Stud’s car had just passed Jewell, and she had resumed walking, when a semi-truck came around the turn and came barreling into the parking lot.
Reaper took off running, shouting, “Get out of the way, Jewell!”
Rory didn’t waste time with words. Using his foot, he kicked up the kickstand and gunned the motor toward the semi. Rory got within reach of Jewell, gunned the motor even faster, pointing the wheel of the semi. Letting go of the motorcycle, he lunged at Jewell, who was staring transfixed at the monster heading toward her. He sent them hurdling to the ground. Before she hit the pavement, Rory turned, letting the bike take the hit. Once they hit the ground, he immediately started rolling them to the side as a loud crash rocked the parking lot.
The sounds of the truck coming to a screeching stop had Rory double-checking to make sure Jewell was out of harm’s way.
“You fucking asshole!” Jewell started hitting his shoulders to make him get off her.
Rory got up then reached out a hand to help her. She smacked his hand away.
Rory couldn’t understand her anger. “Why in the fuck are you angry? I just saved your life!”
Jewell got to her feet and shoved him backward. “When you rode Stud’s bike, you rode like a fucking grandpa,” Furious, Jewell shoved him again. “I’ve never seen anyone ride a bike the way you just did, and Train can do handstands on his!” she snarled.
Thankfully, the commotion going on behind them bought him time to come up with a plausible explanation.
Reaper, slamming fists on the truck door, had the trucker turning off the engine and getting out.
Both Jewell’s and his mouth dropped open.
“Uh-oh …” Jewell hastily got behind Reaper, shoving him forward. “You go deal with this. I’m going back into the factory.”
Rory couldn’t believe she was just going to turn tail and run. His surprise ended when the door closed behind her.
“What were you thinking, making the turn at that speed?”
Rory didn’t feel any braver confronting the trucker with Reaper already in his face. Even when Stud came running to stand next to Reaper. A good head taller than Reaper, the brawny trucker made them look like they were pissants to crush under his steel-toed boot.
“I didn’t intend it. The bitch inside jerked the fucking wheel.” The trucker nodded at the cab.
Rory sidled over to Reaper under the trucker’s scrutiny. “Reaper,” Rory whispered to catch his attention, “we need to talk.”
“Later,” Reaper snarled.
Rory reached out to grab Reaper’s arm to make sure he didn’t punch the trucker.
“I said la—” Reaper jerked his arm loose. “You’re going to pay for my bike, motherfucker.”
“Reaper.” Rory tried to interrupt him again, yelling.
The trucker became amused. Then all their heads turned when Jewell came out of the factory, followed by Train, Rider, and Puck, who was carrying a car jack. Just as they took up positions behind Reaper, Stud, and him, Viper, Shade, and Nickel came from the rear of the truck to take positions behind the trucker.
The trucker turned his head to glance over his shoulder before facing him again. “Don’t you think this is overkill?”
“Depends on why you’re here,” Rory answered coldly.
“Wanted to stop by and tell you I took your advice.”
“The truck’s here, so you must have ditched your woman.”
“I couldn’t take her bitching anymore.” Rogue shrugged. “Figured, if you could get a sweet piece of ass, no telling what I could land.”
“You couldn’t land a mackerel if you talk about women like that,” Jewell stated huffily.
“That wasn’t true the last time I saw you.” Rogue hooked his thumbs through his jeans beltloops. “At the truck stop, you were up in my grill,” he reminded her.
“That was then; this is now, especially since you almost made me a fucking pancake!”
“Like I said, that was an accident … You pretending to want my joystick wasn’t. What’s the matter? I don’t look as handsome after you planted the air tag on my rig?”
Jewell stared down at her nails absentmindedly. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Oh, I think you do,” Rogue replied sarcastically. “But that’s cool. Your old man and I can talk it over.”
Rory had a feeling it would be useless to lie, so he didn’t bother. Instead, he started to side-track to see just how sure Rogue was that he had been the one to plant the air tag. “What makes you so sure it was me?”
“Next time you try to trick someone following you, don’t plant the tag on someone hauling an expensive load,” he said scornfully. “I check for air tags every time I leave my truck. I found it right after you left. If I didn’t have to meet my deadlines, I would have been here much sooner.”
Rory was glad he hadn’t lied.
“How did you find us?”
“Used my radio to talk to the other truckers. I knew every road you took after you pulled out of the truck stop. Frankly, I kept expecting to be waylaid by you or other fuckers planning to heist my load, but after I dropped my load off without incident, I had to rethink why you had done it. Then I thought maybe you were on the run, so I had a buddy of mine look up your license plate. You sure don’t look like a Gertrude Sylvia, and you age well for a sixty-year-old.”