Beckham turned to Laura. “My driver, Gerard, can be trusted. I’ve known him longer than you’ve been alive. He’s going to take you back and will inform me if anything goes awry.”
“Okay. Where are you going?” Laura asked.
“Business,” he said, gesturing for her to enter the car.
She turned to Reyna. “Please be safe.”
“I will,” Reyna said and hoped it was true.
Laura stuffed the wedding dress into the back seat and crawled in after it.
Beckham knocked on the passenger window. It rolled down. “Gerard, please drive Laura back. Reyna and I will take my ride.”
Gerard put down the historical romance novel he had been reading and nodded at Beckham. “Yes, sir.”
Reyna watched the car speed off. Beckham tugged her close, directing her farther down the darkened garage. She shivered in the chilly temperatures and wished she’d thought to bring the hat and gloves Beckham had given her for the rooftop. Especially once she saw what Beckham’s ride was.
“Is thatyours?” she gasped.
He quirked an eyebrow as they approached the sleek black motorcycle. He responded by tossing her a helmet.
“It’s December,” she reminded him. “I’m going to freeze.”
Next, he handed her fur-lined black leather gloves, a black beanie, and a black mask that covered the lower half of her face.
“You knew I would come with you.”
“Do I ever expect you to willingly sit on the sidelines?”
She grinned fiercely as she pulled on everything he’d brought her. Beckham easily secured the helmet’s clasp under her chin. He kicked one leg over the beast and waited patiently for her to work up the nerve to do the same. She’d never been on a motorcycle.
“I will not let you come to harm, Little One.”
She swallowed and swung her leg over. She wrapped her arms around Beckham’s middle, plastering her chest against his back and her thighs against his. She was surprised to find him warmer than she would have expected. She was about to freeze, but this was going to be worth it.
Beckham revved the engine, and the bike jumped forward. Reyna squeezed tightly as they zipped out of the alley and onto the city streets. The wind whipped at her masked face. Buildings rushed past her in a blur. Everything happened in a rush. Her heart leaped in her throat, but her fear quickly melted away. This was real freedom. No boundaries and endless possibilities. They could go anywhere. Do anything. Be anyone they wanted. She wanted to open her arms wide and let the bike carry her away.
When all of this was over and the weather became warm again, she was going to insist he take her out on this every day. Every single day. It was a travesty he hadn’t told her about it before.
When Beckham pulled off of the road about fifteen minutes later, she was shaking and stiff, but she could have done that so much longer. Beckham parked the bike on the street in front of a boarded-up building and helped her off the back. When she tugged her mask down, her smile was huge and she was bouncing with energy.
“When do we do that again?” she asked.
“Danger doesn’t just find you. You go looking for it.”
“You put me on that motorcycle. You can’t expect me not to love it.”
He leaned forward, brushing a fang across the shell of her ear. “All I can think about is bending you over it.”
“Well,” she said breathily, “I hadn’t thought of that, but now that I am…”
“Next time.”
He slipped his hand into hers, and they headed off the street through an innocuous black door into the most glorious warmth. A small entry room with nothing on the walls and only one broken chair in the corner. She’d been cold on the bike, but adrenaline had taken over. Now she realized belatedly that she was shaking.
“You brought me an icicle,” Gabe said from the doorway with a grin.
“I may actually be frozen,” she grumbled.
