The sun was just beginning to rise as I sat and watched the men and women load their bikes and trucks with what we would need for the next few days. We were heading to Dallas Texas, and it was going to take almost ten hours of riding to get there. It would be a long day, but I was looking forward to it. The charity event was to start tomorrow and go for two days.
While we were there to show our support and backing for the child cancer foundation who was running the festival, the trip wasn’t entirely for that purpose. It was about making connections and following up with other clubs.
There would be other Brothers by Blood chapters there as well as other clubs who support us and some who don’t. We needed to spend the time wisely, reaffirming our connections with our brothers and sisters.
While the Brothers are one of the more prominent clubs in the country, there were still others who were larger and more powerful, and it was our job to solidify our alliances with them when opportunities like these arose.
“Hey, you ready?” I was pulled away from my thoughts by the soft, gentle sound of Skylar’s voice. Looking over my shoulder, I saw her standing by the door, a worn black backpack thrown over her shoulder.
“You got your stuff in the truck already?” I asked curiously.
She raised her eyebrows at me and gestured to the bag. “I’ve got it all here, bar a pair of shoes I threw in the truck with Skins. I can just wear it.” She turned as she tucked her arms inside the straps, the pack molding to her body and sitting snug against her, most likely designed for this purpose.
A girl that didn’t pack an entire wardrobe when she traveled?
Hard to find.
“You know we have an almost ten-hour ride, right?”
She nodded and threw me a wink as she strutted past. “Not my first rodeo, cowboy.”
I couldn’t hide my smirk and continued to stare as she headed across the club parking lot with a seductive sway in her hips that I knew wasn’t put on for show. She just had that kind of aura around her that exuded passion and beauty. Her riding leathers were so tight, I was ninety-nine percent sure she didn’t have anything on underneath them and knowing she was going to be pressed up against me for the next fucking ten hours was already feeling like both heaven and hell.
Her boots had just enough heel to hook over the pegs on my bike and ride comfortably and the thick leather jacket she wore with the club’s emblem and name across the back and down the arms, was a show of pride and loyalty.
This fucking woman.
She bounced on her tiptoes as she popped up beside Hadley who was snuggled up in the cool morning air with Leo as we waited for Op to say goodbye to his woman and kids.
I continued to watch Skylar, unable to drag my eyes away.
Her bright sparkling eyes and warm smile were enticing, to say the least. I could understand how the men in the club adored her, and not just for the sex. She had this sweetness, this magnetic personality that drew you in with its gravitational pull and refused to let you go.
“All right! Let’s get this show moving, we have places to be,” Op called as he stepped out of the clubhouse with Chelsea under his arm, pressing a lengthy kiss to her lips before making a move toward his bike.
I could imagine how hard it was, leaving his woman with their newborns, but with Sugar staying behind as well to help out, hopefully, he kept his head in the game and didn’t get distracted.
Skylar made a beeline toward me as I made a move for my bike. The boys and I who carried passengers had made a point to attach our bitch sticks to the back of our bikes yesterday, knowing it would hopefully make the ride more comfortable and mean fewer stops since the girls would have something to lean back on and be supported when they got sore or tired.
We were always required to have one but given I’d never had a bitch on the back of my bike, mine was brand new and about to get its first run.
Skylar didn’t hesitate, she grabbed the helmet I’d set on her seat and strapped it on. She placed one of her heeled boots on the peg and threw her other leg over the bike. She instantly cozied up right behind me, wiggling and adjusting herself until she felt comfortable. I held my breath, her hot breath against my ear stirring a raging demon within my belly.
My heart rate began to rise, the pressure of her against me sending flashes of memories across my vision.
I groaned loudly, that one simple noise causing my entire body to ache.
“Knight?” My best friend’s soft tone was enough to make my head throb. “Please tell me that groan means you’re alive.” His voice sounded strained like it was taking all the energy he had in his body just to talk.
But I couldn’t figure out what he meant.
Alive?
It took me a few moments to pry my eyes open, they felt like someone had glued them shut. I could hear the radio that was connected to my vest buzzing in my ear, the occasional voice cutting in and out, demanding a reply, pleading to know what happened and if we were okay.
Why does everyone keep asking if we’re okay?
I finally blinked, the bright, harsh desert sunlight stinging my eyes. My senses suddenly seemed more intense. The smell of smoke lingered around my nose sending urgent alerts to my brain, but it was like my brain couldn’t figure out what to do with them.