Page 59 of Deranged (American Street Kings 3)

“Get on. I want to take you for a ride.”

She pursed her lips and crossed her arms. “Do I look like fender fluff?”

I snickered. “Just get the fuck on, would you?”

Her eyes narrowed, brows slanted inward. “Fine.”

I was sure I had a grin the size of Japan on my face. Climbing on my hog, I waited for her to get on behind me before I started the engine. The second she wrapped her arms around me, I could swear to God I felt my entire universe shift, like something just fucking clicked in place. I wasn’t a unicorns and rainbows kind of guy, and I always believed fate was for pussies. But this moment right here was powerful enough to make a man like me hope like fuck there was such a thing as fate, and that her name was engraved into mine.

“Where you taking me?” She leaned her head on my shoulder.

“You just hold on tight, buttercup.”

Revving the engine, I pulled onto the street and burned rubber. I knew Wraith wouldn’t have a problem with speeding, so I didn’t hold back. That was one of the things I loved about being with her—she had the same wild spirit I did.

We kept riding for miles, and she didn’t loosen her grip around my waist once. This felt so right, having her on my hog, her arms around me, her breath in my neck. I didn’t want the ride to stop, wishing it could last forever.

Slowing down, I pulled to the side of the road, next to a view of Brighton Beach, and switched off the ignition.

“What are we doing here?” She moved her arms as she tried to get off, but I grabbed her wrist, keeping it place.

“I come here whenever shit gets too much. You know, just to breathe.”

She didn’t say anything as she rested her chin in my shoulder, staring at the view in front of us.

“Tell me.”

Her thighs shifted beside me. “Tell you what?”

“Tell me who hurt you. Tell me your secrets.”

For the longest time, we just sat there, her breathing mixing with the sound of the waves. I didn’t let go of her wrist, making sure she didn’t remove her arms from around me.

She sighed against my neck. “My world is dark, Onyx.”

“So is mine.”

“I’m not talking about crews, or clubs, or gun wars. I’m talking about my life.”

I tightened my grip around her wrist. “You connected with Neon last night. I saw it. I saw the way you looked at her. It was like you felt her pain.”

“I did. I still feel it.”

I brought her hand up to my mouth, placing a kiss on the top of her hand. “Tell me your secrets, Dahlia Knight.”

“I don’t want you to carry that burden as well.”

“It’s not up to you to decide which burdens I carry and which I don’t.”

“Onyx,” she nestled her face into my back, and I felt her tightening her arms around me, “I’m poison.”

“I don’t care. In fact, I don’t give a fuck how toxic you think you are. I want you, and I will go on a rampage through hell if that means I can have you.”

I looked out over the ocean, the sun high in the sky, the ripples in the waves shimmering like millions of diamonds.

“Someone in my past hurt me,” she started. “Hurt me real bad.”

My chest ached, rage starting to bubble up to the surface.

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