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I shrugged and kicked out my feet, enjoying the cooling sensations.
“Why?” Jessie had a demanding tone.
“Well, he came into the bar last night.” I wasn’t going to tell her about my reckless moment. I just couldn’t.
“You’re kidding?”
I gave a waning smile. “I wouldn’t kid about a thing like that.”
“And you… and him?” Jessie seemed taken aback.
“Well, no and yes.” I laughed nervously.
“Which is it?”
“Remember the assholes you heard about from before?”
Jessie snorted. “The gang members? Yeah, you really need to call the FBI and at least put them on notice. I keep telling you that.”
“The FBI? You really think they’re that dangerous? They’re stupid kids hunting for a good time.”
“Are they really dangerous? Hunting is the correct word. Um, Crystal, the Desperados run half the city. This gang of kids have burned down buildings, killed people, and they’re selling drugs. Yes! They’re dangerous. Christ. What does this have to do with the sexy biker?”
I hesitated again before lifting my head. “They caused more trouble at the bar and this biker, well, he beat them up and threw them out single-handedly. One after the other.” I shuddered, remembering the moment.
The sunglasses were ripped off her face and she stared at me with an incredulous look. “You are kidding me. Right?”
“No. Afraid not. Actually, he saved me from them. The guy can fight like I’ve never seen before.” The exhale slipping past my lips must have said everything to her.
“Then what?”
“He insisted on taking me home and staying with me. He was worried that I might be in danger.”
Jessie opened her mouth twice before she was able to form a sentence. “Um, I have no idea what to say to you.”
“I don’t think they’ll try and retaliate, I mean against me. Do you?”
The water shifted almost violently as she swam closer, slapping her hand over my arm. “Crystal. Listen to me. You are very much in peril. I don’t know why they’re fixated on you or who this bikerdudeis, but the basic association with yourherojust put a huge ‘X’ on your chest. You need to get the hell out of town.”
“Oh, come on. Don’t be ridiculous.”
Tick-tock.
The tension was kicking me in the gut, visions of a bloody incident making me swallow in a way too violent manner. Fuck. What did I get myself in the middle of?
“Did I ever tell you that my brother is a cop?” Jessie’s tone was laced with concern.
“No.” I could feel another lecture coming.
“Look, I called him last night just to ask a few questions after your run-in the other day. What he told me is terrifying. And don’t you dare chastise me! I care about you.”
“Is that why you took the day off and asked me out here?”
Jessie nodded. “Okay, I admit it. I wanted to talk to you away from your house and not on your phone.” She even looked over her shoulder, as if the bad guys were waiting in the shrubbery, which made my entire system float to the edge of some rationality.
“My phone was broken last night by one of them.” Even in the sunlight, I could see her face turning ashen.
“Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. You need to listen to me. My brother would kill me for saying this to you, but he’s heard certain rumors that yes, some members of the police force in Charleston are paid well to look the other way. Don’t go spreading that around or my brother could get into a lot of trouble. He works in Savannah but from what he said, they also have a group down there affiliated with the Desperados. He told me they make the Bloods or Crips look like poster boys for a Labor Day telethon. This particular gang is working with some huge drug cartel out of Miami running heroin from various Caribbean countries, even South America. They’re violent and ruthless. If you’re on their radar, then you’re as good as dead.”
