Page 6 of Shielding Lexi (Temptation)

I shake my head and take a long swig of water. I can’t let myself wonder how he got all those muscles; but I’m guessing not at the gym. He probably builds his biceps by lifting the bodies of the women that didn’t do as he asked.

“You coming?” he says, looking back toward me while he walks.

I nod and stay quietly steady behind him, until I feel questions start to bubble up my throat. It’s then that I realize, the me I can’t remember inside, is a ballsy bitch. It’s that, or now is the time I want to start.

“Why are you guys out here?” I ask. “And why are you worried about these Dagger guys?” As soon as the words leave my mouth, I begin to question my toughness as his head straightens. I must have forgotten that even when you are brave, the monster still attacks.

“It’s a long story,” he says, barely stopping to acknowledge me.

Okay… that’s better than an explosion. Maybe helikesballsy. I use it as a sign to keep going. If I’m going to get off this island, knowing as much about the people who are potentially holding me captive is imperative, right?

“Oh, well… I have time,” I say, in the sweetest way possible, hoping he’s got a soft spot for cutesy.

He glares back at me with narrowed dark eyes as though he’s calling my bluff, and I feel an immediate flush of heat on my neck and face. I guess cutesy isn’t going to work, so I bounce back to head on questioning.

“Why are you worried about these Dagger guys?”

“They’re a biker gang out of Miami,” he says with a pause.

“A gang? Like… gang… gang? Like knives and guns and stuff?”

He nods, though keeps walking at least a few steps ahead of me.

I remember the leather vest he had on earlier with the angel wings on the back, and the patches everywhere. If they are part of a rival gang, a lot of his hesitation and half stories make more sense.

“Are you guys in a gang?” I ask, swallowing a hard lump in my throat.

“Hawk, Kane, and I are part of the Guardians.”

I rub the back of my neck and roll my shoulders backward, feeling the dizziness return between my eyes. The sound of waves crashing on the shore is the only reprieve to the chaos that’s swirling in my mind.

“We’re not like the Daggers, though. We work real jobs, in the real world. We’re not pushing drugs and killing people.”

Killing people?

“Who are the Daggers killing?” I ask, a tingling beginning to run up my arms.

“We’ve had enough fresh air,” he says, turning toward the cabin that’s now just a few feet away. “It’ll be dark soon and it looks like rain is on the way.”

He doesn’t give me any room for conversation, so I don’t say anything, only follow. He’s avoided my question, and I assume it’s for good reason. I can’t believe he thinks I could have something to do with people who are moving drugs and killing! That doesn’t seem like me at all… I don’t think.

“What do you guys do then? For work?” I ask, as we walk the last ten feet to the little shutter board house that sits on a small hill above the beach. It looks like it’s seen its share fair of storms over the years and could use some new siding shingles, but considering its location on this small island surrounded by nothing but sea water, it’s probably hanging on pretty well.

“Kane and I are ex-military but we both left active service a while back.” His arms hang loosely by his sides, his hands are relaxed, and he seems much more comfortable answering this question. “Now I work in construction and Kane, who trained in intelligence, works IT for a security company.” I would have thought bikers were outlaws and criminals, but if these guys were soldiers. Maybe I can trust them. Maybe soon, but not yet.

“What about Hawk? He didn’t enlist?”

Reaper shakes his head. “He wanted to, but he’s got a weak heart—something structural. I don’t know the details. All I know is he can fix just about anything with his hands. He’s a mechanic, owns his own shop back in Miami.”

“You guys are pretty close, then?”

“As close as three guys can be. Kane and I have known each other since we were eighteen. We met Hawk when we joined the Guardians about seven years ago. I’d say we’re like brothers.” He swings open the cabin door and waits for me to pass in front of him, taking in the subtle scent of cedarwood as I pass.

“Who’s like a brother?” Hawk says, from the kitchen, a wide smile on his face as he chops carrots and celery. Seeing him is immediately comforting, so much so that I want to hug him. The warmth and comfort would feel so good right now, like sunshine peeking through clouds after heavy rain. But I don’t seek it out. Instead, I stay behind Reaper and keep my head down, only smiling in passing as I sit at the dining room table. Like a dog, following its alpha, I grumble to myself angrily. I feel frustrated by the restriction and inability to be myself. It’s not only because I don’t remember who I am, but these guys have a structure they exist in with clearly defined roles. Cross the alpha and prepare to be bitten.

Hawk must pick up on the awkwardness because he immediately fills the quiet space with talk. “You guys enjoy your walk? Anything come back to you?”

I shoot a glance at Reaper, unsure of what to say. A tiny muscle in his jaw twitches, but he doesn’t say anything.

---