Page 44 of Lawless
"Sure, I'll ride with you," I mumbled, my eyes bouncing back and forth between them, unsure what was customary. Could I offer to ride back with Jandro? Or was that weird?
"Perfect," Gunner beamed, draping a long arm over my shoulders as he directed me toward his bike. "Sorry, J. Can't win 'em all."
Jandro snorted as he returned to working on Reaper's bike. "If he gives you any shit, Mari, you come straight to me."
Gunner just chuckled. Even Horus made some soft screeches and chirps as if he was laughing.
"Put that helmet on and hop up." Gunner pulled his goggles over his eyes and threw one long leg over his seat. He throttled the engine as my much shorter legs climbed up behind him.
"Let me see that." He turned around and helped adjust my helmet, pulling the strap tight under my chin.
"Your finger looks better," I observed as he gently touched my face.
"Thanks to you," he smiled.
No sooner had he turned back around, Hades raced past us like a black blur. With a thunderous roar, Reaper’s bike shot after him.
"Hold on tight, baby girl!" Gunner yelled over the growling motorcycles as they followed their president.
I wrapped my arms around his midsection just as we lurched forward and rode like the wind through the open gates.
* * *
I never realizedhow beautiful a dry, desert landscape could be until I saw it from the back of a motorcycle. It felt like we moved through an old postcard, complete with the mountains in the distance and saguaro cactus standing tall in the edges of the frame. When I flipped up the visor on my helmet, the landscape seemed to explode with color. The sky was a brilliant blue and clouds looked like cotton candy. Desert flowers gave off pops of pink and white. I could see now why these men loving riding so much.
In one of Gunner's mirrors, I spotted Shadow riding behind us. He wore no helmet or eye protection, and his hair flew out loosely behind him.
I squinted at the tiny reflection of the large man's face, curious about his features that he always covered with his hair. He seemed to have a large scar going through one eye. And I couldn't be sure, but it looked like his eyes were two different colors.
I inspected him in the mirror until one of Gunner's guards fell in line directly behind us, blocking my view.
We rode for most of the day, only stopping for the occasional piss breaks. I wandered out from relieving myself behind a bush at one point to see Reaper relaxing next to his bike.
His legs stretched out on the ground in front of him, head propped up against his rear tire, with Hades hanging off of his lap.
Reaper stroked down the length of the dog's back as affectionately as he would his own child. Hades rolled over to look up at his master with an open, tongue-lolling smile. Reaper smiled back and even appeared to murmur something to him. It was an oddly wholesome thing to see, this ruthless man treat an animal with so much gentleness.
Then he looked up at me and the smile dissipated into a scowl.
"Let's roll," he hollered, patting Hades' flank as he rose to his feet.
The men zipped themselves up, ended their rests, and hopped back onto their steeds to continue our journey. And the Steel Demons’ president once again ignored my existence.
While the first several hours of the ride were scenic and fun, I was over it by the time dusk fell. My thighs and back ached again, although not nearly as badly as the first time.
Reaper led everyone a few miles off the main road, eventually stopping in a flat area with three saguaro cacti standing like guards over twenty feet high.
"We're about an hour's ride out from Razor Wire territory, so we should be safe camping here for the night," he said once all the engines cut. "I still want guards on rotating shifts. Gunner?"
"Got it, boss."
Horus, who had been perched on his handlebars, flew to the nearest cactus while Gunner's guardsmen spread out to begin patrols. In the meantime, Hades helped to dig out a fire pit while everyone else set up tents and bedrolls.
I unpacked Gunner's stuff while he checked out the area with his men and gave orders for patrols.
"Mariposa," Jandro called. "Come have dinner with me by the fire."
I hesitated. "You're not going to trick me into kissing you again, are you?"
