Page 61 of Biker's Babygirl

I have to get out of here.I push past the pain in my head and try to slide out of the bed, but in that moment, I realize I’m tethered to the bedpost with a long piece of black bungee cord. Worry very quickly morphs into panic.

“Where the hell am I?” I mutter, trying to keep my anxiety at bay—losing it right now won’t accomplish anything. But I don’t have to ask. Iknow. After all, who else would have any reason to tie me up?

I don’t remember.The thought flashes across my brain, and despite knowing it’s pointless, I stretch out and try to pry the circle of rope around my ankle off. But as I do, I realize one of wrists is tied, too, which makes the fight all the more exhausting. I struggle and tear at it until my hands are sore and I’m out of breath. I flop back on the bed, exhausted, my chest heaving. I squeeze my eyes shut against the tears that threaten.I don’t remember being caught.How far did I get? Am I still in the same city? The same state? How far does Duke have to go to find me?

I swallow hard, tasting the dryness of my mouth again, and try to push that glimmering diamond of hope away. While I have no doubt he’ll try—he was an excellent Daddy, after all—I know Lucas and there’s no way anyone will find me. He won’t be taking any chances after losing me once already.

The tears sting behind my eyelids.I never should have left. I’ve made it so much worse. Now I won’t even be allowed to pee on my own. And I miss Duke. I miss feeling loved and taken care of and safe. I miss his friends. Hell, right now I even miss Shep.

A smile almost worked its way across my mouth, but I shook my head.I can’t think about them. I can’t go back. And besides—they’re the reason I left. Sooner or later, someone was going to get hurt. Lucas and his cronies don’t care about getting rid of anyone who gets in the way of what they want.

Somehow, that thought is what helps my nerves to settle. I can’t remember who caught up to me or how they overtook me, but I recall with startling clarity the moment I knew they would never stop chasing me.

I never would have been allowed to be happy with Duke. And this way… sure, he’ll be upset for a little bit, but after a while he’ll go back to focusing on his work and he’ll be fine. He has people that care about him.

I had no choice. I had to leave in order to keep the man I love safe.

Despite my best efforts, the tears start to fall, coursing hotly down my cheeks.

Duke

“I called my friend that works for the PD,” Shep says as I put on my gloves. “Maybe we should just wait?—”

I spear him with a glance that makes him sputter to a stop. “We wouldn’t be waiting if it was someoneyoucared about.”

There’s a beat of tense silence during which I’m not sure if he’s going to answer me, but then he says, “I know this might be hard for you to believe, bro, and I get why, but please trust me when I say Idocare about Ginny.”

“Well, you have a funny way of showing it.” Without another word or so much as a glance over my shoulder to see who’s coming, I walk out the door. Thankfully, both of my careers have trained me well. I’m observant, good at tracking, good at being quiet while I do it.

My team has the same training which is why when I catch sight of Ellie out the corner of my eye, I realize she snuck up without a word.

“He does care, you know,” she says softly, for my ears alone.

I don’t give a damn who hears me when I reply, “Ginny wouldn’t be out there if it wasn’t for him.”

“You don’t know that, Duke.”

I stop and face her, hands clenching into fists at my sides. “You want to try and tell me about my Little girl too? Sorry, but I think I know her a little better than you do. If he hadn’t made her feel like she had to go, she wouldn’t have.”

Ellie, all five-foot-two of her, is fearless and faces my gaze head on, propping her hands on her hips. “You know him better than that, Duke. Come on. You’re brothers. Hell, you’re more than that!”

I snort, but she ignores that, too.

“Stop it. You’re family two times over—we’realla family. And Ginny might be your Little, but you haven’t known her for very long.”

I bristle, but she sees it and holds up a hand to stop whatever I might say.

“You might not like it, but it’s true, Duke. She has a mind of her own, and she can do whatever she wants. You’re acting like Shep pushed her out the door without even considering that she might have had her own reasons for leaving.”

My lips part to object but before I can get a word out, her words truly sink in. She’sright, as horrible as it is to admit.Maybe I don’t know her at all.It’s a sobering and awful thought, but a distinct possibility.

I force myself to ignore the growing pit in my stomach. “You might be right,” I acknowledge, “but I don’t care why she left. I have to make sure she’s safe—even if she doesn’t want to be with me, I need to know she’s okay.”

“Of course she wants to be with you, bro.”

I turn to see Shep standing at my elbow.

He claps me on the shoulder. “A stranger looking at you two could see she’s crazy about you. And all this stuff aboutwhyshe left can be worked out later. The important part is making sure we find her before anyone else does.”

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