I took the long way out past the edge of town, past cornfields and open sky. The sun had fully set, leaving streaks of orange fading into purple at the horizon.
Cool air rushed past us and Josie relaxed little by little.
At first she held on because she was scared. Then she held on because she wanted to.
I could tell.
Her cheek rested against my back and her body moved with mine through every curve.
Eventually, I turned onto the dead-end road leading to the clubhouse.
The thumping bass from the music hit us first. The headlights lit up the trees as we rounded the final bend and the clubhouse finally came into view.
There were more motorcycles than parking spaces and people spilled out onto the lawn.
Guys in cuts stood around fire pits, women laughed on the porch, and more music drifted from inside.
I’d been to more parties here than I could count. Got blackout drunk more times than I cared to admit. Fought. Celebrated. Mourned.
This place had seen every version of me.
But tonight? Tonight was different because my focus wasn’t the beer. Or the music. Or my boys giving me shit.
My focus was on the woman holding onto me.
I parked and killed the engine. The sudden quiet rang in my ears and Josie slowly climbed off the bike. I climbed off and watched her closely.
She pulled off the helmet and looked around nervously.
I immediately reached for her hand, and her fingers slid into mine. I squeezed gently. “You good?”
She looked up at me, smiled, and nodded.
“Yeah.”
I could see the nerves. Hell, I could feel them. I stepped closer. “You stay by me.”
She nodded again. “I can do that.”
I believed her.
I also had no intention of letting go of her hand. Not tonight.
Maybe not ever.
I pushed that thought aside.
One thing at a time.
“Let’s go, baby.”
Chapter Thirteen
Josie
The closer we got to the clubhouse, the tighter I held Rome’s hand. I just suddenly felt very aware that I was walking into a world I knew nothing about.
People milled around everywhere. Motorcycles lined the front of the long brick building, chrome gleaming beneath floodlights. Music spilled out every time the front door opened, mixing with laughter and the smell of beer, smoke, and grilled meat from somewhere out back.
