My heart pounds as fast as the pistons on Blue’s bike.
Blue surprises me by pulling to the shoulder and almost sliding to a stop in the loose rock.
“Get off,” he shouts, and I scramble off. I’m half terrified he’s going to leave me here, but he jumps off and pulls his gun, gesturing to a concrete culvert. “Get down and stay there.”
I do what he says, and a moment later, three bikes pull over. The three don’t dismount.
Blue stands his ground.
I can’t hear what’s said, but the Devil Kings’ laughter carries to me.
The next words I can make out.
“Tell your president we’re comin’ for his piss-ant club.”
Then they roar off down the highway.
Once they’re nothing but specks, I scramble up the embankment to Blue, slamming against his chest.
His arms come around me. “It’s over. It’s okay.”
Pushing away, I bend over and get sick on the shoulder of the interstate.
I’m mortified and feel Blue’s hand on my back, rubbing. “You okay, baby? They’re gone.” He holds the hair out of my face and passes me a bandana to wipe my mouth, then throws it in the ditch.
My stomach heaves another time, but nothing comes out. I wait a few minutes, breathing in and out until the feeling subsides.
“You okay to ride?”
“I want to go home,” I whisper.
“I’m sorry I put you in that position. I should have dropped you off before taking off after them.”
My eyes feel like they’re opening for the first time to the man I’m getting involved with and the club he’s a part of. This isn’t a game. This is real life and possibly life and death.
He strokes my cheek. “I’d never let them hurt you, Luisa.”
“There were three of them, Blue.”
“I’d have shot them all.”
He’s serious, and maybe that’s the most terrifying part of all.
*****
Blue—
Luisa gives me directions to Carmen’s, and when we pull up, a car is parked at the end of the driveway.
Before I bring the bike to a stop, Luisa squeezes my arm. “Oh, my God. That’s my cousin, Ruiz. He’s Alba’s brother.”
I shut the bike down, and we climb off.
“What are you doing here, Ruiz?” Luisa asks, pulling off her helmet and passing it to me.
This guy is tall, but older than Luisa by maybe ten years.
“My God, it’s true.” His eyes sweep over her, and he moves to grab her arm. “What are you doing? Look at you, all dressed like a slut. My sister told me, but I didn’t believe it.”
