Page 101 of Diary of a Biker Queen

I thought that a bit unfair. He was the club’s VP, and with War not living on the premises, any overnight disasters landed on Hawk’s shoulders. He had a family, daughters behind these gates, so I could easily forgive him for getting us out of bed unnecessarily.

I turned to go back inside with the others, but Hawk cleared his throat.

“Nyah, wait.”

I stopped and went back over to him. “What’s up?”

He scrubbed a hand over his face, then shot a glance toward Isabella walking back down the path to his house. “It’s Luca’s car that’s on fire up there.”

My stomach sank. “What? No. He just went out to get burgers… Is he okay?”

Hawk didn’t say anything.

Luca had been gone for hours. I squeezed my eyes shut. “No.”

He grimaced at me. “Come on. I’ll drive you up there.”

With feet heavy as lead, I followed Hawk to his bike. I got on the back and clutched the handle behind me, not wanting to put my arms around a man who wasn’t Lynx.

Hawk steered us through the Slayers’ gates and along the road, trees surrounding us on both sides. It was a few minutes before the orange glow of the fire could be seen through the darkness, and suddenly I wanted to demand he turn around and take me back. Back to the safety of the compound. Back to an hour ago when I’d been happy and sleepy in bed, waiting for a burger, and my biggest concern was whether Luca would remember I didn’t like pickles.

“Oh my God,” I whispered. I got off Hawk’s bike and stumbled a few steps toward the blaze.

Men stood around it, the occasional hiss of a fire extinguisher sounding as they kept the flames from catching on the low-hanging branches.

But there was no saving the car, Luca’s personalized plates proving it was his.

And there was no saving the person behind the wheel, who’d clearly been engulfed in flame for some time.

I clapped a hand over my mouth to stifle the scream that erupted inside me. My knees buckled, and then the ground was rushing up at me far too quickly.

Strong arms caught me right before I hit the dirt, Lynx’s familiar smell around me.

“I got you,” he muttered, pulling me against his chest. “I’m here.”

I held on to him, but I couldn’t help twisting to stare over my shoulder at the flames and the sickening sight inside them.

“Don’t look.” Lynx tried to shield me, but he couldn’t.

I had to see.

“I don’t understand,” I whispered. “He was just with us. It’s not him, is it? It can’t be. He went to get burgers…”

Lynx tightened his grip on me. “I don’t know. He was gone too long. I went to find him a while ago, and there was nothing on the road here when I left. But by the time I got back…” He bit back emotion. “He must have been on his way here when… Fuck, I don’t know what happened.”

Hawk stood grimly next to us. “Looks like an explosion to me. They might have rigged his car? I don’t know, not my area of expertise. I’m sure the cops will have thoughts.”

“I didn’t hear any explosion,” I whispered.

Hawk shrugged. “We’re a fair way from the clubhouse. Lot of trees to block the noise, I guess. But that level of heat doesn’t happen instantly. Something had to help it along.” Hawk sighed heavily. “I never liked the guy, but nobody fucking deserves to go out like that.”

My chest tightened until I couldn’t breathe. Hawk was talking like he was sure it was Luca in that car. I stared up at Lynx. “It’s not him.”

Lynx sighed; his eyes wet with unshed tears. “Nyah,” he said softly. “It’s his car… His dad and probably plenty of others had it out for him…”

I shook my head. “No. No! First Dax. Now Luca. No!”

My heart felt the pain, but my head refused to believe it. It clung to whatever deluded hope it could, even when the facts were right there in front of me.