My stomach dropped as I approached the truck, the unnatural lean on the driver’s side stopping me in my tracks. The rubber of the tires gaped where they’d been slashed open. My gut churned, and my heart jumped into my throat.
The market noise faded to a dull roar as adrenaline flooded my system. I turned to move back toward the market, closer to the safety of the crowd of families, and ducked inside a busy booth, peeking around a display of canned jams to see if Luca was nearby.
I couldn’t prove it was him, but I knew it had to be.
I didn’t want to dial Hatchet, but calling anyone else in the club would result in bloodshed and retaliation. Not that Luca didn’t deserve some payback, but I’d taken the Hippocratic oath. At least with Hatchet, I could distract him.
He answered on the first ring. Everest’s laugh carried through the phone, telling me they were still meeting.
“When you’re done, can you come pick me up at the market? Someone slit my tires.”
Hatchet swore. “On my way.”
Fifteen minutes later, the roar of Hatchet’s bike cut through the market. A sleek BMW pulled up behind him with Everest at the wheel. Chaos wiggled and barked, oblivious to my inner turmoil.
“It was Luca, wasn’t it?” Hatchet asked, scanning the busy parking lot.
I shrugged. “Probably.”
“Have you made a police report yet?” Everest asked.
Hatchet glared at him. “We don’t have the police deal with club problems.”
Everest rolled his eyes, reminding me of Kenna’s reaction to the club’s codes.
I bit my lip, more rattled than I cared to admit. “I haven’t called them. I can’t prove it was Luca. And I don’t want you to ask Linc to check the cameras. He’ll tell Reaper, and then Reaper’ll tell Merrick.”
“This is getting out of hand,” Hatchet fumed, stepping closer. His hand twitched like he wanted to pull me closer. “We need to tell Merrick.”
“No,” I insisted. “This is my business. I’m not an old lady, which means you guys can’t get involved.”
“You’re a part of the club,” Hatchet insisted. “You’re more of a Maverick than some of the guys.”
“Promise me,” I asserted. “This stays between us.”
Hatchet stared at me for a beat, his jaw ticking.
Everest glanced between us. “I’ll call roadside assistance. I can have your truck towed.”
“Thanks.” My gaze returned to Hatchet. “Promise me.”
Hatchet grumbled but finally agreed. “Fine. But the next time he even looks your way, it’s done. I’m bringing the entire club to his door.”
After my truck was hauled away, Everest offered to take Chaos back to the clubhouse in his car while I rode on the back of Hatchet’s bike, wearing his helmet since he hadn’t thought to grab the spare.
We arrived first, Hatchet’s reckless speed and familiarity with backroads landing us back at the clubhouse before Everest.
He brushed the hair from my face. “Are you OK?”
I leaned into his touch. “Yeah. Just tired.”
He pulled me into a hug. “Say the word, and I’ll take care of the fucker.”
I sighed into his shoulder. “I know.”
Gravel crunched as Everest pulled into the drive. I stepped back, putting a more appropriate distance between Hatchet and me before anyone noticed.
Everest glanced between us as he set Chaos to the ground. “How do you drive with that demon? She lunged and barked at every carthat passed. And then she tried crawling in my lap and licking my face.”
