Page 16 of Grizzly's Pride
Why was it every single moment he looked at her, spent more time with her, he fell in love with her a little more?
This woman could be the death of him, and yet he didn’t give a damn. It felt like fate sent her his way for a reason. If they both ended up being gunned down by the enemy, so be it.
After his wife and son had been cruelly taken away from him, Grizzly had become a husk of his former self. Grizzly went through the everyday motions while feeling completely numb inside. He ate, fucked, and killed for the MC.
Meeting Piper broke that monotonous routine. She had given him a new purpose. Piper breathed new life into him.Ride or die.Grizzly never understood that saying, but he did now.
Chapter Eight
The moment they stepped out of the building, Piper took a few seconds to breathe in the fresh night air. It felt like she’d been trapped in Grizzly’s apartment for months, but in reality, it had only been a few days.
Was this what a released prisoner felt like after being surrounded by all four walls twenty-four seven? Maybe Piper was being overdramatic. She practically snatched the helmet Grizzly handed her.
Her man only looked amused as Piper put the helmet on. Grizzly mounted his Harley, and it struck her how good he looked astride his beast of a motorcycle. Like it felt criminal separating the two. She got behind him, wrapping her arms around his waist.
The first time she got on his bike, Piper had been frightened, shocked by her father’s death. Now, things had taken a different turn.
She breathed in the wonderful scent of Grizzly’s leather jacket. He smelled a little of sun, sweat, and cigarettes. She didn’t even care he spent most of the day on the road. To her, Grizzly’s presence was comforting.
“Hold on tight,” he said, revving the engine.
“Let’s go,” she said, impatient to leave this street, this neighborhood, this town.
Grizzly chuckled. She clung to him tightly as they zoomed down the street. Grizzly seemed to know she wanted to go fast because he picked up the face. She let out a whoop as the wind tickled her face.
They entered the main square. In minutes, they passed theWelcome to Gracetown sign. Trees bordered either side of the road. They passed a few cars, an eighteen-wheeler.
After that, the road lay empty ahead of them. There were no street lights to guide the way, but Piper didn’t feel scared. Grizzly seemed to know where he was going.
It felt like they had entered a different world and it was only the two of them in it. Piper could get addicted to rides like these, to Grizzly.
She rested her cheek between his shoulder blades. The initial high of speeding on a motorcycle faded away, giving way to a sense of peace. Contentment. Piper started picturing herself going on a road trip with Grizzly. They’d leave all her problems behind. This wasn’t the first time she had this particular daydream.
Piper let her mind drift, not realizing Grizzly had left the main road and started on a dirt track. He’d entered the woods. “Where are you taking us?” she asked him, pitching her voice a little louder so he could hear her.
“A secret spot,” Grizzly said.
The path turned rugged and twisted. They started uphill, then Grizzly pulled to a stop. She got off his bike and took a good look around.
Grizzly had taken to the top of a small cliff. Behind her stood rows of old oak and pine trees. Her boots crushed dried leaves as she wandered to the edge. Piper’s breath caught as she spied the lights of Grace in the distance. The view was spectacular.
“Wow,” was all she could say.
“Yeah,” Grizzly said with a nod.
He rested one possessive hand on the middle of her back, then started rubbing it. She culled the urge to purr for him like a kitten.
Earlier, she’d been worried he’d change his mind about going on this ride. It turned out to be the best decision they ever made. Being alone in the apartment made her overthink her situation. She felt angsty, worried out of her mind.
“Have you taken many girls here?” Piper asked him in a teasing voice.
“Just Ariana,” Grizzly said.
The mood turned somber, and Piper didn’t know what to say next. How could she compete with the ghost of a dead woman?
Grizzly then pulled her close. When she shivered, he took off his jacket and placed it over her shoulders.So warm, she thought, reaching for his hand.
Piper realized it didn’t matter. She wasn’t competing for Grizzly’s affections because she already had him. Grizzly wasn’t going anywhere. For some reason, he saw her and decided he wanted to protect her. Maybe even keep her.
