Chaos Bound (Sinner's Tribe Motorcycle Club #4)(12)
Lucky for Larry they reached the next town before Holt lost the last threads of his control. He dropped them off at a small motel on the outskirts of Benton, population 3,000, but not before brushing a kiss over Naiya’s cheek before she slid out of the truck.
“Anytime, sugar.” He slipped a piece of paper into her hand. “You got my number.”
“Bastard had a f*cking hard-on for three f*cking hours.” Leaning on Naiya for support, Holt snatched the paper as Lucky Larry’s truck pulled away from the parking lot. He crushed it into a ball and flicked it away. “There. Now there’ll be no calling Lucky Larry.”
What am I doing? He stared at paper, shocked at the strength of his reaction to what was likely an innocent gesture on Larry’s part, especially after the kindness he’d shown to Holt. But Naiya was his—his responsibility, his unwitting prisoner, his path to revenge, his to protect.
“Seriously?” Naiya stared at the balled-up paper on the ground. “You seriously think I was going to call him for a date? He’s probably twice my age and three times my weight, and he smells worse than you. And even if I did want to call him…” She poked him in the chest. “You had no right to do that.”
“I’m f*cking protecting you.” Holt wrapped his hand around her finger and drew it away. “Get used to it.”
“I don’t have to get used to anything. We’ve escaped. Tonight I’ll look after you. Tomorrow Maurice and Ally will come to get me. And maybe then you’ll feel like calling the Sinners for me out of the goodness of your heart. And if not, then you can go after Viper when you’re feeling better, and let me know when it’s safe again.”
Holt felt a curious tightening in his gut. He was going to have to come clean about the Sinners. And then she would have to get used to the fact she’d be staying with him until he made contact with Viper and let him know he had Viper’s prize.
“Can you stand for a minute?”
He nodded, and Naiya slipped out from under his arm and bent down to pick up the paper. Her jeans rode down and her shirt rode up and … f*ck … he could see her panties, red and lacy with some kind of ridiculous bows around the edges. Hard on the outside, sexy and sweet on the inside. Why couldn’t he have been rescued by a dude, or a grandma, or anyone who didn’t make him think about just how long it had been since he’d been with a woman?
“Larry gave me some cash for the motel.” She smoothed out the paper and tucked it into her pocket. “I asked for his address so I could repay him, and he added his phone number, too.”
Holt bristled at the suggestion he couldn’t care for the woman under his protection. “I told you. I got money from the guard.”
“Now we have more money.” She pulled a wad of cash from her pocket and waved it in front of him as she slid back under his shoulder. “You should be thanking me. And Lucky Larry. It only cost me a kiss.”
She took a step forward, but Holt didn’t move. Couldn’t move. She kissed the bastard. Those soft pink lips had touched his grizzled cheek. And all so Holt could have a bed for the night like the f*cking * he was.
Jesus Christ. He had been better off in Viper’s dungeon. At least then he’d felt like a man. No matter what Viper did to him, he didn’t break. But this … his damn emotions were all over the place. He wanted to steal a vehicle, chase after the truck, and show him just what happened when a man f*cked with a Sinner’s woman.
Except that he wasn’t a Sinner. Naiya wasn’t his girl. And he could hardly walk without her help.
“Let’s get a couple of rooms,” she said quietly.
“One room.”
“I’m not sleeping with you.” She pulled to a stop and he almost lost his balance. “I don’t care how long you were in that dungeon. Or how nice you scrub up. Just so we’re clear, I’m sticking around because you look like you need help, and I need your MC connections to get Viper off my back. I don’t…”
“I’m the one with the gun, darlin’.” He cut her off, irritated that she would think of sleeping alone. “And that’s the only thing that will save you if Viper hunts you down. Not interested in anything besides food, a shower, and a bed that’s not made of concrete and crawling with vermin.” He also didn’t think he could make it to the shower without her help, but damned if he would show any more weakness than he already had.
“Fine. One room. I’ll ask for twin beds.”
Five minutes later, she returned with a key and helped him along the walkway of the faded stucco building until they reached the last door. The room was small, but functional, decorated in yellow and orange with a queen-size bed, desk, dresser, small table and chairs, and a television. Bathroom to the left, painting of the forest to the right, window to the front, slight scent of mold and mothballs. Holt closed the plaid curtains and let out a breath when Naiya closed and locked the door behind her.
“They only had rooms with queen-size beds.” She flicked on the lights, and Holt squinted, his eyes unaccustomed to the glare.
Until now, he’d only had glimpses of her, always in the shadows, but he could see clearly now, and his throat tightened as her hazel eyes shifted from brown to green under his scrutiny, gold flecks sparkling in the light. So beautiful. He drank in the soft glow of her skin, the dark, curly hair tumbling to her shoulders, and the clothes that clung to every delicious curve of her body. Christ. He’d been rescued by an angel.