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DIESEL
The hours passed and I was struggling to stay awake by the time I saw a headlight coming my way. Val had been home for a few minutes, and someone had pulled in behind her. I guess it was Derek from the sound of his bike’s engine, but wasn’t sure. I’d forgotten to bring my binoculars with me. I stood up as the headlight came closer, my hand at the gun nestled into the back of my waistband. I let my hand fall away when the headlight went off and I saw Derek in the moonlight. Derek came right at me without greeting me, his face a mask of anger.
“What’s up?” I asked backing away, but Derek came faster until he was in striking distance. I felt his fist land just below my right eye socket. I was knocked back by surprise and the force of his blow, landing on the ground with woosh as air was forced from my lungs.
I stared up at him as he came to kneel over me, his right hand wrapped in my shirt. He was our club’s leader, I didn’t raise my hands to defend myself, and I already knew why he was pissed. He’d found out somehow, so I just hung there, limp and ashamed. “You’re the reason that her house was ransacked? Someone got into her house, Whitlow, and you knew nothing about it? How the fuck do you keep letting this shit happen?”
I opened my mouth to speak but he pushed me away, stepping away from me. Disappointment was etched all over his face.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I said finally, sitting up to look at him in confusion.
“That’s why she didn’t come to work last night. She was freaked out, but I finally got it out of her after I demanded to know what was really up with her. She told me all about it.” He threw himself down on the ground to glower at me with barely contained rage. “What have you done, Diesel?”
I knew I couldn’t keep the truth from him anymore and reached for another bottle of beer to hold against my aching cheekbone. “I’ve majorly fucked up, obviously.”
Derek didn’t say anything, he just waited, his lips a tight knot in his face. I couldn’t put this off any longer and I knew it. “I got into a poker game with one of the guys from the Shiners. I lost.”
I started to get up when I heard Derek growl in rage, but he didn’t move. I settled back onto the ground but kept an eye on him. He might be our leader, and I wouldn’t raise a hand against him, but I wasn’t about to let him kill me. I’d fight if it came to that.
I deserved whatever punishment he gave me, though.
“I thought he’d demand my bike as payment, or something like that. Instead, he demanded a night with Val.”
“You little motherfucker,” Derek growled, his face further twisted with rage, but he didn’t move. He just looked at me, breathing like he was about to explode. And maybe he was. I sat there tense, waiting for whatever was about to happen.
I heard his phone chirp and he glanced at it, calming instantly. He read whatever message had come through, breathed deeply, then looked over at me. “I’m going to go deal with Val, she wants me to come over since you left her hanging. Do you want me to tell her what you’ve done or are you going to do it?”
“What?” I asked, surprised at the question.
“You have to tell her. Before it goes any further between you two. She has to know that it’s you that fucked her life up for her. Which is why I’m not killing you. She deserves to get the chance to do that.”
I stared at him once he’d finished, feeling the world sinking around me. “I’ll tell her.”
Even if it means she never wants to see me again. That was only fair, right?
I swallowed hard, trying to find the words I’d need to say, but nothing came to mind.
“Listen, you know you did wrong, playing that game with him. You shouldn’t have ever spent more than thirty seconds in a room with him, but I think you’ve learned your lesson, right?” Derek waited until I nodded before he continued. “Good. Now, I’m going to go watch out for her from down there. You stay up here. If you leave her unguarded tonight, I will put you six feet under, so cut the beer out.”
I nodded, ready to do whatever it took to make this right with him and Val both. “Are you going to tell her, anyway?”
“No, that’s your job. She deserves to hear it from you.” Derek got up and wiped dirt from his pants. “What’s his name?”
“I don’t know, I just know his face and his phone number.” I winced, knowing it wasn’t what he wanted to hear. “It was out of town.”
“Was it the guy at the bar that night? The guy that tried to storm the stage?” Derek asked, looking off into the distance as he tried to remember the guy.
“No, that was someone else.” I shook my head, thinking that too many men wanted my stepsister. We’d have to get the news out and fast that she was now a part of our crew and with the three of us.
“Fine. You got your piece?” he asked, chin nudging to indicate my back.
“I do, yeah. And the night vision goggles.” I held the goggles up, so he could see them.
“Good. Don’t let me down, Diesel. It will be the last time if you do,” he snarled, staring daggers into me.
“I understand, boss.” I sighed, guilt eating me alive, then looked him in the eyes. “I won’t let her down. Or you.”
“See that you don’t,” Derek commanded, and then got on his bike and drove away.
I was still above ground. For now. That might change once I’d talked to Val.
