I cleared my throat and reached back, grabbing both of her wrists and pulling her hands around my waist.“Hold on.”
“I was going to.”
“You were hovering like you were afraid I’d bite.”
“I don’t know what you people do for fun around here.”
Pearl laughed from behind Anchor.
I felt McKayla’s fingers tighten slightly against my stomach, but not enough.I covered one of her hands with mine and pressed it flat against me.“Tighter.”
She hesitated, then wrapped both arms more securely around my waist.
Too damn good, actually.
Anchor started his bike, and the low rumble filled the morning air.I followed, engine vibrating beneath us as McKayla stiffened behind me for the first second, then settled in once she got used to it.
Anchor pulled out first with Pearl behind him, and I followed down the gravel drive away from the clubhouse.
Without the chainsaws and screaming tourists, Skull Island almost looked normal.Less haunted and more quiet.
The fake blood, fog machines, and screaming tourists were gone, leaving behind sun filtering through trees, dew on the grass, and the lake glittering through breaks in the woods.If a person didn’t know better, they might think Skull Island was peaceful.
I knew better.So did the woman sitting behind me.
We passed the haunted house, dark and still now with its front doors closed and the props waiting for another night of scaring people who paid for fake fear.
Last night, McKayla had gotten the real thing for free.
Her arms tightened slightly around me as we headed over the bridge.
I didn’t know if it was because of the bike, the height over the water, or the fact she was leaving the island while knowing damn well she was being brought right back.
Maybe all three.
The bridge stretched across the water beneath a pale morning sky.Anchor rode ahead of us, Pearl tucked close behind him, and I kept enough distance to avoid dust and gravel kicking back.
Once we hit the mainland, the ride smoothed out.
McKayla relaxed little by little behind me.Enough that her body moved with mine instead of fighting every curve.
Good, I liked that.Didn’t need to like it, but there it was.
We rode for a few miles toward the edge of town where the motel sat just off the highway.It was one of those places that looked like it had been built thirty years ago and updated exactly never.Faded sign.Cracked parking lot.Two vending machines humming outside the office.
Classy.
Anchor pulled in first, and McKayla leaned slightly to my left.
“Door eleven,” she said near my ear.
Her voice was muffled by the helmet, but I heard her just fine.
I parked in front of the room and killed the engine.Anchor pulled in beside us, Pearl climbing off behind him and smoothing her hands over her jeans.
McKayla slid off my bike carefully.She was steadier than she had been last night, but I still watched every move she made.
She pulled the helmet off and held it out to me.“I’ll just go in and grab my stuff.”
