Page 8 of Cross

Jeremy walked Rusty out of the garage just as Dana finished working on Mr. Graham’s oil change. Her father walked up to her and grabbed her elbow.

“What kind of trouble did you get yourself in, girl?” he demanded.

Dana wrenched her elbow back. It was usually her who asked that question to him. Dana met her father’s gaze evenly. Did she have to remind him of the number of times she had to spring him from jail? Or when the local bar owner would call her in the dead of night, asking her to pick Jeremy up from the bar?

“I didn’t get into any trouble, Dad. But what’s going on with Rusty and why is he here?” Dana asked.

She crossed her arms and shifted her weight from one foot to the other. Jeremy narrowed his eyes. Dana knew she’d always been a poor liar, unlike Jeremy. Lies were as natural to him as breathing.

“You have a honest face, just like your mother. Sometimes I wonder if that’s a good or bad thing,”he used to tell her.

“Dana,” Jeremy said in a low, measured tone. He took a step closer to her, his eyes never leaving hers. “You and I both know you’re not telling me everything. I can see it in your eyes. Mrs. Higgins across the road spotted you helping two bikers. One of them was injured. Both weren’t Crows.”

Dana’s heart sank as the pieces fell into place. So that was it. A nosy neighbor had witnessed her lending a hand to Cross, as they made it to Priest’s truck. Why should she be surprised? The Crows had a way of making everyone feel like they were being watched, and their grip on the community was tighter than anyone dared to admit. Dana’s annoyance was initially directed at Mrs. Higgins for being the meddling onlooker, but her anger quickly faded as she realized her fury was misdirected.

This was how the Crows operated. They didn’t just rule through fear, they also managed to turn every local against each other. It was how they kept everyone in line, so they wouldn’t form any alliances that could challenge the Crows’ authority.

“And what did you tell him?” Dana asked, remembering the smirk Rusty had given her. She knew her father owed Smoke a lot of money. To pay that debt off, they had agreed to service some of the Crows’ motorcycles for free.

It was a terrible business decision. Money kept bleeding out and nothing came in, despite their steady stream of regulars. Dana was pretty sure they would have to close up shop by the end of the year, but Jeremy never saw that far. Her father only operated in the present.

“What do you do take me for? Of course I told Rusty you’d never do such a thing,” Jeremy blurted.

“Then why did he look smug as hell when he left the shop?” Dana demanded.

“Rusty did?” Jeremy asked, looking confused. “Rusty only told me to keep a lookout for these Death Seekers MC members and promised me a reward.”

“I get it. Thanks for telling me, Dad. Let’s just get back to work,” Dana said tiredly.

In the back of her mind, she wondered if the mention of a reward would tempt her father. She never fully trusted him, not after he made that awful deal with Smoke. Ever since her mother died, Jeremy had never been right. She thought of Cross and wondered how he was, and if he’d taken her advice to see a doctor.

Dana scoffed at herself. Here she and her father were in deep water, and she was thinking about the biker who had likely forgotten about her already.

No, if trouble finally did come knocking on her door, it was up to her to deal with it.

Chapter Five

Dana was working on a busted car engine and was thinking of closing for the day. It had been a week since she’d helped Cross, and surprisingly, he kept in touch. He told her he was doing a lot better and his injuries were healing. They texted about other things, too. Mundane matters, like what she liked to do to unwind after work. About the diner he frequented. Messaging Cross made Dana feel a little less alone. Dana spent all her time working. Not that she was complaining.

Dana loved being under the hood of a car, but she never really had time to develop friendships in Elmwood. Besides, she didn’t know who reported to the Crows or didn’t.

Her phone beeped, and Dana grinned as she read Cross’s latest message:Hey, Dana. I just finished my check-up. Doc said I could ride soon.

Cross kept hinting he wanted to see her again and to her surprise, Dana found herself looking forward to it. Maybe not in Elmwood but perhaps they could meet somewhere else.

While Dana was thinking of Cross, the creaking of the garage door made her snap to attention. To her unpleasant surprise, Panther sauntered into the store. His presence sent an immediate chill down her spine. Thankfully, he was alone, but Dana knew that didn’t guarantee her safety. Panther’s eyes locked onto her, and he leaned against the counter, smirking.

“Good evening, Dana,” Panther greeted cheerfully, as if they were the best of friends.

Dana wiped her greasy hands on a rag and met Panther’s gaze, her expression a mix of irritation and apprehension.

“What do you want, Panther? The two motorcycles Rusty brought in yesterday won’t be ready yet.”

She sighed, fully aware that her workload had just multiplied. Jeremy had chosen another Friday night to drink his sorrows away, leaving all the work to her, which was nothing new.

Panther’s sinister smile never wavered as he leaned in slightly. “I’m not here about the motorcycles. I’m here to see you.”

Dana’s eyebrows furrowed as she studied Panther.

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