LAYLA
Iglanced at my watch, my phone tucked to my ear as I headed to my car two weeks later. I’d wrapped a shoot outside of Reno, and despite it being a relatively easy job, I was still running behind.
The light had been perfect, the sun just beginning to dip beyond the horizon as I shot photos for a local bank’s campaign.
“Chief,” Cash greeted after the first ring. I’d debated calling him, but I knew if I didn’t, he’d be upset. And I also knew he was ready for this. We both were.
The last two weeks had been amazing. Cash came over every night and had dinner with us, spending the night with me once Riley had gone to sleep. He still snuck back down to the couch before Riley got up, but I was ready to be done with that, I just hadn’t told him yet.
Riley was becoming more and more comfortable with him and now, finally, it didn’t scare me. Instead I relished every smile she gave him, every time they sat together reading. She’d even asked for him to tuck her in the night before. The grin on his face had been one of the most gorgeous things I’d ever seen.
And as for the break-in, there hadn’t been any other incidents. I was tired of having someone follow me around all day. After a heated argument, Cash had relented, making me promise to be vigilant, to set the alarm, but he acknowledged there was a possibility it had been just a random incident.
“Hi, honey. I’m running a bit late. I was wondering if it would be possible for you to pick up Riley?” I winced as I said it. Not because I didn’t trust him, but because it still felt odd to ask for help. He’d helped in so many ways since we’d met but I’d never asked for him to take care of Riley.
There was the slightest pause before he responded, his voice deeper than normal. “Of course I will.”
I could hear the feeling in his voice as I replied with a grateful, “Thank you. I shouldn’t be much later than six. I have an extra booster in the garage.”
“It’s not a problem. Already have one,” he replied, surprising me. “I’ll scoop her up, pick up dinner, and we’ll meet you at home.”
Home.
It didn’t escape me that he’d helped make it one.
“Cash, I….” I tried to find the words.
“I know, baby,” he murmured. “See you in a bit. Drive safe.”
“I will,” I assured him as I started my car, intent on getting home to both of them. Not long into my drive, I realized how low I was on gas. “Shit,” I mumbled. The last thing I wanted to do was stop, but I didn’t have much of a choice. I pulled into the first station I saw, a small run-down spot in the middle of an expanse of freeway and not much else.
When the same motorcycles that I’d noticed behind me for the last few miles pulled in, the hair on my arms stood up. At first, I’d thought maybe they were Knights, but I didn’t recognize either of them and they didn’t wear the trademark cut with the Knights emblem. I waved it off, telling myself I was being paranoid as I went about filling my tank.
One man got off his bike, I noted from the corner of my eye, heading into the convenience store, while the other busied himself with looking over his bike. I breathed a small measure of relief, turning back toward my car.
The arm came as if out of nowhere, wrapping around my neck and hauling me backward. I let out a scream before a hand clamped around my mouth as he continued to pull me toward the bathrooms.
I kicked out, fighting with all I had, biting at his hand, trying to find purchase with one of my boots. He was incredibly strong, seemingly undeterred by my ministrations.
He hauled me behind the restrooms, pressing my back to the wall, his hand around my neck. That’s when I got my first look at the large, long-haired man with a spiderweb tattooed on his temple. He pressed just hard enough on my neck that I had to fight for every breath.
“Where are the photos?” he snarled.
I shook my head, completely confused as to what he was talking about. “What?” I managed around the grip he had on my neck. I clawed at his hands to no avail, trying to swing my legs out toward any part of his body I could damage.
“The photos,” he demanded again.
“I don’t know what you mean,” I garbled, wondering if I was going to die behind a gas station restroom for reasons I couldn’t define.
He lifted me off my feet with one hand still around my neck, glaring into my panic-stricken eyes. “You do not want to underestimate me. I will not hesitate. I will fucking kill you if we don’t get them.”
I shook my head, unable to do much else. I couldn’t speak. Couldn’t ask what the hell he wanted from me.
“Got her camera.” Another man’s voice sounded to my right. He must have been the one I’d seen go into the convenience store.
“Good.” The man who held me grunted, his eyes still on me. “You say anything to anyone about this and I’ll squeeze the fucking life out of you next time,” he warned as he dropped me to the ground like a sack of potatoes.
I broke into a coughing fit, gasping for air. I distantly heard their motors start up and drive away as I lay on the concrete still trying to breathe, the pain in my throat like a vise.