AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“He just went to recovery. They had to remove part of his spleen,” Bones answered as he watched the girl closely.
“Splenectomy,” Riley mumbled to herself.
“Yeah, I think that’s what they called it,” Bones responded to her, mumbling.
Riley knew what that meant for Preacher—a long recovery. “He’ll be down for about twelve weeks.”
“He won’t like that.” Bones smirked, thinking how Preacher wouldn’t be happy about being in the hospital. He definitely wouldn’t be happy he’d have a three-month recovery time.
“Hire him a pretty nurse.” She couldn’t help but smile at her own comment. “Here’s the deal. I remembered a comment one of the attackers said, and the reply he received as I ran past them.”
Bones stepped closer to Riley. Anything she could remember was worth knowing. “We’re listening.”
“One guy asked another why he stabbed your brother. The other replied, ‘I owed him.’” She stared at Bones, then at a man standing right behind him. The look in his gunmetal-colored eyes had her wanting to step back. He was one of the snipers from the rooftop. Darkness lived behind his eyes, a darkness she knew well. “Sounded personal to me.” She shrugged.
“Thanks for telling us. And thank you again for helping save my brother.” Bones rested a hand on her shoulder, hoping to calm her nerves. He knew how she felt. He hated hospitals.
Riley tucked her lips to wet them. She hated being there, and somehow, she thought Bones understood that. “All he was concerned about was me calling you. It must be nice to have family like that.”
“It is sometimes.” Bones smiled at her, trying to settle the girl. “Why don’t you stick around? Maybe I can get you upstairs when he can have visitors. I’m sure he’d love to meet the person who saved his life.”
“That’s nice of you, but he’ll be put in ICU for observation for at least twenty-four hours.” Riley glanced around. “Don’t waste a spot for me when he has plenty of family who will want to see him.”
“Okay.” Bones saw the apprehension on the girl’s face. He also saw determination.Riley James.He repeated her name in his head for the thousandth time. Once Preacher was in the clear, he would learn everything he could about her. Starting with why she was at the gas station that night.
Riley spotted Gypsy off to the side, and she didn’t like the look he was giving her. Something told her he knew who she was. Waving to the room, Riley slipped out the door and walked back through the waiting room, holding her breath until she once again stood in the muggy night air.He’s alive. I didn’t fail this time.
Standing in front of the glass doors, she watched a Ford F-250 that matched the one from the parking lot drive by. Thankfully, she had put a baseball cap on. Keeping her head tipped down, she waited until the truck rolled past before looking up. If it was the men from the attack, she hoped they noticed all the motorcycles parked in the next lot over.
Who knew if they would. She hadn’t, but her mind wasn’t looking for bikers. Maybe that was why he had been attacked. Maybe this was all because of who he rode with. Looking back over her shoulder, she watched the men shuffling around as they talked to one another. She wondered if the security guards were nervous. Snickering, Riley headed for her car.
ChapterFifteen
After leaving the hospital, Riley drove through a fast-food joint to grab something to eat before her head exploded from the pounding.
She sat in the parking lot with her car running while she scanned the area for the silver F-250. She was on edge after seeing a similar truck cruise through the ER parking lot.
Her gut told her the attackers hadn’t bothered with her, but in situations like this, you couldn’t be too careful.
Closing one eye, she started the car and pulled through the parking lot, taking note of the few cars parked close to the building. A neon sign across the street answered her unsent prayers. A twenty-four-hour drugstore was just what she needed. Things got better when she noticed it had an all-night drive-through.
After getting a bottle of aspirin from the pharmacy, Riley swallowed four or five and chased them with what passed as a cola. She needed food if she was to get rid of the headache. At that time of night, there was only one place open in the area.Taco Hell.It would have to do. Pulling back onto the main drag, she drove through Fort Bragg and pulled into the long drive-through line. Rubbing her face, she pulled up to the window to pay and get her food when she saw a truck that looked like the one from the hospital. “Stop it, Riley James,” she told herself when her heart jumped into her throat.
“Miss? Your food.”
“Thanks.” Taking the bag from the cashier, Riley tossed it onto the passenger seat. Worried over the idea that she was being followed, she absentmindedly toyed with the chain around her neck. Keeping an eye on her rearview mirror, she pulled out onto the main highway then headed back toward Lampsing.
Every truck that passed her on the two-lane road, she made sure to look at. When headlights came up fast behind her, Riley sped up to see if the vehicle would keep up or fall back. The headlights continued to close in on her bumper. Reaching with her free hand, she retrieved the Glock from under the steering column, placing it on her lap.
The headlights seemed to be getting smaller, giving Riley a semblance of relief. A couple of S-turns and one long straightaway and she would be back in Lampsing.
A mile farther down the highway, Riley straightened as the hair on the back of her neck stood up. She went on high alert as fast-approaching headlights appeared in her mirror.Fuck!Her instincts told her this wasn’t going to be a random vehicle.
Recognizing where she was on the highway, Riley weighed her options. She could push harder through the curves, creating more distance between her car and the oncoming vehicle, or slow down and see what happened. Knowing the second option was an idiotic move, she still chose it.
She believed it was better to find out if her gut was right or not. If the vehicle was a threat, she’d deal with it on the road. The last thing she wanted was the attackers from earlier to know where she lived, especially now that she didn’t have backup. Slowing down just enough, she allowed the oncoming vehicle to catch up. Riley watched as the car kept coming.
Move for move, they stayed on her tail end. Her feet worked the clutch, gas, and brake pedals like a pro. Coming through the last turn, she hit the brakes, jerked the car into the opposite lane, and watched the vehicle fly by her. Shifting into a higher gear, Riley hit the gas and the chase was on. Whoever was driving the truck was about to learn a hard, fast lesson.
