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Even more than the gorgeous scenery, though, just riding gave me a shot of endorphins. Only my climaxes with Riley were a better high. Who needed drugs or alcohol? A beautiful woman and a motorcycle.
What more did a man need?
The bike ride was too soon over. When we rode back to the Eagle Rider rental place and took off our helmets, a wave of sadness swept through me.
“What’d you think?” Rock asked.
“I think I’d like to take Riley and strap her on the back, and then take off and never come back.”
“I hear you. And trust me, I thought about it. I told Lace basically the same thing when we were in Montana recently. She came close to being arrested by a rogue deputy, and I told her we could get on the bike and head to Canada. That I’d never look back.”
“But you didn’t.”
“No. I didn’t. That would have left Roy, Reid, and Riley with no inheritance.”
I nodded. “You’re a good man.”
“Maybe,” he said. “And maybe not. In the end, though, it was Lacey’s decision to come back. Not mine.”
“You would have gone?”
“In a heartbeat. You have to understand. I’m in love, just like you are. I wanted to keep Lacey from anything that might hurt her.”
“I get that.”
“I think you do. So tomorrow? Another ride? Valley of Fire?”
“If Riley’s okay with it.”
He laughed then, a huge guffaw. “Man, you are in love.”45RileyI entered Rock and Lacey’s suite and raced into Matt’s arms. “I’ve been worried sick!”
“Why?” he laughed.
“Because I got your text. That’s why. You were out on a motorcycle?”
Rock guffawed. “And you weren’t worried about me?”
“I assumed you knew what you were doing.”
“So did I,” Matt said. “I told you.”
“I know.” I sighed. “I was still worried.”
“I’m all in one piece.” He kissed the top of my head. “I’ll never leave you, Riley. I promise.”
“So what’s the plan for this evening?” Rock asked.
“We’re ordering food in,” Lacey said to him and Matt. “Here in our suite. Everyone’s joining us, including Zinnia.”
“She goes by Zee,” I reminded her.
Zee had hesitantly agreed to join us for dinner, though she claimed she wouldn’t eat. At least she’d be here, though. Reid was on his way, as were Roy and Charlie.
“What’d you find out?” Rock asked.
“She’s the woman we’re looking for. In fact, she remembered Roy. There’s a lot she hasn’t told us yet, like why she waited over five years to confront Dad, how much money he offered her, and why she signed a confidentiality agreement.”
“Your father’s dead, so the confidentiality agreement with him is null and void,” Lacey said. “But there’s still the issue of Father Jim.”
“How in the fuck is it possible to have a nondisclosure agreement with someone who tried to kill you?” Rock said. “That’s fucked up.”
“She was probably desperate,” I said. “She might have signed her life away for money at that point.”
I didn’t know exactly why she’d signed, but we’d ask her tonight, where she was safe. Not in a crowded bar.
I just hoped she’d show.
I had a nagging feeling she wouldn’t.
Roy, Charlie, and Reid soon arrived, and a few minutes later, the food. The caterers set it up in the meeting room in Rock’s suite, and we began with cocktails.
“So where is this woman?” Reid asked.
“She’s late,” Roy said, “but she was late this afternoon as well. Give her a little latitude. She’s been through a lot.”
“So have we all,” Reid retorted. “What the fuck?”
“Stop being an asshole, Reid,” I said. “She’s doing her best.”
“Maybe we can throw the authorities toward her instead of us. Talk about motive.”
Rock rose and pulled Reid up from his chair. “I can’t believe you just said that. You want to throw one of his victims under the bus?”
“We’re all his victims, Rock, in case you forgot.” Reid deftly disengaged himself from Rock’s hold.
“Fuck you, Reid.” This from Roy. “You got the shit kicked out of you. So what? You lived to tell the tale. This woman was hunted, for God’s sake, in some kind of twisted game Dad and Father Jim played.”
“Is that any worse than what he did to our sister?”
I stood then. “It’s way worse, Reid. I’m alive.”
“So is she.”
“But others aren’t. How many women did Dad kill?”
“Wouldn’t there be news stories about missing women?” Charlie asked.
Lacey shook her head. “Derek Wolfe probably owned the news. He got stories buried and made sure anyone who cried about it was well compensated to shut up.”
“Motherfucker,” Matt said under his breath.
“You got something to add, Matt?” Rock said.
“No. Sorry.”
“You’re one of us now,” Rock said. “Feel free to speak.”
“I just don’t get it,” Matt continued. “How the hell does someone get so sick?”
“Beats the shit out of me.” Rock shook his head. “How late is she now?”
I checked my phone. “A half hour.”
Roy sighed. “We should never have let her out of our sight.”
