Page 56 of Rider Daddies
“What’s Manual up to?”
“I think we know what that fucker is up to.” Saint takes a drag from his cigarette. “Whatever he’s planning, one thing is for certain—it involves Lucia.”
And with that, he shuts the laptop and disappears into the ammo room, leaving Ash and me to our own devices.
“This could be worth it,” I tell my brother.
“What are you talking about?”
“Oh, snap out of it. I saw the way you looked at her.”
“You’re only saying all of this now because you want my help in getting her back, foryoursake. Let’s face it, you and Saint only want her back because you want a good go on her.”
Can’t blame a man for wanting to let off some steam.
I sit forward. “We killed a man in our pursuit to get her back. We might as well finish what we started. Besides, we’re talking about rapists. The only thing Manual and his motherfuckers excel in is pinning down their victims. How far do you think they’re going to get,really, in the face of us? It’s our life’s work to put people in their place. I’m not about to let someone with a severe case of mental derangement get in the way of me having a good time. You shouldn’t either.”
Ash lets out a big sigh and stands up. “Fine, but just know, when we have her back, that first dibs I have still stands.”
“Fine,” I say.
In his wildest dreams…
“Youdorealize that Manual and Tristan could have several police units waiting for us?”
I roll my eyes. “Thanks again, Ash, for stating something so matter-of-factly thatwon’tbe happening.”
“How can you be so sure?”
I slide leather gloves onto my hands, swinging a leg over my Harley. “Because, like Saint and I have already mentioned, there was no time and date mentioned on the card. Manual might be a smart man, but he knows better than to get the cops onto his case. Lucia sent the card to us,” I say. “I’m sure of it.”
I place my motorcycle helmet onto my head, tightening the straps. Grizzly doesn’t know we’re going. Nobody does.
It’s so late that it doesn’t feel real. The desert is eerily quiet. There’s not even a breeze passing through. We worked all night at the clubhouse, cleared up, and now here we are—staring into thick darkness.
I activate the lights on the Harley to see the path laid out in front of us.
“I’ll direct,” I say, my phone balanced on the handlebars. “I’ll signal with my arm, left or right.”
“Let’s just get on with this,” Ash says.
Roaring engines fill the atmosphere, smoke flying into the air.
I rev my own engine, Ash and Saint following shortly behind, and then we’re away, cruising through the desert at speed to save what could be the best one-night stand of our lives.
Separately, of course.
I’m unsure what comes after the sex.
I don’t think any of us have thought about that part yet. All I can think about is the hollow feeling in my chest caused by her absence. I don’t have to understand what that means, or go on a deep dive to understand my emotions.
I just have to focus on making myself feel better.
Lucia is how I’m going to get back to feeling like myself.
We race through the desert, putting the rest of the motorcycle clubs out there to shame. Wind builds, screaming through my ears. I’ve never ridden through the desert this late at night before. It’s not recommended. Years ago, one of the club members left alone to go out on a desperate bounty hunt. The next morning, he was found cut up into pieces. To this day, the club still doesn’t know who attacked him—coyote or human.
I have my bets on a cannibal.
