Page 41 of Wicked Little Nightmare

"Hang on tight, babe," I purred, revving the engine. "Mama's about to show you how to really ride."

We peeled out of there like a bat out of hell, gravel spraying in our wake. The wind whipped through my hair, carrying the stench of gasoline and the muffled curses of our holy pursuers.

My eyes darted, scanning for any sign of pursuit.

"See anything?" Cam's voice was rough in my ear, his breath hot on my neck.

"Not yet," I growled, taking a sharp turn that had us both leaning dangerously. "But I've got a feeling those penguin-suited psychos aren't gonna give up easy."

The thrill of escape coursed through my veins, a heady cocktail of adrenaline and barely contained violence. Part of me—a big, loud part—hoped they'd try to follow. My trigger finger was itching something fierce.

"Next time," Cam said, as if reading my thoughts, "we'll make 'em burn."

I grinned, wild and free. "Promise?"

His answering laugh was dark and full of promise. "Cross my black little heart, darlin'."

The motorcycle's roar echoed off the concrete walls as we descended into our buildings underground parking. The familiar gloom enveloped us, a welcome respite from the chaos we'd left behind. I pulled into our spot, killing the engine with a flick of my wrist.

"Home sweet home," I sighed, my body still humming with leftover adrenaline. "Shit, I could use a drink."

Cam dismounted first, grabbing me to steady me as the bike groaned under the loss of his weight. I watched him, admiring the way his muscles rippled under his shirt. He caught my eye and smirked, the bastard.

"Like what you see, Lakey?" he taunted, voice low and rough.

I rolled my eyes, swinging my leg over the bike. "Don't flatter yourself, asshole. I'm just making sure you didn't drop anything important."

As I stood, my legs wobbled slightly, the adrenaline crash hitting me harder than expected. Cam's hand shot out, steadying me without a word. I loved how my skin still tingled at his touch.

"You good?" he asked, dark eyes searching mine.

"Yep," I muttered. "Let's get this shit upstairs before I change my mind and go back."

We made our way to the elevator, the security box and rolodex clutched tightly in Cam's hands. As the doors slid shut, an eeriesilence fell over us. Guess we were just both lost in our thoughts because we didn’t speak the entire ride up.

My mind raced, replaying the day’s events on a loop. The tunnels, the files, those goddamn nuns. It was all so fucked up, I almost wanted to laugh. Who knew our little town could harbor so much fuckery?

"You're thinking too loud," Cam's voice cut through my thoughts.

I glanced at him, taking in the tightness around his eyes, the set of his jaw. He was wound up tight, ready to snap at any moment. Just like me. The only difference was, he could still look relaxed and sexy, I just looked downright feral. Catching a glance at myself in the scratched metal of the elevator door, I grimaced. I looked horrid.

"Can't help it," I replied, leaning against the elevator wall. "All that shit was wild."

Cam's lips quirked in a smile. "That's one word for it."

The elevator dinged, doors sliding open to reveal our floor. As we stepped out, I sighed suddenly feeling exhausted. I wasn’t one for puzzles and this was just about the longest one I’d ever done.

The apartment door clicked shut behind us, and my legs gave out. I crumpled to the floor, my back against the wall, as the adrenaline that had been keeping me upright finally drained away. Cam slid down next to me, our shoulders touching.

"Fuck," I breathed, my head falling back with a thud. "I feel like we left so much undone."

Cam grunted in agreement; his eyes closed. I could feel the tension radiating off him in waves. We sat there in silence, both processing the shitstorm we'd just escaped.

"Those fucking nuns," I muttered, anger bubbling up in my chest. "They’re getting rid of everything. They must have piecedit together, which makes me think all these foster homes are a funnel of sorts."

"Guess they didn't appreciate our little scavenger hunt," Cam replied, his voice rasping.

I snorted, a hysterical laugh threatening to escape. "Ya think?"

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