Read Online Wild Child: A Skull Kings MC Novella by Sage L. Morgan - Free Book Online Page B

truck.
    Gabriel tossed his cigarette aside and jumped up when he realized who it was. “You!” His eyes flashed wildly, passing from him, to me, and back.
    Adrian rolled down the window and strained to look at us. “So where’s this motorcycle, huh?” His face fell when Gabriel began walking toward him with the slow intent of a man on a mission to kill. “Oh, shit—”
    Gabriel wrenched the passenger side door open. “What did you do to my ride, man?” he asked.
    “What?”
    I rushed over and placed a hand on Gabriel’s back.
    “It wasn’t me! How could I when I didn’t even know where you fucking were?”
    “He’s right, Gabriel.” I felt his heart pounding in his back, but its pace was slowing down. “Let’s just get the bike in the truck. Okay?”
    Gabriel turned to look at me, surprising me. The fire was still in his eyes, but it was down to a smolder. For a brief second, I glimpsed the same Gabriel who had been with me upstairs in the hotel room. I shook the image out of my mind. It had only been last night, but it was like a dream.
    Adrian drove us through the parking structure to where Gabriel had left his bike. I made sure to sit in the middle, between the two guys. Adrian waited in the driver’s seat and let the engine idle, leaving me and Gabriel to try and heave the bike into his truck bed.
    “What now?” Gabriel asked after we slammed the tailgate shut.
    I wiped a bit of sweat off of my forehead and put my hands on my hips. “Are you going to be nice now?”
    Gabriel made a face. “Don’t do this. I’m sorry if I was an asshole earlier. It’s just that...”
    Something tightened in my chest. I was reminded again of last night, and I was afraid he’d bring it up. But when he didn’t, I realized that I wasn’t afraid at all. I was actually disappointed.
    “”I made a promise that I’d help you.” He lifted his chin to look me square in the face. “And I don’t break my promises. I’ll see things through ‘til the end.”
    There was something temporary about his tone, like he was telling me that after “the end,” he’d be gone for good. I wasn’t sure how I felt about that, so I could only nod along with him.
    “Okay,” I said. “Let’s get going.”
    * * *
    T he ride back to the tattoo shop was mostly silent. Adrian kept the radio tuned to an alternative rock station, which we all pretended to listen to. I spent the time imagining that I could read the guys’ thoughts.
    Gabriel was probably regretting the moment he befriended me. I glanced sidelong at him. He leaned against the window on an elbow, picking at his lips. I noticed his fingernails were a little ragged, like he had a habit of chewing them off.
    Slowly, I turned my head toward Adrian at my left. His eyes were narrowed and focused on the road, but they seemed troubled. I didn’t know much about him, but I did know that he cared about his sister. Of course, Anna was in the middle of all this. She probably enjoyed everyone crowding around her, worried for her safety.
    After all we’d been through, I felt like I owed Anna something. I couldn’t just ditch her in Vegas after fate worked so hard to make our paths cross. But this is the last time, I promised myself. And with a start, I realized that that was probably exactly how Gabriel felt about me.
    We drove past the shop so Adrian could park in a side alley.
    “You guys can chit-chat with Anna or whatever,” he said. “I think I have a mechanic I can call about the motorcycle.”
    The three of us shuffled down the stairs to the basement entrance. That was when Adrian stopped suddenly, almost causing me and Gabriel to collide into him.
    “What’s up?” Gabriel asked.
    Adrian was frozen, staring at the door. He reached out and pulled it open about an inch before letting it fall shut again. “I could’ve sworn I locked up before I left.”
    The tone in his voice made my blood freeze. Gabriel and I exchanged troubled glances. Then, with a curt nod,