ONE
CHRISTMAS HEAT
Milly
Ivyand I have been taken hostage. We’re sitting on the bed in a cabin outside of town at Opal Bay. My heart punches my ribcage as the larger man talks.
“Here’s how this is going to work,” he begins, standing up straighter. “We’re going to the ATM. You’ll withdraw money. If it’s not enough, we’re heading to the bank to get more.”
Ivy clasps and unclasp her hands beside me. “I already told my ex, and your leader knows this too—I don’t have the money. I’m not involved anymore. Come with me to the ATM and see for yourself.”
He steps toward her, and a sharp whack echoes around the cabin. I gasp as Ivy’s head jerks to the side. Tears well in her eyes, but she shows no weakness.
“Well,” he says, his voice dripping with spite, “your ex is lying in a hospital bed as we speak. And guess what: We aren’t leaving this town until we get what we came for. We’re not going back empty-handed.”
“I can’t make the money appear out of thin air,” Ivy blurts out.
I cringe, hoping he doesn’t lash out at her again.
His greedy gaze shifts to me, and my stomach drops low as his lips curl into a disturbing grin. I inch back as he steps toward me. He grabs my arm and yanks me to his side. His grasp is so tight, it’s going to leave a bruise. I struggle against him, trying to break free, but where am I going to go?
“Ah, ah,” he taunts, waving the gun around as if to remind us of who’s in charge. He stares at Ivy. “While you think about how you’re going to get me that money. I think I’ll have some fun with your friend.”
I feel faint. The thought of him touching me makes bile rise to my throat, but I swallow it back down. He drags me toward the closed bathroom door. I scream out, “Wait! I’ll give you money! I have money!”
My eyes pop open, and I sit up in bed as I gasp for air. “It was just a dream,” I whisper to myself. I wipe my hair away from my sweaty forehead.
Knock, knock, knock.
“Are you all right?” a husky voice asks. It’s Twitch.
I clear my throat. “Yes, I’m fine.”Oh, God. Did I scream out loud?“It was a bad dream. I’m okay.” The nightmares have been happening every so often since the ordeal. “Sorry I woke you.”
“Are you sure?” he asks through the door.
“Yes, thank you. You can go back to bed.”
“Okay.”
I hear his footsteps retreat.
A loan-sharking organization kidnapped Ivy and me to extort money from her ex, one of their customers. Demon and Twitch found us in time and ended up killing them. I’ve been staying at the clubhouse ever since. It’s where I feel safe, but I can’t seem to shake the dreams.
I’m disappointed in myself. I thought I was mentally strong. I’m surprised by how much it has affected me. But I should give myself a break. Trauma affects everyone; I’m not invincible.
I flinch. I hope I haven’t woken anyone else up. I don’t want to worry my brother Reaper or his partner Ava. What had happened to me already stressed them out enough. Everyone in the MC cares, and I’ve enjoyed my time here, getting closer to the women and laughing at the men’s antics.
The incident has also brought Twitch and me closer. He watches me like a hawk, and it’s clear he listens out for me at night because he knows about the flashbacks. I appreciate his kindness and support more than he knows. I’ve been independent my whole life. Apart from Reaper being there when he could, I’ve had no one to look out for me. Twitch’s support feels good... a little too good.
I have access to free counseling, and I would recommend it to anyone else, but I can’t confide in a stranger that I was kidnapped and the man I’m falling for murdered the men who did it. The counselor would be obligated to report it. Besides, I’m coping the best I can, and I feel better knowing Twitch is there for me.
I lie back and stare at the ceiling. Twitch... That man does crazy things to my insides. He’s over six feet tall, with thick, wavy hair, piercings, and a sexy, laid-back attitude. The icing on the cake is that he’s smart—he’s the club’s security and IT guru. There’s something incredibly sexy about an intelligent man.
But I’m off-limits. When Reaper introduced me to the MC, he made it very clear: I am not allowed to get involved with the members. I’ve made friends with a few, and Reaper seems okay with that. I know he’s just trying to protect me—he always has tried to—but I can’t seem to shake my attraction to Twitch. Flirting with him is fun, but afterward I’m always struck with guilt for crossing the boundary Reaper put in place.
I pull the duvet up, roll onto my side, and close my eyes. Knowing Twitch is checking up on me, I drift back to sleep, comforted by someone who cares.
* * *
