Page 8 of Stolen

Blossom’s bodywas still slightly trembling as she climbed on the back of Deputy SynTanner’s bike. However, the moment the heat of his body washed against her when he mounted the bike, Blossom felt herself beginning to melt.

“Hold on tight, hear?” he said, as he looked back at her. Blossom bobbed her head, the helmet rocking. SynTanner turned around and pulled the chin strap tighter, making sure the helmet was secured on her head. While he was focused on her safety, Blossom’s eyes were dazed out on the strength of his jaw. He was clean shaven but a shadow was beginning to crawl over his jaw. Blossom liked the clean shaven look, but the ruggedness of a 5 o’clock shadow was very appealing on his face.

“You’re trembling,” he commented, looking at her hands.

“I—just coming down from the adrenaline of it all. I really didn’t think he was going to let me go,” Blossom whispered.

“Well, I did promise that Everett guy I would hunt his ass down if he didn’t let you go,” SynTanner shrugged. Blossom actually smiled. SynTanner took her shaking hands into his larger ones and held them tightly.

“I won’t tell you not to be afraid Blossom, that would be stupid. But once I rev this bike up and we ride off I need you to believe that you’re mine to protect. And I don’t fuck around when I’m protecting something,” he stated. Blossom looked into his eyes. They didn’t even waver. He meant what the hell he had said.

“I would have never thought the police deputy chief would cuss like that,” she said.

“You’re the sweet one Blossom. Not me,” he winked.

“Deputy. We’re all set to go.” One of the officers called from his squad car. SynTanner nodded at him.

“Ready to go?” SynTanner asked her. Blossom didn’t hesitate to nod.

“Alright. Hold on tight to me now,” he said. Letting go of her hands, SynTanner turned around, turning on the engine. Blossom leaned forward and wrapped her arms around his waist, pressing her head against his back. She felt his body stiffen slightly, but as he revved the bike, his muscles relaxed. Even though Blossom hadn’t ridden on the back of a bike before, when SynTanner pulled off and his leg finally lifted from the ground she thought she would have been afraid but oddly enough she felt fine. Maybe it was because of the strong man she was leaning against, who smelled like spice, leather, and woods. It made her eyes want to roll to the back of her head in pleasure.

She’d seen the deputy police chief only a few times, mostly in the paper but never in person. However, when Chance brought her to that bar to show her off like he’d done on other occasions, she was saddened to think that she was out in the open yet still she was trapped. That was until she spotted the deputy at the bar. She didn’t know what she had to do or how she had to do it, she needed to alert the deputy of her captivity.

Writing the note was the backup plan if she couldn’t seduce the deputy into taking her somewhere that would momentarily get her away from Chance. That single piece of napkin had saved her. Deputy SynTanner had saved her. Blossom sighed and held onto him tighter as the wind whipped around her from the speed of his motorcycle.

The ride to the precinct lasted twenty minutes and even that was entirely too short. Blossom has closed her eyes and leaned against Deputy SynTanner and holding him felt like a dream. So much so that when the bike stopped, she had to shake herself back to reality. SynTanner dismounted the bike and kicked the stand down. Once he was off the bike, he took Blossom’s hands and helped her to get down. Her dress wasn’t hiding anything and it embarrassed her.

“Don’t worry about it Blossom, I’m not looking,” he said softly as she tried to pull the dress down to cover her crotch. Her embarrassment was clear.

“Ah, a woman might find that offensive,” Blossom joked, trying to play the situation off. SynTanner smiled at her.

“I said I wasn’t looking. As in right now. Never said I didn’t peek before,” he said.

“You’re putting the S—I—N in your name,” Blossom wagged her finger at him. SynTanner helped her take the helmet off. As if it was natural to do so, she reached out and took his hand, holding it tightly as they began walking towards the entrance of the police department.

SynTanner hadn’t been in the department for nearly a month. Being back felt like he was walking into his home, but it was a home he was estranged from. Still, when he entered, all the officers and detectives greeted him with tenderness. SynTanner had to admit that it felt pretty good.

“Deputy.” The chief of police approached him with his hand already out, prepared to shake SynTanner’s hand. SynTanner shook his hand firmly.

“I’m chief Preston,” he turned to Blossom. They shook hands.

“Blossom Freeman,” Blossom greeted.

“Please come with me to one of our conference rooms. Just so we can get the details of the situation at hand. Deputy SynTanner called in to say you were the victim of a kidnapping?” Blossom nodded.

“It’s alright Blossom. Come on with me. Deputy Detective Munn is waiting in interrogation room B. Go on and have a chat with him, fill out a statement and give him all the details of what you say,” Chief Preston ordered.

“Copy,” SynTanner nodded. Blossom realized that Deputy SynTanner was going to have to leave her to fulfill his part in getting Chance locked up, but Blossom reacted negatively to the thought that he was leaving her side.

“Wait! No!” Blossom covered her mouth after the outburst, shocked at her own attitude. She hardly ever raised her voice but without Deputy SynTanner’s warmth, she felt cold and unsafe.

“Blossom?” he looked at her curiously.

“Do—do you have to leave?” she whispered. SynTanner caught the slight tremble in the hand that she wasn’t clutching. Both the Deputy and Chief knew how to handle a victim.

“No, he doesn’t have to leave. Come with us Deputy SynTanner,” Chief Preston said. Blossom closed her eyes for a moment, thankful that she didn’t lose her temporary security blanket. At some point or another however, she realized Deputy SynTanner would eventually send her on her way.

In the large conference room, Blossom and SynTanner sat next to each other around the shiny oak desk. Chief Preston left them alone for a moment to retrieve a drink and a sweater for Blossom.