“How in the world would I? I’ve been planning lessons and grading papers. Not planning some moronic petty crime.”
“I’ve been covering your ass, but I swear to Christ, Cherry, if you’re tangled up in anything, get the fuck out. Now. Because if you’re anywhere near the Sinners tonight, I can’t protect you.”
“What do you mean?” I’m drowning in dread, to overcome to control the panic in my voice. “What’s going to happen to them?”
“Goddammit! Tell me you’re not fucking one of them!” He’s pissed, but there’s something else in his voice I’ve literally never heard; not even when dad was smacking him around. It’s desperation.
“I’m not fucking one of them,” I say flatly.I’m fucking two of them.
“Good. Keep it that way and stay the fuck out of club business.”
“Fuck you, Clint. I’m not coming anywhere near your shady ass business! I’m going to take a bubble bath and make some tea, unless you feel like that’s a threat to your degenerate plans.” I add the last bit as sarcastically as I can, then hang up, my hands shaking violently.
“Will…” I glance at my best friend. “I’m so sorry. I have to ask you another favor.”
13
RATTLER
We finish loading up the truck just before dusk. Crates of guns, disguised to look like fresh picked apples, are stacked in the back. Real apples closer to the door. Reaper hops on the radio, just like we planned. “How’s the view, Ace?” He waits, grinding his teeth, until the response comes in.
“Clear skies to the lake.”
Reaper nods, but his expression is stormy. ‘Clear skies’ means anything but. We’ve leaked enough details over the radio this last week to make sure Hicks would take the bait. It wasn’t even that hard. We had to keep eyes on him to make sure, and those prospects sure fucking hated their clean-cut looks, but once he followed me out to the warehouse, we set that hook. Wasn’t a moment too soon in my opinion.
“Let’s go!” Reaper calls out. Engines rev in response and the first wave rides out, leaving just the two of us and about a hundred and fifty years’ worth of jail time in the back of the box truck. Beast and I have handguns under our cuts, but that’s it.Stick to the plan,I remind myself.
Beast is already in the passenger seat when I get behind the wheel. I turn the key and the truck roars to life. “You’re not going to puss out on me, right?” I joke.
“You’re not going to puke on me, are you?” Beast grunts, grinning when I flip him the bird.
We head south, leaving in the opposite direction as the first wave. We’re rolling down the highway, the truck swaying around each curve. I spot the dark cruiser, right where Ace said it was. Then, as if on cue, red and blue lights start flashing in the side mirrors.
“This piece of shit…” I grin at Beast. I’m going to enjoy putting an end to him. We’re in the middle of butt-fuck nowhere. There’s no one but us to hear the tires crunching through the gravel. For now. In a couple of minutes, we’ll have Hicks pinned down, backed against a literal wall.
I walk through the plan in my head again, but this time, Hicks moves outside, staying on the beat like he helped choreograph it himself. He sidles up along the side of the truck, flashlight out, pretending to look for something.Give this man an Oscar.
I wait until he raps his knuckles on the window to roll it down. The night has gone from chilly to straight up cold. My breath leaves my mouth in little puffs. “Evening, officer.”
“I’m going to need you to step out of the vehicle.”
“Is something wrong?” I ask as innocently as I can. “We’re transporting apples to Greenville and we’re in a bit of a hurry. Farmer’s markets, and all.”
“Apples, huh?” This fucker is so cocky. The grin on his face is fucking evil. “I will not ask you nicely again. Step out of the vehicle. Now.”
Another car speeds past, and I frown as the white SUV rounds a bend in the road, disappearing from sight. I’d really prefer we don’t have witnesses. I’m sure as fuck not doing time; not now. We’ve barely gotten a taste of Cherry, and I don’t intend to jeopardize that.
Reluctantly, I open the door, making a big show of huffing as I jump down. I’ve got at least four inches on Hicks, but he doesn’t shrink back, even when Beast makes his way around the cab to tower over him. He’s a cocky motherfucker, that’s for sure. Stupid too.
“This vehicle matches the description of one that was stolen,” Hicks clips his words, like he resents having to put on this pretext at all. “Why don’t you just show me what you’re transporting and we can clear this right up? I’ll have you boys back on your way in a jiffy…”
Beast and I pretend to think about it, but Hicks is every bit as predictable as we’d hoped. “That’s not really a question, boys. Unlock the cargo area.” We make our way around the back of the truck, Hicks following, with his palm resting on his pistol grip in a silent threat.
I do the honors, unlocking the padlock and swinging the doors open. Stepping back, I put my hands up by my shoulders in a casual show of ‘have at it, asshole’. What actually comes out of my mouth is, “Help yourself, officer. You like honey crisps?”
Hicks draws his handgun on us. “You think I’m stupid?” Beast and I exchange a glance that clearly reads, ‘yes.’ “Fucking smart ass bikers. Get the fuck on the ground. Face down. Hands behind your head.” He spits at my feet and I see red. I’m so tempted to pull my own piece that my fingers twitch, but Beast shoots me a look.
Fine. Wouldn’t do me any good, anyway.I grind my teeth and follow Captain Douchebag’s orders. We kick up a fine dust as we get down in the gravel and it gets between my teeth. I spit it out, aiming at Hicks, just because I can.