Chapter 13
Daisy
If it hadn’t been for the loud engines and the cool air on my arms, I would have passed out on the bike. After the adrenaline wore off, I was exhausted. Even though it was hard to look him in the eye, being smashed up against his back was comforting.
I had never been on a bike, and it was nice for the first hour. But after riding all night and most of the day, my back and my ass hurt. I thought swinging on poles and walking in platforms was hard work, but staying alert and keeping your posture on a bike for a damn day was a lot. We only stopped a couple of times for gas and short bathroom breaks.
Still, it kept my mind occupied, so all I was focused on was keeping my arms tight around my biker and not falling off. It probably wouldn’t be a good idea to keep thinking of him as my biker. I only allowed myself to think that because I thought I was about to die. Because of him, I didn’t.
Once we got where we were going, I’d have to find somewhere to stay. A hotel for Lacy and I would be fine so far away. And we could find work. There were strip clubs all over. Before I left my previous club, I had actually researched a few places in Atlanta. I’d always wanted to live somewhere without snow. I should have moved to the South when I had the chance. Maybe I wouldn’t be on the run with a group of strange men on bikes if I had.
But I also wouldn’t have met him. It occurred to me I didn’t know his name. But to be fair, he didn’t know mine. Dixie was just a stage name. Tony gave it to me because I had mentioned wanting to move to Georgia some day during the wooing phase. Now I wanted to forget that name. I’d die happy if I never heard it again. Maybe staying in Georgia wouldn’t be a good idea.
We started to slow so my body jerked back to alert. I looked around as we turned down a driveway but all I could see was trees. We drove at least a mile on the worn pavement before we came to a clearing. My heart raced as I looked around. It all looked eerily similar to where we were forced to stay. Except, instead of a bunch of black SUVs, there were some older trucks, a car, and a shit ton of bikes.
There also was a huge metal building with garage doors, and two houses could be seen across the property. There was one extra little building attached to the big one by a corridor or something. As we pulled closer to the garage, a few men walked out of the smaller building. They all had the same vests on, and all were damn giants like my biker. Like this guy . I had to stop that .
Once we stopped, I climbed off the bike and unsnapped the helmet as I looked around. My stomach started forming knots when I saw several women looking out from the doorway. Did I just walk straight into another fucking trap?
Unsure of anything, I looked down with a scowl as the biker, not my biker, held his hand out. His brow furrowed but he dropped his hand down. “Let’s get you inside.”
I took a few steps back and looked over at Lacy. She was hugging herself as the guy she rode with secured the helmets and grabbed a small bag from that thing near the seat. I couldn’t remember what it was called. With my hand still low, I waved her over.
She looked over at the guy and said something I couldn’t make out before she came over. I grabbed her hand. “Can I have a second to talk to my friend?”
His lips thinned, but he nodded and walked toward his friends. When I thought he was out of earshot, I pulled her closer. “I think we need to leave.”
Her blonde hair was smashed down, the curls she had done the night before turned into a rat’s nest. I couldn’t tell if her makeup was running, or she had the worst dark circles I’d ever seen under her eyes. “Hon, I’m exhausted. I just want to go lay down. He said we can shower and sleep, then we’ll figure out what to do.”
“Lacy, we don’t even know them. And does this,” I waved my hand behind me toward the buildings, “not look familiar? What if they try to do the same thing we just ran from?”
She glanced around and her shoulders sagged. “Well now that you say that...Fuck. But we don’t know where we are. And I counted three hundred bucks when we stopped. How much do you got?”
“About a grand. I’ve been stashing some. I had to leave most of it behind because he was dragging us away.” That would get us a change of clothes, some food, and a hotel but only for a few days. “Dammit.”
“What do we do? We’re kinda far away from civilization.”
She was right. I was a little out of it from exhaustion, but I don’t remember seeing anything for miles, and even the driveway to get here was long as hell. Still, I wasn’t going from one fucked up situation to another.
“I know you’re tired, but so am I. Can you run?”
“I can try?” she said more as a question than a statement.
“Okay, when I say, we both tear off through the woods so they can’t just drive after us. We’ll have at least a head start. And you go, don’t look back even if you hear me scream, okay? Don’t be a hero. Just keep going until you find a gas station or even a house if you lose me, okay?”
I pulled her in for a tight hug. We both shook, even though it wasn’t cold outside. We didn’t have long to use up this second wind, but I couldn’t let us stay and endure more of what we just left.
“Thank you, Daisy. You’re the best person I know. We’ll catch up with each other, okay? But you run hard. Promise me?”
I nodded, then kissed her cheek. Without looking back, I took in a deep breath, then blew it out. “Go.”
We both headed toward the woods at a run, and I lost a shoe as soon as we crossed into the trees. Fucking slip-ons. But I didn’t stop even though there were pinecones and rocks not only stabbing into my bare foot, but the one with a shoe still on. It hurt, but not enough to slow down. Shouts came from behind us, and they were getting closer. “Go, go, go!” I yelled without looking back.
My chest was already getting tight but my legs were going hard. Loud footsteps were getting closer behind us, and my lungs were on fire. Then from around a huge tree, a man with a damn vest came out of nowhere with a scowl.
Voices from behind called out, but they were shouting to him. “Stop them, dammit!”
“Break left, Lacy!” I yelled, but before I could blink again, she was being tackled down and I couldn’t help but slow as I watched my only friend pinned by the man she rode here with.
And that brief slow-down was enough for me to be caught. Heat flooded my face as tears filled my eyes and I screamed as I tumbled to the ground. Not from fear, but from rage. From defeat. For my sheer, shitty fucking luck.
A deep voice growled into my ear. “Hey, what they fuck? Just calm down.”
I squirmed and kicked but my arms were pinned. Sobs climbed my chest and poured out of my throat. The strong hands flipped me on my back, and I was staring into hazel eyes. He was panting and his brows were pinched tight, but his eyes didn’t seem angry. They searched my face as I fought the tears from coming, he loosened his grip but was still straddling my body.
His thumb swiped over my cheek, then the other and a low rumble was in his chest. “I’m not going to hurt you. I’m not gonna let anyone hurt you. But you can’t take off like this. Let us help.” He pulled a piece of pine straw from my hair then tucked some loose strands behind my ear. “Let me help you.”
Something in his tone threatened to break through my walls, but more footsteps were coming closer, and I looked away, remembering where we were. I glanced over to see Lacy standing, being held around the waist by the man she rode here with. An older woman with short, sandy-colored hair, wearing torn jeans, boots and a t-shirt came running toward us and practically threw the man off of me.
“Well, don’t scare her. Shit.” She knelt down next to me and ran her hand gently over my head, stroking my hair. “They mean well, sweetie. They’re just used to brute force. Are you okay?”
Tears began to well up in my eyes again at the woman’s touch. It was gentle. Her voice was soothing. She seemed…motherly. Something I didn’t know much about. She grabbed my hand and helped me sit up.
“I think so. My ankle feels a bit weird, but I’ll be okay.”
She pulled me from the ground, but when I tried to put weight on my foot, my ankle started to give and sharp pain shot up my leg and down to my toes. The biker grabbed me and before I could protest, he lifted me up like he was going to carry me over the threshold to our newlywed room or something.
Exhaustion started to sink in, and I melted into his warmth. But if I was going to stay here, I needed to know something. “Hey, what’s your name?”
“Falcon. And I don’t think you’re really Dixie. I’d love to know your name if you feel like sharing.”
I wiggled so I could lay my head more comfortably against him as he carried me out of the woods. “It’s not Dixie. But I don’t think Falcon is your real name, either.”
He grinned down. It was the first time I’d seen him appear pleased. He’d smirked, but not really smiled until now. Even though it wasn’t a full smile, I wondered if that was as good as it would get from him. He lowered his head and whispered, “Derek. But nobody’s called me that in years.”
I sighed. I didn’t have any identification with me anyway, so what harm could sharing my first name do? Plus, he told me his. “It’s Daisy. Which ironically still sounds like a stripper name.”
“Explains the tat. It’s nice. It suits you. Pretty, but tough.”
I hardly felt tough. I got myself into so much shit. Then I couldn’t escape when given a golden opportunity. Now I had to just go along with this and hope these people were genuine. Something in his eyes made me feel safe, but I had already lied to myself enough times to fuck my whole life over. I had to be smart. But I wanted to believe him. Believe all of them.
We made it back to the clearing and headed toward the building. My eyes started to roll back, and my lids were heavy. Something about being carried, his warmth, and the slight sway from his gait lulled me to sleep before we made it to the door.