Total pages in book: 47
Estimated words: 41918 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 210(@200wpm)___ 168(@250wpm)___ 140(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 41918 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 210(@200wpm)___ 168(@250wpm)___ 140(@300wpm)
I find said man waiting for me parked on the street, a jacket and helmet for me balanced on the seat of the bike.
"You ready for this, baby girl?" Luke asks. He's been working on his motorcycle, getting it ready for the group ride.
I can't help but smile. I've never really considered myself a "motorcycle girl", but there's something about being with Luke that makes it impossible not to feel exhilarated about the ride. "Absolutely."
Luke chuckles and helps me put the jacket and helmet on. He makes sure I'm properly secured and then climbs on the motorcycle. I climb on behind him, my arms wrapping around his waist instinctively.
I feel so content sitting pressed up against his back like this, my body flush against his, the motorcycle rumbling to life beneath us. I feel safe and protected with Luke. And as we start moving, I realize this feeling is more than just protection.
It's freedom.
With the wind blowing through my hair and the sky wide open above us, it's hard to remember anything else in the world exists. The roar of the motorcycle fills my ears, and all I can see is Luke in front of me, the world rushing by as we speed along the road.
The sun goes down right as we join the rest of the club at the Iron Guardians clubhouse, an array of bikes rumbling as the riders wait for their leader to arrive. They rev their machines louder as Luke pulls in, greeting him wordlessly. The whole thing gives me chills.
They know what to do without speaking, this ritual is something they've done so many times it's almost instinctual. Luke pulls to the front of the crowd, and then as one well-oiled machine, the entirety of the Iron Guardians pulls out onto the road together. The sound of so many engines roaring to life at once is almost deafening, but also strangely beautiful in its way.
We're not the only ones on the road. Stonebridge is a small town, but there are still other cars and pedestrians even at this hour. The bikers know how to maneuver around them, weaving in and out of traffic with ease. They're careful not to get too close to other cars, keeping a respectable distance. The respect for others and the safety of others on the road is something I've come to realize is ingrained in the culture of the club. It's another way in which they are more than just the stereotype, something I hope the town realizes.
I don't know how long we ride for, the cool autumn air biting at my face, but we end up on the outskirts of town at an overlook. It's the perfect view, the whole city stretched out beneath us in all its twinkling glory. We're on top of the world, and I'm wrapped in the warmth of Luke's arms, with my head resting on his shoulder as we take in the scene below.
It's the perfect evening, the other Guardians and some of their wives enjoying the view as well, until Luke's right-hand man, Gunnar, comes pushing through the crowd. He's trying to be inconspicuous, but I feel Luke tense next to me at once.
"Hey, boss." Gunnar keeps his voice low. "That asshole kid joined the ride somewhere in the last five or so miles. Slid into the group like he belonged. I was hoping he wouldn't stop with us, but he did, and everyone took notice. What should we—"
Before Gunnar can finish or Luke can make a call, there's a commotion coming from somewhere to our right, a different figure elbowing and pushing through the group of Guardians. The energy around us changes as the bikers get pissed at the intrusion, but Luke, always calm in the face of chaos, turns and crosses his arms. Waiting for the intruder to reach him.
In the same movement, he makes sure I'm behind him, well away from any possible danger. My chest is tight, my heart so full. Luke shows me constantly how much he treasures me, and the word love ghosts through my thoughts. Does Luke love me?
Do I love him?
Oh my God. I think I love him.
Time slows to a crawl, even as Luke prepares for a confrontation. Here I am, out after dark, with zero fear in me. All the trauma, all of the uncertainties, disappear as long as he's with me. It feels so natural. Being with Luke is easy, safe, and right.
Even now, standing in his shadow, I feel that same safety. That same certainty that things are just the way they should be. Because I love him.
I have to tell him later. This certainly isn't the time.
"Don't worry," Luke says to me over his shoulder, cool and unbothered. "This guy is just some punk who tried to join the club and couldn't cut it. I kicked him out, and he didn't take it well. He's showing his ass right now because of that."