Page 62 of Savage Fire

The SUV was headed north on US-93, toward the border with Utah.

Jacob was taking her home.

Tessa curled her lip in disgust, her chest tight with fear and loathing.

Beside her on the left was Jimmy. His gaze was currently locked on her tits. Usually, she didn’t give a shit, could care less because she knew she had a nice rack. This time, however, she just hoped he didn’t notice the awkward lump between her cleavage where she’d stashed her phone.

Right before Davey dropped her off, she’d slipped the phone in her bra because the pair of black leggings she was wearing didn’t have a place for it. The prospect even scrunched up his nose in disgust, commenting about book sweat. Tessa had waved him off. Now, she was thankful for the lack of pockets.

Davey…. God, she hoped he was okay. When the first shot rang out, it had taken JimmyandJacob to hold her down. She screamed, she kicked, she tried to buck them off, but they only enjoyed her pain and fear, laughing and commenting about how her struggles made them hard. Her mother, during the entire thing, sat on the bed, staring into space like a zombie.

Beside her on the right, sitting silently, her eyes watching the traffic as they moved at 80 miles per hour, her mother hadn’t said a word since Jacob appeared.

Her mother had betrayed her. From the mocking comments, her mother had informed Jacob immediately of Tessa’s call.

Swallowing down the bile, she turned to her mother.

“How could you do this?” she asked in a cruel whisper. “I’m your daughter, your flesh and blood. It was you who got me out of there that morning, just so I wouldn’t have to do this.” Her words came out in a hiss, making her mother finally show some emotion.

She flinched, but still didn’t turn away from the window. Still didn’t say a word.

Like she was brainwashed. Broken.

From the front, passenger seat, Jacob turned back and smirked at her.

“Don’t bother with her. She’s been used up for years. Broke her in nice and hard after she let you escape. Took some doin’, but once she finally realized her place, she became the perfect wife.”

Oh, God. What had he done to her?

Looking at her mother once more, Tessa could see the curl in her shoulders, the tremors in her hands, the subtle scaring on her cheek and neck.

What did he use, a bridle?

Losing the battle with her tongue, she let fly, “You’re such a fucking asshole. What kind of man needs to break in a woman? That says nothing about the woman and everything about the man—that he isn’t strong enough to handle a strong woman. It means you’re a piece of shit—”

Jacob backhanded her, making her head jerk to the right. Her mom flinched, her gaze flicking to Tessa but then immediately back to the window. There was a flash of sorrow and regret in her gaze. So, she wasn’t a complete zombie, Tessa mentally scoffed.

Fuck, the asshole’s meaty hand packed a punch. Her jaw hurt like a bitch, but she could honestly say female MMA opponents hit harder.

Licking the blood from the tear in her bottom lip, Tessa didn’t break eye contact with Jacob.

“Hit a nerve,viejo verde?” Dirty old man. “Don’t like it when the little woman talks back?” Hell, if the perv was determined to have her for wife number six, he was going to get the full Tessa Grimes treatment.

She flashed him a mocking smile.

“Disappointed that I’m not the easy, demure little girl I used to be?”

Jacob’s face turned an alarming shade of red. Leering at her, his muddy eyes filled with vicious hatred, he vowed, “When we stop for the night, I’m gonna have fun making you take back every ugly word you just said.” Ronnie and Jimmy both laughed, the SUV filling with the sounds of gorillas mating. “I’ve had seven years to picture what this reunion would look like, and I’m gonna make every single one of my dreams come true.”

Biting her cheek to keep from spouting off at the mouth again, she hated the burn of tears behind her eyes. There was no time for tears. Or weakness. She needed to think, to plan.

The cell in her bra was no doubt leading the MC to where she was, which meant Fang and his brothers weren’t too far behind. She just had to hold out until her man could get to her. Once Ronnie stopped for the night, she needed to do whatever needed doing in order to keep them from checking her bra. Jacob’s reunion plans would most likely include stripping her naked at some point. She had to hold them off, keep them off-balance long enough for Fang to get there.

Fang is coming.

She might not completely trust him with her heart, but she trusted him and every member of the Savage Raiders MC with her life. They were coming for her; she knew that to her marrow.

She just hoped she was still in once piece when they finally found her.

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