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“Ain't got a trunk,” Wolf answered so seriously I almost laughed. Almost.
I sighed. “Fine. Backseat it is,” I said, brushing past them toward the door. I glared at Cash as I passed. “You said you'd bring shoes the next time you visited,” I said, looking down at my bare feet.
“Got um,” he surprised me by saying. “Just couldn't bring um on the bike. I'll bring um by the compound later.”
Seeing as he took the wind out of my sails, I walked outside to find a massive black pick-up truck, Reign's bike tied down in the bed of it. All three of them went toward the back, I imagined, to get the bike down. I threw all my bags on the backseat, pulled my sweatshirt on, putting up the hood, and attempted to haul myself upward. And I say 'attempted' because it was like a million feet off the ground and I couldn't even reach the grab bars to help myself in.
“Short,” Wolf's voice said behind me, making me jump. And then, his huge hands went to my waist, almost spanning it completely. And I was off my feet, then flying into the backseat of the car. The door slammed as soon as I was inside and I sighed, getting down on the floor of the backseat which was, thankfully, clean. Almost brand new kind of clean.
The bed slammed closed, someone banged on the side of the truck. Then I heard Reign's and Cash's bikes rumble to life and start to pull out. Wolf climbed up, slamming his door, and turning over the engine. “You aight?”
“Oh, yeah. Backseat floors are super comfy,” I said, annoyed at myself for complaining.
“You're small,” he said as if that made slamming into the front seats more comfortable.
Then we were moving. And there was no more talking. Not that that was surprising. Since Wolf seemed to have the vocabulary of a toddler.
To say I was anxious about going to this “compound” or “church” or “club” or whatever the hell it was called was an understatement. I liked it less that I was not really being given a choice. I had the distinct impression that if I refused to go with them, I would have ended up trussed up like a pig and deposited onto the floor regardless.
We drove for a while, my body bouncing none too gently over the bumps in the road before I felt the car idle for a minute and then pull in and park. Not given any directions about what to do after we arrived, I stayed on the floor and waited.
And waited.
And waited.
Finally, the door flew open at my feet and there was Wolf. “Woman,” he said and I swear he was somehow able to communicate in that word the phrase 'come on, we're here. I'll help you down'.
So I scooted out toward the door, slipping my legs down. Before I could even reach my feet toward the step-up bar, Wolf's huge mitts were around my waist and pulling me downward.
“Wait... I need to get my bags,” I objected as I was pulled downward.
“Got um,” Wolf said, putting me on my feet. And I took that as 'I will get them, don't worry about it'.
“Hands off,” Reign's voice growled. Yes, growled. At Wolf. Whose hands fell from my waist which, admittedly, did not need to be there, but he had me pinned with those strange eyes of his again and I didn't even think to squirm away. Wolf made some kind of non-committal sound in his throat, reached into the backseat, and gathered my bags. “Bags,” he said, holding them out to me.
“Thank you, Wolf,” I said, giving him a genuine smile. I don't know why, what with the hollow eyes and weird lack of words, but I liked him. I understood him in a strange way. “I appreciate it.”
He jerked his chin at me. “Later, woman.” Then he ambled off into the building.
A building, I might add, that was or had been at some time, a mechanic shop. Low and long and windowless. Protected by huge fences with barbed wire on top. There were men on the flat roofs with what looked like guns strapped around their backs. Off the back was a massive newer construction. Again, oddly windowless. The grounds were on the large side, picnic tables and chairs strewn about, a massive grill set up, a shed in the back.
“Babe,” Reign's voice reached me. My eyes found his. “Gonna keep gawking all day or get your ass inside where it's safe?”
“Right,” I said, stiffening as I fell into step beside him. I was led to the front door where music was coming from, loud for the early morning. Cash fell into step behind me. Wolf had already gone inside. I got two feet inside the door and froze. Because every eye, literally every eye, had fallen on me. Dozens and dozens of rough and tough bikers. Some young and attractive like Reign, Cash, and Wolf. Some older. Rougher. Road-weary.
Cash's attention must have been elsewhere because he plowed into my back, making me stumble forward on a weird 'omph' sound.
“Sorr...” Cash started, but then Reign's arm went around my waist, pulling me tight up to him, and Cash and everyone else fell silent.
Apparently that was more of the weird biker no-words-needed conversations.
“Get everyone in here,” Reign demanded. “We have church in ten,” he said, then hauled me away.
He walked me through a doorway then down an amazingly long hall, all the way to the end where he unlocked a door and led me inside.
“You're tense,” I observed as he stepped inside, letting my waist go. “I'm getting you guys in trouble,” I said, my voice small as I looked around. Huge bed, dresser, door to the bathroom. TV. That was it.
“Couple cops snooping around. No big deal. Don't worry about it.”
“But I am worried about it,” I countered, dropping my bags. “This is my mess. Not yours. You shouldn't have to do this. To drag your men into this. It's pointless. You can just call that K guy. Disappear me. I'll take care of myself.”
