Page 72 of Queen of Blades

“It’s time to leave,” he announced as he flicked the lighter, running his thumb along the wheel. The spark lit the flint, and Harper brought the liquor-soaked cloth to the flame. With a whoosh, it caught quickly.

Paul got a look at her in the orange glow. One of her eyes had swollen shut. Her face was covered in blood, and she had a fat lip. She was in rough shape. He’d need to get her some medical attention, and soon.

With a grunt, she launched the Molotov cocktail into the crowd. Together, the two of them threw bottle after fiery bottle out. The gunfire ceased almost immediately as the room glowed with the flames. A stampede headed for the doors.

Turning to the right, Paul noted a large window with several panes of glass. He gestured toward it. “That’s going to be our best bet,” he said.

With a stiff nod, Harper agreed.

Taking her hand, he helped her to her feet with far too many groans. He didn’t like it, but he’d have to deal. Limping himself, he led her toward the window just as someone else threw a chair against it. The glass shattered, and three people made their way out the window. Eddie was one of them.

Paul called out to get his attention. With a wave, his brother ducked down, and Paul hoisted Harper up and out. She landed in Eddie’s arms. Turning to look at the damage one last time, Paul jumped through the window. He wasn’t sure what this would mean for the bikers, and quite frankly, he didn’t care.

Harper was safe. The rest would be worked out later.

41

Harper

Closinghereyes,Harpersank into the sanctuary of Paul’s arms in the back seat of a random SUV. Tires spun in the dirt parking lot before the vehicle jerked forward and they were off. A flurry of injury reports from the men surrounding her filled the car. People she didn’t know were talking about how they’d gotten shot and who had bumps and bruises. Someone even mentioned that another guy hadn’t made it out.

More death.

She’d made the right choice when she left for law school. If only she’d had the wherewithal to not look back. Damn her sense of obligation to her family. Her father always wanted her back, under the protection of the club.

Had she stayed like he’d wanted, she would’ve belonged to the club and Dwight specifically. There was no way around that. That existence would’ve been hell. The few hours she’d spent with him only reiterated that.

That wasn’t the life she wanted.

Paul’s crew wasn’t as gritty as her father’s. They appeared more organized. Would life be as chaotic with them?

Perhaps she hadn’t sought to escape the dangers so much as she fled from Dwight.

As she rested her head against Paul’s chest, listening to the bass in his voice as he barked orders at his brother, who was driving, she concentrated on the beat of his heart while he rubbed her arm tenderly. She didn’t want to think about any of it right now. Unfortunately, her brain had other ideas.

Paul and Dwight were both men who dabbled in illegal activities. One more brazen and careless than the other. There was a stark contrast between the biker life and Paul’s. Though she honestly couldn’t fool herself into believing one was safer than the other. They were both criminals. One just dressed better and was far more calculated. God help her, she ate that shit up.

What now?

Her dad was gone. Dwight was dead. In theory, she could return to her life and get therapy to process the past few days.

But what about Paul?

They hit a bump, and she winced. Stopping mid-sentence, Paul held her tighter.

“What hurts?” he asked.

She snorted. Blowing the question off in the heat of the moment behind the bar had been the right move. Cataloging her injuries wasn’t exactly imperative at the time. Now, though, she couldn’t avoid it. She began a list.

“My ribs, my face, my head, my ass. I think it’d be easier to ask what doesn’t hurt.” She sighed.

“What happened to your ass?” Eddie asked from the front seat.

“It’s the least of my concerns,” she groaned, not wanting to discuss the fresh burn on her butt.

Paul stroked her hair. “Eddie, is your buddy the paramedic available?”

“No.” He shook his head.

---