Page 70 of Biker's Babygirl

“You, obviously.” He snorts.

“Would you hurry up already?”

Before I can react in any sort of way to his shout, Lucas snatches my hand and begins to yank me after him.

I can still hear them arguing.

“I think she was talking toyou.”

“She waslookingat you, Matt.”

Matt. His name was Matt. Funny, because he looked like a Pukey, but I guess that doesn’t go too well on a birth certificate.

“Walk faster, or I swear, I’ll make you regret it,” he snarls at me.

I hurry to catch up with his long-legged strides, but I crane my neck to look behind me. I see an officer approaching the Lackeys with his weapon drawn.

Lucas yanks me down the alley and I’m contemplating screaming to catch his attention when I hear a new voice.

“Hold it right there, pal.”

Lucas stops so quickly that I slam into the back of him. But even that doesn’t take his attention off the police officer with a gun trained right on him.

“Easy, let’s just take it easy.”

Thank God. It’s all over. Lucas will be put behind bars and I’ll never, ever have to think about him again.

Or so I think. But right in that moment, in that second between seeking freedom and surrendering, Lucas decides on another plan. I know it the moment I feel his hand snarl in my hair. He fists a handful of my tresses and pulls me to him until I’m smack up against his chest.

“I have a hostage.”

No, Lucas. Please don’t do this. Please let it just be over.

But I can’t say any of that aloud because I feel the cold steel pressing into my neck long before I can process begging him to release me. And I know that the pinprick I feel at the moment is proof that he’ll never be caught if he can help it. He’ll sacrifice anyone—those guys, the woman he claims he can’t live without.

I shut my eyes, trying to calm my galloping heart.He was always like this, right from the very beginning, I was such an idiot. How could I have missed it?Hot tears threaten behind my closed eyelids.

“Listen, guy, let’s just all stay calm here.”

“I’m as calm as I plan to get.” Lucas laughs, and as he does the blade of the knife digs into my flesh.

I whimper despite my best efforts. My fear soars even as I try to fight it.

“Calm down,” the officer says, his voice soothing, but firm. “You need to let her go, then we can talk.”

“IfI let her go, the only thing talking to me will be a bullet from your gun.”

Yes, please. I open my eyes in order to silently beg the officer.Let it happen. Shoot him. Hell, shoot me, I don’t care. Just end this.

“No, that isn’t what I want. That isn’t what anyone wants.”

I don’t know if Lucas is listening to him, but his steady calm draws me. It reminds me of Duke, someone I doubt I’ll seebefore I leave this earth. I focus on the officer’s kind, unwavering gaze.

“Let me leave, and I’ll let her go.”

“Well, you’re going to have to let her go and then we’ll talk.”

But even as they go back and forth, I know he’s lying. Lucas moved heaven and earth, he hunted me like prey. There’s no way he’s going to let me go. Not here—not ever.