Page 12 of Pretty Monsters

He takes his time starting both bikes and checking them out. It's a formality. I can tell he's dying to open them up on the road and feel the rumble of the engine underneath him.

A few minutes later he stretches out his hand and I shake it. "You've got a deal, kid."

He didn't suggest swapping titles, and neither did I. Without another word I grab our things out of the bikes and head to the truck. Lucien is already behind the wheel, and I don't fight him.

"Get in, I'm not snuggling your brother."

She glares at me, her blue eyes flickering like a flame. "You realize you know him better than I do, right?”

She shrugs. "Still doesn't mean I want to be pressed up against him."

"Then press up against me, just get your skinny ass in the truck."

"Sin, be nice," Lucien demands.

Glaring at him he holds up his hands in defeat. We both know that was me being nice. It's then I realize how short Raven is. She can't even reach the handle to pull herself up since she's probably about five-foot-four. Wrapping my hands around her waist, I hoist her into the truck and jump in after her.

Lucien turns the key, and looks to me for directions. "Where to?"

"As far away as we can get before the sun comes up," I reply.

* * *

Over the nextfew hours Lucien and I take turns driving. Raven offers to take a turn, but we both turn her down. Close to dawn I pull into the parking lot of the Sunset Inn.

It's run down and likely filled with the types of people nice girls like Raven cross the street to avoid. We'll have to keep an eye on her around the other guests, but it looks like they'll accept payment in cash.

"Luce," I say, waking him up. "I'm going to get us a room."

"I can go," he says and reaches for his seat belt.

"With those freaky ass eyes the two of you have, there's no way the clerk will forget you."

"You really think you stand out less?" Raven scoffs.

"Believe me, I can be unnoticed when I need to."

She rolls her eyes. "That's likely."

Reaching into my bag I grab a ball cap and put it on my head. "There's a reason all your father's men call me ghost, princess."

Raven's eyes narrow, and I can see she wants to tear into me. As much perverse pleasure as I get out of arguing with her, it's more important for us to get inside away from the view of anyone who passes by.

Pulling the bill of the hat lower, I get out of the truck and enter the lobby. The desk clerk doesn't even look up at the sound of the bell over the door.

"How many rooms?" he asks in a bored tone.

"One," I reply and peel off the forty dollars the sign lists as the cost for the room.

"How many nights?"

"Just one." I push the two bills across the scratched counter.

He drops a key with a large plastic key fob attached to it. "Room one-thirty-seven. First floor, back left corner."

Not one time did the clerk glance up at me, and he never asked for a name. Keeping my head low, I scan the corners of the room to make sure I don't need to sneak back in later to erase footage.

When I return to the truck Lucien is behind the wheel. He rolls down the window when I don't try and get in on the passenger side.

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