Total pages in book: 50
Estimated words: 47714 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 239(@200wpm)___ 191(@250wpm)___ 159(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 47714 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 239(@200wpm)___ 191(@250wpm)___ 159(@300wpm)
“Hey.” My voice came out rougher than I meant. “You’re okay.”
I pulled her against me, holding her hand to my chest while my other arm went around her waist. Her pulse was racing under my fingers, too fast.
She buried her face in my shirt for a minute, taking deep breaths to calm down. Eventually, she shifted back, and I reluctantly let her go, with the exception of her hand. She swallowed hard, her eyes darting behind me for a second. “You—you broke my door.”
“Yeah.” I hadn’t let go of her hand, and I was pleased that she hadn't tried to tug it away. “I’ll buy you another one.”
Her mouth twitched, a half sob, half laugh that didn’t quite make it out.
I took a step closer again, close enough to see the small tremor in her chin. “You’re coming with me.”
“What?” Her eyes widened. “No. I’m not—”
“He’s not done,” I cut in, my voice low but sharp enough to slice through her argument. “You saw it in his eyes.”
Her lips parted, her breath shaking out of her. She looked toward the door like she could still see the shadow he’d left behind.
“He’s not gonna stop. Not until someone makes him.”
“I can’t just leave,” she whispered. “My stuff. My classes—”
“No time,” I grunted, pulling her toward the door. “You need to get safe. Everything else can wait.”
She shook her head, voice breaking. “Chance, this isn’t your job—”
“The fuck it isn’t.” The words came out quiet and lethal. “He showed up at your door. That makes it my job.”
“You’re not my brother, Drift.”
That set something off inside me. I bent over and stuck my face right in front of hers. “You don’t think I fucking know that? And my name is Chance.” Hearing her call me Drift was like sandpaper rubbing against my skin. My eyes raked down her incredible body before they met hers once more. “Trust me, baby. I’m well-fucking-aware of who you are to me. Now get moving.”
I tightened my grip on her hand and pulled again, firmly, though I made sure to keep it gentle. She didn’t resist anyway. Not really.
She sighed. “What if I don’t want to go with you?”
Her protest sounded weak, even to me. But my answer left no room for interpretation.
“You don’t have a choice, Alanna. Not anymore.”
I grabbed her keys and bag off the table, only pausing long enough to shove her laptop and charger inside before handing them to her as we entered the hall. After setting the alarm, I locked up, then we moved down the stairs and out into the night.
When we walked up to my motorcycle, she froze. “I can’t.”
“You’ve already ridden on the back of my bike, Alanna,” I reminded her, exasperated.
“Just that one time. I shouldn’t—”
“You can,” I grunted as I pressed the helmet into her hands. “Now get your ass on my ride.”
Her lips curled into an adorable pout until she seemed to realize what she was doing and flattened them. She wasn’t moving fast enough for me, so I snatched the helmet and put it on her head.
As I attached the chin strap, she opened her mouth, most likely to argue again, but she stopped when she met my eyes. Whatever she saw there—whatever dark thing I was holding back—made her swallow her words.
She climbed on behind me, her hands finding my waist, tentative at first, then tighter when the engine roared to life.
The ride to the compound was short, but it was long enough for me to accept one truth.
No one else would ever ride behind me on this bike.
The spot belonged to Alanna and always would.
11
ALANNA
The only time I’d been at the Redline Kings compound, the clubhouse was strung with white lights and filled with laughter and champagne. Now, the space was stripped back to its usual state, looking more like what I’d expected from a motorcycle club with its brown leather couches and chairs and flat-screen televisions.
The rumble of conversation dimmed as we stepped inside. Eyes turned our way—some curious, others concerned. A few of the guys I recognized from the wedding nodded or murmured hello.
“Glad to see you again, Alanna.” Rev lifted his drink in greeting from his seat near the pool table. “Didn’t think we’d see the maid of honor back this soon, with your brother still off playing newlywed and all.”
The teasing warmth in his voice made the tension in my shoulders ease a little. “Yeah, I didn’t expect to be here either.”
Chance stayed close, his hand firm at the small of my back as he steered me through the room.
“Hey, Alanna.” Edge leaned against the long bar built from reclaimed lumber, arms crossed. His gaze flicked from me to Drift and back again. “You good?”
“Getting there,” I replied, managing a shaky smile.
“Good.” His gaze shifted to Chance. “My brother’s waiting for you two in his office.”