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Authors: Jessica Coulter Smith
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nodded.
Her eyes widened again, but she climbed onto his back, leaning down and
wrapping her arms around his neck. She was nearly chocking him, but Crash began moving through the building. When he reached the window, he hoped like hell she wouldn’t be cut by the broken glass, but the front door remained barred. He leapt and landed on the other side, his paws on fire from walking across the hot floor.
The woman slipped from his back and his brother, Burn, caught her. Needing the magick of his shift to heal the slight burns he’d received inside, he slowly shifted back to human. At her gasp, he looked her way. If he’d thought her eyes were wide before, it was nothing compared to now. Apparently, no one warned her shifters were real. He jerked on his jeans, then held out his hand to her.
“I’m Crash. Are you all right?”
She placed her hand in his and a tingle shot up his arm. Hmm. Interesting.
Smoke still filled his nose so he couldn’t have begun to guess what she smelled like, but she was definitely something special. Their mate, perhaps? He’d always known he would share one with Burn, but he wasn’t sure what his brother thought of their rescue.
“I’m Willow.”
“No last name?”
She shook her head. “I’m sure I had one at one point, but I don’t remember it.
I’ve just been called Willow for the last fifteen years.”
Crash frowned, his brow furrowed. Something was wrong, but he couldn’t
figure out what it was. And with the fire still burning a little too close for comfort, he figured it was a riddle best solved at the clubhouse. He finished dressing then took Willow’s other hand and then Crash and Burn led her to where the bikes were stashed around the corner.
“You can ride with me,” Crash said, “or my brother, Burn. Either way, you’re going to our clubhouse, where we’ll figure out the next move.”
She nibbled her lower lip and looked between the two brothers before walking over to Crash’s bike. He supposed she felt safer with him since he’d been the one to retrieve her from the building. He swung a leg over his bike, then helped her on behind him, pulling her hands around his waist.
“You’ll have to hold on tight,” he warned.
“I’ve ridden on motorcycles before,” she said softly. “I’ve spent my life riding behind someone.”
He figured he’d puzzle that one out later. Since she’d been tied up, there was no way she was related to someone in the club, but the alternative left a sick feeling in his stomach. He’d heard of M.C.s that trafficked in children, but he hoped like hell she hadn’t been one of them. The thought of her living through those atrocities was enough to make his blood boil.
Crash set off at an easy pace, then caught up to the rest of his crew, taking his place beside Burn. They zipped through the streets until they reached the Steel Riders’
clubhouse, a much nicer structure than the one they’d just come from. Crash parked his bike in the covered parking area, since they predicted rain in the morning, and then helped Willow off his bike. She tucked her hand through his arm and he led her to the clubhouse, up the steps, and through the front doors.
He paused, letting her look around, before he walked over to the bar and
motioned for her to have a seat. He took the stool to her left and Burn claimed the one on her right. If she felt caged in, she didn’t let on. She actually seemed fairly relaxed for a woman who had no idea what the future would bring, but then he supposed,
depending on what she’d already been through, she might figure this would be a walk in the park.
“You can either tell your story to us first, or we can call a meeting with the Pres and you can just give the story one time.” Crash reached out and swept a strand of hair behind her ear. “Either way, we’re going to have to know why you were with the Double Deuces, and why I found you tied up.”
Burn’s eyebrows shot up. “She was tied
Her eyes widened again, but she climbed onto his back, leaning down and
wrapping her arms around his neck. She was nearly chocking him, but Crash began moving through the building. When he reached the window, he hoped like hell she wouldn’t be cut by the broken glass, but the front door remained barred. He leapt and landed on the other side, his paws on fire from walking across the hot floor.
The woman slipped from his back and his brother, Burn, caught her. Needing the magick of his shift to heal the slight burns he’d received inside, he slowly shifted back to human. At her gasp, he looked her way. If he’d thought her eyes were wide before, it was nothing compared to now. Apparently, no one warned her shifters were real. He jerked on his jeans, then held out his hand to her.
“I’m Crash. Are you all right?”
She placed her hand in his and a tingle shot up his arm. Hmm. Interesting.
Smoke still filled his nose so he couldn’t have begun to guess what she smelled like, but she was definitely something special. Their mate, perhaps? He’d always known he would share one with Burn, but he wasn’t sure what his brother thought of their rescue.
“I’m Willow.”
“No last name?”
She shook her head. “I’m sure I had one at one point, but I don’t remember it.
I’ve just been called Willow for the last fifteen years.”
Crash frowned, his brow furrowed. Something was wrong, but he couldn’t
figure out what it was. And with the fire still burning a little too close for comfort, he figured it was a riddle best solved at the clubhouse. He finished dressing then took Willow’s other hand and then Crash and Burn led her to where the bikes were stashed around the corner.
“You can ride with me,” Crash said, “or my brother, Burn. Either way, you’re going to our clubhouse, where we’ll figure out the next move.”
She nibbled her lower lip and looked between the two brothers before walking over to Crash’s bike. He supposed she felt safer with him since he’d been the one to retrieve her from the building. He swung a leg over his bike, then helped her on behind him, pulling her hands around his waist.
“You’ll have to hold on tight,” he warned.
“I’ve ridden on motorcycles before,” she said softly. “I’ve spent my life riding behind someone.”
He figured he’d puzzle that one out later. Since she’d been tied up, there was no way she was related to someone in the club, but the alternative left a sick feeling in his stomach. He’d heard of M.C.s that trafficked in children, but he hoped like hell she hadn’t been one of them. The thought of her living through those atrocities was enough to make his blood boil.
Crash set off at an easy pace, then caught up to the rest of his crew, taking his place beside Burn. They zipped through the streets until they reached the Steel Riders’
clubhouse, a much nicer structure than the one they’d just come from. Crash parked his bike in the covered parking area, since they predicted rain in the morning, and then helped Willow off his bike. She tucked her hand through his arm and he led her to the clubhouse, up the steps, and through the front doors.
He paused, letting her look around, before he walked over to the bar and
motioned for her to have a seat. He took the stool to her left and Burn claimed the one on her right. If she felt caged in, she didn’t let on. She actually seemed fairly relaxed for a woman who had no idea what the future would bring, but then he supposed,
depending on what she’d already been through, she might figure this would be a walk in the park.
“You can either tell your story to us first, or we can call a meeting with the Pres and you can just give the story one time.” Crash reached out and swept a strand of hair behind her ear. “Either way, we’re going to have to know why you were with the Double Deuces, and why I found you tied up.”
Burn’s eyebrows shot up. “She was tied
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