Page 24 of Tempest

“I don’t give a fuck what we’ve got,” I snarled, cutting him off. “Make it happen.” The club would understand. Eventually. Right now, all that mattered was getting Kasen away from here.

The creak of the front door had me spinning around. Kasen stood there, a small duffel clutched in her hand. Her eyes met mine, a mix of determination and fear swirling in their depths.

“Ready?” I asked, reaching for her hand.

She nodded, her fingers intertwining with mine. The touch sent a jolt through me, igniting a fire I’d been fighting to control for too long.

I led her to my bike, the chrome gleaming in the fading light. I took her bag and stowed it in my saddlebags. I’d need to head over to my place and grab a few things as well. As I swung my leg over, I felt Kasen hesitate.

“Second thoughts?” I asked, unable to keep the edge from my voice.

She shook her head, climbing on behind me. Her arms wrapped around my waist; her body pressed against mine. “No,” she said, her breath warm against my ear.

I kicked the bike to life, the engine’s roar drowning out the doubts threatening to creep in. “Stopping by my place, then we’ll head out.”

I rode over to my house, and saw Viking watching from across the street, looking all kinds of pissed, but at least he wasn’t heading over. I went inside and packed a few things, then carried the bag outside and shoved it into the other saddlebag. Getting back on my bike, I pulled down the drive and to the front gates.

The wind whipped past us, carrying away the last remnants of hesitation. Kasen’s arms tightened around my waist, her body molding against mine as we leaned into a curve. The rumble of the engine beneath us matched the pounding of my heart.

I felt it then -- a sense of rightness settling over me like a second skin. This was where she belonged. Where we belonged.

“You okay back there?” I called over my shoulder, my voice gruff against the rush of air.

“Never better,” Kasen shouted back, her laugh carried away by the wind.

My lips curved up a little. The road stretched out before us, an endless ribbon of possibility. Whatever fallout waited for us when we returned -- none of it mattered right now.

“Tempest,” Kasen’s voice was close to my ear, “What about the club?”

I tensed, my hands tightening on the handlebars. “They’ll understand,” I growled, more to convince myself than her. “And if they don’t… well, we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.”

The truth was, I didn’t know how this would play out. But with Kasen pressed against me, her trust evident in every mile we put behind us, I knew one thing for certain -- whatever came next, we’d face it together. And for now, it was enough.

The highway stretched endlessly before us, a dark ribbon cutting through the night. Kasen’s arms tightened around my waist as we leaned into a sharp curve. The roar of the engine drowned out everything but the pounding of my heart.

I pushed the bike faster, relishing the rush of adrenaline. With each mile, the suffocating weight of expectations fell away. Out here, we weren’t Tempest the Sergeant-at-Arms or Kasen, Tank’s daughter. We were just us.

A sign for a motel flashed by. My muscles ached from hours of riding. Kasen’s grip had loosened, her head resting against my back. Time to stop.

I pulled off at the exit and found the motel, then stopped in the parking lot, killing the engine. The sudden silence felt heavy. Kasen stirred, lifting her head.

“Where are we?” she mumbled, voice thick with exhaustion.

“Nowhere important,” I replied, swinging my leg over the bike. “Just a place to crash for the night.”

I held out my hand, steadying her as she dismounted. She stumbled slightly, legs stiff from the ride. Without thinking, I wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her close.

Kasen looked up at me, her eyes wide in the dim light. The air between us was so thick with tension it practically hissed and spat. For a moment, I considered closing the distance, claiming her lips with mine. But now wasn’t the time.

“Come on,” I said gruffly, releasing her. “Let’s get some sleep.”

The night clerk barely glanced up as we entered, sliding a key across the counter without a word. Smart man.

The room was basic -- one bed, a rickety table, peeling wallpaper. But it was clean enough, and far from prying eyes. That’s all that mattered.

Kasen hesitated in the doorway, her gaze fixed on the single bed. I felt a flicker of uncertainty. Maybe this was a mistake. Maybe I’d pushed too far, too fast.

“I’ll take the floor,” I offered, my voice rough.

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