“I admire your courage, Kaia, but you’re putting your faith in the wrong people.”
“I’m not so sure.” I turn to walk away but his voice stops me.
“You want to explain to me why Killian Hunt is waiting outside for you?”
I spin back around, my heart jumping. “Killian’s here?”
“Of course he is. Seems just lately wherever you are, he’s not too far away,” he sneers.
A feeling of warmth spreads through me knowing he’s outside waiting for me.
“Why couldn’t you just find a nice, decent man instead of that… that—”
“Animal?” I finish for him.
“What happened to that boy you were seeing from college? I know his father, he comes from a well-respected family, agoodone.”
“A good family doesn’t necessarily mean a good person, Father.”
“Stay away from him, Kaia,” my father warns as I make my way down the corridor.
I don’t look back once.
Once I’ve reclaimed my confiscated belongings from the front desk, I head out the front entrance and cut across the parking lot.
My breath hitches when I spot Killian up ahead, leaningagainst his bike in the parking lot with his arms folded and his ankles crossed.
His mouth curves into a smirk as I approach. “Thought I was gonna have to go allPrison Breakon you and spring you out of jail.”
“You got the blueprints of the station tattooed under there? I don’t remember seeing them.” I nod to his black shirt and leather jacket with his kutte over the top.
“I was thinking more old school. Beat down the door and muscle my way through.”
“Thatismore your style, I guess.”
He chuckles, pushing himself up off the bike to stand, handing me his helmet. “Come on, I’ll give you a ride.”
I hesitate.
He frowns. “What?”
“I didn’t think you let anyone on this thing.”
“You’re notjustanyone.” His jaw clenches as soon as the words are out of his mouth, almost like he’s said too much. “Besides, we’ve got a party to get to.”
He helps me put on the helmet before shrugging off his leather jacket and handing it to me, leaving him in just a thin black Henley shirt with his kutte draped over his shoulders. I argue about him having no skin left should we end up in a crash, but he insists he’s fine.
His leather jacket is warm as I slide it on and it smells like him. It engulfs me, easily three times too big but I love it.
He straddles the bike and I slide on behind him. I’ve never been on the back of a bike before and I have no idea where to put my hands and feet. He guides my arms around him, my hands flat against his solid abdomen before placing my feet on the foot pegs.
The engine roars to life beneath me, the vibrations rippling through my body.
“Hold on tight,” he tosses over his shoulder before we peel out of the parking lot.
The ride can only be described by one word:Exhilarating. Despite the fact I’m hugging Killian hard enough to crack a couple of his ribs, I’ve never felt more alive. The world rushes past me, the lights sparkling in the setting sun as we blast down the road, winding through the narrow streets as we near the clubhouse.
By the time we get there, the engagement party is already in full swing and as soon as Killian and I step inside the clubhouse, Jett makes a beeline for me.
