CHAPTER FOUR
Present day
Luisa—
Turning down the volume of my car stereo, I glance over at Carmen. “I need gas.”
She groans. “We’re gonna be late. You know Ramona hates when she has to wait.”
“Big deal. It’s only a nail appointment. Besides, this will only take a couple of minutes.” I turn into the gas station on the edge of town near the interstate by Carmen’s. Her parents’ house is on the other side of town from mine and picking her up has already made us late.
Pulling up at the pump, I get out, and I notice the two motorcycles parked at the pumps on the other side from mine. My eyes hit the patches on their backs.
Saint’s Outlaws.
My heart stops.
“Luisa, hurry up,” Carmen calls out the window.
At the sound of my name, one of them turns, and Blue and I lock eyes. My heart skips a beat, and for a long moment all I can do is stare at him like the rest of the world has disappeared.
Carmen reaches over and toots the horn. “Come on.”
I fumble with my wallet, and my credit card falls to the ground. Before I can stoop to pick it up, Blue is there, retrieving it for me.
He holds it out to me. “Put that away.”
I take the card and stare at him, a lump in my throat and my pulse pounding.
Blue digs in his pocket and slides his own card down the slot, then takes the nozzle and pumps my gas for me.
My gaze flicks to Carmen in the passenger seat, and she gives me a wide-eyed stare, then mouths the words, “He’s hot.”
I fumble with my wallet and jam it back in my purse.
Blue doesn’t say another word until the pump stops, and he returns the nozzle to the holder and screws my cap back on. Then he tips his head.
“Drive safe, darlin’.”
I get behind the wheel, and Carmen grabs my arm.
“Oh, my God. That guy was gorgeous. Wasn’t he the one who danced with you at your sister’s wedding?”
I nod.
“What did he say to you?”
“Not much, just told me to drive safe.” I hesitate to start the ignition, instead staring at Blue. He finishes pumping his own gas, and his friend comes over and talks with him about something.
A commotion near the entrance to the convenience store draws my attention.
A man hauls a woman by the arm toward a pickup truck parked in one of the spaces. He shoves her against the side and starts yelling at her.
“You fucking bitch. When I say get in the truck, I mean it.” He slams his hand against her head, banging it against the window.
“Oh, my God,” Carmen whispers. “We should do something.”
Before either of us can respond, we see Blue and his club brother stalking toward them.
Blue grabs the guy's arm just as he’s about to hit the woman again. He flings the guy around and punches him in the face. The man falls against his truck. Blue hits him again.
“How’s that feel, motherfucker? You like being a goddamn punching bag?”
The man holds his hands up but makes no move to fight back.
“You pathetic piece of shit,” Blue snarls. “I ever hear you’ve touched this woman again, I’ll break every bone in your fucking body. You understand?”
The man nods.
“Say it,” Blue snaps.
“I understand.”
“Apologize to her,” Blue says.
“I’m sorry, baby. I shouldn’t have done that.”
Blue looks over to the woman. “You need someplace to stay? If you want to leave this asshole, just say the word.”
She nods in the affirmative.
“Grab your purse, darlin’,” Blue’s club brother says. “We’ll take you someplace safe—someplace this dick won’t ever hurt you again.”
She leans in the door of the truck and grabs her purse, then follows the other guy to his bike.
Blue stands over the man. “If I were you, I’d leave town. I see you again, I’m gonna beat the fuck out of you just for the hell of it.”
The guy wipes his bloody mouth with his sleeve, but says nothing, and Blue walks back to his bike like nothing happened.
I turn the ignition and pull out.
“Oh, my God. Can you believe that?” Carmen asks. “They sure took care of that jerk.”
“Yeah, they did.”
“You don’t see men stand up to other men like that very often. Not about that kind of thing. They usually look the other way, and don’t get involved.”
“I know,” I reply.
“I get that he’s a biker in that club, but that was kind of a knight-in-shining-armor thing to do, wasn’t it?”
“Yeah, it was.” I glance in my rearview mirror and see them pulling out in the opposite direction.
“I hope that girl is okay,” Carmen murmurs.
“She’s a lot better off now than she was before,” I murmur.
*****
Two days later, Carmen and I are sitting in the diner on Main Street when one of the Saint’s Outlaws pulls up outside and backs his bike to the curb.
It’s not Blue, and my shoulders drop. I feel Carmen’s eyes on me, but she doesn’t say anything.
We’re in a booth by the window, and we watch when the man walks in and approaches the counter.
I’m close enough to hear the exchange he has with the owner, Dolly. She passes him an envelope, and he leaves.
I’m watching him pull out when Dolly approaches our table. “How were your burgers? You two want a slice of pie?”
“No, thanks,” Carmen says, rubbing her stomach. “I’m stuffed.”
Dolly lays our check on the table with a grin. “Thanks for coming.”
“Dolly,” I say, stopping her before she walks away.
“Yes, Hon?”
“That man who was just here… Do you know where their clubhouse is?”
She frowns and puts a hand on her hip. “Now, why would you want to know that?”
“They had an engagement party out at our property a few weeks ago. One of them left something. I was going to drop it off.” I make up a story on the fly and notice Carmen’s eyes widen. She knows it’s all a lie.
“Oh, well, in that case. It’s out past your father’s pecan groves, south on Highway 28 past Mesilla and halfway to San Miguel. The property used to be an old junkyard.”
“I know the place,” Carmen says, looking at me. “The one with the corrugated metal fence and the wooden sign.”
I smile at Dolly. “Thanks.”
“Sure.” She retreats behind the counter and pours coffee for a patron.
“What the hell was that about?” Carmen leans to hiss.
“I just wanted to know.”
“You are not going out there, Luisa,” Carmen states like she gets to decide.
I stare out the window. “I didn’t say I was.”
“You didn’t have to. It’s plain as day on your face.”
“It is not.”
“It is so.” Carmen lets out a sigh.
“You’re the one who said I needed to rebel and have some fun.” I throw her words back at her.
“Not with a biker. Not with one of the Saint’s Outlaws, for God’s sake.” She stares at me. “Luisa, you cannot seriously be thinking of going there.”
I shrug. “I just wanted to drive past and look at the place.”
She shoves a fry into her mouth. “There’s not much to see. It’s pretty desolate out that way. Only reason I know the place is because my father takes his extra tomatoes to the church in San Miguel. They have a food pantry for the poor. We pass right by it.”
I check my watch. “I need to get home soon. I promised my mother I’d help her hang curtains.” It’s another lie. I seem to be making a lot of them lately. I’ll have to go to confession and say the rosary.
“Have they said anything more about Mateo?”
“He started his last year of studies. I don’t think anything will happen until that’s over.”
“So, you have a reprieve until the end of the year. He’s going to New Mexico State, right?” she asks.
“Yes. He’s studying agriculture so he can take over his father’s business.”
“Ruby Chile Company is not far from here. We’ll still be able to see each other after you’re married.”
At her words, my eyes glaze. I don’t want to think about being married to Mateo.
Carmen reaches across the table. “Cheer up. You’ve still got months to get up the courage to tell your father you don’t want to go through with it.”
I nod, and she collects the check. “Come on. I’m paying.”
We walk to our cars, and she hugs me goodbye.
I watch her drive off but make no move to start my own car.
I glance up the street, thinking. It was a lie that I have to go help my mother hang curtains.
I made it up because I needed to get away from my friend.
My mother thinks I’m spending the day with Carmen, shopping, and I’m not expected home until dinnertime. That gives me a few precious hours.
Turning the key, I drop the car in reverse and head south. I drive on autopilot, promising myself I’m just going to drive past the place—just to take a look. What’s the harm in that?
Fifteen minutes later, I spot the place on my right. I lean to peer through the passenger window as I pass. The junkyard sign is still there. There’s a chain-link gate, but it stands propped open.
Going down a way, I make a U-turn and head back. There’s no traffic on the highway, and on impulse, I slow and turn into the drive. If they catch me, I’ll just say I’m turning around.
A large warehouse-style building comes into view.
It’s not at all what I expected. To tell the truth, I don’t know what I expected.
I’m not sure it’s the place until I spot the Saint’s Outlaws’ logo painted above the door.
I’m surprised when I don’t find a bunch of motorcycles parked out front.
There are only two, and one of them is Blue’s. My heart leaps. He’s here.
Do I dare stop?
Maybe this is my chance to talk to him. If there’s only one other guy here, this could be the perfect opportunity.
I roll to a stop, staring at the door.
Be brave, Luisa.
Putting the car in park, I turn it off and climb out.
The steel door opens when I pull on the knob, and it creaks when it swings wide.
It’s dark inside the big open room, and it takes my eyes a moment to adjust. A bar sits off to the right with pool tables on the left. The place appears empty except a guy behind the bar.
“Can I help you, ma’am?” He leans his forearms on the bar top and gives me a grin, his eyes sweeping me head to toe.
I’m wearing a summer dress with my hair pulled up and a pair of gold hoop earrings.
“Is Blue here?” my voice quivers, and the heavy metal door slams behind me, making me jump.