Free Riding Steele: Crossroads by Opal Carew

From Part 4:
    The phone rang and Rip picked it up.
    “Yeah.” His gaze locked on Laurie. “Really? But that’s gotta be a five-hour ride from here.” His hands clenched into fists. “Yeah, I get it.
His
terms.” He listened for a while, clearly getting detailed instructions from his friend. “Okay. I’ll make sure I get her there in time.”
    He stuffed his phone into his jeans pocket and turned to Laurie.
    “Okay, we’ll have to boot it to get there in time. Laurie, you have to take the necklace to an Officer Parker, someone Killer knows and trusts. Your ex says if Parker confirms he has the necklace by ten P.M., he’ll drop the charges. And if we don’t make it, he’ll prosecute and demand the maximum sentence.”
    Laurie’s chest constricted. And with his connections and money, he’d get what he wanted.
    “Don’t look so worried, Laurie. If we leave now, we should be able to make it with time to spare.”
    Raven stood up and pulled on her jacket.
    “Laurie, where’s the necklace now?” Rip asked.
    Laurie’s gaze darted to his, and her stomach tightened. “I … gave it to Steele.”
    Laurie’s heart pounded. They didn’t even know where Steele was and with the deadline of 10:00 P.M. , they didn’t have time to find him.
    “Shit, it’d take us at least four hours to get to the next location we agreed on.” Rip glanced at his watch. “There’s no way we’d make the ten o’clock deadline.”
    “All we can do is start in the direction of the sheriff’s office and hope that Steele contacts us,” Wild Card chimed in.
    “You know he won’t do that until we’re plenty late showing up,” Dom said. “Which will be too late.”
    Laurie trembled. They couldn’t give up on the opportunity for Laurie to walk away from this mess, but what could they do without the necklace?
    “Hey, guys,” Shock said. “You looking for this.”
    Laurie’s gaze darted to Shock, who had just returned from the washroom, and hanging from his big fingers was the glittering collar of diamonds in question.
    “You’ve got it!” Laurie exclaimed.
    “Yeah, after you gave it to Steele that first day, he gave it to me for safekeeping.”
    Raven held out her hand and took it, then admired it in the sunlight, an expression of awe on her face. “It’s so beautiful.”
    She handed it back to Shock and he wrapped it in a black-and-white bandana and shoved it in his jacket pocket.
    “Let’s get moving,” Shock said.
    *
    The wind raced across Laurie’s face as she clung to Rip as they sped along the dark highway. The sun had set and the road was lit by the light of the bikes’ headlights and the soft moonlight. They had been riding for four hours straight.
    She held tight to Rip, finding comfort in leaning against his broad back. These men really were amazing. It seems they would do whatever they could to help and protect her. And it had all started with Wild Card snatching her from Donovan’s clutches.
    She’d never had friends like this. Friends who understood her, and would do anything to help her. In fact, this was just what she’d always wanted. She felt cared for and happy when she was with them.
    She rested her head against his back and closed her eyes. She was tired. This whole thing was exhausting, but hopefully it would soon be over. She wasn’t cut out to be a fugitive.
    After a while, the bike slowed and they pulled off the highway. Laurie opened her eyes and watched the road ahead. Soon they drove into an urban area. Rip drove along the built-up streets, then turned his bike into the parking lot of an all-night diner.
    The other bikers pulled up beside him. Rip dismounted.
    “I’m going to take you over to the police station alone. Having a gang of bikers ride through town is likely to make the cops nervous. Killer suggested you go in alone, so I’m going to wait in a diner near the station while you deliver the necklace.” He glanced at her outfit and frowned, then glanced at Raven. “Rave, do