Page 10 of Harley
Oakley blushed. “Oh no, it’s not like that. We are… uh… what are we?” Oakley demanded. Seconds later, she realised how that sounded as the woman let out a dry chuckle. Oakley turned bright red.
“We’re friends,” I said.
The waitress brought our orders and coffee.
Oakley looked me. “What are my options?”
Oakley
Harley offered a sexy smile, but I doubt that he even realised he was doing it.
The waitress sighed as she hurried away.
“You’ve a few options, Oakley. You can come with me to Rapid City, and we’ll put you up in a hotel there. When your feet getbetter, you’ll be free to go where you wish. You can stay here and heal. Or is there a friend to visit?” Harley inquired.
As Harley mentioned a friend, I shook my head. No, there was nobody I could stay with that wouldn’t let my parents know where I was hiding.
“If you come to RC, I have resources there that’ll help. Such as Doc Paul and my club,” Harley tempted.
The waitress placed the orders in front of us, and I cut into the pancakes.
“Rapid City is okay until I can walk again. That will give me a chance to put some plans into place,” I glanced around and didn’t see anybody close. “Harley, do you know anyone that could… you know…”
“Huh?” Harley asked.
“Get me some fake papers?” I whispered.
Harley looked surprised before grinning. He leaned forward.
“Yeah, I do. We’ll cross that bridge when we need to,” Harley murmured and laughed.
“I can pay,” I offered.
“Oakley, let’s just concentrate on getting your feet healthy and dealing with the infection,” Harley said.
“Okay.”
While not a solid plan, Rapid City was hours from Illinois. Not as far as I wished, but it was two states over. Everyone searching would take a while to find me as long as I didn’t use identification. Hell, I didn’t even have a cell phone. I was virtually untraceable right now. I could pay cash for things, which would keep me off the radar.
“Maybe you can tell me what’s happening,” Harley suggested, and I choked on a sip of coffee.
“Um…”
“In time, Oakley, you’ll realise you can trust me,” Harley added.
Trust was an alien feeling. The last person I had trusted had betrayed me to my parents and got me put under lock and key for the past few months. Trusting someone was strange. Ever since I’d turned eighteen, I knew I couldn’t depend on anyone other than one person.
Looking in Harley’s eyes, I wondered how much I could trust him. Would Harley demand payment for his help? Or would Harley betray me when my family posted a reward? I chewed my lip and pondered if I should stay here instead, wait twenty-four hours, and disappear.
“Oakley, whatever you are thinking, forget it. I get that you’ve not been able to depend on people, but I won’t let you down. My club and, most certainly, my family are in the habit of protecting the innocent. That means you. While you’re with me, you’re under my protection,” Harley explained, and I nodded.
Sure, I’d take his words at face value, but I wouldn’t trust him. Trust had to be earned.
“Oakley, I mean that,” Harley insisted.
“Sure,” I replied, but Harley realised I didn’t believe him.
“Time will prove one way or another,” Harley stated, and I nodded.
