She swallowed. “Two nights ago I was down at the beach with some friends. Then later, everyone was going to this party that one of them had heard about. When we got there, I had a drink, and the next thing I know I’m waking up in the back of a cargo van, handcuffed. I, I think someone put something in my drink.”
Cole frowned. “Chuck was driving the van?”
She shook her head. “No, some Asian guy was. He drove for hours. When we finally stopped driving, he sold me to that guy.”
“Sold you?” He raised his eyebrows, questioningly.
“I saw Chuck give him some money, and then he was pulling me out of the van. What would you call it?”
Cole put his elbows on his knees, and ran his hands over his face. “Christ.”
“What…what are you going to do?” she asked hesitantly.
He looked up, his eyes connecting with hers, and then leaned back, shaking his head. “I don’t know, babe. I don’t know what the fuck I’m gonna do with you.”
She swallowed, and started to tremble.
He studied her. “Your dad, you live with him?”
She shook her head. “No. I moved out a couple of months ago. I…I haven’t seen him since then. We had a falling out.”
Her cell phone chimed announcing a voicemail had been received. Cole’s eyes cut to the phone, and then to Angel. He picked it up, and handed it to her. “Play the message for me.”
She stared back at him, but made no move to comply.
He raised his eyebrows, staring her down. “Do it,” he ordered.
She punched in some numbers, and put it on speaker. A man’s voice came across. “Angel, I know you’re angry, but I need to talk to you. You can’t keep avoiding me. Call me, please. Or I’m coming out there.”
Cole stared at her a long moment. “What jurisdiction?”
“Maricopa County.”
“Arizona?”
She nodded.
He blew out a breath. “Well, thank fuck he’s out of state.”
There was a knock on the door.
Cole got up, and walked to the door. He unbolted it, and opened it.
Wyatt asked him, “Everything okay?”
“Yeah.” He glanced back at Angel. “Hey, listen. I’m gonna need some boots or something for her. I don’t want her riding back down the mountain barefoot.”
Wyatt glanced at her, and then nodded. “Bozeman had a little tent set up. Selling leather and shit. Maybe he’s still here.”
“Okay. Thanks. Oh, and the cuffs. Wouldn’t happen to have any bolt cutters up here, would ya?” Cole asked with half a grin.
“No, but we could probably shoot the chain through,” Wyatt suggested with an answering grin.
Cole looked back at Angel, and saw the terrified look on her face. “Naw. That’s okay. I’ll figure it out.”
“Okay. So, I’ll see you in two weeks?”
Cole smiled. “Yeah, brother. Two weeks.”
They slapped each other on the back, and then Cole turned to Angel. “Come on, darlin’.”
Chapter Two
Cole took Angel by the arm, and led her out of the clubhouse, and down the porch steps. She noticed the way the other guys there all stepped out of Cole’s way as if they didn’t want to mess with him.
He led her over to a table with a canopy tent over it. There was an older man with long gray hair and a gray beard selling stuff. He was packing it up to leave when he turned, and saw them.
“Cole! How ya been?”
“Fine. How ya doin’, Boze?” Cole nodded to him.
“Getting by. You need something? I got some real nice stuff,” the old man offered nodding toward the table.
Cole glanced down, his eyes running over the assortment, but not finding what he was looking for. “Got any boots that’d fit the lady here?”
Boze eyed her up and down, noticing the cuffs. His eyes cut back to Cole, but he knew better than to question him. “Yeah, yeah, sure. I think I do.” He turned, and shuffled through some boxes, finally pulling one out, and setting it on the table. “Try these.”
Cole pulled them out of the box, and bent to pull them on her. He slid his hand up her calf, lifting her leg to slide one boot on.
She touched his shoulder with her cuffed hands, trying to keep her balance.
He glanced up at her. He hoped she couldn’t see the effect she was having on him. The touch of her bare leg had sent a ribbon of desire shooting through him. Here he was squatting down next to the long, beautiful length of her bare legs, his eyes about level with her crotch, of course sex was