Page 178 of Burning Ember

“Go to hell.”

He leans forward to look at my face. “Which one of them shot you?”

“Why, so you can arrest them?”

“Maybe.”

“Then, no. No one shot me. I did it to myself.”

“Jesus,” he spits out. “What the fuck do they shove into you sluts? Golden-dipped cocks? Why the fuck do you care if I arrest them if they tried to kill you?”

At my silence, he wrenches my arms back. I gasp and battle the tears burning behind my eyes, as this position sends sharp pains zipping up my torso and down my back.

Then I hear the unmistakable sound of metal clinking a second before cuffs are slapped onto my wrists.

An overwhelming sense of helpless and vulnerability nearly has those tears spilling from my eyes.

“You know, I knew you were going to fight me on this. That’s why I figured I’d need a plan B.” He presses me down, turns my head, and holds it forcefully against the warm metal hood. Then he combs my hair away from my neck.

I try to twist to see what he’s doing, but I can’t move. In my peripheral, I catch sight of a needle inches from my neck.

“What are you doing?” I cry out and kick my legs at his, the only part of my body I can really move.

“Hold the fuck still.” I feel a pinch of pain, and I scream as every muscle in my body strains to break free. But his grip on me is unforgiving.

When he withdraws the needle, I lay there shocked as a million questions flood into my mind.What did he put into my body? Drugs? Or was it some kind of virus?My stomach rolls when I remember a show I once watched where a guy gave a woman a shot. It paralyzed her body so he could rape her, but she was wide-awake and lived through the horror of the entire thing.

Terror has me kicking and struggling again. “Don’t you dare touch me!”

The rumble of the motorcycle draws closer, and now I hope it’s Mav. I close my eyes and pray it’s him and that he’ll find me in time.

Davis yanks me back and I stumble. “You hear that. Your boyfriend’s coming to finish you off.” The street I looked at a moment ago is hazy. The streetlights and the one light coming toward me is fuzzy.

Dread circles the deepest part of my belly. If it’s Mav, he won’t make it to me in time.

My eyelids begin to feel weird, almost heavy. I blink a couple of times.

“I’m not going to let him kill you. Not when you’re worth more alive.”

He shoves me sideways and I nearly fall to my knees. Tripping, I’m forced to the backdoor of the car, the muscles in my legs suddenly not under my control.

Davis shoves me into the backseat of his car. As my vision fades in and out, he pushes me to lay down on the leather upholstery.

“You know there’s something I never get about you biker chicks. Those assholes treat you like garbage, and you’re still loyal as fuck to them.” Davis’ palm slides up my leg. He squeezes the back of my thigh. “Maybe you don’t realize that a good man like me knows how to fuck you dirty too.” Then his fingers skate over my panties. He mutters, “If I had more time right now, I’d show you.”

“If . . . if you rape me . . . he’ll kill you,” I mumble and speak past my numb lips.

“WhoMaverick?” he snarls the name. “Because that biker-trash father of yours doesn’t care if he gets you back dead or alive. He could give two shits if I had my fill of you before I handed you over to him.”

Try as I might, I lose the battle to keep my eyes open.

“You should consider yourself lucky I don’t do business with men like him.” With that his hand vanishes from my between my thighs. My feet are pushed closer to my body. Then the door slams and a few seconds later, the seat under me begins to vibrate.

MAVERICK

I’m kicked awake. A knot on my shin is inevitable. Jerking up and sitting, I glare at Dozer standing over me. “Jesus Christ! What the fuck’s wrong with you?” Then I see how much sun fills the room. My voice thick with sleep, I ask, “What time is it?”

“Ten-thirty. And you deserved that and more so stop bitchin’. What time did you call it quits this morning?”