Riding Steele #1 (3 page)

They pulled off the highway and rode along a long curved road. They'd been traveling for about a half hour. She shivered uncontrollably now, as much from the cold as fear. The man must have felt her trembling because he tightened his arm around her waist and pulled her tighter to his solid, muscular chest. She didn't fight. Just rested back against him, saving her energy for what would come.

Twenty minutes later, he turned onto a smaller road and wound through the trees until they reached an unpaved road. He drove along the gravel surface until they finally pulled up to a clearing where a large log house stood. He stopped the bike in front of the house.

He unfastened his helmet and pulled it off. As he dismounted the bike, she began to shiver again, then realized she'd stopped trembling for a while when his arm had been wrapped around her. The warmth of his body had helped. He reached for the strap under her chin and unfastened it, then tugged the helmet from her head.

He lifted her from the bike like she weighed nothing and set her on her feet. He was big, tattooed, and dangerous-looking, with hazel eyes and dark blond hair spiked on top and short on the sides.

Her heart pounded in her chest. Her hands clenched into fists, feeling empty without her small clutch purse, which must still be lying on the ground in the parking garage. With her cell phone inside.

“Come on.” He took her hand and led her toward the house. They stepped from the dirt surface where the bike was parked to grass. It was difficult walking because the tiny tips of her stiletto heels kept digging into the soil. She stumbled and the man grasped her elbow, keeping her steady. Unlike Donovan, he moved at a slow enough pace so that she could keep her balance and keep up with him.

He opened the front door and led her inside. It was dark and she couldn't see much of the place. Just shadowy shapes of furniture illuminated by moonlight coming in the windows.

“Please, just let me go,” she pleaded.

“Look, I'm not going to hurt you. I promise you that.”

He led her forward, then turned on a light over a stairway.

She shook her head. “How can I? You just kidnapped me.”

“I saved you from a douche bag.”

He guided her up the stairs, his big hand pressed to the small of her back, and then they walked down the hallway past several doors. He stopped at the one at the end of the hallway, then he opened it.

He flicked on the light and her eyes widened as she saw a big bed in the center of the room.

“No, please.” She tried to pull away from him, but he grabbed her arm.

“I told you, I'm not going to hurt you.” His mouth compressed in a flat line. “But you're not going to believe that.” He scowled. “Okay, come with me.”

Hope sprang through her that maybe he was going to let her go, but then he opened another door and her heart sank as she saw it was another bedroom. He went to the bedside table, with her still in tow, and opened the drawer, then drew something out.

Handcuffs.

She began to struggle as he tugged her back to the other room again, and his strong hand tightened around her wrist. Then cold steel flashed across her skin as he fastened a cuff around her wrist. He dragged her toward the bed.

“No,” she wailed, shaking her head wildly. Tears prickled at her eyes.

The last time she'd had sex with Donovan, he'd convinced her to let him handcuff her, then he'd wrapped his hands around her throat and squeezed until she'd almost fainted. She was sure what she would experience with this big, rough biker would be far worse than anything Donovan had done to her.

“Look, I just need you to stay here,” he said. “We're a long way out, and if you bolt, especially in the middle of the night, you could get hurt.”

He fastened the other cuff around one of the posts of the headboard, then he pulled back the big comforter on the bed. “Get in.”

She bit her lower lip, but lay down on the bed. He reached for her ankle and she stiffened, but he just pulled off her shoe, then the other one, and dropped them on the floor, then he covered her with the comforter.

“Just get some sleep. We'll talk about this in the morning when you've had time to calm down.”

He stepped back and she just stared at him, sucking in big breaths. He walked to the door and opened it, then paused and turned back to her.

“I'm sorry about this.”

Then he turned out the light and closed the door behind him.

*  *  *

Steele pulled up in front of the cabin Killer had arranged for them to stay at while they were here. It belonged to his brother who was out of the country for the summer, but allowed Killer to use it whenever he liked.

Steele dismounted his bike, then pulled off his helmet. It had been an enjoyable evening carousing around the town. They'd eaten in a little hole-in-the-wall restaurant with only a handful of tables, but it had the best burger he'd ever eaten. Killer had recommended the place when Rip had told him how much Steele loved his burgers.

Afterward, the guys had insisted on taking him to a strip club. When they first suggested it, he was worried Raven would be uncomfortable, but he should have known better than that by now. The woman seemed up for pretty well anything. In fact, he was surprised she hadn't starting stuffing bills in strippers' G-strings.

He was pretty sure it had fired her up, though. On the way back, as he watched Rip riding behind him in his rearview mirror, he was pretty sure she was stroking Rip's cock through his jeans as they drove. Seeing that, after watching the naked gyrating women at the club, had him pretty fucking hot, too. He hoped that now that they were back at the cabin, that Raven would be up for a good fuck with all of them. Or even a special birthday fuck just for him.

But when Raven climbed off Rip's bike, Rip tugged her into a deep kiss, his hands cupping over her round ass and pulling her tight to him. Then he grabbed her hand and pulled her toward the door. Steele and the others followed them inside.

“See you guys tomorrow,” Rip said as the two of them scurried up the stairs.

Rip had met Raven when they'd passed through his hometown for a wedding a few weeks ago, and he'd fallen head over heels for her. Her real name was Hayley, but Rip had dubbed her Raven because of her glossy black hair, and the name had stuck.

Steele had never seen Rip happier, and Raven seemed to be living on cloud nine, too. She had blossomed since she'd joined them a few weeks ago, and Steele had a feeling she'd be around for quite a while.

He sighed and walked into the kitchen, then grabbed himself a glass of water and downed it. Not as good as a cold shower, but helped his parched throat.

Shock grabbed a few beers from the fridge. “Want one, birthday boy?”

Steele leaned against the counter, his cock aching. “Naw. What I want requires an available female.”

Shock chuckled. “You and me both. Too bad Raven and Rip took off so fast.” He shrugged. “But they deserve alone time, too.”

No one could argue that both Rip and Raven weren't generous with her favors.

“That's the truth.” Steele filled his glass again, halfway, then downed it.

“Well, the guys and I are going to play some cards. I'd ask you to join us, but maybe the best thing for you to do is to turn in.” He grinned. “You can go enjoy your birthday present.”

One of the gifts the guys had given him was a couple of porn flicks, and the master bedroom had a TV and Blu-ray player.

Steele chuckled, then pushed away from the counter and headed up the stairs. Getting some sleep was a good idea. Then he'd get up tomorrow and just enjoy the sunshine and the beautiful lake beside the cabin. As he walked up the stairs, he slid his hand over the inside pocket of his jacket to feel the two Blu-rays there. But he could put off sleep for a little, just to relieve the tension.

*  *  *

A sound jarred Laurie from the light, fitful sleep she'd fallen into and she clutched the big fluffy comforter closer around her with her unbound hand. She was covered from head to toe, peering out from inside the cocoon.

Was the biker coming back to take her?

The door opened and the light flicked on. In the doorway stood an even bigger, tougher looking biker. He didn't even glance her way, just closed the door behind him and stripped off his black leather jacket. He pulled something out of the pocket and tossed the garment on the dresser, then opened the doors of the armoire at the end of the bed to reveal a big TV. He turned it on, then put a disc in the player below it.

Images of naked people appeared on the screen. It was obviously lead-in credits for a porn film. He watched for a few moments, then pulled his T-shirt over his head, revealing bulging muscles and a snake tattoo coiling around his bicep then across his chest. Her heart raced as he unzipped his jeans and dropped them to the floor, then stepped out of them.

She held her breath when she saw him hook his thumbs in the elastic of his boxers, then push them down. Oh, God, he was going to get into bed with her and … He was going to force her to—

Her breath caught when he stood up.

God, she'd never seen a cock that big. She'd never even
imagined
a cock that big. Even though it was just starting to swell with need, it was gigantic. And frightening. Impressive. And intimidating.

He turned toward the bed and she sucked in a breath.

His eyes narrowed as his gaze jerked to her.

“What the hell?” He grabbed the covers and tossed them back, ripping away her only protection.

*  *  *

Steele stared at the woman lying in his bed. The sight of her long, shapely legs and slim, but curvy body sent blood straight to his groin. She shifted back and a chain clinked. That's when he realized one of her wrists was handcuffed to the headboard.

Fuck, this was why Shock had suggested he turn in. Not to watch porn, but to enjoy the birthday present awaiting him in his bed!

He smiled. “Well, hello there.”

Should he slide his cock in her sweet, luscious mouth first, or glide into her hot, melting pussy?

What the fuck? She was here for the night. He could fuck her right now, relieving his ache, then have her revive him with a blow job and start all over again.

He chuckled and climbed into bed beside her, then shifted closer. He reached for her hand to pull it to his cock, wanting to feel her soft feminine fingers wrapped around him, but as soon as he touched her, she jerked away.

“No, please …” Panic flashed in her wide, blue eyes and she was practically panting in fear.

“What the fuck?”

Then he saw the sparkle of diamonds around her neck. It was the choker Craig's sister had received as a gift from her boyfriend at the bar earlier tonight.

What the hell was going on here? Steele rolled away from her and sat up, placing his feet on the floor. He stared at the frightened woman, who was sucking in air, panic showing in her widened eyes.

He raked his hand through his hair. “How the hell did you get here?”

Someone started pounding on his door.

“Steele, it's Wild Card.”

Then the door swung open and Wild Card burst inside. “I fell asleep on the couch. I didn't mean to …”

His gaze fell on Steele's naked form, then darted to the woman in the bed. Then he shook his head, holding up his hands, palms toward Steele, in a defensive gesture. “Steele, you gotta listen to me.”

Anger surged through Steele and he lurched to his feet. “Wild Card, what the fuck did you do?”

“I didn't mean to—”

Steele strode toward him. “How the hell did you miss the fact that the plan was
not
to kidnap the woman?”

*  *  *

Laurie lay in the bed trembling as testosterone rippled through the room. She barely heard as the one called Wild Card—her kidnapper—explained to the man who was obviously the leader about how Donovan had treated her.

“The asshole was going to hurt her. I couldn't let him do that.”

The man named Steele frowned.

Despite her shock and fear, she couldn't help staring at him in awe. His was stunningly handsome, with a square jaw and classic sculpted features totally at odds with his biker image. He almost reminded her of James Bond.

“And then when he offered me money to have sex with her—” Wild Card shook his head. “I told you. The guy is a real asshole. I had to get her away from him. And I couldn't just take her home. An abusive guy like that is going to go after her. And he'll punish
her
for what I did.”

Steele sucked in a deep breath, then glanced at her. She cringed as his granite gaze locked on her.

“Why do you have her handcuffed? She looks terrified.”

“She didn't exactly come here willingly.”

“Fuck. So you really did kidnap her.”

“She had just been traumatized and wasn't really thinking straight. And she has reason not to trust anyone right now.”

“So why my bed? And with handcuffs?”

Wild Card shrugged. “I had to handcuff her so she wouldn't take off. And I couldn't just put her in a room alone overnight. Not handcuffed. What if there was a fire or something? Or she needed something? I knew the only person you'd be happy to have watching over her overnight would be you. As much as you trust us, she's under your protection.”

“God damn it, Wild Card. Why do you have to make so much fucking sense?”

Steele slumped on the bed and raked his hand through his hair. “Fine. Now get lost. I'm going to have to figure out what the hell we're going to do about this.”

Wild Card walked to the door and then turned. “Happy birthday, Steele.” Then he closed the door behind him.

“Yeah, happy fucking birthday to me,” he grumbled.

*  *  *

The man named Steele turned to her and Laurie stiffened.

“My name's Steele. And you're Laurie. I'm a friend of your brother's.”