Page 120 of Rider Daddies
The officer finally unfurrows his brow and offers me a sympathetic smile. “You’re free to go. I’m sorry for your loss, Lucia. I wish you the best.”
I taste freedom on my tongue the second the cop opens that windowless door.
“Hey.” Willow joins me outside the station.
“What did you say?”
“Exactly what you wanted me to. That it was dark. Too hard to tell. Maybe it was an animal.”
“Good.” I take in a fresh breath of air, grateful to be surrounded by wind again.
It feels strange being back in civilization, surrounded by roads that actually carry traffic, buildings everywhere, but I know it won’t be for long.
Ryder, Ash, and Saint are waiting for me at the clubhouse.
I have a life to start living.
Willow looks at me the same calculating way she looks at her nails when she’s just had them redone, trying to find a flaw.
“What?” I ask.
“It’s just…you don’t look guilty.”
“No. I don’t feel it either.”
Willow glances over each shoulder before leaning in to state the obvious. “Youkilledhim, Lucia. On purpose.”
“You’re forgetting that under all of that tailoring was a narcissistic asshole who wanted me all to himself. It’s best for everyone that he’s gone…” A thought pops into my head. “Unless you were hoping to rekindle a certain something.”
“No. I don’t know why you were with that boy for a year. He’s a terrible kisser.” Willow takes a step back but continues looking at me the same cautious way as before. “I’m worried about you, Lucia. The motorcyclists are hot and I’m sure they know what they’re doing in the bedroom, but they commit felonies for fun.”
“What’s wrong with that?”
“Have you gone batshit crazy?”
Asks the girl who broke the number one girl code a few weeks ago.
“No, I’m totally sane.”
“Then, why don’t you feel guilty for—” She whips her head over each shoulder again. “Murder?”
“Because they deserve it.”
Willow’s eyes catch fire. “They?”
“Manual Lombardi. I suppose his hidden sex trafficking ring at Sunshine Motel has finally reached the news.”
“It was?—?”
I press a finger to her lip, shushing her.
She’s so shocked that she doesn’t even realize how loud her voice is getting.
“Yes, surprise. I did it. I had to. It was the only way to free all of the victims.”
“And you didn’t feel anything?”
I allow the smirk that’s been toying on my lips to crawl onto my face. “The only thing I felt was the sweet burn of satisfaction.”
