“All right, stash her in a motel in Reno, and then meet us out at The Pony. We should be there by ten.”
“Shit. Yeah, okay. It may be closer to eleven when I get there.” Crash’s eyes scanned the parking lot.
“We finish up there, you’ll have plenty of time left over to play with your girl. For now, just get your ass to Reno.”
“Right.” Crash slide his phone back in his pocket and went back inside. Shannon was sitting on the bed, chewing her bottom lip. “Get your shit, babe. We’re leaving.”
She jumped up, only too happy to comply. “Back to the clubhouse? If he figured out I went to Cole for help-”
Crash cut her off. “We’re not going back there.”
“Where are we going?”
“Reno.”
“Reno?”
“Yeah. Cole needs me for some business up there. I’ll get you a motel room while I take care of it.”
“And then what?”
“I don’t know, babe. Then we’ll see.” He could see the fear and worry still in her eyes. Walking over to her, he took her chin in his hand and tilted her face up to his. Studying her eyes, he promised her, “I’ll protect you, Shannon. If I need to, I’ll kill him. I will not hesitate, babe. He is not gonna get his hands on you. Get that shit out of your head. You get me?”
A smile trembled on her lips as her eyes pooled again. She nodded as much as his hold on her chin would allow and whispered, “I get you.”
He smiled back. “Good.” His mouth descended on hers for a soft kiss. When he raised his head, he whispered, “You went from one controlling man to another, I hope you realize that.”
She smiled up at him. “Your kind of controlling I can handle.”
“Good answer, babe. Now move your ass.”
CHAPTER TWENTY THREE
It was after ten when they exited off the interstate and for the hell of it, Crash rode Shannon through downtown and under the famous Reno arch with all its lights. They drove past the Circus, the Eldorado, Harrah’s, and the Cal-Neva. They stopped at a light, and Shannon leaned her chin on Crash’s shoulder, pointing to a casino. “Can we stop? Please, just one. I promise, then you can dump me in a motel. Please.”
Crash hesitated only a moment, considering, before he gave in to her. Hell, he’d give in to her on almost anything if he was able. As long as it wasn’t going to put her safety in danger. “Okay, fine. Just one. You get fifteen minutes, then I’m taking you to a motel. I gotta get back on the road.”
They parked the bike and headed inside one of the casinos.
Crash watched Shannon take it all in, her eyes going everywhere at once as she stood in awe. “Haven’t you ever been to Vegas, Shannon?” She shook her head
“No. Vegas never appealed to me.”
“Wait, what? So why are we here?”
She shrugged. “Just because I’ve never felt the desire to fly to Vegas, doesn’t mean I’m not a little curious. We’re here. I’d might as well experience a casino.”
Crash rolled his eyes. “Babe.”
“Come on.” She pulled him along excitedly toward a row of slot machines. Crash fed a twenty dollar bill into the machine she’d stopped in front of, and she pulled the lever. She laughed and clapped her hand like she’d won the freaking jackpot every time she won a little bit. Of course, as usual, the casino took back more than it paid out. Crash enjoyed watching Shannon’s infectious enthusiasm and excitement. Unfortunately, they didn’t even make it ten minutes, before Shannon was down twenty dollars. She was about to insert into the machine another twenty dollar bill that Crash had given her when he snatched it back out of her hand.
“Hey!” she looked up at him, questioningly. He was staring at three men coming towards them. Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw her turn her head and follow the direction of his eyes.
Three Devil Kings were coming straight to them.
Fuck.
In a moment, they were surrounded.