On-screen, Owen suddenly whooped. “Fuck yeah! Let it burn!”
The car shot forward, the lines on the road blurring with the speed. I was so caught up in watching my handiwork I didn’t notice the police cars until a sudden boop-boop cut through the sounds of laughter and engines. Red-and-blue lights flashed.
“Shit, it’s the cops!” Nyx said, running for his car.
Two patrol cars closed in, and everyone scattered. I glanced around, unsure of what to do. Owen wasn’t here.
I jogged toward Petie’s truck, but the fucker peeled out and took off without me.
Fuck fuck fuck.
There was no sign of Owen, and if I knew him at all, he wasn’t risking arrest to save my ass. I ran for the nearest car, determined to talk my way into a ride, but it was already too late.
“Stop right there, son,” a deep, authoritative voice commanded.
I froze and glanced over my shoulder. “I wasn’t racing or anything.”
“Sure, you weren’t. Just like none of these guys were.”
“No, really, I wasn’t—” My voice gave out as he tugged my wrists behind my back and snapped on the cuffs. I recognized that cool kiss of metal. I’d been arrested only one other time, but that had been in Riverton, and my brothers had been with me.
Here, I was alone and far from home.
“Am I under arrest?” I asked, hating how shaky my voice sounded. “I didn’t do anything but stand on the side of the road!”
“You’ll have your chance to explain everything at the station,” he said. “For now, you have the right to remain silent. Anything you say…”
I stood, numb, as he read my rights and led me to the back seat of his cruiser.
A few feet away, his partner hauled another couple of guys toward his car. Most everyone else had run for the hills—and mostly gotten away with it.
The officer opened the back door and pushed me inside.
My stomach churned with nausea. Why had I let Owen talk me into this? It was so fucking stupid, and Holden was going tokillme if he found out.
Which, if I had my way, he never would. Thank fuck, I had a boyfriend to call instead.
CHAPTER 23
Flynn
“Want another beer?”
Axel flipped open the lid of the cooler by his feet in the junkyard. The flames in the fire pit flickered across his face, casting dancing light and shadow.
It was damn cold, being mid-November, so I was glad for the fire’s warmth.
I still wasn’t sure how I’d ended up sitting around the junkyard at ten o’clock on a Friday night. I’d walked over to talk to Axel about the shitstorm with Snake so he’d be on his guard, and Holden had brought over dinner since we’d worked so late. His boyfriend, Shiloh, joined him, but Gray and Emory were smart enough to stay in their warm house.
“They wanted some alone time,” Shiloh said with a wink.
Holden had snorted. “When don’t they?”
“I shouldn’t keep drinking,” I told Axel. “Gotta drive home soon.” I cast a nervous look at Dalton. “Wouldn’t want to get a DUI on the way out of the parking lot.”
Axel laughed and tossed me a beer. I caught it on reflex. “Dalton’s off-duty. Right, babe?”
Dalton gave him a sloppy salute. “Sure as fuck, but you don’t have to drive. I’ll run you home.”
