Page 29 of Shine: Sins of the Father
Her eyes glaze, but she nods, giving me her trust.
I fire the bike up, and she scrambles on behind me, clinging tight. I drop it in gear and we roar up the gravel drive and hit the pavement, heading in the opposite direction.
She taps my shoulder and leans to shout over the rumble of the Harley beneath us. “It’s back that way.”
I shake my head and point a finger straight ahead. Then pat her thigh to reassure her that I’ve got this. I end with a squeeze, and then lock her hands tight across my stomach. Twisting the throttle, the bike surges forward, and I ride us the hell out of there before the fire closes in and cuts the road off.
CHAPTER TEN
Fiona—
Shine skirts the backroads, and when we crest a hill, I glance behind us and see the orange glow and the rising smoke in the distance. I know we’re far enough away now, and it can’t catch us, but I say a prayer that it doesn’t touch the little cabin on Lake Mary.
Hours later, we’re coming out of the mountains on the western slope. The first town we hit with a gas station is Oakdale. Shine rolls onto the lot and stops at a pump. I slide off, stiff from the long ride. It’s full dark now.
Shine climbs off and unscrews the gas cap, then swipes a card and jams the nozzle in his tank. His eyes shift to me. “Sore?”
“I just need to stretch. It feels good to be off the bike for a minute.”
“Where am I dropping you? You got an apartment?”
I’m prepared with an answer; I’ve had time on the ride to think about it. “No, I need to get straight to work. You can drop me at Sonny’s. You know where it is?”
“I can pull it up on my phone.”
“Okay. I’ve got to pee.” With that, I retreat into the convenience store and head to the bathroom. It’s a single-occupancy john, and I lock the door, then pull out my phone. I dial Janey. She picks up on the second ring.
“Fiona? Why haven’t you called? I’ve been worried sick about you.”
“I’m fine, but I need to ask a favor.”
“What’s that?”
“I need you to pick me up at Sonny’s in about an hour and a half. Can you do that?”
“Sonny’s? Why would I pick you up there?”
“I’ll explain later. Can you do it?”
“Sure, but what’s going on?”
“I’ll explain everything when I see you. And please just wait in your car.”
“Why?”
“Just do it, okay?”
“Are you sure you’re all right? Do I need to call the club or something?”
“No,” I snap quickly. “Don’t call anyone. Promise?”
“Fine, but you owe me.”
“I know I do. Thanks, Janey. I’ve got to go.”
I disconnect, finish business, and hustle out of the store. When I approach the pump, Shine is sitting sideways on his bike, his legs crossed at his boots, munching on a candy bar. He tosses me one.
“Catch.”
