Page 29 of Ride or Die

“Something tells me that Florida’s not your favourite place.”

Saint was a little more observant than was entirely comfortable. Or she was that obvious. She forced a laugh.

“God, no. Have you been there? It has alligators. And crocodiles.” She shuddered. “But I still go visit them. We’re on good terms and everything.”

Her mom and dad were living their best lives, playing cards and going for walks and being grossly in love. It was kind of adorable.

“I’m glad you have them,” he said, and the quiet note in his voice made her think he wasn’t so lucky.

“Me too.”

She missed them, but it was also a relief that they hadn’t been here to witness the implosion of her life. She’d handled it.

Riley rolled her shoulders. New year, new you.

Even though it was April.

Saint scanned the trees and pathways that sprawled around them. “And no, I have managed to avoid that particular place. Been everywhere else though.”

“Really?” She’d never really travelled, short of a resort vacation in Mexico.

“Every continent but Antarctica.”

Her jaw dropped, and he laughed. “For work. It wasn’t for fun.”

“Still!”

Riley quizzed him on every place he’d been, indulging her curiosity as her coffee went cold and she didn’t notice. When she did, they made their way back to the coffee shop and got a second. And then a third.



The sun flickered on and off as clouds sped across the sky. Riley snuck looks at Saint as they walked down the path and wondered if the butterflies were from the caffeine or his undivided attention. The five o’clock shadow sharpened his jaw, and he watched the trees and the occasional passing dog walker from under dark brows.

They were on their fourth lap around the park near her house when Riley paused to check her phone. She waved him on, scrolling through missed notifications for anything troubling, and let out a breath. Nothing.

Sometimes that felt worse than getting the texts.

Saint waited, his back to her as he looked around. His shoulders and chest filled out his leather jacket, the back smooth and unadorned. No patch, and no black embroidered numbers. Not a biker.

The Eighty-Sixers were part of the city, like the rain and the traffic, avoided and planned around, but it was a relief anyway. There was no way she’d be able to introduce a biker to her parents, especially an Eighty-Sixer. Her dad had put too many behind bars. Saint glanced back, and she put her phone away.

No one was meeting anyone’s parents. Chill out. Good god.

She’d been single too long.

Riley joined Saint on the gravel path as fat drops of rain soaked into the shoulders of her sweater. Deep purple clouds were so dark they were almost black, making the late afternoon feel like night. “I didn’t even see the storm rolling in.”

“Distracted?” His eyes slid to her, and a smug smile flickered. Again.

He’d noticed her checking him out.

Wonderful.

“Full of yourself much?” she shot back and bumped him with her shoulder. Saint’s low laugh warmed her as the temperature plummeted in the next few steps.

Riley wrapped her arms around her torso, tucking her hands under her arms. Moments later, cedar and leather wrapped around her as Saint dropped his jacket over her shoulders. “Thanks—you didn’t have to do that…” she said and pulled the warmed leather closer.

“I know.” He scanned the sky. Maybe he can tell the weather just by looking. “Do you live close by? I can walk you home before it really starts.”