Total pages in book: 40
Estimated words: 36214 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 181(@200wpm)___ 145(@250wpm)___ 121(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 36214 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 181(@200wpm)___ 145(@250wpm)___ 121(@300wpm)
Those words hit me square in the chest. I cup her face and kiss her hard. “He’s family now. I protect what’s mine. That includes Gunny. That includes you. No one takes from me and lives.”
I help her back onto the bike. She climbs on and wraps around me even tighter than before. I start the engine. The Harley roars to life beneath us. I pull back onto the road and open the throttle. We head south now. Back toward the danger. Back toward war. The wind whips harder but Tia holds on like she was born for this. My woman. My responsibility.
Every mile south feeds the rage building inside me. Finn. The Cartel. They made the mistake of touching what belongs to me. I’ll paint the streets red to get Gunny back. And I’ll keep Tia safe while I do it. No matter the cost.
The road stretches long ahead. Tia’s warmth against my back keeps me grounded. I ride faster.
19
Tia
The motorcycle roars beneath us as Kraken pushes the Harley harder south. The wind whips against my face and stings my eyes even through the helmet. I cling tighter to his waist. My arms lock around his solid body like he’s the only steady thing left in the world. The news about Dad spins over and over in my head. Taken. I keep seeing flashes of him in my mind. His tired eyes the night he showed up at my apartment. The way his hands gripped the steering wheel too tight. He came to Kraken for help because he knew this world could swallow people whole. Now it’s swallowed him.
My chest feels tight. Every breath tastes like dust and salt from the ocean that flashes blue to our right. The vibration of the engine travels up through my thighs and into my bones. It should feel exciting like it did earlier but now it only reminds me how fast everything can change. One phone call. One moment. And Dad’s gone. I press harder against Kraken’s back. The leather of his cut feels warm from the sun and from his body heat. I breathe him in.
The road stretches long and straight ahead. Palm trees blur past in streaks of green. Cars occasionally pass us but Kraken stays focused. His body stays tense under my hands. I can feel the coiled power in his shoulders and the way his muscles flex. He’s angry. I know that much. The kind of quiet angry that promises violence to anyone who crosses him.
Tears prick at my eyes but I blink them away fast. Crying won’t help Dad right now. I need to be strong. I need to trust the man in front of me who’s already proven he’ll move heaven and earth to protect what he claims as his. And he’s claimed me. Completely. The memory of last night and this morning on the side of the road sends a flush through my body even now. His hands. His voice purring filthy words in my ear. The way he filled me so deep I still feel the echo of it. But those thoughts feel distant compared to the fear gripping my heart for my father.
We ride for what feels like hours. The sun climbs higher and beats down on us. Sweat trickles down my back under my tank top. The fabric sticks to my skin. Kraken slows as we approach a small gas station off the highway. He pulls in and kills the engine. The sudden quiet feels loud after the constant roar. He helps me off the bike. My legs feel shaky from the long ride and from everything spinning in my head.
“You okay?” he asks. His voice sounds worn raw. He pulls me against his chest right there in the dusty lot. His hand cups the back of my head.
“I’m scared for him,” I whisper against his shirt. “Dad’s always been the one protecting me. Now he’s the one who needs help and I feel so helpless.”
Kraken’s arms tighten around me. “He’s one tough bastard. Gunny survived a lot before he ever had you. We’ll get him back. I give you my word.”
I nod and breathe him in. The scent of him grounds me. We stand there for a minute while the gas pump clicks away. The air smells like hot asphalt and fuel. Kraken pays for the gas and buys us cold bottles of water from inside the small store. He hands me one and watches me drink. His eyes never leave my face. He’s so protective. It does something to me. Like even here on this random stretch of road he’s ready to fight off anything that comes near me.
We climb back on the bike after a short break. The engine rumbles to life again. I wrap around him tighter than before. The vibration settles between my legs but this time it mixes with the heavy worry in my stomach. We head west. The scenery changes slowly. Alligator Alley. It feels like we’re the only ones on the road. We get closer to Miami, and Kraken takes back roads when he can. Smart.