The hour drive to the coffee shop felt like an eternity. I had entirely too long to think about the events of the last few days and how they seemed to crash right into the past with a death wish. Trish and I would never be safe as long as Acid and the Scorpions lived and we were naïve fools to stick around in the unpredictable desert of Nevada, hoping for a change. If I was honest with myself, this trouble was nothing new. I fled California for similar reasons, and I’d done nothing more than repeat the same stupid mistakes.
Suraya and I had always been close, but she had always been more rebellious in nature. I was more reserved. The “good girl” of the sisters but not many could tell us apart with any certainty. This led to trouble, usually for me. It wasn’t hard to be coerced by Suraya and her next disaster. Sometimes I went on dates and let the guys down gently that she’d dumped without a word. The life of the party, my sister rarely noticed the chaos she left behind her. She never fully comprehended how much I sacrificed to keep her happy and safe.
One particular incident with a drug dealer led to her life being threatened. She had to leave Palmdale and decided to move to Hawthorne, Nevada. Why, I would never understand. Maybe she was finally ready to move on from her wild lifestyle, but I would soon find out that wasn’t true in the most painful of ways.
I stayed behind for eight months while Suraya found a job at the Blacktop, became best friends with Trish and moved in with her, met Grim and the Royal Bastards MC, and began dating Bodie Whitman. It was a long eight months. Saving all my money, I managed to gather enough to move to Nevada. I assumed we’d live together but when I arrived, I found my sister had already moved on. She was living with a biker in Tonopah.
Tricia was there to pick up the pieces and offered a place to stay. I settled into Hawthorne, hoping to find work but nothing opened up until I agreed to take the job my sister vacated when she quit without notice. Trish and I became close and she confided that Suraya had been getting threatening calls and messages and that she had to change her number. I didn’t worry much since my sister tended to piss off guys a lot in the past. Suraya said she was happy, and things were turning around for the better.
I believed her.
That was a mistake.
Sighing, I shut off the SUV and glanced around, trying to recognize the cars in the lot. None were familiar. No motorcycles filled the area but that didn’t mean Acid, Zook, and Dawg weren’t nearby. Palms sweaty, I wiped them across my jeans. The Scorpions were bad news and this time I probably wouldn’t escape before they exacted their revenge. Guys like Acid and his club would never forget when they were humiliated by a woman. I wasn’t dumb enough to think they’d let me live.
Maybe I should have run and never looked back. I could have driven that SUV as far as the ga
s tank allowed and then left everything behind. A new life for the bitter, broken girl I glimpsed in the mirror. Unfortunately, I not only had a conscience, but I wasn’t a coward. I couldn’t leave Trish behind and I wasn’t willing to let that asshole Acid win.
He killed my sister in cold blood. Acid needed to pay for his crimes.
The coffee shop wasn’t crowded. I entered silently and glanced around, finding Zook and Dawg seated at a table in the back. No sign of Trish. Swallowing hard, I lifted my chin and approached their table with false bravado.
“Hey Sasha,” Zook grinned. “Glad you could make it.”
Right.
Dawg’s gaze swept over me with a lecherous grin. “I look forward to picking up where we left off.”
I didn’t say a word in response but issued a clear “fuck you” look in his direction.
“Acid is on his way. He was a bit . . . detained.”
I’ll bet. “Where’s Trish?”
Both guys chuckled. I guess I should have expected that response.
“Where did you park?” Dawg leaned forward. “Hand me the keys.”
“About three rows back.”
Lifting a brow, I didn’t argue. I slid the keys across the table as he snatched them up with a wicked grin and left me alone with Zook.
“Just in case you were wondering, we’ve had you followed since you left the Crossroads.”
I tried to hide my reaction, but panic filled my chest. Had they seen Cindi?
“Dawg wants to meet that little blonde you were with earlier. What’s her name?”
Clenching my trembling fingers together, I met his cold stare without blinking. “Is it important? I’m here now.”
“Cindi, right? She’s an ol’ lady if I remember correctly.”
Shit. How much did they know about the Royal Bastards?
“Please don’t hurt her,” I pleaded, fighting back tears. “She’s innocent.”
“No one associated with the fuckin’ Royal Bastards MC is innocent, babe. That includes you.”