Chapter 27
Twenty-Seven
Hella
Ihand Melissa the helmet, watching her swing onto the back of my bike like she's done it a thousand times. Her thighs press against mine, arms wrapping around my waist without hesitation. No awkward fumbling or nervous chatter. Just settles in like she belongs there.
Because she fucking does.
“Hold tight.”
The engine roars to life beneath us, vibrating through our bodies as I kick us into gear.
We leave Jada’s house behind, taking the single dirt road that cuts through the property's dense woods.
Dust kicks up behind us as we navigate the winding path, branches creating a canopy overhead that filters the afternoon light.
Her grip tightens around my ribs when I lean into a sharp curve, her body moving with mine instinctively. No fear. Just trust. Something I'm not used to from anyone, let alone a woman who should know better by now.
The trees break apart as we near the stream, revealing my cabin through the gaps.
Beast's old man hammered every beam and joint himself—solid log construction that looks like it could survive anything.
Floor-to-ceiling windows face the water, modern shit where it counts, but the whole thing still feels raw.
Natural. The small garage hides off to the side, swallowed by pines.
I cut the engine. Melissa's grip around my waist goes slack, her warmth pulling away as she dismounts. The helmet comes off, blonde hair spilling free. Those green eyes scan everything—the cabin, the stream carving through granite, sunlight fracturing across the current.
“This is yours?”
Her voice carries something I can't place. Not quite awe. Not quite suspicion.
“Yeah.” I swing off the bike, shoving the keys deep in my pocket. The leather protests as I move. “All mine.”
She walks toward the stream, drawn to the sound of water moving over stones. Her fingers trail along the wooden railing of the small deck that extends over the bank. The place looks different with her here. Less like a hideout and more like... something else. Something I don't have words for yet.
Something I don't want to explore either.
“It's beautiful.”
She turns back to me, that look in her eyes again. The one that makes my chest tight and my hands itch to touch her. Like she sees something in this place, in me, that I'm not sure exists.
“Come on.” I nod toward the cabin. “Let me show you inside.”
I don't know if it's her, me, her at this house, or Beast's words earlier, but keeping the secret from her that I know feels worse the more that time clicks on.