Chapter 13

Backdraft

Shortly after Zoey drifted to sleep, I turned the flashlight off, plunging us deeper into the darkness. I sat there, her body tangled against mine as my eyes swept between her and any potential danger outside.

I couldn't sleep, not with Zoey curled against me. Her warmth seeps through my pants and straight to my cock. My body is acutely aware of every point of contact, from the press of her breasts against my leg to the slide of her thigh under my arm. When she made those soft whimpers and nuzzled even closer, I nearly lost my mind. Torn between waking her just so I can touch her again and keeping a lookout, it took all the self-control I could muster to let her sleep.

Disoriented, I strain my eyes to watch the sun slowly peek over the jagged hilltops, casting a warm orange glow on the surrounding trees. My vision is hazy and unfocused, but I make out a faint glimpse of civilization in the distance. It was already dark when we broke down, so I couldn't see it. But now, in the light of day, it becomes clear. A small town nestled in a valley between the rolling hills, not too far away. The glimmer of sunlight against the rooftops of the clustered buildings is a welcome sight after all this time spent in the wilderness. My tired body perks up with renewed energy, knowing that safety is within reach at last.

I stretch my stiff muscles and rub the sleep from my own eyes before waking Zoey. Her head is still pillowed on my lap, her long hair fanned out against me. I sweep the loose strands away from her face and she stretches out, shifting away from me. The oversized sweatpants she's still wearing slip down to reveal the top curve of her ass. I quickly look away and adjust myself to hide my morning erection.

Zoey sits up and rubs the sleep from her eyes before taking in the sight for herself. She lets out a relieved sigh, "Is that a town?"

I nod, "Looks like it. Hope we're not walking." The truck has had plenty of time to cool down overnight. I just need to get it running again. I press the frayed wires together and it taunts me with hesitant sputters.

Grabbing the hammer from the back, I hop out of the driver's seat and lift the hood. We've made it this far; this baby will get us the rest of the way whether it wants to or not. With a swift strike, I bring the hammer down on the faulty starter. The engine turns over, responding with a low growl. With a smug grin on my face, I close the hood and climb back in.

Snatching Zoey by the waist, I drag her to me. Our lips meet in a heated kiss.

Just then my phone starts ringing, breaking us apart. As much as I want to keep kissing her, it's a welcome sound after days without a signal. I fumble it out of my pocket, wincing at the cracks in the screen stopping me from seeing who's calling. Whoever's on the other end better not be a fucking telemarketer. "Yeah?"

Zoey's gaze shifts to mine, and for a brief second, I catch a glimpse of sadness before she schools her features and gives me that sweet smile.

"It's Aero. I've been trying to reach you for days. What the hell happened to you?"

Relief floods through me at the sound of my president's voice. "I've been lost in the fucking wilderness with no signal."

"We've been scouring the area for you since you went dark. Your phone just went back online. Do you have the girl?"

Out of the corner of my eyes, I look at Zoey. I have the girl all right, and when Aero finds out, he will skin my ass alive. Zoey smiles at me, and just like that, I don't give a damn about the consequences. I nod, even though he can't see me. "I do. Looks like a town about a half day's walk, if this heap of metal I found can't make it."

"Good work. Got a lock on your location. Make it to town. The boys and I will be there with backup within the hour."

"Copy that." I end the call.

The truck jerks as I work it back onto the road. Yesterday's storm is now an afterthought as the morning sun already heats the air, drying everything in sight. Dirt and gravel kick up under the tires when I take off in the only direction I can go.

"What are you going to do first?" I ask Zoey. I'm no good at small talk, but if I can't touch her, hearing her voice is the next best thing.

She smiles wide for the first time. "Eat. I'm starving. Bacon and eggs, maybe hotcakes. Oh, and some country biscuits and sausage and gravy." She rubs her rumbling stomach. "What do you want to do?"

I look at her and a grin crawls across my face. It's an odd feeling but I like the effect she has on me. "Shower, shit, eat and fuck you. Not necessarily in that order."

Her laughter fills the truck cabin. It's the most infectious sound I ever heard and suddenly I'm laughing too.

Until I round the bend and find the road blocked by a line of vehicles with heavily armed men taking cover behind them.

"Shit," I hiss, slamming the truck into reverse. Bullets ping off the hood, shattering the windshield. I drag Zoey down onto my lap, shielding her as the truck spins out of control and dies.

"Stay down." I duck down out of the line of fire and reach for my gun. Checking the clip, I reload and aim out of the passenger window now lined up with the firing squad. I aim and fire back.

Zoey trembles on my lap, her terrified cries gutting me. I led her right into the line of fire simply because I had to get out of that cabin. I needed distance between her and the place where I let my deepest secret come out into the light. I can't take the words back, but I can fight like hell to make sure those words aren't what she remembers when she looks at me.

When the shooters pause to reload, I grab Zoey's hand and dive out of the truck, scrambling behind it for cover but we're outnumbered and trapped. Gripping my pistol, I steel myself for the next wave of bullets.

"Give us the girl if you want to walk away from this," someone shouts.

"Don't make me go back." Zoey pleads with me. Hasn't she figured out yet that I'd never let that happen? Not just because I was hired to rescue her from this group of nuts but because she's mine now. It wasn't meant to happen. It shouldn't have happened, but I can't change things now and I wouldn't take it back if I could. Zoey is an angel sent to help me atone for my sins. I never believed in fate or God but how else can I explain the fact that she soothes the fire licking my skin, the need embedded so deep inside of me that makes me want to burn the world to ash?

"You're not going anywhere, Little Lamb."

I pull my side piece from my ankle holder and hold it out to her, "Do you know how to use this?"

She shakes her head, her big doe eyes wide with shock.

"It's easy, Little Lamb. You don't have to kill anyone, just help me keep them back." I pull her in front of me, so her back is flush against my chest and guide the pistol between her hands. Keeping a firm grip on her, I position one arm tight against her body. "Keep this arm tucked in close and aim for your target. Pull the trigger back with your finger. It's small but it has power so be careful. Keep your pretty, little head low. Don't make yourself a target. Are you ready?"

She nods her head, uncertain but willing to do what it takes. Inhaling a deep breath, I take in the sight of my Little Lamb poised for action. It's hot as fuck.

"Let's do this shit." I signal her and yell back to the man demanding I give her back. Fat chance in hell that will ever happen. "I'll take my chances."

Simultaneously, we return fire pushing them back behind their vehicles. We have to survive long enough for the club to arrive. When Aero notices that my signal has stopped moving and we didn't make it to town, he'll be here. I have to trust in that. Trust my President and my new club even though trust is not my strong suit.

Zoey is holding her own, firing her gun, and taking cover when needed. Her aim isn't as steady as mine, but for a first-timer, I'm impressed with how she's handling herself. I glance over at her as we take a quick break from exchanging fire to reload. She's crouched down behind the truck next to me, loose strands of her hair falling around her face and sticking to the sweat on her forehead, but she looks beautiful.

"Are you doing alright?" I ask, trying to keep the worry out of my voice. I hate that she's been put in this situation when all I want to do is protect her and keep her safe.

She nods without looking at me. "Yeah, I'm good."

There's only enough time to fire off a quick 911 text to Aero before another round of bullets ping off the truck and we're back in action.

We keep up this back-and-forth for what feels like hours until the sound of motorcycle engines fill the air, the rumble shaking the ground beneath us. Relief rushes through me knowing backup has arrived at last.

The sudden attack splits their focus, dividing their attention between us and the roaring motorcycles firing at them from behind. The air is filled with the deafening sound of bullets and revving engines as chaos erupts all around us. I rise and unleash a barrage of gunfire, providing cover for my comrades. Zoey joins me, her aim now steady and deadly.

Aero leads the attack while the familiar faces of my club brothers ride alongside him. Behind them follow more bikers with similar cuts as ours. Executing precise movements, they take control of the situation and together we eliminate our attackers with deadly accuracy. When the gunfire stops, I grab Zoey by the hand, pulling her down behind the truck.

"You did great, Little Lamb."

I thread my fingers through her long hair and draw her close, crushing my lips to hers. She holds herself up with one arm and the other curls around my bicep as I hold her close and devour her mouth with a fierce kiss. The sound of boots crunching gravel interrupts the moment. For a second, I was so lost in her that I almost wished we were still alone and not about to be surrounded by my club.

Taking her by the hand, we join the others. Aero scans us from head to toe, his eyes narrowing in on her fingers woven between mine. I stare at him with wide eyes and feel the tension in the air, but he contains his sneer and doesn't acknowledge the way we're clinging to each other. I give her hand a gentle squeeze before releasing it.

Aero slaps me on the shoulder and pulls me into an unexpected hug. "Good to see you in one piece."

Normally, I wouldn't be so open to this kind of physical contact, but my club came through for me in a big way and I'm realizing just how much this brotherhood means to me. Leaning into it, I pat his back, "Thanks for the assist, Pres."

I turn to Zoey. "Zoey, these are the guys I told you about. My club brothers. Aero is our President. This is Surge, our Sergeant at Arms, Padre is the club Secretary and Crank is our Road Captain." I point each one out to her. Her eyes follow along taking it all in, even though it's a lot to process. "That's Tango the Cleaner, Pike is Tail Gunner, Rancor is the Treasurer, and Hashtag is our Tech guy."

The guys fall into a subtle rhythm of acknowledgment. Some offer handshakes while others give a quick nod or a tip of their heads. I recognize a few faces from the Nashville Chapter as we walk towards them standing by their bikes. We met briefly during my stopover at Royal Road, but it was enough for them to know that I was on their turf and had come to do a job. I'm grateful they showed up to lend a hand. The first one to catch my attention is Thorn, clad in leather. He tops off his look with a sleek cowboy hat. A thick beard hides his face and I can't spot any tattoos on his arms. Next to him is their VP, Pagan. He towers over the group with his large build and bushy beard. With light brown hair peeking out from under his bandana, he gives off a backwoods vibe. Villain's appearance is deceiving. He's a blonde man with clean-cut features. He could easily be mistaken for a Disney prince, but there's an air of darkness about him that makes me wonder if he lives up to his name. And then there's Irish, their Enforcer. He's a fiery redhead with a muscular build and an impressive reputation as an MMA fighter. I tip my head to acknowledge them and they return the gesture.

"Let's get out of here," Aero says, his eyes scanning our surroundings for any potential threats.

"Would love to, but I don't have wheels." I look back at the truck. It was a beater to begin with but now it's riddled with bullet holes and flat tires.

"Got your bike back at Royal Road, man," Thorn informs me.

"Guess you're riding bitch." Surge laughs and I hit him with a side eye.

"Saddle up, big fella. The girl rides with me." Aero leads Zoey to his bike. Fear floods her big brown eyes and locks on mine. I reassure her with a quick smile and a nod that only she catches. Hesitantly, she follows Aero. He straddles his bike and hands her a helmet. With it secure on her head, he reaches out and helps her climb onto the back of his bike. Jealousy grips a hold of me, my back tenses up and my fists clench at my side.

Reaching into the back of the truck, I grab the duffel bag with Zoey's things. Seeing what they meant to her, it would be a shame to leave them behind. I turn towards my brothers, who are all climbing onto their rides, crowding their seats. Motherfuckers, all of them.

"Looks like Hashtag's prepared for a back warmer." Everyone but Hashtag and I erupt into laughter. Sure, stick me with the smallest guy in the club. I'm surprised he can even hold his bike upright. Adding my weight is a recipe for disaster. Dangling from the back of his bike right above the decal with some witty coding joke no one else gets is a spare helmet with some Matrix code bullshit on it that matches the one plastered to his head.

I'd expect Aero to come prepared with a spare helmet for Zoey. He's the chapter president for a reason. Always one step ahead but Hashtag? I shake my head and reluctantly tread toward him. He's a fucking Boy Scout.

I contemplate walking, but I'm ready to get the hell out of these woods and there's already too much distance between Zoey and me. I grumble out loud and squeeze the small helmet as far on my head as it can fit, tightening the strap under my chin. I cast one more look at Zoey. Once confident she's safe, I wrap the handles of the duffle bag over the sissy bar and climb on the seat behind Hashtag and ride bitch. He tips the bike a little, adjusting to the extra weight but quickly gets the hang of it. With a roar, we all take off in a cloud of dust and gravel.