Page 45 of Nitro

As we strolled down the street, a sudden instinct prompted me to glance back at my apartment building.

For some reason, the image of the pale face I had glimpsed in my window came rushing back.

I scanned the windows, particularly my unit's.

Only something supernatural could climb that high, I reasoned, but what I had seen in the dead of the night was likely just a figment of my imagination.

"Tommy, everything alright?" Nitro called, already mounting his Harley.

I hopped on behind him, wrapping my arms securely around his waist.

"Absolutely," I assured him, pushing the unnerving thoughts to the back of my mind.

Today was about us and I intended to make the most of it.

It didn't take us long to reach our destination. Nitro parked his motorcycle in the MC compound parking lot.

From there, we set off toward the Moon Burrow Woods, nestled conveniently behind the compound.

"Take it easy on me," I joked, feeling a mixture of excitement and nervousness. "The last time I hiked was when Marc and I were kids."

"Don't worry," Nitro assured me with a grin. "I picked an easy trail."

His words brought a sense of reassurance. I was grateful that Nitro considered my hiking abilities—or lack thereof.

As we entered the woods, I marveled at the natural beauty of the surroundings.

The scent of pine filled the air, and the sunlight filtered through the trees.

This was the perfect escape, a brief reprieve from our problems.

My nerves began to get the better of me in the middle of our walk. Old fears, remnants of the trauma inflicted by Hicks, assailed me.

After he broke my arm, I struggled to connect with my animal half.

While my inner magpie still made occasional appearances to voice his opinions, he mostly hid inside me.

“Let’s take a break soon,” Nitro suggested. I wondered if he noticed my growing unease.

He gently guided me to a special section of the woods—a small hill with a view of the surrounding forest.

The change in scenery offered a welcome distraction, easing some of the anxiety gnawing at me.

As we reached the hill, Nitro gestured for us to sit on a nearby fallen log.

We ate our sandwiches while taking in the breathtaking view.

"This is nice, isn't it?" Nitro remarked.

"It is," I agreed.

"After all that bullshit with Spike, my inner grizzly is ready to tear out of my skin," he admitted.

Despite the calm, Nitro's words carried an undercurrent of tension.

"Will you tell me what happened?" I asked, sensing that there was more to the story.

As Nitro began recounting Spike's fight, he reached for my fingers, gently rubbing them.

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