Page 6 of Biker's Prisoner: Property of Bucky

"Let's hope so..."

It's a longerway out than I remembered to Oske's trailer and my entire body is cramped up by the time we get to the dirt road. The truck going over all the bumps wakes Zayna up. She makes a couple confused grunts before she mutters, "Hey."

"Hey," I tell her. "We won't be long on this club business and I think we can stay there overnight."

"You’ll have to sleep on the couch," Tanner says. "But you can get hot food and a good shower."

"You think Ruger has hot food out there?"

"He'd better," Tanner grumbles. "There's nothing out here."

I don't know whose fault he thinks that is... We're on the reservation. It's not like they asked to be here. But I keep my opinions to myself because honestly, I could use some food and now I'm worried about my next meal.

Damn.

We ridealong the dirt road for a little while, the bumping making my bladder feel terrible, when I notice a stake rising out of the desert. You can see everything for miles around and there isn’t much of anything on the reservation as my husband pointed out in the most politically incorrect way possible.

“What is that?” I ask, pointing at the pole.

“I don’t know,” he says, leaning forward a little and squinting. “It’s next to Oske’s trailer though.”

By the time he says that, I see two more large stakes lined up alongside the rest.

“What the fuck is going on…”Tanner drawls. His Texan accent is so sexy. I know now isn’t the right time to think about how hot he is but… there’s something about fear and arousal all mixed up in my brain. It’s his fault, I’m pretty sure.

Zayna reminds us both that she’s awake, nearly causing me to jump out of my skin. “Those look like heads.”

My eyes follow the poles to the top. I didn’t see heads at first. I didn’twantto see heads. But now that Zayna puts the idea in my head… Every part of me gets tense. I press my feet into the floorboard of the car and grip the sides.

“Tanner. Are those heads?”

“Ruger’s out there. I spoke to him before we headed out.”

Oddly enough,Ruger isn’t my main concern. Ruger had custody of a pregnant woman, who I consider far more likely to end up spiked in the desert than him…

Instead of slowing down, Tanner speeds up. Zayna and I exchange glances in the rearview mirror, but we both sit back in silent terror. We’re both partly at Tanner’s mercy. I trust him not to get us into trouble that we can’t get out of, but that doesn’t make it any less horrifying to see this horror movie shit when we’re virtually alone in the desert.

“Babe? Do you have a gun?” I say as quietly as possible. We’re in a car, so Zayna obviously hears the exchange. But I make an effort to be subtle at least.

“Do you seriously think I would bring you within ten miles of Ruger without a gun? I also have a hand grenade. Just in case.”

“We’re blowing someone up with a hand grenade?” Zayna asks. I don’t know what to make of her tone. It’s a little concerning.

“Not unless necessary. Don’t worry, ma’am. We will protect you with our lives.”

Zayna leans back.I let her excitement over the hand grenade slip from my memory.

There are moreterrifying and immediate problems. Tanner gets close enough to Oske’s trailer for us to see everything. Three stakes, at least ten feet tall, and each one with a bloodied, severed head perched at the top. Ruger’s black Ford dually sits exactly where you would expect to find it, parked outside Oske’s trailer with two of his bikes loaded up in the back. Ruger sits on the porch smoking and staring off into space.

Seeing our truck approach doesn’t affect him in the slightest. He just stares ahead, lost in thought. Lost in the throes ofinsanity. My head feels lighter. I look over at Tanner, trying to ground myself with my husband’s presence.He won’t let this get crazy. I trust him.He gives me a reassuring look, but it’s not enough.

Tanner stops the truck. I’m scared to open the door. There’s going to be a smell and I know it. Tanner looks over at me to make sure I’m okay. But neither of us have time to sit for a moment because Zayna opens the truck door and springs herself out.

Shit.

Ruger risesand throws his cigarette into the dirt.

Once she opensthe truck door, my worst fears materialize and I smell death over every square inch of Oske’s property.

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