Page 71 of Motorycle Daddies
My words sound so strange in the empty room. Now that I’ve made the decision to sneak out, it almost feels as if this is no longer my home. I know better. It’s hormones and anxiety attacking me. I’ll be back. I’m certain if I take too long the guys will come looking for me. I belong to them as much as they belong to me.
It’s beginning to get dark. Twilight is a good time to slip out unnoticed. The shadows it casts will hide me better than absolute darkness, especially when no one is expecting me to walk away.
I feel sad for a second or two, thinking about the guys finding an empty room when they come back tonight. I suppose that’s why I don’t see what’s right in front of my face as I quietly and swiftly slip out the side door while the guards are walking in the opposite direction. It’s shift change and motorcycle engines are revving up.
Two men step from the shadows, blocking my escape. At first, I assume it’s more guards who have discovered me. But when hands cover my mouth, and an arm snakes its way around my neck, I know I’m wrong.
These aren’t friends. None of Grizzly’s men would dare touch me this way. He’d kill them.
I fight. I drop my bag to the ground and grab the offensive arm, trying to yank it from around my neck. I kick as the second man attempts to lift my feet off the ground. A soft grunt lets me know I hit my target.
My feet fall but the arm tightens. I dig in my heels as I feel myself being dragged. No air enters my lungs to allow me to scream. My nails dig into the man’s forearm, drawing blood. His buddy slaps me across the face, causing blood to bubble from my nose.
Instead of giving up, I get angry. My hand rises to my captor’s face and my nails tear at his eyes. His smothered oath and the pain I inflict cause him to loosen his hold on me. I slip out of his grasp and start running.
I’m not fast enough. One of them grabs the back of my shirt, yanking at me. I stumble over a rock and begin to fall. He grabs at my ankle, which sends me flying toward the ground faster than ever.
Fear for my baby gives me the strength to turn my body so I don’t hit the ground face-first. The jolt sends all the air inside me whooshing out. My head hits something hard and sharp. Pain reverberates all through me, including my head.
My arms seem to grow numb, and I can’t move them. My back burns, and though I open my mouth to scream nothing comes out. Two dark shapes hover over me. They’re blurred. I fear I’m going blind.
“What now?” one asks.
“We say we couldn’t get to her. If we bring her in like this there’ll be a price to pay, and I’m not paying it. Leave her here,” the other declares.
“What if she dies?”
“Then we don’t have to worry about her anymore, do we?”
“If she doesn’t, she’ll tell who did this,” the first man argues.
“She didn’t really look at us. She was too damn busy cutting me up with those long nails. My face is going to have scars,” the other answers.
Don’t leave me to die, I plead inside my head. I still don’t have the power to speak. I’m scared.
Save my baby.
“She needs to quit the moaning before someone comes looking,” the one with the bloody face says.
“I’ll stop her,” the other man declares as his leg moves backward.
The last thing I see before his foot connects to my head is the first star of the night blinking in the sky. I wish on it as more pain bursts inside my head. Then complete darkness descends, and I don’t want to wake up.
40
GRIZZLY
“But you said she was asking for us,” Addy argues with me. “I think we should at least be allowed to say hi and let her know we’re here.”
“Exactly my thoughts as well. Give us just an hour,” Harlow pleads. “We don’t get to talk as often as we used to, especially without the babies.”
“Her room is dark and there’s no sound coming from it. She’s sleeping, and I don’t want her disturbed. She was upset before we were called away. I don’t want to cause her any more anxiety, so you can wait for morning to see her,” I declare, my refusal not meant to be refuted.
“Since when do her needs come under your list of duties?” Harlow asks.
“Since she’s been here. Everyone who enters here is under my protection, including smart-asses like you. You should know that as well as anyone. Go have some fun with Addy and stop making me grouchy,” I command, though I’m smiling.
The women walk off, mumbling to each other, glancing back to give me unhappy glares. I’m pleased to note how much they care about Meredith, and I don’t doubt they’ll try to sneak back to her room at some point before they go to bed.