What Doesn't Destroy Us (The Devil's Dust #1)(81)

“'Bout time, brother,” Bobby says with a face-splitting grin. I look over at my dad. He is not clapping and doesn't look happy.

“Yeah, f*ck you,” Shadow says to Bobby, with a matching face-splitting grin.

Everyone’s bikes start up after Bull first starts his. The loud, thunderous sound of motors fills my ears. My whole body vibrates with the freedom.

Bull pulls off and everyone follows.

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The bike show is held along the beach and zigzags up through the adjoining streets. There are street bikes everywhere and trucks hauling custom bikes pulling into parking spots. I can smell leather and exhaust before we even come to a stop.

I climb off the bike and wait for Shadow's next move. I look around at my surroundings and see a lot of rugged men wearing leather cuts from Devil's, Silver Bullets, Ghosts and more. Off to the side of the road, I see an ambulance and about a dozen cop cars and black SUV’s; ready at a moment’s notice.

Shadow grabs my hand. “Ready?” he asks. I nod and we follow the others.

As we get closer to the action, I can hear Nickleback playing and can slightly smell chicken, but the leather and exhaust smells are stronger. We pass a lot of different bikes; most custom with half-naked chicks posing beside them. There are some people who aren’t wearing cuts, but not a lot; they seem to dart out of our way when they see us. It makes me feel powerful. I love it.

“Want a drink?” Shadow points at a trailer with kegs on it.

“Yeah,” I reply.

We walk over with Bobby to get our beers. They start talking about air intakes, fat tires, and more bike talk I don’t understand.

After about an hour of walking around looking at bikes, and the beer Shadow got me, I’m about to piss myself. I look out for a bathroom but only spot port-a-potties a few blocks over. Shit.

The guys stop and start looking at more bikes. I look over and start eyeing a metallic green one that looks like a dragon. It’s amazing what people can do with these things; the engine has a plate over it that looks like wings coming off the dragon and the wheel in the back is huge.

“Looks like Shadow patched you in,” a voice rings off behind me. I stand and see Chelsea and Candy, both standing with their arms crossed, looking as slutty as ever.

I look around, but Shadow isn’t near.

“Yep, sorry, ladies,” I say, trying to walk off, but Chelsea grabs my elbow.

“Unless you want to look like her,” I nod toward Candy’s broken nose, “you better let me the f*ck go.” My voice is threatening and dripping venom. My brutal anger still surprises me. I am definitely not the same girl I was in New York.

Chelsea laughs. “You better enjoy it, hunny. It won’t last long,” she says, nodding toward my cut. They both smirk and walk off, leaving me angry as hell.

I stand on my tiptoes and see Shadow two bikes over. I make my way through the crowd and spot him talking with some biker bimbo. She has blond pigtails and is dressed in purple to match the bike she's posing with. A purple bra, purple thong, and purple fishnets are topped off by knee-high purple boots. She runs her hand down Shadow's chest cooing something at him, but he just leans his head to the side, and smiles.

I walk over to him and clear my throat. The girl eyes me with disgust.

Already angry from Chelsea and Candy, I want nothing more than to break her nose with my fist, but I really am about to piss myself.

“I gotta pee.” I yell at him over the music and idle chit chat around us.

I walk off toward the bathrooms, not being able to hold it much longer.

“Dani, you can’t get jealous every time a girl looks at me,” he says, walking quickly behind me.

“Fuck you,” I spit back, walking in-between box trailers.

Shadow grabs my arm and yanks me to him. “You can’t just run off; it’s not safe.” He throws my back up against a box trailer.

“What the f*ck’s going on?” Bull asks, rounding the trailer.

“It’s all your fault,” a shaky voice rings out. We look over at the opposite end of the box trailer to see a disgruntled Cassie pointing a gun at us.

Shadow bolts upright and pushes me behind him when he sees his mother.

Then Bobby rounds the corner as well. “Hey, I saw you guys run off, everything alri-” Bobby cuts himself off when he sees Cassie.

“It’s all your fault he’s dead,” she yells, trembling. She’s so unstable her hands shake the gun uncontrollably; her finger is pressed tightly against the trigger, making me uncomfortable.

“I never should have taken the deal, I knew it. But I thought I could get that bitch to talk... and then Ricky... and blood…” she starts rambling and not making any sense.

Suddenly bodies surround the other side of the box trailer; men wearing cuts with crazy eyes.

“Well, well, well,” one of them says, his head shaved.

“El Locos,” Bobby breathes.

I remember them; they were the ones that were responsible for the drive-by shooting at the safe house. How could I forget them?

Cassie turns at the sound, pointing the gun at the El Locos, but only briefly before turning back to us.

She points the gun at me crying, “sorry.” She drops her head and cocks the trigger.

A loud boom goes off, making me scream. I close my eyes and wait for the pain, but nothing comes. When I open my eyes, Cassie is in a state of pure shock. Her mouth gapes open and blood begins to pool at her chest. She drops the gun and falls to her knees, gasping for air.