Page 40 of All Our Ghosts

I pull out onto the road, heading back towards the shop. At some point I’ll have to tell Cole where we were. The rule is to never share that spot outside the three of us but it’s a silly rule we made up as kids. Cole would understand that…right?

Suddenly her hands on my body feel far away, the warmth from her touch disappears as the reality of letting someone other than Becca and Cole go to our spot sinks in. I’m not replacing Becca with Kadence and I’m not trying to plug the hole I have in my chest with her. There’s something else about her that makes me want to be around her, to not be the shell I have been.

The road curves around a bend, the treeline blanketing the road in a shroud of darkness. I know of a few turn-offs in this area. The club’s used them a few times for bonfires and switching off during runs.

Fuck. We have a meeting with Stokes tomorrow. It’s the last thing I want to do and if it’s up to me, I’ll do everything I can to get out from under Stokes’ hand. It’s not worth the money or the women that flood in and out of the clubhouse.

I love Cole, love him like a brother, and will do anything for him but the deeper we get in with Stokes, the more I worry we won’t be able to get out. Cole always says the club needs help.Needs to stay on the good side of law enforcement in town. To an extent, I agree. The Deputies usually leave us alone, but lately it’s been one thing after another. Members getting tracked down at the county line, searched and provoked. It’s getting bad and our runs are getting shorter and more dangerous. I want out of the deal with Stokes. I just need to find a way to get us out before telling Cole.

The lights from the town flicker in front of us. The neon red sign for Lee’s Diner acts as a beacon to me in the night until the sound of a siren whoops behind us. I glance into my side mirror, seeing flashing red and blue lights dancing behind us. I grip the handlebars, knuckles turning white. I know that car. I also know that I hadn’t done anything that would warrant pulling me over.

The thought crosses my mind to keep going, my bike is a hell of a lot faster than the sedan. If I had been alone, I would have done it, but with Kadence riding behind me, I pull over to the shoulder. It’s too reckless, something I’m not willing to put her at risk for.

Her hands move from my abdomen as I kick down the stand and shut the bike off. I know the routine. This isn’t new for me. Anger kicks at my chest as I peer back, watching Watson step out of the cop car.

“What’s wrong?” Kadence’s voice cuts through the night air.

I shake my head, “Not sure,” my hand slides behind me, finding her thigh and squeezing gently, “It’s gonna be fine.”

“Nash!” Watson steps alongside us. “Off the bike.”

“What do you want, Watson?” I ask, keeping my eyes straight ahead.

Watson plants himself in front of the two of us. Beady eyes flicker from me to Kadence, narrowing for a moment as if he recognizes her.

“Nice to see you again, Ma’am,” Watson coos like they’re best friends.

I feel her hand grip the back of my vest, tugging herself closer to me, and the anger in my chest begins to grow. I know how Watson is with women. Sure, I use them for my own pleasure, but I at least treat them with respect. Watson is a creep. More than once I’ve heard whispers from the girls about the offhand comments and sly remarks he’s made to them. The man makes my skin crawl.

“Did we do something wrong, Officer?” I hear her ask. I don’t miss the shakiness in her voice.

Watson’s smug grin spreads across his face as he glances back over at me. “I said off the bike, Nash. You too, sweetheart.” He points a long finger at Kadence, turning it to make a come hither motion as he steps back.

I growl at the nickname. He has no fucking right to call her that and I can feel her shrink behind me with the words. Everything about this feels off and I know she can feel it too. I turn back to her, forcing the most reassuring smile I can. “It’s okay. I’m not going anywhere.”

Her green eyes stare at me for a moment, her brows knitting together with a small shake of her head. I can see the fear in her eyes.

“I’ve got you,” I whisper.

She brings her bottom lip between her teeth before giving me a soft nod. I help her off, catching the way Watson stares at her ass as she swings her leg over the back wheel. She slips the helmet off her head, sets it on her seat, and turns back towards Watson. Her hands fist at her sides. Even from this distance, I can feel the anxiety that radiates off of her. I follow suit, swinging my leg over the bike and digging my boots into the dirt next to her.

Watson rests his hands on his tac-belt, the palm of his right hand resting on the butt of his gun. A not-so-friendly reminder that I’m still a criminal and a shit attempt at proving his power. I can't help the smirk that forms on my face.

“What’s funny, Nash?” Watson taunts, sucking on his teeth. “When was the last time you checked in with your parole officer?” He asks, glancing up and down the street.

Kadence quickly glances up at me. I can feel her gaze bore into me but I stare straight ahead. I’ll have to tackle that later. Right now I’m more worried about anything else Watson might say.

“Last week,” I answer.

Watson nods his head, humming as he looks back at me. “Well, since you are a parolee, I’m going to need to search you…and her.” His eyes trail back over to Kadence, his head cocking to the side as they roam her body.

It’s then I contemplate murder again. Only this time it won’t be an accident.

“You’re not searching her. Search me and the bike, Watson, you have no reason to search her and you know it.” I take a step forward as I speak, holding out my arms for him and moving to the right to stand in front of her. Forcing his rat-like gaze towards me instead of Kadence.

Watson laughs, shaking his head. “Good thing you’re on that side of the law. She’s with you tonight and with that fake name she gave me, I’m curious to know more about her.” He peers over my shoulder. “It's a fake name, isn’t that right, sweetheart?”

“Call her sweetheart one more time…” This time I step forward, putting myself nose to nose with Watson.What the fuck did he mean by fake name?

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