My heart was hammering in my chest as I cracked swollen lids to peer up through the dawn light at two bearded men peering down at me.
I’d slept far longer than I’d intended. Hell, with the way I felt I was likely lucky to be waking up at all. “I’m fine, I’m going,” I croaked, trying again to move.
“You just stay put,” the bigger of the two men instructed. “We need to get you an ambulance.”
“No.” I shook my head adamantly. “No hospital. No police.”
My uncle had the Vegas PD in his back pocket and he’d be sure to check the hospitals.
The two men exchanged a look I couldn’t decipher as I lay back to take a deep breath. I hadn’t thought it was possible to feel worse, but somehow I did. Everything hurt.
“Let’s get her up, Greg,” the larger man directed, nodding to the other man.
When I made a move to protest, the smaller of the two, Greg, leaned in close. “Based on where you are and the shape you’re in, I can take a guess as to who did this to you. We’re not gonna hurt you but we need to get you outta sight. I’m gonna pick you up and put you in my sleeper. All right?”
I looked at him, knowing I had no choice but to agree. I was out of options.
I bit back a groan of pain when he picked me up and carried me without delay toward a big rig.
“You got someone we can call for you? Someone you trust?” he asked as he laid me gently on a small bed in the extended cab.
“Maddox Black. I–I don’t have his phone number memorized, but he lives up in Hawthorne. His father owns a bar there, Mad’s. You could reach someone there who can get in touch with him,” I rasped.
“That’s a biker bar. Your man in the MC up there?” he asked.
I nodded, not correcting him about Mad being my man.
“Shit, Ken, girl got fucked up by the mob and belongs to the Knights; better get her outta here as quickly as fuckin’ possible,” Greg muttered to his friend.
He wasn’t wrong.
“Shut the fuck up,” Ken muttered before he turned kind brown eyes to me. “The Rossi family ain’t no friends of mine,” he assured me quietly. “I’ll call your man. You rest.”
I hoped like hell I could trust him because in that moment, in the state I was in, I had no other option. As my eyes slid closed, I welcomed the image of Maddox and a dream where I was free of pain.
****
“Jesus fuck.” At first I thought Maddox’s broken rasp was a dream as I fought to come around. “Fuck, baby,” he choked out, his large, cool hand splayed gently on my forehead.
“Maddox?” I whispered hoarsely, my eyes still shut. It hurt too much to open them.
“Yeah, beautiful, it’s me,” he confirmed quietly.
“Club’s indebted to you,” an unfamiliar voice declared. “Whatever you need. You call in that marker.”
“Wasn’t a thing,” Ken replied. “Rossi family hurt someone I cared about a while back. Feels good to make some part of that right. They don’t have everyone under their thumb.”
“Good to know,” the voice said gruffly. “You see any of ’em nosin’ around here?”
“No, but I’m ready to hit the road and get some miles between me and them, if you know what I mean.”
“We’re leaving now,” the man confirmed, just as Maddox’s lips hit my ear.
“Gonna get you up, baby. Can you put your arms around my neck?” At my nod, his muscular arms slid carefully under my back and thighs, taking my weight as he lifted me gently. “That’s my pop, Axel,” he murmured in my ear.
“You take the Yukon,” I heard Axel instruct. “I’ll ride your bike back to town. Take her to Cole’s; Scarlet can get her seen to. Too risky to take her to the hospital.”
“I’ll have Scar meet at my place. I want Francesca in my space,” Maddox replied, carrying me toward what I assumed was the SUV. “Keep everyone off us will you?” he asked as he lay me gently in the back seat, swiping a hand gently over my forehead. “I got you, baby. You hear me? I need to put some miles between us and this town. Soon as we’re clear enough, I’m gonna stop and make sure we get some food and water in you.”
