Fuel and Fire

CHAPTER 1

Rain hammered against the windows of the Rusted Axle while thunder rattled the old truck stop so hard that the coffee mugs hanging behind the counter shook every few minutes and honestly the weather matched the mood of every exhausted asshole sitting inside the diner tonight.

I balanced three plates along my arm while weaving through tables and I ignored the trucker near booth six who kept staring at my ass like he thought persistence would magically make me interested.

“Sweetheart. You ever smile?” He called with his irritating voice.

I slid his plate onto the table harder than necessary while giving him a fake smile that probably looked more threatening than friendly.

“You ever tip?” I asked and the old man barked out a laugh while his buddy nearly choked on his coffee.

“You’ve got a mouth on you.” The trucker grinned.

“Yeah and somehow I still use it better than you do.” I said.

The table burst into laughter while the man shook his head. I walked away before he could answer because I still had six more tables, two fresh pots of coffee brewing and exactly zero patience left.

Working nights at the Rusted Axle meant dealing with every kind of man imaginable and most of the fell somewhere between annoying and criminal. Truckers came through all hours of the night, bikers rolled in whenever they felt like it and drunks stumbled through the door after bars closed looking for greasy food and bad decisions.

After three years working here almost nothing shocked me anymore.

“Maze. Order up.” The cook yelled from the kitchen window.

“I’m f*****g coming.” I yelled back while grabbing the plates.

Nobody called me Maisie anymore because Maze stuck years ago and honestly it fit me better. People usually got lost trying to figure me out and most of them regretted trying.

A low growl of engines through the storm outside while headlights cut across the rain covered windsor and every regular inside the Rusted Axle knew exactly who had arrived before they even walked through the door.

It was Devil’s Hollow. They were outlaw motorcyclists. A whole f*****g pack of them.

I glanced outside briefly while wiping my hands on my apron and several black bikes rolled into the parking lot in perfect formation.

Great. My shift just got louder.

The front door opened again while rain blew inside and Diesel ‘Crow’ Maddox stepped through first with his usual cocky grin in place.

Behind him came Torch, Bones, Roman, Saint, Brick, Colt and finally Knox Mercer.

The entire f*****g diner went tense the second Knox walked in. But that happened every time.

Knox carried himself like violence lived in his bones and followed him around like a shadow and even when he stayed quiet people noticed him immediately.

I noticed him too although I tried not to think about that too much.

Crow spotted me instantly and grinned wider while shaking rain from his cut.

“Well damn. There’s my favorite waitress.” He said while sliding into a stool at the counter.

“You say that to every woman with functioning eyesight.” I shot back while grabbing coffee mugs.

“Maze. You wound me.” Crow said placing a hand over his heart dramatically.

“I’m aiming higher next time.” I said.

Torch snorted into laughter while Bones shook his head. Even Roman smirked slightly while settling into a booth.

Knocked stayed near the back for a second while scanning the diner automatically and then his eyes landed on me.

Something about the way he looked at people always felt too intense and tonight wasn’t any different.

“You assholes eating or just dripping rainwater all over my floor?” I asked pointed the coffee pot toward the booths.

“Depends. Are you cooking?” Crow asked leaning back.

“I’d rather fistfight a bear.” I said.

“Still flirting with me sweetheart.” He said.

“Fix your haircut first because right now you look like a divorced rooster.” I said looking at his soaked hair as I grimiced.

The entire table burst into laughter while Crow look offended.

“f**k you.” He muttered.

“Get in line.” I said.

Even Knox laughed quietly at that and hearing it almost threw me off because Knox rarely laughed at anything.

I started pouring coffee while the guys settled in and normal chatter slowly returned around the diner although people still kept sneaking nervous glances toward Devil’s Hollow.

That was the thing about bikers around here. People feared them but they also depended on them.

The cops avoided certain roads because Devil’s Hollow handled problems before law enforcement ever got there and nobody messed with business under Knox’s protection. Including the Rusted Axle.

“Black, no sugar.” I said sliding a coffee mug toward Knox.

“You remember.” He said as he looked toward me.

“You’re not special, Reaper. You just drink coffee like a psychopath.” I replied.

“See? This is why I like her.” Crow groaned.

Knox kept staring at me for a half a second too long and heat crept annoyingly into my chest before the diner doors slammed open again.

Well, there went the temporary peace.

Sabrina Cross stumbled inside wearing tight leather pants and smeared mascara while rain soaked through her dark hair and every single Devil’s Hollow member immediately looked uncomfortable.

Sabrina spotted Knox instantly and stormed forward while half the diner watched openly.

“You ignoring my f*****g calls now?” She snapped.

“You’re drunk.” Knox said not even looking surprised.

“No s**t Knox.” She snapped.

Roman muttered something under his breath while Crow slowly slid his plate farther away like he expected flying objects soon. Smart man.

“You think you can just throw me away after everything?” Sabrina yelled slamming both hands against the counter.

“Not here.” Knox said as his expression stayed cold.

“Oh, f**k that.” She yelled.

Her eyes suddenly landed on me standing beside the coffee machine and something ugly flashes across her face immediately.

Because Knox was looking at me. s**t.

“That what this is about?” Sabrina laughed bitterly while pointing at me.

“Lady, I’m literally holding coffee.” I said casually.

“You think you’re funny?” She snapped.

“I think you’re embarrassing yourself.” I said.

Crow immediately covered his face with both hands while Torch started choking on laughter.

“You wanna say that again?” Sabrina asked stepping closer toward me while fury twisted across her face.

“Enough.” Knox snapped as he stood up instantly.

The diner went silent again while thunder cracked outside.

Sabrina looked between me and Knox before realization settled across her face slowly and somehow that expression looked worse than the screaming.

Jealousy that looked sharp and immediate.

Her eyes narrowed at me while Knox moved between us slightly.

“You’re looking at her.” Sabrina said quietly.

Knox didn’t answer and that was answer enough.

Sabrina grabbed her purse angrily before shoving past him toward the exit.

“This isn’t over.” She snapped.

The diner doors slammed shut behind her while rain and thunder swallowed the parking lot again. Nobody spoke for a second.

“Well, that felt f*****g healthy.” Crow sighed heavily.

“You people are so f*****g annoying.” I said rubbing my forehead.

Knox stepped closer toward the counter while pulling cash from his wallet and his voice dropped lower when he looked at me.

“Maze.” He said.

“What?” I asked.

His expressed stayed unreadable while stormlight flickered across the diner window behind him.

“Lock your doors tonight.” He said.

Before I could answer hge turned and walked out with the rest of Devil’s Hollow following behind him.

I watched their bikes disappeared into the storm eventually and somehow Knox’s warning stayed stuck in my head the rest of my shift.

By the time I finally got home hours later, rain still poured from the sky while exhaustion dragged through my bones.

I parked outside my shitty apartment building while fumbling for my keys and then I froze.

A motorcycle sat across the street. It’s headlights were on. And someone was still sitting on it watching me.