“Before we do, can I just say thank you all? I was a different person before I came here, but I really like who I’m becoming with all of your guidance,” I tell them.
“You’re going to make me cry,” Maggie says as she moves over to hug me.
All the others join, and for several seconds we embrace in a group hug. I don’t miss the sniffles from a couple of them as they pull away.
“All right, let’s make this carnival our bitch,” Rain says, making us all laugh.
I wouldn’t have it any other way.
ASHER
Seeing Aspen before we left helped lift my mood tremendously. Not that I was in a bad one to begin with. The past week, we have spent time together every single day.
Her shy looks when she thinks I’m not looking are killing me, but I refuse to take this relationship any faster than she wants. She sets the pace, and no matter how painstakingly torturous it will be, I will follow it.
I’m grateful she offers her kisses freely, though. Those small, stolen touches are what keep me going. Especially when I am headed into a situation that could potentially be dangerous.
If you had asked me a year ago if I would be pulling up the rear of a group of motorcycles, I might have believed you. Going undercover was always my plan. I spent eight months with Ragged Anarchy before Aspen came on the scene. She thinks she ruined that whole thing for me, but I was never going to be patched in.
Even if Adlet allowed me in, their initiation required killing innocents. My boss would never let me kill to get inside, so I already had an expiration date. Aspen gave me a reason to get out before we had to figure shit out.
That’s why I would have never believed it if someone had told me I would be doing my best to be patched into an MC, having given up my badge for a woman. Back then, I couldn’t imagine anything outside my perceived reality.
Aspen changed my life for the better. I hate that we had to suffer to get here, but I don’t want to go back to the life before. I don’t think I was truly fulfilled as an FBI agent.
Now, I feel like I have found my place, and it’s right here with these men by my side.
That’s not to say any MC would do.
Mountain River MC is a special bunch. It really is a brotherhood here. They have morals. I can get behind that.
They also happen to have a blonde beauty in the midst who has stolen all my attention.
“Eyes open. Something doesn’t feel right.” Talon comes through the headset in my helmet.
All thoughts of Aspen flee as I focus on my task at hand—the run we are currently on. It’s the whole reason I was at Panther’s place when she came by. We were going over last-minute details he wanted me to keep an eye out for.
He doesn’t want to believe someone in our group is sabotaging us, but it seems that way.
Caterpillar turns and looks over his shoulder. I stare at him, wondering what he is doing. When he slows, I match his pace, not liking how far away from the group he is. After a moment, he points.
I see what he sees.
“Bogeys on the left about half a mile,” he calls into the mic. “Prospect and I will divert through the woods until it’s clear.”
Talon comes on. “I see it. There’s a little side road up here to the left. Cut your lights now and turn them off. Meet up at the rendezvous point.”
“Copy that,” we each say.
My adrenaline is pulsing through my veins as we cut our lights.
This is the backup plan. It’s why we always separate the shipment between two bikes instead of all of them. We have the others as a distraction while we get away.
Still, I don’t like it.
We are on a back road that cops aren’t known to frequent. Especially local ones who are on the MC payroll.
The fact that they are there doesn’t look good on me. I have nothing to do with it, but I know the doubt will be there.
