Fuel and Fire

CHAPTER 7

I barely slept after the highway ambush because every time I closed my eyes I saw blood soaking through Crow’s shirt and heard that dying Black Reaper’s voice echoed inside my head.

‘Your daddy owns half this f*****g state’.

The words followed me everywhere. Even now while I stood behind the Rusted Axle counter pouring burnt coffee for exhausted truckers at six in the morning. My brain kept circling back to it over and over again.

Because deep down? Part of me already knew exactly what he meant.

Growing up wealthy sounded glamorous to people who never lived it but expensive houses and private schools lost their shine real f*****g fast when you realized nobody around you actually acted normal.

My father always carried cash instead of cards.

Men with guns stood outside parties pretending they were security.

People lowered their voices whenever he entered the rooms.

And every once in a while somebody disappeared from our lives completely and nobody ever talked about them again.

When I was thirteen, I overheard one of my father’s associates whispering about bodies being dumped in the river outside Charlestown and my mother slapped me hard enough to split my lip when she realized I’d heard.

“We don’t ask questions in this family.” She snapped.

That sentence pretty much summed up my childhood.

I grabbed another coffee pot while exhaustion dragged through my body and the diner bell jingled loudly.

Knox walked in alone. Every nerve in my body immediately tightened.

He looked tired too. Dark circles sat beneath his eyes while dried blood still stained the sleeve of his cut from the highway and several truckers quietly avoided eye contact the second they recognized him.

Knox ignored everybody while sliding onto his usual stool.

“Crow alive?” I asked pouring coffee automatically.

“Yeah. You alright?” He asked watching me carefully over the rim of his mug.

“Fantastic. Nothing says healthy emotional stability like highway shootouts before sunrise.” I replied dryly.

His mouth twitched slightly before his expression hardened again.

“That Reaper knew your family.” He said.

I looked away immediately while wiping down the counter harder than necessary.

“Apparently.” I said.

“Maze.” Knox said.

“What?” I asked.

“Talk to me.” He said.

Something in his voice nearly cracked my control completely and honestly that scared me more than guns did.

Because trusting people always ended badly in my experience.

“I don’t know what he meant.” I lied.

Knox started at me long enough that guilt started crawling beneath my skin.

“You’re a terrible liar.” He said calmly.

“Good thing I’m not trying very hard.” I scoffed while grabbing another coffee mug.

“You got mob tied?” He asked.

The question hit like a punch.

“You asking me that while sitting inside an outlaw biker gang’s protection racket feels pretty ironic.” I said forcing myself to laugh.

“That ain’t an answer.” He said.

“No. It’s not.” I snapped quietly.

Tension thickened instantly between us while the diner noise blurred into the background.

Before Knox could push further, the diner bell rang again. And suddenly every person inside the diner turned to stare.

There was a man wearing a three thousand dollar suit had just walked into a truck stop diner.

Perfect f*****g timing. Adrian Cole looked exactly the same as he always had.

Perfect hair and perfect watch with his perfect rich boy smile.

He looked painfully out of place surrounded by truckers and grease stains and several men near the booths immediately started snickering under their breath.

Crow would’ve had a f*****g field day with this.

Adrian spotted me instantly and walked toward the counter while Knox’s expression turned cold with every step.

“There you are.” Adrian said smoothly.

“You tracked me down at work?” I asked staring at him.

“You stopped answering my calls.” He said.

“Because I enjoy peace.” I said.

“Maze. Your mother’s losing her mind.” Adrian sighed dramatically while loosening his tie.

“My mother loses her mind when waiters forget lemon slices.” I said.

His eyes flickered toward Knox finally and his expression immediately sharpened.

“Well. This explains a lot.” Adrian muttered.

“You her boyfriend?” Knox asked leaning back against the stool calmly.

“Absolutely the f**k not.” I said nearly choking on my coffee.

“Adrian Cole.” Adrian said ignoring my completely.

“Knox Mercer.” Knox answered.

Truckers nearby openly started watching now because apparently the universe hated me.

“Maze, can we talk privately?” Adrian asked looking around the diner with visible discomfort.

“No.” I said.

“Maze.” Adrian said.

“I said no.” I said.

His jaw tightened slightly while Knox stayed completely silent beside me.

Honestly, the tension between them felt less like conversation and more like two wolves deciding whether to bite each other.

“You don’t belong in places like this.” Adrian said lowering his voice.

“Place like what?” I laughed.

“This.” He said gesturing around the diner.

“Greasy food and emotionally damaged men?” I asked.

Knox snorted quietly into his coffee.

“Maze your family’s worried.” Adrian said looking irritated.

“My family spent eighteen years pretending I was decorative furniture.” I said.

“That’s not fair.” He said.

“No. What’s not fair is growing up around people who treat murder like business strategy.” I snapped.

Adrian’s expression changed fast enough to confirm that everything I already suspected. And Knox noticed it too.

“You know something.” Knox said flatly.

“This conversation doesn’t involve you.” Adrian said looking towards him coldly.

Knox stood up slowly then and suddenly the entire diner atmosphere shifted dangerously.

“Everything involving Maze involves me now.” Knox said.

Heat slammed into my chest so hard it actually hurt.

“You serious?” Adrian asked before laughing humorlessly.

“Dead serious.” Knox said stepping closer but he was very calm which seemed every more dangerous.

“You’re choosing this?” Adrian asked looking back toward me.

I started at him for a long second before glancing toward Knox standing beside me dangerous, violent and complicated.

But honestly? That mattered more than anything.

“Yeah. I am.” I said quietly.

Adrian’s face tightened slightly like I’d actually hurt him. Then he nodded once before stepping backward.

“You have no idea what you’re getting into.” Adrian muttered.

“Neither does he.” I said crossing my arms.

Knox’s hand brushed lightly against my lower back afterward and somehow that tiny touch grounded me instantly.

Adrian left without another word while truckers immediately started whispering again.

“Girl, you really know how to collect dangerous men.” One old driver near me said low.

“Occupational hazard.” I muttered.

“You wanna tell me the truth now?” Knox asked looking at me carefully.

My stomach tightened immediately. Because the truth? The truth could destroy everything.

Outside the diner windows rain started falling softly again while Sabrina Cross sat inside her parked car across the street watching the truck stop with pure hatred burning across her face.

Then another motorcycle pulled beside her. Black Reapers and Sabrina smiled.