Wild Child: A Skull Kings MC Novella Read Online Free PDF Page B

trembling from the night’s excitement. I couldn’t hide how jittery I was from Gabriel. His keen eyes picked up on that right away.
    He shrugged deeply. “Well, I guess now we drink.”
    “What?” I said.
    “Stay here.”
    Gabriel stood up and went around the corner into the kitchen, disappearing from view. He turned on the light and rummaged loudly through the cabinets. A minute later, he was back holding a bottle of whiskey.
    “Won’t Sarah mind?”
    “She won’t notice a nip or two gone out of the bottle.” He took a deep swig. “Wouldn’t want to leave dirty glasses around as evidence, would we?”
    I stared warily at the bottle. I liked to have a beer or some fruity cocktail every now and then, but whiskey straight out of the bottle was just not me. But there was something about seeing Gabriel standing there, extending that bottle toward me like an open hand. Maybe it was the strange night I’d just had. My wad of cash from Tim Hawks was still in my pocket. Had that really been just a mere few hours ago? This didn’t feel like real life anymore.
    “You’re right, I could really use a drink,” I said. “Give me that.”
    Gabriel sat back down beside me, laughing, as I took my first swig. Whiskey pooled on the back of my tongue, delivering a full mouthful of heat. I coughed, and tears sprang to my eyes.
    “It burns,” I croaked.
    Gabriel laughed again, and in spite of myself, it felt good to hear him enjoying my company.
    “You’re not trying to shoot cheap tequila for a quick buzz. Really explore the complex notes of this whiskey,” he said.
    I passed the bottle back, skeptical. “Are you serious right now?”
    “Nah. You just have to learn how to drink like a man,” Gabriel said. He took another deep swig and handed the bottle back to me, looking like it wasn’t any stronger than lemonade.
    I smirked. “Girls can drink, too. Watch.”
    After passing the bottle back and forth a few times, we’d put a noticeable dent in the whiskey reservoir. I had a good little buzz going and could tell Gabriel was, too. He broke away to check his phone, and that was when I realized that Sarah hadn’t come home yet.
    “Was that her?” I asked hopefully.
    “Yeah,” he said as he typed out a quick text. “She says the cops just left. She also got a chance to watch the footage and has an idea, or so she says. She’s on her way now.”
    The little hairs on my arms rose. I suddenly remembered. “That girl in the video...the one who was talking to Gloria before that guy came to shoot her...”
    “Yeah?”
    I started playing with the hem of my shirt. I felt foolish for even thinking it, and I was afraid to admit my hunch, but...
    “She looked a lot like Anna.”
    Gabriel’s eyes focused on an area just over my right shoulder. “I mean, are you sure? The quality of the video wasn’t that great, and it was dark—”
    “I know. But there was a second where she walked under the lamp. It could’ve been anyone, but I’m just saying that she looked like Anna.” I chewed on my lip.
    “You’re really freaked out about all of this, aren’t you?” Gabriel asked softly.
    I nodded. “Kind of.” Then, I laughed. “It’s just...it’s just bananas! I just got here two days ago, thinking I’d bum it around town for a few days before taking off again. Then, I meet you, and Larry shows up at the motel, and some drug dealer I’ve never met who recognizes me in a random bar gets shot, and somehow Anna is involved—”
    “Breathe,” Gabriel reminded me, taking my hands. “Here.”
    Before I knew it, he’d wrapped his arms around my body and pulled me in for a hug. I sat stiffly against him before breaking down and hugging him back. The scent of his leather was comforting, reminding me of home. I closed my eyes and imagined the faces I’d left behind: Liam, Carmen, Aspen, and the rest of the brothers in the club. I tried to remember what had made me leave.
    “You okay?” Gabriel asked softly. His hand