“That’s the spirit.” Brew pats me on the back hard. “Also, this is Willow we’re talkin’ about and she’s tough. Even for a little woman, she packs one hell of a roundhouse kick.”
Brew is correct. While I’m not sure if I’ve met a stronger woman than I have her, that still doesn’t fix anything. There’s one of her, and none of us.
A few moments later, more straight pipes pull up outside the diner. There’s half a dozen bikes, including Cash’s. When he enters the diner, he heads straight to the table.
The owner—I’m assuming—greets him simultaneously and says, “Hey, guys, I don’t want any trouble.” His eyes almost double in size when Tag and Harlem come to stand in line with Cash. They’re two of the biggest dudes in the club, and I wouldn’t mess with either of them on a good day. And today is definitely not a good day. When Hustler, Priest, Bronco, Stella and Riot join them, the owner waves his hands in the air.
“Just coffee, old man,” Cash says. “There won’t be any trouble out of us.”
“They’re with me,” Hally pipes up as the old man’s eyes flash to her. Along with every single biker standing and sitting around the table. She’s got some balls, I’ll give her that.
The old man scuttles away, and I check he’s not calling the cops. Instead, he begins to brew more coffee and loads extra mugs onto a tray.
“You brought five-o?” Tag grunts. “That a good move?”
“It’s a long story, but we were already en route. Let’s just say Hally knows what’s goin’ on, and she can give us the heads up on where the cops are headin’ before we do, right, Hal?” I meet her now worried gaze.
“Jesus fuckin’ Christ,” Tag mutters.
Harlem folds his arms over his chest. “Is she on the right side?”
“I trust her, if that’s what you’re askin’,” I say.
“Hally’s the woman who arrested me two years ago,” Max says. If I’m not mistaken, his eyes dance with amusement as he grins. “So I wouldn’t get on her bad side if I were you.”
She blinks rapidly, sitting between me and Brew, with Max opposite and a dozen other bikers standing around, it’s probably best she stays quiet.
Stella is cordial, leaning over the table to shake her hand. “Hi, I’m Stella, the first official patched-in female of the Rebels MC.”
“And the loudest,” Tag mutters, loud enough for us all to hear.
Several eye rolls and mutters go around the table. Except for Harlem, he smiles proudly.
They shake. “Hally Baltmore. I’m a newbie detective, moved over from, uh, well, Mississippi traffic?—”
“Fresh meat, huh?” Nevada smirks. “Just what we need in the force, another set of eyes and ears.”
Hally begins to protest. “Uh, no, I’m not, this isn’t what this is.” I do like that she has some backbone, it’s not easy sitting here facing the members of the Rebels, but she’s keeping her cool. “I’m still an officer of the law, in fact, Haze over here smooth talked his way into getting a ride, which turned into a kind of kidnapping—then decided to give me the Spanish Inquisition on what I knew about… certain stuff, anyway, that’s why I’m here.”
“She’s a rookie,” Harlem observes. “Which means she won’t say shit because she still wants to keep her job, and findin’ Willow is more important than Haze kidnappin’ you.”
“It was only a mini-nap,” I say. “And let’s face it, you’re smarter than you look.”
“Gee, thanks, Haze,” Hally mutters. “And I was almost starting to like you.”
Max beams. “Isn’t she great?”
Jesus, I think the boy is in love.
Hustler piques a brow. “What’s good about sitting across from the woman who put you in jail?”
“She turned my life around,” Max says. “I owe everythin’ to her. Without her, I wouldn’t have met Radium, who introduced me to Hornet, then got in with the Hellions, finished my trade, yadda-yadda.”
“I-um-don’t know what to say,” Hally stammers. “You’re welcome seems a little lame.”
“I’m sure you can make it up to me once we find my sister, in any case, Bane and Shadow, the MC’s VP, are on standby if we need backup,” Max says.
“How do you get your biker names?” Hally ponders. “Do you pick them out of a hat, or Google it or something?”
