Temperance: Biker Romance (The Davis Chapter Book 2)

by Lynn, Davida

  Hope you’re ready.

  For six months I wondered if I would be. I wondered if the moment would present itself to me, and I might freeze up. As I responded to Kyle, my hands stopped trembling for the first time in weeks.

  Never been more ready.

  I looked around the guest room one last time. There wasn’t a good memory associated with the Blythe mansion, and the sooner I was on the road to Bakersfield, the better. I looked through my purse for what must’ve been the hundredth time. I had photocopied all of my important paperwork. The copies had been switched out; the originals were with me, just in case.

  The hallway was deserted, and I took the long way through the large home. I already knew that Conrad was preoccupied with some conference call in Portuguese, but I was more worried about the security staff. They had very strict instructions when it came to me. I wasn’t to leave unless Conrad gave permission. Not that night, though.

  That night, I moved around the outside, taking my time and staying out of the perpetual brightness of the lights that lit up Conrad’s home. There was no movement outside the guest house. As soon as I started the car, they’d scramble, but I’d thought of that, too. They couldn’t find what they couldn’t see. My heart raced, and I felt sweat forming at my forehead, but I was in too deep. I had taken the first few steps, and it felt incredible.

  My car was bathed in indirect light. With key in hand, I checked over my shoulder one last time. I didn’t see any movement near the guest house. A second before I was about to take my first step into the light, I saw movement out of the corner of my eye. A guard was making his way down the side of the building. I couldn’t go back the way I came, so I shoved my way into the shrubs. They scratched at my face, but it didn’t bother me in the moment. I was trying not to panic as the guard got closer.

  As I watched his boots move ever nearer, I held my breath. When the guard stopped right beside of me, I shut my eyes. I didn’t want to see his face when he yanked me from the bushes. I would keep my eyes closed, even when he dragged me in front of Conrad. I couldn’t stand to look at anything.

  A moment passed, then another. Then I heard the splashing. My eyes flew open, and I saw the stream right beside the shrub. The guard was taking a piss right next to me. I didn’t even know what to feel. I wanted to laugh, cry, and scream all at the same time. It was almost worth blowing my cover. The nerves were starting to get to me. I had to get away. The Blythe life was frying me.

  The guard let out a low groan as he emptied his bladder. Vomit was rising in my throat as I tried to remain absolutely still. Whatever he had eaten made his piss reek. I held my breath in spite of my racing heart. God, when was the last time you went?

  The stream finally trickled out, and after one last grunt, the guard zipped himself back up. I waited until he was long out of earshot before moving. The man was in no great hurry, so at least I knew they weren’t looking for me. Once I was certain no one else was coming, I pulled myself from the shrub. More scratches that I didn’t notice until later. I was laser-focused on my escape.

  It was twenty or so feet to the Lexus. I had my key in one hand, and my two bags in the other. All of my worldly possessions could be carried in one trip, but it was a good thing. Travel light to travel fast. I was more than ready to travel fast and travel far. Kyle could get me to Bakersfield, and from there I’d decide where I wanted to start over.

  After a shaky slow breath to try and calm myself, I ran for the car. I could hear the small rocks beneath my flats and my sharp, gasping breaths; everything else faded into the distance. Time seemed to slow down as I got closer to the Lexus. It was almost teasing me; the closer I got, the slower I moved. I hit the unlock button and saw the yellow lights flash like a taunting wink.

  My feet slid in the pebbles as I tried to come to a stop. I was carrying too much momentum and slammed into my door. I look back over my shoulder, but didn’t see anything. Yanking at the handle, I threw the door open. My bags were tossed into the passenger seat, and I dropped down into the driver’s. I hit the start button, but nothing happened. Fear began to creep over my shoulder.

  I wouldn’t let the fear in, though. I jammed my foot on the brake and clicked the seatbelt in, “Fucking new cars.”

  Once the Lexus was satisfied that I was safe, it fired up. As soon as it was in Drive, I nailed the gas pedal. The doors clicked, and I was locked in. Yeah, like that’s going to keep me safe. The headlights blazed on, and I cursed the car again. “Dammit, dammit, dammit.” I had forgotten that the headlights came on automatically, and they couldn’t be turned off in the dark. My plan to drive without them once I got outside the gate was trashed.

  As I sped down the driveway, I looked in the rearview mirror, but didn’t see the telltale sign of lights giving chase. There were two Land Rovers exclusively for the security force, and in retrospect, I should’ve slashed their tires or something. The car hit a bump, throwing my view out of whack. When I got things back under control, my headlights shone on the gate. I slammed on the brakes, sliding on the fine rock driveway.

  The car came to a stop just a few feet before the gate. The sensor kicked in, and the slow crawl of freedom began. As I watched the gate move glacier slow to my right, my hands wrung at the wheel in a death grip.

  A flash in the mirror caught my attention. Two sets of headlights clicked on in the distance. The gate had another three feet before I could slip through. My eyes went wide, and my mouth dropped open. They were coming for me, and they were coming hard.

  My eyes darted between the rearview mirror and the gate in front of me. The mechanical whir moved with agonizing speed. Behind me, the headlights bounced as they moved quickly down the driveway towards me. I couldn't wait any longer.

  I hit the gas and turned to the left, threading the needle between the brick wall and the edge of the gate. I still needed a foot of room to clear, but I had no choice. The guards were barreling down on me, and all of my stealthy plans were going to shit.

  I let out a little squeal and tightened every muscle in my body as the car sideswiped the brick fence. The driver’s side mirror shattered and vanished behind me. The Lexus lurched, but I kept my hands steady on the wheel. The driveway widened like a river delta, and I threw the wheel to the right. A metallic crunch came from below the car as I transitioned onto the road. I flew upwards and strained against the seat belt. Okay, so maybe the modern safety features aren't so bad.

  A scraping sound came from the Lexus somewhere near the front. When I sped up, the sound did, too. Something with one of the wheels was fucked up, but I didn't care. I wasn't going to need the car much longer, anyway.

  Behind me, the two Land Rovers swung out of the gated driveway. I mashed down on the gas pedal as hard as I could, hoping to lose them. The road wound through the outskirts of Davis, and I did my best to keep edging away from them. After a year, I still didn't know the contours that well, so I found myself slamming on the brakes and barely keeping the car on the road. The headlights behind me never wavered. When I came to a straighter section of road, I grabbed for my cell. I pulled up Kyle's number and held the phone to my ear.

  "Yo."

  "Hey, I'm going to be coming in hot. I thought I could lose them, but I was wrong. Please tell me we are still on," I said, forcing the words out through my very dry my mouth. My tongue dragged over my lips, but they felt more like cracked sandpaper. In that moment, I wish more than anything that I had thrown a bottle of water in my car.

  He replied in an instant, “You didn't hire the best driver in California for nothing. Meeting place is the same. Be ready to go the instant the car is in park. Try to build up some distance. Make three lefts instead of a right. Anything you can.”

  Kyle’s voice was so still and sure. I couldn't imagine being so calm. I was sweating, my eyes were wide and shifted all around, and adrenaline had me shaking worse than ever. Only a few more miles before I'd be riding passenger.

  Most of Davis shut down at night, and that gave me a litt
le bit of freedom. After checking both ways, I crawled through a red light. I saw the flash of the camera that would cite me, but I didn't care. The Land Rovers were still too close for comfort.

  Taking Kyle's advice, I turned the wrong way, then again, then again. Each time I turned around the corner, I breathed a sigh of relief when I lost the headlights in my rearview mirror. It was never for long, though. After a few more hard bumps, the Lexus was squeak squeak squeaking louder than ever. I didn't care. I would drive that car into the ground if it got me away from Conrad.

  The parking lot was close. I thanked God, because my heart wouldn’t be able to take it much longer. I’d done a fantastic job, but I was more than ready to turn it over to Kyle. Another red light was coming up. I focused all my attention on looking both ways, and that’s when the Lexus was slammed into from behind. One of the Land Rovers shoved me forward into the intersection. To my left, a car barreled down on me, but the momentum of the crash spun me forward just in time.

  I watched as the oncoming car slammed into the Land Rover. Cutting the wheel hard and slamming on the accelerator got me back on track. The car whined in protest, the squeak sounding louder and more painful all the time. It was turning into more of a scrape, digging away a little bit of the car each time.

  The Lexus willed itself forward as if it knew my escape was within reach. I pounded on the steering wheel. “Come on, come on.”

  With one SUV left chasing me, I pushed the Lexus as hard as it would go. A warning light flashed on the dashboard with a little temperature gauge. Not one second later, steam started pouring from under the hood and onto the windshield. I flipped on the wipers, only managing to smear the liquid over the glass. I hunched forward, staring out through the small patch of clear windshield in front of me.

  I was going forty when I cut the wheel hard to the right. Kyle’s old muscle car was there, the driver’s side door open. He was standing, poised and ready to take off. I laid on the brakes and slid to a stop. My overnight bag slid forward from the passenger seat and into the foot well.

  My heart felt like it would never slow down again. “God dammit.” I undid my seat belt and reached for the bag. While my body was slumped forward, I heard the gunshot and the glass shatter at the same time. I screamed, but instinct held me down. Tires squealed as more shots rang out. I held my body flat, picturing the Land Rover slamming to a stop right behind me.

  More gunshots rang out, coming from a different location. I heard Kyle’s voice, and my body snapped into action. “Out, Celeste. Go now!”

  He was firing back at the Land Rover. My mind was blank, but my body was moving on its own. I grabbed the bag and threw open the driver’s door. Kyle was firing back at the Land Rover. I didn’t chance looking to it, thinking I might freeze up. I ran around the back of his car and saw that he had the passenger door open and waiting. Again, I couldn’t comprehend how Kyle was so calm about everything. Even as he shouted, he kept a clear head on his shoulders.

  I threw my two bags into the back and reached across my body for the seatbelt. There was nothing there. I looked down and realized there was only a lap belt. I couldn’t quite grasp going from the 2016 Lexus to a classic car. Between the chase and the gunfire, I was barely keeping it together.

  Kyle slid down into the seat and turned the key. When the engine caught, the whole car seemed to twist. The noise was more deafening in the gunshots. There was this deep, primal roar that came from beneath the hood. I didn’t even realize that I had grabbed onto the door handle, but when Kyle dropped the car into gear, I was very glad that I had something to hold onto.

  I thought the front of the car had come off its wheels. The car rose up, making me think that the front had come off its wheels, but the car obeyed when he rolled the steering wheel with effortless ease. He aimed a pistol out the window, causing me to tense up, but he didn’t fire. Once we were out on the street, the car gained speed at an insane rate. It pushed my body back into the seat like a plane taking off.

  Kyle looked over to me briefly. “Hangin’ in there?”

  No words came, so I just nodded to him. I threw my head over my shoulder but didn’t see anyone following. I turned forward, again, and closed my eyes. It was over. The nightmare was over. A weight had been lifted from my shoulders. My troubles weren’t over, probably not by a long-shot, but after Conrad, I could handle anything.

  “Rise and shine, babe.”

  The last thing on earth I wanted to do was open my eyes. After six months of living in an abusive household, I found my first good night's sleep in the passenger seat of a loud, bumpy muscle car. The sun was just barely peeking out over the east. It was probably sometime around six in the morning, and we were headed south. I looked over at Kyle.

  The image of Bonnie and Clyde jumped into my head. Sure, we weren't on the run from the law, but we were on the run. Kyle definitely had that Clyde Barrow cool confidence about him. He was no bank robber, but Kyle was no angel, either. Before the accident with my mom, Kyle and I had done our share of flirting with the law. Kyle hadn’t gotten so good at driving by sticking to the speed limit, and he hadn’t gotten good at being chased by pulling over when the red and blues started flashing.

  He looked over at me since I hadn't responded yet. "What's with the smile, sunshine?"

  "Nothing," I said, turning away. A flush was coming to my cheeks, and I didn't want him to see it.

  "Nothing's never nothing with you, Celeste. Your mind is always racing a mile a minute. Now, answer my question. Are you hanging in there?"

  It had been a long time since somebody read into me. Kyle knew me better than I knew myself, and it was more welcoming than a warm hug. Not just because I needed it badly, but because Conrad never even bothered to try getting to know me. He only knew the version of me that other people saw. That person was flawless, faultless, and fake. Kyle knew my flaws and my faults.

  I nodded, my face still turned to the west. The moon was beginning to sink down and give way to daylight, and I wondered just where we were. It looked like we were in the foothills, and there wasn't a whole hell of alot more than that around. When I was sure that the blush had left my cheeks, I turned back to Kyle. "How far from Bakersfield are we?"

  "A while. We're taking the back roads, unfortunately. Twice as long, but twice as safe." He had one lazy hand dangling over the wheel. "Plus, it gives us plenty of time to catch up."

  Catch up? My heart came to a sudden and violent stop. I knew he didn't mean it to be a dig at me, but it sure felt like one. I had basically abandoned Kyle for the good life. That's what it looked like, anyway. I had abandoned him when I needed money from a rich man, and now that I needed protection, I was back with Kyle.

  There was a golf ball in my throat. The shake was back at my hands. I felt awful. "Oh god, Kyle. I'm so sorry. I'd give it all up to go back and change everything." The tears came hard, like I had my back to a tidal wave. I couldn't look up at Kyle. Every time I tried, the painful memories came right back to the foreground.

  My face was buried in my hands as I cried. I felt the car slowing, and then it bounced up and down as Kyle pulled off the road. He shut down the engine, and I heard him turn to me. Prickles at the back of my neck only made me feel more self-conscious. I was in a spiral, tumbling wild and out of control toward rock bottom.

  "Hey, hey. I'm not trying to lay guilt on you. I know why you did it all. Celeste, I don't blame you for anything that happened." Kyle laid a hand on my shoulder. I couldn't remember the last time someone had given me a gentle touch like that. Even my mother had pulled away from me ever since I stopped worshiping Conrad. Kyle's touch only made me weep harder. What had I become? When I’d been with Kyle before, I had been strong, dangerous, and confident. I couldn't find any of that inside of myself anymore.

  "Look at me." Kyle spoke with a calm but stern voice that I knew well. He'd wait there all day until I listened to him. He was as stubborn as I was foolish. Lowering my hands, I looked over at Kyle. “I don’t blame y
ou for choosing Conrad over me. I wouldn’t have let you choose me, anyway. I mean that. You would’ve been choosing me over family, over duty, over blood. I wouldn’t have let you do that.”

  Kyle didn’t break my gaze. Even after a good rest, my mind wasn’t up to speed yet. “What do you mean?”

  “Exactly what I said.”