Lake’s Legacy (Demon Dawgs MC: New Orleans #3)

Chapter Four Olivia

CHAPTER FOUR: OLIVIA

“Oh shit, oh no,” I mutter as I dart off the sidewalk and plaster my back to the side of the nearest building. Abigail’s story and recalling how they found Talia’s car broken down on the roadside sends me a chill. Are there men out there driving around and stopping at broken-down vehicles on the off-chance they find a woman they can grab?

Unwilling to make it easy for them, I slide over to a nearby hedge and duck down behind it. I watch the men open my car door. One searches my car before slamming the door shut. He pounds his fist into his hand in frustration. Both men look up and down the street before looking directly at me.

“Fuck. Just go away. Get into your van and drive off,” I pray. But they don’t listen. They continue to stare in my direction. Can they see me?

I glance down to see I'm in black slacks and a dark grey sweater. They shouldn’t be able to see me in the shadows, but my heart speeds up when they walk towards me. I get a good look at them when they pass under a streetlamp. They’re both wearing scrubs. Maybe they’re from the hospital and stopped when they spotted the car? They could just be Good Samaritans, or perhaps they recognized my car. But then I realize they aren’t just wearing scrubs but also surgical caps and masks as if going into surgery. Surgeons don’t normally wear these outside the theater. They’ve covered their faces and hair. They’re wearing these things to hide their identities. And they’re headed straight for me.

I’m shaking. My reflexes scream to run, but I know I can’t outrun them. Besides, I don’t know where to run to. I see no hiding place or anyone who can help me. I consider running for the next street, but I'd be easy prey if it is as deserted as this one. I think of screaming, but will anyone care enough to come to my aid?

The two men stop several yards from where I’m hiding. They glance up and down the street.

“Where the fuck did she go? You think someone picked her up?”

“Who?”

“How the fuck would I know. They said she had a brother. Maybe she called him, and he picked her up.”

“How the fuck could she have called him? We made sure she didn’t have her phone.”

I don’t recognize their voices. They have southern accents, but not from Louisiana. Maybe Mississippi or Georgia? They seem to know about me, but I haven’t met them. Maybe they work at the hospital? It would explain how they got ahold of the scrubs. They took my phone and know about my brother, so odds are they work at the hospital.

“Let’s get back in the van and drive around. Maybe she walked back to the hospital, but we missed her.”

I stay hidden behind the shrub, even as they drive off. I’m reluctant to give up my hiding place. What if they come back? There is no guarantee that I can find another place to hide. However, do I want to stay here all night? Levi must be worried. He’d know I was overdue. He’ll probably come looking for me, especially after Lake and the others return. So, I know they’ll be searching for me, but how long do I have to wait? Will they be able to find me?

I hear only silence, although I’m hoping for the roar of motorcycles. I leave my hiding place reluctantly. Staying in the shadows of the buildings and away from the streetlamps, I move away from my car. I’m only a few yards from the next street when I hear a sound that fills me with hope—the roar of a motorcycle, but not just one, several. The sound echoes off the buildings, making it hard for me to pinpoint their location.

If the riders are the Demon Dawgs, they’ll look for my car. As I turn to go back, the engines cut off. I can see my car, but I don’t see them. Where are they? Maybe it wasn’t them. Another club?

I’m standing on the sidewalk when the sound of a motor cuts through the silence. I see the white van pull behind my car. Shit! Shit! Shit! Do I move or stay still? I hope they don’t look this way. If I move, they may see the movement and come to investigate. Holding my breath, I watch in relief as the van pulls out and continues down the street. Knowing I must stay out of sight, I return to the shadows. That’s when I hear several engines rev. Motorcycles. Could it be?

Staying next to the building, I wait and pray. Relief floods through me when five motorcycles circle my car. I recognize the one who jumps off his bike first and opens my door. Lake. I’d recognize that man anywhere. How could I not? Whenever he enters a room, my eyes go to him. The Demon Dawg members are all exceptionally hot, but Lake is not only hot; he’s exotic with his Native American heritage. He wears his long black hair loose. His skin is a rare reddish-copper color that glows like polished wood. His dark brown eyes carry the wildness of his ancestry. It’s easy to picture him shirtless, wearing deerskin leggings, and riding a horse. He’s a fantasy come to life.

I shake myself from my lustful thoughts. They are not helping me escape danger. Standing, I dash into the street, waving my arms while yelling for Lake. My focus is on him. I don’t want them to hop on their bikes and leave me behind. However, I don’t consider that I might attract the attention of the two men chasing me. I hear a motor approaching from behind. Spinning, I see the white van barrelling toward me. Screaming louder, I run faster toward the men I know will protect me.

However, the van catches up to me. Swerving to block my path, I try to dodge around, but the door opens, and a man steps out and lunges at me.

“Olivia, drop!” Lake bellows.

I react without thinking and drop to the ground. Bullets fly over my head. I don’t look up until I hear a car door slam. The van pulls away while Hex and his men keep shooting. Lake drops next to me and pulls me into his arms.

“I’ve got you, baby. You’re safe. Did they hurt you?” he asks as he searches my body for damage.

“I banged my right knee on the tarmac and have gravel on my hands and knees. Otherwise, I’m fine.” I wrap my arms around my hero and let my body melt into his. Unable to keep them from falling, tears trail down my cheeks and onto his kutte. I’ve never been so scared, not even when the men seeking revenge against Levi ambushed me.

“Let’s get you back to the clubhouse,” Lake says, standing with me in his arms. I should protest about him carrying me, but I can’t do it. I need to feel safe, and that’s how he makes me feel. Safe.

He places me on his bike before cleaning off my hands and pants. “I’ll look at your knee when we’re back at the clubhouse.”

I nod. My knee is throbbing. It needs cleaning and some ice.

“Do you have your keys?” Abra asks. I take them out of my pocket and hand them over. “The fuckers messed with your car. I’ve called for a tow truck.”

“I’ll grab your purse,” Lake offers.

“Thank you.”

“Did you recognize those men?” Hex asks me.

I shake my head. “They were dressed like doctors going into surgery. They had the scrubs, masks, and caps. I heard them speaking, but I didn’t recognize their voices. Although, I think I’d recognize them.”

“You think they work at the hospital?”

“Maybe. One of them mentioned taking my phone. I had my phone while I was working. I only didn’t have it on me when showering in the nurse’s lounge. Since they were in scrubs, they could walk around the hospital without anyone noticing. Come to think of it, their disguise was a good one. The masks and the caps hide their faces and cover their hair. Anyone who saw them outside the hospital would assume they were doctors on their way home.”

“Do you think they targeted you?” Hex asks. Lake hisses at him when he hands me my purse.

I place a hand on Lake’s arm to keep him from snapping at his President. “I know they targeted me. They mentioned Levi. Not by name, but mentioned I had a brother. One said he took care of my phone. I couldn’t find my phone when my car stalled. It’s why all my crap was all over the passenger seat. I was looking for it. I knew I had it earlier.”

“The phone is showing up at the hospital,” Lake tells me.

“All roads lead back to the hospital,” Hex says.