Page 30 of Heat (The Royal HArlots MC, Quebec City-Canada #1)

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Diamond spotted the tire swing first, hanging limp from the gnarled limb of a dead oak like something out of a forgotten childhood.

Just beyond it, leaning against the tree, was a woman—tall, lean, dressed in a dark windbreaker and cargo pants, her long brunette hair tied back in a low braid.

She wasn’t armed, at least not visibly, but she didn’t have to be.

Her posture said she was ready for anything.

Diamond slowed the rig to a crawl, eyes narrowed as she assessed the figure. No sudden movement. No signs of distress. Just patience. Waiting.

Sayer rolled down the window and leaned slightly out. “You looking for flowers?”

The woman didn’t flinch.

“I was headed to an orchard,” she replied easily, voice low and even. “But I hear the trees are bare.”

“We’re headed to a nursery where the blooms are fragrant.”

“I’d love a ride.”

Sayer looked over at Diamond. She studied the woman for a long second, reading her the way she read everyone—sharp, quick, thorough. Then she gave a small nod.

Sayer jerked his thumb, motioning for the woman to climb aboard.

Seven moved like she knew how to disappear in plain sight—quiet, efficient, no wasted energy. She didn’t ask questions. She just pulled open the passenger door, tossed her duffel in ahead of her, and climbed in like she belonged.

Diamond pulled the truck forward again, picking up speed as the road narrowed.

“What’s your name?” she asked, eyes on the gravel path ahead.

“My friends call me Seven,” the woman said as she settled onto the floor between the seats. She stretched her long legs out in front of her, then dropped onto her back, using her duffel as a pillow.

“Well, Seven,” Diamond said, glancing down at her, “welcome aboard.”

Seven cracked a half-smile and closed her eyes. “Thanks.”

“Is there somewhere I can stop for a quick minute?” Diamond asked as she shifted gears.

“Yeah. Next right takes us to the two-lane. You’ll find something soon after that.”

“Perfect,” Diamond said.

Seven was already shifting into a rest position. “Wake me when we get close. Once we hit the stop.”

Diamond nodded, returning her focus to the road. The truck rumbled on, cutting a path through the trees. Behind them, the road narrowed into silence again. Ahead of them—whatever was coming next.

The gravel road spit them back out onto the two-lane highway just as the trees began to thin. Diamond checked the mirrors, then the fuel gauge—both holding steady, but she didn’t like driving blind with no gear, no fresh water, and no idea where the next stop might be.

Seven stirred just as they passed a hand-painted sign: Gas | Groceries | Hot Coffee – 1 Mile .

“Stretch your legs,” Diamond said. “Next stop’s now.”

The little roadside station came into view a few minutes later, tucked between two hills like it had been forgotten by time.

It was the kind of place that smelled like old rubber, burned coffee, and cheap air freshener.

A single pump out front. One restroom around the side.

A rack of snacks and off-brand cold drinks inside.

It would do.

Diamond eased the truck into the gravel lot and killed the engine. The cab settled with a soft groan as it rocked back into silence.

Carla stirred in the sleeper, rubbing her eyes. One of the girls yawned loud and long while the other blinked sleepily at the snack signs through the window.

“I’ll get fuel,” Sayer said, already climbing out. “Grab what you need.”

Diamond nodded and turned to Seven, who sat up, running a hand through her hair. “Bathroom?”

“Please,” Seven said, slinging her duffel over her shoulder. “Grab me something salty and cold if you’re heading in.”

Diamond motioned to Carla. “You and the girls take the bathroom first. I’ll be right behind you.”

Carla didn’t argue, she just opened the door and guided the girls toward the restroom, heads down, moving with the quiet, careful rhythm of people still recovering from too much fear.

Diamond stepped inside the convenience store. The place was small and dim, one buzzing cooler light and an older man behind the counter flipping through a local newspaper.

He didn’t look up when she entered. Perfect.

She moved quickly. Two jugs of water. Trail mix. Protein bars. Instant coffee. Wet wipes. A handful of random candies for the girls. A pack of gum. A roll of duct tape. She added a gas canister for good measure and grabbed a lemon soda for Seven on the way out.

By the time she made it back to the truck, Sayer had finished pumping and was wiping his hands on a rag.

“You good?” he asked.

“Full tank. Working bathroom. Snack stash. This place was a damn miracle.”

He gave a small smirk. “Even found some duct tape, huh?”

“Always,” Diamond said, tossing the bag into the cab.

Seven was leaning with her back against the truck, chewing sunflower seeds and watching the clouds roll overhead like she had all the time in the world.

“We rollin’ out?” she asked.

“Five minutes,” Diamond replied.

Carla returned with the girls just as Diamond climbed back into the cab. Everyone looked a little more awake. A little steadier.

But the undercurrent of tension? Still there. Still humming.

Diamond turned the engine over again and looked toward the road ahead.

“No calls,” she said aloud. “No signals. No names. Until Nova gets us the next move, we don’t exist.”

Sayer gave a nod, already taking a seat in the back with Carla and her girls.

Seven climbed back in and dropped in to the passenger seat.

And just like that, they were back on the road. Silent. Invisible.

Diamond kept her eyes on the road as Seven leaned forward. “Take the next right after mile marker sixty-three,” Seven said, tapping lightly on the dash. “You’ll see a rusted cattle guard and a green fence post with a white ribbon tied to it. Turn there.”

Diamond gave a quick nod and eased them onto the narrow road when it appeared, the tires crunched over gravel and loose stone as they dipped into thick, tree-lined cover.

Sayer walked up in between the two women looking out the window, scanning the tree line. “This the switch?”

“Yeah,” Seven said. “We’re hiding the truck. You’ll come back for it later, once the family’s secure.”

Diamond exhaled a quiet breath of relief. She hated the idea of fighting over destroying her truck. Ditching good equipment didn’t make sense and the rig had been part of the plan from the start. It was familiar. Reliable. Losing it felt like losing a limb.

“Where are we stashing it?”

“There’s a supply barn up ahead,” Seven replied. “Old farm property. Private. We’ve used it before. We’ll roll the rig inside, cover it, and take the van parked in the west bay. Black, unmarked, seats eight. Full tank. Keys in the visor.”

“You’re efficient,” Sayer said, cracking the door open as they slowed near a pair of aging barn doors tucked behind a crop of trees.

“I’m alive,” Seven replied. “That’s not luck.”

Diamond pulled the rig in slow, the barn doors already half-open like someone knew they’d be arriving. The inside was empty except for a few hay bales, some old equipment, and the van parked off to the side—just as Seven described.

She cut the engine and sat still for a beat, listening to the engine tick as it cooled.

“Alright,” she said. “Let’s get them moving. Quiet and fast.”

Sayer and Seven moved like clockwork, helping Carla and the girls out of the sleeper and into the van, handing off their few belongings. Once the van was pulled out of the barn Diamond gave the truck a final glance, then checked the perimeter one last time before locking the barn behind them.

“We’ll be back,” she muttered under her breath.

Then she climbed into the passenger seat of the van, letting Seven take the wheel this time.

“Where to?” she asked.

Seven shifted into drive and gave a small grin. “Where the map ends.”