Page 100 of Kings Fear No One
…or the scumbags who she was with.
A guy coming out of the restroom almost walks right into me. He stumbles back, his eyes going wide with surprise as I rush past him.
The back half of Zapote feels like a funhouse with its tight turns and smaller rooms. I shove aside a curtain cordoning off one of these rooms only to find some brunette on her knees, sucking somebody off.
Miguel was vague describing tonight’s festivities, but I knew exactly what was going on.
Initiations are infamous in motorcycle clubs and other gangs for a reason.
The Barreras cartel is no different.
The women that drop by bars on nights like tonight are around for one purpose only.
Panic screams from the inside. Silent torment on the outside. The only sound I’m capable of are the labored breaths I take and the throaty grunts I give. Sweat drips down the side of my face as I come up on the last room.
A stockroom not unlike ours at the Steel Saloon.
Cases of beer and alcohol are stacked six feet high, along with other unneeded things stowed away. I almost turn back ’til I catch scraps of dialogue.
“Hold her down.”
“Hurry up.”
“You’ll get your turn.”
It’s the last words either of them ever speak. The last fucking breath they take as I storm inside and jam the blade of my knife into them. The first piece of shit gets stabbed in the back of the head. I’m able to pry the knife out of his skull in time to slit the other one’s throat.
Teysha’s been pushed up against a table, her dress bunched at her waist. Her eyes are wide with fear, the rest of her trembling.
She’s in one piece.
I made it in time. I stopped it from happening.
The relief’s so powerful it makes me lightheaded.
“We should get the hell out of here,” Ozzie says from somewhere behind me.
It’s enough of a wakeup call to pull me back to the present moment.
I hadn’t even realized he’d followed me inside. Giving a nod, I grab hold of Teysha by the hand and sprint for the door. We make it all the way onto the dusty lot before Miguel or any of the Barreras catch on to what’s happened.
Our engines rumble starting them up. We blast off into the night without looking back.
The next time we stop we’re in Portales. We come up on some truck stop diner and motel that we decide to rest up at. Teysha’s sick and out of it and could barely manage on the back of my bike. Whatever the hell she drank at Zapote fucked her up big time.
Ozzie tosses a key at me. “Adjoining rooms. Figured three’s a crowd.”
“You figured right.”
“How’s she doing?” He juts his chin at her.
We’re in the parking lot of the Lone Star Motel. Teysha’s slumped over the back of my bike, her tangled hair half covering her face. All the wind from the ride has messed it up even more than it already was.
“Not too good,” I sigh.
“A couple hours of rest will do wonders. Sunup?”
“Sunup.”
