Total pages in book: 81
Estimated words: 75096 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 375(@200wpm)___ 300(@250wpm)___ 250(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75096 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 375(@200wpm)___ 300(@250wpm)___ 250(@300wpm)
“God damn,” groans Thunder.
I moan, feeling used and dirty. In a good way. Like a bad girl. I should probably be ashamed, but I'm not. Especially when I look up to find Outlaw leaning against the wall, watching. There are take-out bags at his feet. I have no idea how long he's been there, but our eyes meet.
He doesn't make a move to join, but he tips his head in acknowledgment. “Dinner's here.”
23
HARPER
I don’t know what to expect when we pull off the highway deep in a city I’ve never visited. The neighborhood is a mix of brick apartment buildings and single family homes, with businesses slipped in here and there. I guess I knew it wasn’t going to be a tent city full of motorcycles, but it seems very normal. It’s not a rich area, with some boarded up storefronts, and a few overgrown lawns, but for the most part it’s clear that the people who live here care about their places, they just might not have the money to keep it picture perfect.
A group of people hanging out on the stoop of an apartment building look up as we drive past. One of the men raises a hand in greeting and Shadow returns it. It reminds me a lot of the neighborhood I grew up in, before we moved to be closer to the specialist doctors.
With my arms wrapped around Thunder's waist as far as I can, I straddle the back of his deep red motorcycle, watching the city slide by. We roll through an intersection. Off to one side is a bar called The Eagles' Roost, with a long row of motorcycles parked out front. It reminds me of Chainsaw Charlie's in Vegas. And if the name isn't a good hint as to whose turf we're on, when I turn to look across the street, all doubt is removed.
A huge compound with massive walls stretches down the block as far as I can see. The walls are tall, maybe two stories high, and topped with vicious looking barbed wire. I can’t see inside, except for what looks like the top story of a huge warehouse with a gigantic Screaming Eagles logo on the wall that must be visible from at least a couple blocks away. We drive up to a large gate that’s partly open, but it's watched over by a couple of tough-looking guys with the same patches on their leather vests. They wave us through into a courtyard in front of the warehouse.
There're bikes everywhere, parked wherever there's room. My gut instinct is fear of the dangerous looking men hanging around outside. Are the ones I’m with any different? I’ve long since stopped thinking they are scary, because when I look at my four, I see more than the rough clothes, tattoos and take-no-prisoners attitudes. I’ve seen them laugh. I’ve seen them worry about each other.
I’ve seen their passion.
To the side of the warehouse, a huge garage gapes open, with people working on bikes inside. It's way more impressive than the glorified frat house I’d pictured in my head. In the other direction, there are actual homes, with little bits of lawn, painted shutters and everything. There's even some little bikes with training wheels knocked over on one of the lawns. Kids? In a place like this?
Thunder kills his engine right in front of the metal stairs that lead up to a little platform in front of the front door. “Hop off, honey,” he says.
I slip off and stretch. It’s been a long ride, and I’m still a little sore from last night. My thighs are killing me and my butt is numb.
“I could watch you doing that all fucking day, baby girl,” Shadow says as he pushes his bike up on its stand. “Showing off those sexy curves… fuck.”
I’ve always felt a little bit invisible. Mom never seemed to want to draw attention to herself, and I guess that rubbed off on me. It’s strange to suddenly be seen. I keep wondering when they're going to realize that I’m nothing special, but until then, I'm going to enjoy it. At some point, they'll be done with me and go back to their sexy exciting lives, and I’ll go back to… I don’t know. I'll never have another experience like this, no doubt about it.
“Come on.” Lightning smacks my butt, making me jump forward with a surprised squeak.
He laughs as he leads the way up the stairs and into what I guess is the clubhouse. When they called it that, all I could picture was a little tree house with a big “No girls allowed!” sign over the rope ladder up, but it's obviously a lot more serious.
Shadow holds the door for me, and when I look over my shoulder to thank him, I walk right into what feels like a wall.