Page 26 of Her Avenging Angel

“What do you think?” Raven asked, lifting one brow at her. “Want to go for a ride to celebrate?”

“Yes!” She hadn’t been out of the clubhouse, well, other than out onto the back patio, since she’d arrived two months before. She would love to go somewhere, anywhere, away from there. Then she remembered the Demons. “But is it safe?”

“The Demons are gone. I thought you’d heard about their club house blowing up.”

She frowned and shook her head. She hadn’t heard anything like that. Where would she have heard it? “Are—Are you sure?” She felt lightheaded. Not wanting to fall, she braced one hand on the table still sitting beside her. She had a hard time drawing a breath and had to stop and try again, this time her lungs filled more easily.

“I am. The Demons are gone. Besides, you look different with the short hair, I’m sure.” He smoothed one hand over her head then down her neck. “But put a helmet on and there’s no reason anyone would recognize you, even your best friend. Why don’t you go get ready and I’ll take you out for a bit.”

Her heart seemed to jump in her chest. “Really? Do I have time for a shower?”

“You do. Just don’t take two hours.” He gave her an indulgent smile.

Impatient to get out of there, she jumped up and hurried to her room. Her arm felt weird not having the weight she’d become accustomed to hauling around with her, but it felt good.

Taylynn hurried through her shower but took the time to scrub her arm and enjoy being able to use both hands to wash her hair. Then she dressed in a pair of jeans, t-shirt and the only shoes she had for going outside, a pair of canvas pull-on shoes, before going out in search of Raven. The thought of getting out of here for a bit was more exciting than the twinge of fear that ran through her at the idea of getting on a motorcycle again.

“Ready?” Raven asked as she stepped into the common area of the club house.

“As ready as I’ll get.”

“Not quite.” Something about his tone made her think he was up to something.

“Why not?” Taylynn tilted her head and watched him. Was he having second thoughts about taking her out?

“You can’t ride in those.” He motioned the thin canvas shoes on her feet.

She looked down at her feet then back up at him, her eyes wide. She opened her mouth to tell him that they were all she had, but he stopped her as he pointed to a box sitting on the bar.

“I think those will work better.”

With a frown, Taylynn went to the bar and took a look. The box said they’d come from the Harley dealership and were a nice pair of riding boots. She didn’t believe that was what was inside. She’d never been inside a Harley Davidson dealership, but she’d heard that they weren’t cheap, not for anything they sold. There was no way one of these guys would spend the kind of money boots from the dealership would cost, not on her. She was no one.

She opened the box and found that what was inside matched what was on the outside. Riding boots. The only person who would have bought her riding boots would have been Raven. The others might bring her small things once in a while—dinner, or a candy bar—but Raven was the only one who ever thought about more than the right now. He was the one who had brought her shoes with soles so she could go out into the back yard without worrying about tearing up the bottoms of her slippers.

She looked down at the boots, then pulled one out and looked at it, her movements slow, as she wasn’t entirely sure she was seeing what she thought she was. Was this some kind of joke?

Still holding the boot, she looked up to find Raven watching her.

“Did you get these for me?” She couldn’t help the tears that pooled in her eyes.

“I did, little one. Do you like them?”

She looked at him for a moment then back down at the boot in her hand. Her throat seemed to close. She tried to say yes, but the words wouldn’t come out. Instead, she nodded, set the boot back into the box with its mate and went to him. Taylynn looked up at him for a moment, still unable to speak, then threw her arms around his torso and hugged him.

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