Page 27 of The Devil's Scars

“On the run from the law?”

“He is indeed.”

“Any sightings?”

“One, about six months ago. Some tourists said that they saw him in Mexico.”

“It’s solid info?” he said, ready to get on his motorcycle and track that fucker down personally. “They got a real lead on him?”

“I have no idea. The cops took it seriously enough at the time, but nothing ever came of it.”

“Damn.”

“I know,” Zoe said sadly. “But really, I’ve pushed him out of my mind, mostly. I mean, I’m so, so angry that he may well get away with murdering my little sister, but my priority is Keira. I can’t let what her Dad did play too big of a part in our lives.”

“I can understand that.”

“You can?”

“Sure I can. That baby girl is your daughter now, and that makes her your heart and your breath. You’re gonna do what you gotta do, whatever it takes to do right by her. I can tell that about you.”

To her absolute horror, Zoe felt tears rising again… but this time, she couldn’t blame the alcohol. Or, actually, maybe she could. She was buzzing and dizzy, and she felt drained and a bit vulnerable right now. This hard, tough man’s gentleness and compassion were a surprise to her, a revelation of sorts: she hadn’t been looking for them when she’d walked into this bar tonight, and she sure as hell hadn’t been expecting them from this glowering biker.

Scars saw the shine on her cheeks, and this time, he did reach for her. He took her small hand in his large one, and they both jolted at even that small, tender touch. They stared at each other again, with a sense of being aware and wide awake.

“You OK?” he asked her, his rough fingers wiping the tears away. “Zoe? You good?”

She gazed up at him, and when she saw the desire burning bright and hot in those eyes, she just froze up. Fear was creeping into her body now, real fear, as she realized that Scars was making a move on her.

Oh, he wasn’t being super-aggressive about it, to be sure… but no mistake and no doubt, he was touching her for a reason. And that reason was the very reason that she’d almost ended up raped and beaten in the bar back room – it was the same reason that she’d left Denver all those years ago, without regret or even a look back.

It was the reason that she didn’t trust men, and most certainly not men like him.

It felt damn good, though… it felt so damn good. He was touching her gently, carefully, and more than anything else going on here, that confused her the most. How could a man with that face and that body be gentle, be careful?

He couldn’t. He just couldn’t.

“Yeah. I’m OK.” In one movement and with great effort, Zoe pulled away from that amazing touch. She stood up a bit unsteadily, feeling like her whole world had just tilted. “I’m going to go and clean up.”

Scars stood up too, and now that delicious, disturbing something else was back, big-time. It washed over her in slow, deliberate waves, and she was suddenly terrified that she was going to go under its relentless, pulsing strength.

That she was going to go under him. Under that body. Under all that heat and muscle.

In this moment, she knew – knew with everything inside of her – that despite her fear and her past, Scars Innis had the power to take her down to the ground. And the truth was, she didn’t know if she liked that or not.

Time to flee, take a breather, get her head together before she touched him. If she did that – if she got her hands and lips on his face and body – then she’d be lost. She knew that for damn sure.

“I’ll be right back,” she blurted. “I want to wash my face.”

“Bathroom’s that way,” he said, but she was already off. She remembered where the bathroom was, of course. Time hadn’t erased nearly enough from her memory, and the layout of this bar was as fresh in her mind today as it had been six years before.

Zoe bolted to the ladies’ room, ducked inside. Thank Christ a stall was empty, and she almost dove into it and locked the door behind her. Then she sat on the toilet seat, buried her face in her hands, and shook.

Oh, God. Oh, God. Oh, God.

What the hell was wrong with her, anyway? She knew better than to think and feel about Scars what she was thinking and feeling about him. She knew what he was; she knew who he was. She knew that he wasn’t what she needed or wanted; she knew that he’d never, ever be able to be a safe, steady presence in her life, and most definitely not in Keira’s.

Scars Innis was VP to an MC, which made him raw and risky. He was nothing but danger and darkness, and with every brain cell that she possessed, Zoe knew that.

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