Bliss paled. Her nightmare had just become worse, if that was possible.
Using her body to shield Stark from Drake’s view, she held the door with a death grip to prevent him from entering.
“I thought I would stop by and see if you wanted to watch a movie.”
“Not tonight. I’m kind of busy.”
“Doing what?”
Bliss’s mind went blank, and she became angry that her life was such an empty shell that it was going to get Drake killed. She tried a different tactic.
“I have company. I’ll see you tomorrow,” she said, knowing Stark was going to make sure she never stepped foot back in Treepoint again.
“Who?” Drake’s expression didn’t change; it was just as affable as when she had answered the door.
Bliss heard Stark coming up behind her, and then the door was jerked from her grasp.
“Me, motherfucker. You need to step away while you still have the chance before me and my friends stomp the living shit out of you.”
Bliss pressed a hand to Stark’s chest. “It’s okay, Stark. Drake is leaving.” She turned pleadingly to Drake. “You better go.”
Before she could blink, Drake shoved her back into the house, and Stark was thrust against the door with a gun pressed to the side of his head.
Bliss stood, openmouthed, as two bikers jumped off their motorcycles and ran forward. Drake didn’t take his eyes off Stark.
“You better call them off before Bliss has to have her door repainted, because no soap and water is going to wash away the brains I’m about to splatter all over it.”
“Get back, Cracker, Whip. Go back to the bikes.”
Bliss watched as the dangerous bikers pulled up short then began backing away when they saw a gun pressed to their leader’s skull.
“They leave?” Drake snapped out.
“Yes, they went back to their bikes.”
“Call Knox and tell him to get his ass over here.”
“I don’t have to. He’s pulling into the driveway.” Bliss wrapped her arms around her stomach, shivering from the cold air coming through the open door.
“Ginny must have called him after she called me.” Drake was pressing the gun against Stark’s head so hard the ruddy flesh was becoming white.
Her roommate hadn’t been as clueless as Bliss had believed.
“You have a permit for that gun, Drake?” The stony face of the largest Last Rider, serving as sheriff, didn’t betray the many intimate moments they had shared.
“I’ve had my concealed and carry since it became legal.” Drake didn’t move the gun away from Stark, holding it steady as Knox drew closer. His deputies surrounded the group of men sitting on their motorcycles.
“Put it away. You might have a license to carry it, but that doesn’t mean you know how to use it.”
“I know how to use it better than any of those deputies standing over there with their hands in their pockets.”
“They don’t need to pull their guns on them. The only one posing a threat right now is you.”
Drake moved the gun away from Stark, placing it back in his waistband.
“You don’t keep it in a holster?”
“No, the second it takes you to pull it free gives who you’re aiming for another second of breath.”
“Holsters keep you from blowing your dick off.”
“My gun doesn’t go off by mistake,” Drake promised as Stark straightened from the door, throwing him a venomous glare.
“Want to tell me why you were aiming it at Stark?”
“You know this piece of shit?” Drake gave Knox an incredulous look.
“Unfortunately,” Knox admitted, casually placing his body between the two men.
“I want him put in jail for attacking me!” Stark yelled.
Bliss would have laughed at the look Drake was giving Stark, which was the same one he had given Knox, but she didn’t think he would find the humor in the situation.
Drake raised his gun at Stark again, but Knox reached out, making him lower it again.
“You attack him, Drake?”
“Yes, he’s trespassing,” Drake ground out, glaring at Stark as if he was still thinking of shooting him.
“I was invited inside,” Stark snarled.
“That true, Bliss?” Knox questioned.
Bliss found herself the focus of the men. Drake’s concern was obvious, while Knox was impassive, waiting for her answer. Stark was threatening, giving her a silent warning to watch her choice of words.
“No. He told Ginny we were old friends, and she let him inside.”
“We are friends.”
“We were never friends, Stark.” Forcing her gaze to remain on Knox, she felt the menace coming off Stark in waves. “He was trying to make me leave with him, and he threatened Ginny’s freedom.” Bliss hoped Stark’s threat toward Ginny would rouse Knox to make sure she was safe from the biker lowlife. Knox would make no effort to protect her. However, if he saw to it that The Last Riders took care of Stark to ensure Ginny’s safety, then it assured hers, as well.
“You didn’t want to go with him?”
“No, I didn’t want to go with him,” Bliss snapped, her hands clenched at her sides. Knox knew damn well what life would hold for her if Stark had her in his possession again.