Chapter 10

The rusty diner bell jangled as Rachel stepped through the weathered door into of Joe’s Roadside Cafe. Though it was barely noon, it was nearly empty, only a few truckers hunched over steaming cups of coffee at the counter.

Rachel walked to a booth in the back, sliding onto the cracked red vinyl seat. Her stomach churned with nerves and she rubbed her clammy palms on her skirt. What was she doing here?

A waitress in a stained apron ambled over, eyebrow cocked. “What’ll ya have, hon?”

Rachel’s mouth felt dry as sand. “Just coffee. Black.”

The waitress grunted and shuffled off. Rachel glanced around the diner again, her heart pounding. The bell jangled again, and a woman strode in, scanning the room. Her eyes landed on Rachel and she walked over, sliding into the seat across from her. Officer Sarah Mitchell was tall and athletic, her brown hair pulled back in a neat ponytail. Rachel’s stomach twisted into knots at the sight of her police badge and service weapon clipped to her belt.

“You must be Rachel,” Officer Mitchell said, her voice brisk and businesslike. Rachel nodded.

“Thanks for meeting with me. I have some questions about the Wolverines and the Green Devils. I understand this may be difficult for you, but any information you can provide would be helpful in my investigation.”

Rachel’s fingers tightened around her coffee cup. She didn’t want to get tangled up in this and end up in jail, but could she really refuse to help a police officer? She swallowed hard, staring into the depths of the bitter black coffee. What was she going to do?

Rachel looked up from her coffee cup and met Officer Mitchell’s steady gaze. She opened her mouth, but no words came out.

Before she could figure out a response, the bell on the diner door jangled again. Rachel glanced over and her heart froze in her chest.

Dominic “Dom” Ramirez swaggered through the entrance, his predatory eyes scanning the room. He was of average height, but powerfully built, with a beard and slicked-back hair. Dark tattoos peeked out from under the collar of his leather cut. The President patch on his cut left no doubt about who he was. Rachel’s pulse raced as Dom’s gaze settled on their table. A cruel smirk curled his lips as he strode over to them.

“Well, isn’t this cozy?” His voice was mocking. Rachel shrank back in her seat, panic flooding her senses.

Officer Mitchell’s hand dropped to rest on the handle of her gun, her eyes wary. “Mr. Ramirez, I suggest you leave us in peace.”

Dom ignored her, focusing his attention on Rachel. “Been a long time, sweetheart. Did you miss me?”

It was obvious he knew about my relationship with Jaxon and that made me vulnerable. Rachel’s stomach churned and her breath came in short, sharp bursts.

She gripped the edge of the table, struggling to stay afloat. How had her carefully constructed new life collapsed so quickly? All she wanted was to escape this world that threatened to engulf her once more.

Rachel swallowed hard, forcing herself to meet Dom’s gaze. “Leave me alone.”

Dom leaned in closer, bracing his hands on the table. His cologne invaded her senses, the familiar scent churning in her stomach. “You’re not getting away from me that easily this time.”

Jaxon was never far away from Rachel, and this time she was glad.

Jaxon walked into the diner and walked straight up to Dom. “She asked you to leave.” His voice was deceptively calm, but Rachel could see the tension in his shoulders and the steely glint in his eyes.

Dom didn’t back down, sizing up Jaxon. The air seemed to vibrate with the animosity between them. A part of Rachel was screaming at her to run, to escape this world of violent men and the codes they lived by. But she was frozen in place, trapped by the threads of her past and the inescapable present.

The rules of the biker world were clear: loyalty to your club above all else. Dom would never stop coming after the Green Devils, and now she was tangled up in this web, causing Jaxon to step in and defend her. The conflict between the clubs would only escalate, fueled by a history of bad blood and a thirst for power.

Rachel closed her eyes, a sob catching in her throat. She was drowning with no way out, the darkness closing in around her once more.

“Get out,” Jaxon growled, his hand dropping to rest on the handle of his knife. “Before this gets ugly.”

Dom held his gaze for a long moment before giving a sharp nod. But as he turned away, he looked back at Rachel, his eyes glinting with menace. “This isn’t over.”

Rachel slumped back into her seat as Dom strode out of the diner. She was trapped, caught between the two men and the rival clubs they represented. The rules that governed their world would dictate the outcome, rules written in blood and violence.

Jaxon slid into the booth beside Rachel, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. “It’s okay,” he murmured. “I won’t let him hurt you.”

Rachel looked up at him, tears shimmering in her eyes. “I never should have gotten involved with you.”

“Don’t say that.” Jaxon cupped her cheek, his touch gentle. “I’m not letting you go that easily.”

She closed her eyes, leaning into his warmth. He made her feel safe, as if the darkness couldn’t reach her when he was near. But it was an illusion. As long as Dom and the Wolverines were out there, danger would follow.

Rachel looked around for Sarah, but she had left during the debacle between the two men and she doubted she’d see her again.

Jaxon paid for her meal and guided Rachel outside to his bike. Night had fallen, shadows clinging to every corner. Rachel climbed on behind him, wrapping her arms around his waist. The rumble of the engine vibrated through her as they rode off into the night.

When they arrived at the clubhouse, Rachel followed Jaxon inside. Most of the other members were already there, the air thick. All eyes turned to Rachel as she entered, judging and assessing. She wanted to shrink away, to disappear, but she forced herself to lift her chin. She wouldn’t show them her fear.

“The Wolverines won’t back down,” JT said, his face grim. “Dom’s gonna come after her to get to you. We’re gonna have a full-on war on our hands.”

Jaxon’s jaw tightened, rage simmering in his eyes. “I couldn’t go after him in that diner. They were too many bystanders. We need to catch them away from the public. No one threatens what’s mine.”

Rachel’s heart twisted at his words. She didn’t want to be the reason blood was shed, the catalyst that plunged them into violence. But it was too late to turn back now. She had chosen this path, and she would walk it to the end.