Page 14 of Shiner's Light

“Fine,” she finally says huffingly and gets to her feet. “I’ll go with you, but I’m not staying in your room anymore.”

Wrapping an arm around Olive, I pull her flush against my front. “Oh, honey, you don’t want to be making commands about where you’re staying or not ‘cause your ass is in my bed, with me next to you. Now, let’s go.”

CHAPTER EIGHT

OLIVE

What the hell was I thinking, not getting farther away than I did from Shiner? I should have known he’d find me eventually if I stuck close as I did. It didn’t matter that I hid where I did. I figured he’d give up and not worry about me. I was definitely wrong. The look he gave me spoke volumes when his gaze landed on me, and he said he’d found me.

Then he gave me the choice he did that wasn’t exactly a choice at all, just a difference in how I left the encampment.

During the two weeks of hiding, I met the people who call this encampment home. Not all of them are nice. Some drunks, others junkies, but they had one thing in common, this place.

Shiner guided me through them without anyone speaking. They must sense he’s not a man you screw around with. Next to his bike, he climbs on first and turns me toward him. “Climb on, honey.”I start to do just that, but he stops me. “Climb in front, facing me, then wrap your legs around my waist.”

“Is that safe?” I blurt not thinking it a good idea.

“It’s what you’re going to do.”

I take it from the firm, don’t fuck around tone in his voice, I shouldn’t argue. Instead, I swallowed my fear down and did as he said. With this position, I can feel him in the confinement of his jeans. His thickness is by no means little, from what I can tell. He’s also hard. But why?

I don’t question it. I simply wrap my arms around him, holding on securely as he kicks up the stand and starts his bike. The throttling vibration of the beast beneath me sends a shiver up my spine, one that Shiner, I’m sure, feels.

“Let’s go,” he shouts to his brothers, who’d waited at the bikes for his return.

Hitting the throttle, he speeds away from the encampment. I tighten my arms around him and press deeper into him. It might be warmer in the day, but nights are still chilly, and with the wind at my back, it’s downright cold.

The ride takes us no more than twenty minutes before we’re pulling back in the parking lot of the clubhouse. Parking his bike, Shiner doesn’t bother with telling me to unwrap myself from around him and getting off. He sets the kickstand down, shuts off his bike, and curls his hands around my ass, taking me with him as he swings a leg over.

“She need any medical help?” one of Shiner’s brothers asks.

“I’m not hurt,” I answer for myself. The bruises were gone, and my wounds were all healed. They might be tender still, but that’s to be expected with any type of wound. Sure, I lived on the streets these past few weeks, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t find ways to clean myself up.

“I’ll let you know once I have her inside and check her over myself.” Shiner grunts and makes his way toward the front doors of the clubhouse.

“I can walk, you know,” I mutter, wishing he’d put me down.

“Yeah, but I’m not about to put you down until I have you in the room,” he grumbles.

The door opens, and he steps through.

“You found her, Daddy,” a little boy’s voice squeals. My spine stiffens because I know there’s only one little boy who calls Shiner daddy.

“Yeah, Milo, bud, I did. Now, stay with Chels and Lucky for right now, okay, I’ve got to make sure she’s okay, and then I’ll be right out to get you,” Shiner says calmly.

“Okay, Daddy,” Milo shouts.

I suck in a hard breath. It’s hard to do so with the weight that feels as if it were crushing my chest. Does Milo know who I am?

Shiner carries me straight to his room, not stopping to speak to anyone else. Inside, he goes straight to the bathroom and sets me on the counter.

“What are you doing?” I demand as he twists away from me and turns the shower on.

“Getting you cleaned up,” he says like it’s something he does every day.

Um . . . I don’t think so.

“I can clean myself up.”

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