Page 34 of The Heir

I gave an amused huff, only to realize she’d returned to staring at me in that odd way.

“What are you doin’?” she asked, her voice soft with concern.

I squinted at her, not really understanding.

“Easy told him to fuck off, I figured I’d better let him.”

Trista snorted like I’d told her the best joke she had ever heard.

“I meant with your life, girl. You’re doin’ a circle and there ain’t nothing wrong with it. I’m talking about you going to work and hanging out with the club, looking out for these assholes like somebody's mother. It’s okay. There is nothing wrong with it–but how much advancement and satisfaction are you going to get out of being a nurse’s assistant? It’s backbreaking work, March. I know. I did it, too. Granted, I only did it until I finished nursing school, but I had a taste. My question is– what's in all of this for you?”

I shrugged and smiled, “I’m alright.”

“I know you are. You’re beautiful. You’re smart. You have a sense of loyalty that shouldn’t be wasted on watching over a club that will never give you a patch. Go party. Meet people your age. Make shopping friends. Travel. Go to college and get a careerthat won’t put so much wear and tear on your body. You’re still young enough to do it. You only get one life honey– I just want to know that you’re living it. Every fuckin’ minute of it. Your mother would have wanted that for you.”

I stared at her, my gaze shifting from her to the door like I expected my father to come charging in to confront her.

She snapped her fingers drawing my attention back to her, and I realized her other hand was holding out a set of keys.

“Wh–?”

“Last time I checked women weren’t allowed a patch and Blaze ain’t a Disciple— So, which of you takes orders from that asshole I call a husband, anyway?” Trista smiled, and her eyes lit up. “You can still ride, yes?”

My face scrunched and I gave her a half-insulted nod.

“Good.” She wiggled the keys, making them jingle. “Blaze hasn’t even gotten a chance to ride his father’s bike. See that he has a memorable one, hmm?”

My father and Easy’s heated voices were rising, growing closer to the house again. I didn’t give it a second thought. I snatched the keys from her hand and tore out the opposite door. He’d be in a shit mood after being tossed around like that. He didn’t like authority, either, and I knew Easy was chewing his ass about May and all that had happened in jail last night. I wanted no part of those aftershocks. I uncovered the bike the rest of the way and rolled it out of the shed. I didn’t even bother climbing on it and starting it until I was down the block.

I’d forgotten how much I loved riding. Coasting through the side streets wasn’t cutting it, even if Blaze was my intended destination. I couldn’t help it, the vibration, and the sound bothsoothed me and called to something I couldn’t explain. I needed to blow it all off. The stress of everything. Work. The events of the last few days.

All of it.

With no real direction, I aimed it toward the highway. Once I turned onto that blacktop and all I could see was bean fields, I knew I was in my element. I started to let it go, my smile growing and the stress melting as the speedometer climbed to a century and the world whizzed past.

I got about five miles out, before I realized I hadn’t even checked the fucking gas.

“Goddamn it,” I was afraid to look, and the moment I let off the throttle, I realized my cheeks were wet and chilled from the wind.

I swiped my tears and turned onto a country road, hooking around to start back the way I’d come after composing myself a bit. It was funny, once I let it all out, the only one I wanted to let in was him.

I didn’t want to deal with my father’s raging about me spending time with what he would no doubt call a fuck boy. I didn’t want to listen to Isabella slam the cabinets and fuss with him once I’d fled to my room, and I damn sure didn’t want to be alone.

I couldn’t get back to town quick enough.

Chapter Fourteen

Blaze

I had money, but I didn’t really feel like getting tipsy at a beer tent. Especially if I was paying for May and his girlfriends, or whatever those two qualified as. Nakarii was cuddling up to May, his hand anchored to her ass like he thought she might bolt at any moment, and they were whispering at each other so closely I was surprised they hadn’t swapped spit yet. Lucia, on the other hand, was loudly rambling about one topic and the next. I’d tuned out somewhere between her bitching about the absence of Patron on the beer tent menu, and her opinion of the carnie fellow with the gauged ears and dreadlocks. Apparently, she could tell from a hundred-yard glance that his shoes were knock offs, whatever the fuck that meant.

“Damn,” Lucia drawled, bobbing her head, and fluffing her hair as she started scanning the distance. The distinct sound of a motorcycle engine came into focus. It didn’t let off, either.

“Alright then,” Nakarii let go of May. She slapped her hands together and rubbed her palms like she was about to pounce on something.

“What the fuck…?” I laughed.

“Play stupid if you want. I know big dick energy when I hear it.” She purred before prowling toward the sound.

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