Page 22 of Diesel

“They won’t harm her, you know.”

“Your friend needs to know I won’t leave anyone standing if they do. The absolute hell that will come down on that club? Won’t be any fucking way to recover.” I got up and walked to the bed. “You’re hiding something. I’m gonna find out what it is.”

“You’re paranoid, Diesel. Always think someone’s out to get you.” She moved across the bed, making room for another. “Still not going to partake?”

“Still not,” I said. “I’ll sleep in the chair.”

I killed the lights in the room and sat in the chair, putting my feet on the table. I missed Gigi. Everything about her. I can’t say that I’ve ever missed a woman before.

Trixie fell asleep a little after midnight, and, leaving her behind, I climbed on my bike and returned to the bar where I’d left my phone. No bikes, and only one car sat in the parking lot. I pulled around back and parked in the shadows. A single, flickering light buzzed above the backdoor.

I got to within a few feet of the door, and it opened.

“What the fuck?”

She started back inside but fell against me when I grabbed her arm.

“You told me to come back after midnight,” I said. “Looks like my timing is impeccable.”

“What do you want?” She nodded at the bar. “There’s a dozen bikers inside waiting for me.”

“There’s you and nobody else, sweetheart.” Taking her by the arm, I walked her back into the empty bar and over to the booths. “I need you to find my phone. It’s under a booth. I’m going to let you look. Try to run, and shit will happen. Understand?”

“Don’t be a dick.” She shrugged away. “I found your phone after you left. It’s behind the bar.”

“With a shotgun?” I walked behind the bar and found my phone between two whiskey bottles. I took the phone and a bottle. “You have a name?” I sat at a table in the middle of the bar.

“Taylor.” She leaned over the counter and retrieved two glasses. “Nobody should drink alone.” She poured two shot glasses full of whiskey, slid a glass over, and drank from hers. “You grabbed the good shit.”

“You know where they took Gigi?”

“Down the road.” She poured another glass. “You gonna go all hero and shit and rescue her?”

“You’ve been there?”

“Of course. I live there.”

I swallowed my surprise. “That where you’re going when you’re done here? If it is, I’m going with you.”

Taylor laughed. “All by yourself? You’ll be dead before you have time to raise a gun.”

“I prefer using the backdoor.” I downed the shot of whiskey and poured another.

“They would kill me if I brought you to the club.”

“And I will kill you if you don’t. So, who do you believe in more? Me or them?”

Taylor drank the shot and poured another. “I’ll take you if you can out-drink me.” She downed the shot. I poured another, and we had an empty bottle five shots later.

I stood and started toward the backdoor. “Come on. No more games.”

I opened the door, and Trixie stood there, gun in hand. “Back the fuck up, Diesel.”

She had the gun, so I did as she said. “You’re digging your own fucking grave, Trixie. Put the fucking gun down.”

“I told you we’d go in the morning. Now sit your ass down.”

Taylor went behind the bar, and before I could tell her to stop, she pulled the shotgun, Trixie pulling her trigger first.

---