Dead tired, Elizabeth walked out of the courthouse toward her car. There were a few people in the area, so she didn’t really notice that the parking lot was basically deserted. Her thoughts focused on the best questions to ask the witness scheduled for tomorrow.
“Hey, it’s Talon’s bitch,” a familiar voice sneered.
Recognizing the biker from the outdoor market, Elizabeth stared at him directly. Acting fearless usually worked to dissuade anyone from messing with her. When he stepped directly in front of her, she tried to go around him. When he moved again to stand in her way, she lifted her phone to take a picture of him. In a couple of clicks, she’d forwarded it on.
“What are you doing, bitch? Want to remember me?” He glowered at her.
“Just registering a picture of you with the police in case you think bothering me is a good idea. The courthouse parking lot is protected and secured by officers. They should be here within a few seconds,” she answered, presenting an unruffled expression.
Elizabeth could stand toe to toe with bad guys all day long until they backed down. Then she’d go home and have a panic attack in private before building her walls back up for the next time.
“I can do a lot of damage in a few seconds,” he threatened.
“On video,” she countered, nodding at a camera posted nearby.
“You’ve got an answer for everything, don’t you, Miss Lawyer. You know that Guardian scum you’re hanging out with isn’t going to be around for long.”
“I don’t think he’s going anywhere,” Elizabeth corrected and forced herself not to relax as she heard one of the security guards call her name.
“I’m over here!” she yelled, despite the biker’s aggressive step forward.
“Ms. Sinclair, do you need an escort to your car?” the out of breath guard asked, stepping up to her side with his hand cupped over his taser.
“Yes, Tom. I’d appreciate it.”
Elizabeth deliberately took a step to the side away from the furious threat in front of her. She noted the name on the jerk’s vest—Vengeance. It seemed like someone was easily insulted and determined to get back at someone.
“Ms. Sinclair, are you okay?” the guard asked as they moved away from the biker, with Elizabeth taking a careful position on his left away from the taser he still hovered over.
“I’m okay. Thank you for the escort,” Elizabeth answered, not allowing any of her fright to show in her even tone.
“Of course. You can stop at the desk and request someone walk you to your car in the future if you’re coming out late,” he informed her as they reached her car.
“Thank you. I’ll remember that.”
Sliding into her car as if it were any other night, Elizabeth was aware the biker group was watching her. As she started her engine, she noticed them straddling their bikes. She backed out cautiously and drove to the exit of the parking lot.
To her dismay, the bikers drove over the curb bypassing the exit and dropped into place behind her. Elizabeth fumbled for her phone she’d set in the cup holder. The bikers sped up, starting to move along the sides of her car. She put both hands back on the wheel and stepped on the gas.
Crossing her fingers, she asked her phone to call Talon. Almost immediately, she could see the phone call processing on her dashboard.
“Hi, Butter…”
“They’re surrounding my car.” She interrupted his greeting. Immediately, she heard rustling and knew he was on his feet.
“Who?”
“Those Devil guys. What do I do?”
“Where are you?”
“About two miles from the courthouse on Broadway.”
“You’re closer to the compound than you are to the police station. Take a right at the next light.”
Swerving into the lane, she hoped she’d lose the bikers but they reacted too fast. “I made it. They’re still with me.”
“They’re going to stay with you. It’s okay. You’re almost there. Try not to stop at any lights.” He stayed calm, but in the background, she could hear him slam a door behind him.
“How do you know where I am?”
“I’m tracking your phone now,” he explained. “I’m on my way to you.”
“What?”
“You can yell at me later,” Talon pointed out.
“I don’t think I’ll make this light. It just turned yellow.”
“You’ll make it. Don’t slow down unless you have to,” Talon ordered. His motorcycle engine flared into life, sharing the sound through his phone.
“You’re going to hear Kade’s voice,” Talon warned.
She could hear the phone connecting and then a deep voice answered, “Talon?”
“I made it, Talon,” Elizabeth said quickly.
“Kade, you’re looped into a call with Elizabeth. The Devils are after her baby blue Charger. She’s about six miles to the west of the compound, coming in on thirty-seventh.”
“I’m sending some guys out to meet you, Elizabeth. Don’t slow down when you come into the compound. Pull directly into the repair shop. We’ve got you,” Kade told her. “Storm, Faust, Ink! Get on your bikes. Protect a blue Charger. Talon’s Little. Coming west on thirty-seventh.”
“Little girl, I’m coming as fast as I can,” Talon told Elizabeth. “Keep telling us what’s happening.”
“They’re creeping up next to the car. I’m going as fast as I can on this road,” she said, hearing the panic in her own voice.
“Swerve to the right. They’ll move,” Talon ordered her.
“What if I hit them?”
“You won’t.”
A fist hit the side of her car, and another landed on the window. Fright skewered down her spine. “They’re hitting the car!” she yelled.
“Swerve now, Little girl!” Talon’s voice sounded tense.
Gritting her teeth, Elizabeth swerved over the dotted line. The motorcyclists fell back. “That worked,” she breathed in relief.
“Good girl. Can you see the motorcycles coming toward you?”
“Not yet. I’m at a curve in the road.”
“Keep your speed up. They’re almost to you,” Talon assured her.
“There they are! The Shadowridge Guardians! I recognize Ink’s bike!” Elizabeth shut up to concentrate on making it safely around the bend at her speed. The next time she looked in her rearview mirror, the Devil’s Jesters had slowed down.
“Talon! They’re dropping back. They’re turning around.”
“Watch the road in front of you,” Talon urged.
“The Guardians are all behind me now.”
“They’ll escort you back to the compound safely. Take a deep breath. I’m almost to you,” Talon promised.
“I’m going to need a hug,” she whispered, not caring that Kade was still on the line.
“You’re going to get more than that,” Talon promised.
In what seemed like a blink of time, Elizabeth drove her car into the compound. Shadowridge Guardians lined her route, ready to provide protection. She followed their directions and pulled into an empty bay in the repair shop. Immediately, a large man she recognized as Remi’s Daddy was at her door to open it.
“Unlock the door, Little girl,” Kade said softly when she just sat there in shock.
Looking at him without processing his words, Elizabeth had never been so happy to see a fierce-looking man in her life.
“Little girl, I can’t get you out of there until you click the button for me,” he said softly as the other men gathered close but didn’t swarm the car.
In all her time working with some of the hardest criminals in the city, Elizabeth had never been so frightened. She shook her head. “I can’t do it.”
“You can, Elizabeth. You’re safe now.”
A roar of a motor made her hands tighten around the steering wheel. She watched Kade’s face to see if something awful was happening. He nodded at someone and turned back to look at her through the glass.
“Your Daddy’s here, Little girl.”
Looking in her rearview mirror, she saw him swing his leg over the bike. Ink stabilized it for him as Talon ran toward her, yanking at the buckles on his helmet. Elizabeth reached for the door release and tried to get out, but something was holding her in place. She panicked, trying to scramble out of the car.
“Whoa, Buttercup. You’re okay. Let Daddy help.” Talon leaned in the car to wrap an arm around her body. Holding her tight against him, he used his other hand to release the seatbelt she’d fought with.
“Let’s get this off,” he explained when she clutched him desperately as he shifted slightly back.
Finally, he scooped her out of the car and hugged her tight against his body. Immediately, Elizabeth wrapped herself around him. She never wanted to let go of him. His hands smoothed over her back as she buried her face against his neck.
“Little girl. You scared all of us.”
“Sorry,” she mumbled against his skin. “Why?”
“I don’t know, Buttercup, but I’m going to find out. This ends now,” Talon assured her.
“You stay with your Little. I’m going to take a few guys to pay a visit to the Devil’s Jesters. Stay here where we can protect you.” Kade’s voice was steely. Elizabeth had never heard that tone from the Enforcer of the MC. She understood now how Remi’s Daddy had earned that position. His next words were directed to her in a completely different tone. “Elizabeth, if you can tell us what happened that will help.”
Trying to pull herself together, she leaned back slightly from Talon’s body. “It was that Vengeance guy. They were in the courthouse parking lot when I got out of work. He wouldn’t get out of my way even when I tried to step around him. I took a picture of him and sent it to the guards at the front door. Someone came to help me.”
“So, they followed you out of the parking lot to mess with you when you were out of the reach of the security guard?” Kade asked, his tone getting even harder.
“Yes. They partially surrounded my car and beat on it. Is it okay? Did they leave dents?” she asked, pushing away from Talon’s body and dropping her feet toward the ground.
“I don’t see any damage, Talon,” Breaker reported.
“Your car’s okay,” Talon assured her as he relaxed his arms to allow her to slide down his body to stand. “Go look and reassure yourself.”
“Come with me?” she asked.
“Of course.”
Breaker shined the light he held in his hand along the sides of the car on both sides, allowing her to inspect it herself. Elizabeth didn’t touch the paint. The car would have to be washed before she did that.
“This was the same jerk from the market?” Kade asked.
“Yes.”
“Any idea why he was at the courthouse?” Kade questioned her.
“He’s a criminal? I don’t know but I’ll find out tomorrow,” Elizabeth promised.
Steele turned to look at the MC members gathered around. “Doc, Faust, Storm, King, Bear, saddle up. We’re going to pay a friendly visit to the Jesters.”
“Friendly?” Kade questioned. “I’m coming, too.”
“Of course, you are,” Steele said as if he knew he didn’t even need to say Kade’s name. “We’re going to start friendly.”