Page 57 of Beyond the Blue Horizon

All five of us began to make our way through, the crowd parting as if they felt us coming, eyes sweeping over us as we passed.

Never was a time when we were all together that we didn’t garner the attention of those around us. Those who were attracted to the tumult we exuded and those who were repelled by it.

Instinct telling them to keep far away.

We cut through until we made it to the massive double doors at the front, and Ty who was manning the entrance opened one side to let us out.

“You need anything, sir?” he asked as Kane went to slip out.

“Just keep an eye out and don’t hesitate to call if anything goes awry.”

“Always.”

“Good,” he said with a clipped nod before he ducked out into the cold.

Ty dipped his head at each of us, the guy not fully in the know but discerning enough to recognize our crew wasn’t exactly on the up and up.

Long stairs ran the entire front of Kane’s, and we ambled down them, stuffing our hands into our pockets as we wereslapped in the face with the cold. The five of us rounded the side of the old brick building to the big parking lot on the side.

Our bikes were parked along the wall, each facing out, all gleaming metal and anarchy.

“Hells bells, it’s cold,” Otto complained as he smacked his hands together before he threw his leg over his bike. “This shit was just fine back in LA in the winter, but I’m beginning to question it here.”

“You gone soft?” I asked, sending him a smirk as I climbed onto mine.

“Hell yeah, man, and I’ve got no shame about it. Good to see you’re going soft, too.” Dude grinned at me, all teeth, not giving me time to dispute it before he kicked over his bike.

It roared to life, that grumbling, powerful sound only amplified as each of us did the same.

River jutted his chin in parting before he lifted his boot and pulled out. Otto and Cash rode out behind him, River going left at Culberry Street, and Otto and Cash going right since they both lived in cabins on the opposite side of town up high in the mountains.

Kane slowly rode his bike across the lot and went left on the long dirt drive that led toward his house that was hidden about half a mile to the back of the club.

Blowing out a heavy sigh, I kicked my bike into gear and pulled out the same direction River had gone, though the guy hadn’t been fucking around when he implied he was anxious to get back to his girl since I couldn’t even see his taillight.

I took to the road, hands stretched out to grip the handlebars, relishing the cold that stung my cheeks and whipped my hair into disarray.

Hadn’t been lying to Piper, what I’d told her this morning.

There was no time that I felt freer than when I was at the helm of my bike. Here, where my ghosts couldn’t catch up to me.The wails and cries of regret not loud enough to be heard over the howl of the engine.

I inched back on the throttle and increased my speed as I blazed through the sleeping town, every business except for the bars locked up tight for the night.

Though it was the buzz in my chest that warned that I was far too eager to get back to The Sanctuary.

So fucked up.

Maybe Otto had pegged it.

Maybe I was actually going soft.

Getting reckless and greedy in a way that I couldn’t.

Because I hadn’t been interested for one damn second about sticking back and finding a warm body to bury myself in.

A warm body to rid myself of the lust that twisted my guts and hummed through my veins.

A way to rid myself of whatever insanity Piper Whittman elicited in me.