Page 41 of Devil's Due

“My bike’s out front.” Thank fuck I had the foresight to park it away from her house, though originally that had been for a different reason. “We’ve got to get out of here.”

“Don’t I need to stay to talk to the authorities? Beef, can the house be saved?”

I’m carrying her again, simply because it’s easier than trying to navigate her around to where I want her to go. People are coming out of their houses.

“She alright? I called 911,” asks and states a concerned neighbour.

“I’m taking her to get checked out,” I shout back, hoping no one stops us as I go to my bike. People look stunned, but luckily no one steps up to prevent me whisking her away. My quick glance around shows various expressions from shock, to sympathy, to onlookers’ enjoyment and curiosity seeing someone else’s house burn.

Then, I’m at my bike. “Get on babe.”

“Where are we going?”

“Somewhere a lot fuckin’ safer than this.”

Chapter Fifteen

She’s hanging onto my waist so fucking tightly. Taking my left hand off the handlebars once I’ve shifted into top, I reach down and squeeze her hand tightly, giving her what little comfort I can as I get to my destination as fast as possible. My senses are on high alert, I can almost feel danger breathing down my neck.

My head whirls with the implications. Someone locked a blind woman’s escape route and then set fire to her house. There had been no one waiting out back, they were that confident she wouldn’t get out. I’m filled with rage, wondering what the fuck would have happened if I hadn’t been there today, and if Stevie hadn’t had such good hearing that got us out of the living room at the right time?

I could have been killed too.

There’s no doubt now. Someone wants Stevie dead. They are not going to succeed. Not if I’ve got anything to say about it. That I myself had been in danger now makes this personal for me too.

I’ve been checking my rearview as I’ve been riding, no one seems to be following me, even when I’d made the diversion I had. I’m pleased as fuck when at last the gates of the clubhouse, reinforced after the attack a few weeks back, appear before me. The prospect has those gates opening as soon as he recognises my bike.

“Prospect!” I yell, as I dismount. After quite closing the gates he comes running over. I explain fast, “Don’t think I’ve got a tail—”

I don’t need to explain what I want when he interrupts, “I’ll keep my eyes open.”

I may not know him, but something tells me Dan’s good. He knew immediately what I wanted.

“Where am I?” Instead of looking around, Stevie’s clearly listening hard. Someone is working on their bike, revving the engine. Loud voices reach us from the clubroom.

“I’ve brought you to the clubhouse…”

“Take me to a motel,” she immediately insists, for the first time seeming frightened and wary.

I can see how coming to a biker compound could be scary, even for a sighted woman. For her? I’d had no time to prepare her. It must be terrifying. To be honest, all I had on my mind was getting her away from whoever wanted her dead, and what place could be safer than being among my brothers? I hadn’t spared a thought for how she would feel about it. I take hold of her hand, she grasps it like an anchor.

“Babe,” I’m thinking aloud. “You’ve been found. That’s a definite. I don’t know who’s after you or how many. You haven’t told me anything, so you probably know better than I. If they found you once, they could find you again. If I took you to a motel, you wouldn’t have the same protection we can give you here.”

“You saywe.” She’s keeping her voice down. “Why should your friends help me?”

“Don’t forget, it was my brother’s suggestion to extend our security services to you. And even if that wasn’t the case, they’ll do it for me.”

Her eyes squeeze tightly. “But you said your brothers were in Tucson…”

“Any man in any chapter is my brother.” Dan’s watching the gate, but I’m only too aware the strong steel slats will keep out most things, but not a bullet. “Babe, let’s get you inside. Don’t like that you’re out in the open.”

“Describe it to me, Beef. What type of building is this?”

Information. That’s what she needs. “It’s an old steel mill that’s been converted.”

She raises her chin slightly. “Going to need you to help me, Beef.” She doesn’t ask helplessly, just matter of fact.

“I’ll be by your side, Stevie. And if I’m not, I’ll make sure one of the women is with you. You won’t be alone.” I’ll need to fill in Demon and the rest of his men, can’t personally guarantee to stick with her.

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