"Brick, please—" Leo begged, raising his hands, his knees physically shaking.
"Take him," Brick said.
Bear and Coil moved with terrifying speed. Coil grabbed Leo by the collar, throwing him face-first into the wall, pinning his arms instantly. Bear grabbed Leo by the belt, lifting him effortlessly. They dragged him toward the door, ignoring his panicked, pathetic pleading.
"Sarah, please! Tell them!" Leo screamed as they dragged him over the threshold.
The heavy door swung shut, cutting off his voice. A moment later, I heard the roar of three motorcycles starting up, followed by the crunch of tires on gravel as they pulled away into the night, taking Leo with them.
I was left alone in the cabin with Brick.
He stood in the center of the room, holding the ledger in one hand and the plastic bag with the shop towel in the other. He pulled a heavy folding knife from his belt.
He walked over to me, grabbed my wrists, and sliced through the thick plastic zip tie with one fluid motion.
I gasped, rubbing my raw skin, pulling my arms forward.
Brick walked over to the bathroom door down the hall. He knocked twice, gently.
"You can come out now, little girl," Brick said.
The lock clicked. The door opened slowly, and Mia peeked out, clutching her stuffed bear. When she saw Brick, she shrank back, but I ran to her, sweeping her up into my arms, burying my face in her hair.
"It's over, baby," I whispered, crying into her shoulder. "It's over."
Brick watched us for a moment. He looked down at the ledger, then back at me.
"Your husband kept his mouth shut," Brick said slowly. "He took a hit for the club, and he protected the ledger. He's a good man. A loyal man."
I held Mia tighter, not daring to speak.
"The debt is settled," Brick said. He tossed the brass storage key onto the table. "You don't owe the Wraiths a dime. David is free. Tell him the club takes care of its own. He'll understand what that means."
Brick turned and walked out the door. A moment later, the deep rumble of his massive motorcycle echoed through the trees, fading into the distance until there was nothing left but the sound of the wind.
We drove back to the city in Leo's abandoned truck.
I didn't go back to the motel. I drove straight to the hospital. I carried Mia up to the intensive care unit, sitting in the hard plastic chair beside David's bed, holding his hand until the sun came up over the city.
Four days later, David woke up.
When he finally opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was Mia sitting on his chest, and me holding his hand. He looked panicked for a moment, his eyes darting around the room, trying to speak through the oxygen mask.
I leaned down and kissed his forehead. "It's okay," I whispered in his ear. "Leo is gone. Brick has the ledger. He said the debt is settled. We're safe."
David closed his eyes, a single tear rolling down his bruised cheek, and squeezed my hand with the last bit of strength he had.
That afternoon, when I went to the small closet in his hospital room to pack up his personal items for his transfer to a recovery ward, I found a heavy canvas duffel bag sitting on the floor. It hadn't been there the day before.
I unzipped it.
Inside were neat stacks of hundred-dollar bills. More than enough to pay the hospital fees, buy a new car, and move us far away from the city. Resting on top of the money was the bottom rocker patch that had been missing from David's vest.
I zipped the bag shut, slung it over my shoulder, and walked back into my husband's room to take my family home.
THE END