Page 4 of The Paths We Cross
“Hey, Asher! How’s your summer going?”
He pulls back. “So good! I’m practicing football all the time and I go for rides on my dad’s and uncle’s bikes!”
“That does sound like fun,” I tell him as I put the bag of candy in my cart.
I look up as someone else approaches, thinking I’ll find Sophie or Grayson, but my heart stops in my chest when my eyes meet Rowan’s. A gasp leaves my mouth as he stops in front of us. I always knew he was a large man, but standing in front of me now, he’s huge. He towers over my small frame.
His large hand lands on Asher’s shoulder. “You can’t run off like that, bud,” he chides in a deep, smooth voice.
“Sorry, Uncle Ro! This is my teacher, Ms. Kincaid,” Asher chirps excitedly.
“It’s nice to officially meet you,” I stutter, offering him my hand.
His large, warm, callused hand reaches out and clasps mine. “It’s good to see you,” he murmurs.
2
ROWAN
I roll my bike from the gravel road back onto the highway and open up the throttle. There’s nothing quite like the cool fall air blowing on your overheated skin.
There are no streetlights out this far into the country and there are no cars around, so darkness stretches ahead of me. I’m late to my brother and his fiancée’s engagement party at the clubhouse. I should have been there a couple of hours ago, but I got distracted.
Our club is always looking for new ways to earn legitimate income, and that’s what I was doing tonight. There’s a small town outside of Silver Springs that has a bar for sale. Even though the town is small, the dive bar has always done well for itself. The owner doesn’t want to close, but his health isn’t allowing him an option. Neither is his wife. She told him it was the bar or her.
I didn’t know if the rumor I heard was bullshit or not, so I decided to check it out myself before taking it to the club to decide. I think this could be a really good opportunity for us, though. As long as all the guys are interested.
One thing about club life is that you don’t decide things for your club without a vote. I don’t think this particular vote willbe an issue, though. The bar practically runs itself at this point and the owner told me that the staff would like to keep their positions.
The hum of the engine soothes my soul as I fly down the empty highway. Everything is clear until a few miles from town when I see taillights up ahead. I slow down a little as I see a few bikes on a side road. They pull out behind me and quickly pass me. Their cuts aren’t a skull a crown, no, they have the devil in knight’s armor. The Devil’s Knights.
These assholes have been causing petty drama for us for a while now, which isn’t uncommon for smaller motorcycle clubs. They’re in our sights, now, so their leash is short. If they fuck with anyone from our town or one of us, they’ll be dealt with.
Their bikes speed up until they’re right behind the vehicle and then they surround them. Everything seems to happen in slow motion as they run the vehicle off the road. It flies through the air and lands on its roof. The Devil’s Knights rush away from the scene, leaving whoever is inside to fend for themselves.
I steer my bike in the direction of the crash, not even bothering with the kickstand as I hop off and run to the SUV, pulling my cell from my pocket and dialing 911.
“911, what is your emergency?”
“I just witnessed three Devil’s Knights members run a SUV off the highway. I’m two miles outside of Silver Springs. The SUV is flipped on its roof,” I rush out.
“Okay sir, EMS and police are on their way.”
I hang up and tuck my phone back into my pocket. The driver’s side is closest to me, so I get there first. The man inside is covered in blood and my stomach sinks at the sight. I checkhis pulse and find one, although it’s faint. I try to release his seatbelt, but it won’t budge, so I pull my knife from my pocket and cut the belt, catching his body as it falls. I drag him to safety and then go back to the passenger’s side.
The woman there has a small cut on her head but looks otherwise okay. I check her pulse, it’s normal. Her seatbelt it also stuck, so I cut her down and carry her to safety before moving back to the driver. I check his pulse again and find none. I immediately start CPR, thankful that I did a refresher class a couple of weeks ago when I found out I had a nephew.
I hear the sirens in the background, but I don’t stop until the paramedics are pulling me from the man. Everything is a blur except for them saying that he’s gone.
Asher tugs on my hand, bringing me back to the here and now. I give him a reassuring smile and then take in the beautiful woman in front of me.And she is beautiful.She is curvy and has long black hair. Her hazel eyes almost glow in the light of the grocery store and her dark pink lips look puffy, like she’s been chewing on them as she shopped.
This isn’t the first time I’ve seen her since the accident, but it is the first time we’ve come face to face. I’ll admit that I’ve been watching her closely. I felt drawn to her after the accident, like I needed to watch over her.Especially after she lost her fiancé.
It was the talk of the town after the accident. She lost her fiancé the same day she found out she was pregnant.
My eyes slowly trail over her body, taking in the swell of her abdomen. I’ve never looked at a pregnant woman and been turned on before, but for some reason, I am now. She has the glow that everyone talks about pregnant woman having.
I clear my throat. “Do you need any help getting your groceries to your vehicle?”
