Page 61 of His Loyal Rebel

Big shook her, snapping her teeth together. She cried out, yelling for help, taking her chance that whoever was coming would side with her and not Big.

"You dumb bitch, where's my fucking pistol?" He threw her to the ground and marched to her car.

Her hands smarted, abrased by the rocks on the ground. She sobbed out in pain, scrambling to her feet and running toward Big. If he got ahold of the gun and the incoming rider was Whip, Big would use the pistol and shoot him.

The biker rode closer. She ignored the new arrival and grabbed the back of Big's vest with both hands, using all her weight to pull him away from the driver's seat.

"Get out of my car." She groaned as her muscles protested.

Big was triple her size. She couldn't budge him.

Bang.

Her ears rang, deafening her to all noise except the incessant ringing tone.

She let go of Big and covered her head, dropping to her knees.

Her heart raced, and panic filled her. Prying her eyes open, she caught sight of Big's boots moving past her. He ran toward his motorcycle.

Aware that someone had shot a gun, she looked in the other direction. The oncoming biker roared toward her. She tilted her head, squinting, trying to see who it was when bright flashes came from 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.