He beamed at her, and just like that, her heart started beating a little faster. This man looked good in anything. Under the afternoon light, his eyes looked bluer. She wanted to run her fingers through his short, salt-and-pepper hair. To kiss those lips again. She’d allow Iron to corner her against the wall and—stop, she reminded herself. She needed to get her mind out of the gutter. Pronto.
“I’m glad to see you again,” he said.
“Me too,” she answered.
“Give me five minutes to clean up,” he said. “I’ll be right with you.”
“Sure, take your time. I’m not in a rush or anything,” she answered.
“Perfect.” Iron flashed her a row of his straight and white teeth. He seemed so comfortable being around her that he undressed right in front of her. Amber blushed as he peeled off his coveralls, revealing the impressive and hard muscles of his chest, his six-pack abs. His entire body was a work of art, covered in black ink she wanted to trace with her fingers. He grabbed a rag to clean himself off, then he put on a clean shirt.
“Sorry to keep you waiting,” he said.
“Oh, I don’t mind,” she said. Was it her imagination or did it get hotter there?
“I just need to lock up,” he said. On their way out, he grabbed his leather jacket and put it on. After locking the shop, he turned to her. He eyed her, and this time, she welcomed the attention. “You look good.”
“Not too ridiculous with my scarf?” she asked him.
“I know what you’re trying to hide, but you needn’t bother with me.” Iron’s gaze turned oddly intense. It was like he could see right through her, and that scared her a little.
“What do you mean by that?” she whispered.
Iron approached her. She stilled like a hare caught in a trap, but he only reached for the end of her scarf and undid it, revealing the fading bruises on her neck.
“My daddy had a nasty temper. My momma had to wear souvenirs of his rage for years,” he said in a soft voice.
“What changed?” she asked, not expecting those words. Did he help her out last night because he recognized a survivor?
“When I was old enough to defend her and myself, I put a bullet between his eyes using his own gun,” he said conversationally. The casual way he said those words sent a chill down her spine, reminding her she wasn’t just dealing with a normal man. For all the kindness he displayed last night, he was still a man who thrived and lived on violence.
“Good,” she said. “Men like that deserved to be put down.”
Her vehement response shocked her to the core. David kept a gun in his dresser. It was for their protection, he said, although it only later she found out that she was living with a monster. If she possessed the same grit and courage Iron did, she would’ve closed her fingers on that gun and ended David’s life.
She shuddered.
“So, you think you know everything about me?” she asked him.
“I’ve barely scratched the surface,” Iron replied. He tipped her chin using his two fingers. Amber didn’t drop her gaze and met his stare with a challenge. He laughed softly. “Amber, I don’t know the whole story, but I know you’re brave and determined. You’re a fighter, and I like that about you.”
Her heart thudded. “No one’s ever called me brave before. I’m far from that. All I did was run from the bastard who hurt me.”
“Those in your position start losing the will to live, so they remain stuck with their abuser for years,” he said. “You should be proud of yourself.”
He looked like he wanted to kiss her, but he hesitated at the last second and released her. Disappointment filled her. Iron’s past might be shrouded in mystery and violence, but underneath that strong body beat a good heart. Iron was the exact opposite of David.
“You promised me a ride,” she pointed out, wanting to change the topic. To her shame, her stomach let out a growl.
“Let’s grab a bite first,” he said. “My bike’s just parked right across the road.”
“I’ve never ridden a motorcycle before,” she said, eying his bike with apprehension. It looked like a beast of a machine.
“Don’t worry. I’m a safe rider.” Iron took out two helmets from the compartment in the back of his bike. He put his helmet on, then helped her put on the other one. He tugged the strap under her chin, then mounted his bike. “Put your feet right there, then hold on to me tight. Easy enough, ain’t it?”
“Sure,” she whispered, hugging his big body tight. Motorcycles were death machines, Amber remembered a newscaster saying once on TV. There were almost 5000 accidents in the country alone last year. “I’ll be fine.”
“Of course, you will be. I’ll keep you safe,” he said.
Damn. She said those words out loud, didn’t she? The rumble of Iron’s bike made her cling to him even tighter. Then they were off. Certain he wouldn’t just let her fall off, Amber started to relax. She even found herself enjoying the ride. They zipped past cars, the early afternoon traffic, and got off the main road. The town soon faded away. Trees bordered either side of the road.
Iron stopped in front of a steakhouse on the side of the road. After parking his bike, he led her inside, holding her hand. She stared at his big paw for a few seconds and felt like a teenager again. Iron noticed her looking. He almost dropped her hand, but she grabbed it again. It was so big and warm. Just like him.
“Table for two, Iron?” the waitress asked, glancing at the two of them.
“One by the window if there’s any left, Irene,” Iron responded.
Irene led them to an unoccupied booth in the back, one that faced the parking lot and the forests beyond. They sat down. Amber touched her neck, then dropped her hand. Iron didn’t seem concerned about the bruises, but what about the other patrons? She shivered and rubbed at her arms.
“You cold?” Iron didn’t wait for her answer. He took off his jacket and stood up only to drape it over her shoulders. Amber put her hands through the sleeves. His jacket smelled of cigarette smoke, grease, of the soap he must’ve used that morning. Of him. He zipped it up, and she was warm as a glass of brandy. Iron sat back down.
Amber studied her menu, and Irene soon returned with two glasses of water.
“What will it be?” Irene asked them.
“Daily special,” Iron told her.
“What’s the daily special?” she asked.
“Philly cheesesteak sandwich with fries and coleslaw. Also comes with a free iced tea,” Irene replied.
“Sounds good. I’m getting the same,” she said.
“I’ll be back with your orders,” Irene said, leaving the two of them alone.
“Did you have a good sleep last night?” he asked her.
“No. I’ve been having nightmares lately,” she said. Amber didn’t know why, but she couldn’t lie to him. Why bother, when this man could clearly read her like an open book?
“Of the asshole who gave you those?” he asked, nodding to her neck. “Want to talk about it? Getting what’s troubling you off your chest would make you feel better.”
“I don’t know. I doubt it’ll make for a good conversation topic.” Amber knew bottling everything inside would eventually make her explode someday, but it didn’t seem fair to unload all her troubles on him.
“Let’s start with something simpler then. Tell me about your family. Where did you go to school? What do you do for a living?” he asked.
“You sure have a list of questions for me, don’t you?” she asked with a laugh.
“I want to know everything there is to know about you, Amber.”
“Why?” David had once said those very words only to use her weaknesses against her.
Iron’s different, she reminded herself.
She leaned against the booth. “Okay. Let’s see. My mom raised me on her own after my dad left when I was five. I got my high school diploma at Brooklyn Academy Highschool. My mom died soon after that. Cancer.” She sucked in a breath. The sting of her mom’s death stil
l hadn’t left her, even after all these years. Amber went on. “I went to college but dropped out during my second year because I realized college wasn’t for me. I’m a self-taught freelance graphic designer—or at least I used to be.”
“Used to be?” Iron said.
“I had to stop work because…” She faltered. Because after losing Michael, she fell into the darkest depths of depression. He reached for her hand across the table.
“If it’s hard, you don’t need to tell me anything.”
“I want to,” she blurted. “I feel like I could trust you. Isn’t that odd? We’re practically strangers.” Amber was drawn to him in ways she didn’t quite understand.
“I won’t betray your trust, Amber. What you tell me today stays between us,” he said.
That was good enough for her.
“I fell into a funk,” she finally admitted. “I had to deal with some personal stuff and couldn’t focus on work anymore.”
“Is that why you came here? To get away?”
She nodded. “From work, from David, from my recent loss.” She didn’t elaborate. This was getting heavy for a lunch date.
Irene returned with two heavy platters. Once Irene set her plate down, Amber lifted her sandwich and took a big bite. She groaned. “Oh, this tastes amazing,” she said, taking another bite.
“I’m glad you liked it, sugar,” Irene said, smiling at her for the first time since they entered. Irene left.
“It’s nice to find a woman who appreciates food as much as I do,” Iron said. “You should eat more. You’re all skin and bones.”
“I lost some weight,” she admitted. “But I’ve regained my appetite again.”
“Good to hear. I know all the best non-touristy eats in town,” Iron said. “You like bacon cheeseburgers?”
“Who doesn’t?” Wait. Did Iron just ask her out on another date? She certainly didn’t mind.
This biker could be intimidating at times, but he understood her. He even said he wanted to know her better. Sex wasn’t all he was after. When she met him last night, she thought she could use a rebound fling, but after one date, she knew he could be more.
She shouldn’t get her hopes up, shouldn’t let him past the walls she put up. Too late for that, she mused. Little by little, Iron was making his way past her defenses, and she didn’t want to keep him out.
Chapter Five
After lunch, they went for a ride in the countryside. Iron thought he’d imagined the magnetic pull between them last night. That after their date today, he would realize he was crazy for thinking she might just be old lady material. He was wrong. Spending more time with her, getting her to open up, only made him want her even more.
She rested her head against the curve of his back. Iron thought he preferred to ride alone, but having Amber behind him, small, warm, and nice—he changed his mind. At first, she didn’t seem too keen on getting on his bike, but he could feel her enjoying herself. Iron took her to his favorite spot to think, a hill overlooking the town. He didn’t encounter anyone on the roads. It was just the two of them. Once they arrived at their destination, he stopped his bike and waited for her to get off before dismounting.
After he took their helmets, she asked him, “Where are we?”
“Pineview Hill. There’s a short hike up ahead of us, but trust me. The view’s worth it.” She wore sneakers today. Perfect. He held out his hand to her, and he grasped his fingers. Together, they made their way up to the top. Amber dropped his hand, walked toward the edge, and gasped.
“Iron, it’s so beautiful up here,” she murmured.
Iron stood beside her and gazed at the row of trees beneath them. Just beyond the forest was Redemption.
“You know, before I decided to come here, I thought all small towns were scary. Been reading too many thrillers, I guess.”
“Why did you pick Redemption? It’s not exactly a tourist destination,” he said. Iron loved his hometown to pieces. He was born and raised here. Iron could imagine growing old here with his old lady by his side. Shit. His mind was taking him to terrifying places. Amber and he had only known each other for a day.
“I choose it at random. I didn’t even do any research,” she said. “All I wanted to do was get away.”
“From David?” he asked.
She mentioned his name during their earlier conversation. If she was kind enough to drop his social security number and last name, Iron could go to work. He’d hunt this fucker down, teach him a lesson he’d never forget.
After making sure David experienced the same hell that his woman had, Iron would gut him open like a fish. Then bury his body somewhere where even the authorities would never find it. He’d done something similar for his club plenty of times.
“David’s now in the past, as long as he won’t go looking for me.” She let out a shudder. Amber still had his jacket on, but he knew she was experiencing a different kind of cold.
“If he comes looking for you here, that’ll be the biggest mistake of his life,” he said.
“Iron,” she whispered. “We barely know each other. What if I’m secretly a serial killer?”
“Did you just make a joke?” he asked, amused. He shook his head. “You made an excellent point, but there’s an easy fix for that.”
“What?” she asked him.
“We spend more time together. See if there’s potential between us,” he said, cupping her cheek. He liked how she automatically leaned into his touch like a needy animal.
“Potential for what?” she asked in such a quiet voice, as if she didn’t want to hear the answer.
“To be more.”
“I barely escaped a horrible relationship. You can’t expect me to give my trust so easily,” she told him.
“I’m a patient man. We’ll go slow and easy.”
“After Mary told me an MC controlled this town, I didn’t plan on staying long,” she said.
“Sure, there are a few bad seeds in the club, but I’ve known most of the guys in the MC for most of my life. We all have records, but that doesn’t mean we’re all bad,” he said, his tone coming off a little defensive.
He couldn’t help it. He and his MC brothers had often been painted as the villains by some of the locals. Truth was, if the Fallen Saints MC didn’t claim Redemption as their turf, it would’ve been overrun by local gangs who’d run the town to the ground.
“If they’re all like you, then I’ve changed my mind,” she said.
“Baby, there’s no one like me.” Realizing his hand was still on her cheek, he pulled away.
Amber surprised him by grabbing his fingers, then kissed each one. He stared at her. What was he going to do with her? He’d become officially obsessed with this woman.
“Sorry, didn’t know what I was thinking,” she said, dropping his fingers. “It’s getting dark. Shouldn’t we be heading back?”
“How about some dinner before I drop you off?” he suggested. They slowly made their way down the hill.
“Dinner? You’ve already treated me to lunch. My treat?” she asked.
Noticing two unfamiliar bikes parked alongside his own, a warning bell sounded in his head. Iron stepped in front of Amber, shielding her from the two men in leather jackets smoking in front of his bike. Iron didn’t know them, but he recognized the patches they wore. These assholes were from the Skull Riders MC. Amber gripped the back of his shirt, probably terrified.
“Hey, Iron. How’s things going? Oh, who’s the little lady hiding behind you? One of your club whores?” drawled a familiar voice.
No one called Amber a whore and got away with it. Iron wanted to break the bastard’s nose, but he culled his temper. Two against one put him at unfair odds. Iron could take them, but he had Amber to consider. Besides, he didn’t know what they wanted yet. The Skull Riders MC and their MC had worked out a deal. In exchange for guns, the Skull Riders allowed them passage through their road to make deliveries easier.
They weren’t exactly allies, especially
not after Devil killed the brother of the Skull Riders MC President in cold blood. They didn’t have any proof Devil ended the bastard, but they had their suspicions.
That voice sounded familiar. He studied the older of the pair. The man was in his late forties and had a wolf tattoo inked on his neck. His face looked more weathered, and he had gained a bit more weight.
“Is that you, Rat?” Iron asked.
Rat scowled. Iron hit the mark. Rat had once been a Fallen Saints MC patch. Two years ago, Rat pissed off a drug cartel leader and nearly dragged the entire club with him to hell. After that fiasco, Saint told him to hand over his leathers and never show his face in Redemption ever again.
“You’re with the Skull Riders now, huh?” Iron remarked.
“That’s right. The Skulls will always have my back,” Rat said.
“What do you want?” Iron asked.
“Who’s the pretty girl?” Rat asked.
Iron didn’t like the way he and his friend were looking at Amber with undisguised interest. “None of your damn business. Don’t make me ask again. What are you doing in Fallen Saints MC territory?” Iron As far he knew, neither Rat nor his companion had permission from Saint to enter their lands.
“The cat’s out of the bag, Sting,” Rat told his friend. He looked Iron right in the eyes. “Skull sent us here to investigate.”
“Investigate what? You aren’t stupid. You and your pal are trespassing on Fallen Saints MC land,” Iron said. Did he need to drag out every answer from Rat?
Rat smirked. The bastard is enjoying this, Iron thought, pissed.
“What are you going to do, old man? It’s two against one. Make one wrong move and your pretty lady becomes collateral damage,” Sting said.
Iron unthinkingly drew his gun from its holster and pointed it at Sting. Sting froze, turning pale.
“Threaten her again, and I’ll put a bullet between your eyes,” Iron said in a cold voice.
Rat raised both his hands. “Hey, there’s no need for guns. Put that away.”
“Not until I have my answers,” he said, keeping his gun pointed at Sting.
“Fine. We’re here to find out what really happened to Carl. That’s all. Skull believes you all lied to him,” Rat said. “Carl’s a piece of work I’m told, but he was important to Skull.”
Bending Iron (Fallen Saints MC Book 5) Page 3
