Page 5 of Exile & Lula
Standing outside at the back glass doors, Zodiac offered me a head nod. We joined him and the rest of the guys on the front lawn before I realized we had no way to move Tallulah to the hospital.
“Can you drive?” I asked her.
“I shouldn’t drive one of these likely stolen cars,” Tallulah replied quickly. “I can ride bitch. Let’s just leave before someone shows up.”
“I heard you were a ballbuster,” Zodiac said and walked past us. “But here you are spewing sugar at everyone.”
As her gaze held mine, Tallulah refused to react to his words. “I’ll ride behind you.”
“Why?” I asked like a fucking dope.
“Because you didn’t try to cop a feel before freeing me. That makes you a step above the other men I’ve been around today. Now, please give me your phone and lead me out of here.”
Zodiac was already on the move. Behind us, the house smoldered. By the time we reached the wooded area, where our motorcycles were stashed, the flames’ heat had begun shattering windows.
Following after me, Tallulah texted furiously like a woman on a mission. She eventually handed back my phone and looked at my motorcycle.
“Everything is in motion with my people. Now, don’t be shy. Jump on and I’ll join you.”
Despite her tough talk, Tallulah winced while climbing on behind me. I thought to ask about her possible injuries, yet I didn’t trust myself to speak.
The woman’s beauty filled my head with a blizzard of emotions. Her hands slid across my body as she adjusted behind me on the bike. My heart began to race.
Once she wrapped her arms around my stomach and gripped my shirt, I was struck by an eerie sensation of déjà vu. This moment felt predestined, as if Tallulah was simply waiting in the world for me to claim her.
As ridiculous as the thought sounded in my head, I couldn’t deny the calm washing over me as I rode into the clear night with Tallulah Reed holding on tight.
LULA
I was numb by the time I was dragged from the vehicle and moved inside a new location. I promised myself that my people would find me. I only had to stay strong. In my head, I imagined Pax saving me. Or my brother Rowdy. Or maybe Clint would be my hero.
Instead, I was freed by the Black Rainbow’s VP, Exile. His black cowboy hat was a dead giveaway. The scowl on his gorgeous face also matched the photo in his file back at my office. Despite knowing who he was, I was flabbergasted by how handsome the man was in the flesh. His eyes were smoky brown, like a good whiskey. His dark beard was neatly trimmed against his strong jaw.
I shouldn’t notice such qualities about Exile. The situation demanded my most stony reaction. Cher and Stevie were likely dead. I had no idea if I was still in danger. My daughter was waiting for me. The last thing I should have been worried about was Exile’s muscled chest or thick arms.
Whenever flustered, I tended to become bossy. In a hurry to leave, I didn’t think to search the house for something to cover my battered feet. I ended up traipsing barefoot through the grassy yard and woods to the motorcycles. Each step felt like I was stepping on nails, but I didn’t dare complain.
Over the years, I had gained a reputation as an unyielding beast in court. Other lawyers called me the “Blair Witch” because the witch from the movie slowly wore down her victims until they could no longer fight back. I always took that label as a compliment.
Pulling tight within myself as I followed the men, I struggled to behave unflinchingly like my Blair Witch persona demanded.
Finally, my feet got a break when I climbed on behind Exile. His motorcycle rumbled between my legs. The noise allowed me to exhale deeply. I pressed my face against his back, using the heat and power of this handsome man to strengthen my battered heart.
The ride to Little Rock left me mentally replaying the painful day. I heard Cher’s voice as she was tossed over the side of the garage wall, followed by the sickening sound of her body colliding with the concrete ground. I recalled how claustrophobic I felt pinned on the floor of the SUV. I remembered the men molesting my body as they carried me from the SUV to the room.
My hands gripped Exile’s shirt, craving comfort. I felt dependent on him. He had more than freed me. I discovered something trustworthy in his gaze. After hours under the control of evil men, I was rescued by a man with honor.
I also felt like Exile understood my pain. His sister had been targeted because of his membership in the Black Rainbow. Exile owned that guilt.
Much like I would always own the blame for what happened to Cher and Stevie. I wanted to believe they were alive. I nearly asked Exile or Zodiac, but I didn’t want to break down in front of strangers if they gave me bad news.
The night’s humidity attached itself to every bare part of my flesh. I clenched my eyes tightly and tried to think of returning home. Instead of happy thoughts, I imagined Dillon’s tears and my parents’ panic.
Before we left the ranch, I sent a group text to inform my family and the club that I was headed to the Little Rock hospital with the Black Rainbow. I hadn’t waited to see their responses. I needed to stay calm until I was surrounded by my people. In my heart, I wished they were the ones to come through the door and save me.
Instead, this biker saved me and said, “Well, holy hell, if you aren't a vision.”
Had I blushed when he spoke those words?For a moment, when his smoky eyes met mine and he voiced his feelings, I felt like nothing else mattered. We were alone in the world. The moment was fleeting, yet this stranger had reached into my heart and claimed a secret part of me.
