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She jumped when someone started knocking hard on the garage door. She must’ve hesitated too long because it was followed by a pissed-off voice. “Open up, old man. We need to talk.”
Dana recognized that voice all too well. It was Panther, one of Smoke’s ruthless enforcers, and she had never been fond of the side-eyed looks he gave her. As she heard his demanding tone, panic settled in, leaving her in a tight spot. Taking a deep breath, Dana steeled herself before reluctantly opening the garage door. She tried her best to keep any traces of fear from showing as she came face to face with Panther, who was accompanied by three of his cronies.
Panther certainly had the audacity to eyeball her up and down, probably thinking thoughts Dana had no interest in knowing.
“My dad’s not here yet,” she said in an even voice. “I’ll let him know you guys were looking for him.”
Panther raised an eyebrow, a lecherous grin playing on his lips as he continued to size her up.
“You opened the garage, huh? So, you probably heard all the commotion earlier?” he asked.
Dana forced herself to meet his gaze, unwilling to let her unease show.
“Commotion? I was on the phone with a customer,” she replied. “You can ask Mr. Graham. Did something happen?”
Panther leaned in, a sly smile on his face.
“A prey got away from us,” Panther said. “You’re certain you haven’t heard or seen anything?”
Dana met his gaze with a shrug, feigning ignorance. “No, like I said, I was in the office, taking care of business.”
Panther’s grin didn’t waver as he decided to push further. “Well then, you wouldn’t mind if we have a little look around, would you?”
Without waiting for her response, he unceremoniously pushed past her and made his way into the garage, trailed closely by his cronies.
Frustration surged within Dana, but there was little she could do. The Crimson Crows acted as if they owned the town, and anyone who dared to defy them often ended up in the hospital or worse. She had no choice but to play along, yet her mind raced with concern. What if Panther saw Cross? The thought sent shivers down her spine. It wasn’t just what these bikers would do to Cross that worried her, but also the danger she herself might face.
Dana did her best to appear nonchalant as she pretended to be engrossed in her phone.
One of Panther’s cronies had sidled up to peer over her shoulder, but a sigh of relief escaped her lips when the guy, probably uninterested in cat videos, quickly lost interest and moved on.
Meanwhile, inside the garage, the bikers systematically searched the area. They pushed aside boxes, poked around under cars, and even delved into the trunks, making Dana’s heart race with anxiety. She could feel sweat trickling down her brow as Panther approached the nearby blue Cadillac, and she held her breath. Fate, it seemed, was on her side for the moment.
Panther cast only a cursory glance at the vehicle before moving on, completely missing the concealed Harley she had tucked away beside a heap of grimy machinery.
Just when Dana thought she might be getting out of the frying pan, Panther said, “Let’s check the office.”
One of Panther’s buddies let out a groan, but a fierce glare from Panther made the guy zip it. Dana couldn’t help but discreetly follow the trio as they made their way toward the office. As they headed in that direction, sweat continued to trickle down her brow, and Dana couldn’t help but curse under her breath.
She was sure Cross must have heard all the commotion by now and would either be preparing to act or maybe even just sleeping through the whole mess. Either way, the situation looked grim. They were stuck in a tight spot, and Dana couldn’t help but worry about what would happen next.
Panther swung open the office door, and to Dana’s relief, the room was empty. She couldn’t recall leaving her computer running, which added a touch of confusion to her anxiety.
She briefly fretted about Panther and his crew spotting any bloodstains on the floor or chair, but to her surprise, Panther only spared the room a brief, casual glance. It seemed luck was still on her side for the time being.
Panther made a decisive call.
“Let’s move out,” he instructed to his men. “Check the neighborhood again. He couldn’t have gotten far.”
The two bikers obediently headed out in front of him, but then Panther remained behind, and Dana’s heart sank. She took a step backward, and her retreat was halted by the solid wall. Panther loomed closer, his hand resting against the wall, caging her in. Over Panther’s shoulder, she caught a glimpse of Cross emerging from his hiding spot beneath her desk. His gaze turned steely upon seeing Panther, and Dana silently urged him with a warning look to stay put and let her handle the situation.
“You’re hiding something, Dana. I can tell,” Panther said, sounding suspicious.
Dana didn’t want to show any sign of weakness She crossed her arms, trying to appear defiant.
“What could I possibly be hiding? I have nothing to do with your line of work,” she retorted, despite the nervous flutter in her chest.
“You know how to keep your head down and mind your business, just like your useless excuse of a father,” Panther remarked. “I always liked that about you, Dana.”
