Page 40 of Cocky Secrets

I force a smile, hoping to defuse the situation. “Just filling up before heading home.”

“Home, huh?” he sneers, stepping closer. “You sure you’re not just out looking for trouble? You’re in the wrong neighborhood for a girl like you.”

This isn’t a bad neighborhood. Why did he say that? I know The Spiders aren’t from around here, though. Maybe he’s justsaying stupid shit to scare me. I can feel the tension in the air, thick and charged, but I keep my chin high. “I’m just on my way home.”

“Too late for that,” he laughs, signaling to the others. “Boys, I think we’ve found ourselves a little prize.”

Before I can react, they close in, surrounding me. My heart races as I glance around for a way out, but the gas station is empty, the shadows swallowing me up.

“Leave me alone!” I shout.

But they’re not listening. One of them lunges forward, grabbing me by the arm, and suddenly, I’m yanked away from my bike. My instincts kick in, and I fight back, kicking and twisting, but it’s like trying to fight four wild hyenas.

“Let her go!” a voice suddenly booms from behind me.

I turn my head to see the employee of the gas station sticking his head out from the fluorescent-lit convenience store, but it’s too late. The Spiders have already pulled me away from my bike, their grips tight and unyielding.

As they drag me away, I catch a glimpse of my Harley, abandoned at the pump, and a wave of fear washes over me. Strong hands drag me to the leader’s motorcycle. This isn’t how it was supposed to go. I was supposed to be free, to be with Bear, not caught in the clutches of a rival club. I struggle against them, but my efforts only seem to excite their twisted sense of power.

It dawns on me that I can use our name to scare them. I was too caught off guard to have thought about it before. With hope in my heart I shout, “I’m a member of The Ciphers!”

This gives the four brutes pause, but the bearded leader grins, “One of Jett’s girls? This is gonna be more fun than we thought. Let’s takethisCipher for a ride, boys."

"I'm Honey Badger's daughter! If you know him, thenyou knowyou'd better not let anything happen to me."

"Give her to me.” They hold me up in front of him. "Even better." He punches me across the face. The world around me blurs, their laughter and chaos fading into a distant echo.

SEVENTEEN

Sofia Sol Cocker

From an uneasy dream where I’m walking on a deserted beach under threatening storm clouds, I awaken, confused by the distant sound of a siren. Where is that coming from? We never hear them out here.

It’s a struggle to blink my eyes open, but I glance to the moonlight pouring in through our bedroom windows, a desire for clarity forcing my brain to clear. I throw my feet over the side of our four-poster bed and walk, naked, to see what the wailing is all about. Did our neighbor call an ambulance?

My eyes widen. “Luke!” I call out, rushing to the abandoned jeans and tank top I tossed onto a chair before crawling into bed. “Luke, wake up!” I throw them on as he squints at me.

“What is it?”

“A cop is here. It’s gotta be that same one.”

“Bear,” Luke grunts, jumping out of bed. “He just won’t give up.”

We freeze as we hear Bear’s voice reaching far and wide from the patrol car’s staticky microphone, “Honey Badger, open the gate!”

Luke leaps out of bed, “What is he doing?” and gets dressed as quickly as I did.

“I don’t know, a grand gesture for your sister?”

“If this doesn’t change Dad’s mind, nothing will.”

“It’s not just yourDad’she has to change.”

“I know, Soph! But I just want my sister to be happy. This whole thing sucks.”

Luke is right behind me as I race out of the room. The whole house is waking up, some groggily, others like they’re on fire. Honey Badger and Margaret are of the last variety.

“I’m gonna kill him!" Honey Badger says.

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