I just stand there frozen with my hand still reaching for her. Then I realize what I said. She took it to mean I was taking her back to her father. I don't think so. If I have anything to do with it, she will never set those perfect eyes on that bastard again.
“Oh, no sweetheart,” I tell her softly. “I will never take you back there. I was talking about my home. You can stay there in my guest room. No harm will come to you under my roof. We'll figure everything else out later. Do you trust me?”
I panic after a few seconds of her not saying anything. Then she gives me a small nod and places her hand in mine. Helping her up off the floor I gently pull her into my arms. Wrapping my arms securely around her I just hold her for a few minutes before I pull back.
Her hand still in mine, we walk toward the front of the building and out the door.
“Let's go home,” I tell her. With those three words, another piece of my broken puzzle slides into place. This woman could be the glue that holds my puzzled soul together. But, if I'm not careful, she could easily be the one who tears it apart.
Chapter Three
The moment we step outside I'm hit with an intense blast of cold. When I escaped my father’s house earlier, I did it with only the clothes on my back. The chance I had been waiting for had finally happened and I couldn't risk my only opportunity by changing my clothes or even slipping on my shoes. So, I'm standing in the cold wearing only a thin nightgown with very little shoulder straps.
I shiver but don't complain about the cold for fear that Bear will see me as a spoiled child and change his mind about helping me. Regardless of my attempts, he must have noticed because he stops walking and pulls me against his body.
“Fuck, you're freezing,” he says quietly before turning his head to look at the group of men exiting the bar behind us.
“Hawk, did you bring your truck?” Bear asks one of the men.
“Yep, it's parked out back.”
I look up at the man Bear called Hawk and do a double-take. Hawk is the spitting image of Bear. Brothers. Twins. They both have the same long thick beards, a good head of thick hair and eyes so blue I could practically see my reflection. Not to mention they both could be mistaken for giants. At the least, well over six feet tall and wide enough that two of me could stand side by side behind one of them and still be completely hidden.
Although they are identical twins, I can easily tell the two apart. Hawk's voice isn't quite as low toned as Bears and while Bear seems broody and fierce, Hawk is all smiles and relaxed. Also, Hawk’s hair is black, where Bear’s is dark brown.
“I need you to follow me on my bike,” Bear says to Hawk while rubbing his hands up and down my arms. “She's not dressed for a joy ride tonight.”
One side of Hawks mouth tips up to a soft grin and he nods. He throws Bear a set of keys and walks away. We start walking again and Bear is leading me where he wants me to go with his hand pressed against the small of my back. I'm so focused on the warmth of his hand that I don't notice when we stop beside a massively big truck.
“Hop up sweetheart,” he tells me.
I'm trying to think of a way to hop up without embarrassing myself. The truck is high up off the ground and I'm...well, I'm not. Hearing a chuckle, I turn around to see Bear's eyes are alive with humor. I feel my face heating up with the embarrassment I was trying to avoid.
Heck with it.
I turn toward the truck and take a step forward when suddenly I'm lifted and placed gently in the passenger seat. My back barely hits the seat and I try to hide the wince of massive pain I felt from the small contact. Bear grabs the seat belt, pulls it across my body and leans over me to buckle it in. Before he backs away, he lifts his hand and slides his thumb softly down my cheek. So softly it tickles. When he finally backs up and shuts the door, I let out the breath of air I didn't even realize I was holding.
Seconds later he's sitting beside me and starting the truck.
“Let's get the heat going and get you warmed up,” he says as he messes with some buttons on the dash in front of us.
Feeling a blast of heat hit me I instantly relax in the seat and close my eyes. Gosh, that feels so good. We start moving and my eyes dart open to look around. The only time I've ever seen the outside world was during my escape and I wasn't paying much attention to what was around me. I've never seen so many buildings. Or vehicles. Or trees. Everything was going by so fast and I was starting to feel sick. I close my eyes and allow the darkness to sooth me from so much unknown.
“Hey, you alright?”
I sigh because I know I can't lie to him and the truth will only bring out more questions I'm not yet prepared to answer. I ready myself for the task I know will come.
“I'm fine, thank you. I've just never been in a vehicle before and my vision isn't used to things moving so fast. Do you mind if I just close my eyes until we arrive at your home?” I ask him.
I see a tick in his jaw, but he answers with a simple “of course” and says nothing more. I'm shocked that he didn't ask me all the questions I could see he truly wanted to know.
I must have spoken my thoughts out loud because he says, “Oh, I'll be getting answers to my questions, baby. I just want you warm and rested before we even begin.”
I nod my head and close my eyes. I must have drifted off to sleep because the next thing I know everything goes silent and we're no longer moving.
“Wake up sleeping beauty, we're home.”
When I open my eyes, I see a single light illuminating the front porch of a log cabin. It’s too dark to notice any detail other than the hanging swing and chairs sitting on the porch. I look around and notice a light illuminating another porch not too far away from Bear’s home. Apart from the two homes, and probably many creatures surrounding the woods, there is nothing else out here.
I keep telling myself that I should be scared. I don't know this man and I let him drive me out in the middle of nowhere. I don't know his intentions. I know he's a very dangerous man. A simple look into his eyes could tell you that. But I honestly believe, with everything that I am, this man will do me no harm.
I know evil. I've looked it straight in the eyes. I've tried to love it. I've tried to comfort it. The man currently opening my door with a smile on his face is not evil. He may make himself appear hard and mean to others and is most definitely capable of inflicting harm, but he is not evil. Not even close.
“You ready to go inside?” Bear asks me.
I give him a small smile for the first time. “Is this really your home?” I ask instead of answering his question.
The truth is, I'm scared. I don’t think he would hurt me but I'm afraid of being locked inside a room again.
“It sure is,” he says with a voice so proud. “And, that cabin over there is my blood brothers. Hawk.”
“Blood brothers?” I ask. I knew Hawk was his brother, but I didn't understand why he termed it, blood brother.
“We're part of a motorcycle club,” I hear Hawk say as he stops to stand right beside Bear. “The men back at the bar are also members.”
“It's not just a club; it's a family. We're all brothers.” Bear says. “Hawk is the only brother that is of blood and not just choice.”