Page 115 of Truck Stop Tempest

I had to stop her. I would not lose Tuuli to my demons.

Pulse racing, head pounding, I asked, “Can I kiss you?”

“Are you fucking kidding me?” Erik screamed.

“Ignore him,” I ordered, throwing extra grit into my voice, hoping she’d submit one last time. “Look at me.”

Her head aimed my direction.

“Can I kiss you?”

My sweet angel complied. “Tell me something I don’t know about you. Something big.”

Fuck, I loved how much she trusted me.

“I love a girl. I love her so fuckin’ deep and true, she’s part of my DNA.” God, it hurt to say those words. A beautiful, cleansing, steel wool to the veins kind of pain. “So, you see, you have to put the gun down. You have to let me handle this, you have to trust me, ‘cause I can’t lose the woman I love.” I took careful steps in her direction. “I can’t let you fall victim to the demons I battle. They want you, baby. I can feel them, they’re everywhere—in the dark, in the shadows, just waiting for you to cross that line, take that shot. You do that, they’re in. Those demons are in your head for good, and I know you don’t want that.”

“If I kill him, then you won’t have to.” Her voice trembled, betraying her motives.

Fuck. She was protecting me. Fighting for a soul that was long ago damned.

“I love you,” I said, giving her the facts, straight and true, hating the words, but feeling the sentiment to my marrow. “Listen to me. Neither one of us is killing Erik. Where’s that faith, Bunny? I’ve got this under control. He’s never going to hurt another child. He’s never going to hurt you again. I promise.”

“How can you promise?”

I grabbed my phone out of my back pocket. Swiped. Sent the text. “In about two seconds, some men are gonna come in here. They’re with me. Don’t shoot.”

Flashlights preceded the heavy stomp of boots.

Dane’s voice cut through the darkness. “Took you long enough. I was beginning to think he got the jump on you.”

“Riley secure?” I asked, positioning myself between the bikers and my half-naked girl.

“Fucker’s not goin’ anywhere.” He aimed the light on Erik. “What’s the holdup?”

“Tuuli here is deciding whether or not she wants her piece of him, too.”

“Tuuli. Nice name.” Dane lowered his light, tucking it under his arm, before leaning to the left to look around me. “Listen, baby. I understand you’ve got good reason to take this fucker out. Can’t say I blame you. Thing is, I promised to bring him to my pres. That’s a promise I can’t break. I can assure you, this twat ain’t gonna live to see next week. But he can’t die today. He needs to answer for what he’s done. I can promise you, though, he will suffer.” The big biker stepped up to Erik and leaned his shoulder against the wall. “Tell you what. You put that gun down, I’ll throw in a little extra torture, just for you. Sound good?”

Erik laughed again, maniacal, desperate. “Shoot me, Tuuli. Shoot me, you fucking cunt. Fucking traitor. You don’t deserve that mark you wear. I shoulda cut that tat off your back and then fucked your ass. Fucking cunt. Shoot me. Shoot me!”

Dane shut him down with a steel-toe to the jaw. Shot me a nod.

Tuuli sobbed, the gun bobbing in her hand. I stepped closer, voice low. “Baby. Give me the gun.”

She lowered her arms. “He made me watch.”

“I know.” I stepped closer, laying a hand over her shoulder.

“He has my mom.”

“We’ll get her back. You have to trust me. Let me take you home.” I slid my hand down her arm, over her hand, over the gun, and gripped the metal tight. “That’s it. Let go.”

Dane and his crew moved in behind me, not wasting a beat. Slow and steady, I moved between Tuuli and the Slayers, blocking her view. The less she saw of them, the better.

“It’s over.” I cupped the back of her head, pulling her against my chest, and dropped a kiss on her wet hair. Her fingers slipped off the gun, her hand falling to her side.

Over my shoulder, Dane asked, “We good to go?”

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