Page 48 of Forbidden Access

They rounded a corner, and Thorn led Damian down a dusty lane lined with scraggly trees. The high wall of a housing complex loomed on their right, its bricks weathered and worn, with a dry, worn-out creeper clinging desperately to the cracks.

She kept her eyes peeled for any sign of movement. The quiet was unnerving, but it also reassured her that they were the only people around.

“This way.” She gestured to a narrower path ahead, barely wide enough for two people to walk side by side. The walls on either side seemed to close in on them, the space shrinking as they pressed forward. Thorn could hear Damian behind her. He was keeping up, quick and silent, not asking unnecessary questions.

The path opened up into a small square, the kind that once might have been charming but now lay in neglect. An ancient oak tree stood in the center, its gnarled branches casting twisted shadows on the ground. The wind rustled through the leaves, making the tree groan as if protesting their intrusion.

Thorn’s gaze swept across the surrounding buildings, derelict and crumbling, their windows dark and lifeless. She was searching for something. Something she’d seen earlier. An escape.

She spotted it then, a small porch partially hidden by overgrown bushes. Her heartbeat quickened as a plan formed. She peered over a low fence that separated the porch from the square. A motorcycle, barely visible in the gloom, sat in the shadow of the building.

Yes. That would do.

She opened the gate with a low squeak, and they paused, waiting for a light to come on, or a face to appear at the window, but neither happened, so they ventured in, leaving the gate open.

“The motorcycle?” Damian whispered, following her thoughts.

“Yeah. What do you think? Is it usable?” She remembered he had a Harley-Davidson in his garage, so he probably knew a thing or two about motorcycles.

He inspected it, bending down to take a close look. “I think so. It’s old, but still in use. I’d say someone rides this regularly. No key, though.”

“If we can hotwire it, we can use it.” Thorn reached into the waistband of her leggings and pulled out the thin wire.

Damian stared at her. “You know how to do this?”

She bit back a grin. “It’s not my first rodeo.” Using her knife, she cut a small section of the wire. Damian’s eyes widened as he watched her, a mixture of surprise and admiration on his face, as she worked her magic on the ignition connector. There was a brief click, and then the engine hummed to life, the sound barely louder than a whisper.

“Nice,” Damian muttered, impressed. He gave the bike a hesitant push, guiding it through the gate to a safe distance, before fully engaging the engine. The low rumble vibrated through the square. A light went on in the house.

Thorn had expected as much. “Let’s go,” she hissed, urgently.

Damian swung his leg over the seat and grasped the handlebars. Adjusting the controls, he whispered, “Hop on.”

“I take it you’re driving?” She couldn’t resist the jab. He hadn’t even given her the option. She might be his bodyguard, but Damian was definitely an alpha male, and he liked to fulfill that role.

“Hell, yeah.”

A face appeared at the window, silhouetted against the light. They heard frantic knocking, and a muffled shout echoed into the night.

“Time to go,” Thorn murmured, jumping on behind him and wrapping her arms around his waist. The warmth of his body was reassuring, and she pushed the intruding memories of their lovemaking firmly from her mind.

Damian revved the engine. “Yes, ma’am.”

With a somewhat shaky kick, the bike lurched forward and sped across the square, just as the door opened and a woman came out yelling something indeterminate.

She tightened her grip on Damian, eyes fixed on the road ahead. He maneuvered along the tree-lined streets to the road that led out of town, where they picked up speed.

Thorn didn’t relax until the twisted maze of a village was behind them, fading into the distance.

CHAPTER 20

As they roared out of the town, the lights of the small village were replaced by the shadowy embrace of the mountains. The road twisted and climbed, the engine's growl echoing off the sheer rock faces that loomed on either side.

Damian kept his eyes on the road ahead, the moonlight casting eerie shadows that danced across the asphalt. The mountain pass was narrow and treacherous, with steep drops just beyond the guardrails.

It was the only way in or out of the town, a natural bottleneck. His pulse quickened. If they were being pursued, this was where the danger would close in.

Used to handling a motorcycle, he maneuvered around the tight corners with ease, avoiding the loose gravel. The wind whipped through his hair, the chill of the night air cooling his skin.

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