Page 59

Story: Scar

“Do you have any idea how fast you were driving?” the deputy demands.

“One-twenty-ish?” Nitro grins.

“You’re under arrest for reckless driving.”

“Get the fuck out of here.” Nitro glares at the cop.

“Walk to my car and put your hands on the hood.” The cop pulls a gun and points it at Nitro.

“Oh, my God, do what he says,” I plead.

“You, too,” the cop says to me.

“Me? I wasn’t even driving.” It’s a feeble attempt to avoid being arrested, but it’s all I’ve got. Maybe I’ll get lucky, and the cop will let me go.

“Doesn’t matter. I’m taking you both in.”

I glance at Nitro, who’s fuming, but his eyes haven’t left the barrel of the gun. He may be reckless, but he’s not stupid.

“Scar’s going to be pissed,” Nitro mutters.

I should be freaking the fuck out right now, but all I can think about is Scar. Nitro seems convinced Scar will come and bail us out, but will bail even be an option for me as soon as they realize who I am? And even if they did let me out for some reason, will Scar come for us? Or will his need to get rid of me keep us in jail for longer than necessary?

The deputy reads us our rights and handcuffs us before shoving us into the back of his patrol car. My shoulders ache from being stretched so far back, but I can’t do anything about it. I glare at Nitro, but he’s not even looking at me.

“What about my bike?” Nitro asks the cop.

“We’ll send impound to get it.” He slams the door, locking us in the back of his patrol car.

“Fuck!” Nitro’s jaw twitches as he gazes out the window. “I’m so fucked when Scar hears about this.”

“He’ll come to get us, though, right?” When he doesn’t immediately respond, I jam my shoulder against his. “Right?”

“Probably … maybe … I don’t know. Depends on how mad he is at us. Besides, that doesn’t matter. He can’t pick you up if they won’t let you out. You’ve got bigger problems.”

He gives me a look but doesn’t say anything else because the cop’s listening to every word. The minute they run my prints, it’s over. I’ll be trapped in jail until I convince them I don’t know anything about Max’s whereabouts. Maybe I could lie about my identity, and they won’t realize it until after they release me. I realize I’m grasping at straws, but it’s the only way I can avoid having a total meltdown right now.

“Scar’s going to be pissed off. He was already mad at you, so if he doesn’t bail us out, it’s as much your fault as it is mine,” Nitro says.

“You were the one driving like an asshole!”

“Yeah, but I was only doing it because I had to babysit you. I’m not your nanny.”

“Would Scar really leave us in jail because of me?” I ask, horrified by the implication. If he leaves me in jail, how will I get out? I don’t have anyone I can call other than my parents, but there’s no way I’m dragging them into this mess. And, even worse, if he doesn’t come for me, then he definitely doesn’t care about me at all. That would be the clearest indication of how he really feels. I’d be devastated—and trapped in jail.

Tears prickle in my eyes, but I refuse to let them fall. I’m not going to break down until I know how Scar’s going to respond to this situation.

“How the hell should I know why Scar does the shit he does? You two clearly have something going on. He didn’t put me on babysitting duty for the hell of it. He’s always got a reason for the crap he does.”

I stay silent. I don’t want to tell Nitro about the drama between Scar and me because I don’t know if Scar wants anyone else in the club to know. Maybe I’m a secret he wants to keep. It’s probably wishful thinking, but it’s all I’ve got.

When we get to jail, we’re separated. As expected, they run my prints and immediately realize who I am. The sheriff’s deputies turn me over to the FBI agent in charge of the murder/kidnapping investigation. He takes me into an interrogation room and sits me down.

“Ms. Brant, you were a hard woman to find,” Agent Taft says.

I stay silent. There’s no way I’m confessing my involvement in the case.

“I know you were just trying to help Max, but I need you to tell me where he is. I need to know he’s somewhere safe.”