Page 18 of Dusty and Dented
Andy nodded but didn’t speak.She stared at him for a moment then stepped forward into his arms.She still didn’t say anything as she unwound her arms from around her middle and wrapped them around his waist as she buried her face against his chest.His arms came around her and the rest of the world seemed to fade away.No, it wasn’t gone, but it didn’t seem to matter so much as the arms holding, her reassuring her that she was safe and okay.At least for the moment.
Chapter Fourteen
Dagger stood on theside of the highway with Andy pressed against him, watching as his brothers bound the two men—Shadow and another he didn’t recognize—with duct tape.The man he didn’t know also got extra tape wrapped around his bloody shoulder.He wondered how the Crow had been wounded but wasn’t willing to ask with Andy right here and he wasn’t willing to leave her to find out.He’d get someone to give him all the details later.
“Why don’t you take her home,” Raven said, approaching them.“Gather up what she’s going to need for a few days and take her to the club house to stay until we can make sure whatever caused this is taken care of.”
Dagger glanced down at where his little spark stood, her face still buried against his chest, then back at Raven.He looked at where his brothers were tossing the Royal Crows who had taken her into the van, much as he suspected they’d done to her, and could find nothing but anger towards them.He wanted his shot at them and knew it would be easier for him to get it if they were at the clubhouse.
But it wouldn’t be easy to convince her.
After a single nod from Dagger, the president turned away to deal with something else and Dagger turned his attention to the woman in his arms.
“Hey.”He kept his voice soft so as not to startle her, but she didn’t respond or move in any way.“Sweetheart, are you ready to leave?”
She still didn’t reply but she did press herself closer against him, as if she didn’t want to be separated from him.He couldn’t blame her for that.He didn’t want her getting too far from him either.
“Come on, Andy, we need to get out of here.”He decided if she didn’t answer this time then he would just pick her up and carry her to the car.He hated seeing her non-responsive like this, it reminded him of the way she’d lain in bed sobbing after the service this morning.Had that only been a few hours ago?It felt like more.
Andy lifted her head and looked at him.“You’re going too?You’re not going to leave me?”The vulnerability in her voice made his chest ache.
“I’m not going to leave you.Where you go, I go.”On impulse he bent and kissed her forehead.“Come on, I brought your car.”
“I saw that.”She loosened her grip around his waist.Dagger walked her to the car and helped her into the passenger’s seat, making sure she was buckled in before closing the door and going around.As he reached the driver’s door, a truck pulled off the highway and to a stop behind the car.
He tensed for a moment wondering if more trouble had found them, then he spotted who was driving and relaxed.Tiny was driving with Grinder in the passenger seat.
He realized they’d probably left at the same time as everyone else but had driven at a more reasonable speed.He wanted to know what the plan was but didn’t want to leave his little spark alone to ask.
When had he started to think of her as his?The thought stopped him cold.
He stood next to the open car door on the side of the highway wondering when she had become his, if only in his mind.
“Is everything okay?”Andy’s voice from inside the car brought him back to what he was doing.
“Everything’s good.”Dagger said as he ducked his head and slid in behind the wheel.“Are you really okay?They didn’t hurt you?”he asked as he started the car, checked the road, and pulled out, flipping a U-turn.
