The Switch, Debra Kayn [best books for 20 year olds .txt] 📗

time passed, it became apparent their situation carried risks none of them were prepared for.

He was always aware the controller could switch him, forcing him to end his life. It was only recently he wanted to stop the project from having control over him.

Speeder signaled for him to wait up. He sat on his Harley as the others rode off.

His friend wasted no time. "What am I supposed to do with Trina?"

"Are you thinking about getting her away from Avery Falls?"

"I don't want to lose her, man. She's my daughter."

"Are you sure?" Trip paused. "Have you remembered where you come from?"

Speeder shook his head. "I've tried to remember. I've looked at her, trying to see myself. Trying to see the woman I had a relationship with, and I don't recognize anything. There's just this feeling. I know Trina's my daughter."

Trip had no understanding about how that would feel to have someone walking the earth that was a piece of him. Speeder's worries had to be deeper than Trip's were for Bonnie, and he couldn't imagine the pain.

"I'm thinking of riding off. Maybe I can go far enough away, if they switch me, it won't have any control over me."

"You know that's bullshit." Trip got off his motorcycle. "We're part of the program. We've seen what the other men are put through. What we've put them through. We know the consequences of going against them and what happens if we don't report any changes. We could be halfway around the world, and they can still end our existence."

"Then, what do we do? Fight? Kill them all?"

Trip got back on his Harley. He had no answers.

"We just wait." He locked gazes with Speeder. "We'll figure out what to do together."

He rode down the mountain and headed toward town. More than gathering the nightly profits for the club, he wanted to see Bonnie.

He needed to know she was safe.

Chapter Twenty Five

Johnny popped his head into The Shack. "Bonnie?"

"Yes?" She straightened from tightening the chain on one of the return rentals.

He stepped into the building. "I need you to run over to the clubhouse and pick up a package."

"Sure. No problem." She moved to grab her purse from the desk. "I'll go right now."

"No use wasting gas. Take your e-bike if you want. It's almost lunchtime, so you can take your time."

"Are you sure?"

"Yep."

She smiled, hoping Trip was at the clubhouse and she could see him while she went on her errand. Grabbing the key for her e-bike out of her purse, she went outside. The ride was only a mile away, but she'd enjoy the time.

Slipping the key into the slot, she turned the battery on, then the display. It was her first time riding the e-bike to work. The kids were home which gave her extra free time to enjoy the ten-mile round trip.

She started out on three pedal-assist, crossing the main road. The sun shined down on her, and she was glad she wore shorts. The temperature kept climbing. By this afternoon, it would probably hit the low eighties.

As she pedaled up a slight incline in the road, she changed her gear and clicked up to five pedal-assist. God, she loved the e-bike. It made her feel young again, as if she could ride all day without getting tired.

Spotting the clubhouse ahead, she stood up on the pedals. There were a lot of motorcycles parked out in front. It was impossible to know if one of them belonged to Trip. To her, they all looked the same.

She sat on the seat, and because she was in a hurry, she stopped pedaling and used the throttle, letting the e-bike zoom forward the rest of the way.

Parking off to the side, out of the way of the motorcycles, she hurried to the door. Remembering Trina's advice to go in without knocking, she stepped inside and blinked, letting her vision adjust to the darkness after being in the bright sunshine.

She walked past the entry into the main room. The room full of bikers, she stopped and tried to find a member to ask about the package.

All the men stopped talking and turned toward her. Suddenly, all eyes were on her.

Her heart jumped.

They hadn't casually glanced over to see who walked in the door. They took their time, appraising her.

Out of her element, her stomach fluttered under their scrutiny.

Maybe Trina had given her the wrong information about entering the clubhouse without knocking. Maybe she'd interrupted a sacred meeting or breeched their private property without an invitation.

The polite men she'd met on occasion refrained from stepping forward. With all of them decked out in their leather vest and a sea of denim, every shade between black and blue, they were a scary bunch of guys. She could see why most people avoided bikers.

One man stepped forward, leaving the group. It took her several seconds to realize it was Trip, stealing her breath and making her spine tingle. He approached her in long, determined strides. Once he was in touching distance, she leaned forward and hurriedly said, "Johnny wants me to pick up a package."

His gaze moved over her face in the dimness of being inside the building. He slid his hand behind her neck and tugged until she was pressed against the front of him. She grabbed his leather vest.

It felt a lot like he was telling all his MC brothers she belonged to him. The idea was probably all in her head, but it caused her toes to curl.

"Trip?" she whispered.

He slid his thumb along the front of her neck. Her nipples pressed against her bra. The others in the room dispersed in her mind.

Trip had a way of making sure she understood how he was feeling. Even when he refused to share what he was thinking with her.

A low growl came from him. "We can step outside."

She nodded, forgetting why she came. Instead, she latched on to his hand and followed him out into the sunshine.

Blinking against the brightness was like coming