Lone Rider (3 page)

The motorcycles came to a stop, encircling them in a dusty halo of blinding headlights and reverberating engines.

Dallas
drew back only slightly, breaking the kiss. The move brought his lower body into even closer contact with hers, emphasizing her vulnerability. He made a low,
“
ssshhh
”
noise in her ear, as if warning her to remain quiet
,
then pressed his lips to her temple, forcing her attention back to him. “Trust me.”

The words were whispered so low Tess thought she had imagined them. Trust him? Why? She sensed danger. It hung thick in the air, noxious, choking her. Her fingers tightened over his knuckles.

She trembled, shifting indiscernibly closer, not knowing which was worse: the feeling that
Dallas
would protect her
or the perception that she needed protection. The temptation to hide her face on his shoulder was strong. Except she knew that burying her head in the sand wouldn’t get her out of the situation. She needed to stay alert.

Several of the men dismounted and walked up behind
Dallas
. Never taking his eyes from her,
Dallas
addressed one of them. “Get lost, Snake. I’m busy.”

“Just waiting my turn,
amigo
.”  The man named Snake moved beside
Dallas
. Wearing an eye patch and sporting a mouthful of rotten teeth, Snake looked like he had stepped out of a B movie. As tall as
Dallas
, Snake had a soft, paunchy gut hanging over his jeans. Tess involuntarily leaned away. Though she’d never admit it aloud, she did feel safer with
Dallas
.

When Snake bent closer, inspecting her, Tess got a whiff of cheap bourbon. She tried once more to free her arms, but
Dallas
only tightened his grip, pulling her closer. Terrified, she ceased struggling and arched into
Dallas
, seeking to get as far from Snake as possible. Hadn’t
Dallas
said she wouldn’t be hurt if she stayed by him? Right now she desperately needed to believe that.

Snake reached out a finger, angling to catch her chin. “Here
,
kitty, kitty. Nice kitty.”  Raucous laughter echoed from the men with him.

Dallas
’ hand shot out, grasping Snake’s wrist before he touched her. “I said, get lost.”  He nuzzled his chin against Tess’ hair, gentling her. “You know I don’t share.”

Snake snatched his hand back and began laughing. “Fine. I’ll wait and get her when we’re back at camp.”  He leered at Tess. “I think she’ll be worth waiting for.”

Dallas
bared his teeth, his voice a dangerous growl. “Who says I’m taking her back? You know the rules.”

“No locals,” Snake said, still grinning. “And she ain’t local. The car tag says
Massachusetts
. Hell, she’s got outsider written all over her. If you don’t take her, I will.”

Tess’ mind reeled, her knees weakening.
Take her
? What did he mean? Kidnap? Or rape? She couldn’t handle either. Bile rose in her throat. While the thought of being “taken” by anyone repulsed Tess, she’d rather die than have Snake touch her. She looked away, her mind refusing to contemplate the horrors Snake had in mind.

She stared up at
Dallas
, silently imploring his help. He obviously knew these men. He also had to know he was her only hope against them. She searched his face for a veiled reassurance, but his silver eyes revealed none of his thoughts. Or intentions. Could she really trust him?

“She’s mine.” 
Dallas
addressed the crowd at large.

Tess opened her mouth to protest.
Dallas
’ grip tightened painfully
,
drawing her eyes back to his.
Don’t say a word
, his look commanded. He waited until the grumbling quieted before continuing. “Nobody touches her.”

Snake spat on the ground befo
re backing away. “Oh yeah?
” he challenged. “We’ll see what Bogen has to say about that.” 

Grabbing a beer from the closest rider, Snake drained the can and tossed it over his shoulder
,
sending the can ricocheting noisily into the brush. Stepping around
Dallas
, Snake ran his hand over the hood of her car, whistling. “A beemer. This’ll bring in a nice piece of change, too.”

“Only if you’re a fish. The car’s going for a swim,”
Dallas
said.

Tess listened in cold trepidation as the conversation made grim sense. These men were going to sink her car -- probably in a lake -- after abducting her and doing God knew what. She felt her stomach lurch.

“No,” she began softly, addressing
Dallas
. Her voice cracked as she fought not to cry, her throat wanting to close. “I’ve got money, jewelry. I can get more. Please don’t do this.”

“Please don’t do this,” Snake mimicked in a high-pitched voice. Several of the others laughed and hooted. Encouraged, Snake moved closer. “Let’s see you beg
,
darlin’. Exactly what are you willing to do to earn your freedom?”

Ignoring Snake,
Dallas
reached down and snatched her backpack from where she’d dropped it at their feet. “Frankie, get some gas in this tank and take it up to
Lake
Summer
. Then let’s get out of here before someone comes along.”

The laughter ceased immediately as two men dismounted and headed toward her car. Tess noticed no one questioned
Dallas
’ authority, which increased her unease. They’d do anything he said.

Well, these men might be accustomed to taking orders from him, but damn it, she wasn’t.

Burying her heels in the ground, she resisted when he pulled her toward his motorcycle. The thought of what these men had in mind for her was numbing. She would not go willingly, she would not make it easy for them. She’d fight to her last breath.

When
Dallas
yanked her arm, she held back, then lost her footing and stumbled forward. He caught her, hauling her up against his chest once more to steady her.

She tried to move away and was reminded immediately who had the superior physical strength. As if there’d been any doubt.

He pulled her the last few steps to his motorcycle, then abruptly released her. “Climb on,” he ordered as he fastened her backpack alongside her duffel bag.

Behind them two men used a small section of rubber hose to siphon gas into her car. Ther
e were several thousand dollars’
worth of tools and jewels in the car, besides the value of the car itself. And these men were going to sink it. Obviously they cared little for money.

Which meant they’d probably care even less about her life. She thought of her family and friends, a sharp pain erupting in her chest at the thought of never seeing them again. She couldn’t -- wouldn’t -- let that happen.

She bolted toward the road, frantic, twisting to dodge past
Dallas
. Her escape was short-lived. He came up behind her quickly and easily, locking his arms over her chest and swinging her back to stand beside his motorcycle. She screamed. Catcalls arose from Snake and the others.

“Get on.” 
Dallas
’ voice was clipped, low. Deadly.

“No.”  Tess stepped back, ignoring the feral gleam in his eyes. “I am not going anywhere with you. You can’t do this! It’s illegal. It’s kidnapping.”

Dallas
knew Snake was watching, waiting, wanting. And listening. He grasped her shoulders, overpowering her, his fingers biting into soft flesh as he shook her harshly, getting her full attention.

             
“It’s over, Tess, and you’re making this harder then it has to be. You can climb on yourself, or I’ll get Snake to help. Your choice.” 
Dallas
disliked using her fears to force compliance, but he wasn’t in the mood to argue.

His threat and rough handling deflated her ire. In spite of what he’d just said, there was no choice. She was ridiculously outnumbered. Once again fear swamped her, leaving her cowering pathetically in his arms as silent tears tracked down her cheeks.

At her nod,
Dallas
relaxed his punishing grip, releasing her. Biting her lip to keep from crying out, she started to turn toward his motorcycle only to stop when
Dallas
laid a hand on her shoulder.

He leaned close, whispering quickly in her ear. “I won’t hurt you, Tess. Just climb on.”

His words gave her a small amount of hope. Perhaps he did intend to help her.

Still, when she swung one leg over the leather seat and mounted the bike, she was careful to lean as far back as possible, away from him when he swung on in front of her. If she kept a wide enough space between them, she’d have a better opportunity to leap from the bike once they were under
way.

Whether she believed
Dallas
would protect her or not was a moot point with this crowd. There was only one of him and how many of them?

             
Dallas
started the engine, gunned it to life. “Wrap your arms around me,” he yelled over his shoulder.

             
“I’m fine like I am,” she shouted in his ear.

             
“You don’t listen, do you?”

             
To her consternation,
Dallas
leaned back and grabbed her wrists, pulling her forward. The move forced her closer, pressing her fully and intimately against his back, her thighs spread almost painfully to encompass his hips.

Tess began struggling, but he didn’t release her. Damn him, he had no right-- 

             
Then she heard a ratcheting sound and felt cold metal snap around her wrists. Too late she realized he’d handcuffed her!

             
“No,” she screamed. “Don’t do this!”  She tried to pull back but found her arms locked snugly around
Dallas
’ waist.

             
Fresh tears crept into her eyes as a crippling paralysis settled into her limbs. He hadn’t meant a word he’d said. In fact he’d ta
ken advantage of her trust and
used it against her. She was a fool.

             
As the sordid reality of her situation hit her, every imaginable depravity came to her mind. They’d kill her. Of that she had no doubt. But equally frightening was the thought of what came before that. Rape? Torture?

             
Snake pulled up beside them, revving his engine. “Boomer’s gonna help Frankie ditch the car,” Snake shouted. “Duke and Eddie are gonna follow you back to camp to make sure Bogen knows I consider this matter still open.”

             
“Where are you going?”
Dallas
demanded.

             
“I’ve got some business in town.”  Snake winked at Tess and grinned. “Don’t worry, darlin’. It ain’t over between us. Bogen will see to that.”

             
“Back off, Snake,”
Dallas
warned. “Or we’ll settle this here and now.”

Snake stared at
Dallas
, coldly, like a rattlesnake, before wheeling his bike in a big circle and riding off into the night.

             
Their posturing left Tess feeling like she was no more than a bone for a couple of dogs to fight over. And the biggest, baddest dog won. How perfectly horrid.

Her throat burned
,
and she buried her face against the back of
Dallas
’ jacket, unable to stop sobbing. She felt one of his hands close over hers, squeezing lightly.

“I meant what I said earlier,” he whispered. “You’re safe with me.”

             
But his words gave her no comfort as they sped off into the night.