Page 29 of Ridin' True
“Ten grand. His debt is paid,” he said, nodding back toward my brother.
The muscles at my jaw stopped working, and my mouth hung open as I watched the exchange.
“As far as you’re concerned, Alexia Torres doesn’t exist. Am I understood?”
Rocco didn’t respond but stared at the envelop between them. When Jed lost his patience, he pressed it flat against Rocco’s chest and let go. The man caught it just as Jed looked at me and called, “Come on, darlin’. Let’s get you home.”
It took me a second to move my feet, my knees a little weak with a mix of relief and an obscene amount of attraction, definitely fueled by the fact that Jed Barker had rescued me from a fate I didn’t even want to imagine.
He held out his hand, and I nodded, forcing my feet to move. I hobbled toward him, extending my arm to reach for his fingers as soon as he was close enough to touch. He swallowed my hand with his own, and I held on tight before he handed over my shoe.
Jed Barker was my real-life Prince Charming.
“Thanks,” I whispered as I accepted it. Using him to help me keep my balance, I fit it over my foot. I had so many questions, but as soon as I had both feet on the ground, Jed started for his bike.
I’d never been on the back of motorcycle. Given the events of my night, I felt pretty confident I could handle it. I wanted to get out of there, and it didn’t matter how.
“Alexia!” my brother cried. “Alexia,melliza.”
I jolted at the sound of his voice, the first I’d heard it since he arrived. I then glanced in his direction, but I didn’t say a word. It had been more than a week since we last spoke—and things had gone from bad to worse.Wayworse.
I looked away from him, my focus directed toward the Harley Davidson I was about to ride and the feeling of the hand that held mine, making me feel safer than I had all night.
Maybe safer than I’d felt all my life.
“Lexi! Lexi, please—I’m sorry. Are you okay? Tell me you’re okay. Lexi!”
He was sorry.
He wassorry?
It shocked me a little, but his apology was my breaking point.
My hand still clinging to Jed’s, I stopped, looked around his massive frame, locked eyes with my brother and screamed, “You got me fucking kidnapped!”
Saying it out loud was like kicking down a wall inside of me, and the tears I was keeping at bay clogged my throat and made it difficult for me to breathe. Just that quick, I was practically panting, trying to contain all of my emotions as my vision grew blurry. This was all his fault, and the best he could do was say he was sorry.
It wasn’t enough.
It wasn’t nearly enough.
I shook my head. I had no more words. At least, not for him.
Peering up at Jed as my first tears fell, I found him staring back at me with nothing but patience in his gaze. Reflexively, I squeezed his hand and murmured, “I’d like to go, please.”
He responded by continuing toward his bike, and I followed after him, completely ignoring Alejandro.
When we reached his black motorcycle, Jed let go of my hand. While he threw his leg over and settled himself on his seat, I wiped at my cheeks and tried to gather myself. Before I could swallow the rest of my cry, he reached his hand out in invitation.
“There’s a foot peg for you, darlin’. Use it and my hand to help you climb on.”
The other Stallions had already mounted their bikes, and their engines were roaring to life around me. I glanced over my shoulder. Rather than the other bikers, my eyes landed on Rocco, who was watching me intently. Without another moment of hesitation, I turned back toward Jed, grabbed his hand, and mounted his Harley. He then guided my hand around to his front, suggesting I wrap my arms around him. That familiar sensation of weightlessness made my breath catch. I could hardly keep up with all the things I was feeling, but I did as he instructed and clung to him as he started the engine, causing the beast beneath us to rumble to life.
I’d never been so close to Jed—so close I could breathe him in.
He smelled like leather and sandalwood with a hint of smoke.
I had only a moment to enjoy the scent of him, and then we were moving. My grip around him tightened as we followed the small pack of Stallions out of what, I then realized, was a self-storage facility on the outskirts of town. The experience of riding was enough to suppress my urge to cry, and I concentrated on the thrill of it, embracing the literal freedom found on the open road.
