32. Lamb

Chapter Thirty-Two

LAMB

A fter what felt like an eternal drive, trees that had once surrounded us like a dense fortress wall began to grow sparse as open expanses of dry, umber lands stretched endlessly on either side of us. Dust swirled and danced in the air, tumbleweeds wrestling with crisp shrubs tangled at the edge of the road, their dead roots stretched along the cracked tarmac as if they were reaching for salvation, never to find it.

I swerved a couple of tumbleweeds that had reached farther as my destination began to loom. In the middle of nowhere, a wide metal fence rose above the horizon like a cresting wave. Rusted barbed wire sat atop the eight-foot wall, hardy shrubs and nomad trash tangled in the worn, loose chain link mesh. I tightened my grip and my engine lowered to the speed limit.

The limp gate swung open with an echoing creak and ghostly welcome, not a single person in sight. I paid little attention, knowing someone somewhere had made note of my arrival, and that secrecy had been a worthy purchase.

There was not a single drop of water in sight, nor even the glimmer of salt in the air, and yet, hundreds of shipping containers surrounded us. Some were laid in every orientation like dominoes, while others were stacked high and haphazardly like Jenga towers. Not a single living person walked the grounds, and the howl of the bike echoed and bounced across the metal like a lone wolf’s somber call.

My gas gauge ticked in the red zone, and I praised my decision to fill it up the day before. It had carried me far, and as my goal approached, relief tunneled through my stomach.

I dropped into a slow cruise, a roll, and finally stopped outside a rusted blue container tucked deep within the metal maze.

My muscles burned as I straightened my taut leg to the floor, suspending the heavier weight of the bike. The drive had been long, but not my hardest by far, yet the toll on my body was a humbling experience.

I wasn’t the only one.

Ash’s arms clung to me like a seat belt, her warmth cemented against my spine, protecting my body from the bitter blusters of winter chipping away at us as we had sped out of town. Her helmet rested against the center of my back, tucked in place, unmoving for most of the duration. Clung in the fetal position, I doubted she’d noticed we’d even stopped moving, and I was reluctant to change that.

Having her dependent and reliant on me in such a way had my hands heavy as I gave her padlocked hands a gentle tap. “Babe, we’re here.”

Feeling the frosty touch of her skin, I pried them from my waist and brought them between my own. I had not fared much better during our impromptu ride, unable to wear gloves before we’d rocketed out of Fellpeak, but I rubbed my palms over hers, hoping the friction would thaw them.

The weight of her helmet pried away from my spine, and I turned to see her frosty doe eyes flickering about our surroundings. A soft rose dusted her windbitten cheeks as she worried her bottom lip beneath her teeth. The visor was no substitute for her glasses, and she squinted tightly back and forth over my shoulder.

“Thank God.” Ash heaved an exhausted sigh, her shoulders slumping. “It’s over.”

“You should be thanking me, not God.”

“I thought I was going to die,” Ash murmured, ignoring me. “At least it would have been quick and painless at that speed.”

I held my tongue, the realities of a high-speed motorcycle accidents not seeming conjunctive. The danger and reality would jeopardize the future of her ass on the back of my bike, though I’d never let anything like that happen. No threat or fear would find its way toward her.

I cupped her hands closer to my face, liking the way it kept her chained to my back, her crotch pressed tightly against my hips, and blew warming breaths over them.

“I’ll get you some gloves,” I murmured.

“I think I will need more than that; I am freezing.” Ash snuggled closer into my spine, sealing the warmth between her chest and my back again. Her quiver racked through her body as the shivers took hold.

“Come on,” I said, wanting nothing more than to turn her over, spread her legs, and warm her up the good old-fashioned way. “We’ve not got much time.”

I peeled myself from the seat, bringing her shortly after me before tucking her inside my arm, my body providing little heat compared to the physical support I offered to her stiff limbs.

We closed the distance between the bike and the container, not moving far as I tugged out a key from my back pocket. There wasn’t much security; just a simple chain and padlock wrapped around the latch to keep it closed. It was high quality and would take nothing short of a laser to break the chain.

Ash’s face dropped with disappointment as I swung open the large creaking door, only to reveal a dark, empty room. She stood to one side, staring with a tight frown at the void, rubbing her hands up and down her arms.

“This wasn’t exactly the date I had planned either.” I chuckled as I returned to my bike, rolling it up and into the container.

“I thought the FBI raid and highway chase was all your idea,” Ash quipped, playful sarcasm saturating her tongue. “Most guys just bring flowers and buy dinner.”

I moved toward her, reaching up to either side of her head as I cupped the helmet. I slipped it off her head, her hair flaming out in every direction as the wind had dealt its damage. She looked up with mischievous eyes. The fear and panic that had only a few hours ago haunted her face had diminished.

“I’m not most guys.”

“Let me guess,” Ash mused, her lips pushed out into a teasing pout. “Candle-lit dinner and wine? Honestly, I did not take you for the type.”

I dropped my head, taking a sweet, sharp nip of those chilled lips, her gasp like fire across my cold skin. “I didn’t take you for the type either.”

“I would not know,” Ash growled, bitter about being caught off guard. “I have never been on one.”

“A date?”

Ash shrugged.

A violent fever flashed through my nerves as the curse left my tongue. Having disappointed her, and being forced to abandon the date I had promised, didn’t sit well, and the bitter discomfort in my chest had me drawing up plans for every single agent that had stepped foot on a territory they didn’t belong. There were already going to be repercussions for them. Now there’d be revenge.

I lifted my hand to her pink flushed skin, her face fitting perfectly into my palm, her pale green eyes finding mine like a lighthouse in the storm. “You’ll get your date,” I vowed. “One so incredible that nothing and no one could ever compare to it.”

“You make it sound intimidating.” Ash laughed, the light musical noise softening that fire. “I fear you will spoil me.”

I leaned down, and this time, when I caught her lips, it was soft, slow, and sensational as I explored her mouth and tongue, taking my time to savor her taste. “Then be afraid.” With that, I let her go, taking the helmet back to the bike before escorting her out and locking it behind me.

We didn’t walk far before I stopped in front of a different container. This one was covered in faded red paint, big scabs of rust and scratches screaming ancient and derelict. No one would fathom the fortune hidden away behind such old doors, but if one looked close enough, they’d see the similar lock and chain that had been on the earlier container.

Unlike the other, this one had no key. Instead, I pressed my thumb into the lock, and after a beat, it popped open, the chain slinking from the bar and dropping into a pile on the floor.

Ash tried to help me as I swung open the big door, and it stretched my polished acting prowess to make her think she’d contributed. The door was heavy and robust, and Ash’s feeble shivering arms were more decorative than effective. Even still, I flashed her a grateful smile that she was exasperatedly willing to accept.

“What is that?” Ash squinted into the dark, the covered object no different than a large slab to her eyes. On the other hand, I could make out the edges, the slopes, and the snags of fabric the huge, draped sheet covered.

“You wanted to know how I got my road name, right?” I stepped forward, grabbing two dusty handfuls of the sheet.

Ash’s eyes darkened with anticipation, her breath held on her parted lips, making a smirk tug at my lips.

I pulled.

Even in the dingy light of the container, the dispersed light of the overcast day peeking through the door, the canary yellow was a bulb in the dark. It was glossy and sleek, and not one scratch marred its surface.

“How did you …? Where did you …?“ Ash’s mouth dropped open as she moved slowly around the car. “ A Lamborghini? ” Her fingers hovered, hesitant to lay them on the surface.

“Vegas,” I answered, leaning my hip against the vehicle, earning a sharp glare from Ash. It amused me more. “And before you ask”—I wagged a finger at her—“it isn’t stolen.”

Ash’s mouth disappeared as her lips flattened. Shame flickered across her face as I caught her red-handed. As mysterious and guarded as she had first been, the moment those walls had begun to crumble, it was as if the fog had lifted, and I could see her as easily as a bright summer’s day.

“So, Lamb is short for …” Ash trailed, eyes jumping from the car to me, and back to the car. “Lamborghini?”

“It’s highly creative.” I rolled my eyes, the memories rushing back. “Let’s just say some older members weren’t so imaginative back in the day.”

I pushed off the car, rounding the steps to meet Ash on the other side. She opened her mouth as her thoughts flickered across her expression. Whatever she wanted to say, she thought better of it.

“So, you … bought it?”

“I won it.”

“Won it ? ”

I fished out a set of keys from my pocket, a golden bull emblem crested on the smooth black fob. Lights flashed inside the tight container as I clicked the button. It flashed sharp across Ash’s soft face, her suspicious narrowed eyes glowing ethereal yellow for a split-second.

I opened the scissor door, the soft hush of the mechanism filling the empty container as the edges skimmed past the tight walls and stopped just shy of the metal roof. Fear fled from Ash’s face as she breathed out her relief that I hadn’t just unwittingly scratched my car by forgetting we were in a metal box.

“The weekend Wolf and I were getting patched, we went up to Vegas,” I explained, protecting her head as curiosity got the better of her and she clambered inside, eyes washing over and consuming every inch of detail. “I had been winning a long streak before we were promptly kicked out of the club.”

“What for? Winning?” Ash frowned, disdain coating her tongue.

“For cheating.” I smirked, enjoying the sudden shift of her features to surprise and disappointment. “I’d been counting cards the entire night.”

“Why does that not surprise me?” Ash grumbled, her body fitting snugly into the smooth, cupped leather seats. She looked perfect there, on the passenger side.

“You should also know that the entire club is banned from Vegas in general.”

“The whole club got banned?” Ash gasped. “Just because of you?”

The memories that swarmed me had a laugh escaping my chest. “No.” I chuckled. “It was for the hell they raised after.”

I pushed for her door to close before rounding the car and slipping into the driver’s side. Ash’s cloudy eyes followed me the entire time, many emotions working their way through her face.

“Well, that’s how I got my name,” I concluded, slipping the key into the ignition and firing up the engine. The car purred to life, its soft rumble sending shivers up my spine as I fit my hands into the snug comfort of the wheel.

It’s been a long time, old friend.

I eased our way out of the container, but the moment we had an open road, I slammed my foot to the floor, and like the beast she was, we flew. Road passed beneath us like river rapids, and just as we shot out past the metal gate, several FBI cars rushed past, heading without a second glance into the compound.

By the time they realized what had happened, it’d be too late.

We were gone.