Page 22 of Rio's Release

Zig changes places with Bandit and rolls up alongside me. “Knew you’d like it.”

I fire it up and roar off, Zig at my side, followed by Mauler and Bagger, and Blue and Bandit bringing up the rear in the truck.

The bike feels good beneath me, and the wind in my face is like a dream.

It’s not long before my muscles stiffen. I’ve been lifting weights, but I’ve also been gone from the saddle way too long.

We hit a four-lane separated highway and climb into the mountains. The sun starts to set, and I spot a scenic overlook and pull over.

I climb from the bike and walk to the rail. My heart is pounding and my chest heaving.

“You okay, boss?” Zig eases up on my side like maybe I have PTSD.

I breathe in the clean mountain air and the scent of pine. The weirdness of being out of prison hits me.

“Zig, it’s been nine fucking years since I’ve seen a tree. I think I missed the sky most of all. I haven’t seen a sunset in all that time. It’s funny the things you miss.” My eyes are watery, but only Zig is here to see it. “There were times I didn’t think I’d make it out of there, brother.”

Zig puts his hand on my shoulder. “But you did. You’ve got a whole new life now, Rio, and it starts right now.”

I study the colors of the sunset. “The boys? They wanted to come to New Mexico?”

“Sure did. Jumped at the chance. We’re all here for you, Rio.”

“There’s so much I need to tell you.”

“Me, too. There’s a lot to catch up on.”

“I suppose so.” I stare at the sky, vivid with streaks of pink and gold. “You remember that teller, the one who testified against me?”

“Yeah.”

“She wrote me in prison. Said she was sorry.”

Zig leans a hip on the rail and crosses his arms. “She should be. You saved her life.”

“I almost got her killed.”

“Guess so. She was the same girl from the ice cream place, wasn’t she?”

“Yep.” I swallow and reveal the rest. “She begged me to let her visit.”

“In prison?” His arms unfold.

“Yep. Wouldn’t let up. Her birthday rolled around, and she said it was all she wanted. To come see me. You believe that?”

He whistles low. “Damn. So, you let her?”

“Yeah. She came again on my birthday. Christmas, too. Three times I saw her.” I take my wallet from my back pocket and dig the photo out. “That picture and her letters were the only things that kept me going.”

Zig leans to look at it, then stares at me. “You got feelings for this girl?”

“She stopped coming to see me. Stopped writing. Happened out of the blue. I never understood why. But someone started putting money in my prison account. Not a lot, but enough. The club’s attorney said it wasn’t you guys.”

“You think it was her?”

“There’s no one else.”

“What are you planning to do, boss?”

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