He takes me by the hand, pulling me close to his body as we walk. I don’t miss the heated looks I get from other men. If I were here on my own, I would flirt with the danger lurking in the shadows and see where it takes me. But, I’m here as a spy, and I need to remember that.
Rabbit takes me out back where the vibe is different. People sit in lawn chairs, sipping beers. There’s a firepit and I want to get closer to it and feel its warmth.
Rabbit tugs me in a different direction, though, to a corner of the yard that seems dark. Too dark. There’s a group of men sitting in lawn chairs, talking and laughing with each other.
Rabbit calls out, “What’s up, my brothers?”
I don’t miss the eye roll one of the guys gives Rabbit before replying, “Didn’t we tell you to stay away?”
Rabbit holds my arm up, making me do a little spin. “Brought a friend this time. Thought Razor might like to meet her.”
The guy eyes me. “Oh yeah? Come here, honey. Let’s have a look.”
I glance at Rabbit, unsure as to what I’m supposed to do. Rabbit shakes my hold on his hand and pushes me forward.
“Do a slow spin.”
Gulping air, I do as Rabbit says and the guys whistle.
“Yeah, he’ll love her.”
Rabbit asks, “Is he coming out tonight?”
The guy’s eyes narrow. “None of your business.” To me, he asks, “Got a number?”
I nod and stutter it out. My cell is another gift from Agent Hill. He said my old phone was outdated and gave me a burner phone to use. It’s even prepaid on data for the next three months, so I was able to download apps my old phone wouldn’t support. It’s been fun playing with it. But, I’m not stupid. He gave me the phone so he can track me and who I’m talking to.
The guy grins. “I’ll make sure Razor’s in contact. Wear something like this when you meet up with him. He’ll like that.”
I feel like I’ve been dismissed, so I go back to Rabbit’s side.
Rabbit looks pissed. “That’s it? I’m not going to get an invite?”
The man stands. “No. You’re not. Because we don’t trust you after you ran your mouth last time. Keep doing us favors and maybe we’ll invite you. One day.”
The other guys laugh, making me wonder if that is true. Rabbit sighs and walks away, so I follow him, not knowing what else to do. We get back to the table where I first found him, and he sits, taking a shot.
“You want one?”
I shake my head. “No, thanks. I don’t drink.”
He sighs. “Fuck. I don’t know what it’s going to take for them to trust me.”
I want to point out that maybe they’re right to not trust him. I mean, he’s working with the FBI, just like me. We’re both moles, looking for information.
“What are you trying to get invited to?”
He looks at me like I’ve lost my mind.
“You really don’t know?”
I shake my head, and he lets out a loud laugh.
“You’re working with the agency and don’t know what you’ve signed up for? Fuck, this is priceless.”
“You probably shouldn’t say that so loud,” I say, glancing around to make sure no one’s listening.
“I don’t know what you’ve done to be picked for this, but you should end this before it begins. You look like a nice girl. They’re going to eat you up and spit you out.”
“Who?”
“The Devil’s Regents.” At my blank look, he lets out another laugh. “Fuck me. Girl, you should run. If they call you, don’t answer.”
My phone buzzes in my pocket at the same time. Pulling it out, I see a text from an unknown number.
Unknown: Razor will be out front in five.
My heart pounds and I show Rabbit the text.
He shakes his head. “I’ll give it to them. They sure knew what they were doing when they picked you. He won’t be able to resist. None of them will.”
I have no idea what he means, but I don’t get a good feeling about this.
My mouth is dry and I ask, “What do I do now?”
“Look, girl, I’ve made the connection with you and Razor. The rest is up to you.” He glances at his naked wrist, where a watch should be. “Better get out there. Offers like this don’t come around very often. Trust me, I know.”
He gives me a little push toward the exit. I’m not sure if I want to do this. What if I’m about to walk into a nightmare, like my past? I barely survived it then, and I know how people can hide the monsters that live within. But my feet move on their own accord until I’m outside. The temperature is cooler now, and I wrap my arms over my exposed stomach, shivering.
In the distance, the loud hum of several motorcycles fills the air. As they get closer, I can feel the rumbling my chest. It makes me want to run and excites me at the same time. The bikes pull up and one stops in front of me. The man on it is… massive. There’s no other way to describe him. His muscular, tattooed arms grip the handlebars of the bike, and he looks me up and down.
“You the present?”
I nod once and he grins, making my stomach do something strange. I wonder if everything on him is as big and bold.
“Are you Razor?”
He doesn’t answer, but says, “Get on, babe. We’re wasting time.”
I’ve never been on a motorcycle, so it’s awkward as hell when I get on. So awkward, in fact, that some of the other guys laugh at me. Razor’s so big that I find myself pressed against his back. I shiver at the contact and resist from rubbing against him.
He takes off before I’m prepared, and I grab onto his shirt, holding on for dear life. We’re traveling so fast that I feel sick. When he takes a turn, I let out a small scream.
“Lean into the turns, babe,” he shouts over his shoulder.
Closing my eyes, I lean closer against his back, praying for this ride to be over. We travel for what feels like hours, until we come to a stop. Opening my eyes, I see we’ve stopped at another bar. It seems to be busier than the last one, with at least fifty motorcycles parked in the gravel parking lot.
Razor waits for me to get off before standing.
His lips twitch as he looks at me. “Might want to pull your shirt down a bit before we go inside. I’m enjoying the show, but not sure you want everyone to see it for free.”
Looking down, I realize that my newly cut shirt rode up during the drive and now my breasts are hanging out for anyone to see. I let out a cry and tug the shirt down. Razor watches me, a sexy grin on his face.
He asks, “You sure you want to do this? You don’t seem like the type.”
I have no idea what he’s talking about, but I nod. “I’m sure.”
“Well, follow me, little girl. Let me introduce you to some people who can make all your little dreams come true.”
3
Olivia
This bar has a different vibe. It’s mostly men, who wear leather vests, though there are a few women here and there. The men eye me as I walk past, but I don’t feel threatened. Razor takes me to the bar where a pretty brunette is opening several bottles of beer, and conversation resumes around the room.