Page 42 of Phantom Riders MC: Hawk

Chapter 16

Audra

Ohmygod! Ohmygod! Ohmygod!

I quickly swung around in stark fear, moving the broom but not really sweeping, staring down but not really seeing. What was he doing here? I felt my heart rate pick up speed to the point that I began to worry I’d give myself a heart attack. I couldn’t breathe and I felt sick to my stomach, expecting to feel a hand on my shoulder at any second, pulling me back around to face my bleak future. How could Hawk, how could he?

I fought back the stupid tears at his betrayal.

As I waited for the inevitable to happen, I heard the door open and the shuffle of footsteps that indicated that they’d gone inside the bar, and then I was left alone. Alone! My eyes rounded with astonishment, and then my flight instincts took over and I dropped the broom. I didn’t even think about what I was doing, or where I was going, as I took off through the parking lot toward the main road.

The only thing I knew for certain was that I had to get away. It didn’t matter that I was on foot, didn’t matter that I didn’t have a thing to my name other than what I was wearing, and the little bit of money I had left over from the money Hawk had given me. I ran like the very devil was hot on my heels, because in my mind, he was. Dane was not going to let me go, sending his henchmen to find me and drag me back to him. I didn’t know the man’s name, but I recognized him as one of Dane’s friends, and in my mind they all worked for him.

His showing up at the club wasn’t a coincidence and could only mean one thing, that Hawk had struck a deal with Dane. How else would he have found me? Tears finally broke through as my emotions got the best of me. How could a man be intimate with a woman, and then basically sign her death sentence the next? Maybe “death sentence” was premature, because I didn’t really know what Dane had in store for me. All I knew was that he’d threatened to punish me if I didn’t do what he said. For the first time I began to accept that Hawk was really the cold-blooded, unfeeling bastard that he said he was.

I ran and ran, high on the adrenaline of fear, determined to get as far away from there as I could. Too late I remembered that we were deep in the country, but I couldn’t let that stop me from at least trying to escape. I ran to the tree line, deciding it would be best to stay close to them in case I needed to duck for cover. I could hear the sound of running water, and knew that there was a stream nearby. My dry mouth reminded me that I was thirsty, but there was no way I was going to venture into the Maine woods.

I walked for a while, running when I’d rested up enough. I wanted to put as much distance between me and Hawk as soon as possible. Traffic was sparse, almost non-existent on the country road, and the lack of traffic lights told me that was probably the norm. It didn’t take my addled brain long to realize the isolated location of the clubhouse was going to be my downfall.

It wouldn’t take Hawk long to discover my absence, and then what? If I didn’t find a place, fuck, civilization soon, I might as well give up. I stopped at a crossroads to catch my breath before looking in four different directions to determine which way to go. It was hard to see any great distance because of the hills and curves in the road, and the trees.

Then I came to a ‘Welcome to Solon’ sign, population nineteen hundred. At the same time I heard an approaching vehicle. My first thought was to thumb for a ride, until I realized that it could very well be the man in the black limo. I quickly ran and hid behind a tree, too afraid to peek, too afraid to breathe, as it passed by where I was squatting. When I could barely hear it anymore, I slowly left my hiding spot. I squinted, taking in the backend of the luxury car.

Damn Hawk to fucking hell for doing this to me. I sobbed, hating him. He must have known by then that I’d run away, why else would Dane’s people be leaving? I had no doubt that once Hawk found me again he’d turn me over to them. Cursing at the weakness, I brushed my tears away angrily and began to run again, anger fueling me. I just had to come to something soon. Solon was a small town but I guessed it must have businesses in it. Nineteen hundred people had to work and eat.

I sensed that I was getting nearer to town. Homes dotted the area, and traffic picked up. Since I assumed that Hawk and his men would be on motorcycles, I began to trust that the occasional car or truck that came up behind me wasn’t the enemy. Still, I held my breath until they continued past. Businesses came into view, and I slowed down to a jog until I finally came to the Main Street that every town seemed to have.

I stopped and dug into my pocket for my money. A quick count showed me that I had enough for a cheap room and something to eat, a few things I needed from the drug store and maybe a bus ticket to the next town. If that didn’t work out then I’d be forced to thumb for a ride. It would be dangerous, but I didn’t have any choice.

I didn’t find the usual corner drug store, so I settled for the small grocery store. The sign out front boasted that it had everything. I went straight to the hair section and picked up a pair of scissors, and a kit to dye my hair blonde. Then I picked up a ready-made sandwich, a bag of chips and a bottle of soda. As I was standing in line I snatched a candy-bar.

“Is there a hotel or anything around here where I can get a room for the night?” I asked the girl behind the counter. “Something, ah, cheap?” She rang up my items and I handed her a twenty.

“Got no hotels around here.” She handed me my change. “You could try Miss Minnie’s place. She sometimes rents out of her house. Don’t know if she’ll do one night, but she’s real nice, and I know she can use the money.”

That sounded encouraging. “Miss Minnie’s? Where do I find her?” I took my bag from her, my eyes nearly bugging out of my head when I noticed a motorcycle ride past. Was that one of Hawk’s men?

“Big white house across the street.”

I glanced out the window. There were several big houses across the street and they were all white. It could be any one of them.

“She has a sign on her mailbox,” she said, as if reading my mind. Then she moved on to the person behind me.

I hesitated at the door, looking up and down the road. Other than an occasional vehicle, mostly trucks, there was nothing. Across the street an elderly couple walked their dog, and a few kids were playing in their fenced-in yard. I squinted, trying to read the mailboxes and looking for a sign, but didn’t see one. The mailboxes were located next to the front doors. It didn’t look like I was going to get a break, but as I was crossing the street, one box in particular drew my eye.

I walked up the porch steps straight to the mailbox. A tiny-and I mean tiny-note was taped to the rusty black box. Room for rent, the lettering so faded that it was hard to make out. That’s all it said. Just as I knocked on the door, I heard the unmistakable rumble of motorcycles. Ohmygod! My heart was in my throat as I frantically knocked a second time, looking wildly around me. I saw them. Bikers. They’d just entered town and were riding in my direction.

I swung back around, as if no one would recognize me from behind, and was about to knock a third time when the door opened. The smiling face of a sweet little old lady greeted me.

“Hi, please−” I tried to calm myself down, aware of the panic in my tone. “I’m here about a room for rent.”

The woman’s smile grew wider. “Why, of course, dear.” She stepped back and I took that as an invitation to open the door between us. “Come on in.”

The bikers were close! As soon as I had control of the door I closed it behind me, and then turned to face the woman. I smiled, trying to put her at ease when I saw the slight concern move across her face. She was probably wondering why I had shut the door so quickly.

“I only need it for one night,” I said, hearing the bikers go past the house. They kept going. I breathed in deeply with relief. “Do you rent nightly?” I hoped.

“Honey, I rent by the hour sometimes,” she laughed.

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