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

SHE SNIFFED, WIPING at her eyes. "Only happy tears, Grandpa Gene," she whispered.

I'm hoping everything you learned while staying with me helped you grow up to be a happy woman who found your strength in the world around you. Since you've read my journal to the end, you might be wondering what happened to the money I received. It's safe and yours.

There's a key in an old tin underneath the removable vase in your Grandma Trudy's headstone. I pray Avery Falls Motorcycle Club honored our agreement, and you'll find it still at the base of the mountain. Use the key over at the bank in St. Maries to open the safety deposit box. I never wanted you involved with what was happening on our mountain, but that money will help you get an education and set you up in life when you graduate. My only hope now is to join my love again, knowing my daughter and granddaughter are happy.

SHE FLIPPED THE PAGES, going back in the notebook. She'd have to reread it all to see if she missed anything. Grandpa Gene never wrote down what the government officials were doing on the mountain or how Trip and the other bikers were involved.

The parts she'd skimmed had to do with odd sightings, flashes of light, and the feeling that there were people on the property. If she hadn't known Grandpa Gene, she would've believed they were the ramblings of an old man. But Grandpa Gene was one of the smartest men she'd known.

Setting the book aside, she stretched out on the bed. Her mind continued to go in circles with all the information he'd given her. Trip couldn't possibly be involved in something sinister with the government. He was a biker. The Avery Falls Motorcycle Club had grown the area into a thriving town—something Grandpa Gene hadn't seen completed in his lifetime.

Her first instinct was to run to Trip and share with him what she'd found. He would have the answers.

But she knew there was something she had to do first.

If the key Grandpa Gene left was in her grandma's headstone, and there was money in a bank in the next town over, she needed to find out what was going on.

She closed her eyes, knowing she needed to get a couple hours of sleep before she had to work in the morning.

Chapter Twenty Nine

Trip walked out of the clubhouse, intent on getting to Bonnie before she left work and headed home. It wasn't his day to pick up the profits, but he'd spent all day inside the cave, administering the training with Keenan.

"Trip, hold up," said Prez.

He stopped and looked behind him, seeing the clubhouse's door open, and then Prez jog out. Looking around to see if anyone else had witnessed him hearing Prez before it was humanly possible, he relaxed. They were alone.

Prez stopped in front of him. "How are you going to hide Bonnie moving in with you?"

He'd announced to the others earlier of his plans. None of the originals, or those who'd graduated from the program, had brought a woman into their life permanently.

"I'll watch over them and make sure no one associated with the Alpha Bio Project finds out."

"They'll know."

He clenched his teeth. "It's better than having her stay up on the knoll by herself with the boys. I'm not going to let anything happen to them."

"What if you get switched?"

"Then, she has everything I leave her." He looked off into the distance. "I can't explain it. But I can't leave her. I can't walk away."

"That's the difference between you and me." Prez clamped his lips together and sighed. "We're the only two originals taking five pills a day. Why isn't it happening to me?"

He had no answer. Nothing about the changes happening to them was going like the Alpha Bio Project was planned. "At least the training is going smoothly now for the others."

The men in the cave had advanced to the next stage. Today was the last day Trip had to use the electrical shock on them.

"I need to go." He walked off, leaving Prez standing in front of the clubhouse.

Hopping on his Harley, he roared the engine to life and rode toward the main road. If he could work it out with Bonnie, he wanted her at his house, or hell, he'd go to her.

He pulled into the parking lot in front of The Shack. Toeing his kickstand, he was off the bike and strolling inside before he took a good look around.

She stood behind the table with her back toward him, putting a flyer up on the note board. He gazed down and back up, taking her all in.

His cock pulsed to life, something he was getting used to happening around Bonnie and a welcoming side effect of his changes.  It gave him a sense of belonging over a life that he was learning was out of his control.

She looked over her shoulder and smiled. "I didn't know you were here. You're so quiet."

He approached her, leaning down and giving her a kiss. "Just arrived."

She frowned. "Are you picking up the pouch? I still have fifteen minutes until I close."

"No, Steven will be by." He inhaled deeply and wrapped her in his embrace, trying to slow the beating of his heart. "How's Kenny?"

"All better. He woke up hungry. I ran home during my lunch break to check on him, and he and Zach were deep in one of the games they play on the phone." She looped her arms around his waist. "It was probably all the excitement over going to your house, the swimming, and pigging out on pizza. Nothing that will hurt him."

"Good." He widened his stance, bringing her closer, pressing his pelvis against her. "I want to see you tonight."

Her lower lip popped out. "I promised the boys we'd have a little adventure this evening."

"Yeah?"

She tilted her head higher. "We're going on a scavenger hunt."

"What's that?"

"You know, hunting for an object