Knuckles (Dragon Riders MC #4) - Savannah Rylan Page 0,34

second chances. I’m just glad your memory came back and you’re going to be doing all right.”

“Well, I’ve got three more days and then—”

The doors of the diner burst open. “We have to go, Simone. Now.”

A chill ran down my spine. “Why? What’s wrong?”

Justin stormed in my direction. “Ash and Sly never showed up.”

My stomach dropped. “What?”

Dani interjected. “Who’s Ash and Sly?”

I pointed. “A couple of Justin’s friends. They were supposed to show up at eight for coffee. What time is it?”

Justin pinned me with a look. “It’s lunch time, Simone.”

I took my apron off. “I’m so sorry, Dani. But we have to go.”

She furrowed her brow. “I need you until the end of the week.”

I handed her my apron. “You can keep my tips. My wages. Give them to the new girl when you throw her into things tomorrow, okay? I’m so sorry. Please, don’t be upset. But this is family, and they’re missing now.”

She took my apron and nodded. “Go on. Get out of here. But you come back and visit, all right?”

I hugged her tightly. “I promise.”

The second I took Justin’s hand, he raced me out of that diner. We hopped onto the back of his bike and raced toward the highway, but I knew we had a long and arduous journey ahead of us. We were at least three or so hours outside of the Iron Horse. And I knew that every second we spent not figuring out what was going on, we risked something terrible happening to the guys.

“Maybe there’s a logical explanation?” I asked.

Justin shook his head as we sped down the highway. “They would’ve called. But everyone’s phones are off right now. Something’s not right.”

I closed my eyes and sent up a silent prayer to a God I wasn’t sure I believed in. I mean after everything I had endured in my life, it was hard to believe in some almighty being that had the best intentions for us. I had worked my way through too much darkness to deal with some bullshit like that. Justin, too.

But as we soared down the road toward the bar, I figured a small prayer couldn’t hurt.

“Shit. I need gas,” Justin growled.

I perked up. “I’ve got money. I’ll go inside and pay. You be ready to hook up.”

“It’s fine, Simone. I’ve got this.”

“Will you have to go inside and pay?”

He eased up to the gas pump. “Yes.”

“Then, let’s shave off some time. Wait here, and when I pay you can start pumping.”

I rushed inside the gas station and used the money I had saved up from my morning tips to fill his tank. I also snagged us a couple of drinks because, damn it, the sun was out in full force today. I trotted outside with my bills tucked into my pocket and handed him his favorite from when he was a child: Code Red Mountain Dew. I still wasn’t sure how the hell he drank that stuff. Nevertheless, he cracked it open and chuckled, then wiped his mouth off with the back of his hand.

And me? Well, my drink of choice was a pre-packaged iced coffee energy drink.

I loved these things.

“Never remember you drinking coffee,” Justin said.

I smiled. “Love the stuff now. It keeps me going.”

“Noted.”

He pulled the gas spigot out and closed the hatch on his bike. “Ready to hit the road?”

“Ready when you are, handsome.”

It was astounding, how far one tank of gas in his bike could get us. But even though we were only a few minutes away from the Iron Horse, Justin pulled into yet another gas station. Sure, we were close to being on empty. But we were home.

So, why the gas?

“Justin?” I asked.

“We’re going to fill up before we get to the bar and I don’t have time to explain. I’m going to go inside and—”

I held up my hand. “I pay, you pump. Got it?”

He nodded. “Won’t fight you this time. We’re too close.”

We repeated the same song and dance, and I even got us the same drinks this time as I came out from paying. We cracked open our drinks and chugged for a bit, finishing them just as the gas spigot clicked off. We tossed our trash and fixed everything up, like hanging the gas spigot up and closing the hatch on the bike. Then, we got back on the road and cruised right into the parking lot of the bar.

On a full tank of gas.

Which I still wasn’t sure why we needed.

I gazed upon the facade