“God damn it, girl,” I hiss.
Cori mumbles something and bends to pick up her keys. In that time, Dark Angel never looks away from me. He standsthere and studies me. He takes another step, and I back away until I hit the back of Cori’s Ford Explorer.
I finally hear the door unlock, and I open it, ready to jump inside.
“Um, excuse me?” I pause because there’s no way Cori is voluntarily talking to this man. “Um, sir?” I have no choice but to delay my escape plan so that I can save my friend.
“Hey, guys, the devil is gone!” Selene screams. Her steps falter when she sees the scene in front of her. “Oh.” She runs to the car and stands in solidarity with us.
“Do you have our driver’s licenses? I know you ripped them, but we’ll tape them back together if you have them. Eden is too broke to replace hers.” Cori jerks her thumb in my direction.
“Leave my brokeness out of this,” I snap. I don’t want this man to know any personal details about me.
Dark Angel doesn’t reply. He only smirks. He looks past her and at me. Having had enough of him, I give him my back and climb into the back seat of the car. Selene follows behind me and slams the door shut. I lock mine, reach around her, and do the same to her door. But that big mountain of a man would rip the door open with one hand and not break a sweat. For the life of me, I don’t understand his problem with us. He’s lucky we don’t sue him or his club. As broke as I am, I’m not above retaining an ambulance-chasing lawyer to handle this for me.
Hearing the deafening roaring of an engine, I twist my neck and see him mounted on that thing like a king. Our eyes catch and remain locked until he snaps the helmet on his head. The engine roars again, and he drives off.
“That guy is so rude,” Cori snaps right before she slams the door. “He couldn’t open his damn mouth to give me an answer. He just looked at me. He’s probably dumb.”
“Cori, do you have a death wish?” I ask.
Chapter 5
Rip
I turn down the side street and wait for them to pass me. When they do, I return to the main road and follow the grey SUV.
I know who it belongs to. That gray Ford Explorer is registered to Leander Lamb, father of Corine Lamb and mayor of Shadow Cove. He’s also a complete phony, hypocrite, and opportunist, but I’m not interested in him or his daughter.
It’s the other one I can’t get out of my mind. From the moment her little hands touched mine, it was like she branded me. I can’t seem to forget it, and I can’t wash it away. I tried, but my hands still feel like a hot poker has brushed them.
After leaving the club last night, I only meant to drive by her house to ensure she was safe, but I rode into her driveway and roared my engine. I wanted her to know she pissed me off. I wanted her to know I was there, and she did. She peeked through the blinds, and despite the noise of my motorcycle and the physical distance, I felt her gasp. It was like a lightning boltthrough my body. Then she snapped the blinds shut and never looked back.
I should have left it at that. That was my intention. I scared her. In a perfect world, she’d be more careful in the future and not let creeps like the ones from last night get to her. I had done my job, but that’s not what happened.
Now I’m following them, and the girl behind the wheel drives like an old lady on her way to church on a Sunday. I know they’re aware I’m behind them. I’m practically riding their bumper. She slams down on her brakes, and I do the same, barely missing them.
There’s no light, stop sign, or traffic. She did that on purpose. She’s brave, that one. Unlike Eden Rose, who trembles each time I get near. She probably thinks that tremble is fear, but I know better. I can make her moan while she trembles. But I won’t. I can’t. Girls like her aren’t my vibe. Not only that, but she’s Eden Rose, daughter of Randall Rose, the town’s sheriff, who already has a million reasons to hate me. He’d likely try to shoot me if I were to get involved with his daughter.
However, I’ve never been one to care about anyone else’s opinion, and I’ve always just taken what I want; anyone else’s feelings be damned.
But what do you want with her?
She’s nothing but a little goody-two-shoes. It doesn’t matter that she’s beautiful, or that her hands on mine sent jolts of electricity through my body. I resent that. No one makes me feel that way, least of all the daughter of this town’s sheriff. I’ve never cared for the law or anyone associated with it, and I’m not about to start now.
The gray SUV pulls over to the side of the road. The driver sticks her arm out and gestures for me to go, but I stop in the middle of the street and rev my engine. She sticks her middle finger in the air and kills her engine.
I pull my bike behind her. I should go. I need to go. I don’t need this, and I don’t understand why I get such a thrill at getting her attention. Although the one whose attention I seek is not reacting.
The driver’s door opens, and the mayor’s daughter comes out. She stands by the front of the car and raises her arms.
“What the hell?” she shouts.
I don’t bother to respond. It’s not her attention I want. She can’t see my bored expression from my helmet.
She stands out there for a beat, then the other door opens and the other two step out, but my eyes are only on her. She’s doing her best to appear brave, but her body trembles as she walks to her friend. The three of them stand there like a united front, when in reality, I know they’re ready to piss themselves.
The one who hasn’t left my mind in peace whispers something I can’t hear. I rev my engine as she talks to intimidate and prevent the other two from hearing her.
