SAVIOR: A Motorcycle Club Romance (2 page)

What the hell was I thinking?

This wasn’t a night to be driving in my ramshackle sedan. The sleet had blotted out half of my windshield. Heavy snowfall obstructed what little vision remained. I had expected several inches of snow but this was a never-ending avalanche of ice.

After hearing about the snow warning, I had packed up my bags and headed straight towards an emergency shelter in the city. The news had made it out to be the last bastion of defense against the incoming blizzard. There would be food, medicine, and everything else needed to survive such a force of nature.

The small town I lived in just wasn’t prepared for a snowstorm of that magnitude. I’d probably end up snowed in at my apartment. My roommate had left for her parents’ place a week ago.

However, the state government had closed down half the highways and declared a state of emergency. The other half were snowed-in. I cautiously drove through one of the few remaining highways that could still support traffic.

As luck would have it, I drove straight into a ditch on the side of the road. I was lucky that my car didn’t flip over. After minutes of fruitlessly hitting the acceleration, I turned on the flashers.

To make matters worse, I wouldn’t be able to get the car back on the road. I had battery power but even that wouldn’t last for much longer. I would have to put the car in neutral, get out, and push it with onto the asphalt. I looked outside the side window and saw snow falling like machinegun fire. Even if I had the strength of a professional weightlifter, the heavy snowfall would make pushing the car a difficult and dangerous task.

I wasn’t stupid enough to wander off into the cold in a desperate bid to get help. Nevertheless, I was on a ticking clock. The heating in the car could only last for so long. My smart phone didn’t get a single bar of reception in this mountainous highway. I didn’t know if I could even last a single day here.

The heavy jacket I had worn earlier seemed like overkill. Now, it didn’t help much against the cold that crept into my car. I needed someone to save me or else I was as good as dead. Unfortunately, I don’t think AAA roamed these parts.

That’s when I heard a tap on the door.

A tall man in a leather jacket stood outside my window. His scarf and the collar of his leather jacket obstructed much of his face. I could only make out his sea-grey eyes. They were alert and intelligent which managed to calm me. For a second, I thought the man was a statue since the cold barely affect him.

He tapped again in impatience. It took me a second to realize he wanted me to lower the side window and talk to me. I took it down just enough for us to speak without the cold getting in.

His voice was deep yet clear as he spoke. “Are you hurt?”

“No, I’m okay,” I replied, my teeth clattering. I didn’t realize just how chilly it was. “I just need to call a tow truck. Do you have a phone I can use?”

“Trust me, no tow truck is going to make it here within our lifetimes,” he said plainly, dashing my hopes. Considering the circumstances, I didn’t know how long I’d live without help. “Between the snow and bends in the road, they’ll have to drive like snails to get here. That’s assuming any emergency vehicles are willing to make the trip.”

I cursed under my breath. “Just my luck.”

“However, I do have landline phone you can use at my place,” he offered. I instantly lit up like a Christmas tree. “The reception here is terrible so it pays to have a direct connection. Where are you heading?”

I leaned in to get a better look at him. His leather jacket had a silvery eagle emblem on it. Metal studs lined its shoulders and gave it an intimidating presence.

He looked like one of those obnoxious bad boys I hated being around back in my hometown. But in the biggest snowstorm of the year, I’d take my chances with him. I needed someone to save me.

“The center,” I replied, my teeth rattling. “Could you drop me at the emergency center in the city? It was all over the news-”

He pointed off into the distance. “The emergency center in thirty-five miles off in that direction. They closed down half the entrances to the city. Assuming we find a decent detour, the traffic alone would keep us from entering it before the day is over.”

“Oh…,” I groaned, my day going bad to worse. “Is there some place nearby I can hole up for the night? Like a motel?”

The man shook his head. “Nothing but cabins and the odd bothy around these parts.”

“A what?”

“A storm shelter but meant for loggers,” he explained, still standing tall in the horrid weather. I don’t think I saw him even flinch when a gust of chilly wind hit him. “However, you’ll need a key to get into one of them.”

I sighed in defeat. “I see…”

The man scanned the interior of my car with his grey eyes. He seemed reluctant to leave me twisting in the cold. “I can offer you a room at my place, assuming you’re interested.”

Normally, I wasn’t as keen on accepting an offer from a stranger, especially one that looked dangerous. However, there was something comforting about the man. Something in his eyes made me trust him.

And it was cold as hell in my car. “Oh, thank you so much!”

“I can’t leave you here… to freeze,” his voice trailed off, almost sounding pained. It didn’t seem like it was from the cold. “I also have a phone you can use to call anyone who is worried about you.”

“Thanks,” I smiled, the warmth returning to my cheeks. “I just need to call my roommate and tell her I’m still with the living.”

I leaned on one of his broad shoulders as he carefully guided me to his jeep. His footing was confident and solid as mine was shaky and unsecure. With him by my side, this powerful blizzard didn’t seem all that bad. When we reached the door of his jeep, I rushed into the comfortably heated passenger’s seat.

The man chuckled at my mad dash into his jeep. I didn’t even know his name but I had just trusted my life to him. There would be time for introductions when we were out of the cold. “I’ll take care of your car. Grab that heated blanket on the dashboard and warm yourself up. If you have any wet clothes from the snow, take them off and put on one the jackets behind your seat.”

He went to my car and turned the flashers off. It gave me a moment to look around his jeep. It was surprisingly clean and well-organized. There were groceries and a first-aid kit in the back seat. There was even a tool kit with some logo on it. It looked like an eagle flying over a motorcycle.

Looking further in the back, I saw something attached to the rear of the jeep. The man had covered it in tarp and secured it to the frame of the jeep with chains and ropes. Squinting my eyes, I made out the outline of a large motorcycle. Putting two and two together, I guessed that he was a motorcycle enthusiast.

Or an outlaw biker.

Taking the driver’s seat, the man returned and took off his scarf. I nearly gasped when I saw his handsome, chiseled features. His lips curved just shy of a heart-rending smile. His dark hair had become messy from the weather but suited him all the same.

The man’s jacket conformed well to his athletic body. He had the look of a rugged outdoorsman who was no stranger to the elements. It was an effortless look for him but one that no men’s model had any hope of replicating.

However, his grey eyes had this strange look of longing. They looked like they hadn’t seen another soul in years. For a moment, I just sat and gawked at him like a schoolgirl.

He got my attention by jingling my car keys. “I brought back your keys but I’ll keep them with me for now. I’ll drop you off at my place and come back for your car later. I’ll see if I can get it out of the ditch.”

“Thank you,” I replied breathlessly, clutching the heated blanket even tighter. It helped cover my blushing. “What’s with the bike?”