Sour Cherry(12)
Before I could ask what had caught his attention, my favorite sound in the world assaulted my ears. A mob of motorcycles tore its way down the street. I recognized several of the bikes, but over half I’d never seen before. Fear clenched my heart and stopped my breath.
“Everyone.”
Chapter Five
“Ryder must have called in every alliance in Nevada and Southern Cali,” I said once we’d reached safety. “I sure as hell don’t remember either of our clubs being that big. Even together.” I paced back and forth across the barren concrete, trying to sort this all out while holding pressure against my bleeding arm. The wound wasn’t as bad as I’d thought, a scratch compared to what it could have been. I’d need stitches, but I’d live.
The warehouse we’d sought refuge in smelled like old diapers. In the background of my thoughts, I kept tabs on Cooper who meticulously cleaned the knife he’d used to kill Talon. Only the calls of pigeons and my footsteps echoed in the giant tomb. I didn’t even know where we were. Two, maybe three hours north of Vegas?
Cooper hadn’t said a word since our narrow escape and I had half a mind to beat the answers I wanted out of him. What was it about him that brought out the violence in me?
His lowered eyes had offered so many promises before, but now seemed cold.
“You realize you killed an Original? Talon helped found the Outriggers.” I wasn’t sure where I was headed with this line of conversation, but it’d be nice if Cooper at least acknowledged me.
“Would you rather have me let him kill you?” He threw the rag he’d been using in my direction. “Use that to clean yourself up.”
In a burst of uncontrollable anger, I stalked over to him and wrenched the knife out of his hand. Luckily, he’d been holding the tip down and I was able to get my fingers around the hilt instead of the blade. “No. Of course not, but you didn’t need to kill him.”
His brown eyes blazed, his lips spreading into a thin line. “What exactly do you want from me? You’re the one who got us into this mess.”
The accusation in his eyes cut deep, but laid the blame where it should be. Guilt flooded my gut when I realized just how far I’d go to save my own life, even at the expense of others. I dropped his knife to the floor and turned away. “You’re right. Guess that’s what I get for blindly following orders.” If it hadn’t been for my foolish desire to prove myself to the club, I never would have offered to make that pickup. Satan’s Army never would have stolen the shipment from me, and neither Cooper nor I would be in some rotten warehouse, hoping to live a little bit longer. I took a deep breath and faced him again. “You should go. I can make it to…” I rubbed my eyes with my fingertips. “Hell I don’t even know where I’ll go.” I dropped my hands, inhaling roughly again. “You don’t deserve to be wrapped up in it.”
His brows furrowed, that sharp jawline growing even sharper.
I motioned toward the door with my chin. “Go. I’ll be fine. Tell them I took you hostage.” I chuckled at the possibility, my nervousness taking form in the shape of laughter.
His body tensed as if he considered staying and hope flared in my chest.
When I really looked at it, this could be the opportunity I needed to start over. I didn’t doubt my ability to disappear, but some company would be nice in my new life. We’d already connected on an intimate level. “Unless you want to stay.” I tried to keep the enthusiasm out of my voice, but failed.
“Let me look at that.” He nodded toward my arm.
“It’s fine.”
Wrapping his firm grip around my bicep, Cooper pulled me forward. He ran his thumb over the wound ever so lightly. The pain made me flinch, but not nearly as much as the heat from this finger sinking into my skin. “You’ll live.”
He dropped his hold on me, bent down, and picked up his knife. He offered it to me. “Keep it. You’ll need it.”
I nodded absently, studying the craftsmanship of the blade. It didn’t resemble anything I’d seen before, not that I was an expert in the field of knives, but it looked custom-made.
He turned his back on me and walked toward the door. “Try to stay alive,” Cooper called over his shoulder.
I stared after him, unable to speak around the disappointment flaring in my chest. You, too.
****
The warehouse didn’t come close to the comfort of the bed I’d taken to for the past two days. The bed being Cooper’s. With my back against one of the concrete columns, I lolled in and out of sleep, never really able to get comfortable. My body shivered in protest against the cold desert wind of the Nevadan winter. Despite the temperature hitting ninety degrees during the day, a night out in the open, with only my cut to keep me warm, froze me to the bone.