“Well, where is she?”
“She’s in Ice’s office with him. I just came out to get her some aspirin.” He’s carrying a bottle of Tylenol and a glass of water. “She’s pretty upset. She had no idea they were planning on abducting her.”
“Yeah, we figured that.” I turn toward Honey. “Why don’t you go upstairs and get comfortable. I’ll be up shortly.”
She frowns. “Sainte, please let me help with her. She knows me, and I believe she was starting to trust me. It may help her if I’m in there with her.”
Yeah, I guess she’s got a point. I nod and she smiles. This was not her being the drug-addicted, entitled Honey. This her trying to be helpful, and she is right.
“Come on,” I say, and we both head toward Ice’s office, Rebel following close behind us. When I get to the door, I knock but don’t wait for permission to go in. The girl is sitting in the chair across from Ice’s desk.
When I step inside, she yells, “That’s the man who told me to come here! He’s the man who told me my life was in danger if I stayed at the club.”
Ice turns toward me.
“Hi,” I say as I walk closer, with Honey right behind me.
Ice gives me the look asking why Honey is here, and before he can say something he will regret, I say, “Honey and this young lady became fast friends. She thought she could help.”
Ice looks relieved and relaxes in his chair. The girl recognizes Honey and smiles.
She walks to the girl and squats next to her chair. “I’m glad you listened to us. Are you doing okay?”
The girl smiles as tears stream down her face. “I had no idea that’s what they did there. Other girls made it seem like once you made the selection, everything became a perfect paradise.” She shakes her head. “I didn’t know.”
“It’s okay, sweetie. You’re safe now,” Honey says.
“I’m sorry I was rude to you at first.” She smirks. “I believed I was something special to be selected and personally felt I was better than everyone else in that club.”
Honey smiles. “Wanna start over?”
The girl nods.
Honey holds out her hand and says, “My name is Amanda Benson, but my friends call me Honey.”
The girl shakes Honey’s hand and says, “My name is Tara Michaels.”
“Well, Tara, it’s really nice to meet you.”
Rebel steps up and hands her the Tylenol and the water.
“Thank you,” she replies. She takes her aspirin and then looks at Ice, then Rebel and then me. “So are you all bikers?”
We all chuckle.
I step up. “Yes, Tara, we are. That man over there is our president, Ice.” I reach over and pull Rebel in. “Blondie here is Rebel, and I’m Sainte.”
“You guys have odd names.”
“They’re road names,” I reply. “You’ll get used to them.”
“Do you have any family we can call?” Ice asks.
She shakes her head. “No, my parents died when I was sixteen. I grew up in a foster home until I was eighteen.” She shrugs. “It was a roof over my head and three meals a day. They were never family.”
Ice looks at me, and I know exactly what he’s thinking. She is prime prey for these sick assholes—no family to miss her or come find her.
“We have some spare rooms upstairs. She can stay here and help me?” Honey suggests and then says, “If it is okay with you, Ice.”
