Salvation MC: Bought by the biker

Chapter 4

-AUDREY-

"The Vipers? In the compound?" Luther grabbed the door frame hard enough that his knuckles went white. "How the hell did they pass our men?"

"No, not the compound." Tank shook his head fast. "They hit the bike shop. One guy walked in pretending to be a customer, and a couple more slipped into the workshop. Next thing our guys knew, they tossed Molotov cocktails and lit the place up."

"f**k!" Luther barked, making the tiny hairs on my nape rise. "Are our men okay?"

"Dunno, man. They opened fire. And more Vipers came out of nowhere and jumped in during the chaos." Tank’s face was tight with worry. "Fox is gathering the men and the guns right now. I came to get you."

"Let's go," Luther said and headed out of the room. He barely took a step when he paused, suddenly remembering I was still inside.

"Audrey," he said, bridging the distance between us with two quick strides. In the sunlight, his eyes were a warm chocolate hue. "I have to go now. But you can stay here and wait for me to come back."

"Who are the Vipers?" I whispered, dread spreading through my belly like ice.

I remembered the tattooed snakes from when I was kidnapped. Coiled ink on necks. Faded scales on wrists. I already knew what Luther was about to say, even before his mouth opened.

"A group that runs the s*x trafficking ring you got caught in." His tone was sharp; his jaw clenched hard.

I stepped back, panic flaring through me. I had escaped that hell pit and tasted a minute of normality. Now the rug was being pulled out from under my feet again.

"A-are they here? Outside?" I choked, rubbing my hands over my forearms. Emotion and tiredness washed over me again, heavy enough that lifting my chin to meet his eyes felt impossible.

Luther moved toward me, lifting his arms like he meant to touch me, then dropping them at the last second. I probably looked like some scared stray, cornered and shaking.

"Not here in the compound, Audrey. We have a bike shop a few miles away. They're there. You're safe in here." His dark eyes softened, and for a second I almost believed him.

But the only place I’d ever feel safe again was my own home, my own bedroom. Not some bikers club.

"Can I go home?"

I needed to leave. Pronto. I couldn’t think clearly.

"Later. Let me deal with these scumbags, and then I’ll personally take you back, okay?"

"Luther..." Tank mumbled from the threshold. "We gotta jet, man."

Luther's eyes flicked to Tank, then back to me. "Don't worry, dove. The compound is the most secure place around here. You're out of harm's way. They'll never get their hands on you again, I promise."

His hand lifted toward my face, and for a second I thought he was going to cup my cheek. Instead, he plucked a piece of bread out of my hair. Perfect. Not only was I sweaty, but I had food stuck in me. I must've looked like a million bucks.

Tank cleared his throat. Luther shouted over his shoulder, "I'm coming, man. See you later, Dove."

Then both men darted out of the room, leaving me alone.

I listened to their steps fade away before I moved from my spot. Luther said I should stay, but I had a better idea. With the bikers busy dealing with the attack, I had a chance to escape.

He said he wouldn’t touch me, but I didn’t believe him. He seemed nice enough, but I’ve been bruised before, too naive to trust the right person. A couple of men when I was in captivity pretended to be on my side, promising they wouldn’t hurt me. Next thing I knew, they were doing anything but taking my V-card, their golden ticket.

The more they tried to break me, the more I shut down, pulling my mind somewhere far away. Hence my nickname, the ice queen.

So yeah, I wasn’t going to wait for him like a sitting duck.

I put on the sneakers Alice had left for me and slipped out of the bedroom. I stopped on the landing, pressing myself into an alcove in the wall. The house was still noisy. From my hiding place, I heard boots stomping on the first floor and people barking orders while running out of the building.

Bikes and cars roared in the distance. I stayed in the alcove until I was sure the sitting room was empty, and the noise outside faded. Then I tiptoed downstairs toward the front.

Alice surged out from the back, and I barely had time to duck behind a tall leather chair. She was on the phone, talking fast.

"Be careful, brother. The Vipers are dangerous." Her voice was hoarse with worry.

I stayed still until she disappeared through the kitchen door. Then I slipped across the garden we had walked through yesterday, keeping low, keeping quiet. The front gate loomed ahead. There was a small door beside it, the kind that opened from the inside with a button. My hand shook as I pressed it, but the lock clicked, and I slipped out.

I couldn’t believe it. I was free. On the street. But it was a desert road, no public transportation anywhere. Whatever. I could walk home. I didn’t care if it took days.

The sun was setting on the horizon, the temperature cool but dropping. A dark car approached, its headlights cutting across the dust. I stepped forward and signaled for it to stop. I know, I know. Hitchhiking is not safe. But you know what’s more dangerous? Being sold as a s*x slave.

The car pulled over. I walked to the driver’s window as it rolled down. And if I thought I was unlucky before, now I was sure.

Ed, the meaty-hand guy, sat behind the wheel.

"Ice queen! What a surprise."

"Shit."

I sprinted toward the compound, but Ed barreled after me with crazy speed. Before I could even gasp, his arm hooked around my waist and yanked me back so hard my feet left the ground. I slammed against his sweaty chest, the heat of him suffocating. His grip locked around me like iron. When his hand clamped over my forearm, I saw it — the Viper tattoo inked across his knuckles, a coiled snake with its mouth open.

"Don’t run, b***h," he growled in my ear, his foul breath making me gag. A sharp pain stabbed my left hip, and I realized he had a knife pressed there, the tip piercing my skin. "This time you won’t escape."

I squirmed, elbowing him hard in the gut. He let go with a grunt. "Ow!"

I barely took two steps before a gunshot cracked beside my right foot.

"Stop right there, ice queen!" Ed yelled. I raised my hands in surrender. "I was heading for your place, but look at that, you saved me the trouble."

"My home?" I stammered, my breath stalling. My ears buzzed, like my body was trying to shut down. "You know where I live?"

"Of course, Audrey Finley. Lake Avenue, 34, apartment 3A." Ed chuckled like it was funny. "You’re popular. People want to pay big bucks for you."

My heart pounded so hard I thought it would rip out of my chest and run for its life. My vision blurred, tears spilling down my cheeks. "You can’t take me back."

Ed laughed harder, his gun pointed at my face. "You bet I can. Now get in the car before I shoot your hand. Nobody will care as long as your cunt is intact."

What should I do? I can’t go back. I can't. Just can’t.

Then suddenly a bike shot out of nowhere and slammed into Ed, throwing him across the dirt.

Luther’s bike.

He killed the engine and dismounted.

"Hi, dove."