“Yeah. I can do it,” Benny interrupts. “Time to offer up some peace. They’ve been toying with me about something, and I want the info they have. Drex is taking her to his father. I’m sure Herrin is going to love her. It’s not too often sweet ones like this march their pretty little asses into the clubhouse and offer up their bodies.”
My knees wobble, but I don’t fall, thankfully. Death Dealers? Drex isn’t a name I’ve heard, but Death Dealers definitely are a name I’ve heard. That’s even worse than Hell Breathers.
“Get your ass in gear, sugar. Drex isn’t patient,” Benny prompts.
Unsteady and trembling, I reach down for the helmet, ignoring the guys who grab my bags from Ben’s hands.
The Death Dealers have a reputation… Ruthless. Depraved. Dirty. Most importantly, brutal. I’m really hoping it’s all just been hearsay stuff that doesn’t hold any real truth. Everything sounds worse than it actually is, right?
I’m not sure how many girls offer themselves up, but I have a feeling I’m going to be just as regretful as the ones who do.
Bearded men who barely groom whistle at me as I make my way to Benny and his bike. They all put on their helmets and sunglasses, looking just as scary as demons on wheels.
“Hop on,” Benny says while making the beast between his legs roar to life, and startling me enough to jump.
His taunting laughter is barely heard over the bike’s vicious engine. Maybe I’ll get lucky and Drex’s father won’t find me to be his type, therefore letting me go.
Dreams are just for the foolish who refuse to accept reality. Especially when their reality just turned as dark as mine.
Chapter 5
EVE
Benny kills the engine just as we reach an old warehouse, one that seems to have been abandoned long ago. But there’s no sign of any other bikers.
“Your mom should have received the money by now. You can call her if you want, but make it brief.”
I decide to send a text instead, considering my voice seems to have run away with the logical half of my mind.
Me: I’m going away for a while. Sorry about leaving you like this, but I got a job in LA. I’ll call when I can.
I’m still in Texas—closer to the Mexican border than I was—but I’m far enough away from home that Mom won’t accidentally run into me. That is… if I even get to leave. I shudder just thinking about being turned into a sex slave.
Almost immediately, my phone buzzes with a text.
Mom: Don’t play games. You’re not going to believe what just happened, but we don’t have to worry about money right now. Hurry home so I can explain better.
A small tear escapes my eye, reminding me this is all worth it. My family is taken care of. That’s all that really matters. I’m just collateral damage in the grand scheme of things.
“Don’t go back on your word,” Benny warns, his lips twitching in sadistic amusement as he stands and looks at me.
Clumsily, I clamber off the bike, pulling the helmet off without grace. I feel my hair wildly tousled around my head, but I don’t fix it. I’d rather be as unappealing as possible right now.
“I have no intentions of going back on my word,” I say through emotional strain.
His dark grin emerges, giving me a peek at the true devil beneath the flesh.
“Good. I’d hate to carve up that pretty little face.”
Chapter 6
DREX
“They’re at the warehouse, and they have a girl, just like they promised,” Sledge says, looking at me before he resumes his place on his bike.
I glance toward the road, still leery of this supposed peace offering.
“Not sure why we need them to give us a girl. They’d pour in off the streets if we opened our doors,” I tell him, pissed off by this whole exchange.
This is all too shady and bizarre. A fucking girl being presented as currency? We’ve sure as hell never done anything like this before, and I don’t trust a damn thing Benny Highland does.
“We don’t deal in human trafficking,” I remind Sledge when he doesn’t say anything. “And that’s exactly what this sounds like.”
Sledge grunts something in agreement, but Axle speaks as he walks up to us.
“Supposedly this is all consensual. No trafficking involved. Why are we doing this? Beats the fuck outta me. It all sounds a little suspicious.”
I abso-fucking-lutely agree with him on that last part. It’s suspicious as hell, and I don’t see the point in doing this shit.
“Herrin just wants to see what they’re up to. More than likely she’s a spy that Benny and his guys want to insert into our crew. Benny has never had enough finesse to do something on the discreet side. Herrin wants to have some fun getting the truth out of her,” Sledge says, smirking.