Rebel Rider, page 24
“Now, now, little girl.” He hisses. You stay calm, you do exactly as I say, and you won’t get hurt. Your lover boy and I need to... carry out a business transaction. And you’re gonna come along with me, to make sure everything goes all smooth.”
Adrenaline explodes through me as I fight to break his grip on me. I thrash and squirm, until finally, I bite down, hard, on his calloused hand. I jerk my knee up, trying to get his crotch, but he dodges the hit and yanks me tight against him.
I scream, but I know with the shop closed and not much else out here, no one’s around to even hear me.
I know no one is coming to save me.
Mike curses as he spins me, shoving me up against my car as his hand clamps down over my mouth. I try and shove him away, and I try to stomp on his shoe with my heel. But suddenly, he pulls something from his jacket, and I go still.
He chuckles wickedly to himself as he flashes the revolver, and a chill ripples through me. He lets the barrel drag over my cheek, and I tremble.
“Last warning, bitch,” he snarls. “Play nice, or I’m gonna start being someone I don’t like to be. Understand?”
I nod jerkily, my whole body going into shock as I realize what’s happening here.
“Good. Now, if you’ll come this way, we can get this all over with.”
I close my eyes as he guides me away from the shop out into the dark evening, and I blink back the tears that threaten to well from my eyes.
26
Aiden
Jesus, look at me.
I shake my head at myself as I head back to the bike shop later that evening. I’ve never been one for romantic gestures. Not ever. But that’s because there’s never been a someone to do them for. There’s never been someone like Hailey.
Well, there was always Hailey, she was just never mine. And now that I’ve got her? Well, I don’t plan on ever letting her go.
The romantic gesture is a cornball card and flowers. Yes, it’s cheesy, but no, I don’t give a fuck. And I can’t actually think of a better way than this to tell Hailey everything—what I want for us. What I want for a future for both of us.
And damn, I can’t wait to see the look on her face as she reads the simple words I’ve written for her.
I pull into the almost empty bike shop parking lot and kill the engine. Her car is still here, and the lights are still on inside. I grin, a damn spring in my step I saunter up to the entrance and stride in, brandishing the flowers.
I stop in my tracks, a frown crossing my face.
The shop is empty.
“Hailey?”
I head through the back into the workshop, glancing around, but that’s empty too. She’s not in the customer restroom, not in my office, not in the private bathroom.
What the fuck is going on?
I head back through to the front of the store, and glance into my office. No sign of Hailey, but something catches my eye.
My laptop. On the floor. The screen is still on, albeit a little cracked, but it’s still working. I set it down on my desk, and my heart sinks as realization dawns on me.
Aww fuck.
And it all clicks into horrible place. Hailey thinks with me back on the tour, she’d be an obvious choice to manage the shop. And here’s an email from me offering the position to someone else, with no mention of her whatsoever.
Goddamnit.
I stand, my jaw grinding as I shove my hands through my hair. I should have told her sooner. Hell, with us and our history of waiting too long to say something, why the fuck would I wait at all? For anything? But now the damage is done.
I whirl, my brow still scowling, when I suddenly stop. Even if Hailey was pissed off, why would she leave her damn car here? What’d she do, take off on foot?
My mind goes to worst case scenarios of a furious Hailey running down the side of a dark road and getting hit by some careless driver. Or falling down a ravine, or fuck, kidnapped.
My blood rood hot as I run out of the shop and sprint to my bike, tucking the card and flowers into a side saddle, fingers shaking with adrenaline.
A second later I’m tearing off on my bike, and I do a sweep of the few blocks around the shop. She’s nowhere to be found, and my panic is rising as a terrible gut feeling of dread comes over me.
I curse myself again and pull over to the sidewalk and pull my cell phone out of my jeans pocket. No missed calls, text messages, or voicemail.
I tap at the screen, and bring up Hailey’s number, hurriedly clicking the green call button and placing my cell to my ear.
The phone rings for a while, and I hold my breath. Nothing. No answer. The call goes to voicemail.
I release my breath slowly, and tap my cell phone against my chin, deep in thought of what my next move will be.
Suddenly my phone buzzes, and I jump and almost drop it as I fumble to look at the screen.
Hailey. Thank fuck for that.
I press the answer button and bring my cell phone to my ear.
“Baby, listen to me, I can explain,” I say breathlessly, my words tumbling out.
“Naaaahh. How about you listen to me, baby.”
My blood turns to ice as a deep, rough male voice laughs with cruel amusement at the other end of the line.
“I’ll explain everything much, much clearer,” the voice says, and recognition washes over me like a wave of dread.
How the fuck is Mike Powell still alive?
He’s dead. I mean, he’s supposed to be dead. The news reports from that night said that everyone involved had been killed. But here I am, talking to a fucking ghost. A ghost that has the girl I love in harm’s way.
“You son of a bitch. If you’ve hurt her—”
“I’ll make this real simple for you, Aiden. I have your girl. And damn, if she ain’t even more pretty up close,” he drawls disgustingly, and my free hand clenches into a fist. “She ain’t hurt. Yet. And she won’t be, if you do exactly as I say.”
Silence on the line for a moment.
“What do you want?” I snarl, gritting my teeth in an attempt to suppress the anger rising within me.
He snorts at my words.
“Well, since you fucked things up real bad for me and my boys, things ain’t been too good for me. None of this had to happen, if you’d have just done what you were fucking told in the first place!” His voice rises to a roar as he talks, shaking with rage.
“So what I want is this. Fifty-thousand bucks. Cash, in an hour, or your girl is dead. Plus, I want a weekly payment from your shop, so I can get things up and running again. Call the cops? She’s dead. Try and fuck with me? She’s dead. Bring the money to my old shop, like I said, and no one has to get hurt. If you don’t turn up, I’ll be coming for you next.”
The line clicks off dead, and I start to shake with rage. I take a few deep breaths in an attempt to calm myself down, before glancing down at my watch.
Good. The banks will still be open.
I rev the engine of my Harley and roar off towards the center of town. I’m trying to keep a level head and think about the task at hand. But I’m seeing red. My whole damn body is shaking with adrenaline and fury.
And I know without a doubt that if he’s hurt the woman I love at all, I’ll kill him. Bare hands, around his neck.
* * *
It’s surprisingly easy to make a withdrawal for fifty grand. The amount I keep in a savings and business checking account in the local bank helps, of course. And the bank manager who assists me doesn’t push it by asking what the fuck I need that kind of money in cash for. Or maybe he sees the look on my face and knows he doesn’t actually want to know the reason.
Then I’m back on my bike, tires screeching as I roar off with the money in a deposit bag tucked into the saddlebag of my bike.
Hailey’s big blue eyes, and her smile, and the feel of her lips on mine, and the rush of all of it that came together since I got back here come flashing through my mind. I’m barely seeing the road as I crank it out of town. I’m barely keeping myself together, but I know I have to. For her.
Mike will be armed, most likely. I don’t think he’ll have any backup, what with all of his cronies dying in that firefight with the Feds. But then, up until forty-five minutes ago, I thought he was dead too.
Most or all of his cronies were killed or arrested, but that doesn't necessarily mean he’ll be alone.
His whole plan is ridiculous, and maybe that’s what infuriates me almost as much as him threatening Hailey. The fact that he’s asking for such a stupid amount, given my history of huge winnings, not to mention my immanent return to racing and the giant sign-on bonus, almost makes it more personal, like it’s not about the money, even though I know it is. But in any case, I’m not about to let a thing happen to Hailey no matter what Mike’s motive or amount is. He could be asking for five dollars or five million dollars. Right now, I’d burn the world down to get her back safely.
And then there’s the whole thing about wanting “protection money” from my shop every week? I mean exactly how would he think that’d work, after I have his only leverage back in my arms?
But, none of it matters. It doesn’t matter that he’s acting unhinged, except that it puts Hailey even more at risk.
I grit my teeth, thundering the bike down the dark road.
I approach Mike’s shop cautiously, dropping my engine to a low gear and puttering slowly along the road, my senses all on high alert. The shop is derelict and boarded up for the most part, with a few smashed windows where boarding used to be.
It’s bigger than my shop, with what looks like a decent sized two-story house attached to the back, which I’m guessing was the old headquarters of the Fire Devils. When they weren’t drinking at the bar or making deals out in the woods, that is.
There’s no sign of anyone, as far as I can see. I’m slightly worried that this whole thing could be a trap, but my gut tells me that I’m only dealing with Mike here.
And now it’s time to face the music. Me and Mike, one on one. Hand over the money, promise I’ll be a good boy, and get Hailey the hell out of here.
Stay calm.
This can be quick. As much as I want to fantasize about exacting my revenge on Mike with my fists or maybe a torque wrench for laying hands on Hailey, here and now isn’t the time. This is all about making sure she’s okay, and then walking the fuck away.
I glance around one final time. The place and the streets around it are deserted, disused, or demolished industrial land. Guess no one wanted to invest in property next to a violent biker gang headquarters. Shocker.
I pull my bike into a side alley across the road from the shop. I pull my cell phone out of my pocket and walk slowly across the road as I dial Hailey’s cell number. The line starts to ring as I approach what was the front of the shop, and the line clicks after a few rings.
It’s go time.
27
Aiden
“You got something for me, Aiden?” I can hear amusement in Mike’s voice. “‘Cause, well, your time’s running out. Tick, tock, boyo!”
“I’ve got the money. And I’m outside. No one else knows I’m here, and I wasn’t followed,” I reply flatly. “Now let me in so we can get this over with.”
Mike grunts at my words, almost sounding impressed.
“Good boy. I like it when people can follow simple orders. Makes everything so much more... civilized, don’t ya think? Come ‘round the back. There’s a big blue door. Wait outside.”
With that, the line clicks off, and I tuck my cell phone back into my pants pocket, and stride around the left of the shop front, following the outside wall until I get to the attached bungalow at the back of the building.
I approach a large blue door set into the center of the building and stand a few feet away. I pat the deposit bag I’ve got stuffed into the bulging pocket of my leather jacket for reassurance, and then keep my hands at my sides, fists tight, muscles coiled. I take in deep breaths through my mouth, exhaling slowly out through my nose.
After a long minute or so the door opens slowly with a creek. Mike’s ugly face appears from the gloom, and he glances about cautiously before his gaze settles on me. He nods, and gestures for me to approach, disappearing behind the door.
I steady myself and walk calmly over to the building, my hands half raised, and palms open to show I’m not gonna do anything stupid. With gritted teeth I step into the building, and it takes a second for my eyes to adjust to the gloom.
The door clicks closed behind me, and all of a sudden a rough, strong hand grabs me by the back of the neck. I grunt as Mike pokes what appears to be a large gun into my lower back.
“Now don’t try and be a hero,” he growls in my ear. “Do as I say, and everyone gets outta here unhurt, ya hear me?”
I nod, raising my hands above my head slowly, and do my best to relax, despite the handgun poking into my kidney.
“I didn’t come all the way out here to do something stupid,” I mutter.
Mike grunts placated with my words.
His hand loosens on my neck, and he guides me through the abandoned building to a side room. There’s a bolt on the outside of the door, and I try not to think what this room might have been used for in the past.
Mike takes his hand from my neck and slides the bolt open but pauses before opening the door.
“Like I said, I ain’t touched her,” he says. Then he chuckles. “You got yourself a feisty one here, Aiden. Almost scratched my goddamn eyes out. Seems like she’s pissed at something else, too.” He chuckles “I’d say I’m probably the least of your concerns right now.”
He laughs again and swings the door open. Hailey is seated on a simple wooden chair in the middle of the room. Her hands and feet are bound together, and she has a filthy rag tied around her mouth as a gag. My eyes dart over her, looking for bruises, anything.
Give me a reason to kill you right here, Mike.
But she looks unharmed, and I breathe a sigh of relief.
She looks up as I enter the room, and her expression softens for a moment as she realizes it’s me. Then, her shoulders arch defiantly and her eyes blaze with anger, a deep frown on her face.
“I’m going to take her gag off.”
It’s not a question, and I’m not asking permission. Mike just shrugs though.
“I wouldn’t if I were you. Be better to keep it on. Permanently. But fuck it, she’s your woman,” he chuckles.
I pull the gag from Hailey’s mouth, and she spits as the filthy material is pulled away.
“You... you fucking asshole!” she spits at Mike. “You didn’t have to tie me up in this shit hole of a room! Let me go!” She shouts, shaking with rage.
“Calm down,” I mutter under my breath, my eyes blazing as I take her shoulders in my hands. I can feel her trembling with rage and emotion.
“Are you okay? Are you hurt?”
She shakes her head.
“No, I’m okay.” Her eyes narrow at me. “But just because you rescued me doesn’t make me any less annoyed with you, you ass. I mean how… how could you, Aiden? After all I’ve done? After we…”
Her voice is trembling, and I can see her eyes glistening with tears.
“Hailey, I can explain. Trust me. It’s not what you think,” I say, my expression pleading as I stare into her eyes. “Let’s just get the fuck out of here and I’ll tell you everything.” Her shoulders slump, and she shakes her head, her eyes closed.
I turn back to face Mike. He’s watching us, a bemused expression on his face as he leans against the wall, a revolver clutched lazily in his right hand. He gestures at us with the gun in a sweeping motion.
“You two love birds done?” He asks, any hint of amusement vanishing in a second.
I nod and hold my hands up again.
“Let her go, she can wait for me outside. You said the deal was that she’d be safe, and as far as I’m concerned, that ain’t until she’s out of range of that gun,” I growl, nodding at him.
Mike eyes me for a second before he nods.
“Alright, fine. You can untie her. But you better have that money, or you’re not gonna walk out of here,” Mike says coldly. He points his gun at Hailey. “And if you try anything stupid, lover boy here is gonna find himself with a new hole in that pretty face. Understand?”
I turn back to kneel before Hailey, and quickly untie her bindings. She rubs at her wrists as she rises to her feet and glares at Mike, then back at me, as if she’s unsure if she’s actually free to go or not.
“There’s an alley across the road from the front of the shop. I’ll meet you there. Go,” I hiss. All I want to do is hold her, and kiss those lips, and tell her everything. But not here. Not like this. She has to be safe first.
Hailey gives Mike one last cautious glance. She looks back to me, swallowing as her eyes soften.
“Aiden—”
“Go, Hailey,” I say tightly.
She nods, and her hand brushes mine, our fingers entwining for one second before she runs out the door.
I wait until I hear the back door open and close before turning to face Mike.
“The money is in the bag in my jacket pocket. I’m gonna take it out, nice and slow, and hand it to you. So you can check it over.”
He nods and holds his free hand out, gesturing for me to hand over the cash. I slowly reach into my inside pocket and take out the envelope, being sure not to make any sudden movements. The gun is trained on me now, and I feel a chill run down my spine every time the chrome flashes in the gloom.
I step cautiously forwards, and Mike grunts, grabbing the envelope and peering at the contents. He glances up at me, and gestures towards the chair.
“Sit. While I count,” he orders me.
“Fine.”
I oblige and sit slowly down on to the chair Hailey was just tied to.
He thumbs through the wad of cash, his eyes glinting with greed as he surveys the hefty envelope of hundred-dollar bills. His eyes widen.
