Page 26 of Bone’s Choice

The motorcycles slowed as they reached the houses and spread across the road enough that, for a few seconds, they pretty much took over the whole damn thing.

I knew Bone was in a motorcycle club, but knowing a man belonged to a motorcycle club and seeing what looked like half an army of motorcycles show up outside his mother’s house were apparently two very different things.

Pink stopped walking toward me and turned. “Give me one second!” she called.

I nodded even though I wasn’t sure she was looking.

The bikes idled for a moment and Bone got off his first.

I recognized him immediately.

Dark shirt. Cut. Sunglasses. That same solid build I remembered from the other day.

Two men climbed off bikes near him. I didn’t know either of them.

One was bigger through the shoulders, with dark hair and a beard. The other looked leaner and had the kind of face that made me think he didn’t smile much.

The rest of the bikes stayed where they were.

Bone walked toward Pink and she met him halfway. I couldn’t hear everything they said, but I could tell something was off.

Pink crossed her arms and Bone said something. She shook her head. He leaned closer.

One of the other guys looked down the road while the second kept scanning around like he was checking the houses.

My eyebrows pulled together. Okay. That was weird.

Bone looked different too.

The first time I met him, he’d been serious, but there’d been something under it. Patience. Maybe even a little amusement.

Now? Nothing. He looked like stone.

Closed off. Like every part of him had clicked into place and there wasn’t room for anything else.

Then I heard Pink clearly. “You could at least say hi to Hazel.”

Bone turned toward me. I couldn’t see his eyes behind the sunglasses, but I felt the look anyway.

It was strange. Like he was seeing me but not really seeing me. Or maybe he was too distracted to care.

I lifted a hand. “Hey.”

He gave me a single nod. That was it.

The two men beside him looked at me too. Neither nodded.

Friendly bunch.

Bone said a few more words to Pink. She touched his arm, then he leaned down and kissed her cheek. Something about that softened the whole picture for about two seconds.

Then Bone stepped away and the three men headed back to their bikes.

One by one, they pulled away from the houses and headed back down the road in the direction of the dead end.

I stood there watching until the last bike disappeared around the bend.

Then I looked at Pink.