by Rayne, Sara
Apollo turned to Lex. “So you’re the tramp he leeched onto after my sister.”
Lex stiffened. “Name-calling is a sign of low intelligence.”
“Satisfying, though. You’re not in a position to be insulting people.”
“Yet here I am, calling you stupid.” Her voice was clipped. “Know what? You were right. Name-calling does bring a certain satisfaction. Asshole.”
“Well, this is gonna be a pleasant road trip.” Apollo stood and took the gun from Johnny. He tugged Lex tight against his side and nodded to his toady. “The boiler, if you would.”
“What are you doing?” Lex leaned as far from him as his grip would allow. It wasn’t nearly far enough for Voo’s taste.
“Don’t worry about it. You’re coming with me to Mexico to ensure no pesky bikers follow me over the border looking for revenge.”
“Revenge for what?” Lex asked.
Voo watched Johnny approach the water heater above. He grabbed a firefighter’s axe and swung it at the panel behind the boiler. A loud metallic bang sounded.
“For blowing up one of their members in an unfortunate gas-leak explosion. You see, the water main started leaking, and it extinguished the pilot light, filling the place with gas. Then someone must have lit a match at the wrong moment.”
“Yeah, someone being me.” Johnny swung the axe again, the metal whining as it ripped.
“Just as Mt. Olympus was about to reopen. Such a tragedy.” Apollo clucked his tongue. “Good thing I took out extra insurance on this place.”
“You bastard!” Boone shouted, kicking behind Voo.
Icy fear swept through Voo, echoing in Lex’s wide eyes with every bang of Johnny’s axe. Water rushed down the wall behind them, swirling across the depression to fill the space. The sharp tang of propane filled the air as the pilot light fizzled and spat, its feed line exposed by Johnny’s hatchet job.
Voodoo’s nightmares manifested as the water slowly climbed his legs. He broke into a cold sweat, muscles seizing and cramping.
Apollo glanced at Voo. “I wonder if you’ll drown before the explosion.”
“If you go through with this, they’ll hunt you down, anyway. Mark my words, a Horseman’s face will be the very last thing you see.” Voo jerked against his restraints again, longing to punch Apollo in his smug face.
“Au revoir, Monsieur Crocker.” Apollo dragged Lex out of the room, kicking and screaming Voo’s name, and Johnny followed behind them.
The door sealed shut, entombing them in darkness.
The water rushed loudly, painfully cold as it swirled above Voo’s knees. Tasting propane with every shallow breath, he prayed the message had gone through and Coyote would make sense of it.
He curled his body inward for warmth, squatting as low to the surface of the water as the zip ties would allow to try to take in good air. Was this how his grand-mére had died? Cold and alone? Gasping for breath as the water rose higher? At least Voodoo wouldn’t die alone like she had.
“Rafe?” Boone’s ragged breath echoed in the dark room. “You still with me, buddy?”
“Oh, now we’re buddies?” Voo blinked, the gas stinging his eyes and cold water droplets clinging to his lashes. The water swirled and splashed against the concrete around them, subjecting them to a constant chilly spray.
Boone thrashed, sloshing the water. “That thing you did with the phone—it’s not gonna save us?”
“Call it a long shot.” Voo flexed his stiff fingers. “You feel lucky?”
“Non. God, I hope Josie’s okay.” Boone stopped struggling. The back of his wet head landed on Voo’s shoulder.
Voo closed his eyes. Perhaps this was his penance. Now he could drown beside his best friend, as he should have all those years ago. Panic clawed at his gut, but he resisted the urge to struggle. It was a waste of oxygen. The zip ties would hold.
Please let Lex survive, he prayed to whatever loa had saved him from the hurricane. Save her instead of me.
“Rafe? You still with me?”
He started. “Yeah.”
The cold and wet threatened to drag him under, fatigue settling in his bones as the oxygen crept from the room.
“I have a confession.”
“Save your air.” Voo gripped the water pipe, grappling with the fear coursing through him.
“I lied earlier. I didn’t ask Baron Samedi for Becky.”
“You sure? Because there’s no way you landed in her bed without divine intervention.” Voo laughed as the water circled his chest, the edge of hysteria burning his throat.
“I asked him to help me kill my father.” Boone pressed his back against Voo’s. “The day I came to your diner wasn’t just to ask for help. I wanted to tell you I found him.”
“What?”
“I know his name. I am not leaving this world before he does. I don’t know about you, but I ain’t dying in this godforsaken place.”
Voo had forgotten how annoyingly optimistic Boone could be.
“And to be clear, when I get out, if you don’t make it—I’m gettin’ with Lex.”
“Fils putain.”
“No, I mean it. I’m gonna have loud, crazy, amazing sex with her. And if you’re dead, you can’t stop me.”
Irritation fired his blood. “She’d never fuckin’ touch you.”
“We danced all night.”
“Yeah, then she went home with me.”
“We’ll see. Think about how grief-stricken she’ll be over the way you wussed out, gave up, and drowned.”
“Fuck you!”
He whistled. “And I’ll be all over comforting her.”
“You’re trying to piss me off so I’ll stay awake. You’d never take advantage of a woman.” He sank back against the water main, wishing he had his grand-mére’s gris-gris.
“Yeah, I know.” Boone sighed dramatically. “But a woman like her, the way she looks at you… Lex could tempt a saint to sin.”
“Truth.”
A loud wrenching sound came from the boiler, and the water rushed in faster, filling up the space and removing even more precious oxygen from the room.
“Please, Lex. Be okay. Please.” He didn’t care if Boone heard him. Fuck his pride, there was no way they would leave this room alive. He and Lex had only been together for one night, and today her life was in danger. All he wanted was for Lex to make it home safely to her family. And forget she’d ever met Voo.
Boone grabbed his hand and started to pray. Closing his eyes, Voo joined him.
Chapter Twenty-One
Apollo shoved Lex into his Mustang then handcuffed her arm to the gearshift, which had a custom knob shaped like a dollar bill sign. The cuff locked through the top loop of the symbol. When he shut the door, she noticed the door handle was missing. Did they have the move in a bad dude handbook somewhere?
He climbed into the driver’s seat beside her. “If you behave, you won’t be harmed. Once I’m safely across the border, I’ll drop you off. Hope you speak Spanish.” He settled the gun on his lap. “Are we clear?”
“Crystal.”
“If you make a scene or give me any lip, I’ll throw you in the trunk.” He pulled onto the highway, and they passed a sign warning, “Road Work Ahead”.
The blood drained from her face. Bile burned her stomach. Like a twisted reprise of her worst nightmare, the first orange barrel sent her heart thundering. She fastened the seatbelt, ignoring the amused look from the asshole beside her.
No, no, no….
She needed to save Voo before he ran out of air, or worse—blew up. But the gun nestled in Apollo’s lap limited her options.
Lex took a deep breath. Words were all she had to fight with right now. Be calm and think this through. Being afraid would lead to mistakes—like last time. “You think Mexico is far enough?”
Apollo stiffened but kept his eyes on the road. “I didn’t picture a lot of talking on this road trip.”
“If I pissed off an entire biker gang, I’d put an
ocean between them and me.”
“I’m not afraid of a bunch of hick bikers, little girl.”
Lex laughed.
“What’s so funny?”
“I know a lot more about those ‘hick bikers’ than you.” She settled back in her seat, scanning the construction as they whizzed by rows of orange barrels and concrete barriers. Flashes of Grant’s truck swirled through her mind with every reflector, but she forced the memory away. Voo and Boone were counting on her. “A Pale Rider is a member who kills for the club. When he visits death on the guilty party, the last thing the poor, doomed bastard hears is, ‘Think on your sins.’”
“How would you know? They bring you along on executions?” Apollo scoffed.
She smiled. “My dad’s a Pale Rider.”
Apollo’s neck muscles went rigid, and he blew out a breath. Lex realized he hadn’t done his research. He knew who she was to Voodoo but didn’t fully understand the depth of her connection to the Four Horsemen.
Big mistake.
“And I looked, and behold a pale horse. And his name that sat upon him was Death. And Hell followed with him.” Lex shifted to face Apollo. “All the Horsemen in Hell are coming for you. No matter where you go, it won’t be far enough. And the last thing you’re gonna hear is think on your sins.”
His grip tightened on the wheel. “Next time you open your mouth, I’m gonna shoot you in the foot.”
“Scared yet?” Lex smirked. Satisfaction rumbled through her. Everything she’d told Apollo was true. If he hurt her, she knew one thing to the marrow of her bones.
He’d die bloody.
The pleasure she got from the thought told her whose blood ran through her veins. She was Cap’s daughter, through and through. Fuck feeling unwelcome in the MC. She’d make her own place. Right after she got herself out of her current mess and saved Boone and Voodoo.
Or died trying.
“Told you, I’m a lucky son of a bitch, sweetheart.” He flashed a cocky grin. “I always land on my feet. I’m a survivor.”
“So are cockroaches.”
A double beep echoed through the car indicating OnStar had activated. Apollo fingered the gun. “That’s my business associate, Byron Beauregard. Keep your mouth shut or I’ll shoot you. Ever have a bullet pierce your kneecap? I reckon it’s painful.”
Byron Beauregard! Lex knew the name, though she’d never had the displeasure of meeting him. According to the club rumor mill, the mobster had framed Eddie for murder, blew up her warehouse, and beat the crap out of Pretty Boy.
Did all bad guys know each other? Was there some kind of secret out-to-get-the-Four-Horsemen henchman club?
Lex chewed her lower lip, looking for options. She watched the curve of the road, the flow of traffic, and noted every sign they passed, tracking the mile markers.
Apollo hit the OnStar button. “Hello, Mr. Beauregard.”
“Apollo. The paperwork is all on file. After a year, Mt. Olympus will transfer into my sole ownership and your debts will be cleared—assuming you’re correct in the hotel’s ability to produce enough profit to suit our needs.”
Sounded like the Dixie Mafia intended to use Mt. Olympus to launder their dirty money. Beauregard’s snide tone of voice exposed a marked distaste for his “business associate”.
Hmmph. We have something in common.
“It’s all taken care of.”
She considered calling out to Beauregard, but he could be miles away. She’d be dead before he got there. What were the chances he’d help anyway? Even if the mobster didn’t like Apollo, their interests were aligned. She stood a better chance of getting a Christmas present from the Grinch.
“Will there be any Four Horsemen complication?” Beauregard asked.
“No, sir.” Apollo shot a sidelong glance at Lex.
“Excellent. I’ll be in touch.”
The call disconnected as they rolled past a sign indicating the end of the road construction. The Mustang sped up as they pulled into the far left lane—heading out of town. She saw a sign for the airport.
Out of time.
“You lied to your boss.” Lex tightened her seatbelt.
“He’s not my boss. He’s the dupe who helped me pull this off. By the time Beauregard figures out what I’ve done, I’ll be out of the country.”
“I’m sure it’ll buy you a few days before the Dixie Mafia pays some señorita to slit your throat.”
“Careful you don’t convince me I’m better off shootin’ you in the head and tossin’ your body in a roadside dumpster.” He pushed down on the accelerator, and the force threatened to shove her back against the seat. “I don’t care how important you think you are. Your Horsemen aren’t in this car.”
He’d hit the nail on the head. The thing she’d struggled with the most after being trapped in Grant’s truck. Her “protection” was tattooed on her wrist, but it didn’t keep her safe. Lex had to count on herself. She straightened her shoulders.
“You were right about one thing. You are a lucky son of a bitch.”
“Oh?”
“You know what happened to the last guy who tried to keep me in a car I didn’t want to be in? I killed him.” She bared her teeth. “And you got lucky because I waited until the construction passed.”
Lex yanked the emergency brake with her cuffed hand and grabbed the wheel with the other, twisting it as far as she could. The car spun out of control.
Shouting, Apollo struck her in the head just before the Mustang slammed into the guardrail, flipping up on its back two tires. It crashed back down, hung up on the concrete barrier. The car tilted at a sickening angle as she passed out.
***
“Lex, dearie? Can you hear me? Lex?” The disembodied voice floated through the car.
Groaning, Lex forced her eyes open. Her forehead ached, and she hissed when her fingertips brushed the bruised flesh.
Bastard.
The driver’s seat was empty, the door ajar. The open-door indicator dinged angrily. Apollo was gone.
At least she hadn’t killed anyone.
“Lex, are you injured?”
She blinked in confusion. The voice came from the car speakers. “No, I’m okay.”
“Good because I canceled your OnStar emergency response.”
As her head cleared, she registered the altered vocal layers to the speech. The voice modulator sounded male, but the speaker’s cadence suggested female.
“Who are you?”
“I’m a friend of Coyote’s…unbeknownst to him.”
Hackers. This is like a rerun of Knight Rider. Lex sighed. “And why are you talking to me through my kidnapper’s car?”
“Because it crashed and his phone is tracking a mile away from you. I tried to message you earlier, but your phone vanished.”
“Bastard threw it out the window.”
“Charming. Listen, I know Voodoo is in trouble. He reached out to Coyote, but my guy’s off the grid at the moment so I’m taking this one.”
Voodoo.
“I gotta get out of here. I have to save Voo.” Lex yanked her seatbelt off.
“I know, dearie. That’s why I’m here. Consider me your ‘e-fairy godmother', alright? I’m getting you some help. And a ride.”
Digital dialing beeped through the speakers, then an annoyed Beauregard snapped, “What is it now, Apollo?”
“You expect him to help me?” Lex asked.
“Just ask him.”
“Who is this?” Beauregard barked.
She was fresh out of options. “Mr. Beauregard, this is Lex Cooper. You know who I am?”
There was a heavy sigh. “Yes, and I’ve got a feelin’ this conversation is only gonna go downhill.”
“Byron, hello. Sorry to interrupt your trip to see the lawyer. I know you were looking forward to it,” the voice said.
“Goddamn hackers. Are you fucking kidding me?” he burst out.
“Your business associate is planning to blow up your recently purchased hotel for t
he insurance money. Since he’s literally the world’s worst secret keeper, I’m going to send the info to every news outlet in New Orleans. Too bad he’s on his way to Mexico, and you’ll be left holding the bag.”
The colorful combination of curses pouring through the speakers enhanced Lex’s appreciation for the versatility of the word ‘fuck’.
“Apollo locked Voodoo and Boone Brulé in the basement. They’re gonna blow up with the hotel,” Lex added. “I need your help.”
“I’m routing you to Lex’s location. She needs a ride.”
Beauregard laughed. “Why would I help you? Aren’t there dozens of biker boys at your disposal? Bother one of them. I don’t have time to play chauffeur. I have to find a convenient back door out of my current contract with Apollo.”
As soon as Beauregard’s tirade ended, Lex heard the screech of tires and a cacophony of car horns blowing from the mobster’s end of the call, followed by a muffled, “Motherfucker! Turn my car back on right now.”
“You’re a bright, motivated man, Byron,” the voice purred. “Especially when it suits your own self-interest. I confess, I rather admire your ruthless pursuit of goals. So let me point out what you get out of this deal.”
“I’m in the middle of airport traffic,” he said, deadpan.
“I’m aware. I can see you quite clearly. Nice cufflinks, by the way.” The voice took on a colder edge. “If you’d ever like a working vehicle not pulled by horses in the future, you need to listen up.”
“Fine. I’m listening.”
Lex made a mental note not to piss off Coyote or any of his hacker friends. Ever.
Apollo’s voice came over the speaker, outlining every inch of his plan, including how he was going to dupe Beauregard and set him up as the fall guy if anything went south. The recording faded out on Voo’s angry shouts.
“So, you see, Mr. Beauregard, I have evidence of your innocence in this large-scale and about to be very public crime. If you’d like said evidence to continue existing, you’ll get your ass over to Lex, pick her up, and save Voodoo and friend…along with your hotel. If not, this sort of criminal activity could touch off a RICO investigation.”
A loud gusty breath sounded from the microphone. “I’m savin’ Four Horsemen. Again.”
