Cross watched as Dana bustled around the office, determined to ensure he was as comfortable as possible while he waited for his MC brother Priest to arrive.
He overheard her speaking to her dad on her cellphone earlier, telling her old man she had everything covered in the garage. Cross didn’t know what Dana’s relationship with her father was like. Judging from the snippets he heard from Dana and the Crimson Crow she called Panther, things weren’t peachy between them.
God, but Cross would like to know this woman so much better. Not just in bed, but everything else about her. How she thought, her favorite books and movies. What she was like, when she wasn’t harboring an injured biker in her garage. Later, Cross decided. He could think about that once he was out of his mess.
She returned to him, bringing fresh bandages and antiseptic.
“You should get a medical professional to look at your wounds when you can.” Dana’s tone remained brusque, but underneath that straightforward exterior, Cross could sense her genuine concern.
She didn’t know how much he appreciated everything she’d done for him. Her actions spoke volumes, and he was well aware that not just anyone would have gone out of their way to help a stranger in the same manner she had. Her concern for his well-being touched him, even if she didn’t show it in the most overt way.
“You’re probably right,” Cross said.
A honk from outside drew their attention. Cross began to rise, but before he could make it to the window, Dana was already there, peering out.
“Does your friend drive a black Ford?” she asked, then read the license plates aloud to Cross.
“That’s Priest,” Cross confirmed with a nod.
Dana couldn’t help but comment, “Interesting name.”
Cross gave her a half-smile. “I’ll tell you how he got his MC name and mine, the next time we meet,” he told her.
Dana sounded somewhat pessimistic as she replied, “If there is a next time.”
Cross refrained from correcting her. It was true that Dana believed she’d never see him again, but after everything they had been through, he had no intention of letting her slip out of his life that easily.
Cross couldn’t help but grunt in pain as Dana assisted him out of the office. Despite the discomfort, he leaned on her for support, appreciating the help. Outside the garage, they were met by Priest, who was waiting nearby.
“My Harley. It’s still in there,” Cross said.
Dana had already wheeled his motorcycle close to the garage doors, ensuring it was ready to be loaded.
With Dana’s help, Cross carefully settled into the backseat, wincing as he did so. Meanwhile, Priest took charge of rolling Cross’s motorcycle toward the rear of the trunk. When that was done, Priest walked over to Dana. Cross rolled down the truck window, just enough to overhear Priest and Dana talking.
“For your trouble,” Priest said, pulling out a couple of bills from his wallet, and extended them toward Dana.
Her expression turned affronted, and Cross couldn’t help but chuckle at the exchange.
“I don’t need your money,” Dana said curtly.
Priest regarded her for a moment before tucking the bills back into his wallet. “I appreciate you looking out for my friend, but—” Priest began.
Dana interrupted him, her voice firm, “If I tell someone, you guys will come after me. I get it.”
Priest raised an eyebrow, clearly impressed.
“The Crows have been around since I was born,” Dana explained. “So I understand how you bikers operate.”
“I see. That explains some things,” Cross said.
“Do me a favor and make sure Cross sees an actual medical professional when you get home,” she requested. “I can’t have him dying after all the effort I put into keeping him alive.”
Priest nodded in agreement, his respect for Dana evident in his voice as he replied, “Will do.”
Priest climbed behind the wheel, securing the door as he settled into the driver’s seat. He couldn’t help but comment, “That’s some woman you found, Cross.”
“It was my lucky day,” Cross replied.
He glanced over at Dana, who had already retreated to her shop without saying her goodbyes.
“Let’s go,” Cross said, not wanting to involve Dana in any further trouble.
With that, Priest started the truck’s engine, and soon, after a few turns and a glimpse of Elmwood in the rearview mirror, they left the town behind.
Cross had half-expected to run into more Crows on their way out, but they continued down the road without any additional unwelcome company.
He began to believe they were safe, at least for the time being. One would think he should be feeling relief, considering he had managed to escape with his life intact. After all, his plans upon returning home included having his injuries properly looked at and ensuring Jimmy was rounded up for his betrayal. However, the uneasiness in his gut remained, and it wasn’t about himself—it was about Dana.
As the miles passed by, Cross’s worry for the woman who had risked so much to help him continued to grow. He couldn’t shake the concern that she might face repercussions from the Crows for her assistance. What if someone had witnessed Priest loading him into the truck? The Crows likely had eyes and ears all over the town, and the mere idea of Dana facing potential consequences gnawed at him.
“Get some sleep,” Priest suggested. “It’s at least an hour’s drive back home, maybe two if there’s morning traffic.”
Cross shifted uncomfortably in the truck’s seat, his injuries still throbbing with pain.
“I don’t think I could get any sleep,” he admitted.
“You worried about that woman?” Priest asked, as if reading his mind.
They had been friends for over a decade, so Cross shouldn’t be too surprised.
“I am,” Cross admitted. “Priest, she could’ve let me bleed out in the garage or called the cops or one of the Crows after me, but she didn’t.”
Priest nodded in agreement. “She’s something, no doubt about it. But a woman like that can take care of herself. It’s unlike you to worry about a stranger you just met.”
Cross clenched his jaw. “A stranger who saved my life,” he corrected.
Cross stared out the truck window at the passing landscape, his thoughts still circling back to the woman who had shown him unexpected kindness.
“Don’t tell me you want me to turn back,” Priest’s voice broke through Cross’s reverie, laced with a scoff. “In that state, you’re no good to anyone, least of all her.”
Frustration welled up inside Cross, but deep down, he couldn’t deny the truth in Priest’s words. He was in no condition to offer any help, and if the Crows were indeed watching, his presence could only make things worse.
“I’ll call her once we get home,” he finally conceded. Cross thought he wouldn’t be able to sleep, but he eventually dozed off.
****
Dana had been working on Mr. Graham’s green Chevrolet when her father, Jeremy, entered the shop with Rusty, a member of Panther’s crew. Dana pretended to look unconcerned and continued with her work but deep down, she was panicking. Why was Rusty here and what did he want? This wasn’t good.
When she got off the phone with Jeremy earlier that morning, he seemed suspicious when Dana insisted he could come in the shop later. Dana’s usual MO was to remind him to get his butt in and take some share of the work.
Dana focused on her task, wrench in hand, as she pretended not to notice Jeremy and Rusty enter the office. Her father shut the door behind him, so Dana couldn’t overhear their conversation.
She knew she had to keep her composure, but her heart raced in her chest, and her mind raced with questions. Why was Rusty here, and what did he want with her father? The situation didn’t feel right.
Jeremy and Rusty weren’t in the office long, but when they came out, Rusty flashed her a smirk that made her stomach overturn.
Jeremy walked Rusty out of the garage just as Dana finished working on Mr. Graham’s oil change. Her father walked up to her and grabbed her elbow.
“What kind of trouble did you get yourself in, girl?” he demanded.
Dana wrenched her elbow back. It was usually her who asked that question to him. Dana met her father’s gaze evenly. Did she have to remind him of the number of times she had to spring him from jail? Or when the local bar owner would call her in the dead of night, asking her to pick Jeremy up from the bar?
“I didn’t get into any trouble, Dad. But what’s going on with Rusty and why is he here?” Dana asked.
She crossed her arms and shifted her weight from one foot to the other. Jeremy narrowed his eyes. Dana knew she’d always been a poor liar, unlike Jeremy. Lies were as natural to him as breathing.
“You have a honest face, just like your mother. Sometimes I wonder if that’s a good or bad thing,” he used to tell her.
“Dana,” Jeremy said in a low, measured tone. He took a step closer to her, his eyes never leaving hers. “You and I both know you’re not telling me everything. I can see it in your eyes. Mrs. Higgins across the road spotted you helping two bikers. One of them was injured. Both weren’t Crows.”
Dana’s heart sank as the pieces fell into place. So that was it. A nosy neighbor had witnessed her lending a hand to Cross, as they made it to Priest’s truck. Why should she be surprised? The Crows had a way of making everyone feel like they were being watched, and their grip on the community was tighter than anyone dared to admit. Dana’s annoyance was initially directed at Mrs. Higgins for being the meddling onlooker, but her anger quickly faded as she realized her fury was misdirected.
This was how the Crows operated. They didn’t just rule through fear, they also managed to turn every local against each other. It was how they kept everyone in line, so they wouldn’t form any alliances that could challenge the Crows’ authority.
“And what did you tell him?” Dana asked, remembering the smirk Rusty had given her. She knew her father owed Smoke a lot of money. To pay that debt off, they had agreed to service some of the Crows’ motorcycles for free.
It was a terrible business decision. Money kept bleeding out and nothing came in, despite their steady stream of regulars. Dana was pretty sure they would have to close up shop by the end of the year, but Jeremy never saw that far. Her father only operated in the present.
“What do you do take me for? Of course I told Rusty you’d never do such a thing,” Jeremy blurted.
“Then why did he look smug as hell when he left the shop?” Dana demanded.
“Rusty did?” Jeremy asked, looking confused. “Rusty only told me to keep a lookout for these Death Seekers MC members and promised me a reward.”
“I get it. Thanks for telling me, Dad. Let’s just get back to work,” Dana said tiredly.
In the back of her mind, she wondered if the mention of a reward would tempt her father. She never fully trusted him, not after he made that awful deal with Smoke. Ever since her mother died, Jeremy had never been right. She thought of Cross and wondered how he was, and if he’d taken her advice to see a doctor.
Dana scoffed at herself. Here she and her father were in deep water, and she was thinking about the biker who had likely forgotten about her already.
No, if trouble finally did come knocking on her door, it was up to her to deal with it.