“Never got your name, sweetie. What do I call you?”
“Uh… I’m Baylee. With two Es,” I say, realizing instantly how trivial spelling my name is at this moment. He could spell it Beileiy and I’d still be forever grateful for his help.
“Baylee, huh? Sweet name for a sweet girl.”
We ride on the motorcycle for what seems like an hour, but when we get back to the very bar that I was dragged out of earlier tonight, I’m left wishing that the trip was even longer. I step off the bike, my legs aching and feeling like they can barely hold me up anymore, and yet I don’t want to let go of him.
“Why are we back here? Did you drive all this way just to take me back to the bar?”
“Did you have somewhere you wanted me to take you instead? A family perhaps?”
I shake my head. “No. No, please, the last thing I want you to do is to take me back to my family.”
He laughs. “Then you’ll come and meet my family instead.”
“Your family?”
We walk slowly to the bar, and right behind us a row of other bikes pull in. On the backs of five of them are the other girls, as exasperated and exhausted as I am.
“The Wildfire MC became my family when my blood family was no more,” Blaze says. “I trust them with my life, and I can count on them to help me do stupid shit like storm a virgin auction to rescue a pretty girl whose name I didn’t even know.”
“They brought back all the girls from the auction?”
“Of course, we’re not going to let anyone get hurt. We’ll keep ‘em all here until we figure out what all of you want to do next. Until then, you’re safe here.”
“At a bar?”
He laughs again. “This place is more than a bar, sweetie.”
He guides me around the side of the bar to the back that opens to a whole other building. I think the best word to describe it might be complex.
We go inside and down a hall, where he brings me to a fairly large bedroom, the window wide open. The heat of the summer air flows in and I take it in. I’m starting to calm down from everything that’s happened and now I’m putting the pieces together. “This is your place?”
“Yep. All of the Wildfire MC members have a room here. Sometimes it’s their only place. True for me, but I think this is a pretty nice little room I have.”
I nod along. It’s big enough for a big bed and closet, and has quite a nice view. It’s definitely better than the little shithole that is my father’s house.
Blaze puts one hand gently on my shoulder, like he doesn’t want to hurt me, or scare me. “There’s a bathroom through that door, complete with shower. You can wear my robe after, or look in my dresser for some clothes. Are you hungry?”
It’s not until he mentions the word ‘hungry’ that my stomach growls and reminds me that yes, it has been quite a while since I’ve eaten anything.
“I’m going to take that as a yes.”
Suddenly, I’m overcome with emotion, gratitude that this man rescued me. Relief that I’m away from my dad and Uncle Jericho. I throw myself into Blaze’s arms and he returns the hug.
“You’re safe now. No one is getting into our club and hurting anyone, Baylee.”
“Thank you.”
After a long moment, he parts, and I’m left alone in his room.
I walk toward the window and take a deep breath of the fresh air before my legs finally give out and I fall back onto the bed. I’ve got tears running down my cheeks. It has all been so overwhelming. But now that I am here, in Blaze’s care, I really do feel safe. It has been so long since I hadn’t lived in fear, but for all of it to come this quickly?
It’d leave anyone overwhelmed.
7
BLAZE
“We got the pigs to come and clean up our mess,” Scar says as he pours himself a cup of coffee. “Made sure the remaining girls were safe before clearing out. Wouldn’t want them to think we were vigilantes or anything crazy like that.”
“The remaining girls?”
“A few stayed behind, wanted to go with the cops, press charges and all that. Bout half a dozen came back with us — I think our boys had an eye for them. Like you did, Blaze.”
I cross my arms. “I was after my girl, Scar.”
“Yeah, your girl who you haven't slept with yet. Who I never heard of until tonight. I’m not calling any bullshit, Blaze, just saying some of the other guys caught similar feelings.”
I throw my hands up, not admitting my crimes but not needing to. “Hopefully none of them are too traumatized from all that. I highly doubt any of them were selling their virginity willingly.”