Verek (Savage Kings MC - South Carolina #3) - Lane Hart Page 0,10
the office that’s painted a bright orange, but I’m sure it’s the kind of place that deals in cash, not cards, and can’t afford a security camera. I doubt Tessa or I will get much sleep tonight, but hopefully we can come up with a good plan for our two locals before we head down to Sneads Ferry.
As soon as I kill the engine on my bike and put the kickstand down, I climb off and ask Tessa, “So, what do you think of your first ride?”
“That was…exciting I guess,” she says, working with shaking fingers to undo her chin strap. “A little scary, but in a good way.”
“You eventually get used to the near-death experience and enjoy the freedom more each time.”
“If you say so,” she replies with an uneasy smile.
“You mind staying right here while I go get us some rooms?” I ask. “I’ll be able to see you from the windows but would prefer if the clerk didn’t get a good look at you in case…”
“In case shit goes sideways?” she supplies.
“Right. That,” I agree because with her red hair and beauty, she’s not someone people forget. “I’ll make it quick.”
“Sure,” she replies, even though I can see the fear in her eyes of being out here in a strange place alone.
“If anyone shows up, I’ll see them coming and be out here before they come within ten feet of you,” I promise.
“Okay,” she replies with a nod, so I start toward the door.
“Verek, wait!” Tessa calls out when I’m about to open the door, making me cringe because I didn’t want anyone around here knowing my name. I freeze, assuming she’s going to insist on coming inside with me, showing the clerk her face, when instead she says, “Just one room not two.”
“You sure?” I ask in surprise.
“Yes. Two beds.”
“Of course,” I assure her, knowing her boundaries.
Inside, an old man with more salt than pepper in his hair and mustache is sleeping in a chair behind the desk, his arms crossed over his swollen belly.
I clear my throat to try and wake him, but he doesn’t budge. If not for the snoring, I would worry he’s dead.
“Excuse me,” I finally say aloud. That has him startling awake, stumbling to his feet.
“S-sorry about that,” he says as he tries to hold his heavy eyelids open. “You need a room?”
“Yes. Two nights, one room with two beds.” I glance outside to make sure Tessa is still where I left her on my bike and do a quick check to make sure no one else is out and about this time of night. The parking lot is still.
“That’ll be eighty bucks,” he says right away, which means the place is probably empty since he didn’t have to check the books. “How you wanna pay?”
“Cash,” I say as I pull out a hundred dollars in twenties from my wallet and place them on the counter. “That extra twenty is to make sure no one bothers me and my, ah, mistress,” I say to make him think I’m here for an affair rather than a double homicide.
The man winks at me. “Maids only clean the rooms when you check out or upon request.” Reaching behind him, he picks up a stack of white towels and hands them to me, then places one of the old-fashioned keys with a big, plastic number nine keychain on top. “Here’s your key and a few extra towels just in case.”
“Thanks,” I reply before I head out, hoping the old man is so tired he won’t even remember this encounter or what I look like in a few hours.
“We’re all set,” I tell Tessa as I walk over to where she’s still waiting. “I’m gonna push my bike behind the building, and then we can walk around to our room.”
“Okay,” she replies.
I know I could’ve just handed her the key to go on inside, but I don’t think she would want to be alone in the strange hotel room even for a few minutes. So instead, I hand her the whole stack of towels and key. Grabbing the handlebars of my bike, I raise the kickstand and then start rolling it toward the back.
Neither Tessa nor I speak while I work to hide my bike. Then we go back around front, and I unlock the door, flip the light on, and do a quick check inside the hotel room.
It’s as empty as I would expect, and the double beds with bright orange-and-yellow striped bedspreads are made