“I don’t like it, but I know he’ll keep you safe. McKelle, if anyone asks, anyone you don’t know. Anyone that could’ve seen us together dancing or sitting here. Tell them you don’t know me. You were looking for a hookup, and I bounced. You don’t even remember my name.”
I nodded, but fear scorched hot through my veins. Ryatt was scared, scared for me. Scared enough to send me home with Cruz. He squeezed my hand.
“Will you text me as soon as you’re safe?” I asked. “Like the minute you know. Not when you get home because I’m seriously freaking out right now. Tuck your plate. You can outrun most bikes.” I tried to smile through my fear. “Just not mine.” If he had his plate tucked under his seat, cops wouldn’t be able to catch him or identify his bike.
“Are you going home or to the MC with him?” His gaze lifted to Cruz.
Cruz must’ve figured out there was an issue. His lips pulled into a hard line as he stared intently at Ryatt.
“I’m going home.” My brows pinched. “I’m not hooking up with Cruz when I’m out with you.”
“I’m sorry. My bad.” He tried to smile through his worry. “I need to go, but I don’t want to be seen. Look behind me. Do you see any bangers? Kings won’t stand out like Hellers.”
“It’s crowded, but no one seems to be looking at our table.”
“The longer I stay, the more chance I’ll be seen.” He squeezed my thigh, slid off his stool, and spun away from me. With his head bowed, and his shoulders slumped, he worked his way to the exit. I lost sight of him for a moment, then I caught a glimpse as he noddedto Hammer and slipped out the door. When I spun back around to the table, Cruz had moved to sit next to me.
“What the fuck is going on?”
Chapter Seven
Ryatt
Prickles teased the flesh at the nape of my neck, sending a shiver skidding along my spine. I kept my head down and took a direct path to the club exit. I had an unfortunate misunderstanding with a couple of Kings.
When I’d walked with probation, I figured I’d finally gotten off lucky. Foster care was fucked up, but prison scared the hell out of me. Probation kept me from being locked up but put me in the crosshairs of the guys I used to score my weed from. They wanted the narc that had given up the names of their heavy lifters. According to them, I’d gotten off too easy, and my math wasn’t mathing.
People lingered in the parking lot, but the line had trickled to just a few people. I’d prefer a crowd. Safety in numbers. Except when those numbers included McKelle. I couldn’t risk being seen with her and making her a target.
In the glow of the streetlights, at least I’d see them coming. Not that I’d be able to avoid getting my ass handed to me once they caught me alone. I’d rather take prison than a beat down from the Kings.
Gravel crunched beneath my boots. Once I was away from the thump of the music, and the line of sight of the big bouncer, Hammer, at the door, I quickened my pace.
I wasn’t alone in the parking lot. Three guys leaned against the bumper of a Subaru. One put a thin cigarette to his lips, glared at me, and inhaled, lighting up the cherry. The pungent scent of weed wafted on the air.
My gut clenched, and yeah, I was worried, closing in on fucking terrified. I wasn’t sure if the Kings recognized me, but they sure as fuck would once I climbed onto my bike.
I scanned the darkened corners of the parking lot. With my ignition key in my hand, I flipped up my plate to catch the magnets under the seat and then threw my leg over my bike.
“Hey, Ryatt. We want to talk to you.” Two of the guys approached. Now that they were closer, I could see their faces with their neck tattoos. A W for Washington Street with three dots at the top points for the Kings.
“Another time,” I said and hit the ignition. No way was I hanging around. Nothing I said would change my fate with the Kings. I lifted the stand.
“Get him!” They closed the distance between us fast. “You’re a fucking narc.”
I rolled the throttle and sprayed a bit of gravel as the rear tire fishtailed and finally gripped asphalt. The Subaru’s tire squealed. The two jumped into the car. I hunched down behind the windscreen and switched my gaze between what was in front of me and the Subaru giving chase behind me.
A little traffic would’ve been helpful. Instead, I had open road and green lights. No way was I going to lose them around here. I couldn’t head downtown, or I’dhave the whole fucking gang of Kings looking to take my head. My best chance of putting distance between me and them was on the Interstate.
Slowing to take a sharp right, gave the Subaru the chance to catch up. While doing deliveries, I’d discovered a few shortcuts to getting out of the city. Wind whipped against my face, my heart was redlining, and adrenaline burned through my veins.
The Subaru was still behind me. As soon as I hit the onramp, I rolled the throttle. The bike surged forward and merged into light traffic. The Subaru followed, nearly taking out an SUV in the center lane. Weaving in and out of traffic, I started putting distance between us.
Glancing in my mirrors, headlights began to merge together. I couldn’t tell which vehicle was the Subaru. I tucked in tighter. Rode faster. Up ahead, a line of cars signaled to exit. I illegally split the lanes, racing to the front of the line. Without waiting for the light to change, I blew through the red, took a quick left, and merged back onto the Interstate in the opposite direction.
Five miles down the freeway and there were still no aggressively pursuing headlights in my mirrors. It wouldn’t take five minutes for every King in the area to be out looking for me. If I hadn’t before, I looked guilty now. I had to run. There was no defending myself with the Kings. I wasn’t one of them, and I wasn’t stupid. They’d make sure I was punished in other ways.
I needed to lay low for a couple of hours, maybe a couple of days. I didn’t second-guess my decision. There was only one place I wanted to be and one girl I needed to be with. I could only hope I hadn’t sent her back to the one person who could keep me from her.
