Read Online The Way Home (Chasing #3) by Linda Oaks - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Linda Oaks
Tags: General Fiction
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a half-smile on her lips. She drew in a deep breath staring back at me with wide eyes then her lower lip began to tremble.
“I stepped on a rock,’’ she stated, and a lone tear streaked down her cheek. Unwanted emotions clawed at my heart.
“Come here,” I said, holding myself in check.
She wiped the moisture from her cheeks then closed the remainder of the distance between us. She was small and delicate in comparison to my big, bulky frame. At that thought, I grew even more pissed. That bastard had put his hands on her. I would make him pay.
“I’m going to carry you to the truck,” I informed her, and her eyes widened. She shook her head no and immediately began backing away from me. “No shoes,” I reminded her, and pointed at her bare feet.
She stopped and glanced down. I advanced closer and stopped to stand before her. She raised her head. Her eyes meeting mine and when I received no further objections, I lifted her against my chest. She was as light as a feather. Her arms timidly slid around my neck, even though, only moments before, she had been clinging to me like a vine. The weight of her body settling against mine made me weak in the knees. I wasn’t aware of how or when it had happened, but I was turning into a certifiable pussy. I needed to rectify this situation and fast, but when I drew in a deep breath and inhaled the faint scent of her honeysuckle perfume, my resolve disappeared.
“It will be all right,” I murmured while unconsciously lowering my head closer to hers. My lips accidently skimmed her ear. Unable to control my reaction, I jerked back as if I’d been shot. Thankfully, she didn’t seem to notice.
Consoling damsels in distress was not one of my strong suits. I wasn’t her hero, but I could be her avenger. Soft breath lightly fanned my cheek before she turned her head away, lowering her eyes.
“Will it be all right, Nate?” she asked, her voice softly trembling. She sounded distant and far away. Then, she turned and met my gaze. “I don’t think anything will ever be all right again.”
The desolation behind those words tugged at my heart. I would catch him, but first, I needed to see to her. I also needed more information.
“What was his name?” I asked. She was my best source for information. I would also dig around in town later to see what else could be uncovered.
“Declan Ryder Blade.” Her eyes lowered. A soft sigh escaped her lips. “A few years ago, I met him at a party. It was only later I found out he was a member of the Retribution MC. By that time, I was pregnant with Sierra.”
Fuck! The Retribution MC were well-known. The motorcycle club had charters stretching across the lower half of the United States. Of course, I’d heard of them. Everyone had. They dealt in illegal guns, drugs, and prostitution. If Declan Blade was a part of that, Miley and Sierra were not safe.
“We’ll pick up Sierra from daycare. Can you stay with your parents until I track this guy down?”
She laughed, bitterly. “No, Nate, I can’t stay with my parents.” She squirmed in my arms and since we had already reached the main road, I set her down on her feet. “I’m going home,” she informed me matter-of-factly.
Her eyes flashed with annoyance. For a second, I caught a glimpse of the girl I’d remembered as a child. “Are you his old lady?” I asked, and her eyes widened.
“No, Nate Lucas, I’m not. I appreciate your help, but in case you hadn’t noticed, you’re not my keeper.” She crossed her arms over her chest, eyeing me.
Well hello, hellcat. I liked this side of her a lot better than the broken one I’d witnessed earlier.
“You need a keeper,” I muttered, and heard her angrily huff at my words. “Your keys and purse are in my truck.” I started to walk past her, and it was then that I noticed the flat tire.
“Son of a bitch,” I growled, suddenly distracted by the size of the puncture marks in my right front tire.
“What’s wrong?” she
“I stepped on a rock,’’ she stated, and a lone tear streaked down her cheek. Unwanted emotions clawed at my heart.
“Come here,” I said, holding myself in check.
She wiped the moisture from her cheeks then closed the remainder of the distance between us. She was small and delicate in comparison to my big, bulky frame. At that thought, I grew even more pissed. That bastard had put his hands on her. I would make him pay.
“I’m going to carry you to the truck,” I informed her, and her eyes widened. She shook her head no and immediately began backing away from me. “No shoes,” I reminded her, and pointed at her bare feet.
She stopped and glanced down. I advanced closer and stopped to stand before her. She raised her head. Her eyes meeting mine and when I received no further objections, I lifted her against my chest. She was as light as a feather. Her arms timidly slid around my neck, even though, only moments before, she had been clinging to me like a vine. The weight of her body settling against mine made me weak in the knees. I wasn’t aware of how or when it had happened, but I was turning into a certifiable pussy. I needed to rectify this situation and fast, but when I drew in a deep breath and inhaled the faint scent of her honeysuckle perfume, my resolve disappeared.
“It will be all right,” I murmured while unconsciously lowering my head closer to hers. My lips accidently skimmed her ear. Unable to control my reaction, I jerked back as if I’d been shot. Thankfully, she didn’t seem to notice.
Consoling damsels in distress was not one of my strong suits. I wasn’t her hero, but I could be her avenger. Soft breath lightly fanned my cheek before she turned her head away, lowering her eyes.
“Will it be all right, Nate?” she asked, her voice softly trembling. She sounded distant and far away. Then, she turned and met my gaze. “I don’t think anything will ever be all right again.”
The desolation behind those words tugged at my heart. I would catch him, but first, I needed to see to her. I also needed more information.
“What was his name?” I asked. She was my best source for information. I would also dig around in town later to see what else could be uncovered.
“Declan Ryder Blade.” Her eyes lowered. A soft sigh escaped her lips. “A few years ago, I met him at a party. It was only later I found out he was a member of the Retribution MC. By that time, I was pregnant with Sierra.”
Fuck! The Retribution MC were well-known. The motorcycle club had charters stretching across the lower half of the United States. Of course, I’d heard of them. Everyone had. They dealt in illegal guns, drugs, and prostitution. If Declan Blade was a part of that, Miley and Sierra were not safe.
“We’ll pick up Sierra from daycare. Can you stay with your parents until I track this guy down?”
She laughed, bitterly. “No, Nate, I can’t stay with my parents.” She squirmed in my arms and since we had already reached the main road, I set her down on her feet. “I’m going home,” she informed me matter-of-factly.
Her eyes flashed with annoyance. For a second, I caught a glimpse of the girl I’d remembered as a child. “Are you his old lady?” I asked, and her eyes widened.
“No, Nate Lucas, I’m not. I appreciate your help, but in case you hadn’t noticed, you’re not my keeper.” She crossed her arms over her chest, eyeing me.
Well hello, hellcat. I liked this side of her a lot better than the broken one I’d witnessed earlier.
“You need a keeper,” I muttered, and heard her angrily huff at my words. “Your keys and purse are in my truck.” I started to walk past her, and it was then that I noticed the flat tire.
“Son of a bitch,” I growled, suddenly distracted by the size of the puncture marks in my right front tire.
“What’s wrong?” she
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