Free Ignition (Black Legion MC Book 2) by Kathryn Thomas Page A

fixed on his eyes. “It’s the only thing I can do for the kid now,” he said. “For both of you. I promise I’ll get you somewhere even safer.”
     
    “Because you did such a bang up job the first time,” Lena hissed.
     
    “We were working on the fly,” he said. “But now that the crew’s got their head turned in the other direction, I’ll make it right. Hell, I’ll even get old Sully out of Deerfield once the dust has cleared.”
     
    “And then what?” Lena asked. “What happens then?”
     
    “You try to get on with the rest of your life,” Artie said. “Maybe even go back to school or whatever.”
     
    School? How could she even think about finals and parties when she had seen the lengths to which Jax would go and the consequences of her secret shame? How could she even breathe if there was no chance he would make his way back to her side?
     
    “Not happening,” she said as she pushed away from him and snatched the gun from the porch. Charging into the safe house, Artie’s arms flailed behind her, but she returned to the bedroom and rested Jax’s pistol against the rumpled sheets. Feeling bold, she stripped Jax’s tee from her body, and Artie hid his face in his hands as she dressed quickly. “Problem, Artie?” she asked as she tugged her skirt over her thighs. “Like you’ve never seen a naked lady before.”
     
    “Not the kid’s lady,” he said.
     
    “That’s right,” she said. “I’m with Jax. And there is no way in hell that I’m just leaving him now.”
     
    Hoisting her bag over her shoulders, she grabbed the gun again and moved back to the door when Artie caught her wrist in his hands and turned her back to his side.
     
    “What do you think that you’re going to do here?” he asked. “Gonna go all gun’s blazing and race to his rescue?”
     
    “I’m going to try,” she said as she pushed him away and carefully stuffed the gun in her waistband. “Because I couldn’t live with myself if I just left him dangling in the wind.”
     
    Backing away from Artie’s protests, she spied his bike and started to mount when she realized that she needed one more thing from Artie. “Hand over the keys,” she said.
     
    “Lena, no! No way I’m letting you ride off without me.”
     
    “Then come with. Make yourself useful.”
     
    Artie’s eyes sparkled around the possibility, and Lena impatiently tapped her toes to the ground. When his hesitation was more than she could stand, Lena spied his keys poking out of his pocket and took hold.
     
    “Too long,” she said.
     
    But before she could get back on his bike, Artie easily wrestled the keys from her grasp. “I’m not letting you do this!” he said. “Not on my bike at least.”
     
    Could she take him? Pound her small fists to his chrome dome and literally take off like a thief in the night? She could always use the gun, but that wasn’t her, not some coldblooded killer. Lena pressed the keys back into his palm and grumbled her frustration. “Then I’ll walk,” she said. “Thanks so much for all the help, Artie.”
     
    His voice and nothing else hit her back as she stomped her way down the path of Jax’s departure. It would take longer this way. Maybe too long. And there was the sudden fear that she might run into Eric and his boys before they found Jax. What move would she make then? Duck and cover, or pass her body into their clutches. Even if Artie were strong enough to lay his life on the line for his so-called friend, Lena could do more. She would submit and throw Eric Stiles off the scent for as long as she could stand it. And when she saw Jax again…
     
    Would she be damaged beyond repair? Would he even want her anymore? But it was still a chance, one she had to take, and she started to hit the road when her head turned at the sound of a bike roaring towards her back? Eric? Already. Jesus…
     
    Lena pulled the gun from her waist and took aim again when she spied Artie speeding into view. Her jaw