AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I leaned my hip against the counter and watched him head toward the back, but then straightened when a feeling rolled over me. A feeling I knew all too well. I was trained in the Army to know what that feeling was, to listen to it, and how to respond.
Calming my breathing, I listened carefully and scanned the store, looking to see who was inside, but there was no one. The store had only just opened, so I was the only person here. Rolling so my ass was pressed against the counter, I glanced over my shoulder toward the wall of windows at the front of the store and the door I’d just walked through.
Nothing.
But that wasn’t true because I trusted my gut. Something or someone was close by that I just hadn’t noticed yet. We hadn’t heard a peep from the Widows in months, but that didn’t mean they weren’t still around. The worst of them had been arrested, taken down after they’d attacked Josie and Gunner’s wife, Maggie, and Hawk had been keeping everyone on a tight leash since.
But the Widows weren’t our only threat.
When Bear made it his mission to rebuild this club, he pissed off a few of the older members. Men who didn’t want the changes the rest of us demanded. Bear gave them the out, promising no retribution for leaving the club, and they left.
But one had already come back.
His target was Bear, and he used the Widows to get to him.
We all knew there could be more.
“Here’s one of the boxes, Tank.”
Turning, I reached across the counter and grabbed the box while he kept talking. “I’ll grab the other and meet you at your truck.”
“Thanks,” I grumbled.
I moved to the door, my eyes still scanning the lot when I pushed it open with my hip. New Hope was a small town, which made it hard to hide in, but they’d done it before. There was always a chance they’d do it again.
I yanked down the tailgate of my truck and slid the box in just as the kid from the store brought the other out. He slid it in next to mine, and I thanked him, happy I didn’t have to go back inside and pay. Since we did so much business here, we had a tab that Bear would pay monthly. It made it easier if we needed to send someone from the garage to grab a part.
Closing the tailgate with a sharp click, I looked around the parking lot but didn’t see anyone, and the feeling I’d had was gone. I jumped in the truck and started it up before backing out of the space and crossing the lot. I was on the main road heading toward the clubhouse in no time, and my body began to relax. Maybe I was being paranoid since we’d been dealing with so many surprises lately. It wasn’t hard to imagine that we’d all be on high alert, and my training made me even more aware of the threats.
I stopped at the intersection, and Jane rolled through my mind again. Sighing, I ran my hand over my short, dark beard and laid my head against the headrest. I was going to need to do something about her. I had shit to do and needed to focus without her constantly occupying my thoughts.
The light turned green, and I pulled into the intersection just as my body tensed. Jerking my head to the right, I saw a truck coming toward me, and there was no way in hell they would be able to stop, considering how fast they were coming. I had two options—slam on the brakes or speed up. In an instant, I eliminated the idea of braking, knowing that would put me in more danger, so I floored it and flew through the intersection.
But I didn’t make it. He caught the back corner of my bumper and spun me out. I jerked the wheel to regain control and quickly glanced behind me, but I couldn’t see much, except that it was definitely a man.
And he was young.
Slamming my foot on the brake, I watched him continue down the road, but he had slowed. Forcing my eyes down, I noticed his truck didn’t have a plate. A pit formed in my stomach with the realization that what just happened wasn’t an accident. It wasn’t a kid talking on his phone or texting. This was targeted. Taking a deep breath, I looked around, and when I saw nothing, not even another car, I pulled to the side of the road and dug my phone from my pocket. I hit a couple of buttons and looked over my shoulder to check for any signs of traffic—specifically that truck—before getting back on the road and heading toward the clubhouse.
“Yeah?” Bear’s deep voice answered.
I checked my rearview mirror to make sure I wasn’t being followed. “Just got hit in the intersection off Main.”
“You get a plate?”
“No plates.”
“Son of a bitch.” Bear cursed. “Meet you in the garage.”
“Yep.” I hung up and turned at the stop sign putting me on the road to the clubhouse, knowing I only had a few miles to go. I should’ve followed him, but that might have been what he wanted, which could’ve been a trap.
Pulling in, I saw Bear was already there and standing with Bull and Gunner. I wasn’t surprised. We were the oldest members of the club, missing only Ritz, who was probably on his way. We’d lived through this shit too many times.
I parked right in front of the bay doors and jumped out, grabbing my pack of cigarettes from the dash. I didn’t smoke often, but if I planned to keep my cool, I was gonna need one.
Pulling out the lighter, I lit one and took a long drag while I made my way toward the guys waiting just inside the doors.
Bear didn’t waste any time. “What happened?”
