Page 19 of Babydoll

But right now, I need air because I haven’t been able to settle since the bikes rode through—after seeing the look on Lu’s face.

I’m on edge and that’s usually a sign something’s coming, but I don’t even know if I can trust my gut anymore. Not with how—I swallow, loathe to admit it—I feel about Lu. I fucked up. Liking her fucks everything up.

The Satan’s Ransom clubhouse is in the larger of the tri-city area. They rarely come to River’s End. Instead, they have smaller groups here, like Python, Slash, and Preacher who run the drugs and Kid, André, and Ming who run the guns. But what I heard was a lot of bikes. And while it wasn’t just the aforementioned club members working out of River’s End, there weren’t that many others.

“What are you doing out here? Something happen?” He chuffs at that because nothing ever happens here. At least not what he would call action anyway. “Ransom rode straight on through,” he adds, watching where I’m looking.

“I know,” I say. “But I’ve got a feeling.” I tap my gut. Before I can continue the thought, my cell pings. I pull it out, reading the text.

Bale:They slipped out the back. Heading north toward you No women with them.

In other words, business, not pleasure. I shove the phone in my pocket and spin on my boot. We’re north of Pink’s. “Watch for them,” I demand, and start hauling ass back so I can see every point of entry into the factory from the security office.

As I round the building, I see Lu dart across the lot. Again, my eyes scan the area. I hadn’t heard anything, but the lot is poorly lit and Satan’s Ransom isn’t the only threat for a woman in this end of town.

My walkie chirps and I snatch it. It’ll be Brad since my guys use cells.

“Alarm for six went off. Can you check it out? Over.”

“Ten-four,” I reply, my gut clenching in anticipation of trouble. But then I realize, I’m currently standing at six, the door Lu just exited. She’d been the one to set it off, so I relax and send the all-clear to Brad.

Lu always parks back here even though I’d heard the others warning her not to. As the only woman working the afternoon shift, she gets a lot of chivalry which she seems to perceive as chauvinism.

“It’s too secluded and management won’t spring for decent lighting,” they’d say. But Lu would only scoff.

“I can handle myself,” she’d reply, and after she was gone I’d hear the consensus that if the wind blew her too hard, she’dlikely kick its ass. Maybe Lu didn’t make friends here, but she did make an impression.

I watch her at her car now, all shuffling feet and fidgeting. This confirms Satan’s Ransom are on their way here. It’s cold out tonight and she isn’t wearing a coat, just those damn hand-me-down coveralls. I fight the urge to go give her shit about it, but I need to stay in the shadows. Satan’s Ransom will arrive soon. It’s usually only Python meeting with Lu and that’s biweekly. I look at the date on my watch even though I already know it hasn’t yet been two weeks.

When the roar of the bikes becomes audible, Lu falls into a squat, putting her face in her hands a moment before reaching into her sock.

Whatever my gut is warning me about, it’s about to come to a head. I ready myself, putting the long-range photo lens on my cell so I can get close ups. As she pulls out what I assume is a wad of bills from her sock and rises, I click off a few shots and look at the screen. It’s cash—a small roll of hundreds.

Was Lu really a dealer? Yeah, of pot maybe, but the hard stuff? Not likely. There was a grand, maybe fifteen hundred there, max. Was she selling to the guys here? Certainly not her friends in pink scrubs at the veterinary clinic. They were all swinging ponytails and gummy bears there. And I pretty much had her tailed constantly. There’s zero evidence of her dealing or even using. So what the hell was going on?

I watch as three bikes become visible on the street and then roll into the lot right over to where Lu waits. They cut their engines and the biggest of them gets off by throwing his long leg over the front handlebars of his bike. Python. One of the enforcers for Satan’s Ransom. The other two take their time, the smaller of the three lights a cigarette before getting off his bike and the third, yanks out his knife as soon as he’s off his ride. Asusual, he’s flicking the goddamn thing around like it’s some kind of fidget spinner for bikers

This isn’t a new scene, Lu doing deals with them, but it’s the one I’ve had the clearest view of. I’m in the shadows and close enough to see everything, not sure what I’ll hear though.

Lu hands over the cash, but where Python usually hands her a fast-food bag, this time Slash slams her against the side of her car. I wince, gritting my teeth, but don’t move. Squeezing my fist I imagine the satisfaction I’d get from smashing the asshole against the pavement and slamming my fist over and over into his ugly mug.

“We’re not here for the fucking money. We’re here for information.” He shoves her against the car again.

This time the bills Lu’s holding fall to the ground and Python shoulders Slash out of the way to pick them up.

Whatever Python says next is too quiet for me to hear, but I see Lu shake her head and brace herself for another blow. My legs itch to move, the muscles tense and ready, and my insides burn with rage.

Don’t fucking touch her. I’ll fucking kill you. I’ll enjoy every moment of tearing you apart.

There’s a bit more conversation but nothing I can hear until Lu says, “I don’t know!”

I strain to hear more catching a few words. “I don’t… know him! … first time …since we were kids.”

Slash curses and he smacks his hand on the window by Lu’s head. I hold still though. I need as much information as I can get.She’s safe. They want something, so they won’t hurt her.I keep repeating that in my head until Slashes hand finds Lu’s throat.

Her squeal is cut off as he squeezes and I break into a run before I can talk myself out of it. Anger boils my blood and fear slices clear through my good sense. It’s a bad situation all around, but in the short time it takes me to get to them, I’vealready decided that my cover will be fine as long as I just act like the security guard I am.

“What the hell is going on?” I bark, grabbing the biker by the back of his leather cut and yanking him off Lu. Slash spins on me, his pierced brow arching before his butterfly knife starts flicking like fan blades in my face. I pull out my taser and aim it at his chest.

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