AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She leaned forward, taking a longer glance, a small smile playing on her lips.
This wasn’t an uncommon occurrence in Blacksburg and the surrounding towns. The Ghosttown Riders Motorcycle Club had taken up residency years ago, long before she moved into town. While they usually stayed under the radar and shied away from the town festivities, it wasn’t unusual to see a few driving around. There was a certain shock to her heart every time she caught a glimpse of one. Maybe it was the badass vibe or the long hair and tats. Whatever it was, it always seemed to grab her attention. And today was no different.
The corner of her mouth curled. She sat up straight and split her vision between the lane and watching the motorcycle on her left. The road was empty beside her car, and the bike was gaining speed and pulling up on her side.
Is it just me, or do all women perk up from the sound of a rumbling engine? There was something about men on motorcycles that gave her cause to sit up straighter, jut out her breasts, and check her hair. If given enough time, she would have added a sweep of gloss on her lips. She gauged his speed as she glanced in the mirror. She also took in his appearance. If she had to guess, he’d be old enough to be her dad. Somehow, it didn’t deter her excitement. She casually glanced over as he passed. His gaze was trained on the road in front of him.
Nothing. Really?
She slouched in her seat. It was disappointing. Her love life had tanked a year ago when she walked in on her boyfriend banging a coworker. Her coworker. It was disastrous and ugly and took a heavy toll on her self-esteem. Cheating was, and always had been, her deal breaker.
She was due for a boost of self-esteem, but she wasn’t going to get it. Not from this guy.
He sped in front of her, and she caught sight of the three-piece rocker. Ghosttown Riders. She released a silent sigh. They were notorious in her area. On occasion, she had piqued the interest once or twice from a club member, but nothing more than a lingering glance. A hell of a lot more than this guy had given her. He’s old enough to be my dad. Even that blaring fact didn’t diminish her disappointment. Not even a look? He wasn’t exactly her dream guy at forty years her senior, but he could have thrown her a bone with a simple glance her way.
I’m pathetic.
She glanced down at the clock, ignoring the biker ahead. She needed to make up some time. She pressed harder on her gas pedal. Not for the benefit of catching up to biker man, but to dodge the wrath of her mother for being later than usual.
She rounded the bend and let off the gas. The steep decline would give her enough speed, and making the sharp turns through the valley was suicidal at anything more than sixty. She remained in her lane and caught a flash from her left again. A sleek, dark blue sedan was coming up on her fast. She widened her eyes. This car was going way too fast. Definitely not a local. The massive hill and harsh turns were enough to slow most drivers down, but not this one. She flickered her hazards in hopes of giving some warning, but it wasn’t heeded—the car passed her faster than the motorcycle before her.
She caught a quick glimpse. It was a man, probably not much older than her. His cheeks were hollowed, and a fairly large bump protruded on the bridge of his nose. As he passed, she noticed a prominent, raised scar rippled down his forehead, and his dark hair was pulled into a ponytail at the nape of his neck. She twisted her lips. A pink hair tie? She chuckled, half wondering if he even realized how absurd he looked.
She kept her gaze glued to the car, glancing down at the license plate. Yep, out of towner. She should report him as soon as she got to her mom’s house. People like him had no place on these roads, driving like an asshole. She watched the motorcycle in the distance as the sedan caught up to him. She waited for the brake lights on the car to shine, but it never happened. Instead, it shifted to the right on the curve.
“Slow down,” she muttered, completely fixated on the car swerving dangerously close to the motorcycle.
Her heart pounded, watching the scene unfold. Cheyenne gripped her steering wheel. “Oh, my God.”
She gasped as the sedan sideswiped the motorcycle into a tailspin across the road.
She sucked in a harsh breath again, not fully believing what she saw. “Oh, my God. Oh, my God!” she screamed as her body shook.
She’d never been witness to a car accident. It was horrific as it played out in slow motion right before her eyes. The motorcycle shot out from under the biker and careened over the embankment. She stared in horror as the man slid across the asphalt, nearing the same direction of his bike.
Her hands shook as she grasped the wheel tightly, and her heart raced. The biker had come to a halt, barely reaching the guardrail. Her first instinct was to lean over and feel for her phone in her handbag. Her gaze was glued to the scene in front of her.
She raced forward, slamming on her brakes as she pulled to the half shoulder, about fifty feet from the biker lying on the road. She threw the car into Park and jumped out, leaving her door wide open. She sprinted to the man who was face down on the asphalt. He was dead. He had to be. There was no way even a superhero could have survived the wreck. The pounding of her heart was blazing through her eardrums. She stopped about ten feet away. He wasn’t moving. She bit her lip and scanned the road. It was just her and him. What do I do?
Help him. She froze, wondering where the voice had come from. It took only a second to recognize it as her own. She rushed forward.
As she neared, she slowed down. Blood was everywhere. Oh God. She stopped short of his body. Her quick perusal would forever be ingrained in her mind. She’d never forget this. His hands were bloodied to a pulp. The flesh was so raw it looked like ground meat. Her stomach curled as she inched forward. This man needed a doctor, a surgeon. Oh God, he needed a miracle if he had any chance of surviving. None of which she could provide. She drove her hands through her hair, tugging sharply at the ends. I don’t know what to do.
Help him.
Cheyenne dropped to her knees, her body visibly shaking. She spread her hands out and reached forward, hovering over his back. Should she try to roll him over? What if his neck was broken? She remembered the basic rules of driver’s ed. Do not move the body, or you may cause more damage. She glanced up the road. It was completely desolate. But he was lying in the middle of the lane. If a car came, he might get hit if the driver couldn’t see him. I should move him. No, don’t move him. She squeezed her eyes shut. A dark dread spread through her body. “Oh God, what do I do?” she muttered.
Nothing could have prepared her for this. She glanced up and over her shoulder. There was no one to help; it was all on her. His only hope was her. She gulped a breath and flinched when she heard a faint, pained grunt. She leaned closer but refrained from touching him.
“You-you’re okay,” she stammered. It was another bald-faced lie. He wasn’t okay, not even close to okay. It was a miracle he was even alive. She reached out but still didn’t touch him. What should I do? Another faint moan forced her to place her hand gently on his back, not applying any pressure. “Just try to stay still. I’m going to call for help.” She swallowed the lump in her throat, forcing out another lie. “You’re gonna be okay, just hang on.” He made no further sound, and his body was still. Had she just heard his last breath? Oh, my God.
She scrambled to her feet and ran to her car, lying over the driver’s side to grab her phone. Her hands were trembling so hard, the simple task of dialing was nearly impossible. She kept her gaze on the man in the road. The two rings seemed to take forever.
“9-1-1, what’s your emergency?”
“We need help, send an ambulance to Route 417, the Belgium Road exit, and fast. This guy…oh God…it’s bad.” Her words were rushed and possibly incoherent. Tears threatened her eyes. “It’s so bad,” she uttered, barely able to get the words out. She drew in a breath, and her face heated.
“Ma’am, I need you to calm down and tell me what happened.”
