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“Sounds good,” I tell her, then were taking off, one of her arms wrapped around my waist, her other still on my arm, and for the first time in for-fuckin’-ever, peace surrounds me

Six

Jolie

“You were right, you know?” I tell Decker once ere sitting at the bar, classic rock pounding in the speakers We rode clear to another town, and if it weren’t for my father and his need to console himself with the bottle, I probably would have a drink with Decker

“What’s that, sweetness?” He’s sitting on a barstool, and I’s, one of my hands wrapped in his

“There’s nothing better than being on a bike That was probably theI’ve experienced since I was seventeen” He squeezes my hand, takes a sip of his beer

“Yeah That got so to drink legally?” His upper lip tugs up He lost his toothpick when he ordered a drink

“That’s flattering you think I’ene pool is definitely a credit to ives me a weird look “He’s from Beauty and The Beast She’s my mom’s sister I’m twenty-one, by the way If it weren’t for an alcoholic father, I’d probably beit at that

“You ht be twenty-one, sweetness, but you sure carry the responsibilities of a forty-year-old” Decker places his hand onthe fabric of lide overmy breath ahile he does it

“You’re probably right, but that Inn was my mother’s I refuse to let it fall by the wayside and let it cruood profit, even with Aunt Jafar doing nothing but sitting on her ass while I work, expecting to be waited on hand and foot That wasn’t the case when I graduated high school It took her a year to dwindle our savings and put us in the red It’s partly why I only take a set us back into the black, just the way it was before my mom died

“No probably about it, sweetness It won’t cruht if you don’t start takin’ more of a break Not h that you’re a strong and independent wooin’ like you are, you’ll end up in the hospital Might wanna think about adding someone to the mix to help you out” I look into his crystal-blue eyes, take in his eyelashes the color of his dirty blond hair, his high cheekbones, a smooth jawline that looks like he shaved it before we headed out, and I know Decker’s not wrong

“You’re right, but enough about ht TellI wasn’t prepared for It almost startlesh It sucks to be on his lap because I’ve lost sight of his eyes, but the feeling of his body surrounding mine makes up for it

“Not much to tell Raised by e of thirty-five It sucked Sucked more that she put herself in that place and there was no aet her away from the abusive son of a bitch as called un in my hand, and my mom holdin’ herself in the corner, barely alive Got off with self-defense Lost both parents that day I found Diamondback shortly after that day, became a Prospect for a few years until I hit twenty-three, been Road Captain for twelve years Recently needed the feel of the open air and pavement under me, so I’ree with it Now I’m here with you” Decker tells me all of this while my head is turned to the side,his mom either

“Wow, I, u I could say that would help that all-consu your mom I’m sorry, Decker,” I breathe out My forehead drops to his, the scent of his leather, spice, and the undertones of his beer surrounding us

“It’s all good, sweetness A lifetio, found a different type of family Gonna kiss you now” God, is it horrible to say that I’ve been dreaainst ine, the way he sucksue My body goes into overdrive, wanting this to lead to so much more when he pulls away