Never by Blue Saffire

Chapter 11

On the Road

Gutter

“We only have two bottles left,” Sal says into the quietness as she reaches for two waters and hands me one.

“Thanks. We’ll stop soon.”

We’ve been on the road for a few hours. Our phones being off really fucked things up. Grim couldn’t locate us right away. However, once I was able to text him, he got a lock on us.

We lost a lot of time at that B&B, but I’m grateful for the rest. I need to be focused. Sal’s life is in danger.

I’m itching to get back to South Carolina to figure out what the fuck is going on. I’d drive the two days through if it weren’t for King’s orders. Instead, we’ve been driving aimlessly, waiting for our reinforcements.

I know this shit has to be big because King has trusted me to handle shit on my own before. However, I’ve never had one of his baby sisters in my care. While the silence has been comfortable, I want to get to know Sal better.

Problem is, I haven’t been able to relax. I have so many questions about the break-In and who’s after her. She’s been lost in thought, so I don’t want to bombard her with all the shit going through my head.

Traffic comes to a standstill, allowing me a chance to look over in her direction. Her eyes are on me, searching my gaze as I lock mine with hers.

Reaching for her face and brushing my hand across her cheek, it occurs to me I’m not the only one who’s curious. The questions seem to scream from her brown depths. I’m not surprised by the one that leaves her mouth as she parts her lips.

“You became a prospect two years ago. What brought you to the Lost Souls? South Carolina’s chapter specifically,” she says.

Inhaling deeply, I turn my gaze back to the road ahead. My first instinct is to be guarded and change the subject, but this is Sal. She’s already given me so much of herself in such a short time.

“I was wandering through life, stopped at a bar one night and jumped into some blond guy’s fight. Not sure why.” I shrug. “After, when we left the bar, my gut told me to follow him. I’ve been a Lost Soul since.”

“King,” she whispers, the awe in her voice causes me to turn back to her. “The blond guy.”

I nod. A smile crosses her face, and she shakes her head. My heart twists at the sight. She’s so beautiful when she smiles.

“King is like Dad that way. They find us wanderers and give us a place.”

“Yet, I’ve never seen you around the clubhouse in the last two years I’ve been around,” he says.

I shrug. “I don’t ask King for much. South Carolina is my home, but I needed to get away.”

I can understand that more than she knows. I take this opportunity to change the subject. Finding the opening I’ve been looking for.

“Want to tell me what happened at your place?”

She frowns and hurt covers her face. The soured look almost makes me regret the question instantly. However, my desire for answers wins out.

“They stole my fucking bike. Cage bought me that bike. I wasn’t even big enough to ride, but he bought it for me and promised when I was big enough, he would teach me how to ride it.” She pauses to take a breath, so much pain plays across her face.

She looks down into her lap. Wanting to take away that pain, I cup the back of her neck and start to massage it. It feels like an odd action at first, but her warm, smooth skin is inviting and makes me want to touch her more.

She continues after a few beats. “That never happened, but King was there when I was ready. He taught me.”

“You’re into bikes, I’m guessing,” I muse aloud before I can catch myself.

She gives a small laugh. “Yeah, I’ve always had a thing for cars and bikes. When I was around, I spent all my time with Cage and Mix, learning everything I could about them. Cage saw the way my face lit up the first time I saw my bike and he bought it right there on the spot.”

“Yeah, I heard a lot about the guy. He sounds like he was something special.”

Sal turns to me and beams like only a proud daughter can. “Cage was the only father I’ve ever known, and he was the best a kid could ask for—”

She cuts off and her eyes shine with tears. A horn blares behind me, causing me to look forward again. I mutter a curse when I find only about a few feet of movement before me, but the moment is already lost.

Sal

I’m glad I shut up when I did. The fact of the matter is, Gutter is technically a stranger and I’m not sure how much King wants him to know about me.

I turn to glance at Gutter’s gorgeous face. I haven’t talked about Mom or Cage in a long time. Something about sharing with this man beside me makes the memories hurt less.

“You would have loved Cage,” I say and scoot over to rest my head on Gutter’s shoulder.

He kisses the top of my head and wraps his arm around me. I can’t help but smile. It’s the safest I’ve felt in a long time.

“Do you mind if I ask what you were doing so far from South Carolina? My arrival was short notice. You had to be pretty close,” I say after a while, when the silence starts to feel heavy.

“I have a place back in Seattle. Planned to spend a few days there, after some club business.”

“Did I interrupt your stay?”

“Not really, I don’t know how much longer I was going to be there.”

I turn my face up to look at him. He glances down with those blue-gray eyes. Years seem to have taken over his face within the seconds.

“Do you ever feel like it’s getting old?”

“What’s that?”

“Running.”

He lifts a brow, a shocked expression coming to his face. At first, I don’t think he’s going to answer. I’ve pushed too far too fast.

“It’s been old since it started. I’ve just never had the time to stop and think about it. Too busy running to find peace,” he replies, his expression turning thoughtful.

My stomach chooses this exact moment to grumble. We both laugh. I cover my face in embarrassment.

“I’ll get off at the next exit and feed you. I can’t have you reporting me to the prez.”

“We wouldn’t want that now, would we?” I tease back.

And just like that, we fall into silence again.