Page 125 of Lamb

“Let’s rid—”

Before Lamb could finish his words, the back door burst open. It bounced off the concrete wall with tremendous force, the metal ringing like an ancient gong across Fellpeak. Men in blue and black vests stormed through the small entry, shields and guns aloft.

Several had their weapons raised, barrels pointed directly towards us. Lamb did not wait for them to pull the trigger.

He released the throttle, and we shot forward, wheels screeching as dust and debris flew into the air. We rocked off the grounds and out the side gate, sliding onto Fellpeak’s streets faster than the wind could carry us.

Chapter Thirty-Two

LAMB

After what felt like an eternal drive, trees that had once surrounded us like a dense fortress wall began to grow sparse as open expanses of dry, umber lands stretched endlessly on either side of us. Dust swirled and danced in the air, tumbleweeds wrestling with crisp shrubs tangled at the edge of the road, their dead roots stretched along the cracked tarmac as if they were reaching for salvation, never to find it.

I swerved a couple of tumbleweeds that had reached farther as my destination began to loom. In the middle of nowhere, a wide metal fence rose above the horizon like a cresting wave. Rusted barbed wire sat atop the eight-foot wall, hardy shrubs and nomad trash tangled in the worn, loose chain link mesh. I tightened my grip and my engine lowered to the speed limit.

The limp gate swung open with an echoing creak and ghostly welcome, not a single person in sight. I paid little attention, knowing someone somewhere had made note of my arrival, and that secrecy had been a worthy purchase.

There was not a single drop of water in sight, nor even the glimmer of salt in the air, and yet, hundreds of shipping containers surrounded us. Some were laid in every orientation like dominoes, while others were stacked high and haphazardlylike Jenga towers. Not a single living person walked the grounds, and the howl of the bike echoed and bounced across the metal like a lone wolf’s somber call.

My gas gauge ticked in the red zone, and I praised my decision to fill it up the day before. It had carried me far, and as my goal approached, relief tunneled through my stomach.

I dropped into a slow cruise, a roll, and finally stopped outside a rusted blue container tucked deep within the metal maze.

My muscles burned as I straightened my taut leg to the floor, suspending the heavier weight of the bike. The drive had been long, but not my hardest by far, yet the toll on my body was a humbling experience.

I wasn’t the only one.

Ash’s arms clung to me like a seat belt, her warmth cemented against my spine, protecting my body from the bitter blusters of winter chipping away at us as we had sped out of town. Her helmet rested against the center of my back, tucked in place, unmoving for most of the duration. Clung in the fetal position, I doubted she’d noticed we’d even stopped moving, and I was reluctant to change that.

Having her dependent and reliant on me in such a way had my hands heavy as I gave her padlocked hands a gentle tap. “Babe, we’re here.”

Feeling the frosty touch of her skin, I pried them from my waist and brought them between my own. I had not fared much better during our impromptu ride, unable to wear gloves before we’d rocketed out of Fellpeak, but I rubbed my palms over hers, hoping the friction would thaw them.

The weight of her helmet pried away from my spine, and I turned to see her frosty doe eyes flickering about our surroundings. A soft rose dusted her windbitten cheeks as she worried her bottom lip beneath her teeth. The visor was nosubstitute for her glasses, and she squinted tightly back and forth over my shoulder.

“Thank God.” Ash heaved an exhausted sigh, her shoulders slumping. “It’s over.”

“You should be thanking me, not God.”

“I thought I was going to die,” Ash murmured, ignoring me. “At least it would have been quick and painless at that speed.”

I held my tongue, the realities of a high-speed motorcycle accidents not seeming conjunctive. The danger and reality would jeopardize the future of her ass on the back of my bike, though I’d never let anything like that happen. No threat or fear would find its way toward her.

I cupped her hands closer to my face, liking the way it kept her chained to my back, her crotch pressed tightly against my hips, and blew warming breaths over them.

“I’ll get you some gloves,” I murmured.

“I think I will need more than that; I am freezing.” Ash snuggled closer into my spine, sealing the warmth between her chest and my back again. Her quiver racked through her body as the shivers took hold.

“Come on,” I said, wanting nothing more than to turn her over, spread her legs, and warm her up the good old-fashioned way. “We’ve not got much time.”

I peeled myself from the seat, bringing her shortly after me before tucking her inside my arm, my body providing little heat compared to the physical support I offered to her stiff limbs.

We closed the distance between the bike and the container, not moving far as I tugged out a key from my back pocket. There wasn’t much security; just a simple chain and padlock wrapped around the latch to keep it closed. It was high quality and would take nothing short of a laser to break the chain.

Ash’s face dropped with disappointment as I swung open the large creaking door, only to reveal a dark, empty room. Shestood to one side, staring with a tight frown at the void, rubbing her hands up and down her arms.

“This wasn’t exactly the date I had planned either.” I chuckled as I returned to my bike, rolling it up and into the container.

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