Page 39 of The Biker Alien

The captain has been promiseda shit ton of money. I mean a serious amount, and it’s worth every penny because he has the ship move so fast that we’re at the dock in fifteen, not the promised twenty, and as far as I can see, there’s none of Joey’s goons anywhere.

Before we’re at the dock, I climb onto my bike. Teri hesitates, which just about ills me, but she climbs on without my having to ask her to.

The passengers on the ship aren’t exactly happy about all of this, but I’m already revving the engine, and we make the short jump onto the dock, and we just keep on going. As much as Teri wants to go to her house, that’s not an option, but I also won’t skip town without her approval. My only true option that won’t alienate Teri from me even more is to head to a hotel at the outskirts of the city.

I park in the back, climb off, help Teri down, and grimace. As much as I love my bike, and I absolutely adore it, I can’t keep driving it, not while we’re on the run. The paint job she did it’s too noticeable. It’ll make their tracking us that much easier.

“We can get a room, get washed up, and figure out what to do,” I tell her. “Unless you don’t want that…”

“I guess that’s a good idea,” she says slowly, looking down at herself.

Her clothes have seen better days, and she smells like blood. Her hair’s a bit wild, and in her eyes, she looks lost.

I fucking hate that.

“Come on.” I take her hand, and we enter through the back. I almost want to leave her by the elevator so that she can be around fewer people, but I don’t want her out of my sight, so we stroll up to the front desk together.

The woman working the counter eyes us with disdain. I’m used to it. People judge me for my appearance, but I don’t give a crap what they think of me.

“We need a room,” I say as pleasantly as I can. “We also will need some clothes.”

I drop a hundred dollar bill onto the table and then another one.

“Give your size,” I tell Teri.

She hesitates.

The hotel worker bristles. “Turn around,” she tells me.

I don’t like to take orders, but Teri nods almost franticly, so I comply. They talk in whispers, and then the worker clears her throat.

“And your size?” she asks, her tone a bit dry now.

I tell her. “Just the pants and a shirt.”

“No new leather jacket?”

“No.” I hesitate and add, “Better make it long sleeves, and whatever change there is, it’s your tip.”

“I’ll right. I’ll see what I can do, and your room… it’s right here on the ground floor. Near the elevator.” She hands a key to me and one to Teri.

“Thank you kindly,” I say, and I direct Teri way from the desk. “What was that about?” I murmur to her as I use the key to open our door.

“What was what about?”

“You not being willing to say your size in front of me.”

“Oh.” Teri frowns. “I’m not a twig. I’m not like the women you’re probably used to. Women hang all over bikers. Groupies, you know? All dolled up, makeup an inch thick, super short tops, shorter shorts, asses and tits falling out…” She grimaces. “I sound like a regular jealous bitch, don’t I? I just need to lose some weight—”

“I think you look amazing,” I assure her. “If you were to come with me to my headquarters, you would know it’s not like that at all. There aren’t groupies. We keep to ourselves.”

“Hmm,” she mumbles. “You keep to yourself for a reason?”

I stiffen. She knows Joey’s real name is Joelo. Does she know that he’s a Grelite from Grel? Does that mean he also told her what I am? I hate that. I really don’t even want to think about that. It’s not that I would’ve kept the secret from her forever. At least, I’m pretty sure I would’ve told her at some point, but now, he’s taken that from me. What’s worse is that it’s a way for her to not trust me all the more. He’s driving a wedge between us that will last even if we’re able to end him.

And if she’s hinting at the idea that the Armadas keep to themselves because of being Koxians, well, she’s not wrong.

I clear my throat. “Do you want to shower first?”

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