Page 2 of Judge's Justice

The vending machine is ancient, the kind with a mechanical arm that's supposed to push your selection forward. I feed in a five-dollar bill and press the buttons for a bag of pretzels and a pack of cookies. The arm moves. The pretzels don't.

Of course.

I try again. Nothing. The machine ate my money and gave me nothing, and I feel tears burning behind my eyes because this is perfect. This is exactly perfect. I left everything, and I can't even get my daughter a snack from a vending machine.

"Well, well. What do we have here?"

The voice comes from behind me, and I spin around so fast I nearly trip over my suitcase.

The man leaning against the closed convenience store wall is maybe mid-thirties, with slicked-back hair and a leather vest covered in patches. A skull with flames coiled around it. Words I can't quite read in the flickering light. He's holding a beer bottle, and when he smiles, it makes my skin crawl.

"Didn't expect to see anyone this late." He pushes off the wall, moving toward us with the confidence of someone who's used to getting what he wants. "You lost, sweetheart?"

I pull Grace closer instinctively. "No. We're fine."

"Don't look fine to me." His eyes slide over me in a way that makes me want to shower. Linger on my curves in places that make my stomach turn. "Look like you could use some help. Some... company. Pretty thing like you shouldn't be alone at night."

"We don't need anything. Thank you."

"Come on, don't be like that." He takes another step closer, and I smell stale beer and cigarettes. "I'm just being friendly. What's your name? Where you staying?"

Grace is pressed against my side now, her hand fisting in my jacket. She can't hear what he's saying, but she can feel my fear.

"Please just leave us alone." My voice shakes, and I hate it. Hate how small I sound.

"Leave you alone?" He laughs, but there's nothing funny about it. "Baby, I'm just trying to be neighborly. You new in town? Looking for a place to stay? I could help with that." His eyes drop to Grace, and something in his expression turns uglier. "Cute kid. She yours?"

I step in front of Grace completely. "Don't look at her."

"Protective mama bear, huh?" He's close enough now that I can see the patches on his vest clearly. A serpent coiled around a skull. VIPERS MC. "I like that. Shows you got spirit." He takes another drink from his beer. "Tell you what… Why don't you give me your number? I can show you around town tomorrow. Make sure you get settled in right."

"I said no."

"You're making this harder than it needs to be." His voice drops lower, meaner. "I'm trying to be nice here. You should appreciate that."

My heart is racing so hard I can barely breathe. I'm searching for something to say, some way to make him leave, when I hear it.

The low rumble of a motorcycle engine.

The Viper hears it too. His head snaps toward the sound as the motorcycle comes into view, headlight cutting through the darkness, and pulls to a stop about twenty feet away.

The engine cuts off.

The man who climbs off is big. Not just tall, but well-built, the kind of broad-shouldered, heavily muscled presence thattakes up space without trying. Short dark hair. Green eyes that immediately lock onto the scene in front of him. A leather vest over a black shirt, patches I can't quite make out, something emblazoned across his back.

He doesn't say anything. Just stands there next to his bike, completely still, watching. The Viper's whole demeanor changes. His shoulders straighten. His chin lifts. When he speaks, there's something challenging in his voice. "This doesn't concern you."

The bigger man's eyes move from the Viper to me to Grace pressed against my side. Then back to the Viper. "Looks like it does."

"I'm just having a conversation with the lady here." The Viper's hand drops casually to his belt, where I now see a knife handle tucked. "Private conversation."

"She doesn't look like she wants to talk to you."

"That's not your call to make." The Viper takes a step toward the bigger man, and I see something dangerous flash across his face. Something eager. "You wearing Phoenix colors?"

The bigger man doesn't move. "I am."

"Well, shit." The Viper grins, but it's all teeth and no warmth. "This just got interesting. You know we're at war, right? Your president made sure of that when he stole what belonged to us."