Page 71 of Blade

“Rach, I need to do something.”

“No, babe, let them work it out.”

I whispered to Ryder, “You may be my oldest friend, but you ever take a cheap shot at me like that again. I will bury you in the ground. Keep your fucking lips off my girl, or I might still do it.” I stepped back, letting him go.

Walking over to Becca, I leaned down and kissed her cheek.

“Take a ride with me, babe.”

She looked over at Ryder as if asking permission, and it pissed me off. Then she narrowed her eyes at him, and I smiled.

She looked back at me.

“Please?” I begged.

She glanced over at Rachel, who was shooting daggers at me. I would find out later what that was about.

“Come on.” I reached for her hand.

“I don’t know, Rach and I have been shopping all day. What about my bags?”

“The prospect following Rachel can take them back to the clubhouse. Or he can drop them at your house. Your choice, babe.”

She looked over at Rachel again, and I did as well. Begging her with my eyes to encourage Becca to come with me. When she finally smiled, I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding.

“Go ahead, Beck. I can drop your bags at home.” Rachel pulled her in for a hug, whispered something in her ear, and then let her go. “Go have fun.”

Becca turned around to follow me to my bike.

When I looked back at Rach to thank her, she mouthedasshole.

What the fuck?

I took Becca’s hand in mine and walked her to my bike. After swinging my leg over, I held out my hand to help her climb on. She wrapped her arms around me and laid her chin on my shoulder. A peace I hadn’t known in ten years settled over me.

“So, where are we going?” she asked.

“I have somewhere I want to show you. Hold on tight.” I grabbed the backs of her knees, yanking her forward so she was pressed up tight against me.

Pulling out into traffic, I drove toward a spot I used to take her on my dirt bike. I was playing with fire, but I didn’t seem to care anymore.

Guiding my bike up the trail to what Becca and I coined Lookout Mountain; I wondered if she realized where we were. She and I used to ride up here on my dirt bike to get away from our parents all the time.

Grams was great, but she only had so much to say when Becca’s mother was around. She did her best to combat the way Becca’s mom treated her, but that was her mother. Grandmothers had to concede authority to the parents.

Settling at the top, I let my bike idle for a bit, enjoying the feel of her behind me. I would love nothing more than to stay like this, but we needed to talk. She needed to tell me why she lied about the other night.

I tapped her leg, letting her know she could climb off. Once we were both free of the bike, I grabbed her hand and walked toward the edge. The best part about this spot was you could only get up here on a bike. Few people knew about the trail leading up here, and I hoped to keep it that way.

“I love it up here,” she said, looking out over the town.

“Have you been up here before?”

Shrugging her shoulders, she replied, “Once or twice.”

“I discovered the trail up here not too long after I moved here.” Which was the truth. When I found it, I was ten.

“Beck,” I called her attention to me. “Why did you lie to the sheriff?”

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