Page 60 of Cup of Lies

Please, God, don’t take her from me.

Hot tears streak down my cheeks. Is this nightmare over yet?

“Rest,” Caius says from up front. “We have a long drive ahead of us.”

With those words, I allow the exhaustion to take over, and I crash.

It’s nearly two in the morning, a whole day after our rescue, when we pull down a long, tree-lined driveway just outside of Tulsa. When Caius said we had a long drive, he was serious. Kaitlyn and I both slept most of it, only waking to grab food or go to the bathroom. And Cove wasn’t exaggerating when he said this Dragon guy would catch up to us. We were cruising down the highway a couple of hours after the rescue when someone flashed their lights behind us. Then a motorcycle drove right beside Cove’s window, yelling for him to pull over. It was darkand I was tired, so I didn’t see the guy, but Cove was literally snatched out of the SUV. Some guy named Halo took his place. Later, we saw Cove waving from the back of Dragon’s bike while Dragon flipped us off. For some reason, this made Halo cackle with glee.

“Home sweet home,” Halo says with a long yawn. “Prez said PG and Stormy got things set up at the clubhouse for you guys.”

Though no one has told me, I’m learning this group Caius has mixed himself up with are a biker gang. Tattooed, smoking, bearded, motorcycle riding muscled men. Like something straight out of a movie.

Since my life has been a wild ride thus far, it doesn’t even faze me.

Kaitlyn is conked out when we drive past a massive home and over to a building that must be the clubhouse. After we stop, Caius helps me out and then scoops her up. She curls against his chest, making my heart squeeze. I hope she can forgive him.

I’m too tired to pay much attention to the place, but I do notice a pool table and some arcade games as we pass. At least Kaitlyn will be entertained tomorrow when she gets up. I hope it’ll be enough to distract from the trauma.

Caius strides down a long hallway and steps into a room lit by a lamp. I’m amused when I enter. It’s obscenely decorated with football memorabilia. Knowing Caius and his sense of chic, modern style, he probably hates this room. Beside the king-sized bed is a single air mattress on the floor. Someone carefully made it up with soft pink blankets and tons of stuffed animals and Barbies.

I choke back tears.

Who are these people and why are they helping us?

Caius gently sets Kaitlyn down on the air mattress. She whimpers in her sleep, but Sunshine joins her, nestling herselfup against her. I know she’ll sleep well with her best friend beside her.

“Let’s get you showered,” Caius says, voice soft. “We both need one.”

I follow him into an adjoining bathroom. While he starts the shower, I pull off the same clothes I’ve been wearing for twenty-four hours straight. I get a glimpse of my reflection and I immediately look away.

I’m horrifying to look at.

The bruise and burn on my face from the hot pan Seth struck me with haven’t gotten any prettier. In addition to that, I have bruises from head to toe, the worst of them on my ass, thighs, and hips. My wrist is scabbed over from the too-tight handcuff cutting into my flesh. The only thing I like seeing is my baby bump.

Please be okay, sweet pea.

Caius strips out of his clothes. He’d changed at a rest stop not long after we left Seth’s house since his clothes had blood splatters all over them. Seeing him naked, after all this time, makes me smile.

He’s gorgeous.

Lean muscles, smooth, tattooed chest and abdomen, thick, long cock, even while flaccid.

“Careful, love,” Caius growls. “Keep staring at my dick like it’s the most magical thing you’ve ever seen and you might inflate his ego and wake him up.”

He pulls me into the shower with him. The hot spray feels glorious on my aching muscles. We stand beneath it as I rest my cheek on his chest. He splays his hands on my sore ass. I could live in this moment.

We remain that way for a few more minutes and then Caius carefully washes me from head to toe. While on his knees,soaping me between my thighs, he kisses my stomach. My heart flutters with joy.

It’s right then I feel it.

A small nudge. A sign of life. A much-needed reassurance.

Everything is going to be okay.

Caius

Ican hardly believe she’s here. In my arms. Safe. Last night, I slept more soundly than I have in a long time. There’s a certain peace I feel in Romy’s presence.

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