Page 96 of Knox Unleashed
Rainbow, for all he was a prick in the clubhouse the previous night, will tell anybody who’ll listen about the night he met his wife and put her on the back of his bike.
She was the wife of one of his military brothers who died in active service, and what started out as a promise to make sure the woman was okay became a lifetime infatuation with her.
But he talks about the moment he put her on his bike as prophetic.
And sitting here on my bike, with Maren’s thighs tight around my hips, her head buried against my shoulder, and her hold around my waist finally relaxing, I totally fucking get it.
Because everything about my woman feels perfect.
She hadn’t appreciated the termbackpack, or me forcing her legs into jeans when she loves those denim shorts that hug her ass just as much as I do. But given she doesn’t know one end of a bike from another, I didn’t want her skin pressing up against something hot.
I’m not going at any kind of speed that would cause catastrophic injuries if we came off, for any reason, but I wantedsomeprotection if we did.
I borrowed a shorty, a half-helmet, from Rainbow’s old lady to protect her head. And I bundled her into one of my leather jackets. It’s so big, it will likely cover her thighs too.
She squeals again and then chuckles. “Will I fly off the back if I let go?” she shouts over the wind.
I grip her hands. “Let’s save the stunt tactics until you’ve taken a few more bends.”
I booked a clinic out of town. I don’t want the people in our small town knowing our business. I’m even going to take my cut off before we head in. It’s more for Maren’s privacy than my own.
But the added benefit is the ride. As I looked at the map of places we could go to get tested, I kept picking places farther and farther afield. At first, it was for anonymity. Then, I had to admit to myself it was so we could simply enjoy being together on my motorcycle.
The only person I told was Ridge. As my road captain, he should know where we’re at. He insisted I share my location with him, given the other things that are going on with the club right now.
So that was my compromise: an afternoon of freedom with Maren, as long as Ridge can track where I am.
Not that he didn’t tease me when I told him where I was going.
But it’s worth it if I get to fuck Maren raw from now on. I mean, if she decides to pause on the whole kids thing while we get a few more months under our belt, I get it, and I’ll wrap it up. But the idea of sinking into her cunt, skin on skin, has my cock chubbing up in my jeans. Yet, the cruder thoughts don’t hang around long.
Not with Maren pressed against my back, and me giving her her first ride on a bike.
I ease the bike down the long stretch of road that cuts through the backcountry, the world opening up around us in a way that always makes me feel like I’m the only person here. Everything feels untouched.
Wild.
Water glints through gaps between cypress trees. The sun is low and gold in the sky. Spanish moss hangs and sways in the gentle breeze.
I don’t have to be anybody except myself out here. There’s just the throaty hum of the engine, and the soft shift of Maren’s body against mine as we lean into a curve.
Her helmet knocks lightly against my head as she rests her chin on my shoulder. I slide a hand off the handlebars, for a second, reaching back to squeeze her thighs, then run my hand down her calf.
“You okay” I ask.
“Yes. I think I like this. I’d hate the highway, but this…it’s like a different world view.”
A grin pulls at my mouth. “Yeah. It is. I knew you’d love it.”
The only thing that would make my day better is if she was wearing my cut. I’ve been thinking about it all day. Maren in aProperty of Knoxpatch would be a sight to see.
She got on my bike today, fighting her fears, not knowing how to ride, and trusted me to keep her safe through it all.
And now, she’s leaning into me like she’s ridden a thousand times before.
We ride like that, for a while, as the sun dips lower.
Gratitude isn’t something I think a lot about. I’ve worked for every goddamn thing I’ve built and own. If I’m grateful for anything, it’s for my own two hands and my resilience and my ability to think and lead. There’s no mysterious entity dishing out good fortune.
