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We didn’t make it out of Texas that night. I wasn’t about to ride hundreds of miles in the dark with the possibility of more ambushes. We found ourselves in yet another no-name motel off the interstate. If I had a dollar for every seedy place I’d bunked in the last few years, I could’ve bought one by now.

The desk clerk barely glanced at us, accepting cash without question. We got a room with two double beds. Neither of us said much as we entered, flicking on a single lamp. The day’s chaos weighed heavily.

Lexi sagged onto the first bed, burying her face in her hands. “This is insane,” she muttered, voice muffled. “I thought maybe going to my apartment would help us find answers. Instead, we nearly got killed again.”

I let out a humorless laugh, tossing my jacket onto a chipped dresser. “Welcome to my world, princess.”

She lifted her head, eyes glistening with unshed tears. “A world where everyone’s out to kill you?”

I gave a half-shrug. “Sometimes. Listen… we’ll figure this out. Maybe in Kansas I’ll get leads on who’s behind these attacks. Might not even be that Grinder guy, just some other jerk with a grudge. One way or another, I’ll find them.” My voice went harder than I intended. I realized how furious I was that they’d targeted her again.

Her expression softened. “Thank you. For everything.”

I exhaled. “Don’t thank me yet.” Then I nodded at the beds, changing the subject. “We should get some sleep. Tomorrow’s a long ride.”

She glanced at the two beds, then back at me. “Yeah. I guess so.”

I hesitated, part of me wanting to comfort her physically, hold her, maybe stroke her hair until she drifted off. But I sensed she needed space after the assault. “If you need anything during the night… just wake me,” I said quietly.

She nodded, mustering a small smile. “Same goes for you.”

With that, she slipped off her shoes and climbed under the covers, still wearing her jeans and T-shirt. I flicked off the overhead light and sank onto the other bed, boots still on, my mind too wired to sleep easily. But eventually, exhaustion claimed me, and the room faded into darkness.

I woke before dawn, my internal clock permanently tuned to an early schedule. Stretching my sore muscles, I decided to do a quick workout, push-ups, crunches, anything to clear my head. The day ahead promised a long ride and God knows what danger.

I started with push-ups, arms pumping as I tried to regulate my breathing and keep my mind from swirling with anxiety about last night’s bullets. Halfway through my second set, a soft gasp made me pause. I glanced up to see Lexi sitting on the edge of her bed, hair tousled, eyes still heavy with sleep.

“Good morning, princess,” I murmured, continuing my push-ups.

She blinked, a shy smile curving her lips. “Good morning. That’s… quite a view.”

I smirked, finishing the set and rolling onto my back for a moment. “Didn’t realize I had an audience.”

She laughed softly. “Sorry, I guess I’m not used to seeing a half-naked man doing push-ups in my motel room.” Her gaze traveled over my chest and abs. I felt my skin warm under her scrutiny.

“Better than a bullet in your window, right?” I quipped.

She grimaced. “Definitely. I can handle a man in boxers over gunmen any day.”

I stood, running a hand through my sweaty hair. “You want the shower first, or should I go?”

She yawned. “Go ahead. I’ll freshen up after.”

I grabbed my old shirt that I’d washed in the sink and hung to dry on the air conditioner, heading for the bathroom. Then I paused, turning back to her. “Princess?”

“Yeah?” She looked up, half-lidded eyes still hazy from sleep.

I crossed the distance in two strides and took her hand, pulling her to her feet. My voice dropped low. “It’s killing me, you know. Being near you, wanting to hold you, comfort you. But I’m trying to be respectful, when all I really want to do is throw you on that bed and see your titties again.”

Her breath caught. “I… I don’t know how,” she admitted, voice trembling with vulnerability as she pushed up her glasses.

Don’t know how? I leaned in, eyes flicking to her mouth. “You read all those romances, right? Smut?”

“The men just… take charge.”

“They do?”

A faint blush tinged her cheeks. “Yes, that’s generally how it goes. They just do it.”

I exhaled, my hands sliding to her waist. I tugged her body against my erection. “If that’s all you need, me to just do it, all you gotta do is say the word.”

She gazed at me for a heartbeat, then parted her lips. My chest tightened. Unable to resist, I lowered my head, capturing her mouth in a deep kiss. She gasped against my lips, her fingers clutching my shoulders. Heat surged through my veins, a hunger I’d been tamping down for days.

She melted into me, her soft curves pressing against my bare torso. My heart thundered like I was fighting for my life. Hell, maybe I was, fighting for a new life. Our tongues brushed, tasting one another. That soft moan of hers really got to me.

I wanted to scoop her up, throw her onto the bed, devour every inch of her. But she was still so new to this, and we had a mission. With a low growl, I pulled away, resting my forehead against hers.

She breathed heavily, eyes dazed. “That was…”

“Yeah,” I agreed, chest heaving. “And it’s just a preview, princess. If we had more time…” My gaze drifted to the rumpled bed.

Her face lit with a shy smile. “Then you’d throw me down and have your way with me?”

I chuckled, brushing a stray lock of hair from her forehead. “I have half a mind to do it now, but I don’t want to scare you. Especially after what you told me.”

She leaned up, pressing a feather-light kiss to my jaw. “I might need some scaring, if that’s the only way it’ll happen,” she teased, though her voice was tentative.

Heat flared. “Fuck, you’re killing me.” I kissed her again, briefly, savoring the softness of her lips. Then I forced myself to step back. “We gotta hit the road. If we keep this up, we won’t leave until lunchtime.”

She laughed nervously, her cheeks flaming. “Right. Reality.”

“Yeah. Reality sucks.” I winked and headed to the bathroom, glancing back once to see her touching her lips, as if marveling at what had just happened.

Part of me hated leaving her there. Another part was grateful for the break, so I could get my raging libido under control. Since she was a virgin, I needed to be sure her first time wasn’t overshadowed by fear or regret. The last thing I wanted was to traumatize her while bullets whizzed past our heads.

In the shower, the water pounded my sore shoulders, and I let out a low groan. My thoughts kept drifting to her, how she felt in my arms, how her lips tasted. How her tongue felt, and how it would feel on my dick. Pulling on my cock, I imagined popping her sweet cherry in one hard go. I pictured her breasts in my mind, her wet skin from the other night. Her nervous stammer. Her innocence. She doesn’t know what to do. I longed to teach her. Damn, sliding into her was going to feel so damn good. She was all mine. My fist pumped as a red-hot release spurted over my hand.

After that, I forced myself to focus on the day’s plan instead of my raging hormones. We’d head north, keep to back roads, and eventually reach the Road Monsters MC in Kansas by nightfall or tomorrow morning. Once there, I’d have reinforcements, access to intel, and a safe place for Lexi to hide.

When I emerged, towel slung around my waist, she was folding up the blankets on her bed, phone in hand. She gave me a once-over that made my blood stir again, but I quickly changed into my clothes. Couldn’t risk another meltdown of self-control.

We checked out, hopped on the Harley, and roared onto the highway. The sky spread vast and blue above us. I kept my eyes peeled for any sign of a tail, but the roads were relatively calm. Lexi clung to me, arms around my waist.

Halfway through the trip, we stopped for gas at a dusty station in Oklahoma. She stretched her legs, yawning, while I filled up. The attendant eyed us warily but said nothing. We grabbed a few snacks, protein bars, bottled water. No time for a leisurely lunch. We had them there. The sooner we got to the clubhouse, the better. Capturing her lips, I didn’t want her to forget about what was in store for her. In Kansas, I’d find some peace, find time to treat her right and take what’s mine. Her virginity. After I ended our kiss, we hopped back on the bike.

As miles bled into more miles, Lexi shifted behind me whenever we idled, occasionally pointing out random sights. A dilapidated barn, a roadside antique shop. I found myself smiling at her attempts to lighten the mood. Even in the midst of chaos, she had a spark of curiosity, a desire to see something good in the world.

We spoke little, thanks to the wind whipping past us. But the silences felt comfortable, at least in my mind. She seemed at ease too, or as much as one could be while fleeing gunmen. By late afternoon, we crossed into Kansas, fields stretching on either side of the road. The horizon felt infinite.

“I guess I never pictured you as a farm kinda guy,” Lexi joked at one point, bending closer to speak over the wind.

Laughter escaped my lips. “I’m not. But trust me, the Road Monsters' clubhouse is nowhere near an actual farm. They just picked a remote location, so no one bothers them.”

Sure enough, by dusk, we turned down a gravel road lined with trees. My stomach tightened with anticipation. Would they welcome me with a stranger in tow? It’d been a while since I’d shown my face. But we had no other choice. Lexi’s life was on the line, and I couldn’t handle it alone.

As the clubhouse came into view, a sprawling low building with a fenced perimeter, I felt Lexi’s grip tighten. I reached down to pat her hand, a silent reassurance. Anything necessary, I would do. I’d keep her safe.