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“I would. You know I would, but I don’t have my car.”
I rubbed my hand along my forehead. “Right. I understand. Two guys stopped to help me. I can catch a ride with them.”
“Is that a good idea? I mean, do they seem okay?”
I cleared my throat before lowering my voice to answer Rachel. “I think they’re fine. They look normal.”
My eyes flicked when I heard someone snort and saw the man I’d been admiring watching me closely. He’d obviously heard everything I said.
“Let me see if I can borrow someone’s car,” Rachel said in a rush. “Maybe Quinn will bring me.”
I knew her brother wasn’t going to agree. As far as they were concerned, today was Emily’s day, and they wouldn’t ruin it by leaving. The only person in my entire family I could count on didn’t have her car, which meant I was either walking in the dark or riding with two massive men I didn’t know.
Sadly, I was more willing to take my chances with these two men than my family.
“Just let my mom know I’m fine, okay? When I hang up, I’ll text you a picture of their license plate. If I don’t call you tonight, then call the police, okay?”
“I don’t like this, Jane, but I’ll let her know. Call me as soon as you’re back, okay?”
“Okay, gotta go.”
I quickly hit end call and lifted his phone, snapping a picture of the license plate on the back of the truck and sending it to Rachel. Then I handed it to the man whose name I still didn’t know and didn’t have the courage to ask.
He took it and gestured toward the truck. “Let’s go.”
“Where are we going?” I slid between the two men and walked toward the truck.
“New Hope,” he answered. “Ever hear of it?”
“Nope,” I replied, but if I was being honest, I liked the name.
I followed him around to the passenger’s side, and he opened the door before gesturing me in ahead of him. I slid across the seat and did my best to pile my skirt on my lap, but a lot of it still lay across his legs when he slid into the seat next to me and closed the door.
Sandwiched between these two men, I was suddenly very aware that I was a young, not able to defend myself woman at their mercy. I wasn’t sure why I hadn’t given much credence to that before. My mom would just remind me that I was too trusting and not worldly enough, and maybe she was right.
“You got a name?”
I heard the deep voice to my right and looked over to see his dark eyes locked on mine. “I’m Jane.” Knowing it was the right thing to do, I held out my hand to shake his. “What’s yours?”
He slid his much bigger hand around mine and squeezed, his eyes never leaving mine and his deep voice gliding over my skin. “Tank.” He lifted his chin in the direction of the driver. “That’s Race.”
“Tank?” My eyebrows drew down, and I dropped my hand from his. I didn’t even acknowledge the other man’s name because I was stuck on the name Tank. “Did someone actually name you that?”
His lips tipped in a grin, and a small dimple appeared in his left cheek. I barely stopped myself from lifting my finger to run over the small indent, shocked by how much it softened the hardness of his appearance. Thankfully, he spoke and broke my trance. “No, it’s a nickname I earned in the Army.”
“Oh wow, you were in the Army?” He nodded, and I smiled, remembering my grandfather had also served in the Army. He’d talked about it, often saying it saved his life, and he always told me to thank everyone who served. “Thank you for your service.”
Tank studied me, but then frowned and leaned back before digging his phone out of his pocket again. I didn’t hear it ring, but he must’ve had it on vibrate because when he had it in his hand, he hit accept call. “Yeah?”
When he pulled it from his ear and held it out in front of him, I heard a woman who sounded just like my mom yell out.
With wide eyes, I looked at Tank. “Is that my mom?”
“I don’t fucking know,” he growled.
Panic settled in my stomach when he said the f-word, knowing my mother’s wrath if she heard him. “Don’t say that word. She’ll hear you.”
She yelled again, and I looked quickly down at the phone before looking at him again. “Where’s my daughter?”
