Page 64 of Corbin
He added, “Please.”
She smiled at his effort to sound reasonable, snapped the helmet strap, and then wrapped her arms around him again. “Let’s go.”
He patted her arm and took off, riding through light traffic with a steady rain this evening. She hoped they did not skid out of control. He handled the bike like a professional racer while still managing not to draw the attention of traffic police.
Corbin wove in and out of the sparse traffic, hurrying ahead when he could. She’d told him the address and how to reach the building, but he took turns that were not part of the route.
Was someone following them?
Her stomach still clenched at the gunshot that struck the bus shelter.
Why would Leszek send someone to kill his golden goose?
That bullet could have struck Corbin. Her throat tightened at the thought. She’d just found him, and she would not let anyone take him from her again.
Corbin had missed her too. That he still cared for her was a gift after all he’d been through. What she felt for him went beyond simple emotions. In school, she’d thought they were fated to be together and then later criticized her foolish thinking when he disappeared. She had never allowed herself to believe she’d find him again, but now that she had, she wanted ... everything they could have together.
That sounded good, but she first had to share the dumpster fire her life had become. She would not sugar-coat anything. Treachery and lies had separated them. She still had to find a way to put Leszek in jail and free herself of him.
She had the sense that Corbin had carved out a decent life for himself after escaping the Romanian. She would not allow anything on her part to jeopardize that.
Tightening her arms around his hard body, she held on to the only person she’d chosen to be in her life. Strong and confident, he took being protective to a whole new level.
She’d watch his back too.
By the time he slowly cruised down the road to the destination she’d directed him to, they were drowned shifters. She shivered with so few clothes on. He pulled up in front of the overhead door to Eirene’s street-level parking garage for her secret getaway place.
Taking the bike out of gear, he reached around and helped her off the back, holding on as her legs steadied. She ran over to a security panel and punched in the code they’d given her.
The garage door groaned its way up, and Corbin rode his bike into a cement floor space forty feet wide and thirty feet deep with a twelve-foot ceiling.
She removed her helmet as she followed him, punching the inside panel to lower the door.
Off to one side were metal cabinets and shelves filled with tools, which she assumed someone used to work on vehicles or maybe props for the theater. Above that area hung two long fluorescent light structures currently not lit, but the single security light above the garage door stayed on.
He found a secluded spot to park his motorcycle, turned off the engine, and set the helmet on the seat.
She paused at the silence after traveling in the loud rain.
The same old van and trailer parked in the deep corner to her left had not moved since her last visit. Dust had settled across both vehicles. She had no idea who drove them but hoped they did not visit tonight.
For the first time in many hours, she believed they were safe. At least for the night, and she needed to rest.
Corbin came striding over to her.
She smiled. “That was some impressive riding ...” Her words trailed off at the hungry look in his eyes.
She suddenly lost any interest in sleeping.
He never stopped, lifting her off the floor when he got to her and kissing her senseless by the time she had her legs wrapped around his middle. She gripped his head and tugged him closer. When he broke the kiss, they were both breathless.
“I’ve wanted that forever. I never could fully convince myself that you had set me up to be captured.”
“I’m glad. It broke my heart to hear what happened to you, but it would have been worse to find out you never wanted to see me again.”
He chuckled. “I convinced myself I would find you and get answers. The truth is I was going to find you.” He brushed a hand over her wet hair. “I want you so bad I’m in pain, but I won’t ask for anything you aren’t ready for.”
“You’re in luck. I’ve been ready to be with you for a long time.” She leaned in and kissed him with a loud smack and laughed. So worth it to see him grinning.
