She found Old Boy in the yard, shining the chrome on his bike. Sable smiled as sweetly as she could, then begged for a ride to the strip mall. It was the closest point of civilization from the club, and it promised a few hours of escape from her depressed mood. It was hard wanting something she knew she could never have. Soul-crushing. One day, Dog would find the right woman, and she’d have to watch from the sidelines.
Sable wasn’t sure what happened to Dog. He’d changed into another person seemingly overnight. He’d been so good to her in the past, and now his true feelings were shining through.
Old Dog and Brass dropped her off in front of a clothing store, then rode off together. She was supposed to call them when she was ready to head home.
Sable looked through the window at the clothes but decided she was too hungry to do anything but eat first. She’d missed dinner, so she walked over to the diner. All-day breakfast was her favorite.
The waitress came over once she’d settled into a booth. “You one of those girls from the Hell’s Slaves?”
She just nodded. Sable hated how outsiders judged them, especially the girls. She made her order and watched the cars and people from beyond the large windows. The scent of bacon and eggs made her stomach rumble.
“Hey, beautiful.”
Sable looked up to find a cop standing at the end of the booth. Being raised in a motorcycle club gave her a natural distaste for law enforcement. She ignored him. Cops were usually trying to get information on the club. Being part of Hell’s Slaves was who she was, and she’d never betray them.
The cop was much older than her, clean cut and skinny. She already hated him.
“I’ve seen you here before. I never forget a face. Especially your face.” He sat down in the booth opposite to her.
She rolled her eyes. They’d been taught to keep quiet. It came naturally to her.
“What are you doing out here all alone? They leave you unprotected? You mustn’t be very important to them.”
Her heart raced a little, but she kept calm on the outside. She’d done nothing wrong.
The food came and the waitress dropped it down in front of her. “Want to order, Hank?”
“Give me the usual. Luckily, I won’t be eating alone today.”
He winked at Sable and her stomach roiled.
“I’ll take my food to go,” she said.
Hank grabbed her wrist, way too tight. “Stay put. You’d be stupid and make a scene here. It won’t end well for you.”
She hated how the cops profiled everyone from the club. They’d become enemies, and sometimes allies when they wanted to make extra cash. Forge had a handle on the local police and politicians, but this guy was pushing his authority. The only people who could keep her safe were the brothers at the Hell’s Slaves.
As soon as he relaxed his grip, she pulled her hand away and rubbed her wrist. This was the last thing she needed right now. All she’d wanted was a couple of hours of peace.
“What do you want?” she finally said. Should she call Old Dog now? This cop was starting to scare her. She wanted to be back in the safety of the club. Sable rarely left the protective grasp of the compound.
“You,” he said. “I know who you are and where you come from. You’re better than them, Sable. I can give you a real life in the real world. They’ve blinded you, you just have to see that.”
“I’ll pass.”
Hard pass.
How did he know her name? She didn’t like the fact he’d been stalking or spying on her every time she came into town. How much digging had he done?
“Think about your future. Hell’s
Slaves are going down one way or another. We’re on to them, and it’s only a matter of time. The file is ten inches thick. If you help us out with some inside information, you’ll be well-rewarded.”
She shook her head, not looking him in the eyes.
“More than that. I knew from the first time I saw you that you’d be mine one day. I have intuition like that,” he said. “I have a real job. A respectable job. I can take care of you. I’m not a filthy murderer with no respect for women or the law. I can look beyond your past.”
Sable only wanted Dog, even if he was a hard-core killer.