Protect & Serve(198)

The bikers shared a communal glance, and then nodded their acknowledgement.

“Prepare your bikes,” Hunter ordered.

With his eyes still on the door Hunter watched the men file out before he turned with his shoulders squared up.

“Grizz,” he spoke softly.

“I know.”

The burly biker uncrossed his arms and sauntered towards the door, casting one last look our way before departing.

“What was that?” I asked.

“Grizz has a special assignment,” he replied coolly. “There is a rather difficult rival president I need on my side tomorrow night… an old fucker who gets shit done. The effort requires some careful diplomacy. In the meantime I’ll need my rest, and Grizz knows it. Tomorrow is going to be a hard day.”

“Half these men were drinking a couple of hours ago. Do you really trust them to head off into the desert alone at night?”

“I trust Grizz’s judgment,” he replied.

With that, he started walking towards the door, preparing himself to send some of his best bikers out into the dark to seek out allies.

“Wait, Hunter,” I called out to him.

“Yes?” He turned, his handsome frame twisting on a boot to gaze across at me.

“You never explained how you were planning on going across the border,” I answered. “We can’t go back to the farmhouse after tonight. You know there’s going to be police in the area…”

“We’ll be taking a slightly different way.”

“Then what’s your angle?”

Hunter’s familiar chuckle rang out.

“We’re not going through the border, Sarah… we’re going under it.”





14





The following morning, the text from my Lieutenant read:

I won’t tolerate insubordination. Your vehicle’s GPS still puts you in fucking El Paso. When you decide to finally end your little vacation, I want your badge and your goddamn gun on my desk. You’d better not keep me fucking waiting.

“Well, at least he’s not mad,” I sarcastically quipped to nobody in particular.

I felt Hunter’s strong arms around me, and I nestled my head backwards into his neck. “Let me guess… your Lieutenant didn’t take the realization that you’re still in town very well.”

“Something like that,” I answered. I lifted the screen up and unlocked the phone with a swipe, allowing him to read the message.

“Oof,” he exhaled sympathetically. “Maybe he’ll sing a different tune after this is all over…”

“Fat chance,” I grumbled. “I worked so hard for this fucking promotion. Now, it’s all going down the goddamn drain…” I turned my head to regard his rugged face and soft gaze. “What the fuck am I going to do, Hunter?”

“I’ve got a good feeling about this,” Hunter murmured into my hair. “Hold out a little longer. I think we’re about to turn the tide of this thing.”

“You’ve got good feeling?” I asked, feeling aggravation begin to rise in my core. “Like you did last night?”

Hunter pulled away from me, running his fingers through his thick hair. “Don’t start with me on that. Last night was necessary, Sarah. We’ve got a way into their operations now. ”

Hesitantly, I reached out to him. My palm slid across his back, and he relaxed slightly beneath my touch.

“You’re right,” I told him. “I’m sorry. I’m just stressed out. I’m no closer to finding these girls… and we fucked up last night. We could have saved those abductees before they disappeared across the border… If I had something to show the Lieutenant…”

“We still have a chance,” he replied. “I have a plan.”

I opened my mouth to retort, but there was a knock from outside. Hunter stepped away and opened the door, revealing a tired but smiling Grizz.

“Our guests are here.”

“Thank you,” he acknowledged, sending Grizz back into the bar. He took me by the hand, pressing it to his lips. “It’s time, Sarah. Are you joining us?”

Staring him in the eyes for a moment, reading his gaze, I gave him a stern nod.

“I was hoping you might say that…”

With a thick presence of solemnity, Hunter led me out towards the dusty, thick heat of the desert. We passed the entirety of the Devil’s Dragons MC – fifteen of them in the main room of the bar, parting around us quietly.

I had expected all of us to convene in the bar, or maybe even in the back rooms. But when Hunter continued out, and I stepped out behind him into the sun, I understood why we were leaving the shade for the open air.