“Ryder, I have to peeeeeeeeee,” Raine complained from the front seat as she bounced.

“At this rate it’s going to take us twice as long to get there because of your bladder,” he complained.

“It’s your son’s fault. If he would stop doing the damn tango on my bladder, I might be able to go a few more hours, but right now, it’s either you pull this damn truck over at the next rest area or I am going to piss all over your precious truck.”

“You better listen to my sister, Ryder—those hormones can flip on you quick.” Collin was dying laughing next to me.

Glancing back at his brother-in-law in the rearview mirror, Ryder responded, “Trust me, I fucking know.”

Raine slapped her husband’s arm. “I have not been a hormonal basket case.”

“Whatever you say, dear,” he teased, pulling off at the rest stop.

We all filed out of the truck, and I waited outside while everyone else used the dingy facilities. I stared at my phone. Bear had promised he would let me know right when he got to the clubhouse and I knew he was still on the road, but I hated waiting. I hated knowing what he was planning to do. I hated that he would have more blood on his hands and it was all my fault.

Feeling someone staring at me, I gripped my Kimber where it was concealed in the back of my jeans.

All of a sudden, a man was within a foot of me, his rank breath and trucker stench making my skin crawl.

I puffed out my chest, standing my ground. “Can I help you?”

“Aren’t you a pretty sight to be standing out in the middle of this truck stop all by your lonesome.” His yellowing teeth matched the jaundice in his black eyes.

I let a smirk play on my lips as I closed the gap between us. “You think so?”

He bit his lip as he tried to grab my arm.

“Wrong move,” I barked, shoving the barrel of my gun right into his side. “Now go climb back into the shithole you crawled out of.”

“Everything all right out here?” Ryder asked as Collin followed him out of the men’s room.

“I was just teaching our new friend here to not mess with a lady.”

His eyes grew three sizes as his hands flew into the air and he took hurried steps back. “I don’t want any trouble,” he stammered as he retreated across the poorly lit parking lot.

“Well, fuck, Scarlett—looks like you should be the one protecting us.” Collin put his hand on my shoulder. “But are you all right?”

I nodded. “Yeah, I’m used to dealing with fucking scumbags like him.”

* * *

Three pee breaks later, we finally pulled up to the cabin. It was tucked away at the top of a mountain, cloaked in weeping willows.

Two men were sitting on the front porch, wearing cuts and smoking cigars.

“Took y’all long enough,” the older of the two called out as he made his way down the front steps.

“You know how it is, man.” Ryder pointed over at Raine’s giant belly.

“That I do, son. That I very well do—four times over. Welcome, ladies. I’m Blaz, and this is Carson.” He turned to me and said, “I’m sorry we’re not meeting under better circumstances.”

“I am too.” I sighed as Raine put her hand on my shoulder.

“It’s good to see you again, gents. It’s been too long—y’all need to make it down from the mountain sometime.” Raine hugged both of them before gripping my hand for comfort.

“Trust me, I couldn’t agree more,” he responded to Raine before turning to Crickett. “Now aren’t you a sight for sore eyes.”

“Good to see you, Blaz. Thank you for having us.” Crickett kissed him on the cheek.

“Abigail’s inside cooking up her famous mac and cheese, if y’all are hungry,” Carson stated as he led us into the log cabin.

“The baby definitely needs some food.” Raine rubbed her stomach as she made her way into the kitchen with Crickett and me in tow.

“Well, look what the cat dragged in.” Abigail’s face lit up as she hooked her arms around Crickett and Raine’s necks, her long graying hair up in a high ponytail. She was tall, slender, and had one of the best boob jobs I’d ever seen on someone her age. Dressed in all black and riding boots, I could tell she had been in the biker world for longer than I’d been alive. It was comforting, to say the least.

“You must be Scarlett.” Her kind voice was sugary as she wrapped me in a hug. “You’re safe now, sweetheart. Exes can be a bit of a bitch when they’re out for blood.”

“Yes ma’am, you got that one right. Already made me lay my bike down on the side of the road and left me for dead once. I don’t want to know what he would do if he found me this time.” It should have felt weird to say it, but I knew these women wouldn’t bat an eyelash at the skeletons that riddled my closet.

“Well, fuck him. I’m sure he’ll get what’s coming for him soon.”

My cell started blaring in my back pocket with the sounds of Bear’s ringtone, Jimmy Buffett’s God’s Own Drunk.

I rushed out onto the front porch to answer. “Hey, hubby.”

“Y’all make it to the cabin yet?” His husky voice melted my heart instantly.

“Just got in.”

“I just got to Wheeler’s and have to talk with Jax, just wanted to make sure you were all right.”

“Thanks for calling.”

“Anything for you, wife.”

“I love you.”

“And I love you, darlin’. Get some rest. I’ll check in with you tomorrow mornin’.”

The call was short and sweet, but it was better than nothing.

We each ate more than our fill of five cheese-drenched macaroni, and before I knew it, I was lying in bed staring up at a ceiling fan as it spun on the ceiling. Exhaustion was getting the better of me, and I slowly drifted off into a tormented, nightmare-filled sleep.

I was barreling down the highway, running to Atlanta on my Royal Enfield Thunderbird. The sun had just set and the glow of streetlights illuminated my ride, reflecting off the pavement as I made my brazen escape.

The traffic was light, only a few cars ahead of me. It was calming, the night air wrapping around me. It was just me and the road, and I loved being almost completely alone with just the low hum of my engine and the sound of the asphalt under the two wheels of my chrome-covered steed.

Suddenly, the blaring of a horn and the bright headlights of a car took me by surprise. I whipped my head around just in time to see Jasper’s blue sedan connecting with my back tire. There was nothing I could do in that split second other than try to swerve out of his way, but it was futile. With loudly scraping metal and squealing tires, my bike lay down on its side, throwing my body like a ragdoll, off the shoulder and into the grass with a hard thump.

I couldn’t move. My ears rang. My body was in excruciating pain. Within seconds, my entire world went blank as I fell into the darkness.

I gasped as I woke up. The memory of the night I left Jasper had tortured me since it had happened. I couldn’t believe everything that had changed since that night when he almost killed me. I rapidly glanced around the room, and it took me a few seconds to remember where the heck I was.

You’re safe. I had to keep reminding myself of that. Everything is going to be fine soon enough.

Grabbing my phone off the nightstand, I dialed Bear, and his sleepy voice answered on the first ring.

“Babe?”

“I just needed to hear your voice,” I confessed.

“Are you all right?” I could hear the panic waking him up.

“Yeah, just a bad dream.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, I’m sure. Sorry for waking you.”

“Never be sorry. If you need me, I’m always here.”