Lips press against my temple as I jerk away from him, horrified that I’ll piss him off and he’ll hurt me.
He doesn’t say anything, and I know when I’m alone. His presence is gone. The evil feeling that clung to him like a second skin no longer feels like it’s suffocating me.
“Cami!”
Rex! I struggle against the rope and scream his name, unsure if the crazy stalker fan is close enough to hear. He’s probably watching right now.
Rex bursts through a long row of hay bales, rushing toward me as he stomps on the straw. When he sees me tied up, he roars. The sound carries in the maze. I know his club brothers will hear it and come to investigate.
Rex pulls a knife from his leather vest and moves behind me, slicing through the ropes. He’s fast and efficient. They fall away as he reaches for me, pulling me into his chest. There’s a wild look in his eyes. His hands cradle my face. “Are you hurt?”
I shake my head.
“I’m getting you out of here.” He scoops me up, and I don’t resist, burying my face in his neck. My fingers grip his shirt, and I bunch the material in my fists, too overwhelmed to release it. My entire body trembles harder, and my teeth begin to chatter. I feel jittery and cold.
“It’s the adrenaline,” he explains. “It’ll pass.”
Rex must know a secret way out of the maze because we don’t exit at the right spot. He carries me away from the crowd and toward several bikers running in our direction. “She’s in shock.”
I must be because I can’t seem to talk. My brain is processing things way too fast, or maybe it’s far too slow. I can’t tell. All I know is that Rex’s familiar scent makes me feel warm and safe. I need him.
“Take her to The Barn.”
I recognize Scythe’s voice.
“Voodoo, ride with him.”
I whimper, and Rex lowers his head, nuzzling the side of my face.
“I’ve got you, Blissy Girl. You’re safe.”
For the first time since I arrived home, I don’t mind hearing him say my nickname.
Rex carries me to his truck and places me inside. I shiver as he releases me, growing colder as I lose the contact of his body heat. He reaches into the backseat, pulling out the blanket he told me about when he picked me up from the airport. That feels like a lifetime ago.
I snuggle into the soft warmth as Rex settles behind the wheel. Voodoo joins us, sitting to the right. He closes the door, and I feel safer, boxed in between the two bikers.
It’s mostly a silent drive with the two of them talking as I stare at the road, growing sleepy. My head bobs.
Rex slides an arm around me, and I don’t hesitate to rest my cheek against his chest.
I wake up when the truck stops, jolting upright as my eyes scan the truck’s interior for a threat. For a single second, I forget that I’m not still tied up and facing a bloody stack of hay bales with red roses.
“You’re okay, baby.”
It’s the first time he’s ever called me that endearment.
“I’ve got you.”
I let him pull me from the truck, but I scramble toward him once I stand on my feet. It’s a weird, disconcerting feeling to confront your own weakness. I’m still shaky.
Rex doesn’t hesitate to pick me up and cradle my body against him. It’s exactly what I need. I bury my face in his neck, close to the tattoo that I’ve never noticed before. B.G.
I wonder what it means.
“Will it be okay if I take you to my room, Cami?”
I’m still not talking. I squeeze him tighter in response.
