Page 7 of Run Little Killer
"Keep that bitch on a leash!" Nix calls out as he starts his bike.
And the only one with manners.
"Motherfucker," I spit, twisting away from Rhett and making a rush at Nix again.
A hand darts out to grip my arm, spinning me around before Rhett effortlessly hoists me up and slings me over his shoulder. "Easy killer," he chuckles as his arm bands around my thighs.
Deciding not to fight him, I heave a sigh as my hair sways in front of my face with each of his long strides. Rhett dumps me on the back of his bike and I raise my middle finger high in the air, not even bothering to glance back in Nix’s direction.
Rhett settles in front of me, directing me to wrap my arms around his torso. "Hold on real tight," he instructs. "Relax and just lean into the curves when I do. I'll keep you safe."
I turn my face, resting my cheek against his back and nodding as the engine rumbles to life between our legs. Nix zips by and we start after him, quickly gaining speed on the dark highway. Anxiety bubbles in my chest at the rush, the wind cutting through the thin material of my sweatshirt as we split the lane beside Nix. The first and last time I was on a motorcycle was when my car wouldn’t start and Nathan offered me a ride home after we closed the bar. I should’ve known the ride would be a disaster, but it didn’t stop me from climbing on anyways.
Nathan was as cocky as they come, and he made a point to gun it through every intersection on the short drive– but the final straw was when he popped a wheelie and I clung to him for dear life as I screamed. The fucker only laughed and we’d barely even came to a stop at a red light before I hopped off and walked my ass the rest of the way home. There's a vulnerability in being exposed like this. While I don't know these guys, I feel like I can at least trust Rhett– for now.
A gust of wind rushes over us as a semi passes, and I shiver at the chill that rolls up my spine. I band my arms tighter around Rhett’s waist, the hard planes of his abs evident beneath his flannel jacket. Molding my body against his, I let his warmth bleed into me. There'ssomething about him that’s calming, a protectiveness underneath his tough exterior.
Now Nix on the other hand, he's a whole other beast. I’d be a liar if I said my core wasn’t throbbing with desire as he pinned me to the ground, and the hard bulge that pressed into my hip was evidence he was just as affected as I was. When he made the threat, I debated running again. The thrill of him chasing me made me feel more alive than I have in a year.
The meds they had me on at Briarwood numbed me past the point of function. My thoughts were jumbled and my body didn’t feel like mine any more than it did that night with Shawn. I felt like I was on autopilot, floating through the days in a fog. I wasn'tme, and I hated every moment of it. Why should someone else's mistakes strip me of my personality?
It was hard to stop the pills. Not because I couldn’t function without them, but because they watched us take them. Nurses made us stick out our tongues, checking the inside of our cheeks and beneath our tongues. But after a few attempts, I figured out how to dry swallow and let them sit at the back of my throat. Getting them back out was the next challenge, and I damn near choked myself in the process. After days of silently coughing and digging my fingers around, I finally got the knack of it. I’m pretty sure I did away with whatever gag reflex I had in the process.
Some lucky guy will appreciate that skill one of these days.
The road starts to curve, Rhett's body gently leaning to the right as he maneuvers along it effortlessly. My heart surges to my throat, body going rigid on instinct and wanting to fight the way he and the bike tilt. Sensing my panic, his gloved hand reaches up and gives mine asqueeze. Drawing in a deep breath, I go slack, letting myself follow his lead.
The long bend in the road comes to an end, and I let out a sigh as the bike and the road straighten. With a pat on the knee, his hand settles there, like it’s his way of reassuring me further. It’s a seemingly innocent gesture, but it sends a rush of heat coursing through my system that stays with me the rest of the ride.
In my peripheral I see Nix pointing, swiveling my head to follow his finger. Trees blur past, thinning out as a flickering street light and a faded sign that reads 'Cedar Point Motel' comes into view.
I’ve never been so excited to see a crappy motel in my life. God, I can't fuckingwaitto take a hot shower without supervision or a time limit. It really is the small things that you miss the most.
Pulling into the large parking lot, the bikes roll to a stop, the guys tip-toeing them backwards into a parking spot.
"Careful gettin' down, the exhaust will be real hot," Rhett warns as he kicks out the stand and his boots land flat on the cracked asphalt.
Reluctantly, I relinquish my grip, arching my back as I sit up straight. I was oddly comfortable curled up against Rhett.Guess motorcycle rides aren’t so bad after all. My legs are still thrumming from all the vibrations, making me unsteady as I climb off and stretch my arms above my head, stumbling a step in the ridiculous rubber boots.
“Careful, little killer. Wouldn’t wanna smash that pretty face of yours on the pavement,” Nix chuckles as he watches me with amusement.
“Still wanna smash yours with my fist,” I reply, whipping around with a feral grin playing at my lips.
Rhett throws his head back on an exasperated sigh,scrubbing a hand down his face. "I'll go get us a room. Think you two can manage to go to the truck stop without killing each other?" he asks, pulling a small duffle from his saddlebag.
My mouth drops open as I jerk my head toward Rhett. "Why do I have to go with him? Does he need his hand held while crossing the street?" I fire back, popping my hip and resting a hand on it.
"No," Nix snarls, lips curling up to reveal his perfectly white teeth. "But this motel doesn't allow stray bitches, so we've gotta sneak you in."
I cut him a glare and like the mature twenty-two-year-old I am, I stick out my tongue.
He closes the distance between us in a blink, thumb and forefinger pinching my chin as he tips it up. The smell of manly soap and the outdoors floods my nostrils as he brings his face in close, brown eyes almost black as they bore into mine. "Better get that tongue back in your mouth before I bite it,” he snarls.
My heart rate quickens, the savagery of his threat making my core tighten. While it’s annoying that he thinks he can scare me into submission, some part of me is enjoying pushing his buttons, provoking the beast to come out to play. This guy’s definitely got some inner demons, and I can’t help but wonder whether they’d dance with my own.
Time to tempt the devil himself.
I dart my tongue out, playfully licking the tip of Nix’s nose. His eyes widen in shock for a split second before his dark brows slam down and he drops his hand. A victorious smirk pulls at my lips as I rock back and pivot on a heel with a wince, soles of my feet aching with each stride towards the truck stop.
