Chapter 12
Of all things that could happen to me today, this is the last thing I needed; stranded on the side of the road miles away from Stillwater as smoke billows out from under the hood of my car.
I’ve been working at The Ape Hanger for almost a week and for my first day off, all I wanted to do was to take an afternoon out for myself and cross into Clydesdale, a town about an hour’s drive away, grab a bite to eat, maybe do a little retail therapy.
Anything to help me forget all the shit with my dad and his constant passive aggressiveness where law school is concerned.
I wanted to flush out the traitorous thoughts I have regarding a certain bearded biker who has invaded my mind far more than I’d like, and instead I’m stood here in the middle of butt-fuck nowhere with nothing but my own thoughts to keep me company, the exact thoughts I’ve been trying to silence.
There’s no signal out here, so trying to call for help is pointless.
I climb up onto the trunk and let me legs dangle off the end, staring down the endless road that disappears into the distance.
There’s nothing out here, except for a few cows in the field to my left and a wide expanse of nothing to my right.
All I can do is wait, and hope that someone comes along soon so I can hitch a ride back to town while also hoping they’re not a murderer or a rapist and I end up bundled into the trunk of a car never to be seen again.
The autumn sun is warm on my skin, but there’s a slight chill in the air as a strong breeze sweeps through, blowing a piece of tumbleweed across the road. With nothing else to do, I watch the breeze carry it away until it blends into the nothingness that surrounds me.
After what feels like an hour, the deep rumble of an engine has my head snapping up, my heart lifting as a black truck approaches me. Thank god. I jump off the trunk and wave down the driver, but as the truck nears me, I snag a glance at the driver and I groan.
When I said earlier that my car breaking down was the last thing I needed, I lied. The last thing I needed today was the first car in forever to pass by me to be driven by none other than Killian fucking Hunt.
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” I mumble as Killian pulls up in front of my car and switches off the engine before swinging out the driver’s door.
He’s dressed in his usual black t-shirt that hugs every chiselled inch of his upper body and the ripped jeans that ride low on his hips. I realise too late that I’ve been eyeing him up for far too long because his mouth stretches into a knowing grin. “You need rescuing, darlin’?”
I fold my arms over my chest, lifting my chin. “Not by you.”
“Ouch.” He slaps his hand to his chest like he’s offended while he rounds the side of my car, leans in and pulls the lever that pops the hood. “You know, for someone stranded on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere, it sure looks like you do.”
“Remember what I was saying a while back about Ted Bundy?” I ask.
He laughs, lifting the hood to take a look at the problem. “How could I forget being likened to a serial killer? It’s one of the few highlights of my life,” he says sarcastically, shooting me a sideways glance.
“Could you maybe not enjoy this so much?”
He rests a hand against my car and turns to me. “Why would I enjoy having to rescue a pretentious princess off the side of the road who very clearly doesn’t want me here?”
“Pretentious?” I scoff. “Are you serious?”
How dare he?
“You clearly have a very low opinion of me and a very high opinion of yourself. I guess the apple doesn’t fall far from the Watson family tree, huh?”
I stumble backwards, the reference to my father comes at me like one of his punches last week.
That one hurt.
“I wondered how long it was gonna take for you to bring up my father. Are you ever going to let this stupid little grudge go?”
He barks a laugh. “Oh, you have no idea how far this stupid little grudge goes for me. Besides, it’s kind of hard considering he just got Myles’ fiancée suspended.”
I stop. “He what?”
“I’m surprised you didn’t know since you seem to know me and my club so well, I’d have thought you’d be all clued up on what daddy’s up to.”
“You do realise I’m not privy to what my father does, right? I barely even speak to him and he only acknowledges I’m there when I’ve done something to upset him.”
“And yet you still believe everything he’s told you about me and my club. You know what you are? You’re a hypocrite.”
“H—How am I a hypocrite?”
“What was it you said before? You can make up your own mind about me? Yet all you’ve done since we met is judge me based on the shit your father has told you despite not even attempting to get to know me.”
“Then stop proving him right! You know what, forget it. Just go on with your day and forget you ever saw me, okay? I don’t need your help.”
“Oh, okay. If you’re sure.” He shrugs, slamming the hood closed then turns back towards his truck.
I watch him retreat, thinking on what he said. It struck a cord because deep down I know it’s true. I am a hypocrite. Even knowing what my father is like, I let his opinions of the club dictate my own.
“Killian, wait!” I call after him and his hand stills on the door handle. “You’re right, okay? And I’m sorry. I am a hypocrite. Just… please don’t leave,” I continue. “My car was smoking and I have no idea what to do.”
He spins to face me, a flash of amusement crossing his features. “Say it again.”
I frown. “Say what again?”
“You know exactly what I’m talking about.”
I roll my eyes. The asshole’s enjoying this. “Please. I’m sorry, okay? Please will you help me?”
He considers it for a moment, dragging out the suspense just toy with me. “Since you asked so nicely,” he says with a grin before heading back over to me.
I cross my arms over my chest. “You don’t have to be so smug about it.”
His grin widens. “Will it start?”
I round the front of the car and climb in behind the wheel and turn the ignition, but I get no response from the engine.
“Pop the hood, would you?” he calls from outside the car.
I pull the lever before joining him as he lifts the hood and flicks the arm up that keeps it in place. He pokes around for a moment, fiddling and wiggling things and all I can do is watch.
“What do you think is wrong with it?”
He pulls back and scratches his forehead, that response alone not filling me with much hope. “You said it was smoking? Engine must’ve overheated. My best guess is it’s probably a blown head gasket or a faulty cooling system.”
“Can you fix it?”
He raises an eyebrow. “I know bikes, babe, not cars. Besides, there’s nothing I can do without tools,” he tells me. He glances down at his watch and curses under his breath. “Look, I uh, I have somewhere to be right now, but… I guess I can give you a ride if you want?”
“Yeah, no. I’m good, but thanks.” No way am I getting in a car with him. He might be trying to help me out with my car, but I still don’t trust him.
“So you’re just gonna stand out here for the next few hours in the hopes another car comes by?”
“I’ll just walk back to town. It’s not that far.”
“You sure?” He glances up at the sky which looks menacingly gloomy, thick dark clouds rolling in, carried by the wind that has strengthened since I’ve been out here. “Looks like it’s gonna rain. I can give you a ride and get one of the guys to give it a tow back into town.”
“Cool, I’ll just ride back with one of them.”
“It won’t be for a few hours. There’s no signal out here, and there’s somewhere I need to be. So, you can come with me or enjoy the rainstorm. Your choice.” He slams the hood closed and retreats back to his truck.
The first spot of rain lands square on my forehead and judging by the colour of the sky above me, I don’t think I want to be out here when the rain comes.
Fuck my life.
I race around my car to retrieve my bag before chasing after Killian. “Hey, wait up!”
I swing open the passenger door of his truck and climb in, and the second the door closes, the heavens open and a torrent of rain batters the truck, raindrops bouncing off the hood as a deep rumble of thunder crackles above us.
“So where are we going?” I ask, clipping my seat belt into place and pulling it tight around me as he pulls out onto the road.
“Just an errand,” he says dismissively.
It’s clear he’s not going to tell me no matter how many times I ask, so I don’t bother pushing, I’ll find out sooner or later anyway. But there’s something niggling in the back of my mind that’s telling me I’m not going to like where we’re going.
Many miles down the road, the rain has eased to a miserable drizzle though the clouds above us are thick and heavy, threatening more rain, and I can only imagine the air outside the truck is just as palpable as it is inside.
The atmosphere filling the cab is so thick you could cut through it with a blunt butter knife. I don’t want to be here any more than Killian does, which is why we’ve spent the last twenty minutes in total silence, and not a comfortable one.
It’s awkward as fuck.
I fidget with my hands in my lap, not entirely sure where to put them or where exactly to look.
I force my eyes out the passenger window but all there is to look at is wide empty farmland that doesn’t seems to change no matter how many miles we rack up, trying my best—and failing miserably—to fight the urge to look across to Killian.
As much as I hate him right now, I can’t ignore his presence sitting beside me. It’s potent.
Out the corner of my eye, his thick tattooed forearms are on full display beneath the black Henley he’s wearing, the sleeves rolled up to the elbow. One hand resting on the steering wheel while the other rests on his thigh.
“See something you like?” His voice makes me jump and I snap my eyes away.
“No.”
He laughs under his breath but says nothing else. “If ever you do, all you’ve gotta do is ask.”
“Trust me, I won’t.”
He laughs again, and it’s bad enough he caught me checking him out, again, but I guarantee the fucker knows I’m lying through my teeth.
I force my eyes back out onto the road, ignoring the heat on my skin when I feel his eyes on me.
It’s another five minutes before we turn off the main road and down a narrow single dirt track lined with trees.
My heart spikes as my head whips around the Killian. “Oh my God, you’re actually gonna murder me.”
His eyes cross to mine. “Are you ever gonna let the serial killer thing go?”
“Not when you bring me to places like this.”
I hear him chuckle. “I’m not gonna murder you. There wouldn’t be much fun in that now, would there?”
About a mile down the dirt track, the trees begin to thin out and the track comes to an abrupt end. Up ahead, dozens of cars are parked to the left of a huge abandoned barn that’s teeming with people.
“What is this place?” I ask, my heart hammering inside my chest.
He parks up beside another car and switches off the engine, angling himself towards me but avoids meeting my eye. He goes to speak but slams his mouth shut before trying again, only this time does he meet my gaze.
“Kaia, I need you to stay in the truck until I come back. Got it?”
Something in the way he says it has my stomach sinking. “Why?”
“Because I said so.”
I scoff. “Yeah, that’s not gonna cut it with me. What’s in there? What is this place?”
“Just do as you’re told, please.” He squeezes his eyes shut and exhales with a sigh.
“If you don’t want me to go in there or question why I can’t, why did you even bring me?” I press.
“Because there was no fucking way I was leaving you out there all alone on the side of the road in the middle of fucking nowhere, that’s why!
” he rushes out, his words leaving me stunned.
He squeezes his eyes shut, pinching the bridge of his nose and taking a steadying breath.
“You might think I’m an asshole but I wouldn’t do that to you or any chick,” he adds.
I search his eyes and find only sincerity in them, and it’s the first time I’ve seen it since I met him.
The corners of my mouth lift slightly. “Are you saying you care?”
“Don’t read anything into it,” he snaps, his words coming out too quickly.
My smile only widens.
“So, why can’t I come?” I press, crossing my arms over my chest in defiance.
“Because the guys in there would eat you alive. I know you don’t particularly like me, and I’ve never given you reason to, but I need you to trust me.”
“Okay, fine,” I relent after a long pause.
One corner of his mouth lifts slightly. “Good girl.”
The second those words left his mouth, my brain short circuits and an image pops into my head of Killian hovering above me, those exact words falling from his lips as he moves inside me as he pins my wrists above my head.
Liquid heat pools in my lower belly and the image has me feeling things in places I have no business feeling, especially when it comes to Killian Hunt.
I shake the thought away.
“You good?” he asks, his eyes narrowing as if he somehow knows where my mind just went.
“Fine,” I lie, swallowing thickly, hoping he can’t see the beet red blush blooming on my cheeks.
“Lock the doors behind me,” he says and without another word, he climbs out of the truck, leaving the keys in the ignition.
As instructed, I press the button that has all the locks clicking into place as I watch him head towards the barn, disappearing into the throng of people and vanishing from sight.