by Jacobs, Kyle
"Drop the piece!" Logan commanded. Ryder didn't move. Instead, he tried to glance behind him toward Milo, looking for some sign of what to do.
Milo had gotten out of his vehicle, but stood behind the open door. "We're not dropping nothing, asshole," Milo shouted.
"Should I just shoot him now?" Parker asked Logan.
"Not until we know where Oliver is," Logan said.
Milo perked up at the name. "You want Oliver? Then you gotta deal with me. I know where he is." He grinned. It was all false confidence now. He had been outed as a traitor, and one with a van full of Macabre Jesters goods.
Just then, another vehicle came up behind them. Logan did not turn to look, but knew it was Logan.
A truck pulled up behind Logan's car. Adam got out of the driver's side, and immediately sighted his pistol at Ryder, while using his door for cover.
Logan jumped out of the passenger side. He slammed the door and marched over to stand next to Parker oblivious to all the weaponry. Logan looked mighty pissed.
"You bastards," Logan said as he took in the scene, then focused on the two traitors. "You brainless, gutless, snivelling worms." He pointed at the van. "Is that it?" he asked Logan.
"Yeah, that's it," Logan said. Logan's anger was now greater than his own.
Logan pointed his finger at Milo. "You thought you could screw around on us? Screw over your Brothers? That the kind of piece of crap you are?"
Milo was still grinning but the confidence behind it wilted. He must of known there was no getting out of this alive, let alone unscathed. "We still got the boy toy. You hurt us, he's dead. I swear it!"
"Damn," Logan said, suddenly realizing. "The other vehicle. The first one that turned off. He was in that one." Despite himself Logan took his eye off of Ryder to look down the road, as if he might still see it driving away.
"Other vehicle?" Logan started to ask.
Then Milo had a pistol in his hand, and raised it up from behind the door. He fired.
Adam screamed as he was hit through his side.
Logan pulled out his pistol. Aimed and shot at Milo.
Ryder went for his own pistol, but Parker had him dead to rights and fired twice. Both shots went through the big man's chest. Blood blossomed on his shirt.
Logan was firing, but his shots were missing.
With Ryder down, Logan tried to get a better angle on Milo. He fired once and Milo yelped as his pistol arm was hit. The arm went limp but he didn't drop the weapon.
For some reason only a doomed man would know, he turned and tried running back up the driveway toward the dairy. It made no difference.
Logan had a bead on Milo, but lowered his arm. He looked to Logan and said, "All yours."
Logan didn't hesitate. He aimed at the back of the running Biker and fired once.
The back of Milo's head imploded and he dropped face down into the mud.
Instantly, Logan ran over to the van and peered inside. All crates. Then he went over to Milo's car. He opened the back door's. No Oliver. Then popped the trunk. He wasn't there.
He ran back down to Ryder, who was sitting in the mud, leaning up against the van. Blood gushed from his wounds.
Logan grabbed his face and made Ryder look at him. "What was the make of their car?" He hadn't seen what it was. Even if he headed in the direction of Hound territory, he would have to check every single vehicle along the way.
When the dying biker only moaned Logan slapped his face. "What's their car?!" he shouted.
Ryder looked at Logan groggily, as if he were merely drunk, and not bleeding to death. "Blue sedan..." he managed.
Logan stood up, and as he ran to his car he looked over at Logan.
Logan waved him on. "Go take care of business," he said, looking grimly down at Ryder. "We'll clean up this."
Parker shouted at Logan, "Need me?"
"No," Logan said. "I got this."
And with that, he peeled out of the driveway and raced down the road.
He was going to get Oliver back.
Chapter 22
Oliver
Oliver sat in stunned silence for several minutes, trying to process what Gavin just said.
"Marriage? You think we're going to get married?"
Gavin grinned at him. He looked like a man who knew everything. That just by saying the words marriage would make it so. "Yeah. Legally, you will be mine. We'll move into a bigger place. Then we'll start to adopt kids."
Oliver could only stare at him. This man was a lunatic. After all this he really thought Oliver would just let such a thing happen?
"You're an idiot," Oliver heard himself saying.
Gavin's grin faltered. His eyes grew wide with anger. "What did you just say to me?"
Oliver's anger was growing, too. And so was his courage. "You're a complete moron if you think that will ever happen. Children?" he said incredulous. "Of all the stupidity. You'd think I'd want raise kids to end up like you? A bunch of losers - ."
Gavin's arm shot out and backhanded Oliver across the face. Oliver's head whipped back and he hit it hard against the window.
Oliver saw stars. He blinked, dazed.
Gavin was enraged. "You ungrateful bitch. Don't you ever speak to me that way again or I'll beat some sense into you."
This wasn't the first time Gavin had struck Oliver. There had been many times before. But it was the first time Oliver had spoken back at Gavin. He had always cowered and let him do what he wanted. Waited and prayed that his anger would pass.
But now Oliver knew Logan was out there. Probably looking for him. Oliver didn't have to do anything he didn't want to anymore. Certainly not for Gavin.
He wanted Logan, and Gavin could go to hell.
Oliver levelled him with a hard stare. "We will never be married. You and I are over. Forever. Period." His tone was firm. He was making a statement of fact. It didn't matter what Gavin said or did now. He was defiant.
Oliver was deciding what to do with his life now. Not Gavin.
Gavin was borderline apoplectic. But at the same time, he didn't quite expect this new Oliver, nor how to handle him. "Talk big all you want, bitch." He said. "You are mine. And you always will be."
Oliver found himself looking out the passenger window at the pavement. He could jump. Hell, he would jump. They were now approaching some semblance of civilization again. More buildings were passing them by. He could make a run for it.
Just then there was a loaded dinging noise.
Oliver looked over as Gavin cursed. The car was low on gas. He knew that the car would never make it even half way back to Silver Hound territory now.
"What a genius you are," Oliver sneered. It felt good to mock him. After the near countless times Gavin had done the same to him, belittling him, abusing him. "Try and kidnap someone on an empty tank of gas? Moron!"
Again, the backhand. But this time Oliver managed to get his hands up and block most of the blow. Gavin still hit him, but not as hard.
The low fuel alarm kept dinging.
As if on cue, a gas station appeared ahead of them at an intersection.
Gavin suddenly grabbed him by the neck, "Keep still, and sit there. Or I'll make it worse for you."
Oliver knew Gavin had to get gas. This would give him a chance to escape. It would be now or never. So he played it smart. He chilled out and nodded.
Gavin pulled into the station and drove up to a pump. At the pump next to them was a small van with a family inside. Two little girls jumped around in the back as the father pumped gas.
As Gavin put the car in park, Oliver gripped the passenger door handle.
"Don't," Gavin said. Oliver looked at him. Gavin's face looked smug. He looked down. Gavin had a pistol pointed at him from his lap. "You try anything and I'll shoot you dead. Then, I'll shoot those little brats, too. Then the parents." His tone was deadly, and Oliver knew better than to doubt his words.
Oliver released the door handle and sat back. He glared at Gavin.
 
; Gavin looked around, then said to him. "Stay seated. If anyone dies here it will because of your dumb ass."
Oliver was fuming. This changed things. He knew, almost without a doubt, that Gavin would go ballistic here if he didn't obey him. Oliver might risk his own life to escape, but he wasn't going to let any innocent bystanders get hurt. Especially children. He would just bide his time.
Oliver nodded once. "Asshole," he said, and sneered at him.
Gavin's grin returned. "Just looking out for my future husband," he said, and slipped the pistol under his shirt and behind his waste band.
He got out of the car and closed the door. Oliver looked. He had taken the keys with him.
As Gavin started pumping the gas Oliver thought about Logan. So Logan wasn't beaten at the Clubhouse. That was Milo. And he wasn't in any trouble because of Oliver. That was all just a story to get him to leave.
He felt a flare of anger at Edward. Oliver had actually started to trust him. He allowed himself to be manipulated by Edward and Ryder to leave. No doubt, when Milo revealed his deal with the Silver Hounds Logan would have suspected Gavin might be involved. And Logan would have come looking to check on him. To protect him.
But he had let himself be whisked away by a bunch of fast talkers. He let it happen.
He would never let that happen again. And, God help Eddie if he ever crossed paths with Oliver again.
Oliver couldn't dwell on that now. Instead, he needed to concentrate on an escape. Somehow.
The van with the family had finished, and drove away onto the road. Oliver looked back at Gavin. He couldn't see his face, but he raised his shirt enough for just him to see the pistol in his waist band.
What could Oliver do?
As if delivered from the God above, a black and white police car smoothly drove up off the road and into the spot the family had just vacated. Two police officers were inside.
Oliver's heart started to hammer in his chest. This was his chance.
Both officers got out of the car. They glanced in Gavin and Oliver's direction. Then looked away.
Now or never girl! He thought.
He gripped the car door handle again. Almost eagerly, he watched as one officer walked to the gas station entrance and went inside.
The other started to pump gas into the cruiser.
Gavin was still at the back of the sedan. He must have sensed that Oliver might try something because he stopped the pump long before the tank was full.
As he turned to put the pump back into its cradle, Oliver quickly opened the door and got out.
Gavin whirled around. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" He hissed. He kept his voice low.
Without looking back at him Oliver said, "Whatever I want."
Oliver passed the cruiser and loudly said, "Hello, officer!"
The officer looked, and said, "Hello to you, too."
Oliver went inside. The first officer was over by a counter making himself a big take-away cup of coffee. A clerk was behind another counter, next to the register, playing a game on his phone.
Now what do I do? He thought. Run over to the cop screaming? Or take a risk. He didn't want anyone to get hurt. Gavin was capable of following through on his threat to start shooting people.
He quickly decided to wait and see before doing anything. He went over to a magazine rack that was next to the main window. Outside, Gavin was putting the cap back on the tank, taking longer than it should. He was obviously trying to decide what to do, too.
If the cops start to leave, I'll say something, he thought. His heart was hammering in his chest. His head felt light. He prayed he was doing the right thing.
If only Gavin would just leave!
Oliver watched, transfixed as Gavin calmly put the cap back on the tank, then opened the passenger door and put something inside. Then he turned and walked toward the station door.
What was he doing? Then he realized. He couldn't just drive away because he still had to pay for gas and the clerk would alert the officers. Plus, he was arrogant enough to think he could change Oliver's mind. He didn't realize Oliver was giving him a change to leave, or was too much of a bastard to care.
As Gavin approached the door, the second officer had finished pumping gas, too, and walked over to the door. He followed Gavin inside.
Instead of walking over to the counter to pay, Gavin headed over to Oliver. Oliver glanced at the officers. They were both at the coffee counter. The first officer glanced in his direction.
"You stupid bitch," Gavin said. "Do as you're told. You're only making it worse for you. Be a good little hubby and get back in the car."
Oliver had had enough. "Shut up, asshole!" he said loudly. "I want nothing to do with you! Can't you get that through your thick skull."
Gavin paled and looked over at the officers. They were both looking in their direction now.
He was desperate. "Chill out and this will go a lot easier for you. Keep your voice down, I don't-"
"What?!" Oliver yelled. "You'll do what? Want to say that louder so everyone can hear?"
Gavin was really shaken by this. His defiance. The presence of the officers. But Oliver knew what was really rattling him: he had no control over the situation.
"You brainless moron, if you-" Gavin started to say.
"Is everyone okay here, sir?" said the first officer as he appeared beside them. Gavin gave a start in surprise.
"No problem," Gavin said. "He's just a little high strung."
Oliver would have laughed at that if he wasn't so pissed off. "Yes, officer there is a problem." He pointed at Gavin. "He is the problem!"
The second officer approached, but from a different angle. They were positioning themselves to cover Gavin, Oliver thought.
Gavin glared at Oliver, then blurted out, "Don't make this worse!"
Oliver blinked at him. What an idiot. He said, "How much worse do you think this can get?"
Outside, there was a sudden screeching of tires. Everyone turned to look.
A car surged up into the gas station lot. Oliver could see the driver, clear as day. His heart leapt in his chest.
It was Logan.
Chapter 23
Logan
Logan drove his car as fast as he could push it, and cursed when it couldn't give any more speed.
He estimated that Gavin and Oliver had a good five minute head start on him, and he hoped to catch up well before Gavin got into Silver Hounds territory.
Not that entering another Club's territory bothered Logan. Normally, he would go through proper channels, but screw all that to hell. Oliver was in danger.
If he had to shoot his way straight in through the Hounds Clubhouse to get Oliver, he was going to do it.
He knew he was more than willing to die for Oliver. This came as a shock. He never really had strong emotions for anyone, all his life. Even with men he was involved with. And he had only known Oliver for a short while. But the feelings that he had awoken in him were as terrifying as they were thrilling. And he didn't want to lose that.
He would not lose Oliver.
Flying down the road he was still careful to check each vehicle he passed. In the back of his mind he wasn't entirely sure what he would do if and when he came across them. Try and run them off the road? Oliver could be hurt. Shoot out a tire? That was an option. He would have to wait and see. Right now, he was running on pure emotion. Rage for Gavin, and what he had done. And something deep and wonderful, for Oliver. Both feelings roiled in his heart and mind.
He returned his thoughts to the road. He was fast approaching a lighted intersection, and started to slow down only a little. There was a gas station coming up on the right hand side. He noticed the black and white squad car but forgot it instantly when he saw the blue sedan parked at a pump.
Slamming on the brakes, he wrenched the steering wheel, and skidded into the gas station lot. He brought the car right up to the pavement just outside the entrance and stopped the car with a screech.
&
nbsp; His eyes locked with Oliver's inside the station. There were other people with him, including some cops, but Logan didn't care. He'd found Oliver.
Despite the hammering in his heart, he had the presence mind to ensure that his pistol was hidden beneath his shirt. Then, without even killing the engine, he slammed the car into park and jumped out of the car.