Chapter Eight
Sophia
I woke up feeling sleepy and deliciously sore between my legs. When we got home from the bar, we’d made love.
Then we’d done it again. And again. We’d fallen asleep in each other’s arms, and when we woke up, we did it again.
The sun was starting to come up, soft rays peeking over the horizon.
“You awake?” Deuce sounded about as groggy as I felt.
“No. I’m still sleeping.”
“Good. I don’t want to get up yet.” He spooned me from behind, one arm resting lightly on my belly. We were both naked. Why bother with clothes if you’re just going to rip them off?
“If you cared about me, you’d go make coffee,” I said.
“Not my house. I’m a guest. You should make coffee.”
“I would, but I need a shower first. I smell like sweat and sex.”
“It smells good on you, but if you want a shower, I’ll help.”
I giggled. “Oh, you will, will you? How thoughtful of you.”
“I do what I can.”
Willow let out a soft woof from her perch at the bottom of the bed, as if to tell us to shut up and let her sleep. We looked at each other and smiled, sliding quietly out of the bed so as not to disturb the furry dictator any further.
It was a long time later when we finally made it to the kitchen for coffee. I looked at the clock. “Crap. I need to get moving. I’m supposed to be at a client’s in an hour to do measurements for her wedding dress.”
Deuce looked up from the coffee he was pouring. “I have club shit this morning. Take Thor with you.”
“Can’t you get Thor to do the club shit?”
He shook his head. “He’s a prospect. This is patched member kind of shit. You want me to go, you need to wait until tomorrow.”
I sighed. “Fine. I’ll take Thor.”
Deuce glanced at his watch. “Speaking of which, I should probably get going. Text me when you leave and when you get there.”
I wrinkled my nose. “Yes, sir.”
He reached over and swatted my ass. “I’m worried, and until we figure this shit out I need to know you’re safe. Otherwise, I spend all my time worrying about you and I’m no good to anyone.”
“Oh, you were very good to me. Very good.” I giggled and skipped back out of reach. “I’ll keep you updated on my every move.”
“I appreciate it.” He put his coffee cup in the dishwasher and grabbed his cut off the chair he’d dropped it on when we came in last night. Slipping it on over his shoulder holster, he stalked over to me and took me in his arms to give me a quick kiss. “Be careful.”
“I will.” I walked to the door with him and watched as he mounted his bike and rode off.
Willow gave a little bark and turned to trot back into the living room. Jumping up on the sofa, she circled three times before lying down and closing her eyes. Apparently, our boisterous activities had interrupted her beauty sleep.
My gaze softened as I looked at the little critter fondly. “Spoiled brat.”
I returned to the kitchen and gulped down the rest of my coffee.
Texting Thor that I’d be going out and needed an escort, I gathered my supplies and loaded them into the back seat of the car.
One last trip inside, I made myself another coffee in the biggest travel mug I had and checked myself in the mirror.
All good. I texted Deuce to let him know I was leaving.
I made sure to set the alarm and lock the door behind me as I left. If I hadn’t already been security cautious due to my dad’s paranoia, the events of the past few days would have hammered the message home.
Thor was sitting on his bike when I backed out of the driveway.
I wasn’t used to having someone follow me everywhere, but I was thankful for the added presence.
A couple of weeks ago I wouldn’t have dreamed a person could be abducted from a busy coffee shop without anyone noticing, and yet it had happened.
Seems the world was out to prove my dad right. The world was a dangerous place.
I arrived at the client’s house in plenty of time and sent off another text to Deuce. It felt good to have someone other than my dad worry about me.
Katherine, my current client, was easy to work with and willing to listen to my advice on the best styles to suit her figure.
Some brides had their hearts set on dresses that didn’t suit them, and it took a great deal to convince them to change their minds.
Since the advent of computer modeling, that task had become easier.
I could take a photo of the bride-to-be and show them a computer simulation of how they would appear in different styles and materials.
I loved my work. I loved being a teacher on call, and I loved being self-employed, setting my own hours and deciding who I wanted to work for. I adored the creativity, the sense of accomplishment and the joy on a bride’s face when she looked in the mirror and saw her dream become a reality.
Katherine and I managed to nail down her preferred style and materials within the first hour.
I spent some time taking measurements and agreed on a time for the first fitting.
Usually, it took at least two fittings, and with the wedding still eight months out there was lots of time for alterations especially if she lost the weight she was hoping for.
I packed my supplies back in the car and waved to Thor, who had remained discreetly down the street from the client’s house while I conducted business. I didn’t want to have to explain his presence.
I glanced at my watch as I slid into the driver’s seat. Almost noon. A nap sounded like the perfect way to spend the afternoon. Maybe if Deuce was finished with his club business, he could join me. I fired off a quick text to him and headed home.
I was still daydreaming about Deuce when a motion in the rearview mirror caught my attention.
Thor was trailing me by a couple of car lengths, hugging the center line as bikers tended to.
A black sedan came barreling up behind him and pulled into the oncoming lanes.
As I watched in horror, the driver pulled up beside Thor and yanked the wheel to the right sending the car careening toward the biker.
Thor braked sharply, falling back.
The car missed hitting him by a fraction of an inch, fishtailing for a moment before the driver regained control. With the bike behind him, the sedan pulled out again and gunned it.
I gulped. Was he going to try to ram me instead?
I stomped my foot down on the accelerator, praying my car had enough guts to outrun the threat.
The needle on my speedometer leapt up, and I hung onto the steering wheel with both hands as the car surged forward. I’d never driven this fast, and I prayed to whatever god was out there that I didn’t lose control.
A loud honking sounded ahead of me. To my horror, I saw an eighteen-wheeler barreling toward us. If it hit the sedan head on, I’d become collateral damage.
I tried to coax a bit more speed from my valiant old car, but it was going as fast as it could.
I was afraid to brake hard at this speed, afraid I wouldn’t be able to maintain control.
I could see no chance for escape. A rock cliff rose sharply on one side of me, and a guardrail blocked a steep downhill slope on the other.
The sedan remained stubbornly in the opposite lane.
At the last possible second, the driver slowed and dropped back in behind me. The transport truck flashed past in the opposite direction, horn blaring angrily.
I let out a deep breath I hadn’t known I was holding.
But it wasn’t over yet.
The black sedan was inches from my back bumper, so close I could see the angry set of the driver’s face.
I heard approaching motorcycles minutes before they swept round the curve and joined Thor behind the black sedan.
Before the driver could react to the reinforcements, Thor zipped around the sedan and pulled in front of me. Turning his head, he motioned me to follow him. I had to trust him.
Up ahead, the road forked in two directions.
The main highway continued on while the secondary road led to a rest area with an outhouse and some picnic tables.
Thor pulled into the rest area with me right on his tail.
Beside us, the sedan flashed past on the main road, with the remainder of the bikers chasing close behind.
I brought the car to a stop and dropped my head to rest on the steering wheel. I started to shake. Tears rolled down my face.
When the tap sounded on my window I lifted my head. Thor motioned me to roll down my window. I fumbled for the control before managing to lower the glass.
Thor ran his hands through his hair, pulling it away from his face. “Deuce is on his way.”
I looked at the empty highway. I couldn’t stop shaking.
Thor followed my line of sight and shook his head. “You’re okay. That asshole won’t be back. The guys will take care of it.”
“Thank you. Thank all of you.” I didn’t ask what that meant.
Part of me hoped it was a permanent solution, but that didn’t solve my main problem.
Someone wanted me, and it was starting to look like alive was optional.
I shuddered to think where I’d be if Deuce and Rattler hadn’t been behind that van when this all started.
The rumble of a motorcycle sounded in the distance, growing louder as it approached. It came into view, and I fixated on the way the sun glinted off the chrome.
Deuce. It had to be Deuce. I needed it to be Deuce.
* * *
Deuce
I barely managed to get off the bike before Sophia threw herself at me, sobbing. I wrapped my arms around her and looked over at Thor. He nodded in answer to my silent question. One less asshole left in this world.
In a short time, Sophia had become my whole world. I needed to feel her warm body against me to convince myself she was okay. She’d escaped their clutches. Again.
We needed to find out who “they” were, and we needed to do it fast. My heart couldn’t take many more messages like that one.
The current threat had been eliminated, but he was just a hired gun. Until we found out who the head honcho behind the trafficking ring was, Sophia wouldn’t be safe. No woman in the area would.