Ride Hard (Raven Riders 1)

But Haven didn’t care. Not about anyone or anything else in the whole wide world.

BY FIVE O’CLOCK on Friday afternoon, Dare felt like a time bomb ready to explode. Dread hung over him like a shroud. No matter how hard he fought it off, his brain was tripping warning bells all over the place about tonight. He felt like he was missing something. And on top of everything, he’d been so busy setting up the security measures they’d brainstormed and dealing with normal race-day issues that he hadn’t seen Haven once since he’d left her bed this morning. And now it was almost time for her to go.

Maybe it was better that way. Maybe they should let the incredible night they’d spent loving and talking and occasionally sleeping together be their good-bye. Because he wasn’t sure how the fuck he was going to let her go if he saw her again anyway.

And now cars were pouring into the lot as race fans arrived early to eat dinner at the track or visit with the pit crews down on the field. From where Dare stood inside the control room they’d set up in the office next to the ticket window, his gaze scanned over three monitors playing feeds from various security cameras—one on each of the parking lot entrances recording vehicle information and one on the box office windows capturing faces. Randall’s men’s pictures and car descriptions were taped down on the table in front of the monitors. Joker and Blake were manning those feeds and had walkie-talkies to communicate incoming trouble if they saw it.

“Stay in touch.” Dare clapped Joker on his mountainous shoulder.

“You know it, boss,” the guy said.

Dare left the control room and passed through the back of the ticket and betting office, where four of his men were manning the windows, two of which would close once the races started at seven. For right now, though, all four guys were too busy to talk. Continuing outside, Dare checked the time on his cell again. Quarter after five. Caine, Tank, and Domino should be back any minute with everything they needed to start the road trip with Haven and Cora out to Missouri.

Dare hated how fucked their usual procedures were going to be on this relocation. Phoenix usually headed them up, but given that the Iron Cross might be in play here, everyone agreed he should stay local. So Caine was leading this trip, which was fine, though the guy wasn’t particularly good at putting people at ease. And the last thing Dare wanted was for Haven to feel uncomfortable or scared. On top of it all, they’d never rushed through making relocation arrangements so fast, and that pissed him off on Haven’s behalf. Because she deserved the best from them. Certainly, the best from him.

The late afternoon sun beat down warm and heavy, and an excited energy encompassed the whole venue as cars rolled into the lot and people streamed toward the track. Music played, announcements echoed over the loudspeakers, voices and laughter carried on the breeze, engines revved.

And all Dare wanted to do was head up to the clubhouse and steal a few final minutes with Haven. But it wasn’t in the cards. Taking a deep breath pressed the guns in the holsters at the small of his back and under his left arm into his skin, and the feeling was one of comfort. He was ready for fucking anything.

Spotting Nick and Shane down by one of the entrances to the field, Dare headed that way. He gave a wave as he neared. “How goes it?”

“We’re set,” Nick said. He and his men were in regular street clothes tonight, not wanting to call any special attention to themselves. “Patrols are in place. Communications are up and running. Everything looks good.”

The only thing keeping Dare sane was how smoothly the day had gone so far. The Brothers of Steel had arrived as promised, a dozen strong. Marz had had no difficulties getting the security cameras set up and had hacked into two potentially useful traffic cameras as well. And there’d been no major snafus on the racing side of things either. Even the weather had cooperated, giving them a gorgeous day sure to bring fans out in droves.

“All right,” Dare said. “Stay in touch.”

“Roger that,” Nick said.

Before he’d taken two steps away, Dare’s cell rang, and he looked to the screen, relieved to see Caine’s name. Fucking finally. “Caine, what’s the word?”

“We got a problem,” Caine said.

“Don’t tell me that,” Dare said, that feeling of dread creeping up his spine. He covered his other ear with his hand as an announcement echoed through the loudspeakers.

“Nothing’s ready. It may be later tonight. If not, definitely tomorrow, but good shit takes time.” Frustration was plain in the guy’s voice.

“That’s the one thing we don’t have,” Dare said, his mind whirling on how to make this work.