“I don’t mind, I get to go back to the clubhouse with no other women around but me.” Giving a hug to Beth, they turned to leave the bar. Everyone missed the worried look Lily gave her sister before she turned to follow them out the door.
Winter decided to drop Bliss off first, as her incessant talk about the men was making both Winter and Lily uncomfortable. By the time they were at the clubhouse, she wanted to shove a rag in her mouth to shut her up.
After they watched Bliss enter the house, Winter reversed the car pulling back out onto the road. The silence was deafening.
“The club members are pretty tight, aren’t they?” Lily questioned.
“Yes,” Winter said cautiously.
“Bliss has had several relationships with the men, hasn’t she?” This time her question was more probing.
“I try not to involve myself in that aspect of the club,” Winter evaded a direct answer.
“I think she had one with Razer. Beth won’t tell me, but they broke up for a while and the way her biker friends react, I think it was Bliss,” Lily said, trying to draw an answer out of her. Winter was surprised Lily was asking her about the break up between Beth and Razer.
“I don’t know truthfully Lily, that was before I had moved into the clubhouse.”
Lily went silent, staring out the window. They had passed the club and were beginning to go down the mountain road when blue lights flashed in her rearview mirror.
“Damn,” Winter said, pulling over to the barely existent shoulder of the road. Coming to a stop, she pushed a button, sliding her window down as the Deputy approached.
“Driver’s license and registration,” the deputy requested.
Winter pulled out her driver’s license from her wallet, giving Lily a reassuring smile. She held out the license to the deputy standing on the dark road.
“I have to look for the registration, this is my friend’s vehicle.” Winter moved to reach inside the glove box.
“Keep your hands where I can see them.” The deputy moved his flashlight until it shown onto her license in his hand. Winter stared up into the deputy’s face, his unpleasant voice ringing a bell in her memory.
“I’ve met you before when I lived in town. You were the deputy who came to my house with the Sheriff.” Winter didn’t miss the ugly expression that passed over the deputy’s face.
“I remember you too. You’re the slut who likes to get her kick’s playing hard-to-get,” he said snidely.
Winter couldn’t believe the deputy was talking to her in such a hateful manner. Lily’s indrawn breath showed her own surprise.
“Get out of the car, both of you.” The deputy took a step back from Winter’s door motioning for them to get out of the SUV with the flashlight in his hand. Winter tried not to become frightened. He was an officer of the law, but the threatening vibes emaciating from him were sending chills across her neck in warning.
Lily climbed out, walking around the front of the SUV. Coming to stand next to Winter, she took Lily’s hand in hers trying, without words, to reassure the young girl. The fear was obvious in her eyes as the deputy moved closer to Winter.
“You been drinking tonight?” He questioned obnoxiously.
“I haven’t been drinking,” Winter answered him truthfully. He stared arrogantly down at her before his eyes slid towards Lily. His change in expression was sickening; he made no attempt to keep his lustful expression from showing.
“You had any drinks tonight?”
Lily just shook her head no.
“If that’s all, we’d like to go deputy.” Winter desperately tried to end the encounter.
“You’ll go when I tell you to go.” The deputy turned back to face her. As he did, the hand holding her license brushed up against her, knocking it out of his hand. It landed at her feet; automatically bending down into a squat, she picked it up. As she did, her eyes glanced at his boots. They were very distinctive with a buckle and star on the side. Winter had seen them before.
Trembling now in terror, Winter stood up trying to keep her terror from showing. She was unsuccessful.
His eyes bore into hers and she knew he had figured out that Winter knew who he was. Before she could react, he backhanded her, throwing her into the side of Beth’s vehicle. Lily screamed, moving toward Winter. The deputy grabbed a handful of Lily’s hair, stopping her.
“Now, there isn’t any need for you to be scared. I’ll take care of you right after I finish with this cunt.” Winter’s hand grabbed the door to right herself, slowly moving away from the deputy.
“You remembered me, didn’t you? I was hoping you would,” he shrugged. “A man likes to know he’s made an impression,” he said, dragging Lily by her hair as he stepped in front of Winter, preventing her retreat.