Page 43 of Lawless
The street was quiet as I walked down the block to my house. Word must have spread that we'd be leaving early, so everyone likely turned in around midnight. Even Reaper's house up the street was dark. Neither Mari nor his sister seemed to be waiting up for him.
Horus was asleep on his perch when I walked in. I wasn't sure how he knew, but he always liked to sleep a lot before flying with us on long rides.
Peeling off my clothes and crashing into bed with a groan, I already knew sleep wouldn't come easy. Getting on my beast of a bike always amped me up like a shot of adrenaline. I couldn't wait to feel the roar of my baby vibrating with power again.
And if I played my cards right, I'd have a sexy woman holding onto me, too.
Sixteen
MARIPOSA
"You'll need chaps and a jacket." Noelle's bedroom looked like her closet vomited clothes everywhere. "And a helmet, not that the guys ever wear them. Mine should fit you."
"Jesus, Noelle," I huffed, sagging under the weight of all the riding gear she piled into my arms. "Aren't I going to melt under all this black leather?"
"Nah, you'd be surprised," she said, rifling through more items. "When you're going fast and the wind is whipping all around you, it won't feel hot even if you're covered. And you'll keep the sand and dirt off you. Ah, here!" She tossed me a round, black helmet with a mirrored visor. I barely moved in time to catch it.
"Thanks," I mumbled. "For letting me borrow all this stuff. I promise I won't use everything of yours forever. I'll get my own eventually."
"Oh yeah?" Her eyebrows lifted as she began shoving everything back in her closet. "Does that mean you plan on staying?"
I bit my lip, not knowing how to answer that. I just felt bad for constantly using her stuff and didn't give my own future here much thought. Reaper clearly didn't want me around. I was all but waiting for the day he kicked me out of his house. After what Gunner told me yesterday, though, maybe he was more likely to dump me off somewhere on this trip. Thankfully I packed enough water, first aid supplies and dried food to last me a few days in the desert.
Noelle playfully thumped me on the shoulder when I didn't answer her question.
"Don't think about it too hard," she teased. "But that is my best jacket, so make sure you bring it back."
"I will," I promised, knowing I'd pay a courier to return it to her if I did in fact get dumped off.
She wrapped me in a hug and I was surprised how nice and comforting I found it.
"Have a good ride," she said. "Keep those boys in line."
"Yeah, right," I muttered to her amusement.
After sliding on her borrowed chaps, buckling her boots, and shrugging on her jacket, I shouldered my new medic pack and grabbed the helmet as I walked outside to the rumbling of idling engines.
Gunner's men chatted and mingled, drinking coffee in the cul-de-sac next to their bikes. Shadow sat astride his beast of a bike a bit farther away from everyone else, arms crossed and looking forward as though waiting to take off.
Jandro knelt next to the bike I recognized as Reaper's, tightening something with a wrench as I walked out.
"Damn, Mariposa," he grinned when he looked up, drinking me in slowly from head to toe. "You look like you were born to ride."
"Thanks." I wasn't sure if he was being genuine or making fun of me. Gunner's men turned to look at me, too, and right then I did feel hot as hell under all my gear.
"Ho-ly shit."
I turned to see Gunner himself walking up to me, and wanted to melt into the pavement. His hair was thrown up in a loose bun, dark goggles resting just above his forehead. His black cut looked like a tactical vest, lined with pockets for ammo and a holster on each side—each with a gun, of course. Horus sat perched on his shoulder, looking around with sharp eyes. Gunner's own eyes reminded me of the pool late at night, the clearest blue and shining.
"You look like you've been in the club your whole life," he grinned at me appreciatively.
"I was just telling her that," Jandro slapped a grease-covered hand to Gunner's chest. His smile said he was joking but I swore a spark of warning lit up his gaze.
"Good shit," Gunner responded coolly. "So, you riding with me, Mari? Or did this grease monkey beat me to that, too?"
"Um..."
Jandro's jaw ticked. He didn't otherwise look annoyed, but it only occurred to me then what they might be secretly competing for.
