Page 80 of One Night with the Biker

My eyes snapped open and my breath sawed in and out of my lungs. Wizard? Had the Bloody Scorpions been involved in Mom and Dad’s deaths? Or was I just panicked knowing Boom Boom put the hit out on Roman?

“Ainsley, move away from the door,” Reese said again. “I’m shooting the fucking lock away.”

“N-no!” I called, stumbling out of bed. At the door, I unlocked it and swung it open. “I’m fine.”

He nodded, but didn’t dispute me, instead sweeping me into his arms and carrying me away.

I hated cars. It was a holdover from my trauma at my family trapped in a burning house. In my head, automobiles were even more of a death trap, leaving survival chances slim-to-none. Logically, I knew people walked away every day, but it didn’t matter. I preferred my bike any day.

Yet, I sat Ainsley in the passenger seat of her car, jumped into the driver’s seat, and headed to Ma Siller’s. Bolt offered to bring Ainsley so I could stay behind and help with the clean-up and disposal of those three fuckheads, but there was no fucking way I’d allow anyone other than me to see to Ainsley. Maybe I was cocky, but I didn’t think she’d want anyone else but me.

She only knew Louisiana, and he wasn’t around, so it had to be me. I wasn’t sure what she wanted, so I decided to play music at a reasonable volume in case she needed to talk.

She stared out the window the entire drive. Every now and again, a sniffle escaped her. I’d reach over and cover her hand with mine, squeezing gently. She didn’t pull away, but she didn’t look at me either. I wanted to get into her head and erase the bad. Whatever it might’ve been. I wanted to know, but I refused to ask her right now.

I turned into the Siller driveway and allowed the car to idle, waiting for Ainsley to speak. Ask questions.Say something. She remained silent.

Sighing, I got out of the car and went around to her side. When I helped her out, she laid her head on my chest and wrapped her arms around my waist. It was all the encouragement I needed to take her into my arms, tip her head back, and slant my mouth over hers. For the first time since I received the call that Ainsley wasn’t at the motel, I relaxed. She was soft and sweet, safe in my arms.

I’d never disrespected Bolt and his woman’s place with even a make-out session with a chick, but I needed to feel Ainsley trembling around my cock to calm my fear and anger. Bracing her against the car, I lifted her and grunted when her legs automatically circled my waist. She moaned into my mouth, rocking against my hard dick.

I didn’t want to let her go. Not to pull my cock out or deal with her jeans. The saltiness of her tears invaded my senses, and my heart fucking broke. I wanted to return to that house, reanimate those fuckheads, and kill them slowly and brutally.

She pulled away, leaned her head against my chest, and sobbed. “I th-thought the baby was dead and I-I’d never see you again.” Her fingers gripped my cut, but I didn’t care. “I-I th-thought…” Her voice trailed off and another sob escaped her. “R-Roman,” she finished as if that explained everything.

I kissed her again, needing a moment to regain my equilibrium. Suppose I had been too late or they’d gotten the jump on me? Suppose they’d killed her in front of me? My desire faded. Memories of my devastation over losing my family crept in. Tearing my mouth away from hers, I set her on her feet and dropped my arms from around her. She didn’t notice my withdrawal.

“Reese?” a voice called from behind me.

Five minutes ago, I wouldn’t have appreciated Ma Siller’s interruption. More than likely, I would’ve been mortified. Now, I welcomed it and seized the excuse to push away from Ainsley and turn around.

“Hey, Ma,” I greeted.

She stood on the porch, right under the light, allowing me to see the kindness of her brown eyes, which had soothed me all those years ago. Short and plump, she had short graying hair with bangs. I don’t know where I would’ve ended up without her. Now, she drew herself up and beckoned me forward.

I started toward her. One lift of her eyebrow halted me and I heaved in a breath, turned to Ainsley, and took her hand in mine. At the porch, I dropped her hand and looked up at Ma Siller.

“Well, are you introducing me or what, Reese?”

I shoved my hands in my pockets. “Ma Siller, this is Ainsley Valois. Ainsley, this is Bolt’s old lady.”

Ainsley didn’t notice the slight. Ma Siller did and lifted her eyebrows almost to her hairline, offering a putrid look that had me feeling like an asshole. She glared at me, sniffed, then smiled at Ainsley’s bowed head.

“Ainsley’s such a pretty name. I’m Glinda Dorothy Siller. Mother was a fan of L. Frank Baum.”

It was my turn to lift my brows. I wasn’t sure if she was shitting Ainsley or not.

Ma Siller waved, but Ainsley didn’t see because she hadn’t lifted her head. “You can call me Ma Siller,” she continued, then glared at me again. “Everybody does.”

“Ainsley—”

Ma Siller shook her head.

We stood in silence for several minutes, until Ainsley heaved in a breath and lifted her bruised face. I clenched my jaw.

“I like theWizard of Oz,” she said finally. “Roman and me were supposed to seeWicked.”

“Haven’t seen it yet myself, but I can’t help but thank heaven that it wasn’t around when Mother was carrying me.” She indicated herself with her hand. “Don’t see myself as an Elphaba or a Theodora.”

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