I flitted my eyes over to the Knights, and one was on the phone. Another appeared to be recording us. Crap, I’d bet my life Storm was getting a play-by-play right this second.
“Dane, we’re not together. You can’t tell me what to do.” I tried to pull my hand away, but Dane’s grip only tightened.
“I still care about you. Won’t you give us another chance?” He kissed my hand, loosening his hold. I jerked it away. A second chance? He was out of his ever-loving mind. But more importantly, where the hell did that come from?
“No. This isn’t happening. We’re over. Have been for almost seven months.” I took two steps back.
“I want you to stay away from them. I don’t care if it’s Knights or Hunters. Just stay away. They’re nothing but trouble.” He stepped toward me.
I put my hands up, stopping him. Did he think he could still control me? Probably. Dane believed he was above everyone because of the badge he wore. He wasn’t a lousy deputy, just arrogant with a bit of a superiority complex. Crap. Why was I defending him?
“No, Dane. Stay out of my business.” I turned on my heel to go back into the bakery, but he grabbed my arm. If my heart could’ve leaped into my throat, it would have.
“I wasn’t finished talking to you,” he gritted his teeth. I flashed back to a time when we were together and froze, my body trembling. He squeezed my arm. I tried not to wince from the pain. I needed to stand up to Dane and not let him bully me.
“Take your hand off me. We’re finished, Deputy Miller.”
“We’re finished whenIsay we’re finished.”
“Madeline?”
Shit, I recognized the voice. It belonged to the Knight’s Sergeant at Arms. The other big biker was probably with him, maybe even AJ. What were they thinking? Dane might arrest them on a trumped-up charge just to be a jerk.
“Don’t be a fool, Madeline,” Dane hissed in my ear. “If you’re with one of these guys, it won’t end well for you.”
“Let go of me.” I broke free from him. “Don’t ever touch me again.”
“Don’t be stupid, Madeline.” Dane pursed his lips thin. He hated when I stood up to him.
Was I just stupid? Maybe I’d been a fool for staying in Winters after finally getting out from under Dane’s thumb. An idiot for getting mixed up with the president of a biker club. Either way, I owned my decisions. It was my life. Fool or not, I’d do whatever the hell I wanted.
“I’ll be ready in five minutes,” I muttered to the Knights as I passed them. Dane and his threats could kiss my ivory ass. He was not going to control me ever again.
Naturally, the girls tried to stop me from going with the bikers, but I knew I couldn’t disobey Storm. That minor detail bothered them even more. Especially Mama Kim, who feared they wouldn’t let me leave the compound once they got me inside. I tried to assure her Storm would never hurt me, but I wasn’t so sure he wouldn’t.
I’d been following the Latino. The other men were behind me. It felt like I was a prisoner, or maybe they were just protecting me. The way my heart raced and stomach churned, I hoped I wasn’t going into a trap.
What if Storm knocked me around like Dane or forced me into being a kitten or something? My skin prickled and I gripped my steering wheel tighter.
No, I refused to believe Storm would physically hurt me. Sure, I didn’t know him very well, but he wasn’t a monster.
My phone startled me when it chimed.Tara.
“Hey.”
“Where are you? The girls and I came to an agreement. We’re coming after you.”
I laughed nervously. “You’re all crazy if you think you can take on Storm and his brothers. They’re outlaws, Tara. They have weapons.”
“I’d die for you, Mads.” I knew my redheaded, badass bestie would. “Give me your location.”
“Promise me you won’t do anything stupid. Like call the sheriff or drive out here.”
Tara huffed into the phone. “How will I know you’re okay?”
“I’ll call or text you.”
“Call. I’ll need to hear your voice. I can tell when you’re afraid. You stutter.” Her voice softened.