“Thank you.”
He nodded and led the way outside, where a pickup truck waited.She had expected motorcycles, but she was quite surprised to see that Sinn and Saint lived in a perfectly ordinary suburban community.The grass was trimmed, the branches of a tree offered shade.A large garage rested just off the driveway, and a white picket fence was the cherry on top.It certainly wasn’t the image she thought of when someone mentioned bikers.
“I thought all bikers lived at the clubhouse.”
“When we were younger we did,” Sinn said.He held open the truck door and went to help her, but she pulled away from him.He sighed and backed up so she could hop into the cab.He resumed talking when he was behind the wheel.“He and I are the leaders, so we decided it was time to find our own space.”
She was curious in spite of herself.“You never wanted to live apart?”
He shrugged.“Saw no reason to.We work together so we live together.”
“It must be nice to have family.”
“You have no one?”
“No.”She rarely thought about her past.Many mistakes hung around her neck like a noose.“My parents stopped talking to me when I wouldn’t stop dating this guy.I moved in with him and then a few weeks later, they were dead.House fire.”
They rode a few minutes in silence.
“Our parents died too,” Sinn said, snapping her out of her recollections.“Car accident when we were fifteen.State took over since we had no other family, but we never stayed in any one foster home too long.Prospected with the Sons of Sin at seventeen and been with them ever since.”
She had a feeling there was more to the story, but she wouldn’t pry.That was their story to tell, not hers to demand.Suddenly, heavy plumes of black smoke could be seen rising in the air, and a dreadful feeling grew in the pit of her stomach.Sinn must have picked up on her sense of dread because he stepped on the gas.Moments later, he skidded to a halt because of barricades.She wasted no time jumping out of the truck in an effort to get closer.
“Stay back!”a policeman yelled at her.
“But that’s my apartment building,” she cried.
The fire blazed hot and high, bursting from every window as the building was quickly consumed.Kira stood mesmerized, as she watched her entire world implode once more.It was all gone.Everything she had, decimated in a single moment.A weight settled on her shoulders, dragging her down into despair, and she had no idea if she was strong enough to actually pick up the pieces and rebuild herself one more time.Everything spun and she closed her eyes, hoping the merry-go-round soon stopped.It was too hard.Everythingwas always too hard.There came a point when it was all meaningless.
Then a gentle hand landed on her shoulder.
“I’ve got you,” Sinn said softly.
Then he scooped her up, bridal style, and headed back to the truck.She didn’t care what he did with her.All her self-perseverance disappeared.She didn’t care about anything anymore.
Chapter Nine
