Page 48 of Ride Forever
Chapter 18
Sloane
Ipeered out the window at the motel beyond, the eerie light of predawn making the desert look ghostly.
“What are we doing exactly?” I asked when I heard Chaser rustle around in our bags.
He was double and triple checking we had everything we needed. He’d whittled down our belongings back in Las Vegas, so there wasn’t much to pack, but I couldn’t fault him for being obsessive. The contents of those duffels would help save our lives…if it came down to that.
He still hadn’t explained his ten-day super plan. Maybe it had something to do with whatever he did when he was undercover with the FBI. It seemed like it was a very specific timeline, and ‘all-out war’ wasn’t exactly the step-by-step I was hoping for.
Honestly, I was at a loss. I had no idea what to do next.
“We’ve got to leave for starters,” Chaser said. “We can’t stay in the same place for more than a day or two.”
I hoped he knew where we were going because I was lost. Shit, there were still stars in the sky it was that early. I shivered and let the curtains fall back into place.
“The desert confuses me,” I said.
“Why’s that?”
“It’s freezing out, but once the sun comes up, we’ll be having a fry out on the hood of the car.”
“Sunny-side up?” Chaser cocked an eyebrow.
“Very funny. I like scrambled.”
I slid my arms into my denim jacket and flipped up the collar. Next, I reached for my revolver and slipped it into the inside pocket. It was the perfect coat for stashing things. I disliked carrying a handbag, so pockets were a dream come true. The butt hung out, the mother-of-pearl shimmering in the light, but it stayed put. Once I buttoned up the front, it would be secure. Something told me having access to a quick draw was a good idea.
“Ready?” Chaser asked, throwing his bag over his shoulder.
I nodded. I was ready, as in packed and dressed, but mentally? I was getting there.Slowly.
Chaser opened the door and stepped outside with me right behind him, and when we realized we weren’t alone, my heart twisted.Shit.
A group of men was lined up in the lot outside, their motorcycles behind them. The motel grounds were narrow out here, the line of shrubs and gnarled trees bordering the edge of the property, narrowed the space significantly. They must’ve wheeled their bikes into the lot because we never heard any engines. We hadn’t heard a single squeak, and now we were hemmed in with no way to escape.
Chaser grasped my arm, and we came to a stop. Six guns were pointed right at us. Pistols, revolvers, and one shotgun. My reflexes kicked in, and I slid my revolver from my inside pocket to the back of my jeans.
I narrowed my eyes and took in each face, memorizing them all. I recognized most of them from Fortitude and knew them to be the dregs of society. The crew that had frothed at the mouth when they knew Harley was dead and his woman,Sam, was ripe for the picking. When I got to their leader, I felt like throwing up in my mouth.
“Rocket.”
“Sloane,” he replied. “You’ve got a lot to answer for, young lady.” His mouth curved into a grin as he shook his gun at me.
One thing I noticed about them, they were well rested, their motorcycles shone despite the thin layer of dust from their ride across the desert, and their jackets and vests had new emblems on them. A flaming skull with the words, Hollow Riders MC, California.
“I left you for dead,” Chaser said. “You should be rotting in the ground.”
“Hoo boy!” Rocket exclaimed. “I bested cold, old Chaser. I never thought I’d see the day. I’ll have to give my regards to Gasket. He led us here, the old son of a bitch.”
I curled my lip, resisting the urge to kick the dirty biker in the balls. Gasket would never sell us out, which meant they’d followed him here.
“Chaser…” I tugged at his arm, ignoring Rocket’s goading. “Their jackets…”
“Let me introduce you to the new lieutenants of the Hollow Riders Motorcycle Club, Californian Chapter.” Rocket smirked and spread his arms wide. “King sends his regards.”
“You’re with them,” I murmured. “You’re on the Hollow Men’s payroll.” That was why Gasket lost their scent.They had a new master.
