Page 26

NATALIA

T hree months had passed since I bought the house on Treme. Gabriel and I had found a rhythm again, a little life carved out of the past I never thought I’d come back to. My days were spent at the clinic, my evenings filled with homework battles and bedtime stories. Quiet. Simple. Steady.Exactly what I needed.

Tonight, as most Tuesday nights, we headed to the grocery store. We were a little late today since Gabe had try-outs for the school Soccer team. He was such a bright kid that he had already made friends and was even invited to join a bunch of after-school activities. He wanted to do all of them, but Mommy didn't have time for that. So, I told him to choose one, and he chose Soccer. At least it was a sport, and it got him out of his room.

The store was almost empty, the fluorescent lights humming low overhead as I pushed the cart down the cereal aisle, Gabriel skipped a few paces ahead. I was scanning the shelf for something without twenty grams of sugar when I caught the shift in the air behind me.

The male voice put me on edge, and the words that came out of its mouth made me cringe.

“Didn’t think I’d find something so sweet on a day like this.”

I stiffened and tried to ignore him, but he wanted to make himself known and walked around my cart. Blonde hair slicked back, sky-blue eyes gleaming, and a cruel smile that was easy, too easy, and when I saw the cut on his leather vest, my stomach flipped.

A Bloody Scorpion.

One of the most notorious outlaw motorcycle gangs in the South. Wherever the Bastards went, they were sure to follow. They were the kind of men who ran guns, peddled flesh, and settled their debts in blood. Ruthless rivals to the Royal Bastards, the two clubs had been at war for years. They were definitely not the type of men you wanted to get stuck with late at night at an almost empty grocery store.

“Excuse me,” I muttered, moving to push past him.

He didn’t budge. “Hey now, don’t be rude, sweetheart.”

I gritted my teeth, tried to wheel around him. His hand shot out, resting against the handle of my cart. His fingers drummed once, a slow motion.

“I said, excuse me.”

He tilted his head, eyes dragging down the length of me. “Didn’t think the Royal Bastards left girls like you out in the wild.”

“I’m not a Bastard.”

He smiled. “No, but I bet you’ve been ridden by one.”

I clenched my jaw. “Get the fuck out of my way.”

He reached out and touched my hair, letting the strands fall through his fingers. I jerked back before he could go further, but his smirk widened.

“Relax, baby. Just want a taste.”

He plucked an apple from my cart, brought it to his mouth, and bit down with a slow crunch. Juice dripped from the corner of his mouth.

I moved to step past him again, and he blocked me. His hand shot out, brushing too close to the side of my breast. I slapped it away.

He laughed low. “Feisty. I like that.”

I tried to push the cart forward, but he held it firmly. His eyes dropped, full of heat and threat. “Come on, baby. You got me curious now. What’s it gonna take?”

I shoved the cart, hard. “It’s gonna take you backing the fuck off before you lose your teeth.”

His hand clamped around my wrist before I could move again, pulling me in closer, breath hot against my cheek.

“Don’t talk to me like that, sweetheart.”

“I talk to whoever the fuck I want like that,” I hissed, my voice low and sharp. I twisted my arm, broke his grip, and stepped back. I wasn’t scared. I couldn’t afford to be. Fear was fuel to men like him.

Gabriel was watching now, frozen a few feet away, his little fists clenched. Then, with more courage than his ten-year-old frame should’ve held, he marched up to the man, jaw tight, eyes fierce.

"Let go of my mom!" he shouted, and before I could stop him, he balled his fist and punched the man in the stomach.

It didn’t do much, barely made the man flinch, but it sure as hell got his attention.The man booked down at him, tilted his head, eyes narrowing as he spotted Gabe.Then he just grinned, let go of me, and crouched down.

“Tough little man, huh?” he asked with a slow smile. “That your momma?”

I grabbed Gabriel by the shoulders, wrapping my hand protectively over his chest. He held his ground, though, as he scowled at the man.

“What if someone took her, huh? What would you do then?”

“Back the fuck off!” I snapped, stepping between them.

He stood slowly, eyes lingering on Gabriel before shifting back to me. “You’ve got fire, girl. I like that.” He leaned closer, lowering his voice. “Let me walk you home. Make sure you get there safe.”

“No, thank you.” I tried to move, pushing the cart forward again, my heart pounding. I just needed to get to the front of the store, get out, and figure out what the hell to do next.

But he kept pace with me, smiling like we were having a casual conversation. “Come on now, don’t be like that. You’re already halfway to making my night.”

“Stop following me.”

He laughed under his breath. “Don’t flatter yourself, sweetheart.”

We reached the registers, but they were empty, no employees in sight. I scanned for a manager, a worker, anyone. My pulse thudded against my throat as I grabbed Gabriel’s hand and kept moving.

Then a voice rang out from the far end of the store.“Croak! Shit’s goin’ down at the dock!”

He paused, turned his head toward the shout. His jaw clenched, then relaxed. He looked back at me, that same goddamn smirk on his face.

“I’ll be seein’ you,” he said, pointing two fingers at his eyes and then mine like it was a promise. He winked, tossed the half-eaten apple back into the cart, and turned to leave like he hadn’t just threatened me in front of my son.

I stood there shaking, my body cold despite the heat in my chest. Gabriel was still glaring at him.

“Mom?”

I knelt and hugged him tightly.“Don’t worry, baby. He’s not worth the fear. We’re okay.”

But I wasn’t sure that was true. Because just when I thought things couldn’t get any worse tonight, my piece-of-shit car decided to die on me.

The engine coughed, sputtered, and went silent just as I turned onto a stretch of road near the bayou. I coasted to the shoulder, slapped the wheel, and leaned my forehead against it with a groan. "Really? Now?"

Gabriel sat quietly in the backseat, clutching his backpack. “Is it broken again?”

“Yeah,” I muttered, getting out and popping the hood even though I knew I wouldn’t know what the hell I was looking at.

That’s when I heard it. A low, thunderous roar in the distance. A motorcycle. The kind of sound that made my gut tighten. I prayed it wasn't the same dude from the grocery store.

I turned my head just in time to see the headlight cut through the dark, the rumble growing louder until the bike came into view.

The rider slowed and pulled over behind me. I backed away from the hood, already tense.

He took off his helmet, and my stomach dropped.

Knuckles .

I hadn’t seen him in years, but I’d never forget that handsome face. We'd spoken just a few words back then, he'd always been respectful, unlike some of the others. He was older now, a bit more weathered, but still sharp. He didn’t recognize me, not in the dark. Thank God for that.

“You alright?” he asked, stepping off the bike.

“I’m fine,” I said quickly, maybe too quickly.

He raised a brow. “Sure don’t look fine. You’ve got a kid in the car and no one coming to help.”

“I’ve got it handled.”

“You’re being stubborn.” He walked past me and leaned over the engine. “And that’s not real smart with a kid depending on you.”

I said nothing. Just watched as he tinkered, tightened, muttered to himself. A few minutes passed, then he slammed the hood down and turned to me.

“Try it.”

Reluctantly, I slid into the driver’s seat, turned the key, and the car came to life. Relief poured through me.

I got out quickly. “Thank you. Really. Can I pay you or..."

He was watching me now, eyes narrowing slightly. “Do I know you?”

Shit .

I turned away just enough to let my hair fall over my face. “I don’t think so. I just moved here from California.”

“Huh. I could swear..."

“Thank you,” I cut him off, grabbing the driver’s side door. “If I can ever repay you..."

“Don’t worry about it,” he interrupted, but he kept looking at me, fidgeting like he was trying to place a memory.

I slid into the car, heart thudding, and drove off, watching him shrink in the rearview mirror, just a shadow stsnding in the middle of the road.

I didn’t breathe until he was completely out of sight.

Please dont recognize me.

Please don't recognize me.

"He was cool, Mom." Gabriel said from the back seat.

"Yes, he was," I agreed, softly.

I had to be more careful. If one of them recognized me they'd go straight to Tick Tock, wherever the hell he was hiding, and I couldn't risk that. Not with that little boy sitting in my back seat.