Page 17 of Taken By the Outlaw

I kiss her then, hard and possessive, claiming her mouth with a desperation that surprises us both. She responds immediately, rising on tiptoes, free hand clutching my shirt, pulling me closer. When I break away, we're both breathing hard.

"I'll be back," I promise again. It's a vow, a declaration of intent. Nothing—not rival MCs, not diamonds, not my own crew's doubts—will keep me from returning to her.

I leave her there, standing in the middle of my bedroom with a gun in her hand and my taste on her lips. The image burns itself into my mind as I stride toward the main area where my crew awaits instructions.

I've kidnapped Emilia West. Taken her freedom, her choice, her innocence.

But now I’ve given her a gun. I must be cerifiably insane.

But somehow, in the process, she's captured something of me as well—something I didn't even know was available for the taking.

And as I prepare to defend what's mine, I realize that list now includes more than just my crew, my compound, and three million in diamonds.

It includes a librarian with hazel eyes who's surrendered to me in ways that run much deeper than the physical.

seven

Emilia

The gun weighsheavy in my hand long after Clark leaves. I place it carefully on the nightstand, then pace the confines of his bedroom, trapped energy buzzing through my limbs. Hours pass. The compound grows quieter as night falls, most of the crew positioned outside, watching for threats. I should be terrified, huddled under the bed with the gun Clark gave me. Instead, I'm standing at the window, peering through a crack in the shutters, seeing armed men moving like shadows across the yard. And all I can think is: this is my chance. The one opportunity I might have to escape while everyone's attention is focused outward. I'm not a prisoner, Clark said himself. I can move freely within the compound. And right now, the compound is barely guarded from the inside.

I shouldn't even be considering this. Clark told me to stay put, warned me of the danger. But the longer I remain here, the more entangled I become—in his world, in his bed, in feelings that make no sense but grow stronger by the hour.

I need to go home. Mom needs her medication managed properly. My sister can't handle it alone. The library will have questions about my extended absence. My small, ordinary life is slipping away with each moment I spend in this dangerous, intoxicating alternative reality.

And if I'm honest with myself, I need distance from Clark. From the way he makes me feel—desired, possessed, alive. From the way my body responds to his merest touch, the way my mind drifts to memories of him inside me, claiming me in ways I never imagined possible. I'm losing myself here. Becoming someone I don't recognize—someone who craves danger, who finds excitement in fear, who's drawn to a man capable of violence and control.

I gather my few possessions—the clothes I arrived in, now clean and folded, the book I was reading earlier. I leave Clark's gun on the nightstand. I won't need it. I don't want it.

The hallway outside his room is empty, dimly lit. I move silently, years of library work teaching me how to walk without making a sound. The main room is deserted—the crew all outside, watching for the rival gang. I can see them through the windows, positioned strategically around the perimeter.

My heart pounds so loudly I'm certain someone will hear it. But no one stops me as I make my way to a side door I discovered during my earlier exploration—an exit the guards likely aren't watching since their focus is on defending against external threats.

I pause with my hand on the door handle, unexpected doubts flooding me. What if Clark is right? What if the danger is real and I'm walking straight into it? What if my attempt at freedom puts me in worse jeopardy?

But I've been capable of taking care of myself for years. Before Clark, before this insanity, I navigated life just fine. I can do it again. I need to do it again, before whatever's happening between us becomes something I can't walk away from.

Decision made, I slip through the door into the cool night air. The compound is situated in what appears to be an industrial area, surrounded by similar warehouse-like buildings, most dark and apparently abandoned. The fence that surrounds the property is tall, topped with barbed wire, but I noticed earlier that the northeast corner has a gate for deliveries. If I can reach it undetected, I might be able to slip through.

I stick to the shadows, heart threatening to burst from my chest every time I hear a sound. The MC members are positioned facing outward, looking for approaching threats. Not for an escaping librarian creeping along the inside perimeter.

I reach the gate and find it padlocked. For a moment, despair threatens to overwhelm me—then I spot a gap beneath the fence where something has eroded the ground away. It's small, but so am I. If I lie flat, I might just squeeze through.

I drop to my stomach, pushing my bag ahead of me, and begin to wriggle beneath the fence. The rough ground scrapes my arms, my cardigan catching on the metal. For a terrifying moment, I think I'm stuck—but with one final push, I'm through, lying on the other side of the barrier that's kept me contained.

Free. I'm free.

The realization brings a rush of emotion—relief, triumph, and something else. Something that feels uncomfortably like loss. I glance back at the compound, at the room where I know Clark will eventually return, expecting to find me waiting. Will he be angry? Worried? Will he come looking for me?

The thought sends a complicated mix of fear and hope through me. Part of me wants him to find me, to sweep me back into his arms, to make me forget why I tried to leave in the first place. But the rational part knows this is my only chance—that if I don't go now, I might never leave.

I force myself to my feet and start walking, staying in the shadows, moving away from the compound as quickly and quietly as I can. The industrial area gradually gives way to a more commercial district—closed shops and empty parking lots. I have no idea where I am, but I keep moving, figuring any direction away from Clark is the right one.

I'll find a phone, call a taxi, make my way home. Back to normalcy. Back to safety.

But as I walk through the unfamiliar streets, the darkness feels oppressive rather than concealing. Every shadow might hide a threat, every sound makes me jump. I've traded the known danger of Clark's world for the unknown dangers of the night.

I quicken my pace, wishing I'd thought to check which way led to the main road, to civilization. The streets become narrower, the buildings more rundown. I'm heading in the wrong direction, moving deeper into what appears to be an abandoned industrial zone.

---