Unconstrained

I was nearly finished when I heard a motorcycle come down the road and turn into our lot. Could it be Snake?

I grabbed a rag and wiped my hands before heading out front. Snake wasn’t there. The rider was a man I didn’t recognize, but I knew instinctively he was dangerous as hell. “I’m sorry. We’re closed.”

This was too much like the night I’d met Snake, but while I’d found him intimidating, I’d never really been afraid of him. This man gave me chills. Something told me to get away from him as fast as I could.

“Where’s Snake?”

“He’s not here. He left town.”

“I don’t believe you.” The man rose from his bike. “Maybe you need a lesson in how to tell the truth.”

I turned and ran as fast as I could. I just managed to get the office door shut and locked before the man reached it. I was saved by the fact that he was drunk or high or both. His lumbering steps couldn’t keep up with me.

As the man banged on the door, I pulled out my phone. It would have been a lot smarter to call Beau since he was likely closer—or the Theriots since they surely were—but I called Snake.

He answered on the first ring. “Leland? What’s wrong?”

“There’s a man here. He showed up on a motorcycle, drunk and asking for you.”

“Red hair, scraggly beard, looks like an oversized troll?”

“Yes.”

“That’s Trigger. Where are you?”

I managed to lock myself in the office building, but he’s trying his best to get in. He thinks you’re here.”

“I’m on my way.”

“Where are you? I thought—”

“Lance called me to let me know Trigger had disappeared. I was on my way back to help locate him and put him down once and for all. I’m probably only five minutes away.”

“Okay. Hurry.” I prayed the door would hold until he got there.

A few minutes later, I heard glass shatter. I ran back up front and saw Trigger sticking his arm through a broken windowpane, trying to reach the lock. He didn’t seem to notice the glass cutting him.

I grabbed a metal flashlight from a shelf and brought it down on his arm. He screamed, but then he jammed his other arm through the broken window, cutting it up as well. Before I could hit him again, he managed to wrench the flashlight from my hand.

He threw it at me, but I dodged it. He managed to get the door unlocked before I could find another weapon. I ran, intending to barricade myself in Beau’s apartment, but Trigger grabbed the back of my shirt and slung me around. I struggled to get loose, and he backhanded me, knocking me into the wall. I tasted blood from where my teeth had cut my cheek.

“You better tell me where that son of a bitch is, or I’ll make sure you die before he does.”

“He’s not here.” I heard a motorcycle in the distance. Please let that be Snake. The noise of the engine increased. Whoever it was, was coming this way.

Trigger grabbed the front of my shirt and slammed me up against the wall again. “I don’t think you’re listening to me. Where is Snake?”

“I’m right here.”

I turned toward the door and saw him there. For a second, I was afraid he might be a hallucination, but he caught hold of Trigger, yanked him away from me, and punched him.

I dove for the flashlight and brought it down on the back of Trigger’s head. He staggered, but he didn’t go down.

“Did he hurt you?” Snake asked as he took hold of Trigger’s shirt and shook him. “You’re going to pay for what you’ve done. This man is under my protection.”

“I’m okay. I—”

“He hit you.” Snake stared at my cheek where I was sure a bruise was forming.

“Yeah.”

Snake hit Trigger over and over until he was lying on the floor trying to cover his face but making no other movements. Then Snake grabbed the light from me and brought it down on Trigger’s head once more. The sickening crack told me Trigger wasn’t going to be getting up again soon, maybe not ever. My stomach turned, and I thought I was going to puke in front of Snake again, but I managed to take a deep breath and steady myself. Trigger had intended to kill Snake and likely me too.

I looked up at Snake. “You… you saved me.”

“I told you if you needed me, I would be here. I meant that.”

He kissed me gently, then pulled me to him, holding me like I was fragile.

Someone cleared their throat, and we jumped apart. It was Beau and his boyfriend, Corbin, the youngest Theriot brother. They were standing in the doorway. How had they gotten in without us hearing them?

“Trigger?” Beau asked, tilting his head toward the body on the floor.