My palm squeezes the throttle, amplifying my frustration through the deep rumble of my Ducati clenched between my thighs.
I slow down as I approach the iron gates, blinking a few times to make sure I’m not hallucinating. I know I had a couple of whiskeys on hardly any sleep.
My foot lands on the pavement as I try to make sense of what I’m seeing. I’m not imagining this. A woman in an unmistakable white wedding dress stomps towards me, her veil billowing in the wind. Her tiny frame is accentuated by her dark maroon hair, cascading down and stopping just above her waist.
Bringing my bike to a stop, I switch off the engine and prop it up with the kickstand.
Pulling off my helmet, I shake out my dark curls.
“Are you okay?” I ask, striding towards her.
Her beauty is illuminated by the soft light of the street lamp as she comes to a halt.
“Do I look it?”
Woah, okay. Holding up my arms, I step in front of her. I can’t help but notice the hoarseness in her voice and the bloodshot look in her eyes.
“The wedding’s the other way, isn’t it?” I tilt my head to the side, taking her in.
A burst of laughter escapes her lips.
“Exactly why I’m heading in the opposite direction. I’m getting the fuck out of here.”
With that, she steps around me, her footsteps clicking loudly as she continues stomping into the darkness.
What the fuck.
“Hold up,” I call out, catching up to her easily and stopping in front of her. “Where are you going?”
As she shrugs and turns away.
I can’t resist the urge to grab her elbow and swing her around to face me, getting lost in her mesmerizing forest green eyes.
“What does it matter to you? Who the hell are you?” she says, shrugging away my touch.
“I’m Jax. Pleasure to meet you.” I grin at her, holding out my palm. She raises an eyebrow, studying me.
“Sofia. I would say the same back, but you’re related to that asshole. So have fun. I’m sure you can all have a good laugh at my expense.” Her chin juts out defiantly.
Stepping closer to her, I notice her eyes widen.
“What did he do?”
She sucks in a sharp inhale. “He’s been sleeping with his best friend’s fiancé.”
She chokes on the words. Instinctively, I put a supportive hand on her upper arm.
“Stupid man,” I whisper. He is no different from my mother. Maybe it runs in the blood.
Her warm palm rests on my forearm. “Yeah, he really is,” she replies, her hot breath hitting my chest.
The rapid beating of my heart pounds in my ears.
She pulls away and I already miss her touch. What the hell is wrong with me? I bring the helmet up, sensing her hesitation and creating a physical divide between us.
“I can take you home.”
At this point, I don’t know what I’m saying or why. All I know is I want her away from my brother. And far away from here. I can already tell she deserves better than him.
“On your bike? How the hell do you suggest that will work in this?” She dramatically tugs on her puffy dress.
“We’ll make it work, don’t worry.”
Ignoring her doubts, I swiftly slide the helmet over her head, muffling her complaints, and take her hand.
As soon as our fingers touch, I feel a jolt of electricity course through me.
I walk us towards my bike, the sound of our footsteps echoing in the air. She stops, her arms crossed, and flips open the helmet that she tilts to the side. “I don’t want to go home.”
“Then where to? It is your special day, after all.”
With a casual shrug, she casts her gaze downward.
I watch as her body shivers.
“Just take me to a bar. I need to forget that today ever happened.”
I let out a laugh. There is absolutely no way I’m letting her walk around New York, wearing a wedding dress, in the feisty mood she’s in.
“You wanna get hammered?”
One of her small fists props into her canted hip. “Why? Are you offering to join me?”
“I know just the place.” I pull off my leather jacket and thread her arms into it.
Sliding back down her visor, I bend down and push up her dress, revealing her smooth, bare legs as I help her up over the bike.
This might be a mistake. A big one. There’s something about her that has me questioning what the hell I’m doing.
But, as I slide in place in front of her, and her thighs hug my hips and her arms wrap around my waist, I know this night is just beginning.
She wants to forget. That’s something I can help with.
