Abruptly, Vin lost his train of thought, the past getting submerged by the seizure’s command of his mind and body, his consciousness ebbing more than it was flowing….

A gunshot. Ringing out and echoing. Someone falling. A body dropping on a thunderous bounce. A gunshot. Ringing out and echoing. Someone falling. A body dropping on a thunderous bounce…

Just before he passed out, the vision crystallized in his mind’s eye, no longer just sounds but bona fide images…a sand castle being formed by the wind instead of worn away by it: He saw Marie-Terese with her hands up as if she were trying to protect herself, her eyes wild with terror, her mouth opening in a scream.

And then he heard the shot going off.

CHAPTER
19

About an hour after Adrian and Eddie showed up and made their hands available, Jim slung his leg over the old bike and turned the key. Planting the sole of his work boot on the strike pedal and slamming his weight down, he didn’t have any real faith the thing was going to—

That trademark Harley growl sprang to life immediately.

As he cranked the throttle, the engine vibrated between his legs and he had to shout over the din. “Christ, Ad, you did it.”

Adrian grinned as he wiped his greasy palms on a red chamois cloth. “No problem. Let’s take her for a spin and check the brakes.”

Jim rolled the bike out of the garage and into the sunlight. “Let me get my helmet.”

“Helmet?” Adrian mounted his hog. “Never thought you were an Eagle Scout.”

Jim came back out with his black-and-hard. “Avoiding head injury is not a pussy move.”

“But you gotta think about the wind in your hair, my man.”

“Or the electrical plugs that’ll keep you alive afterward.”

“I got the dog,” Eddie said, as he got on his own and held out his hands. The instant the opportunity presented itself, the little guy took a flying leap and parked it on the leather wrap over Eddie’s tank.

Jim frowned, thinking he wasn’t loving that. “What if you get into an accident?”

“I won’t.” As if the laws of physics didn’t apply to him.

Jim was about to kibosh the deal when he saw how psyched Dog was to be on board, his claws curled into the cowhide like bliss was making his toes tingle, his tail going as fast as his butt would allow.

Plus, as the big man took the handlebars, his arms bracketed the animal.

“Just be careful with my damn dog. That animal gets hurt and you and I are having words.”

Well, wasn’t he turning into a good owner.

Strapping on his helmet, he drew on his leather jacket and straddled his bike. As he cranked the gas, his ride gave out a nasty, low cursing sound, and the power of all those horses rumbled up through his body.