My heart sinks to the pit of my gut as they step back a little, murmuring to each other as they pass my licence between them.
Shit. Shit. Shit. I already know where this is going.
The police have been looking for Abbey Delany. A minor. Said to have been in trouble.
Six weary glances sweep over each one of the Southern Sadists before landing back on me, and the oldest officer approaches, sweeping his hand towards himself.
“It’s okay, Abbey. Just step over here. You’re safe now.”
Panic snaps my attention to Ringo for support to find him glaring.
“She’s perfectly fucking safe with me.”
“You! Shut the fuck up!” the officer barks, pointing sternly at my husband, before glancing back at me. “Abbey. Your family has been concerned.”
I scoff, his comment doing nothing but lighting a raging inferno under my skin.
“You should take another look at my licence,” I snap. “I’m not a child, Officer. I’m nineteen, and married to Cameron Musgrove.” I jerk my thumb in Ringo’s direction.
“We know this must be a fake licence,” he counters. “You’re only seventeen, Miss Delany. There was an Amber Alert.”
I roll my eyes. “Iamnineteen, and that Amber Alert was a false report made by an abusive mother. So unless you have a reason to arrest me, Officer, I’ll take that back and be on my way.”
The group of officers fall silent, frowns tugging at their brows, while further up the line where JD and Murf stand, I catch flashes of teeth behind beards and barely contained grins.
The screech of another car skidding to a stop draws everyone’s attention, and a familiar face steps out of the patrol car.
“Sorry, we got held up at the hospital,” Officer Zimora says to his fellow cops, as another officer unfolds himself from the vehicle and joins him. “We’ve got this. It’s okay.”
The officers all frown again, but the way they respond to Jason makes it clear he outranks them, and after a brief exchange they move further away to have a quiet discussion.
“You know,” Smitty mutters from a few men up the line, leaning forward so I can see him. “I was a little worried for the pig’s life for a second there. Doesn’t he know what you can do with a helmet?”
I jerk back like he just slapped me, just as Ringo curses.
“Fuck’s sake, Nate. Not the fucking time for jokes.”
“Who the fuck is joking?” Smitty fires back. “Didn’t you see that guy’s skull she caved in with her—”
I’m about to fly off the handle at Smitty when Jason Zimora steps up to us, saving his life.
“Sorry about that,” Jason apologises, which is when I notice the six officers leaving. “I’m spread thin today.”
My brows shoot up.
I knew he was on their payroll or something. Maybe more on the Marx payroll, but is hereallysaving us? A known outlaw bikie club?
“How’s your first week on the job?” JD asks, and when I glance his way, I see he’s addressing the other officer that arrived with Jason.
“Interesting,” the man replies. “Who knew Timber Valley had this much crime?”
JD chuckles. “And who knew you’d be working with us? Hope you’ve got the balls to do what’s expected.”
“Dallas is new but loyal to what we are working towards,” Jason interjects, his gaze flicking to the other patrol cars as they begin to back away. “He knows who his real boss is.”
As the patrol cars drive off, the line of Southern Sadists breaks apart, dispersing as if they’ve been given silent permission to leave.
“Anything from the hospital?” Ringo asks, his big hand sliding over the back of my hip, drawing me into his side, and just like that, my panic ebbs, and I melt into him.
