I swing onto the bike and fire it up.
The engine roars to life beneath me.
By the time I pull out of the clubhouse lot, Riot, Blade, Rev, and Switch are already moving behind me, engines ripping through the quiet night as they fall in line. No one says a word. No one needs to.
Everyone knows exactly where we’re going.
I open the throttle and the bike jumps forward.
The road between Jackson and Harlan blurs into nothing but dark pavement and wind. Normally the ride takes close to forty minutes if you’re pushing it.
Tonight I make it in barely half that.
Every mile my brain runs through worse possibilities.
Broken windows.
Blood.
Voss’s smile.
And Rae walking into trouble because she refuses to back down from anyone.
By the time The Rust Nail sign comes into view, my pulse is hammering so hard it feels like it’s shaking my ribs.
I pull into the parking lot too fast and slam the bike to a stop, gravel kicking out under the tires. The others roll in behind me seconds later, engines cutting off almost at the same time.
The bar lights are on.
The front door is open.
That alone makes my stomach drop.
I’m off the bike before it’s fully settled, already moving toward the entrance.
“Rae!” I shout as I push through the door.
The sound of my voice echoes through the bar.
The place still smells like fresh lumber and paint from the repairs, the new boards over the windows catching the lightfrom inside. Chairs are stacked along the wall, tools sitting on the counter where the contractors left them.
But Rae isn’t behind the bar.
She isn’t sitting at one of the tables.
She isn’t anywhere I can see.
“Rae!” I yell again, my voice sharper this time.
Nothing.
The guys come in behind me.
“Ghost.” Riot starts.
“I don’t see her,” Blade says.
My chest tightens.
