White Tiger

The courthouse in Loneview, the county seat, was typical old-style, sitting in a square, surrounded by quiet streets of an aging Texas town. Kendrick headed around the corner in a long stride, and Addie trotted to keep up with him, her purse flopping against her hip.

Kendrick reached a motorcycle parked around the corner of the next block, hidden behind a convenience store. He dropped the leather folder into one of the saddlebags and loosened and pulled off his tie.

“Can you ride?” he asked her.

Addie dragged her gaze from the open buttons at his throat and fixed it on the large Harley. “A motorcycle? I don’t know. I never have.”

“Time to learn.” Kendrick mounted the bike and handed her a helmet. He pried the purse from Addie’s shoulder as she stood there, tucked it into the saddlebag, and patted the seat behind him.

Addie settled the helmet with shaking fingers and tried to swing her leg over the bike’s seat. She kicked the seat with her clunky shoe, her toe bouncing off, and ended up hopping on her other foot, trying to regain her balance.

Kendrick, for the first time since she’d met him, twitched his lips into the ghost of a smile. He grabbed her leg, pushed it over the bike, and helped get her butt on the seat. Addie settled herself, the imprint of his hand warm on her skin.

“Where are the boys?” she said to him as he started the bike. “Are they all right?”

“Yes.” Kendrick’s body moved as he balanced the throbbing motorcycle. “Put your feet on the footholds and hang on to me.”

Addie’s feet slipped off twice before she figured out how to plant them onto the metal bars. She grabbed Kendrick around the waist as he lifted his feet and guided them out of the small parking lot, holding on tighter as he glided around a corner.

Kendrick headed away from the courthouse, using streets that would take them out of town the fastest. Addie expected him to turn around and head for the 10, but Kendrick took the road south, out to open country.

Wind, speed, and the roar of the motor prevented Addie from asking him questions, like Why did you come back for me?

There wasn’t much traffic out here, and Kendrick sped up, leaning into the wind. This part of Texas was flat, dry, spreading out under endless sky. Stars unfurled in a multitude above them, glittering against the black of nothingness.

Addie wrapped her arms more firmly around Kendrick, the power of him vibrating against her. She moved with him, the two of them one as cool air flowed around them and the land rolled on forever.

I love this, Addie realized. No wonder bikers are so obsessed with the road.

The freedom of riding, being part of the land instead of shut away from it, was exhilarating. Riding at this speed, holding on to a hard-bodied man who’d just rescued her, the wide world spinning under her, made Addie laugh out loud. The danger of it simply made it more exciting.

They rode ever southward, until Addie started to wonder if they were heading into Mexico. Alvarez had asked her not to go far—Mexico could be considered far.

But for the moment, Addie didn’t care. She was now without a job, and she had no ties except to her sister, no obligations. No money either, but that didn’t seem to matter right now.

She was almost disappointed when Kendrick slowed in another small town and made for a motel a little way from the highway.

Seeing Robbie and the little guys inside the room after Robbie unlocked the door and peered out cautiously, made up for the disappointment, however. Brett and Zane cried out in delight and rushed Addie, throwing their arms around her legs. Robbie gave her a calmer but no less exuberant hug.

“Addie!” Brett yelled. “Did you bring pie?”

“No, sweetie, sorry,” Addie said.