a raised gun.
She screamed, ducking her head and pressing herself against the wheel of her car.
Dust choked her. She coughed. Big had ridden away, sending the floor of the forest airborne.
She whimpered, covering her face. She'd take Big over one of the other Cusclan members finding her alone.
The biker stopped a few yards from her. Her body shrank against the tire, seeking any kind of protection she could get.
The engine quieted. "Sis?"
She whined, not daring to peek. It wouldn't be Whip. She'd left him.
"Twyla." Hands landed on her.
Recognizing the touch that always held her and never harmed her, she lifted her head and opened her eyes, barely able to make out Whip crouched beside her.
She stifled her sob of relief. Yet, she held back from throwing herself at Whip.
He'd been right the whole time. Big would hurt her.
"I hope you're ha-happy." She rubbed the back of her hand across her eyes, trying to clear the blind spot from her vision. "He was here, just like you wanted."
"Shut up." He gathered her in his arms, taking her to her feet, and then crushed her against his chest. "That's not what I fucking wanted."
He palmed the back of her head, keeping her solidly against the front of him. She leaned into him, exhausted from the rush of adrenaline still flowing through her body.
She closed her eyes, letting him hold her. Too tired to fight. She knew he'd used her to get Big to come to her, but she had no energy to fight him. She'd take two minutes of selfishness to gather her strength and shake off what happened, and then she'd lock herself in the car.
"Did he hurt you?" whispered Whip.
She shook her head, rubbing her cheek against his chest. "Only you hurt me."
Once she admitted how badly she wanted him, his rejection hurt her worse than any she'd experienced before.
She hadn't meant to fall in love.
She inhaled a tired breath and pushed against him. Her time was up. Whip wasn't around for her. He was here for Big.
"Go ahead, and go after him." She let go, sniffed, and stepped toward her car.
The door was open from when Big searched inside for his pistol. She reached behind the driver's seat onto the floor, where she'd tossed her purse. Grabbing the leather, she weighed the bag. The pistol was obviously still inside. She could tell by the heaviness.
At least she could still protect herself. The first chance she got, when she no longer had to watch out for Big harassing her, she was going to throw it out into the middle of the river and let it sink to the river bed.
"Sis?"
She kept her back to Whip and dropped the purse. "Just go away."
"I'm not leaving."
She sighed. "You got what you wanted. Big came to me when I was alone. You should be jumping for joy that you were right or...going after him. Both of those things you can do without me."
Arms wrapped around her from behind. She stayed still, too comforted by his body to fight.
"I never wanted Big around you." He pressed against her back. "I was trying to keep you safe."
He couldn't have it both ways.
He'd used her to draw Cusclan Motorcycle Club to the Tarkio clubhouse. Away from there and away from him, anything could happen. No one would be around to protect her but herself.
If he cared about her, he should never have put her in that position.
And that hurt worse than her altercation with Big.
Chapter 22
Whip
Twyla's back bowed, and she rested her head against the roof of the car. Whip turned her around. The car was too small for him to sit in and hold her, and right now, all he wanted to do was have her back in his arms.
"Come with me." He held her hand and went over to his Harley.
Grabbing the flashlight out of his duffle, he cast a beam of light ahead of him and led her over to the make-shift firepit.
He let go of her hand, using his matches to start the wad of paper she'd placed under the sticks, and got the fire going. Once he was sure it would remain lit and add some warmth to the night, he sat down on the ground and stretched his legs straight out in front of him.
Twyla stood where he'd left her. He hooked his hand behind her thigh, guided her down, and then moved her until she straddled his legs and faced him. Pulling her to his chest, he cupped her