Page 9 of Ash (Dragon Riders MC 3)
The bike slowed down before we eased off to the side. I heard other bikes in the distance, but none that surrounded us. The motorcycle slowly rolled to a stop on the side of a deserted road so old the yellow and white lines had faded into nothingness. Only splatters of old paint remained of the once-decorated road.
Then, the man I clung to shifted in my arms.
“Oh. Sorry,” I murmured.
I released his body as he slid off the bike. He lumbered in his footsteps and moved slowly with his turns. But as my eyes climbed up and down his body, I found him staring down at me from his perched height. My God, the man must’ve been at least six-and-a-half feet tall. His stoic brown eyes shimmered in the blue glow of the moonlight and his jet-black hair sparkled with the reflection of stars in the sky. His chest was broad, and his shoulders were mounting. The veins bulging from his neck ran just underneath the collar of his white t-shirt, forcing me to wonder how many other veins popped against his body.
Everything felt like a blur, except him.
Everything felt like a dream, except him.
Everything scared me right now… except him.
“Are you okay?”
I swallowed hard as his voice fell heavily against my ears. I saw his lips moving, but the resonant sound falling from his lips sounded like it came from somewhere else. I mean, this man was a behemoth. Stacked with muscles, chiseled angles, and rippling muscles beneath his clothes. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to know that fact. And as I licked my lips, trying not to imagine the man naked, I attempted to process his voice.
While it rattled my ribcage with its presence.
“Ma’am?”
I snickered. “Hannah.”
He crouched down but was still eye level with me.
“Hannah, are you okay?”
His voice sounded like home. “Relatively speaking.”
“Are you hurt? Bleeding?”
“No.”
His eyes danced along my face. “Are you thirsty? I’ve got some water.”
“Uh, no. Not—not thirsty.”
He stood back up. “Are you sure you aren’t hurt?”
“Where’s my cousin?”
“Cousin?”
I nodded. “Slash. Where is she?”
He paused. “Slash is your cousin?”
“She is, yes.”
Just as our riveting conversation was about to take off, the dull roar of bike engines caught my attention. I whipped my head to the right, trying to follow the sound as it quickly approached. My heart rate skyrocketed. My fight or flight senses told me to get out my wings and take the fuck off. My hands trembled so badly I tucked them between my thighs. But Mountain Man didn’t seem to be swayed by the noise.
So, I tried to keep myself grounded.
“Don’t worry. That’s just my guys,” he said.
I nodded slowly. “Are the other girls dead?”
“Nah. Just riding with them. We wanted to split up in case a mound of people came after us.”
I watched as a group of bikers piqued on the horizon. I slid off the bike and walked into the middle of the road, searching the oncoming silhouettes for my cousin. I wrung my hands together as the massive human being that still hadn’t given me his name stood behind me.
And when he placed his hands on my shoulders, I wanted to mold my body to the rest of his.
Holy shit, he’s so warm.
I shivered with anticipation as the engines grew louder. I counted one, two… no, four other bikes. They all rode up to us and came to a stop, and I found my cousin on the back of one of the motorcycles.
Clinging to a very thin man with a perma-grin on his face.
“Were you followed?”
Double M’s voice appeared behind me. “Nope. You guys?”
They all shook their heads as Slash hopped off the back of the bike.
“Hannah, holy shit. Thank fuck, you’re okay.”
She rushed to me and I wrapped my arms around her neck. I wanted to slap her across her face as well, but for now I was simply okay that she was okay.
“We’re going to talk later,” I murmured.
She patted my back. “I know. I know. Let’s just get out of here first, all right?”
“I’m Ash, by the way.”
That deep, bass voice boomed like a bomb being dropped on our heads. And as I released my cousin, I slowly turned to face him. So, Double M had a name. Ash. For some reason, it suited him. Maybe it was the way the starlight danced in his jet-black hair. Or maybe it was his smoldering look that reminded me of a fire after it had been put out. Or maybe it was how his muscles struck me—how it looked like he could pound someone into mere ash simply with his fists.
Whatever the reason for the nickname, it made me smile.
“It’s nice to meet you, Ash.”
He nodded. “Likewise.” He walked over to me. “Now, are you sure you’re okay? I’ve got medicine and things to patch you up with if you’re—.”
