Page 7 of October's Ride with Atlas

“You have until sundown today to get her back to me untouched,” he threatens.

“Yeah, that isn't happening. She will be staying here, safe from the likes of you,” I say as a smile falls from my face.

Her going back to Savage Bones isn't an option. I can't guarantee her safety there, and the thought of not having her close makes my skin crawl.

“Now Atlas, kidnapping is a crime. I hate to arrest you for it,” Sheriff Cade drawls in the background.

“So, it's just a crime when I do it? It wasn’t a crime when they kidnapped Poppy and assaulted her by shaving off her hair a few weeks ago? It wasn't a crime when they kidnapped Sammy's young son or when they held Ginger down and forcefully tattooed her? And it wasn't a crime when theypoisoned your own daughter?” I am yelling now.

In an attempt to calm down, I take a deep breath so as not to wake up Bex.

“How about I make a report about a corrupt small-town sheriff to the proper authorities? It's about time we clean this town up. Bex is under the Mustang Mountain Riders' protection. Anyone who touches her will be dealt with by us,” I say, hanging up.

CHAPTER 4

BEX

As my mind races,I try to keep my breathing even and not give any sign that I'm awake. He isn't letting me go. I'm not here as a bargaining piece like I thought. Then why keep me? What good am I to them to keep around?

I guess I'll be paired off with one of the guys. My dad always said that as long as I kept the food coming and the place clean, he wouldn't let the other guys touch me, not unless I wanted them. He said it wasn't typical in a club like his, but he'd protect me. Without his protection, I have no idea what will happen to me.

Atlas comes back into the room and closes the door. I don’t want to open my eyes, so I’m unable to see what he's doing, but I don't hear any other noise.

Then his feet shuffle on the floor across the room, and I can feel his body heat against my back since I'm facing the back of the couch, pretending to sleep. He pulls the blanket up over my shoulder and softly brushes a hand over my hair.

He thinks I'm asleep and is taking care of me. Most nights, I was lucky to even have a blanket in whatever house we were in, but here Atlas is pulling mine up to make sure I’m not cold. It's sweet, but he's still the man who kidnapped me, I remind myself.

Now that he isn't planning to give me back to my dad, I have to find a way to escape. He’s the only family I have left, and I don’t want to leave him. Even though he might have skirted the law, Dad always took care of me. After all, he was the one who came back for me.

The chair at Atlas's desk squeaks, and I’m sure he's now sitting at his desk. I can hear faint tapping on the keyboard, so I know he's on his computer. I wait to see what he is going to do, but I guess I drift off because the next thing I know, the lights are dimmed, and the room is quiet.

How long have I been out?

Turning over, I look around, and the room is empty. I stretch, and I'm a bit sore from the cramped position I’ve been sleeping in. I feel like I could go back to sleep, yet all I've been doing is sleeping. I spot a piece of folded paper on Atlas’s desk with my name on it, so I sit up and grab it.

Bex,

You need your rest, so I didn't bother you. When you wake up, come into the kitchen. You need to eat.

Atlas

I run my fingers over the words on the paper. The handwriting is masculine but still neater and fancier than I would have expected from an MC president.The tone is demanding. There is no doubt this is a command he expects to be followed. I tuck the paper into my pocket. As silly as it is, it’s a note to me, and I want to keep it.

Going to the door, I peek out. There is no one in the hallway. This might be my one chance to escape. I step into the hallway, not even bothering to close the door. I don’t want to make any noise and alert anyone that I am up.

Quietly, I head back down the hallway in the direction we came. Atlas's office is at the end of the hall, so I’m able to peek into open doors, but all I find are more offices or storage rooms. If I had more time, I’d snoop and try to find some information to help my dad, but I can’t risk being caught.

As I sneak down the hall, I come to another shorter hallway. To the right, I know it leads back to the main area and toward the kitchen. Looking to the left, I see what looks like a mudroom at the end and a door leading outside. There is no one around, so I quickly and quietly make my way to the mudroom.

Looking behind me, I want to make sure no one spots me. Once in the room, I duck behind the wall. That’s when my eyes land on the man sitting in a chair in the corner. A big smile stretches across his face.

“Now you wouldn’t be trying to escape, would ya?” he asks.

If the Mustang Mountain Riders are good men like Atlas claims, maybe I can appeal to him to let me go.

“I’m trying to get back to my father. I think there was a misunderstanding…” I start to say. Before I can plead my case, he stands and towers over me.

“No misunderstanding, Bex.” He says my name, and I panic.

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