Chapter Twenty
JoJo
I glanced in my side mirrors but there was no way to tell if the cars on the interstate were following us. And that was fine, for now. Better to have the cover of dozens of cars instead of isolated back roads, just in case I’d missed a tracker on the bike. My thigh ached—I’d taken a hit there, but it was barely bleeding so I was probably fine. I had to be fine until I got Charlie to safety.
“Call Delta,” I said into the Bluetooth receiver in my helmet.
“Bro, what’s up.” He sounded lit. “I told ya I’d be there tomorrow.”
“I’m running home.” I had no other move.
“What the fuck?” I heard him get up and walk away. A woman or maybe women’s voices protested his departure.
“Franco had a fire sale, boarded up, locked up the exits and lit her place on fire. Had to use a grenade to make an exit.”
“Goddammit. I knew I should’ve stayed. Where are you?”
“On the interstate headed your way, just passed the Norman exit.” My leg throbbed and my vision was blurry from all the damn smoke.
“I’ll meet you with riders at the Davis on-ramp, we’ll guide you home.” I could always count on him. “Anyone damaged?”
“I took one in the leg but it’s not a bleeder. I haven’t pulled off to check on Charlie, maybe in a few miles.” He hated to take the risk, but if she was hurt she could die before we made it to the clubhouse.
“There’s that big truck plaza about fifteen miles ahead, that’s a safe spot. You make it to Davis and we’ll be there.”
“Got it, brother. I may be bringing heat—let Rebel and the prez know.”
I hung up and sped down the interstate, hoping nothing happened until we reached back up. I approached the off-ramp for the Travelway Truck Plaza. I slowed and took the ramp, only a semi followed me off, but then if they tracked us, they wouldn’t need to be right on my six.
I pulled in the dark line of trucks, wanting to make sure Charlie had stowed the hardware before we hit the bright lights of the fuel lines.
I’d barely stopped the bike before Charlie jumped off and removed her helmet. Anger lit up her face. She was damn sexy when she was riled up. We hadn’t had angry sex yet, suddenly I was looking forward to it.
“Why the hell didn’t you stop?” She fisted hands on hips with gun still in her hand. “I could’ve been dying back here.”
“You’re not. You might want to store your hardware.”
“Are you okay?” Her voice wavered as anger was overruled with worry.
“Fine, got a flesh wound in my right thigh. Talked to Delta and we got backup meeting us in about forty-five minutes. I’m taking you to the clubhouse, at least until we regroup.”
“You’re hurt, let me see.” She started poking my thigh and hit a tender spot.
“Fuck, woman, stop already.”
“Drive over there so I can see.” She pointed to the bank of lights.
“Yes, ma’am.” We motored over and I shut off the bike again.
Blood created a wet a circle around the hole in my jeans, I didn’t see an exit point. Great, that meant a trip to the ER sometime. It was already approaching five in the morning.
“You need a hospital, now.” Charlie frowned at me.
“I’ll live. We have priorities. Get you safe, make sure we weren’t followed, then I’ll head to the ER. A couple hours won’t matter.”
“And you’re an expert on gunshot wounds?” The bite of her sass made me grin.
“I’ve seen more than my share, so yeah, that makes me the expert.”
The color drained from her face. “We barely made it out and we were prepared.”
“Don’t overthink it, we survived and we’ll keep surviving.” I chucked her chin. “We need to keep going. I can’t rule out a tracker on the bike, and we’re safer on the road.”
She hugged me tight, kissing me with a new kind of need. “Don’t die protecting me, promise,” she whispered before burying her head in my shoulder. “I can’t lose you.”
“Darling, I’ll keep us both safe.”
She held me with those sad blue eyes. “You better. I’m holding you to that promise.”
She made a quick call to let Danvers know we were okay before we rolled away from the truck stop. The stop had taken less than ten minutes but had shaken me more than when we were trapped in the burning house. I understood survival, even how to be the hunter, but I didn’t understand the emotions coursing through me, keeping me on edge.
I can’t lose you.
We’d both lost enough, yet even as she said the words, I knew she’d leave me. She might not want me dead, but in the end she wouldn’t want me. We were too different. She’d leave me—everyone did.
As we approached Davis, my phone rang in the helmet.
“Go.” I gave the prompt to answer the call.
“Keep moving, we’ll catch up to you. Rebel, Thorn and Dare are with me.”
“Copy that.”
“The leg?”
“Bullet in but it’s not bleeding much. It’ll wait.”
“Understood. Any followers?” Delta asked.
“Not that I can tell, but then I might not be able to tell.”
“No way to hide on the way into Barden, we’ll know then.”
That was sure. The flat, curvy road would show anyone following us. You could see cars for miles on the road.
“Your girl good with the clubhouse?”
“She’ll have to be.” Not something I wanted to think about right now. Charlie wouldn’t be okay with the club, but she’d be safe.
“Both Elle and Mama are there. They’ll stay with her while you get checked out. Along with brothers to protect them.” I could practically see Delta giving me the stink eye. “We’ll take you to get patched up, again.” It was true I’d been shot several more times than Delta.
I didn’t bother to argue about my escort, as long as Charlie was safe.
“And I see you, we’re on your six.” Delta hung up. Soon the other guys fell in with me and I breathed my first easy breath since I’d woken up smelling smoke. We were damn lucky to make it out whole.
I shouldn’t have fallen asleep. If she’d been hurt, or worse killed, what would I tell her brother? The sex was just too good? No. I had to get my priorities straight. Maybe Delta had an idea on how we could end this with Franco. I wasn’t sure I could take Charlie being bait much longer.
The sun peeked over the horizon as we pulled into the clubhouse, and I’d never been happier to see the building. We’d be safe here, but it wouldn’t solve Charlie’s problem. Right now some rest and brothers at my back was what I needed.
I stepped off the bike and my leg buckled. Pain flared hot down to my toes. I steadied myself on my bike or I’d have fallen on my ass.
“Joe, you need a doctor.” Charlie pressed into me and I let her take some of my weight.
“Man, you can’t survive a second without me.” Delta pounded me on the back, almost sending me to the ground.
Charlie shot him an angry glare. “He’s hurt.”
“He’s fine. We saw worse wounds in the Marines, this one’s barely bleeding.” Delta shook his head. “Dare, take her inside. We got JoJo.”