Page 30 of Property of the Hellfire Riders

This will all be over soon, and I’ll get Laina back.

I decide to walk to the nearest bus stop and take one to the station. Reynold’s will be arriving at his office around the time I arrive, and I can show him the leg as well as the note. They might want to put me under surveillance.

As I approach the bus stop, I can't help but glance over my shoulder every so often. The stop isn't far, but it feels like forever.

I wipe sweat from my forehead and check my reflection in my phone. I look like a complete mess, but under these circumstances, who wouldn’t be?

I see the bright white bus down the street and pick up my pace.

At least I‘m not out here alone, there's a few people waiting for the bus too. I blend in seamlessly. I tug my phone out of my pocket and call Reynolds as I wait, but it goes to voicemail. Of course.

The bus brakes screech as it stops, cranking the doors open.

Then the roll of thunder follows, but there isn’t a damn cloud in the empty sky.

Wait. No. It takes a second, but a shiver races down my back and the hair on my neck stands up as a motorcycle comes to a stop directly behind the bus.

“Izzy!” A deep voice calls to me.

With every fiber of my being, I want to run, but I freeze in place like a deer caught in headlights. I contemplate pushing my way onto the bus and not looking back.

But then what? He’d probably follow it.

“I’m glad I found you.”

I slowly turn and there he is, Tank, wearing a leather jacket with the club‘s patches in full view and jeans, his long legs straddling his bike. 6’4, built like a brick wall. He looks as if Prince Charming has an evil twin brother.

And I’m sure as hell no princess right now.

His brown eyes are hidden behind a pair of aviator sunglasses, but I don’t need to see them to know exactly how he’s eyeing me.

“I hope Hawk didn’t piss you off too much,” he smirks as he revs his engine and the vibrations of it makes my insides clench. He tilts his head, watching me for a long while. I have about five seconds left before those bus doors close.

“Oh,” I shrug. “It’s all good.” Clueless what to say. Hawk scared me alright, and now I’m on the verge of freaking out.

“I was wondering where the hell you ran off to?”

“Home. I need to sleep at some point,” I force a feeble laugh. He drops his sunglasses, so they perch on the end of his nose, and his heavenly eyes reveal themselves to me.

“He mentioned you’re having some issues with Dead Demons.”

I nod, pressing my lips tightly together.Is he worried about me? That can’t be right.He rolls his broad shoulders back, looking to the left and then the right.

“It’s all good. we don’t need to talk about it here.” He slaps the back of his motorcycle behind him. “Come with me.”

The bus doors close then with a tight snap and lock. My chance of escape drives off.

“Where?” I ask, eyeing his metal machine then back to him.

He stops within inches of me, so close in fact that the familiar scene of leather and smoke wafts over me.

“Come on. I owe you after last night. Alright?” His voice is velvet and steel. “You shouldn’t be off on your own, you’re by yourself, vulnerable. Something could happen.”

I swallow, hating myself for the fact I want to go with him. That feral, lustful part of me wants to escape with Tank and have him whisk me out of here, and most likely straight into danger.

Think Izzy, think.

My logical sense screams at me to run, the other side of me knows there‘s no way I can outrun him. Look how far I made it this morning. I couldn’t even make it to the bus stop without this man tracking me down.

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