Free Still Waters (Motorcycle Club Romance, New Adult Romance): Devil's Riders (Hot Blooded Heroes) by Joanna Blake Page B

other kids there. We each had a duty. The girl who'd done the cooking had just left for another foster home so Mrs. McNealy decided to teach me."
                  "She- made you cook for her?"
                  He nodded.
                  "For all of them. Well, whatever scraps she decided to feed her wards on any given day. She might have been a mean old drunk but she liked a clean house."
                  "Oh god, Jack... I didn't realize you were an orphan. How long were you with her?"
                  He shrugged.
                  "A couple of years. Until the next foster house. And the next one. In retrospect, Mrs. McNealy wasn't so bad."
                  She took a deep breath, realizing what he was saying.
                  They'd hurt him.
                  She wanted to kill them for that. She snuck a glance at him. He was looking out the window. She realized he was letting her in, telling her something no one knew.
                  "You got away though."
                  He nodded.
                  "When I was 14. I'd been tinkering with stuff for years. Garbage I'd find lying around. You have no idea how much junk poor people keep in their back yards. It's like they are afraid to throw anything away. I'd found an ancient broken down Indian bike and been slowly fixing it when Norm wasn't around to stop me. He was a real cold bastard. He killed a kid once. In front of me. Made me lie to the social worked and say it was an accident."
                  "What would he do if you didn't?"
                  He rolled his shoulder and turned slightly, letting his shirt slide off enough so she could see part of his back.
                  She gasped.
                  He was covered in a blanket of scars. Huge welts. Thick ugly lines that reminded her of something.
                  A belt buckle. She felt her insides twist into a knot.
                  "As soon as that bike turned over the first I left, and I never looked back. I couldn't help the other kids. I couldn't do anything but run."
                  She stared at the beautiful man sitting in front of her as he pulled his shirt back on. He went back to looking out the window.
                  "You helped me."
                  He grunted and stood.
                  "Are you finished eating? I want to show you something."
                  He walked out of the kitchen door without waiting for an answer. Janet stood up and followed him onto the deck.
                  The house sat above a small mountain lake. There weren't any other houses out here. They were alone.
                  It was beautiful.
                  She felt Jack's hands on her shoulders and stared up at him as he slowly turned her around to face him. He was staring at her lips. He was going to kiss her!
                  He leaned down and whispered into her ear.
                  "Are you sure you're okay?"
                  She nodded.
                  He put his arms around her and smiled sweetly.
                  "Good."
                  And then he chucked her into the lake.
     
     
    **********
     
     
                  Jack watched as Janet came up sputtering. He was ready to jump in at a moments notice if she needed help of course but she looked fine.
                  Pissed off, but fine.
                  "What the hell ,Jack!"
                  He shrugged, liking the way the wet t-shirt clung to her curves. Hmmm… he'd have to get her out of that soon.
                  Very soon.
                  "Sorry. You smelled."
                  Her mouth opened and shut like a fish. He sure