.

             
"Did you lay with him? Tell me, you whore!"

             
He kicked her again. She was trying to figure out how to get ahold of his foot when he kicked her again, this time in the gut. She rolled over, moaning and clutching her belly.

             
"Did you fuck him? Tell me!"

             
He lifted his arm again, raising the belt over his head. She forced herself to answer. Maybe he'd stop if she could convince him.

             
"Who? I don't know what you are talking about!"

             
"The guy who keeps riding by! The monkey on the motorcycle!"

             
Oh God. How long had he been watching her? He must mean Donnie… Donnie must have been riding by unbeknownst to her. Checking up on her. It was sweet of him. It was going to get her killed though. Her silence must have confirmed it for Carl because he threw back his head and stared at the ceiling.

             
"That's too bad honey. I told you I would kill you if you ever touched another man. But first, I'm gonna kill
him.
Where's he at now? You tell me and I'll make it nice and quick when it's your turn. Otherwise, you and me are gonna have some fun."

             
Like hell they were!

             
A sound outside must have distracted Carl because he turned his head for an instant. That was all the time Sally needed. She rolled to her feet and landed a running kick to his gut, knocking him into the entryway. He was scrambling backwards and she rained drop kicks into him until he lay still, with her boot on his throat.

             
It wasn't exactly textbook martial arts but it had done the trick.

             
The door crashed open behind her. She didn't turn to see who it was. She didn't have to.

             
Donnie.

**********

              Donnie was staring at his tiny little woman. She had her heel on a man's throat. He looked around the place. That must have been one hell of a fight.

             
The man on the floor was whimpering incoherently.

             
Good.

             
He walked over to the sniveling bastard and stepped on his hand until he released the belt he was gripping. He started to roll him over but Sally was frozen in place, obviously afraid to take her foot off his throat.

             
"Sally, honey let me take over. You did good baby."

             
He stared at the piece of shit on the floor.

             
"Real good."

             
She nodded and pulled her foot back. Donnie rolled the guy onto his face and quickly strapped his arms together. The scumbag had a pistol tucked into the back of his jeans. Donnie used his shirt to pick it up and slide it away from them.

             
"You got a rope or something?"

             
She left the room and was back in a minute with another belt. This one was pink. He smiled and tied the bastard's feet. The little shit heel wasn't going anywhere. He pulled out his cell and texted Dev and Jack to bring the guys over and to send a car for Sally. Then he stood up and finally got a good look at her face.

             
Sally was bleeding. A lot. Her lip, her ear and what looked like a few lacerations around her neck and shoulders.

             
"Oh honey…"

             
He took a step toward her but she stepped away from him.

             
"I'm fine."

             
"No, you're not honey."

             
"Don't call me that."

             
He stopped, confused. She wasn't acting like a damsel in distress who'd just been rescued by her man. Then he remembered. He'd momentarily forgotten that she'd dipped out on him at the clubhouse. He'd forgotten about the ribbing they'd gotten from the rest of the club. Her eyes were narrowed as she stared at him.

             
Clearly, she had not forgotten.

             
"Come on now Sally, don't be like that. They were just havin' a little fun at my expense."

             
"Your expense? What about me? I'm the one who looked like a whore."

             
He held his hands up.

             
"No, honey you didn't. They were just happy because I've been mooning over you for so long. They were giving me shit."

             
She stared at him distrustfully, obviously not sure what to think.

             
"I swear to you Sally. They were just glad that I wasn't going to be such a bastard anymore. You're my old lady. Or you will be if you can stop being so mad at me. Just say the word."

             
He held his breath while he watched the emotions play across her beautiful face.

             
Finally she nodded and dropped her head forward. He pulled her into his arms and held her until the sound of motorcycles could be heard outside.

             
Dev and Jack walked in first and surveyed the damage.

             
"Jesus. What the hell happened man?"

             
Donnie pointed to the tied up man lying on the floor.

             
"That piece of shit right there."

             
"We'll take care of him, man. Never to be heard from again."

             
"No Donnie, you can't! I don't want you to get in trouble."

             
He stood there, his jaw clenched. He wanted to kill the guy so bad he could taste it. But he wasn't going to do it behind her back. He wasn't going to lie to her.

             
"You sure Sally? He doesn't deserve to live."

             
She nodded.

             
"I know. Just promise you won't kill him Donnie. It's not worth it."

             
"Alright sweetheart, I won't. There are worse things than death though."

             
The man on the floor moaned and Jack kicked him. That made Donnie smile.

             
"Shut up you piece of crap. He did this to you, Sally?"

             
Sally nodded.

             
"It's- it's not the first time."

             
"Oh, but it's sure as shit the last."

             
Jack cracked his knuckles together and the most terrifying smile came over his face. Donnie knew that he and Dev looked the same.

             
Carl didn't stand a chance.

             
Whisky Beard came in and looked around without showing any reaction.

             
"What do you need?"

             
Donnie stepped forward, bringing Sally with him under his arm.

             
"Take her to the ER and then my place. Don't leave until I come back. I'll send a few guys to stand watch at the hospital with you."

             
"I don't need the ER Donnie. I'm okay… and I don't want anyone looking at me."

             
He pulled her into his arms and kissed her forehead.