Page 32 of Bowser (Dragon Riders MC 2)
She was torture enough for me.
Having her like this, though, was a completely different story.
This is the reason why Link wants you to stay away.
I cleared my throat and prepared myself for the journey ahead. As the sun rose in the sky and the rumbling of our engines filled the busy highways, I tried to focus on anything but Hope. I ran myself through the plan of trapping Skeleton. I ran myself through the four back-up plans we had in case shit went haywire. I thought about our plans for tonight and how we would be able to decompress in the Red Pythons’ bar. But more than that, I thought about finally chilling out with some girls that didn’t want to fuck me up, down, and sideways.
Because this whole ‘restraining myself’ thing was exhausting as fuck.
I drew in the fresh air as we soared toward our destination, Hillridge Springs. Ice, the president of the Steel Cobras, put us in touch with a group of girls he thought could help us. A loner, all girls’ motorcycle crew called the Red Pythons. And Slash was their president. Apparently, they had a unique set of skills that could really help us bring Skeleton down, including girls that were ballsy enough to consider being used as bait. It would still take some convincing, but I was pretty sure if we could find a way to make sure they were packing heat while doing all of this, they wouldn’t think twice before accepting our offer.
And they expected us to roll in sometime around five.
After we got checked into our motel, of course.
The ride was long and silent. Even after we stopped for lunch, not much was exchanged between myself and Hope. She kept casting me these glances that ranged from “I couldn't care less” to “fuck you for doing this to me.” And I had no idea how to fix it. Link tossed me smirks and Sly rolled his eyes. It seemed that everyone’s fucking face had an opinion of what was happening and how I needed to handle it.
What they all needed to do, though, was stay the fuck out of it.
On and on we rode, with Hope’s body practically molding to my own. However, when we saw the sign for Snake’s Motel, we all revved our engines and whistled from beneath our helmets. I didn’t know if that motel name was a play on Bates Motel or if it was a play on the fact that the girls called themselves the Red Pythons. But it was a brilliant name with a brilliant sign that welcomed us as if we had just driven back to our own homes.
“Is this it?” Hope asked.
Her voice came over the Bluetooth microphone in my helmet as I turned off the road and into the motel parking lot.
“Yep. This is it. Let me go inside and get the keys, then we’ll find our rooms.”
I parked my bike and followed Link inside, where we obtained all of the room keys for the next few nights. I divvied them out to the guys, making sure I got a room for Hope and I had that two beds instead of one. I needed to be staying with her, that much I had decided. But that sure as hell didn’t mean we had to be cuddling up in a bed together. Now, after all this shit with Skeleton was done? I’d cuddle up with her anywhere.
However, until Hope was completely safe, I couldn’t allow her to keep distracting me.
“Room number 102,” I said.
I slid back onto my bike as Hope settled her hands on top of my thighs.
“How many beds?” she asked.
“Two this time. So, looks like you’re stuck with me for the night.”
Her voice grew soft. “You didn’t stay with me last night because there was only one bed?”
You’re an idiot, Bowser. “No, I just meant—”
“Never mind,” she murmured.
I didn’t know when the hell I’d ever stop fucking up with Hope. But something told me she thought this was a vacation and not a business trip. We’d have to have a talk about that, but not now. In the morning, her and I could clarify what this trip was really for. Hell, by that point, maybe I could convince Link to let me tell Hope exactly what was happening, so she had a real idea of what the fuck she had just ridden into. But for now? I had to get her settled into the room. I had shit to accomplish tonight and a meeting I needed to back Link up on with Slash tonight. And the last thing I needed was for Hope to be breathing down my neck the entire time because she thought this was some romantic trip instead of a life or death scenario.
“All right. Home sweet home for the next few days,” I said.
