I stand up, the heaviest wrench I have in one hand, a screwdriver in the other. I can’t imagine there’s any key fobs in those bikes and I want to be sure no one gets away from me.
That leaves me one option.
It’s not technical. It doesn’t require any of the skills I possess besides the rage burning inside me.
That might be the most useful of them all anyway.
I creep across the lot as fast as I can in heels and my work dress. I slide against the side of the building until I’m right at the corner leading to the open bay where the large truck is backed into place.
I hear banging as someone walks in and out of the truck, dropping something of substantial weight against the metal floor inside. “Just pack in as much as you fuckin’ can. We gotta get outta here before someone comes looking for them.”
Too late.
I risk a peek around the corner, checking to see how much of the men stealing from the warehouse I can see.
And how much of me they might be able to see.
It turns out not much. The truck obstructs all but the tiniest sliver around the edge of the opening. I want to sneak closer. Peek inside.
Try to get a glimpse of Cody. Make sure he’s okay. Knowing he would stop this if he could means they’ve done something to him and the need to see him, know where he is, is overwhelming.
But I don’t have the luxury of peace of mind right now. Right now I have to do what has to be done.
Then I will find him and God help anyone who’s hurt him.
The bikes are first. I take out the back tire of each one in quick succession, every jab of the screwdriver through rubber pushing my adrenaline higher, forcing me to fight the surge so I keep my head.
I straighten and stare down the building, breathing deep and slow, forcing my body to relax.
It’s just like jumping out of a plane.
I might even be less likely to die.
My feet start to move. I’ve got to get them away from this place.
Away from him.
I stay on my toes to limit the click of my heels across the blacktop, swinging the heavy wrench as I walk, ready to fight anyone who gets in my way.
I don’t appreciate it when people try to take my stuff. I grew up with three older brothers who loved torturing me by hiding my toys.
Then my dirt bikes.
Then my tools.
I didn’t fucking like it.
And Cody belongs to me.
I gently pull on the handle of the aging truck’s door and carefully heft myself up and into the driver’s seat, keeping my tools close as I search for the switch that will turn off the interior lights. As soon as they’re off I push down the locks on each door and unscrew the cover on the steering-wheel column, dropping it down and out of the way as I feel for what I need in the dark interior. I squint at the bundle of wires as I twist together the battery wires then add the ignition wire.
I take one, final deep breath, closing my eyes for just a second.
Centering myself.
Then I touch the starter wire to the bundled battery wires.
The engine catches and I hit the gas, revving it so I don’t lose my start.
I hear yelling in the box behind me.
Good. Hopefully there’s a bunch of them in there.
I shift the truck into first and we’re off.
Kinda.
I take a second to burn the tires a little. Make a point.
Don’t fuck with my stuff.
The truck engine drowns out any more sounds that might be coming from the back, but I’m really hoping there’s screaming.
Especially when I decide I might as well take out a few bikes as I go.
One of the men is racing from the warehouse when I hit the first bike, knocking it under the truck’s wheels, sending me bouncing around the cab.
Maybe I’ll only get that one.
I shift into second as three more men join the chase.
The first gunshot almost makes me shit my pants.
Well fuck.
I can’t leave armed men there with no way to leave.
I circle back, taking the truck out onto the road only to bring it over a patch of grass and back into the lot. As soon as I’m straightened out, I pick up speed, leaning to one side as I switch on the brights, hoping to blind the dicks fucking up my night.
I’m barreling down on them, laying on the horn, hoping to add a little more chaos, when I notice the flashing lights.
Lots of them.
Everywhere.
Police officers swarm the lot, chasing down the same men I was trying to catch with the bumper of the box truck.
The door to the truck yanks open and a light shines in my eyes.
“Get out of the truck!”
I lift my hands, squinting against the brightness of the cop’s flashlight. “The brake’s not on. The truck will roll.”
“She’s okay. Leave her alone.”
I hear Kerri but I can’t see her.
The cop takes a small step back but keeps his flashlight trained on my retinas. “Put on the brake and get out.”
I slowly do as he asks then lift my hands again. “Where’s Cody?”
“Jesus Christ. I said leave her alone.” Kerri’s closer now. Maybe even right behind the cop still holding me at gunpoint.
“It’s fine.” I slide from the seat, being careful not to fall as I climb down. As soon as my feet are on the ground, the cop grabs my wrist and tucks it behind my back.
“What the fuck are you doing?” Kerri is screaming now.
“It’s okay. I promise. It’s not the first time I’ve been handcuffed.”
Once I’m cuffed the cop pulls me away from the truck. I blink away the last of the dots screwing up my vision. “Where’s Cody?”
Kerri shakes her head at me. “Who the fuck is Cody?”
I walk alongside the cop as he drags me along. “Gypsy. Where is Gypsy?” The parking lot of the warehouse is a mess of emergency vehicles, motorcycle parts, scattered items that fell from the back of the truck during my tour of the lot, and most of the men Cody calls his brothers.
Tracker and Butch are talking to a few of the cops. Cook and Preacher are checking on the trail the open truck left in its wake.
Then I see Hawk come out of the entry door leading to the warehouse with a stretcher being pulled behind him. His face is tight and he’s sporting a deep frown.
“Oh no.” For the first time since I parked I let myself feel the fear I’ve been fighting.
Because I think Cody’s on that stretcher.
20
“WHERE IS SHE?” I race through the lot with Cook chasing after me.
“Stop running man. They gotta check you out.”
If he thinks I’m doing anything before I find her then he’s lost his fucking mind.
The more I see across the lot the sicker I feel. I knew it was her the second I heard that truck peel out. Knew Felicity was doing exactly what Moon said she would.
There’s shit everywhere. Boxes, mattresses, a fucking motorcycle knocked apart.
But she’s nowhere.
“Cody!” I hear my name.
My name.
I look for the source and find Kerri standing beside a cruiser, arms crossed over her chest, glaring at the officer standing beside her. She waves me over and I start to move faster.
I see the single leg peeking out the open door and the squeeze in my chest finally drops down a notch. She’s okay. Felicity is safe.
I rush to where she sits in the back of the car and drop to my knees, pulling her close, running my hands over her, trying to make sure she really is okay.
I try to check her arms.
They don’t move.
I feel down to her wrists. “What the fuck? Why are you cuffed?”
Felicity leans into me. “It’s fine. They are still trying to figure out what happened, and it might have looked like I stole a truck and ran over a bike.”
I t
urn to the cop beside Kerri. “You know that’s not what happened. Uncuff her.”
He shakes his head. “Gotta wait for the statements.”
“It’s fine. I’ve been cuffed before.”
“That doesn’t make me feel better right now, Beanie.” I hold her face in my hands and the smile she gives me could stop my overworked heart. “You’re fucking serious.”
She nods. “What did you think I mean—”
“He thought you meant kink.” Kerri turns her back on the cop, shutting him out. “So did I.” Her brows lift a little. “But you’ve been arrested for real?”
Felicity lifts one shoulder. “As a minor.”
Kerri’s eyes widen. “No shit? For what?”
“Drag racing.”
The cop snorts and spins to eye Felicity. “You’re kidding.”
She straightens. “If I thought it wouldn’t get me into more trouble I would tell you exactly what I can do, dick.”
Kerri starts laughing. “You know I sorta missed bitchy Felicity.”
“I’m not bitchy. I just have a strong personality.” Felicity leans forward, looking a little too closely at my face. “Which one of them hit you?”
“I don’t think I should give you that information.” I glance behind me at the destruction she left in her path. “Considering.”
Kerri leans in. “At least she didn’t burn down a building.”
Felicity smiles. “Exactly.”
I look from one woman to the other.
I don’t think them getting along is going to make any of our jobs easier. “Don’t forget what you promised me, Beanie.”
Felicity sighs. “I know, and I knew you would be upset about this, but I was worried.”
“This is what you do when you’re worried?”
She tips her head to one side, the set of her eyes on mine serious. “You didn’t text me back.”
I know how she means it and I know the truth of our situation, but the comment is still funny as hell.
“That made me sound a little crazy, didn’t it?”
I start laughing and immediately grab my side where a boot was kicked into my ribs a couple hours ago, groaning at the pain stabbing into the spot.
“You need a medic?” The cop holding Felicity hostage lifts one hand. “We need a medic over here.”
“I’m not going anywhere until she can come with me.” I breathe through the lingering pain, fighting the stars suddenly clouding my vision.
“Did you get hit in the head?” Felicity’s eyes narrow on me.
“Maybe. I don’t remember.”
“Go.” Her tone is sharp, like she thinks I won’t argue with her. “Go to the hospital. I’ll be there as soon as they let me go.”
“No.”
“I swear to God, Cody.” She shifts in her seat, moving closer to me, pressing her forehead against mine. “Do you trust me?”
Fuck.
“Don’t turn that shit around on me, Beanie.”
“Go to the hospital. I will be fine. I promise.” Her lips lift into a small smile. “I’m not sure the dinner I made you will be though.”
“Ugh.” I hold my stomach as it starts to roll.
“I’m going to not take that personally and chalk it up to the concussion I think you’re trying to pretend you don’t have.” She nods to where Kerri is still standing. “Go. Kerri will stay with me. I’ll be fine. I promise.”
Cook comes in behind me as I start to tip backward, catching me before I hit the ground. “Come on, man. You aren’t going to be able to do much for her right now.” He hefts me up from the ground, helping the paramedics load me up as they arrive with another stretcher.
The last thing I see as they shove me into the back of the ambulance is her smiling face.
No fear.
No regret.
No reservations.
A woman who did exactly what she set out to do.
No apologies.
****
“SO WHAT DID the warehouse incident tell us?” Kerri stands at the white board set up at one end of the island in Jill’s kitchen.
“Not to fuck with Felicity.” Shelly pops an olive into her mouth and gives me a wink.
Becca sits in the seat beside me, eyeing the board. “King isn’t just going after women.” She taps her fingers against the granite top. “And killing is part of his plans.”
That last bit is still rough to deal with.
Cody tried to keep it from me, but Moon told Tracker who told Kerri who told all of the women at our weekly girls’ night.
While the boys are together on Sunday nights spinning their wheels and eating pizza at the firehouse, we are at Jill’s.
Figuring this shit show out.
Becca continues. “He planned to take out Gypsy and Moon along with the biggest money-maker you have.”
“That’s not the biggest money maker.” Jill squints at the screen of her iPad through the lenses of the reading glasses perched on her nose. “It says citrus. Does that mean orange?”
“It means whatever juice you want to use.” Kerri holds her dry-erase marker in the air. “What is the biggest money maker?”
Jill rubs her lips together, eyes moving from side to side.
I sit up on the edge of my seat. Whatever it is, Jill does not want to tell us.
Which means I absolutely need to know what it is.
“A friend of mine wanted to start a business and I invested.” She drops her head and slowly lowers her eyes to the cocktail recipe she’s trying to create.
It’s what we tell the boys we are doing. Trying fancy drinks out. That way none of us is lying about what’s happening here, we’re just not telling them everything we’re doing. Which really isn’t possible anyway. Do they need to know how many times each of us pees? No.
It’s sort of the same thing.
“What kind of business?” Shelly is leaning forward, all her attention on Jill.
“It’s sort of a female empowerment thing.” Jill grabs a lime and lifts it up. “Who wants lime?”
“I want lime.” Becca raises her hand.
“I want to know what sort of business you’re making a killing in.” The warehouse makes a hefty sum each month, so whatever it is that Jill’s doing, it’s lucrative.
And I’m proud as hell of her. Especially since it seems like it might be a little scandalous.
Jill presses her lips tightly together.
I decide to have mercy on her. Jill should have some secrets in her life. It will do her good. I wave my hand in her direction. “If you ever want to tell me I will be all ears.”
She gives me a pink-cheeked smile.
Oh yeah. Whatever it is, it’s gonna be good.
I’m willing to wait for that.
“Does anyone know you’re part of that business?” Becca takes the first of the night’s cocktails as Jill slides it her way.
Jill shakes her head. “I’m a silent partner.”
“Make sure no one knows it’s yours.” Kerri starts to turn to the board then stops, facing her mom full-on. “Maybe give your partner a heads-up just in case.”
“Oh. He already knows.”
This just keeps getting more and more interesting.
Who the fuck is he?
I might die waiting for this story.
Kerri shakes her head and pinches her temples. “Just make sure it’s covered so dickwad doesn’t try to get to it.”
“Okay.” Jill gives me a little smile as she drops her head again, pretending to focus on the drink she’s making.
“So.” Kerri snaps the lid off her marker. “Dickwad has gone after me, Shelly, Tracker and Butch, Hawk, Felicity, Gypsy, and Moon.” She lists them all down the board. “And he’s burned down one house, vandalized an apartment, and robbed a warehouse.”
“That he intended to burn down too.” Shelly adds in the last bit. More of the story that I try not to think about.
He wasn’t just going to kill Cody.
He w
as going to burn him alive.
Shelly reaches across the island to squeeze my hand.
Finding Cody was one thing.
Finding my tribe has been another.
I went my whole life thinking most women weren’t like me. That I didn’t fit in.
That I never would.
But there are women like me. Women who are willing to fight first and ask questions later. Women who will take down anything standing between them and what they want.
Women who persevere.
And I get to call a few of them my friends.
Becca sets down the drink she’s already emptied half of and squints at the white board. “That’s not right.”
Kerri looks at the board and then back at Becca. “What’s wrong?”
“You’re not separating them out.” She wiggles her finger around in the general direction of the board.
Jill probably shouldn’t have given Becca the first drink.
“You need to list what he did before he went to jail, and then what he’s done after.” She leans back in her seat and swallows down more of her drink. “Two different goals.”
Kerri faces the board. “Shit. You’re right.” She wipes the board clean and starts over. The left side has her name along with Tracker and Butch. The right side is everything else.
“I’m not sure it matters.” Shelly shakes her head a little.
“It will.” Becca closes one eye and peers into her glass. “Before he was trying to accomplish one thing. Now he’s trying to accomplish something else. Gotta keep the data separate or we will never figure it out. Everything will be compromised.”
I’m so fucking glad Becca’s here. I feel bad that she is. It’s my fault. I’m the one who dragged her to the club that night.
But I’m not sure we would be able to figure this out without her.
And we will figure this out.
Then we will take King down.
And show him what happens when you fuck with women meaner than you.
Epilogue
“BEANIE. OPEN THE door.”
“No thanks.”
I rest my head against the wood and close my eyes, trying to find the calm I need more than ever before. “Please.”
“Ugh.”
It gets her every time.
The door swings open and I step into the bathroom. She’s sitting on the toilet lid, bare feet tapping against the tile, staring at the wall.
Gypsy Soul: A Bad Boy Protector Romance (Lost Boys Book 3) Page 18