Chapter Five
Traeger felt her shiver. He was an excellent people watcher. He excelled at his job as the Sergeant at Arms for the Royal Sons and a former military officer. Keeping Kailani safe was one job he planned to excel at for a completely different reason, but he refused to define it.
”You ready?” he asked, steering her toward the SUV.
Kailani jumped at his touch, something he wasn”t pleased with. ”Yes, we can go now.”
Her words had his brows lowering. ”King, you good?”
The President of the Royal Sons pocketed his cell phone after Tiana returned it. The younger girl wiped her eyes, a small smile on her face. King tucked her under his arm like a father would do a young child. ”Yeah, we”re good. Check-in when you get where you”re going,” he ordered.
Traeger lifted two fingers to his forehead, saluting the other man. King raised his middle finger. ”Don”t get cocky, fucker. These boys aren”t lowlifes without resources. Reach out to some of our other brothers if needed. Otherwise, I”ll see you in a couple of days.” King didn”t make it a request.
He nodded, letting the club president know he understood and would do as instructed. Of course, Traeger planned to do a little side job in those couple days that might land him behind bars, but that was a risk he was willing to take. Since Traeger met the gorgeous woman next to him, an innate sense within him told him to keep her safe. There was no doubt in his mind he”d do anything to ensure she wouldn”t have to be looking over her shoulder for the rest of her life, fearing for her safety. Not if he had a say in the matter.
At the side of the SUV, he helped her into the middle seat, waiting until she scooted in, then he moved next to her. When she didn”t buckle in immediately, he reached over, grabbed the belt, and snapped it into place. ”Safety first,” he said, looking into her eyes. Her breathing became faster. At that moment, he wanted to kiss her so fucking badly that his dick hardened faster than a speeding bullet.
”What are you doing?” Her question came out in a breathless whisper.
It took a considerable effort to move back and not cover her plump lips with his own. ”We need to make sure you”re safe. You never know what kind of fools are on the road.” He pulled his seatbelt on, waiting for Coal to start the vehicle.
”Safety first, boys and girls,” Coal said, revving the engine. ”This bad boy can hit zero to sixty faster than your little vehicle.” He looked over his shoulder, his shaggy hair giving him a bad boy, devil may care look, but the tattoos really gave him the appearance that sealed the deal. Coal was a good guy, but he”d been in and out of prison until King got him straightened out, giving him a purpose. That purpose had been to drive the cage cars legally for the MC instead of procuring one off the street for a joyride, selling it to a chop shop for some cash to buy his next fix. Yeah, Coal was doing better, much better. Now, he fixed the rides on four or two wheels for the club and helped the ole’ ladies when needed. If the ole” ladies needed a pickup or drop off, he was there to do it when their men couldn”t and ensured their rides went smoothly when they went on a mission.
He was level, of that they were sure, but he also had a lead foot, which he put to good use as they left a good amount of rubber on the asphalt, making Traeger want to reach up and choke the fool. ”Coal, you wanna see the next sunrise? I suggest you let up on the gas, brother.” Traeger unclenched his teeth long enough to grit out.
Coal”s chuckle had Traeger rethinking, allowing the man the ability to see the next sunrise.
”Gotcha, boss,” Coal said, winking at Kailani through the rearview.
”Motherfucker, keep your eyes forward,” Traeger warned.
His tone must”ve gotten through to his fellow MC as Coal finally stopped jacking around, his gaze going toward the road. The speed went lower to where Traeger was no longer pressing his back into the seat from the force. Smart man.
”You doing alright?” he asked Kailani.
She turned from looking out the window, her tan complexion not as pale as it had been moments before. ”Yeah. I”ll be better once you guys drop me off, though.”
He nodded, keeping the reality of what would happen once they got to her car from her. No way on god”s green Earth was he leaving her to fend for herself. Nope, he and the feisty little woman next to him were going to go to plan B, which was finding a little place to stash her sexy little ass, get some info from her, then he was going hunting.
”What”s going on in that big noggin” of yours, Mr. I mean, Traeger? Is that your real name or code name? Who are you guys?” she asked.
He”d been waiting for her to ask, knowing they didn”t look like cops or some other alphabet agency. Sure, he used to work for the government, but if anyone saw him or any member of the Royal Sons, they”d see what they were. Big, badass, tattooed motherfuckers who gave no quarter. ”We”re the ones who are going to make sure your brother and whoever thought to take Tiana see the error of their ways.” He didn”t need to tell her how they planned to accomplish that; her eyes, eyes that had seen way too much in her young life, already knew.
”My father... he”s not always been a terrible man. I mean...” she looked away before continuing. ”He”s not been the best padre, but it wasn”t until after my mother died that he lost his compasión.”
He wasn”t sure the man was ever genuinely compassionate or if he”d presented that face to his daughter and wife, but from what Keys had dug up, the elder Trevino was every bit as deplorable as his son. He just hid it better. Or maybe he only did it away from his home. Either way, both Trevino men made their money from selling drugs and females. They didn”t care if they were old enough to be legal as long as they were a commodity. Keys had also come up with some information regarding her mother that was a little disconcerting, something he wasn”t ready to share with the feisty little woman. ”Come on, we need to go,” he said as the SUV rocked to a stop next to the Jeep they”d located. He approved her vehicle choice, shocked she hadn”t chosen a flashy little number like the one they”d gotten into at her home.
”Do I get to drive?” she asked, a little bite to the question.
Traeger raised one brow but said nothing else. Her backpack swung forward from her arm. However, she didn”t offer to relinquish it when he held his hand out. He understood why. She had everything she”d need to start over inside there. He wanted to reassure her they”d help her. ”Get in and buckle up. I hope this thing isn”t a pussy four-cylinder.”
Kailani shrugged. ”Nope, it”s a special edition with everything you”d need to go off-roading. The company told me that if I decided to go down a rock cliff, I”d be safe in Ruby Jean.” She smirked.
”You named him Ruby Jean?” Traeger held the passenger door open for her after he ensured no surprises were inside, approving the black leather with red details. Sweet ride, he silently agreed. If you were going to drive in a cage that could become a rolling convertible, it should be one that was a badass beast of a rig.
”It”s a Rubicon, and well, my mother”s name was Jean.” Sadness crept in at the mention of her mother”s name.
He decided to change the subject. ”Toss your bag by your feet unless you want to put it in the back?” As expected, she stiffened when he pointed out her reluctance to release her backpack.
”Nah, I”ll keep it with me. What”s your plan?” Kailani looked back at the SUV that seemed to be waiting for a sign from her rescuer.
Traeger gave a wave, then did like he”d done in the SUV. He leaned over her, buckling her in.
SHE SUCKED IN A brEATH, her nipples hardening at the feel of his forearm brushing across them. Her reaction to him was startling, any man really, since the only thing she”d felt had been repulsion. They”d given her all kinds of things to get her to enjoy what they”d done to her, but in the end, her body and mind warred with one another, leaving her shaking, sweating, and often throwing up. The men her brother did business with were sick bastards who didn”t seem to care one way or the other, just as long as they got what they wanted. Another shiver shook her. This time, she pushed it back faster, keeping Traeger from seeing it. She”d become a master at hiding her fears and memories.
His huge frame was highlighted in the headlights when he strolled in front of the Jeep. He lifted his head, looking around the area, speaking to someone she couldn”t see. She knew without being told they had some high-tech equipment in their ears. Her brother and his mercenaries had them as well. Of course, they had them to communicate if the police or FBI happened to show up. She leaned back against the warm leather. How many times had she wished for one of the government types to bust through the doors, their guns blazing? Heck, she wouldn”t have even cared if she”d been a casualty. A mirthless laugh escaped as Traeger opened the driver”s door. She”d thought she”d find peace once she escaped from her family. Instead, it looked as though she”d found another keeper.
”What”s that laugh for?” he asked.
She shook her head, knowing he wouldn”t understand. ”Nothing,” she answered.
”I can wait all night, you know. I”ve got the patience of a saint.” He tapped the wheel with one long finger.
Kailani looked at his fingers, noticing he had tattoos on them. ”I bet you do,” she murmured, wondering how much talent lay in those fingers. If she were going to die, she truly wanted to experience all the things she”d missed out on.
”Girl, I suggest you stop that train of thought before it gets you in trouble.”
Her eyes jerked toward his face at his deep growl. ”What?”
His dark eyes held so much heat and knowledge. ”You know what. Now, tell me what you meant.”
Frustration bit at her. ”Fine,” she bit out. ”I was thinking about all the times I”d wished the cops or feds had shown up and how it wouldn”t have mattered if I”d have died in the firefight. There, you happy now?”
Traeger”s eyes widened. A sound unlike any she”d heard escaped him seconds before he unbuckled her belt, and then he shocked her even more by pulling her across the small space, which wasn”t an easy thing to do, settling her on his lap sideways. ”Don”t ever let me hear you say that ever again. Do you hear me? Your life is worth more than twenty of those lowlife motherfucking bastards of a brother and father of yours. No matter what happens, you fight. Understand me?” He gripped her chin, making her look him in the eye. ”Answer me,” he said, not letting her go.
Kailani”s breath came out in a whoosh. Her heart banged against her chest...the feel of her throat tightening made perspiration bead on her forehead. The thought of what was to come, a life on the run from her family, finally hit her. Her family was bad, really bad. No, scratch that. They were below the scum of the Earth, and she had the scars, inside and out, to prove it. Fear threatened to choke her as her throat went dry. She licked her lips, trying to alleviate the dryness, coughing as she realized she couldn”t.
”Are you going to be sick?” Traeger asked. His gaze flicked to the road and then back at her.
In all honesty, she couldn”t say yes or no.
His arms came around her, pulling her close, and then his lips covered hers, licking over her dry mouth, taking away all thoughts of fear, and god help her, she loved it. She wrapped her arms around his neck, forgetting everything but the intoxicating man beneath her.
Seconds or maybe minutes passed, and then he was pulling back. ”Shit, we can”t do this here.” He gently lifted her off him, but not before she felt the hardness beneath her hips.
The vehicle behind them had its lights on bright. Embarrassment nearly had Kailani fumbling onto the floorboard, but then she reminded herself that Traeger had kissed her. She didn”t want to think of how she”d responded. ”Why”d you kiss me?” she asked.
”Buckle up, babe,” he said instead of answering her question.
Kailani wanted to press him for answers, but the revving of the SUV, followed by a flashing of headlights, stalled any further conversation. She hastily pulled her belt on, fumbling to get it into place. ”You realize that you are bossy, right?”
Traeger flashed her a grin, his white teeth gleaming in the dark interior. ”You ain”t seen nothing yet.”
She wasn”t sure why his words excited her when other men repulsed her. She only knew her time was numbered in days instead of years and would grab what she could with both hands. ”Bring it on, big guy.”
Neither said anything else while he pulled her Jeep onto the road. She”d noticed they”d run a device around it and her backpack, clearly searching for a tracker. Not once had she thought about her family knowing about her little out that she”d been planning for over a year.
Nerves tightened the muscles in her stomach. She kept looking in the side mirror while Traeger drove, something she noticed he did, too. ”Are we being followed?”
”Nope, we”re good. Did you have a destination in mind?” Traeger signaled toward the next exit.
Kailani tensed, wondering where they were going. She”d thought they”d at least go as far as Los Angeles, which would”ve been a three-and-a-half-hour drive from her home in San Diego. Fear settled in her stomach. Had she jumped from the frying pan into the fire? Were these men actually working with her brother? Had Rico set this up, and was he now waiting for her at some undisclosed location? Madre de Dios knew what he did to his enemies and what he did to women he considered traitors.
”Are you part of my brother”s network?” The question felt like sawdust in her mouth. It took her two tries to get the words out of her parched throat. She fumbled to open the backpack, wondering if she could use the mace kept inside on the man sitting next to her.
”What?” he asked, glancing at her sideways. ”You think I”d work for a sick fuck like him? The answer is hell no. And before you think to use anything in that big ass bag of yours, know that I”ve been through more training on how to withstand pain than anything you can throw at me, so don”t even think of it,” he warned.
She sat back, pulling her bag onto her lap. ”How did you know?”
He tipped his chin toward her and then looked back at the dark road. ”You”ve very expressive eyes.”
She turned to see the vehicle following them. The SUV carrying the young girl she”d rescued had yet to take the same exit. ”Where are you taking me?”
Traeger”s fingers tapped the wheel. ”A friend of mine owns a place along the beach in Santa Maria. I figure we can lay low there a couple of days, then we”ll rendezvous with my brothers. By then, King will have more information for us.”
From the tone of his voice, he didn”t seem to like babysitting her. ”You know, you could just let me go, and I”ll take care of myself.”
”Princess, you”ll be dead within twelve hours if I leave you to your own devices,” he growled.
His words and choice of nickname had her anger flashing. ”First of all, don”t call me that. Second, I got me and that girl Tiana out from under my brother and his men”s noses, did I not?”
”You sure did. However, are you forgetting those men were swarming the property before you and she ever got into your sporty little convertible? Had we not shown up when we did, and my brother Keys hadn”t done his thing with the security, they”d have known you two had shimmied out the window two seconds after you did it. Your brother and his men would”ve been waiting for you both at the bottom of your window.” He finished speaking without looking at her.
”Bullshit! Maybe you guys showing up is what alerted Rico to our leaving.” She gritted out, sitting back with a huff, crossing her arms over her chest. Honestly, she didn”t know which of them was right but wanted to think it was he and his brothers, or whatever they were, who”d alerted Rico. She”d known their movements and what she could and couldn”t do to get in and out without detection. Heck, she”d done it countless times, which she couldn”t help but point out to the big man sitting beside her.
When the silence stretched, she turned to stare out the window, watching the stars above her.
”Alright, I”ll concede it could”ve been us who tipped him off, but Keys is usually too good to do that,” Traeger said, breaking into the silence.