Chapter Nine
HE WANTED TO crawl out of his skin.
Actually, he wanted to go hunting through town until he found the fuckhead who threatened Beth and make sure he spent the very short rest of his life in excruciating pain.
“Are you pissed at me?” she asked after sitting that pert ass on his motorcycle. The one he’d spent the last few days trying not to think about.
He breathed, rolling his shoulders back. Was he pissed? Fuck yes. At her? A little.
“No.”
Beth grunted in the same way Copper did when in disbelief. “You’re acting like you’re pissed at me.”
“Beth.” He pinched the bridge of his nose.
“What is your problem?” She huffed and threw her hands in the air.
His eyes immediately went to the strip of stomach showing as her tight tank top shifted with the movement.
“I’m sorry that you got stuck babysitting me this afternoon.
I certainly didn’t ask for this. You’re more than welcome to drop me off at home and go do whatever the hell you have to do. ”
Fire shot from her eyes. Part of him felt a surge of pride. Just last week, she’d been injured and threatened by a man, and instead of cowering, she’d stood up to a damn outlaw today. The other part of him wanted to throttle her for her carelessness and stupidity.
He leaned down until their noses nearly brushed.
Beth sucked in a breath and stopped hollering.
“You told a wannabe gangster to fuck off. So, yeah, I’m fucking pissed. Today could have ended very differently for you. We could be scraping you off the side of the goddamn highway, or your fucking family could be searching for you while some psycho holds you in his basement.”
Christ, his heart was racing as horrifying images ran through his mind.
“So what the hell should I have done, huh? Cowered and let him see how terrified I was? Fuck no,” she spat out with a harsh swipe of her arm. “I lived that for too long. Never again. I refuse to cower to any man.”
She proved her point, yelling at him in front of the clubhouse without apprehension. Him, a man who could snap her in half with ease. Equal parts brave and stupid.
But still, her courage and conviction took the wind out of his sails. He exhaled a long pent-up breath as he nodded. “Okay.”
Frowning, she blinked. “Okay?”
“Yes.” It would take a few minutes for his rage to cool to a simmer, but the ride to Beth’s house should help. “I get it. I respect it.” She had no idea how much. “Sometimes, I get a little… intense about the safety of people I ca… know.”
She huffed a breath. “Ya think?”
He responded with a smirk.
After a hefty inhale, Beth sighed. “I get it. I didn’t know anything about him, his intentions, or how dangerous he was. Antagonizing him might have been… less than smart.”
Saint grunted. That was one way of putting it.
“It’s just… after what happened with Jason and the way I did nothing for so long, another man using his size and strength to overpower me made me so angry. All I could think about was how I refused to let it happen again.”
Before his brain clocked his intentions, he lifted his hand to cup her cheek.
No woman deserved to be intimidated by a man, and he couldn’t fault her for fighting back the best way she knew how.
Thankfully, before he crossed the line and touched her, his good sense kicked back online, and he reached for his spare helmet instead. “Let’s get you home, killer.”
Beth snorted and rolled her eyes as he plopped the helmet on her head.
Once he had it in place and buckled, she smiled at him, making his damn cock twitch.
She looked hot as hell astride his bike with her green eyes sparkling at him.
She still wore a light layer of makeup to hide the fading bruises, but they’d mostly disappeared, giving her a fresh, bright appearance.
If she were any other single woman, he’d lean in to steal a kiss.
But this was Beth, and if he did that, it’d likely be the last thing he ever did.
Her effortlessly sexy smile was making it difficult to care about the consequences.
“Let’s roll,” she said.
Saint forced himself to turn away and climb on the bike. As soon as his ass hit the seat, her hands settled on his sides like two brands searing him through his clothes. It’d take nothing for her to slide them forward and cup his dick, which was growing more interested by the second.
“Fuck my life,” he muttered as he fired up the bike.
“What was that?” Beth yelled in his ear.
He shook his head. “Nothing, just thinking out loud.”
They took off, heading for Copper and Shell’s house, where Beth had been staying since she came home. Did she enjoy it there? It had to be nice to spend time with her parents and younger siblings, but after years on her own, moving back in with them couldn’t have been easy.
About five minutes into his ride, the Bluetooth on his helmet made an announcement. “You have one new message. Play message from Stillman?” the robotic feminine voice spoke in his ear.
The old friend he’d told Copper he’d contact for information about the mystery bikers in town. And that was before one of them approached Beth. Now, he didn’t just want to speak to Stillman, he needed to talk to the guy. Getting information had gone from helpful to necessary in less than an hour.
“Yes, play message,” he replied.
“Playing one new message from Stillman. Yo, Lee, long time. I’ll be out at The Barn for another twenty minutes. Get there before I leave if you want to chat.”
Shit.
He immediately pulled over to the side of the road so he could safely answer the message.
“What’s wrong?” Beth asked as he slowed the bike.
“Have to answer a text.”
“Oh, okay.”
He stared down at his phone. Twenty minutes was not enough time to drop Beth off at home and get out to The Barn, as they used to call their old hangout.
Back in his late teen years and early twenties, Saint spent many nights out at the abandoned barn getting high with that crowd.
Looked like not much had changed for Stillman.
Even if he headed straight there, he’d be cutting it close.
“Fuck,” he muttered as he tried to puzzle through a plan.
“What’s wrong?”
He glanced over his shoulder to find her watching him with concerned eyes. “Nothing. I have to meet someone to get some information about these bikers, and I don’t have enough time to drop you off before he leaves where he’s at.”
“Oh.” She shrugged. “Easy, just bring me. I don’t have anything going on.”
“Hell no.” Over his dead body would he bring her around that crowd. They were unpredictable at best and extremely violent at worst. “It’s not safe.”
Her arms came around his waist in a hug as she settled her chin on his shoulder. “You’re being stubborn.”
“Trust me, this is not a place you want to be. Copper would peel my balls if I took you along. It’s not even a place I want to be.”
“Sure, but it doesn’t sound like you have any other options.”
“I’ll figure something out.” He stared down at his phone, but nothing came to him. He could call Gator to pick up Beth, but it’d take too long, same with returning her to the clubhouse.
“You’re wasting time,” she sing-songed with a smug hint in her voice. “Don’t think Copper will be too happy if you let this opportunity pass by.”
“Fuck.” Saint grunted. “You’re a little shit, you know that?” He was truly wedged between a rock and an incredibly hard place.
Beth squealed and wiggled behind him. She knew she had him backed into a corner.
This was an opportunity he couldn’t pass up.
When he’d texted Stillman earlier, he’d never expected to receive a response.
At least not for a few days. He tended to go off the grid and spend days at a time in a drug-induced stupor.
If he didn’t make it to The Barn in time, who the hell knew when Saint would get another opportunity to pump him for information?
And as of now, Saint’s former friend might be their only potential lead.
“Fine,” he said over his shoulder. “You’re coming, but I swear to God, Beth, if you don’t glue yourself to my side while we’re there, I’ll spank your ass, fuck what Copper thinks.”
She stilled behind him, and he groaned. God, how stupid could he be? Her boyfriend had just hit her, and he’d threatened to put his hands on her. Not that he ever would. It was just talk, but still.
Fucking idiot.
“Sorry,” he said quickly. “I’d never lay a hand on you in anger, Beth. I hope you know that.”
She cleared her throat. “Um… yeah… of course I know that. You were mouthing off. No big deal.” Her voice dropped an octave, sounding huskier than usual.
It almost sounded turned on. But there was no way, right?
She’d just gotten out of an abusive relationship.
The last thing she needed was another man’s hands on her, even if those hands would worship rather than wound.
Christ, that would be a complication neither of them needed.
Hiding his attraction to her was one thing, but knowing she wanted him as well would make it nearly impossible to stay away.
Her weight disappeared from his back as she straightened, but kept her hands resting on his hips enough to stay safe behind him.
He hit the throttle and sped off, faster than the law would like, but time was not on his side. Mountain views zoomed by, something he’d usually appreciate, but today he had a single-minded focus—get to The Barn before Stillman left, and his chance to help his club went up in smoke.
They rolled to a stop in front of the dilapidated barn with five minutes to spare.
Behind him, Beth tensed, which he took as a good sign. She should be tense. This place was a shithole, crawling with people who’d slit her throat to get at five dollars in her wallet.