“I think the best approach will be to lower the seat for you, as well as adjust the handlebars,” he muses, already beginning to sketch. “Unless you have an issue with it, I’d like to make her motorcycle all black with little to no chrome accents. I want her to be able to blend into the road if she needs to. She’ll always have someone with her, right?”
“Yes,” Lore says, watching Ryder work. “I want to have a smooth ride, while still giving her the speed to get the fuck out of a bad situation if needed.”
Ryder nods as he continues to sketch, talking about things I don’t understand like stator and rotors. I know they must be parts of a motorcycle, but that’s where my knowledge ends.
“This is what I’m thinking,” he says, turning the paper around with one hand to show me what he’s thinking.
My lips part, and I swear, my eyes get misty as hell as I see what he’s sketched out on paper.
“Wow,” I whisper. The bike is all black as promised, with handlebars I’ll easily be able to grasp. Not only are they closer to me so I won’t have to bend forward the entire time, butthe lines are sexy too. Long sleek hardware heads down to the front wheel, while the rest of the motorcycle is more compressed throughout its body.
“You’ll be able to pick up the bike, though it’ll take a little getting used to, and there’s going to be a storage area for when you head out on trips. Even if your alphas are planning to be a little more settled, I can’t imagine them being able to sit still for long,” Ryder says.
He’s careful not to use Lore’s name, simply going with the flow now that he knows there might be a reason for the anonymity. He’s happier now that he knows who he’s doing business with.
Everyone else can get fucked. There’s a strange sense of comfort in knowing Lore’s secret is safe for now. I also appreciate that he doesn’t call attention to my leaking emotions as I struggle to get them in hand. Lore rubs my back as he looks appreciatively at the sketch, looking as awed as I am.
“I’ll make sure you have some extra oomph to the engine. It won’t be legal, but there ain’t a soul who will be checking the specs on your bike,” Ryder snorts. “I’ll make sure you can handle the speeds it’ll reach too.”
“She’s beautiful,” I say, blinking furiously.
My motorcycle is sleek, and even appears dangerous from the page. Ryder points out the only two places a little chrome will be visible, but otherwise, it’ll be all black. My pack will keep me in the middle of their group while riding, Lore explains, unless I’m out with just one or two of them.
I’m even more excited to learn how to ride now.
“Ain’t nothing,” Ryder says, noticing my damp cheeks. “You really are meant for this life if a motorcycle brings you to tears, Little Queen.”
My snort is loud, and Ryder’s lips curve up at the sound. I know that families are complicated, but I hope he and his daughter find a way to reconcile.
“Are you going to call me that while you teach me how to ride a motorcycle?” I ask.
“Why don’t we see?” he grins, standing. His teeth are straight and white, and his ash blonde hair has a bit of white within it. “I’ll get the parts ordered from your people and get working on it.”
I nod, following him outside with Lore close behind.
“There’s one small thing,” Lore says carefully. “Marie can’t be too far away from me. I’m not sure what the exact distance is, but she gets really sick otherwise.”
“Bond sickness,” Ryder murmurs, nodding. “We’re going to be right in this empty parking lot for a while, getting the feel for the bike. When we decide to take her out onto the back roads, you’ll be right there with us. I think it’ll take a couple of days to get you acclimated, Little Queen. You’re not in a hurry to get back, right?”
I shake my head because I’m not aware of any plans and Lore agrees.
“Then let’s get to it!”
Lore
My hand plays with Marie’s hair as she sleeps on top of me. Ryder has a guest house in his backyard, and that’s where he put Marie and I up while we’re here.
He was incredibly patient with her while she figured out how to master the friction zone. Even though it feels as if I was bornon the back of a motorcycle, I was transported back to when I first learned how to ride.
People are lying if they tell you it’s intuitive. There’s a big, growling beast between your thighs, and it’s up to you to make it happy. I can’t even say “tame” per se, because the second you’re not paying attention, you’ll wreck. Riding a motorcycle is about being in tune with it.
Marie had a lot of starts and stops today, but by the time the sun set, she was able to get a smoother ride. Ryder was impressed, though Marie is simply a fast learner. She doesn’t mind trying new things, which I adore about her.
I’m glad we chose Ryder as her teacher, because he runs a boot camp for those who want to ride in his city. He knows exactly how to explain things to her, but since I’ve been riding for so long, I tend to forget the growing pains of learning.
We’ll take her out riding on back roads tomorrow, and help her get used to different terrains.
Now in the late night hours, I’m deep in my head while I watch my omega sleep. I love how peaceful she looks, while my mind races with moral dilemmas.
