Page 9

9

Phoenix

L eaving the house I'd lived in for so long makes my heart ache. It was the last place Raven and I lived with Mom. The last place we'd all made memories together. But I know it's time to say goodbye. It's time to start a new chapter in our lives.

When I turn to head back to the van, I find Raptor watching me. His hulking form may make some uneasy, but the way he's watching me gives me comfort. There's a softness in his eyes that strikes right through my heart. For a second, I almost forget how to breathe.

That feeling doesn't ease in the hours we're on the road. Being in his proximity stirs something inside me—something I want to explore.

We lost daylight a while ago, so we decided to stay at a motel for the night and finish our trek in the morning. I didn't realize how tired I was until my head hit the pillow. Thoughts swirl in my mind as I drift to sleep. Thoughts of Mom and the house. Of our lives here. Thoughts of a certain tattooed biker that makes my heart stutter.

"You girls ready?" Jesse calls as Raven and I emerge from our room.

My head bobs as Raptor meets my eye. "I'm ready."

I look at Raven only to find her glancing between me and my crush. The wheels in her head are turning, and I know she saw the look on my face when I stared at Raptor. Finally, her eyes find mine.

"I'm feeling a ride," she says, looking at Jesse. "You up for giving me one?" Her words drip with innuendo.

His face lights up as he eyes my sister, pulling his bottom lip between his teeth. "You want me to take you for a ride, babe?"

Raven saunters over to him, letting her palm rest on his muscular thigh. "If you're up for it."

The tension between them is palpable. One spark, and they'll burst into a fiery blaze. Jesse smirks, taking her request as a challenge—one he isn't willing to concede. He licks his lips as he eyes the hand that lies high on his leg, tempting him. When he looks up, his gaze travels a searing line down my sister's form.

The biker cocks his head. "Climb on, baby. I'll take you for a ride you'll never forget."

Raven smirks, grabbing the helmet he offers up as she slides onto the bike behind him. Jesse's grin grows as her body molds against him. "Hang on tight, sexy."

I'm frozen in place, staring at them. My sister, the cold, hard ice queen, is flirting. I can't believe my eyes. She's suspicious of Elias and most of the rest of the gang, but she's different around Jesse. Maybe he can melt the walls of Raven's icy heart. Perhaps he can be the reason she comes to accept our new life in Arizona.

A warm hand on my shoulder startles me out of my reverie. My heart thuds in my chest when I turn to see Raptor looking at me, biting back a laugh at my reaction. "Ready to go?"

"Yeah," I squeak.

Raptor dazzles me with a grin as he leads me back to the van. I watch, trying to calm my thundering heart as he walks around the front and climbs into the driver's seat. She did it for me. Raven decided to ride back with Jesse so I could have this time with Raptor. Alone. I'll have to thank her when we get back. Heaven knows how much I've wanted to spend time with the tattooed Adonis sitting next to me.

Now, thanks to my sister, I have that chance.

The engine roars to life, and once again, our caravan hits the road. I'm excited and nervous. I've dreamed of having time alone with Raptor since the first day I met him. Now that I have my chance, my words are failing. For several agonizing minutes, silence stretches between us. I think hard, grasping at straws for something to say to break the ice, but everything I think to say sounds lame.

I search the depths of my mind for something intriguing, gnawing my lip as I do. "You okay?" Raptor's smooth voice shakes me from my stupor.

My face snaps toward him, and I stare wide-eyed at my crush. "What?" is my humiliating reply.

He motions back the way we came. "Viper told us all a bit about what happened with your mom. I can't imagine yesterday was easy on you," he says softly.

The corner of my mouth twitches and I feel my heart warm a bit more for the gorgeous man next to me. I nod. "I'm okay. A little overwhelmed with everything, but okay."

Raptor splits his attention between the road in front of us and me in the passenger seat. "I bet."

With a sudden burst of confidence, I ask him, "So, where did the name Raptor come from anyway?"

His mouth quirks. "My dad was part of the original MC. When I was a kid, he'd bring me along while he worked in the auto shop. I'd fill my bag with a few toys to keep me busy, but one in particular was my favorite."

"Let me guess, a velociraptor?"

He laughs, and the sound is like music to my ears. "I was a big fan of Jurassic Park ," he confirms.

I chuckle as he opens up to me. "So, the guys started calling you Raptor."

"That's right. The guy who started the MC, Axel, is the one who gave me the nickname. After that, it stuck. I've been Raptor ever since."

A soft hum vibrates in my throat as I watch him, enjoying the normalcy of our conversation. "So, what's your real name?"

He takes his eyes off the road for a second to shoot me a glance. "Mason. Mason Reilly."

"Mason." I let his name fall from my lips as his eyes find mine again. Something flashes between us at that moment—a spark as his gaze slides from my eyes to my mouth. There's a longing in his stare—one I won't soon forget, even as it vanishes as quickly as it appeared.

I don't want him to stop talking. I need to hear his voice and have him look at me again, so I continue asking questions. He answers them, smiling and laughing at some of the funnier memories he shares and getting a far-off look at the heavier ones.

He tells me about his family. How his dad was his hero and how he'd raised him alone after his mom took off when he was little. It surprises me when he shares a few details of his dad's death. A terrible accident. He was caught in the crossfire of a turf war between two gangs when a bullet from one of the gang members mortally wounded him. When Raptor—Mason—shares that, I want nothing more than to wrap him in a tight hug and never let him go.

We have that in common—losing a parent too soon. I feel like that bonds us, and the feeling only grows as I continue to learn more about him. He asks me about New Mexico, my friends and family, and what I wanted to be growing up. The more we share, the closer I feel to him.

He's so easy to talk to and more laid back than I could have imagined. Even with the heavy topics, I've seen him smile more than I had the entire time we were in Arizona. That smile will do me in; I know it.

We spend so much time talking and getting to know one another I almost can't believe it when I see signs for Phoenix. Time and miles fly by as I peel back the layers that surround Mason 'Raptor' Reilly. The more I learn about him, the more I like him. I only hope the feeling is mutual.

We pull up outside Dad's house sooner than I anticipated. I can't help but want more time with Raptor, but it looks like time is against us, at least for today. The lights are blazing inside the house, and several guys are hanging out in the driveway when we park.

Dad meets us halfway. "Everything go okay?"

Raptor nods. "Smooth sailing the whole time."

"Good. Where are the others?"

I look behind the moving truck, noticing their absence. "They had to pull off to fuel up when we hit the edge of town," Bones tells him.

Dad runs a hand over his face as he nods. He looks tired like he's been running himself ragged since we left. He looks at the truck, then back at me. "Is there anything important you need out of there before we take it to storage?"

I shake my head. "We put what we needed right away in the van."

He gestures to the prospect. "Take the truck to the storage unit. Make sure you lock everything up good." Turning to the rest of the guys, he nods to the two brothers. "Stitch, Tweak, go with him."

Without hesitation, the men do as they're told. As their taillights disappear down the street, the sound of motors coming toward us grows louder. Everyone turns to see Archie and Jesse—with Raven in tow—steering our way. The rare sound of my sister's laughter echoes through the street as they cut their engines.

She climbs off behind Jesse and hands over his helmet. "That was a blast," she tells him.

"Told ya you'd enjoy my ride," he flirts back.

She walks over to where I'm standing next to Raptor. As she passes, Reaper, who's been perched on his bike since we arrived, tracks her movement with a glare. Raven takes notice immediately and sneers back at him. "What the fuck are you looking at, Grim?"

Reaper says nothing as he continues to glare at her. Raven takes it as a challenge and stomps over to him, crossing her arms over her chest. "You mad I had a better time on his bike than I did yours?"

I watch as Reaper eyes her, shaking his head. He still says nothing as he blasts his motor and speeds off down the road, narrowly avoiding my sister. "What the fuck is his problem?" Raven fumes.

Jesse comes up beside her, putting an arm over her shoulders. "He's probably mad he had to pick up the slack while we were gone. He's a moody fucker like that. Don't take it personal, babe."

Raven is still glaring down the road when I turn back to gauge Dad's reaction to what happened. His jaw ticks as he narrows in on the Son of Sorrow, not the one who'd flown off into the darkness, but Jesse with his arm around Rae. He looks less than impressed about that little development.

"J! You and the guys unload the girls' things from the van. Now."

Jesse complies, but only after shooting Raven a wink over his shoulder. Dad keeps a watchful eye on him as Raptor leaves my side to help unload the van. When the guys head inside, Rae and I move to follow them.

"Can I talk to you for a minute?" Dad's deep voice stops us in our tracks.

We turn, waiting to see what he has to say. His eyes settle on Raven, and he clears his throat. "I talked it over with the guys. There's a job at the bar for you if you want it. Miguel said he and Jesse would be happy to bring you on."

I watch as my sister's face turns from irritated to shocked before she masks it with a neutral expression. She shrugs. "Guess that'd be okay," she tells him, trying to sound bored.

The corners of Dad's mouth quirk. "Great. You can get with Miguel to work out your schedule." When Raven says nothing in return, he continues, "You two should get inside and rest. You had a long day." With that, he leaves us, heading over to where the others are unloading our things.