Page 58 of Taken By Her Two Savage Bikers
The bandage was now off her cheek and had left an inch-long scar. It was pretty fresh yet, but even when it was fully healed it would be noticeable. I wasn’t sure how that would affect her modeling career, but I doubted it would do her any favors. After getting to know her I’ve learned that she had so much more to offer than just a beautiful face and I really hoped she knew that.
“With all that done. I think we’re done here.” He looked over at Gabriella, who nodded. “Good enough. Have Lola home by the end of the day.” He and Gabriella made their way to the door and exited without another word.
I watched them leave and took a minute to register that it was over. Taking a deep breath in, I slowly released it and gathered myself. Even if Lola had feelings for us it wouldn’t matter; this wasn’t the world for her. When you compared her with her sister, you could see the strain that this life had put on Gabriella. I didn’t want that type of weight on Lola’s shoulders; she was too good a person and had too much of a future ahead of her to be the old woman to a couple of lawless bikers.
“All right.” I looked over at Phoenix and Lola, who were still sharing the chair. Lola had opened the envelope and produced a stack of hundred-dollar bills. Perhaps ten thousand dollars’ worth of bills. Not a bad payout for not quite a month here. “Go get your stuff gathered, Lola. We’ll take you home. Phoenix, if you can grab her car that would be great since she’ll need to be blindfolded for a good chunk of the ride back to her place.”
Neither one moved, they both just stared at me.
“What?”
“Shouldn’t we talk a bit first? Is there a rush?” Phoenix looked over at Lola. “Considering everything?”
“Talon told us to take her home and that’s what we’re going to do. What is there to say beyond that?” I didn’t like the tone in my voice, but one of us had to be sensible. We all knew the end was nearing for us. She didn’t belong with us.
“All right.” Standing, Phoenix offered his hand to Lola. “Let’s get you home.”
She hesitated, but slowly nodded, accepting his hand and then standing. Her expression was not one of joy like I’d expected. “Yeah. That’ll be good… Thank you.”
The past few weeks the atmosphere had been light for the most part. The three of us had gotten into a rhythm and we liked it. Lola was even actively learning about the cannabis industry and learning about the plants. This news however had put a cloud over our little family, if you could call it that, as we packed her up. There was only one bag to pack up, but it seemed like a daunting task that was done in complete silence.
In fact, the silence remained throughout the entire drive to her place to drop her off. There were a million things I’d have liked to have said, and several times I nearly spoke how I was feeling, just to bite my tongue and remain silent. This was for the best. I cared for her. I wasn’t going to attempt to deny that, and with that being the case I had to do what was best for her and that was to let her go. I’d never be a marriage-with-kids and a white-picket-fence kinda guy, I couldn’t picture that for Phoenix either and that was what she deserved.
It was with a heavy heart that I pulled the truck up to the front of her apartment building and shifted into park, with Phoenix slipping her car into the spot she’d said was designated as hers. “So we’re here.” I turned in my seat and looked over at her, I’d allowed her to take the blindfold off a little less than a half hour ago. She was staring out the window and refusing to look in my direction. “Lola… Listen…”
“Yeah, I know. Thanks.” Grabbing the door handle she opened the door and slid from the truck, slamming it behind her apparently not interested in what I had to say.
I sat behind the wheel of the truck, unsure of what to do. She wasn’t happy with me. I wasn’t sure what I did, but whatever it was that I did, Phoenix had apparently also done the same thing. She pulled her keys from the bag we’d brought from her house for her and entered the building, not even accepting the hug Phoenix attempted to give her. Maybe she was just through with us and just wanted to be done. I can’t say that I blamed her. I’d be bitter too if the tables were turned.
~*~ TT ~*~
Phoenix
I didn’t expect the cold shoulder that Lola had given the both of us when we dropped her off. She grabbed the keys from me and took off without so much as a hug. Was this how it was going to end?
Confused, I didn’t chase her. Instead I turned and got into the truck. “Was that odd?”
Ash nodded, looking as perplexed as I felt. “Yeah. I mean, I don’t know what I expected as a goodbye but that wasn’t it.”
“Do you think we should have told her how we felt?”
Turning the key in the ignition, Ash shook his head and put the truck into gear. “Not sure it would do any good. Maybe this is how it was supposed to end. What would a long, drawn-out, sad goodbye accomplish anyhow, all it would do was make us all feel bad.”
“So I’m right then; you have feelings for her as well.” I needed Ash to confirm that for me. I needed to know that what I was feeling was justified.
Pulling the truck up to the stop sign, he looked both ways before pulling into traffic. “Does it really matter, Phoenix? Really? She’s too good for us and our lifestyle. You saw how hard it made her sister. I’d hate to see her turn cold and hard like that. She deserves more.”
Closing my eyes, I sank into the seat and tried to push Lola from my mind. He was right. We already fucked her life up bad enough already, the last thing she needed was us making it even worse. At least with the money Talon gave her she could start fresh and put the last few weeks behind her.
This was for the best.
My heart didn’t believe that for a second.
