Page 2 of Haunted By the Shadow of Death

“Because they need the room in the ATVs for our stuff. Plus, I’m big. If I fall off, I have a better chance of surviving.”

“Buddie said shifters have tougher bones than humans.”

Figured he’d have heard about that. Considering he was turning into a shifter, his chances might have been better than mine. I didn’t care. I’d begun to come to terms with this parenting thing, and I was okay with being a dictator if it kept him out of harm’s way.

“I don’t care. You’re going in the ATV and wearing a seatbelt, and I’m not arguing about it.”

Buddie walked over. He was usually one of my favorite people, especially since he’d put his ass on the line and defected from Groza and Duncan’s pack when Groza was going to burn me alive. But right now, suspecting he was behind the motorcycle issue, I narrowed my eyes at him.

He shrugged, smirking a little, not one to take offense easily.

“Don’t worry, it’ll be fun,” Buddie said, ruffling Charlie’s hair. “I’ll let you drive a little.”

“Really, Buddie? He’s five. You cannot let him drive.” I felt like I was sending off a five-year-old with a seven-year-old chaperone.

“I’m almost six and you’re no fun,” Charlie said, stomping away from me and heading in the direction of Magnum.

First time I’d met Magnum, he’d abducted me and shoved me in a closet, but there were few people I trusted more to watch over Charlie.

“I think he’s having a rough time today,” Buddie said, watching Charlie’s back as he made his way to their ATV. Magnum looked as if he were trying to cheer him up.

“I know.”

I’d watched Charlie drag his bag out of the bedroom this morning, looking like he was losing everything in the world. I didn’t care if he yelled at me for the next year. I’d be happy just keeping him alive for the next couple weeks and making sure he didn’t turn into a serial killer.

Buddie wasn’t so lucky. “Did you have to make me the bad guy, though? You know I don’t want him on a bike,” I said.

He had the gall to softly laugh. “It’s not my fault you’re no fun.” Buddie turned as Kicks headed over. “Hey, bossman. All packed up and ready to go.”

Kicks was staring at him as if he couldn’t quite wrap his head around how he’d gotten stuck with Buddie in his pack. “It’s Kicks. Not bossman.”

Kicks wrapped an arm around my waist, pulling me toward the side of the building where we were blocked from view. I let him tug me along, my legs moving on autopilot. We turned the corner, and his hands shifted to my hips, pressing me gently against the wall until all I could see, all I could smell, was him. His scent was warm, rugged, and fresh, overwhelming my senses. It was hard enough to act normal around him when he was in the general vicinity. Being this close to him made me feel like my hard drive had been doused by a fire hose.

“Are you okay?” His eyes scanned my face, lingering on my lips so long that my heart got a jolt. With all that was going on today, maybe Kicks wouldn’t realize it was him making my heart sound like it was running the Kentucky Derby around my chest.

“I’m fine,” I replied, though my voice betrayed me. I should move away, create some distance, but I stayed right where I was.

He dipped his head closer, his jaw grazing my cheek. “You don’t sound fine,” he murmured, his breath hot against my skin. His hands on my hips felt like they were burning through my clothes, stealing my focus.

His breath tingled my ear as his hands, still at my hips, felt like they were burning through my clothes and stealing whatever attention I was trying to muster up to listen to his words.

“Just the nerves of moving,” I said, my breathing erratic as my horse was about to drop from overexertion.

He was so close I could hear his breathing, feel his exhale on my flesh.

“I’m so glad you stopped wearing that perfume,” he said.

“Well, it was hard to use when I couldn’t find it anymore.” I didn’t doubt he’d gone and raided every stash in this little town and dumped them out.

He laughed, sending a shiver down my spine before he squeezed my waist and moved back a little. My lungs felt like they could fully expand again as he took a step back toward the chaos of the move. He glanced around the building corner, but hesitated to go any farther.

“I know you thought you’d have a little more time before moving Charlie,” he said.

“It’s for the best.” With tensions this high, and Groza showing how far she’d go to get rid of me, staying here was like living in your enemy’s pocket. Any chance of cooperation had ended. There was no reason to stay, and we both knew it.

He took another half step away. “It’s going to be a long day. We’re going to try not to stop unless we have to.”

It had been an eleven-hour drive from West Virginia to Arkansas before the world had fallen apart. Even on bikes and ATVs, it was going to be messy.

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