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“Tomorrow is Valentine’s Day.”
Sasha gave me a cheeky smile. “Yep.”
“How about a ride?” Oh, I meant that in more ways than one.
“Sure thing,” she purred, tugging on the apron, and
untying it, tossing the material aside. “Is it safe?”
“Yeah, baby. We’re good.”
She didn’t question what I said or debate it, just grabbed my hand, and headed toward our room so she could put on her leather jacket. This woman was fuckin’ perfect.
Five minutes later we were gliding out of the compound and onto the highway, enjoying the unusually warm afternoon. Sunshine was setting low on the horizon and golden rays stretched into pink from one end of the sky to the other. The wind blew around us and Sasha squealed, excited to be back on my bike. She loved to ride almost as much as I did.
We finally turned around for home, cruising through the city streets a short time later. The sun had completely set and the first stars were appearing above our heads. One of the best things about Nevada was the skyline at night. Bright, clear stars shined with a twinkle that was hard to find anywhere else in the U.S.
Sasha was pointing to the sky and I nodded, knowing she was thinking the same thing.
I never noticed we weren’t alone on the road until something slammed into the rear tire of my Harley and I nearly lost control, fighting to keep us from a crash. Cursing, I felt her tighten her hold around my waist. I pulled back on the throttle and switched gears, increasing my speed in an attempt to avoid a collision.
A black van sped up and kept pace with us, sliding open one of the doors as I spotted a few members of the Scorpions MC.
Motherfucker. They were trying to take Sasha or kill us both in the process. My Reaper rose up to protect me so I could keep Sasha safe. It probably would have worked if not for the gun that was aimed in our direction. I had one chance to ensure the bullet him me instead of my fiancé.
I shifted down and the bike fishtailed, swerving to the right as I leaned into the turn and flipped the bike so that I was facing the van. Although my speed was decreased significantly, it didn’t change the fact that we were still moving far too fast. I never heard the gunshot that dislodged from the gun. The sudden impact hit my chest and I was thrown backward, knocking Sasha from the bike. She hit the pavement hard and rolled to her side, not moving.
“Sasha!” I yelled, terrified she was dead.
The sudden, jarring impact of hitting the asphalt was a shock to my mind and body. Pain lanced every single nerve in my system at the same time. I landed with a hard thud, cringing as my bike landed on top of me, bounced, and then flipped over, landing a few feet away. The crunch of metal and shattering of glass were the last sounds I heard before I reached a hand toward Sasha and lost consciousness.
My mind scrambled to make sense of the chaos unfolding in front of my eyes. This wasn’t supposed to happen. Not the wreckage that remained of Bodie’s Harley. The broken glass littering the ground. Even the skid mark imbedded in the inky asphalt that stretched far beyond the muted lemon-yellow light of the streetlamp.
My gaze skittered over the gravel of the road and found the puddle of dark crimson next to Bodie’s body. He wasn’t moving. Blinking, my fingers stretched across the ground, skimming over the coppery scented fluid that trailed all the way up to the wound on his chest.
A gunshot.
Shit. Shit. Shit.
Bile rose up in my throat and I tried to turn on my side, groaning as a wave of pure agony swept across my back and lower limbs. My vision blurred, then cleared as I swallowed hard, trying not to completely lose my shit.
“Bodie,” I whispered, chest heaving as I managed to roll over to my right and my fingertips grazed the soft leather of his cut.
He didn’t stir.
Taking a couple of breaths to steady my nerves, I focused my attention on the surface of his chest, desperate to find a rise and fall. Breathe, please.
Nothing.
How long could a person stay alive and unconscious if they weren’t breathing? Didn’t I read somewhere that you had four minutes before permanent brain damage? How long had I been lying here before I woke up?
“No, no,” I wailed aloud at the thought that Bodie was gone. “I just found you.”
Tears filled my eyes, but I didn’t have the strength or will to lift my hands and swipe the droplets away as a few slipped free and dribbled down my cheeks.
“I don’t want to live without you.”
The words tumbled with desperation and sorrow from my lips. I flopped onto my back, ignoring the stiffness of my movements as I stared up at the cruel, cold visage of the moon. Clouds dipped and danced, brushing across in a lighthearted banter, playful and teasing while mocking my current situation.
