Read Grasping For Freedom for Free Online Page B

"Take a ride and even out before you step too far over the line"
    "I know what I'm doing." He tensed, rejecting the reminder about club rules.
    "Stay away from her." Slade shook his head. "Don't use her, or you'll put yourself up against Rain."
    "Rain's good, man," Torque said. "Nothing's going to happen that can't happen."
    His good mood stayed despite Slade's advice meant to tap him down. He had everything under control. Nothing was going to stop him. Brandy was there for the taking, and he wanted her. Hell, he could've had her on the floor of the bar, while she was working. She was that into him.
    "Hey, why don't you come on over tonight. Taylor's fixing dinner. We'll have a few beers, shoot some pool in the garage," Slade said.
    "Got things to do, man." Torque play punched Slade in the stomach.
    "Torque..." Slade's arm fell away from him and his jaw twitched. "Talk to me."
    He laughed. Sometimes the guys were a bunch of oversensitive babies.
    "Nothing to say. I'm not scheduled to work today, and—hey, do you know if I'm on the books to work tomorrow?" he said.
    "Yeah. Pete's got you and me down to work," Slade said.
    "Damn." He shook his head. "Can't do it. I'll call Remmy and have him come in."
    Slade widened his stance. "You need to work and to stay away from the new manager. Rules, brother."
    Torque hopped on his Harley. "Don't worry about what I do...and lighten up. Go grab Taylor and work off some of that stress you're carrying around, or I will have to punch you."
    He rode off, leaving Slade in the parking lot. He needed Brandy worse than he needed the money he'd get for working. The way she reacted in the bar, he'd have no problems keeping her satisfied.
    After flagging down Remmy at the garage, promising him a case of beer and two weekend exchanges, he'd cleared everything from his schedule tomorrow. His night and day were free. To waste time before going back to the bar to meet Brandy, he headed out of town.
    Opening his throttle, he sailed past the cars on I-5. Nothing could catch him with the wind in his face and his responsibilities behind him.
    Fuck his dad.
    Fuck his life.
    Fuck the time wasted, the darkness, the caged feeling that he could never quite shake.
    He stretched his legs, sliding his boots off the pegs. He'd outran his past long ago, but when he least expected it, the panic of all those years wasted crippled him.
    Turning off the exit, he remembered the promised stop to talk with Tori. He calculated the distance he'd already covered, and how long it'd normally take him to make it back to Cactus Cove, and forced a quick turn on in the middle of the road to go to his president's house. If he kept Tori from talking his ear off, he'd make good time and be back at Brandy's cabin to meet her after work.
    When he approached the street where he had to slow down and turn, he passed Rain heading toward town on his motorcycle. He held out his arm, two fingers spread wide, and got the same sign from Rain. He arrived at the house and hopped off the bike.
    "You just missed Rain." Tori stood on the porch and planted her hands on her hips. "Where's your helmet?"
    "Bike." He hitched his thumb over his shoulder and walked up the steps. "Don't lecture."
    "Then don't be stupid with your life." She swatted his arm before patting his chest in friendship. "Did you come to see me?"
    He grinned, unable to stop, because he'd never met a woman who always seemed surprised that others enjoyed spending time with her. "Yeah."
    "Good. Come on in, but be quiet. I just put Lilly down for a nap. She's thinks she's too old to sleep and threw the biggest fit until Rain laid down with her. Then she collapsed," Tori hooked her long blonde hair behind her ear and opened the door.
    Lilly, Rain and Tori's only child, had both her parents' undivided attention at almost two years old. She was also a splitting image of her mom, which had Rain bullshitting nonsense when anyone mentioned his daughter's name. He was happy for Rain and Tori,