Page 76 of Death, Interrupted
“You okay?” she asked.
“Yeah,” I said, resting one hand lightly on her thigh while keeping my eyes on the slick road. “Just annoyed at the rain. We’ll be home in about thirty minutes but I can stop somewhere if you want me to.”
“No, it’s fine. I don’t think it’ll stop anytime soon. It’ll only get worse,” she said.
“You’re probably right. Hang in there.”
The rain grew even heavier as we hit the freeway. Droplets bounced off my visor and blurred my vision, but I stayed focused. I had ridden in worse circumstances, and I would get us both home safely.
A car suddenly roared past us on the left, moving far too fast for the wet conditions, splashing water up in sheets that hit me in the face. I cursed loudly, jerking the bike slightly to compensate, and Sumner gripped me tighter, her voice sharp in my helmet.
“What the hell?” she shouted.
“Motherfucker,” I said, keeping the bike steady. My heart was hammering. “Driving like they own the damn road.”
If Sumner hadn’t been on the back, I might have taken that asshole’s challenge, testing who was faster, who was cooler, but I kept my focus steady. I couldn’t risk it. Not with her on the bike.
The road was slippery, making any imbalance dangerous, but I managed to keep April straight. I slowed down a bit to assure Sumner that we were okay, but then the car slowed as well, pulling alongside us, and I was ready to start a fight.
Easy, man.
It’s not worth it.
I turned my head toward the car and squinted, trying to see the driver’s face, but the rain made it impossible.
“Sly…” Sumner’s voice trembled behind me, and I felt her body stiffen, then loosen slightly. “Sly…s-stop.”
I reached for her hands with one of mine and pressed them against my stomach. “We’re fine, baby,” I said, my voice steady. “This bastard’s just trying to scare us. Hold on tight to me.”
“Stop!” she shouted, her voice loud and full of fear. “It’s Joey!”
No…
I felt my grip tighten on the handlebars, and my jaw locked as I calculated the road, the rain, and the bike beneath me. The car edged closer, deliberately cutting into our lane.
“Hold on,” I yelled, my voice rising above the wind. My hands gripped the bike tight, every muscle screaming to keep control. Sumner’s hands squeezed mine in response, her nails digging through my gloves.
“I’ll get us home safely, baby,” I promised, but just as I finished my sentence, the car hit us hard. The impact came from the side, pushing us off balance. The bike wobbled violently, and I felt April slip beneath us, and from there, I lost all control. We went down together, sliding across the wet asphalt. The world spun, and every second felt like an eternity as my mind calculating how to keep her safe while we both tumbled apart.
“Sly!” she screamed, her voice loud and raw with fear.
When I came to a stop, I wanted to get up and run to her, but I couldn’t move. My body wouldn’t listen. My arms, my legs…they felt heavy and useless. I couldn’t even form words.
I’m right here.
You’re okay.
I’ve got you, baby. You’re safe with me.
The sound of a car door slamming cut through the rain. I forced my eyes open just in time to see him stepout. His large body was tense and his shoulders were rising and falling like he was ready to kill. He went straight for her. His boots splashed through the puddles as he ripped the helmet off her head, throwing it aside.
No.
No!
Get the fuck away from her.
My voice stayed locked in my throat as I tried to push up on my elbows. Pain shot down my side. My visor was wet and blurred my vision, but I could still see him standing over her.