Primal Heat

by Piper Davenport

  I bit my lip. “I’m really scared, Stoney.”

  “I know, baby. We got you.”

  “They’re getting closer.”

  “Speed, Sabrina. You’ve got your medallion for moments just like this if you get lit up.”

  “Oh my god, Noah, if I get pulled over, I’ll never hear the end of it from my brother.”

  “I don’t give a shit if the entire Monument PD lights you up, I’d rather have cops on you instead of who these assholes are.”

  “Just how bad could it be?”

  “Gun it, Breezy. Swear to Christ, if it’s who I think it is, you’re gonna be hurt, so you need to put your fuckin’ pedal to the metal.”

  I nodded even though he couldn’t see me, and gunned the motor, tears streaming down my face as my heart slammed against my chest. My beautiful car sped up quickly and quietly, and I let out a deep sigh as I hit the compound street.

  “I’m less than a mile out,” I rasped.

  “Good. Okay, baby, gates are opening. Drive inside and don’t stop until you get to the cabin.”

  “Will you be there?” I whispered.

  “I will be soon. Just wait inside.”

  I saw the gates and headed straight for them, sliding my car in between, and driving as fast as I could down the paved road toward the cabin. I watched the gates close behind me and slowed as I drew closer to my saviors, stopping right outside the cabin, and dropping my forehead to my steering wheel.

  My heart raced and my stomach roiled. I couldn’t catch my breath as the panic overtook me. A knock at my window elicited a scream and I turned to see Aero motioning for me to open my door. I’d met him a few times and I liked him. He was young and eager, and very sweet.

  “You’re safe. Open the door,” he said.

  I turned off the ignition and pushed open my door. He settled his hands on my shoulders. “Stoney wants you inside until he gets back. You want a beer?”

  “It’s not even nine a.m.,” I countered.

  He shrugged. “You’ve had a shit mornin’, thought you might want something a little stronger than coffee.”

  I shook my head, rubbing my arms. “I don’t think I can even handle coffee right now.”

  “Well, come inside and get warm,” he suggested. “I’m around if you need me.”

  “Where’s Stoney?”

  “He’ll be back soon.”

  “That didn’t really answer my question.”

  He smiled. “I know,” he said, and walked away.

  * * *

  Stoney

  I peeled off the instant Sabrina was through the gate and headed for the main access road. As I reached the end of the road, I spotted five riders rapidly turning their bikes around. They’d obviously seen Sabrina make it into the compound and must have known that their plan, whatever the fuck it was, had failed. I pulled back on the throttle, flying straight at the cluster of riders. There was no way in hell these pricks were gonna outride me, and I was determined to stop them, even if it meant laying my bike down in the road in front of them. I pulled up just behind the pack and my suspicion was confirmed by their patches. These guys were all Los Psychos.

  Just as we approached the T junction at the end of the road, the lead rider signaled, and the group split up. Three riders headed east, while the leader and one other rider went west. I decided to stay on the leader and banked right to continue my pursuit. Violent thoughts flooded my mind as I imagined what I was gonna do once I got my hands on these bastards.

  I caught up to the two, who were now riding parallel to one another, and came up alongside the leader. He greeted me by pulling a gun from his cut and leveling at me. However, before he could get a shot off, I pulled into his lane, causing him to swerve to the right. He slammed his bike into the other rider, who somehow managed to stay upright and on the road. The leader, on the other hand, hit the ground hard. His helmet slamming into the pavement, and his bike shooting off sparks as it skid, without its rider, down the road. The leader himself came to a rolling stop on the side of the road as I stopped my bike. Several passing motorists had seen the accident and had also now stopped, either to help or snap selfies.

  Shit. The last thing I need right now is bunch of nosey do-gooders getting in the way of me beating this scumbag to death.

  Fortunately for my intended victim, Sundance arrived in one of the club vans and stopped in the right lane, keeping me from beating the shit out of him on the side of the road. The van obstructed the view, and incoming traffic, of the brigade of surely well-meaning citizens. The van door slid open and Moses and Wrath hopped out.

  “Grab him!” Wrath shouted, and the three of us picked up the crashed rider and dragged him into the van.

  “Follow me and stay close,” Sundance ordered from behind the wheel.

  I quickly got back on my bike and Sundance peeled off continuing west. I kept expecting him to turn and head toward the compound, but I stayed on him as he pressed on towards the outskirts of Monument. We drove quickly but cautiously for another twenty minutes until Sundance signaled for me to turn down a narrow forestry road, which led to a small outbuilding tucked into the woods.

  I parked my bike as Sundance, Wrath and Moses carried the limp and moaning biker to the building’s entrance.

  “Get the door, will ya?” Sundance grunted, motioning to a keypad next to the door. “The code is 53217.”

  I punched in the code and opened the door to what looked like a disused forestry service station. “What is this place?” I asked, immediately regretting inhaling.

  “This is Ranger Rick’s place,” Wrath replied, as the rider’s moans got louder.

  “Jesus,” Moses said, almost letting go of the rider’s feet. “Did Ranger Rick die in here?”

  “Let’s set him over there,” Sundance said, motioning to spot on the floor, next to a rack stocked full of brochures and pamphlets on Colorado State parks and forests. “And close that door.”

  “Aw, come on, man. It stinks like death’s asshole in here,” Moses protested, but I did as Sundance ordered and shut the door before quickly turning around.

  “The smell’s probably coming from this piece of shit,” I said, pointing to the semi-conscious psycho on the floor.

  “Yo, call an ambulance,” the rider cried out.

  “This guy’s pretty fucked up, Prez,” Wrath said as he looked the injured man over.

  “His condition isn’t about to improve,” I said, and started toward them, but Sundance blocked my path.

  “Hold up there. I think we’d best keep you in the batter’s box for now.”

  “Fuck that,” I spat back. I didn’t give a shit that Sundance was the president of the club. I was going to stop these bastards from coming after Sabrina if I had to beat every last member of Los Psychos to death with my bare hands.

  Instead of chewing my ass, Sundance looked at me sympathetically. “I get it. You’re pissed. But I want you to trust me, and hang back for a beat while I talk to this guy, alright?”

  I nodded but said nothing. I was prepared to give Sundance thirty seconds with this guy and if I heard one lie come out of his mouth, I was gonna squeeze his head like a pimple.

  “How ya’ feelin’, amigo?” Sundance asked.

  “Come on, homie,” he wheezed. “You gotta call me an ambulance.”

  “I ain’t your homie, and I’ll get you medical attention once you give me answers,” Sundance said, leaning down to read his name off his cut. “Sound good, Caca?”

  “It’s Coco, fucker. I think my leg is busted,” he cried.

  “And I’ll bet that hurts pretty bad, but let me assure you, you’ll feel a lot worse if I let my friend over there get ahold of you.” Sundance motioned to me. “This is your one chance to tell me why you were chasing the woman in the Mercedes.”

  “Los Psychos for life,” was all Coco said.

  “That should be easy. Your life expectancy just got a lot fucking shorter,” I growled.

  Sundance ignored me and co
ntinued his “good cop” line of questioning, “I’m telling you, for your sake. Tell me why you keep coming after that woman.”

  “You know what we did to the last guy you sent?” I asked, growing impatient.

  “Why do you think we’re here? You think Los Psychos is gonna let that shit stand?” Coco spat out.

  “How about I arrange it so you’ll never stand again, motherfucker?”

  “Shut the fuck up, Stoney,” Sundance snapped, before continuing, “Why does your club care so much about the debt of a dead former customer?”

  “A debt?” Coco laughed, spitting up blood. “You think we killed that bitch over a debt? Her car evened out that shit.”

  “What did you say?” I asked, my blood beginning to boil.

  “Los Psychos ain’t broke. We ain’t gonna spike some junkie’s shit because she owes us a couple grand,” he said.

  “You killed Maria? You murdered Sabrina’s sister?” I asked in a whisper of disbelief, before turning to Coco. “Why did you kill her?”

  “Why the fuck would I tell you?”

  “Why are you coming after Sabrina?” I hissed.

  “Fuck you and fuck that bitch too! I’ll cut her throat and make that kid watch.”

  I lunged at the man on the floor, but Sundance and Wrath grabbed me before I could reach him.

  “Let me go,” I growled, as the two men struggled to hold me back. The rage inside of me increasing by the second. Every time I thought about what these animals would have done to Sabrina if they’d taken her, my blood boiled hotter. “Get the fuck off of me!”

  “No way,” Sundance said with a grunt. “We need some answers from this guy, and he’s mangled enough as it is.”

  “Goddammit, Sundance. Let me go.” I strained with all my might. Once again, my only desire was to kill a man who’d threatened my...family. My knees buckled at this thought, and Sundance and Wrath were suddenly holding me up more than holding me back.

  “You okay?” Wrath asked, as I steadied myself.

  “I’m cool. Lemme go,” I repeated. Sundance and Wrath exchanged looks. “I said I’m fucking cool, okay?” They finally loosened their holds, and I pushed away from the two of them violently.

  “What the fuck is wrong with you, Stoney?” Sundance said, his tone a mixture of annoyance and concern.

  “What the hell are you talking about?” I seethed. “You heard him. These sick fucks aren’t gonna stop coming after Sabrina and Fox.”

  “I get it, but what’s your plan? You think if you go into extra innings with this guy, that’ll somehow protect them from Los Psychos?”

  “I don’t think you do get it, Sundance. Felix is my son.”

  “I don’t understand what it’s like to have a son in danger?” Sundance asked rhetorically.

  “Not one that you’ve just found out about. You had time to learn how to be a father. Time to get used to the crippling fear of knowing your son is vulnerable to the evils of the world. I haven’t.”

  Sundance’s eyes softened.

  “Besides. It’s not just about Felix,” I continued. “They keep coming after Sabrina, the only mother this kid has left. The woman who loves him enough to raise him as if he were here very own. The woman I love.”

  As soon as I’d spoken these words out loud, every ounce of rage drained from my body. Don’t get me wrong. I still wanted the moaning piece of shit laying on the floor of the visitor’s area to suffer. I just didn’t have it in me to be the one to bring that suffering on. Besides, I could now see for the first time that it wasn’t Los Psychos I was pissed off at. My anger was now aimed precisely where it belonged. At myself.

  It was my fault that Felix’s mother had kept him from me all these years. She was trying to protect him. Protect him from a savage, blood thirsty biker. A biker exactly like the one lying on the floor in front of me. I didn’t know my own son because of my lifestyle, because of what kind of man I’ve chosen to be. And now, after fucking up things between Los Psychos and the Bulykins, I’d only brought down more heat on the two people I loved the most.

  “Jesus, Sundance. What the fuck are we gonna do?”

  “Trust me,” he said, placing a hand on my shoulder.

  I nodded.

  Sundance pulled his phone out of his pocket and dialed. “Luca, it’s Sundance. I’m gonna text you with a location and I need you to meet me right away. Oh, and uh... bring an ambulance.”

  “Seriously?” I hissed.

  “It’s time to end this,” Sundance said.

  I nodded and we waited for Luca.

  Sabrina

  Stoney didn’t return for close to three hours and I was beyond panicked. I heard the roar of motorcycles and ran outside to meet him.

  “Babe, why are you out here without a jacket?” he growled, removing his helmet and jogging up onto the porch. He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me close. “Hey, I got you.”

  I burst into tears and gripped his jacket. “What did they want?”

  “Doesn’t matter. You’re safe now.”

  I leaned back and met his eyes. “Which means, what?”

  “Not important.”

  “Kind of important when bad men on bikes are chasing me down,” I growled.

  “Come on, let’s get you inside.”

  “I have to go to work, Noah.”

  He raised an eyebrow. “Why do you only call me Noah when you’re irritated with me or scared?”

  “I don’t know. I just do. Why do you always call me Breezy? Quit changing the subject.”

  “I call you Breezy when you need to chill the fuck out. You’re also fuckin’ easy breezy beautiful when you’re not freakin’ the fuck out.”

  “I only freak the fuck out when I have a reason to freak the fuck out,” I snapped.

  He rolled his eyes. “You need to let your office know you’re not coming in today.”

  “I already let them know I’d be late, but I can’t just keep calling out of work.”

  “Sabrina, you own the company, you actually can,” he countered. He wrapped an arm around me and started toward the cabin. “Inside.”

  “My laptop’s in my car. If I’m not able to go into the office, I’ll at least need to get some work done.”

  “I’ll get it. You need to get your ass inside.”

  “Wow,” I snapped. “You don’t get to talk to me like that.”

  I turned on my heel and stomped into the foyer.

  “Hey,” Aero said. “You okay?”

  “Do you have a place I can hide a body?”

  Aero smirked just as a heavy jacket settled over my shoulders and Stoney handed me my laptop bag. Even though I was mad at him, his jacket was warm, and I was freezing, so I snuggled into it.

  “Come into the great room, Breezy,” Stoney said. “I’ll get you a cup of coffee.”

  I stepped away from his touch and heard him sigh as I walked into the great room, rummaging through my purse for my phone. I called Ellie and let her know I’d be out the rest of the day, but I had my computer with me in case she needed me, then pulled my laptop out and powered it up.

  Stoney walked back into the room setting a cup of coffee on the table beside me, then lifting the laptop off my lap and leaning down, nose-to-nose with me. “I’m sorry I growled at you, Sabrina. Chalk it up to being scared to death that someone might hurt you.”

  “I understand, but that doesn’t give you license to speak to me that way.”

  “We really need to figure this out, baby, because I’m going to have moments where I can’t worry about how my tone and words will affect you,” he said. “I am always on your side, though, so can you maybe give me a little leeway?”

  I bit my lip. “Can you promise you’ll at least try to be kinder even when you’re stressed?”

  “Yes.” He kissed my nose. “Drink your coffee. Do you want a muffin or something?”

  “Are you going to tell me what’s going on?”

  “No.”

  I frowned. “Then, the
wifi password would be great.”

  “You need to eat.”

  “I need to get some work done,” I said.

  “I’ll give you the password as soon as you tell me what you want to eat,” he bargained.

  “Eggs over easy, bacon, hash browns, and an English muffin.”

  He dropped his head back and laughed. “I’ll see what we have in the kitchen.”

  He gave me the password, then walked away and I focused on getting some work done.

  About half an hour later, Stoney walked back over to me, lifting my computer off my lap. “Breakfast, or more accurately, brunch,” he said, taking my hand and pulling me off the sofa. He led me into the kitchen where eggs, bacon, and hash browns awaited me. “We only had sourdough, so hopefully, that’ll work.”

  “Oh my god, I was half kidding,” I admitted. “This looks amazing.” I faced him and gripped his vest. “Thank you.”

  “Forgiven?”

  “You were forgiven before this, honey. This absolutely gives you bonus points, though.”

  He grinned, leaning down to kiss me. “I’ll take ’em.”

  We sat at the big industrial island and ate our breakfast while another pot of coffee brewed. His phone buzzed and he frowned as he answered it. “Yeah? Shit. No, Aero, it’s non-negotiable.” He glanced at me, before standing and walking out of the room.

  I sighed and finished my breakfast, then cleaned up and went back to work. I didn’t see Stoney again for over an hour. This was actually not a bad thing, because I managed to get quite a bit done, which meant I had time to take a legitimate break.

  “Hey,” I said.

  “Hey,” he returned, distractedly. He was reading something on his phone and then his fingers were flying over the screen.

  “I was going to make something to eat. Unless you want to go out?”

  “No time, baby.” He finally looked at me and smiled. “And you can’t leave the compound, so we’re not goin’ out.”

  “I have to pick up Felix in an hour.”

  “Can you get your brother to do it?”

  I frowned. “Is it that serious?”

  “Yeah, baby, it is.”

  “What’s going on?”

  “I can’t tell you right now.”