Nikko’s eyes narrowed menacingly. “Just a moment, and no touching. I can’t tell if either one of you is armed yet, and I am not taking any chances,” he murmured gruffly. The guy wasn’t getting his hands on his woman, he wasn’t getting as much as a fucking peck on the cheek if he had his say.
Ronnie turned her back completely to him, and she stood on tiptoe. “Please keep my bike safe for me, Gary. It’s got sentimental value.” She then mouthed the words to him. She definitely didn’t want Nikko to hear this. “I’ll try to escape. I’ll come back.”
Gary just shook his head slightly and sharply in the negative. She used her eyes to plead with him. He nodded reluctantly even though that was the last thing he wanted. He just wanted her out of here now, and out of his hair. His parents would have a fit if this got out. He wanted them both off his property now. He needed to get the hell out of dodge and away from the trouble he knew he had started because he’d wanted to play the tough guy, and had gotten mixed up in things way over his head. “I’ll take care of the bike. Have it shipped back to your granddads. Take care babe,” he began to reach down to tug a strand of her hair the way he used to. A small part of him still felt bad for her.
“I said no touching,” Nikko firmly restated, interrupting what looked like might turn into a tender moment. Again, the words, not with my woman ran through his mind.
Gary put his hands up in mock surrender, but backed up a step. “Gotcha!”
“Gary, one more thing, baby,” Ronnie spoke softly as she began to turn. “What I said to you on the phone earlier. I meant. And I hope you keep your promise. I won’t tell anyone I was here either. I love you so much. Thanks for trying.” And with that Ronnie took a step back.
Her words confused the hell out Nikko, and when she turned he could see she had tears in her eyes. What the hell, he thought. Had she been fooling him all along? Playing him? Did she still have feelings for this jerk? Well, there was only one way to find out, and he would beat the answers out of her when he got her alone. And, he couldn’t wait; damn he was pissed.
When she was by his side, he pulled out his handcuffs, and made her turn around.
“Is that really necessary?” she replied flipping her platinum blond hair over her shoulder and using every ounce of sarcasm she could muster.
Gary was already heading into his cabin not waiting around for the after show, so his answer was made softly for just her to hear. “I think it is, Ronnie. We don’t want you going bat shit crazy, and dumping a gallon of barbecue sauce all over me again after drugging me, do we?”
“You might not want that,” she murmured under her breath, when she heard the clasp of the door click into place. Gary was already safely inside. “But it sounds pretty good to me.”
His icy blue eyes were at war with her soft brown eyes…she didn’t budge. So, he tugged on the cuffs not so gently either in the guise of ensuring they were securely in place. “Walk,” he commanded her and gave her a little push for good measure. He wanted nothing more than to beat that sassy attitude out of her.
The quarter mile to his car was done in complete silence. He was wondering what the heck Ronnie was up to, and what she’d been planning. She was wondering how she was going to convince him to let her go back and try to get a confession out of Gary.
She saw the dirt road in the distance. He must have parked his car there by the old Anderson place. She was running out of time. Then one of Jay’s little euphemisms popped into her head. You catch more flies with honey, than you do with vinegar.
So, Ronnie began to cry.
She was still crying when they reached the car, and he unsnapped her cuffs so she would be comfortable even though she didn’t deserve it. He gently steered her inside the vehicle and quickly made his way to his side of the car. Getting in, he tried to ignore her for now. He wanted to get her out of here fast and get on the road. Away from here, and away from Gary.
After about a minute of driving, Nikko looked at Ronnie out of the corner of his eyes while he also tried to focus on the curvy dirt road. It was pitch black out, and there were no lights in this neck of the woods. He was so mad at her, had been so worried, it took him a full minute to react to those tears.
Once on the straight, he was able to turn to her slightly and still handle the vehicle. Her crying had only gotten louder, more hysterical in his mind, and he really felt her pain. He couldn’t take the sobs any longer, and so did the only thing he could think to do in that moment. He tried to comfort her. “Ronnie,” he murmured softly and tried to place a hand on her lap.