by Jayne Blue
“We’ll be out in the truck,” Shakes said. Then, he and Luce walked out of the diner together, staring down the other two bikers as they passed.
One of the Saints slapped the other on the back, then walked back outside. He had his marching orders just like Luce and Shakes did. Stay out of this, but don’t stay too far out of this.
I straightened in my seat while the other biker, a man I knew as Axle, strode over. He smiled at the waitress and slid into the booth where Shakes and Luce had just exited. Extending a hand, I took his and gripped it in a firm shake.
“Good to see you, man,” I said. It was. I’d met Axle at a bike auction about ten years ago. We’d both been green in our clubs with something to prove. But, I knew him to be a stand-up guy and I was glad the Saints sent him.
“You too,” Axel said. He was a big dude like I was. His forearms were covered in colorful ink so there wasn’t a bare patch of skin. He stared at me with dark, almost black eyes and waved away the waitress when she offered him a cup of coffee.
“I’m afraid we gotta keep this short,” Axle said. “I don’t have to tell you, you and your boys are rattling some cages just by showing up here.”
“I get that. And I wouldn’t do it if it didn’t matter. I came with a message. Well, more of a warning. We had some trouble out at Emerald Point a few months ago. We took care of it, but the movement by our mutual enemies is ramping up along the coast. You need to be aware.”
“Sheeit,” Axle ran a hand through his hair. “Same shit different day.”
“A little more than that. This shit wasn’t just the usual brute force. It was organized. The town was infiltrated at the highest levels. Mayor’s office, some of the local law enforcement. It was set in motion way before we realized it. Somebody’s playing a long game. We lost a member of our crew, Axle.”
Axle’s face grew hard. The dude was fierce-looking on a good day. He had deep-set eyes that seemed in a permanent scowl and a broad nose that had been broken in at least two places. He had Comanche blood in him and his warrior ancestors seemed to stare back at me from his stone cold gaze. Axle was one of the Dark Saints’ top enforcers. He was one lethal motherfucker and the best at what he did.
“I’m sorry to hear that. We heard rumblings. Ghost was a good man.”
“He was. Now, we have our shit sorted, but you need to be on high alert. You know how this goes. These rats don’t give up.”
“I hear that.” Axle looked out the window. His crew member and mine had retreated to opposite corners of the parking lot.
“Thank your boys for not riding in,” he said. “That’ll leave it so there’s less chance of a misunderstanding when word gets out you were here. But, there’s something I gotta ask you. I’ve heard other rumblings that one of your boys has been hanging out in a little town outside of Austin. Now, we have no claim there, but it didn’t go unnoticed. Is there anything else going on I need to know about.”
Axle’s question got my back up. I knew the Saints had eyes everywhere in Texas just like we did down in Florida. Still, the idea that I’d drawn any attention in the circle around Thea made me twitchy. I could evade his question because it really was none of his fucking business, but it occurred to me he’d understand the truth better.
“It’s just me, Axle. I was on my way to El Paso for a family matter. I’m riding a bit of a classic, my bastard old man’s ‘36 El. It broke down and there’s a mechanic in Crystal Falls saving my ass.”
Axle’s eyes got big. “No shit. You gotta mean Mickey Weller. He’s a fucking genius under the hood. He’ll do you solid. Hell, if it wouldn’t cause a fucking shitstorm, I’d like to see that thing.”
I laughed. “Maybe on my way back, we can meet up. In the meantime, we better cut this short. I appreciate you taking the time though, man. You know it serves both our interests.”
My voice dropped at that last bit and Axle was shrewd enough catch the implication. If the Saints ever changed their stance with the drug cartels along the coast, we’d go from reluctant allies to something else. The Great Wolves were legit now, but that didn’t mean we wouldn’t spill blood to protect what was ours.
Axle ran a hand across his jaw then his face spread into a slow smile. “We’re good, brother. We’re good. Now if you don’t mind and don’t take offense, I kinda need you and your crew to get the hell outta my town.”
I reached across the table and we shook hands again. I threw a twenty dollar bill on the table to cover the coffees and a generous tip. Then, I headed out into the bright Texas sun.
Luce and Shakes came around the truck. Shakes slapped me on the back. “All the same to you, man, I’ll feel better when we put another state between us. You sure I can’t convince you to come back with us?”
“Not without what I came here for,” I said. When I started out, that was my dad’s ashes. It had changed, but I wasn’t ready to tell them that.
“I figured you’d say that,” Shakes said. He tossed me the keys to the truck. Startled, I caught them against my chest. “We brought you a little present.”
Shakes walked with me to the back of the truck and lifted the door. My Dyna Glide gleamed in the sun.
“Thought you might want something a little more reliable on the way back,” he said.
My spine tingled. Shakes knew me well. Nothing would help clear my head more than ripping out on the open road. “Take the truck,” he said. “You can fit the Knuck in there on the way back. Luce and I will take care of that piece of shit rental you’re driving. You just get your shit straight and come on home.”
I leaned in and slapped Shakes on the back again. “Thanks, man. You didn’t have to do this. You sure you two are okay dealing with the rental?”
“You’ll owe me. And if you ever get the harebrained idea to take that Knuck more than a hundred miles away from home I might have to kill you. But yeah, go handle what you gotta handle.”
We said our goodbyes and Luce and Shakes piled into the smaller pickup. I slid behind the wheel of the truck and waved them off.
Axle and his man hung back, waiting to make sure the three of us really did light out of town. I couldn’t blame him. He had his own back to watch. I headed northwest toward Crystal Falls. By nightfall, I planned to have Thea on the back of my bike so I could feel her arms wrapped around me and her tits pressed against my back. Oh, yeah, it would be a slice of heaven.
The drive went smooth and fast and I pulled into the parking lot of Pete’s antique shop. The lights were dim and the closed sign hung in the window. A pit formed in my stomach as I slammed the truck into park.
“Shit,” I muttered. It wasn’t like Pete or Thea to close up early. I slid out of the cab and walked the two blocks to Mickey’s. I met him halfway as he came running up the street toward me.
“Mr. Jackson?” Mickey Weller swallowed loud enough for me to hear him, and it didn’t put me at ease. His eyes were wide and his skin flushed.
“Yeah, Mickey. Something wrong with the bike?” Shit, Shakes really would kill me if the answer was yes. I knew that wasn’t it though.
“What? Oh, no. No. We’re on schedule there. It’s just, when you left you told me to watch out for Thea. I don’t know if you had a sixth sense or something, and I know it’s none of my business. In fact, I probably shouldn’t have even called.”
“Mickey!” My heart started to race. “Spit it out. What’s going on with Thea? The shop’s closed.”
“Yeah. That’s the thing. She didn’t come into work today, and that’s not normal for her. Ever. Then Lottie said about an hour ago she saw her pack a bunch of stuff into her car and she headed out of town.”
“What do you mean she packed a bunch of stuff? What stuff?”
“Well,” Mickey cleared his throat. “Again, I really kinda feel weird about spreading her business like this. But, she left a note for Lottie and said she wasn’t coming back.”
A hollow pit formed in my stomach. “Mickey, do you know what way she was headed? How long a
go was this?”
“West. She was heading for the freeway. But, I gotta tell you I would have tried to stop her. That little Honda she drives is on its last legs. I wouldn’t be surprised if she doesn’t make it ten miles before it overheats in this weather. Last time she brought it in I told her she’d have to let me do something about it. But, she’s stubborn.”
“When, Mickey?” It was all I could do not to grab him and shake him.
“Not long. Twenty minutes ago, maybe.”
“Thanks for the heads-up.”
“Sure. I just would hate to think of anything bad happening to that girl. You’ll look after her?”
“On my life, Mickey,” I said. “On my fucking life.”
I left him staring open-mouthed at me as I ran back to the truck. I opened the back door, pulled down the ramp, and hoped to God I wasn’t already too late.
Chapter Eight
Thea
It was my fault. I should have known better. Crystal Falls had been so quaint, quiet, and small I’d let myself believe nothing bad could happen to me there. I could stay a little longer than the other towns I’d been in over the last two years; at least, maybe just a month or two. But, I’d broken the deal I made with myself when I left everything I knew behind. I got attached and let more people in than I should have. So, when King came along, I’d let myself get too vulnerable. Well, now I had one last chance to fix that. I could go and never look back.
At least, that was the plan. Ten miles outside the city line, and my little blue Honda started to shimmy and sputter. I’d bought the thing for cash eight months ago before I left Sioux Falls, Iowa. I’d picked that town by literally throwing a dart at a map. Crystal Falls had chosen me. It’s as far as I got in the Honda before it broke down on me the first time. Mickey warned me the stupid thing only had about ten thousand more miles on it before it died for good. As smoke started to billow from the engine, I realized he’d overestimated.
“Dammit!”
The car behind me laid on the horn as I decelerated. I pumped the gas pedal in a futile attempt to get the piece of shit to keep going. It was no use. I waved behind me, turned on my hazard lights, and pulled to the side of the road.
The honking driver just flipped me off as he sped by. I gave him a middle finger of my own then crashed my forehead to the steering wheel.
Six months ago, I might have dissolved into tears. Now, I felt like that well ran dry. With no other options, I slid out of the driver’s seat and walked around to the front of the car. Traffic whizzed by me at first and two drivers slowed to offer assistance, but I waved them away.
“It’s okay,” I lied, “I’ve called a service.”
I wished I could have. But, the minute I did, there’d be a record of it. Thea Clark wasn’t supposed to exist, after all. I popped the hood in a vain attempt to figure out what was wrong. Even if by some miracle I did, I wouldn’t have the first clue how to fix it. Still, looking at the dusty wires and engine parts made me feel like I was at least doing something other than falling apart. That’s the one thing I couldn’t afford to do.
I slid my phone out of my back pocket. I could call Mickey again. I knew he’d send someone out for me, but then there would be questions I didn’t have answers for. I’d survived this long by not looking back no matter what.
The late spring Texas sun beat down on me, and one way or the other, I wouldn’t be able to stay out here much longer. Crystal Falls was a ten-mile hike in the wrong direction. The next exit was another eight miles forward. I turned my back to the car and rested against the side of it. In the distance, I heard the thunderous motor of an approaching vehicle and knew I had a choice to make. Do I flag it down and just ride out of here? It was a dangerous choice, sure, but maybe less so than going back to Crystal Falls.
I kept my back to the noise and started walking forward. The urge to run nearly overpowered me and came out of nowhere as the hard, staccato engine grew closer. Goosebumps prickled along my spine as it slowed.
Don’t look back. Don’t ever look back.
“Thea!” The name speared through me and my heart pounded. No. No. No.
He cut the engine and hard footsteps ran behind me. I broke into a run and sweat poured down the middle of my back.
“Thea, dammit. Stop! Where the hell are you going?”
Anywhere. Far. I should have already been gone.
King caught up to me and grabbed my arm. I whirled around and faced him as a breeze kicked up, making my hair fly wild around me. He loomed large and solid, his body blocking out the sun behind him. He wore mirrored aviator glasses and I saw my reflection in them. It didn’t look like me. My eyes were hard and the color had drained from my face.
“Let me go, King.”
“Go where? Thea, what’s the matter?”
I jerked my arm out of his grasp. Fury rose up inside of me that had nothing to do with him. Even as I said the words meant to push him away, heat flared in my heart. He was here. Solid, real, and worried about me. It wasn’t a white stallion, but he’d ridden in like some outlaw prince...no...a king...and he’d come here for me. Except, I was long past needing to be rescued.
“I can’t, I’m sorry. I have to go.”
“Go where? Thea, you’re stuck in the middle of the road. Were you planning to walk to wherever you’re going?”
“King, please. Please just go back to Emerald Point or wherever you were headed.”
He jerked his head back. Sliding his sunglasses off his face, he looked at me with those dark eyes filled with fury of his own. “I’m not leaving you here in the middle of nowhere. Jesus. If Mickey hadn’t told me which way you were headed, what was your plan? Were you just gonna hitchhike?”
“Yes!” Panicked anger rose up inside of me that didn’t match what was happening in front of me. I felt unmoored again. With just one touch, King had crumbled the walls I’d tried so hard to build. He didn’t know. He couldn’t understand what I needed or what I’d been through. It wasn’t his fault. Still, I railed against him.
“It’s none of your business, King. I’m none of your business! I don’t need you to rescue me. I don’t need anybody. I don’t want anybody. Just leave me alone.”
He stood before me, stoic and unmoving except for a tight muscle that twitched in his jaw as he swallowed. Those dark eyes of his blazed as he stared me down.
“Thea, what or who are you running from? Let me help you. Because you do need me. And I swear to God, as long as I’m with you, nobody can hurt you.”
If he’d said anything else, I might have been able to make a different choice. And maybe it wasn’t what he said so much as the look in his eyes as he spoke. He saw through me. Just like that first day when he walked into Pete’s shop and found me there. He saw me.
And the truth of that shredded me once and for all.
I didn’t answer him. I couldn’t. But one look in my eyes and King knew. I took a step back, but it was already too late. With one powerful stride forward, King took me in his arms and kissed me. It was different than last night. Then, his touch held passion. There on the side of the road, his kiss sealed his promise.
My body went rigid and I tried to pull away. But, King didn’t let go. His lips demanded an answer and my heart was only too eager to give it. It was more than lust, more than physical. I needed him on some elemental level. I wanted to believe everything he said even though I knew he could never keep the kind of promise he’d just made. But, in that moment of weakness, I needed desperately to believe him.
Then, I couldn’t control myself. I melted into him. More cars whizzed by and honked in either road rage or encouragement at the spectacle we must have made on the shoulder of the highway. My arms went up and I laced them through the thick, coarse hair at the back of his neck, pulling him down to me and holding him there.
“Thea,” he whispered. Again, the name broke the spell. I staggered backward and brought the back of my hand to my lips, gasping for air.
“Come with me,�
� he said, holding his hand out to me. “You can’t stay out here. Let me take you back. We’ll sort it all out.”
I should have said no. As we stood there in the blistering sun I knew my answer would change everything. But, as my lips tingled from the afterglow of King’s kisses, I wasn’t strong enough to deny him after all.
I gave him a wordless nod. Grabbing my purse from the passenger seat of the disabled Honda, I followed him. King climbed onto the back of his Harley and held his hand out to me. I hesitated for a fraction of a second before straddling the back of his bike and sliding my hands around his waist. As he revved the engine, I pressed my cheek to his back, inhaling the scent of his leather cut. Then, he let the throttle out and we turned back toward Crystal Falls.
He felt so good and strong as we flew down the highway. King pressed his foot forward and I tightened my grip around his waist. The powerful engine of the Harley filled my senses as the wind whipped all around.
For the first time in years, I felt free. Even if it was just for the fifteen minutes it would take to bring me back to town, I could believe that with King, on the back of this bike, nothing could touch me. For once, I just wanted to let all those walls I built tumble down and believe it.
He slowed as we left the highway and crossed into town. The sun began to set as King pulled into the Pete’s. My legs felt weak from how hard I’d straddled the seat, and when King slid off and held a hand out for me, I was a little wobbly getting off.
He said nothing as he led me up the back stairs to the apartment. He didn’t have to. King’s stony gaze, filled with purpose and all the promises he’d made me, set my heart pounding. We walked up together and he locked the door behind me.
There was nothing here but a pullout couch, a small kitchen, and a television in the corner. I hadn’t done much more to the place when I stayed here before I rented Lottie’s. This was a place you crashed, not lived in. I turned to King.
He stood just as stoic as he had on the side of the road with the traffic hurtling by. Now, it was just the two of us. His eyes held the same question he’d asked me on the highway. I couldn’t answer. Not yet.