Trip's Retribution (Hell Raiders MC Book 3) (13 page)
Read Trip's Retribution (Hell Raiders MC Book 3) Online
Authors: Aden Lowe
Chapter Nineteen
The bikes roared around Trip, carrying him to Tanya. Nothing else mattered but getting to her as quickly as possible. He found himself praying for her safety, something he'd rarely done in the past.
Somewhere along the way, he sort of went on auto-pilot and let the sounds and sensations carry him back to relive every moment he'd spent with Tanya. Her laugh. Her cries of passion. Her determination. How much he loved her.
The realization struck him like a brick wall. He'd never said the words. Did she
know
he loved her? Of course she did. He asked her to marry him, after all. Begged, actually. Yet she refused. Could she possibly think he didn't love her?
The thought nearly crushed him. He forced his mind back to the reality of the road in self-preservation. If he gave in to those thoughts, he would take a header into the first semi they met.
For this ride, Kellen and Jelly took the front, and Trip and Crank rode in their slipstream. At his side, Crank slowed a little beside Trip and fished his phone out. With a glance at the screen, he signaled and cut for the shoulder. Trip automatically followed. On a run like this, you didn't leave a man behind, even for a moment.
The rest of the column rode on, closing the gap and keeping everything tight. Crank read something on his phone and exchanged a flurry of texts with someone. "Damn."
"What you got?" Trip's heart pounded with dread, fearing bad news.
"Saxons have a van on the move. Looks like they're heading for a place just south of the motel where Freak took Tanya."
Trip shrugged, failing to see the significance. "So?"
"So the girl that guy Adam is looking for is in that van. Along with a half-dozen other girls. All taken in the last few days. Seems like stock for a new Saxons compound." Crank looked at his phone again.
"Still. So?" All that meant absolutely nothing to Trip.
"So, we have a chance to grab those girls, too, and crush this expansion. We can't pass that up."
"Why the hell not? This run is about getting my old lady back." Anger started to seethe somewhere in his gut.
"Yeah it is. But strategically, we can't afford to pass up this chance. We won't get another like it. Besides, those girls did nothing to deserve what's going to happen to them if we don't grab them. Can you live with another girl going through what Tanya did when you had the power to stop it?"
Shit. Crank knew exactly which buttons to push with him. "Okay. What do we do?"
"I just texted Kellen that we needed to talk. He's pulling everyone off at a rest stop just up the road." Without stating the obvious, Crank started his bike rolling and cut back into traffic.
Annoyed as hell with the delay, Trip followed, needing to punch a hole through someone's head.
They reached the rest area about three miles later and rejoined the rest of the club. Everyone had shut their bikes off and taken advantage of the chance to hit the restroom and grab a drink.
New anger ran through Trip. "What the hell? Mount up! We have to get back on the road."
Kellen lifted a hand. "I got a message Crank had more information."
Crank nodded and ran down what he'd told Trip by the side of the road. "I don't think we can pass up this chance to hit them and send them home with their tails tucked."
Kellen nodded, frowning. "Vote. Do we take a detour to crush the Saxons expansion, or go straight to Tanya first?"
"Are you kidding me? You're even considering this?" Trip glared around at the men, none of whom could meet his eye. "Tanya has taken care of this club for two years. She cooks, she cleans, she makes sure everyone is okay. And you're going to leave her in the hands of a brute called Freak for one minute longer than absolutely necessary?"
Kellen sighed, knowing no one would vote for the strike. "Okay. We split. Trip, you take Ryker, Stella and three other men you choose. Go get Tanya. The rest of us go on to the other location and crush them."
Trip forced air into his lungs. He knew sending five other Raiders with him was overkill. Only two men had Tanya. How many they would face at the new compound or whatever, no one knew. It could be two or two dozen. He couldn't justify taking that many Raiders with him. Not when it placed the others at increased risk.
"Give me Ryker and Stella. We'll handle it. Now can we get on the road please?"
The men all nodded with silent relief and mounted back up. Trip signaled Ryker and Stella to the side of the group. "Now that we're split, the three of us are going to make tracks. No need to avoid attention like the group does. Just stay within sight of each other."
The pair agreed and rolled out. The three of them quickly left the main group behind, weaving through the moderate traffic like wild men. Just over an hour after splitting off, they rolled into the little town where Freak had chosen to hole up.
The whole thing felt off to Trip. Why had Freak stopped so early in the day? Not only that, he was only a couple hours from where it seemed like the rest of the Saxons waited. Freak had also chosen a small town just at the edge of major city. It made no sense.
He pulled over and waited for Ryker and Stella to join him and explained his thoughts. "I'll go in first, and the two of you come in a minute later and back me." They talked a few more minutes, then Trip pulled out. He couldn't get this shit over soon enough.
***
Tanya laughed. She couldn't help it. Strength flowed through her. Giddiness. She had successfully defended herself.
"What the fuck is so funny, bitch?" Freak stood there, running his hand through his hair again.
She refused to answer. Just laughed some more.
Even when he came close, she didn't cower back in fear like he seemed to expect. He drew his fist back and delivered a solid punch to the side of her jaw.
Tanya swayed back with the force, but came back upright, once more surprising him. She tucked her arms around her waist, carefully withdrawing the wrench from her waistband. She wasn't going to sit there and let him beat her senseless without fighting back.
When he swung at her again, she was ready. She slammed the wrench up and out, catching him on the wrist. It wasn't enough, but it gave her a precious second. While he howled that she'd broken his arm, she snatched the screwdriver out of Packer's gut.
She took a step toward Freak despite the pain in her legs and back.
He spotted the bloody screwdriver and his eyes went wide. "Shit. Don't come near me, bitch." He drew a gun from somewhere at his back and pointed it in her direction. "I will blow your fucking brains out."
"Then you better do it before I rip your belly open and strangle you on your own guts, too." She took a step, fully intending to carry out the threat.
He fired.
The bullet drove into her belly, the pain doubling her over for a moment. Fury, even stronger than before, struck seconds later and propelled her the few feet to him. Forcing her body upright against the pain in her stomach, Tanya raised her hand and drove the screwdriver into his eye.
The door behind him imploded as he screamed and stumbled back, attempting to withdraw the screwdriver.
Like an avenging angel, Trip burst through the splintered door.
Tanya kept her gaze on him as her knees went weak and her vision faded.
***
"No!" Trip's agonized scream echoed through the cheap room as he leaped over Freak and scooped Tanya into his arms. Fuck! No!
This could not be happening!
"I love you, Tanya! You can't leave me! Please!" Tears rolled down his face unnoticed.
Ryker stepped into the room and over to the still screaming Freak. "You want this fucker gone, Trip?"
"Yes. Blow his head off."
Ryker nodded and put his gun close to Freak's undamaged eye, then pulled the trigger.
Tanya lifted her hand to Trip's face. "He's dead?" Her voice was barely audible.
"Yeah, baby, he's dead. You're okay." He looked up to Ryker. "Get an ambulance. Now."
Ryker nodded and stepped out.
"You love me?" Her whisper barely reached his ears.
"Yeah, I do. More than anything in this world."
A small smile settled over her lips. "Good." Her eyes closed.
Epilogue: 8 Weeks Later
Tanya smiled and put the finishing touches on the dinner she'd prepared. Trip should be home any moment and she wanted to surprise him. The soft dress swung around her legs as she moved to light the candles and cut the lights.
The soft purr of his Harley came into the driveway and she hurried to pour the wine. She waited by the door, heart in her throat, for him to come inside.
Shit, he was taking forever. What in the world could he be doing out there?
Finally, his footsteps echoed on the porch and the door opened. He froze and looked around. "Did I forget something?"
She smiled. "No. Not yet anyway."
"Not yet?"
"Well, I'm kind of hoping you will in the future."
Clearly puzzled, he just stood there, brow raised, waiting for her to explain.
Sudden nerves assaulted her. "Come on. Let's eat first."
He grinned. "Woman, you are not going to meet me wearing a dress like that and a smile like that, and expect me to eat. Come here." He held his arms out.
She flew into his embrace and he lifted her to swing her around, dipping his head to kiss her. "I missed you."
She smiled against his mouth. "I missed you, too. Can I show you how much?"
"Oh, yeah, you sure can." He kicked the door shut and started for the bedroom.
She caught a glimpse of the table from the corner of her eye. "Oh, wait! The candles!" She squirmed away from him and ran to blow the candles out, then ran back to him. Dinner would wait.
He leaned down and growled against her neck, sending a little thrill through her belly. "I know what I want to eat and it ain't in the kitchen." He scooped her up again and stalked for the bedroom like a man on a mission.
Suddenly gentle, he set her on the edge of the bed. "You're sure it's okay?"
"I'm positive. Got the all clear from the doctor today."
"Thank
fuck
!" He dropped to his knees before her. "I love you, and I plan on spending the rest of my life making love to this perfect body. And I'm not taking no for an answer this time. Marry me, Tanya."
Her heart pounded and tears gathered in the corner of her eyes. "I love you, too. And yes. I want to marry you. Even if you are bossy."
His laughter rang out, until he noticed the tears rolling down her cheeks. "Shit, what's wrong baby?"
"Nothing. Nothing at all. Everything is absolutely perfect." Tanya sobbed and buried her face in the side of his neck.
He buried his hand in her hair and tipped her head back so he could kiss the tears away, then devour her mouth. "Fuck, you're beautiful." He nuzzled down her neck and then drew back. "If I die right now, I would die the luckiest man on earth." He lifted the hem of her dress, sucking in a sharp breath when he realized she left her panties off.
He gently pushed her knees apart, his expression like a man who'd seen the greatest treasure on earth. A low growl rumbled through him as he ducked down and kissed along her thigh until he had to force her to lay back to continue. With a curse, he settled in to taste her, lips and tongue bringing her repeatedly to the edge of paradise, then backing off.
Tanya cried out, needing him so badly she sobbed again. "Please, Trip."
"What's my baby want?"
"You. Only you."
"Fuck, that's what I like to hear." He stood and dropped his jeans, stripping his shirt off as he bent to scoop her up again.
With her wrapped around him, he crawled up on the bed and deposited her gently, then settled himself over her. He poised for a second at her entrance, then slid slowly inside her.
Tanya moaned and welcomed him, her body stretching to accommodate him. "I love you, Trip."
He smiled against her lips. "I love you, Tanya." He moved, and the friction sent delicious shock waves through her.
She arched up to meet him and her body suddenly clenched down. She spasmed around him, drawing every drop of ecstasy from them both.
**THE END**
Check Out My Other Books
Hell Raiders MC Romance Series
Kellen’s Redemption
(Hell Raiders MC Book #1)
Dixon's Resurrection
(Hell Raiders MC Book #2)
Hunted Love Series
Ride Series – Co Wrote with Ashley Wheels
Ride The Bench – Coming Winter 2015
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