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CHAPTER 14

“H i! I’m watching a movie with Jam. I thought you might be lonely,” Caroline practiced over and over as she walked up to the front of the complex with her computer and stuffie. She’d stayed at home for a half hour after Wraith left before her worries overwhelmed her.

As she got closer to the back door of the guard shack, Caroline worried she might have not thought this through well. Before she could chicken out, she made herself knock.

“What the fuck?” echoed from inside.

Caroline waved, figuring Hellcat could see her on the camera. He was at the door in thirty seconds.

“You are supposed to be tucked in safely in Wraith’s cabin,” Hellcat told her.

“Hi! I’m watching a movie with Jam and figured you’d be lonely,” she recited almost perfectly.

When he stared at her, Caroline’s brave face crumbled. “The cabins are abandoned, and the wind is whipping around, making all sorts of noises. I’m scared. Besides, I thought you’d get the word that everyone was okay first. Can I wait with you?”

Hellcat stared at her for what seemed like an eternity before stepping back and waving her inside. “Come in. It’s better that you stay with me than wander in the dark. What movie are we watching?”

“You like cats, right?”

“I do,” he answered.

“You get to choose—old or new?” Caroline set her computer on the table under the windows, flipped open the screen, and showed him the two choices. “Old or new?” she repeated, pointing from one to the other.

“New. I haven’t seen that.”

“You’ll love it. It’s awesome!” She busied herself pulling the film up and starting it while he grabbed another chair up to join him. Caroline settled in that one comfortably and glanced over at him. “Thanks for letting me in.”

“You’re welcome. I needed to meet Jelly, anyway.”

“His name is Jam.” Caroline rushed to correct him.

“Of course. My apologies, Jam.”

Coming up here was a good idea. So much better than listening to every sound inside and outside the cabin with Jam. The purple monkey didn’t want to admit he was scared too, but Caroline had felt him shaking.

As the first notes of the music sounded, she focused back on the screen. About an hour into the movie, Hellcat tensed beside her.

“Caroline, slide out of your chair to sit on the floor. I want you out of sight,” Hellcat snapped as he closed the top of her laptop, silencing the show.

Without asking any questions, Caroline followed his directions. The urgency in his voice alone scared her. She squeezed into the smallest space possible under the desk, hugging Jam close to reassure him. Headlights flashed over the ceiling of the shack. Hellcat pulled a gun out of his leather cut, and she swallowed hard.

“Damn. I hoped he was making a U-turn. Stay quiet,” Hellcat told her under his breath.

Caroline could hear the powerful engine as it pulled up to the window. Hellcat hit an intercom button and snarled, “You’re on private property. Turn around and head back to the main road.”

“Hey, sorry to bother you. My wife must have broken down around here. I haven’t heard from her for a couple of hours, so I tracked her car to this location. She’s about five hundred feet past the entrance.”

Caroline recognized that voice. Adam. What was he doing? And the asshole had a tracker in her car?

“No wives here. Turn around.” Hellcat’s tone didn’t invite a conversation.

“Now, that’s not very helpful. I’d hate to get the police involved,” Adam threatened in a polite tone.

“You are welcome to call them from the public road. I’ve told you twice already to turn around. Do that now.” Hellcat stood from his seat. He lifted his right hand and set it on the table in Adam’s view. The barrel of his gun shone under the fluorescent lights.

Caroline could tell the previously injured biker was still moving with pain, but Adam wouldn’t pick up on that. Hellcat outmuscled her ex by a huge percentage. And he was armed. She held her breath. How far was Adam going to push this?

“Gotcha. One more thing before I leave. My wife lives in a land of make-believe filled with knights in shining armor and damsels in distress. She suffers from delusions and is easily confused. Some might consider allowing her to stay the same as kidnapping.”

Uh-oh. He’s becoming angry. Caroline could hear the frustration in Adam’s tone. He didn’t make good choices when he didn’t get his way.

A rumble from the road caught Caroline’s attention. Were the Devils on their way back? She smirked. It really sucked to be Adam.

“I’ll head out. Keep my warning in mind,” her ex stated with bravado.

Caroline peeked out of her safe spot and caught Hellcat’s slow, lethal smile.

The roaring engine sounds now came from outside the guard shack. Caroline peeked out the side window to see motorcycles surrounding Adam’s beloved sports car. She recognized the man who swung his leg over his bike by his sheer mass alone. Two more bikers dismounted to flank him.

Wraith strolled up to Adam’s window. He didn’t address him but stared at him as he asked Hellcat. “Who’s this piece of shit who can’t read ‘no trespassing’ signs?”

“Says he’s tracked his wife here. She’s delusional and mentally ill,” Hellcat shared. Caroline noticed he didn’t exit the guard shack. She guessed he was concerned Adam would spot her.

“What’s her name?” Wraith asked.

“Caroline McConnell. She’s got brown hair and eyes. Could lose thirty pounds or so. You know how women are when they get married—always eating,” Adam joked, obviously trying to bond with Wraith.

She rolled those brown eyes and shook her head. A loud metallic snap made her freeze.

“What the hell?” Adam didn’t sound happy.

“Whoops! That was clumsy of me,” Wraith acknowledged. “They don’t attach side mirrors like they used to.”

“Hellcat? How many times did you tell this guy to leave?” Wraith asked, never taking his eyes off Adam.

“Three, Wraith.”

“Oh, in that case.” A second crunch followed.

“Fuck!” Adam yelled.

Caroline put Jam over her mouth. That must be the other mirror.

“That’s two. Windshield or rear window?” Wraith asked.

“Hey. I get the message. I’ll leave if you’ll move the bikes around me,” Adam told him.

Glass shattering told her the bikers had administered the third consequence.

“Devils, better shift your bikes. I doubt if this guy drives well on a good day. He’s never coming back here. Whoever his wife is, he’s going to speak much nicer about her in the future. Because if he harasses her in any way, this conversation will move from pleasant to angry. I don’t think he’s going to enjoy that.”

Caroline gritted her teeth together to keep from giggling. Adam’s skills in manipulating people didn’t work on Wraith and the Devil Daddies. She hadn’t thought she’d see Adam slammed with consequences for being a total jerk to her. It felt incredibly good to have others see through his crap.

Adam sat quietly in his car as the Devils shifted their bikes into the complex. Wraith didn’t budge from his spot next to her ex’s window. Caroline saw the imposing man lean forward to speak to Adam privately. She couldn’t hear what he said and decided maybe she didn’t want to.

“Looks like you lost a fight. Maybe I don’t need to worry about you if I’m not outnumbered ten to one,” Adam answered.

Instantly concerned that Wraith was injured, Caroline shifted, rising from her sheltered spot on the floor. Hellcat moved his hand with lightning speed to stop her, pinning her out of sight. He squeezed slightly to warn her. Caroline knew a few minutes delay wouldn’t hurt Wraith any more, but she wasn’t happy waiting.

“You have no idea how battered the other side is,” Wraith pointed out. “They won’t mess with one of ours. And you won’t return. Back up. The road is clear behind you.”

A squeal of tires on the road told her how quickly Adam followed her Daddy’s instructions. Caroline tried to stand, but Hellcat held her in place. “Not yet,” he hissed.

When his grip relaxed, she rose to her feet and bolted out the door. She skidded to a halt in front of Wraith and stared at his bruised face. “What happened? Are you okay?”

“Come give me a hug, Precious. I’m fine. Much better than when I figured out you were in the guard shack with Hellcat instead of safe in my cabin,” Wraith said, leveling a stern glance at her.

“Ummm. Could we talk about it at the cabin?”

“You bet,” Wraith assured her.

Caroline dashed into the guard shack to grab her laptop and Jam. She whispered to Hellcat, “Thanks for keeping me company. We’ll finish the movie next time. You won’t believe how it ends.”

“I’ll look forward to it,” Hellcat assured her before turning to Wraith. “She was scared, Wraith. The wind has been wicked loud.”

“I’ll consider that. Thanks for keeping her safe. Sullivan’s crew won’t bother shipments anymore. We came to an agreement. The guys can explain more.”

Wraith opened his saddlebag for Caroline to stash her laptop and Jam inside. After unfastening his helmet, he strapped it on Caroline. “Let’s go home, Precious.”

“What about you?” she whispered, touching his helmet.

“I’ll make it safely to the cabin,” he promised as he started the bike.

Caroline slid awkwardly into place, wondering if she’d ever get better at hopping on and off the massive bike. Wrapping her arms around Wraith, she rested her head on his back and relaxed. He was safe.