As I spoke, the woman slowly started to move closer.
I took this as a good sign. I didn’t like the fact that she was naked. Or how dirty and beaten she looked.
“Anyway, this afternoon, Heat called me and woke me up. I work at a strip club where I rarely get off until the wee hours of the morning. Meaning I don’t sleep until five a.m. When the call came in, he wanted me to bring my car up to the garage. I did this and didn’t even think to put actual clothes on. Talk about embarrassing. I went up there in a shirt I just knew he didn’t miss the sight of my nipples puckering or that I was in shorts that if I bent over, you’d see what I have between my thighs.”
Typically, I’d never say that to anyone, but I figured, being who I am, I wanted her trust so I could help her. Plus, I’m not someone who wants to act fake. That’s not me at all.
“I wouldn’t normally wear my sleep clothes out, but damnit, I needed to get the tire done, and he refused to listen to me.”
The woman moves even closer, and I shoot back on the ground, letting her come out into the sunlight.
“Do you want to come inside? We can get you some clothes and maybe some food? I went to the grocery store yesterday, and thankfully, my ice cream didn’t melt too much and become soup while I dealt with my car. I can make you a sandwich.”
The woman watches me closely before nodding.
“Okay, come on, let’s get you inside then.” I get to my feet and pause as she comes completely out of the crawl space. “What’s your name?”
“Kinley,” she whispers, her body visibly vibrating.
“Hi, Kinley.” I smile at her and take a timid step in her direction. She surprises me when she lets me wrap an arm around her and guide her around the side of the house and inside.
We barely make it up the steps of the porch when I hear the thundering sound of motorcycles. The sound freaks Kinley and I start fussing over her, telling her it’s okay, that it was just Fire. I explained to her about how I’d heard her from inside and couldn’t find where she was, so I called Evelin.
Kinley doesn’t say anything, but she doesn’t fight me as I help her into the house. I look behind me as the bikes come into view and inwardly scream at myself for not thinking about searching more before calling. She doesn’t need this.
I let her go and grab a blanket from the back of the couch to drape over her, shielding her body. “Why don’t you sit down, and I’ll deal with them, then make you something,” I suggest, nodding to the couch.
Kinley meets my gaze and gives me a small nod.
“I’ll be right back,” I tell her, and exit the house as the guys are getting off their bikes. Before they can get any closer to the house, I run down the stairs and meet them halfway.
“What the fuck?” Heat growls, eyes not on me but the house.
“Look, I’ll explain, but I found her in the crawl space, and she says her name is Kinley and . . .”
I don’t get to finish explaining before every one of the men takes off for the house, leaving me alone. I didn’t want to leave Kinley unprotected, so I followed and found each man looking ready to commit murder, which pissed me off.
“If you all are just going to stare at her like that, then get out. She doesn’t need you all treating her like she’s some carnival monkey on display for your viewing,” I snap and move to stand between her and the men.
“Kinley,” one of the men I hadn’t met grumbles gravelly, like her name was hard to say.
“You said she was in the crawl space?” Heat says, eyes on me, and I just knew if he didn’t have his sunglasses on, he’d have the most beautiful eyes, and I was right. The blue in them was so vibrant, I could see myself in them.
I nod, keeping my stance. “Now, if you guys will leave since you’re not needed, I’m going to take care of Kinley and get her something to eat.”
“I’m not leaving her with you.”
“Brimstone, brother, you need to chill,” Heat grunts, his eyes never leaving mine.
It’s me who breaks eye contact first when Kinley makes a whimpering sound. I turn away from him and move to Kinley, wrapping an arm around her, making sure the blanket is firmly in place.
“It’s okay. You know Fire and Heat. So I take it you know the rest of them,” I murmur quietly to her. “They’re not going to hurt you.” I wasn’t a hundred percent sure about that, but I felt that they wouldn’t. From the way Brimstone was looking at us, any sort of doubt I had for her safety with these guys says it all. They all help expressions of being pissed, but it’s Brimstone who looks like his head might explode. More than that, I can see the anguish inside him that he’s trying to mask.
I don’t know what happened to this woman, but whatever it is, it has gutted these men.
“Kinley, I’m gonna call Evelin,” Fire murmurs gruffly, his tone gentle, but he wasn’t hiding his fury.
“Wait,” Heat states.
