Page 94 of Wolf It Down, Knot Me Up

“Normally, I’d tell you to fuck off, but I’ll give you this one,” Grayson says, followed by a thin laugh as he scoops sawdust from the corners of his bag.

I’m watching Wolf chatting with the guard, who finishes at the pump. The pair are now striding toward the store’s entrance, then they’re inside.

“Okay, now’s your chance. Go, go!” I smack the back of his seat in urgency with my palms.

Grayson has a fistful of sawdust, bits dusting onto the seat as he shuffles over to Wolf’s side. With his free hand, he hauls open the door, then slips out quickly. My sights are on the guys through the windows. They have their backs to us, studying the wall of refrigerated drinks.

Grayson’s near the pump, mostly concealed by the dispensers on the fuel island, so I lean forward past the seats in front of me and push the door shut in case the guard looks in our direction.

I stare at Grayson through the back window, calling out, “Hurry up!”

He gives me big eyes and glances back down, his shoulders doing small hops as he’s clearly attempting to funnel the dust down the metal pipe.

My gaze swings from the store to Grayson, pulse racing, teeth grinding. “Fuck, come on already,” I mutter to myself. In the store, Wolf’s gesturing at something in the fridges to the guard. Wolf can talk the ears off anyone, thank God.

Grayson suddenly rushes back to the van door, dusting off his hands, and yanks it open. My sights are on the store just as the guard starts to turn toward us.

“Jump in, fucking hurry.”

Grayson’s throwing himself in as I shove the door shut. A split second is all that passes when the guard glances our way for a few moments.

I flop back against my seat, relieved it’s done.

Grayson groans and pulls himself up. “I got as much as I could in there and kicked the rest under the van.”

“Maybe it needs another handful?” I suggest, gripping the back of his seat until my knuckles turn white.

Grayson grunts, lifting his gaze, and I follow his stare to where Wolf and the guard are emerging from the store. “Too late for more.”

“Hopefully it’s enough,” I say and sit back. “Fuck, it’d better be enough.”

Wolf climbs in, tosses Grayson and me our bottled drinks while holding on to his hot cup of coffee, then glares my way. The guard is in the driver’s seat.

“Got my favorite coffee,” Wolf declares sarcastically.

That’s when the guard chuckles. “Never seen a man love sprinkles in his coffee as much as you.”

I hold back a laugh, while Grayson loses his shit.

“Okay, let’s go,” the guard states, switching on the car, and the engine roars to life. He swerves us back onto the main road, cruising farther away from the lodge. And I’m sitting still, waiting and hoping our plan comes through.

We’re toward the end of town and still nothing. My nerves are chewing at my insides. Grayson glances back at me, looking as worried as I feel. Come on, work.

Still zilch, and I’m shifting in my seat, uncomfortable, pissed.

The van suddenly hitches, the engine stuttering.

I straighten in my seat, Wolf staring at both of us, sipping his coffee, clearly knowing something’s up.

The van bucks, and we all jostle against our seat belts. “What the fuck!” the guard snaps. The thud of him pumping his foot on the gas pedal sends us into a lurch. We speed up, then lose power, all while the engine groans, making strange cough-like sounds.

I’m sitting in the back, holding on and grinning. Fuck yeah! Break down, you piece of shit.

We’re losing power, then gaining it in waves.

“What the hell’s going on?” Wolf barks out, trying to steady his hot coffee. “Engine doesn’t sound good.”

The guard wrenches that wheel, grunting under his breath. He harshly pulls the van over onto the shoulder. That’s when the engine releases a long brrr sound and dies.