Page 44 of Fury

I slammed the phone into the cradle and stood there, my skin hot, my eyes burning. Serena’s hand slid up my back.

I wrapped my good arm around her shoulders and pressed my lips against the side of her face. “We’ll keep heading north.”

Even though we were now in my club’s territory, I couldn’t risk being seen by one of my own. I’d get us out of Nebraska and north into South Dakota, into Jacks territory. Jump be damned.

“Just a a few more hours.”

“You don’t have to make it pretty for me.”

“Five hours. Five hours till we cross into South Dakota. Can you hold on till then?”

I hated myself for not having a backup plan. I hated myself for leading her into a black hole of the unknown. I hated myself for not being worthy of her trust.

She nodded, her hand squeezing my bicep tightly. I planted a quick kiss on her forehead, and we got back on my bike.

An hour later, we stopped at a convenience store to get something to munch on, plus I wanted to give her a break. The store was closed, but luckily there were two vending machines to the side. Serena sat on the curb in the sun while I got us cereal bars and sodas.

A guy on a dirty, dented bike with a beanie slouched down over his forehead pulled into the parking lot. Serena stiffened at my side. These small, almost abandoned towns in Nebraska were quiet, but a hotbed of minor criminal activity. She peeked up at him, her face a mask of get-the-fuck-away-from-me.

“Hey, not open?” He gestured at the store, his ratty windbreaker hanging on him.

“No.”

“Shame. You got a smoke? Need one bad.”

“Don’t have any,” I said, handing a cold soda can to Serena who remained still behind me.

“Aw c’mon, man.” He sidled up next to us at the vending machine. “I’m low on cash, ya know?”

“That’s too bad.”

“Yeah, sucks.” He licked at his bottom lip eyeing his beat up Honda and my Harley. “Nice bike. Haven’t seen you two before.”

“And you won’t be seeing us again.”

“Not from around here, huh? If you two need something stronger than cola, I got it.”

“Not interested.” I said through gritted teeth. “Step back, man.” With a hand on her arm, I guided Serena back to my bike.

“You on a long trip, huh? From Kansas maybe?”

Serena’s breath caught, a small, choking sound. I launched at him, my fist bashing into his side, his back, his face. A glare flashed in my vision. Serena’s yelp punched the hot air.

A blade tore over my chest. “Shit!” The sting leapt through me.

He grunted and slumped in my hold, his body suddenly heavy against mine. I let go, and he crumpled to the ground. Serena stood over us, his knife in her hand.

“Serena—”

“I’m not ever going back. Not ever.”

My hand shot out toward her. “Okay, okay.”

“This is the farthest I’ve ever gotten. And I’ve tried a time or two or three, and paid for it. Not this time. Not now, with you. And I won’t have you punished for trying.”

Her arm shook as she wiped the blood on the guy’s jeans and slid the weapon in her boot. “They’ve been following us. Maybe they pushed us toward here. And if they don’t hear from him—”

A beeper went off as she said the words.

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