Chapter 43

Forty-Three

Rook

1 Month Later

Regan climbed on my bike again, her toes straining to touch the ground. The R6 was the slightest amount slower than my normal bike, but it would have to work for now.

"I think you are forgetting that this thing could crush me if I fall over."

"It won't crush you if you don't fall over, and I'm more concerned with you accidentally hitting the gas and launching yourself across the driveway."

"Can't I just ride with you? Evie said she doesn't drive one."

"No, but she knows how. There's a big difference. I need to know that if everything goes wrong, you know how to not only defend yourself, but how to get away." I held the bike as she adjusted herself on it for the thousandth time. I knew she had to be nervous, but it wouldn't be hard to learn the basics.

"Why would I be leaving if you are still there?"

"How sweet, Rebel. I meant if I was dead."

Her mouth dropped open, and she smacked at my hand. "Why would I leave, then?"

"So you don't die, too. Can you please try to drive it down the driveway? It's a long, straight line, Rebel. You will be fine."

"Maybe we should go back to the bicycle. That felt safer."

"That was so I could make sure you could keep upright on two wheels. You did great. Now go."

She hit the bike into gear like I had shown her a hundred times already. I didn't need it to be perfect, but I needed to know she could get out if I needed her to. As much as I loved her, my life wouldn't be slowing down, and I knew there would be plenty of chances for this to be a possibility.

She pulled in the clutch, hit the bike into gear, and eased forward.

"Perfect, Rebel. You got it." Finally, the clutch let out and she rolled down the road in first gear. I walked alongside her.

"I like this pace," she breathed. "This feels nice."

"This won't get you away any faster than running would."

"Maybe not, but I can't run very far. Slow and steady would be better with this."

"Or fast as hell, so you don't get shot." She huffed, glancing over at me and making the bike wobble. A scream escaped her. "Eyes on the where you are going. And I'm thinking of worst-case scenarios. Then I know no matter what, you will be safe. Now, clutch in again and shift it into second gear. We need you to get to third at the very least."

"Why?"

"Because if you try to outrun anyone or anything in first gear, you are going to lift that front and crash. Get yourself into second at least."

"I would prefer a scooter or something."

"First, I will not be letting you ride a scooter with us. It wouldn't even keep up," I said, scrunching my nose. "And second, how the hell would that work? I tow it behind my bike in the rare case you need to get away without me?"

"I think that's a great idea."

I smacked her ass as she adjusted. "Go. I want you to hit thirty miles an hour at least, get to the end of the driveway and turn around, and then thirty again. You're not getting off the bike until I know you can do it."

"You are mean," she said, picking up her pace.

"Yes I am. And I love you too much to leave you helpless."

It took another hour before she finally managed to do it.

Regan jumped off, hitting the kickstand before jumping onto me. "I did it! I'm done! Never make me do that again," she yelled, but she was smiling now.

"No deal. I need to see that once a year, so you don't forget."

"I think I've hit my breaking point with your criminal lifestyle."

I laughed, lifting her up the rest of the way and heading back towards the house. While Cameron's quarters of the house had burned, they had saved everything else. Everything that Regan claimed as her half didn't have a scratch or burn on it, and now it was all of ours.

She leaned down, her lips finding mine, and I groaned. Watching her straddled on my bike for over an hour had me currently without a thought in my mind besides wrapping her legs around me now.

" That's the breaking point?" I asked. "Driving a motorcycle is what's making you reconsider?"

"Yeah, so don't make me do it again. Or maybe get a bike that makes me feel like I won't die if it falls on me."

I opened up the front door just as everyone walked out.

"What are you doing?" Aiden asked. "Asher texted. He has the space for the shop ready."

I groaned, setting Regan down. "Can't it wait?"

"The place we've been waiting to find for a month now? No, it can't wait."

A surge of excitement washed over me at the idea of finally having a shop open again. "Alright, let's go check it out."

Regan's eyes lit up. "A new shop?"

"Asher's had something he thought would work for us, but had to empty it out."

She was already pulling me back towards the bike. "Then let's go. I can't handle another second of you all trying to work out of the garage here."

I smiled, slipping on my helmet as the roar of our bikes filled the air. Regan clung to me, and my excitement built with each mile. This place was closer to our new home at the Fletcher mansion, although we really needed to find something new to call it. Asher thought we would do better with a place in a nicer part of town, which I didn't argue. We did most of our illegal business outside of the garage, so having it in a nicer warehouse area was good. It also made people less concerned about how legitimate our business was.

As we pulled into the lot, the sight of the new garage made my heart race. It was perfect. The old warehouse style building was large enough to hold all our bikes, with plenty of space left over for anything else we needed to do. The main river that ran through the city sat right behind the building, making disposal of anyone we needed a little easier.

Hero and Mason jumped off, bumping fists as they saw the location.

Regan jumped off the bike, her eyes wide. "This is amazing. It's so…cute," she said, scrunching her nose with a smile.

"Is that a problem?"

"Not at all. I don't think anyone will be worried that you're anything but a stand-up motorcycle shop."

"Perfect, then we will take it. Any objections?" I asked as we walked inside one of the roll-up bay doors.

Everyone glanced around, Evie screaming in happiness when she saw the side office. It was half walled with one large window up top. Enough that she could see out if she stood, and would be hidden away when she sat down.

"This is mine!" she yelled.

Aiden grumbled, scowling at her as she ran over. "Asher said he put it in just for her. What an asshole."

"For putting in an office for her?" I asked. "Isn't it better to have her out of our way?"

"Yeah," he said, walking away. "Way better."

Regan patted my chest with a strange look before we walked around the rest of the shop.

"I love it," she finally said. "I think it's perfect."

"A fresh start on everything," I said, leaning down to kiss her.

"Together this time."

I nodded, feeling a sense of contentment I hadn't known before. "Yes, Rebel, together."

I had Regan, the pack, a safe place to live, and now we had a new place for Maverick Moto to open up again.

There was nothing in the world that could make me happier.