“Wait… I need a helmet!” The words tear out of me, half-scream, half-laugh, ripped away by the wind the moment they leave my mouth. The air lashes at my face, sharp and wild, and instead of shrinking from it, I tip my head back and let the chaos in. My heart slams against my ribs, blood pumping so hard it feels like it might break through my skin. The scream that bursts out, twists into a laugh, reckless and alive, vibrating in my chest until it feels like I might shatter from the force of it.
Sin’s chest shakes beneath my palms. I feel his silent laughter rather than hear it, as it’s swallowed up by the roar of the engine. We slice between headlights and brake lights, the city blurring around us in streaks of neon and chrome. My breathing comes in hard and fast, not from fear but from the sheer rushof it, my lungs unable to keep up with the storm inside me. My instinct takes over, and I press tighter, my thighs gripping his legs, causing heat to spark low in my body. My clit throbs with every pulse of the engine beneath me, and I don’t know if it’s the speed, the danger, or the sexy-as-literal-sin biker I’m wrapped around that’s driving me insane.
Maybe it’s all of it, crashing together in one unstoppable wave.
Whatever it is, it’s addictive—a high I never want to come down from.
The city blurs around us, neon lights flashing in my peripheral vision as we speed through the Vegas streets.
I focus on Sin—the strength in his back, the steady way he guides the bike through traffic, the controlled power in every movement. I try to convince myself that it’s just part of the job, and I’m here to gather information. But I can’t deny the way my heart races for reasons that have nothing to do with fear.
The engine’s roar drowns out my thoughts until we finally reach the outskirts of Vegas. The desert stretches out on either side of us, an endless expanse of darkness lit only by the dim glow of the moon.
My heart pounds frantically as Sin slows the bike, eventually pulling over to the side of the road. He kills the engine, and the sudden silence is almost deafening. But then a long, mournful howl of a coyote splits through the stillness, followed by a chorus of yips echoing across the sand. I snap my head, looking out at the vast darkness of desert nothingness. The sound prickles along my skin, sharp and eerie, like invisible claws dragging down my spine. I tighten my grip on Sin instinctively, my gaze darting into the shadows where the desert seems to breathe and shift.
“They’re close,” I whisper, half afraid to say it too loud, like it might draw them out.
Sin glances back at me, the corner of his mouth quirking with quiet confidence. “They’re more scared of us than we are of them, wildcat.” His voice is steady, grounding, a calm that cuts through the unease curling in my stomach. “Coyotes don’t come near unless they’re desperate. And trust me, they don’t wanna mess with us.”
I let out a breathy laugh, though it sounds thinner than I’d like. “You sure you didn’t drag me out here to feed me to them? Is this where you bury your bodies?” The words are playful, but the way my heart kicks at the thought that he might be leading me to my untimely demise after seeing him at odds with his enemies does filter through my mind.
His grin curves slow and sharp, catching in the moonlight. “Coyotes leave scraps behind… I don’t.” The weight in his voice makes my stomach twist, a chill running straight through me. Then he chuckles low, almost too casual. “But don’t worry, wildcat, if I were gonna bury you, I wouldn’t pick a spot this obvious.”
My laugh stutters, caught somewhere between nervous and thrilled.
I can’t tell if he’s joking or dead serious.
But before I can figure it out, he swings a leg off the bike, his voice shifting like he’s flipping a switch. “C’mon. I wanna show you something.” He extends a hand to help me off.
Hesitantly, I take it, the warmth of his skin sending a jolt through me as my heels sink slightly in the sand. I steady myself, and I look around, confused. “Whatarewe doing out here, Sin?”
He gestures to the horizon, where the lights of Vegas twinkle in the distance. His hand sinks into his jeans pocket, pulling out a poker chip as he shifts it with ease between his fingers. “This is what it’s about, Elizabeth. The freedom. The open road. Everything we fight for. It’s for moments like this. When you can look back at the shit you’ve been through and know you’restill standing… and that you have an entire brotherhood to stand right beside you.”
I peer out at the city, the lights flickering like a mirage. There’s something almost poetic about it, the idea of fighting for freedom in a place built on indulgence and illusion. I turn to Sin, my eyes searching his. “Is that what keeps you going? The freedom?”
Sin’s gaze shifts, his expression hardening slightly. “It’s part of it. But for me, it’s about family. It’s about making sure the people who stand beside me make it out alive.”
I swallow, my throat suddenly tight as I glance down at the poker chip still moving effortlessly through his fingers. “And that poker chip, does that have something to do with making deals with people like the Hidden Hand Alliance?”
Sin’s jaw clenches like I have hit a nerve. He instantly slides the chip back into his pocket and then takes a step closer to me. “The chip is none of your concern. And as for making deals, I don’t expect you to understand. You see things as right and wrong. Day and night. Cut and dry. But more often than not, the truth lies somewhere in the middle.”
I open my mouth to argue, to press more about the poker chip, but the words die on my lips as Sin reaches out, his fingers brushing my cheek. The touch is unexpected, soft, and it sends my heart into overdrive.
“You keep pushing, Elizabeth,” he murmurs, his voice low. “But you need to remember… you’re in my world now. And in my world, there are consequences to every action. I have to be careful and calculated with every decision and move that I make. It’s not just my life on the line when I make a choice. I need to think abouteverysingle person at the club. And not just my brothers, but their families too. And then, like today at the casino, I have to think about civilians. If I pushed Lorenzo or Dante, it could have escalated, and civilians may have beencaught in the crossfire. So… you asked why I didn’t push back,thatis why, Elizabeth. Because sometimes, I need to look like the weaker man, to be the bigger person. To save more lives.”
Oh shit!
Another howl from the coyote looms through the air. It definitely feels like they’re getting closer, making my heart race as I stare up at him, my breath hitching. The tension between us is undeniably electric, a live wire ready to snap at any moment. I don’t know if I want to pull away or step closer, to push him until he breaks or to let myself fall.
His hand in my hair shifts to the back of my head, his fingers clenching, gripping tightly. A gasp leaves my mouth as he draws me closer, my lips instantly parting, desperately seeking him, even though I know this is averybad idea.
“You’re nothing like I thought you were going to be,” I whisper, his lips inching closer to mine.
“Mm… and what have I turned out to be, wildcat?” he demands, his eyes still locked on mine as the electricity continues to set the desert around us on damn fire.
Another howl sings through the air, closer again. My chest heaves, my hands sliding up to grip the leather of his cut, needing him closer. Not only because of the chemistry, but because of the fear racing through my veins. “A really fucking nice guy,” I reply.
A slow grin crosses his face, and he shakes his head. “Wrong answer, wildcat. I’m definitelynota fucking nice guy.” Before I can argue, his lips slam on mine, hot, frantic, desperate, and completely taking any breath I had left and keeping it for himself.
