Page 25 of Sold to the Bikers
"Not my business to say, but so long as she’s with us, she’s fucking safe."
"Does she know? That you ride with the Eagles?"
“Yeah.”
“Then why is she hiding it from me?”
"Jesus. Probably because she doesn't want you to fucking worry." I keep looking towards the bedroom, just in case Natalie comes back out.
"Why would I worry?” she asks sarcastically. “Just because my sister, whose idea of a wild night is a bottle of rosé and baking cookies, rides up on a motorcycle behind a blooded member of the biggest MC in the city, without a phone, without her clothes and spewing a dumbass story? Do you think I'm stupid? I've been so deep in that shit it was coming out my ears, and I can smell the stink of whatever this is from a mile away. Me and her? We’re all we’ve got left and I’m not letting that go for anything.”
I appreciate her loyalty, but someone’s got to slap her down before she throws this attitude at someone who won’t hold back. “You questioning my word?”
“What? No, I—”
“Yeah, you fucking were. I told you she’s safe with us, and if you want to do your fucking part to keep it that way, you’ll smile, nod and keepyourass out of trouble until Natalie tells you different.”
Sandra’s whole attitude flips from mama bear to scared shitless. "Why? What’s going on? Why can’t she just come home?"
“Because we’re in love,” I say with a smooth grin. “You wouldn’t want to stand in the way of that. Would you?”
Sandra doesn’t get the chance to fire back because Natalie comes out of the bedroom with a bulging backpack.
"I hate to say it, but I really should get going. Are you going to be okay here by yourself? God, I'm a terrible sister, aren’t I?"
"No! I'm so glad you’re having a good time. Enjoy it!" Sandra squeezes Natalie tight. "Eric promised he’d make sure you stayed in touch so I don’t worry.” She sends me a pleading look.
Natalie blinks in surprise. “Really?”
Fucking great. Now I’d feel like a God damned monster for saying no. “Yeah.”
On the way out, Natalie stops me. “Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For not telling her what I told you. You know, that it was her debt I got in trouble for. She’d just beat herself up about it and probably do something that made it even harder on both of us. At least this way I know my little sister is safe.”
“I’m not doing it for her,” I snap. “You’re ours, and we keep our own safe.”
She hesitates. “Right, the deal.”
Yeah, the fucking deal.
14
NATALIE
"In here,"Badass orders, dragging me into the back office of the Eagles’ Roost. I'm barely inside before he backs me up against the wall and presses his lips to mine. His hand closes gently over my throat, calloused fingers stroking down the sides in a display of possession that gets my heart pumping more than any virgin has the right.
When he finally pulls away, I'm out of breath and tingling all the way down.
"But nobody’s watching," I say breathlessly, still using the wall for support.
"It's important we practice." He cocks an eyebrow, waiting for an argument that never comes. If I make one, he might not do it again. "Call it rehearsal. I'm about to bring you out in public, and who the fuck knows who's coming in tonight? Our word’s enough back at the compound, but here? We’ve gotta sell it or we’re fucked.”
Alright. I can do this. For me, Sandra, and to get rid of the Unwanted so they don’t do this to other girls.
And not because the guys make me feel things I’ve never even imagined before, obviously.