Chapter Six
Delilah followed behindthe man who’d woken her.She’d worried that he would hurt her or force her into the truck with the other women, but he hadn’t.She couldn’t help but be glad to be away from that place, and though it felt like they’d been walking for ages, she’d keep going as long as she didn’t have to go back to Warren.She didn’t know what would happen if she turned up back in Jericho.But since Warren had gotten rid of her so he could have a different wife, one who wasn’t barren, she knew it wouldn’t be good.
She stumbled over something in the dark, then stepped on something sharp drawing her attention back to the here and now.She bit her lip to keep from crying out and decided she would do much better to focus on what was going on now than what might happen or might not.First she had to get out of there, figure out where she was, who these men were, if they were planning to keep her and what they wanted.It was a tall order, but one she hoped she could manage.
When the man she held on to stopped, Delilah almost ran into his back, face first.She managed to stop with millimeters to spare.Close enough she caught the scents of leather, soap and something faint.It took a moment to register it was the scent of cherries.
“Have you ever ridden?”His voice was soft and the low, gentle tones did something to soothe her frazzled nerves.
She frowned and looked past him to see they’d stopped beside a motorcycle.She’d never been this close to one, much less ridden one.She shook her head but remained silent.
He took a deep breath and blew it out slowly before speaking.
“I hadn’t planned on taking anyone back with me, so I’m not prepared.”He opened one of the cases that hung on either side of the rear wheel and pulled out a helmet.“You wear this.It will help keep you safe.”He helped her slide her head into the covering and tighten the strap that went under the chin.It was a little big and flopped around on her head, but she guessed it would be better than nothing.
“All right, I’m going to get on, then you climb on behind me.You can use me for balance if you need to.Once you’re on, make sure your feet are on the pegs but not touching anything back here.The pipes get hot and will burn the shit out of you.”He pointed to some long silver tubes.
Delilah nodded, the helmet flopping around.He turned and looked at her, his eyes skimming down her entire body before coming back to her face.
“I’m not sure about that skirt.I don’t want it getting tangled in the chain or wheel.Can you tie it up somehow or can we shorten it?”He pulled a knife from somewhere she didn’t see.
Delilah lifted one hand before speaking.“Can I try to tie it up before you cut it?I would hate to ruin something still useful.”
He nodded once, then took a step back.“Quickly.We need to get out of here yesterday.”
Delilah bent and with the practiced move it had become from her days working in the garden, she grabbed the rear hem, pulled it up between her legs then pulled the tail up far enough she could use her apron strings to tie it securely at her waist, folding the hem over and making a second knot in the strings.She knew from experience that the cloth would tear before her knot came undone.Uncertain if it was enough, she looked up at the man who had pulled her from the building she hadn’t left in longer than she cared to think about.
“Is that good?”She didn’t meet his eyes.She’d learned that lesson long ago.Warren had made sure of it.
“That will do.I’d feel better about it if once you’re on, you will tuck any loose bits underneath you.”
He got on the bike then twisted around and pointed to the foot peg.“Put your left foot there and swing your right over the bike like I just did.”
She stared at the peg for a moment, not seeing how she could do what he said without touching him.But he’d said she could.Still, her stomach fluttered and she hesitated just a moment before doing as he said.
“Son of a bitch!”
