Dark tint.
No plates.
Engine humming low.
I narrow my eyes.
It’s probably nothing—just someone waiting on a friend or running late.Freedom Falls isn’t exactly a crime capital.
But the way the driver’s silhouette turns toward me has me on alert.The way the truck pulls out slowly as I head toward my bike makes me take notice.The way the engine revs like it’s marking me has my attention.
I file it away in the back of my mind.A note.A warning.
Something isn’t right.
But instead of investigating, of following my instinct, I do the dumbest thing I could’ve done:
I ride back toward downtown.Toward the bakery.Toward her.
I tell myself I’m not stopping.I’m just passing by.Checking in.Making sure she’s okay after how tense things got.
But when I reach the street, she isn’t in the window.Ally is ringing someone up.The display case is glowing with fresh pastries.
Kelly is nowhere to be seen.She’s probably in the back baking.Ally and Kelly switch off baking so neither of them get burned out.
My chest squeezes again.
I shouldn’t look for her.Shouldn’t want to walk inside.Shouldn’t care this much.
But I do.
I pull over across the street, kill the engine, and sit there staring like an absolute idiot.Minutes pass.Nothing.
Just when I finally force myself to leave, my phone buzzes.
Mellow:You comin’ back?Chux needs you.
I hesitate.My eyes go back to the bakery.
If I go in and talk to her now, I’ll make things worse.I know that.Logic knows that.
But my heart—God help me—wants to push open that door and beg her to take back everything she said.Instead, I type one sentence:
On my way.
I start the engine again, the rumble doing nothing to drown out the chaos in my skull.
The clubhouse is louder now—music thrumming, brothers scattered around with beer or tools or cards.Normal.Predictable.Something I should’ve felt relieved to walk into.
Instead, I feel restless.Strung tight.Unsettled.
Mellow spots me.“Hey, broody fuck.Chux said?—”
“I’m here,” I cut him off, heading to the office.
Chux looks up when I step inside.“Took you long enough.”
“Traffic,” I lie.
