by Hart, Rebel
“You listen to me and you listen good, son. John would’ve never pulled this kind of shit with me. He knew what loyalty looked like. He knew when to buckle down and work, and when to fuck off in his spare time. He knew what family looked like before--”
“--before you sent him out to get shot,” I hissed.
Dad’s eyes widened and I braced myself for another fight. His goonies were pulling themselves off the floor, blood dripping down their faces. Good. They needed to know what the hell came with my father if they were going to keep riding around in cars with that maniac. However, it shocked me when my father released me.
Especially since he stayed quiet.
I narrowed my eyes and dabbed at my forehead. I had blood on my palm, but I didn't feel dizzy. That was good. No concussion, possibly. I did feel blood trickling down my face, though. It would definitely need stitches.
I kept my eyes locked on my father. He stared down his nose at me, as if he were somehow better than all of us. When really, he was the worst of us all. He kept his mouth shut as he backtracked to his car, refusing to turn his back on me. Smart. Because if I had to, I’d kill the man in a heartbeat.
Maybe.
Possibly.
Once I can get Dani’s name out of his mouth.
“We’ll talk soon, son,” he said.
“Not if I can help it,” I murmured.
He and his bodyguards got into the blacked-out car and left, leaving me with new bruises, a fucking mess to clean up, and an anger that made me quake with every step I took.
33
Dani
I smoothed my hands over the black T-shirt and sighed. I don’t know. It just didn’t look right on me. T-shirts were for looser jeans. The tight shirt with the tight pants didn’t fit me well. I felt too cramped up. Too stifled in all the tightness.
I ripped the T-shirt over my head.
“All right. Time to find something else,” I murmured.
I walked over to the few things I had hanging up on hangers and tried to make a decision. I wanted to make the right decision, because when I woke up this morning, I found a note slid under my door. It had nothing but a phone number on it and the letter ‘M.’ And that started my day off better than any cup of coffee could have.
Max left me a note.
I was lucky that I had gotten up before Hannah this morning for classes. If she had found that note, there would’ve been so many questions I still wasn’t prepared to answer. I ended up chickening out at the coffee shop the other day. I had planned on telling her about Max and everything that had transpired. If anything, just to get her take on things. But I’d gotten too paranoid to tell her. Why?
Because even in my head, it sounded insane.
What in the world was I supposed to do? Tell my roommate that the jerk-off biker guy wasn’t terrible and now, after a few weeks, I suddenly wanted to sleep with him? I mean, even Hannah would’ve thrown a fit at that. I decided not to tell her anything. I decided I didn’t want anyone talking any sort of sense into me. I wanted to ride this rollercoaster as long as it would last. Because it was the most excitement I’d ever felt in my life.
And wherever it led--whatever consequences became of it--I’d take it like a woman.
“There we go,” I said with a smile.
I reached into the back of my closet and pulled out a white blouse. It was the only kind of blouse like this I owned. Yet another secret purchase my mother had stuffed into my things before sending me back to campus. But for this particular occasion, it fit what I wanted to do. I slipped the blouse off the hanger and over my head. The flowing fabric caressed my skin instead of adhering to it, and I felt much more comfortable. The tight, black skinny jeans looked great with the fluttering blouse made of soft, silky materials that moved and swayed every time I did. I slipped the leather belt out from my belt loops, since I really didn’t need it. And after sliding the leather coat Max had purchased for me over my shoulders, I smiled at myself in the mirror.
Perfect.
Max and I were going out on a date. A true, bonafide date. Not my first date, but it might as well have been. I was nervous, but in a good way. Adrenaline coursed through my veins as I tried to figure out what kind of shoes to wear with this outfit.
I didn’t seem to have any that looked right, though.
I reached for my phone and turned on the screen. Crap. Max would be here in less than ten minutes. I had no idea where we were going, so I hoped I had nailed the look for the night. If I could just find some shoes that weren’t my darn tennis shoes. Eight o’clock was looming. I knew I’d hear the sound of his bike outside any minute.
“What are you wearing?”
Hannah’s voice stilled me as I whipped around, seeing her standing in the doorway.
“Hey! How were classes today?” I asked.
She quirked an eyebrow. “I’ve never seen that outfit before.”
I looked down. “Uh, yeah. It’s new. Just trying out some different things.”
“I like it. It suits you.”
I snickered. “Yeah. Much better than the black T-shirt I had on earlier. It feels more… me.”
She furrowed her brow. “Uh huh.”
I paused. “What?”
My roommate walked into our room and I took a step back. Uh oh. She had that look on her face. She knew something was up. She knew I wasn’t telling her the whole truth. I felt myself panicking. What in the world was I supposed to do to get out of this situation?
“You have new jeans,” she said.
I nodded. “Yep.”
“And a new jacket.”
“Mm-hmm.”
“Is that a new top, too?”
I snickered. “Something Mom snuck into my clothing bag after Labor Day. I found it after unpacking all my stuff.”
She licked her lips. “You look great, Dani.”
My eyebrows rose. “Really?”
She nodded. “Yeah. You look hot. I mean, I’ve never--I didn’t know you could pull off edgy.”
“Edgy?”
“Yeah. I mean, look at you! Rockin’ the leather coat. The tight jeans. Wait--is that eyeliner you have on?”
I paused. “I might have borrowed it from you. But don’t worry, I didn’t use much at all. And I washed the brush before--”
Her gasp cut me off as she pointed at me.
“You’re going on a date!”
My jaw fell open. “I--you--what?”
She pointed at me. “Danika Young, you’re going on a date and you didn’t tell me about it!”
I held my hands up in mock surrender. “I swear, I’m innocent!”
She charged me until my back fell against the wall. “You tell me right now who it is. You’re a terrible liar. Who is he? What’s he like? And why in the world did you go shopping without me?”
“You really think this outfit looks good?”
Hannah quickly stepped back and pulled me with her. With her hands holding mine, she turned me around, watching how my blouse fluttered. She released my hands and twirled her finger around, signaling for me to spin for her. With my arms out while I held my breath, I did as she asked.
My eyes found hers. “I feel like it might be a little too much. Like maybe I’m trying too hard?”
Hannah bit her lower lip. “You doing anything with your hair?”
“I… was just going to leave it down.”
“That doesn’t really work with a coat like that. It’s going to get trapped underneath the collar and it’s going to be a mess. Rule of thumb for a date: if the top or your coat has a collar, your hair is better off up. Come here, I’ve got a great style that would--”
“It’s not the collar or anything. It’s the helmet.”
I blurted out the words before I could stop myself. And that caught my roommate’s attention.
“I’m sorry, did you just say ‘helmet’?”
Dang it. “I… uh…”
She narrowed her eyes. “Dani?”
“Yes?”
“Who are you going on a date with tonight?”
I shrugged. “Just a guy.”
She wagged her finger at me. “Nuh-uh. That’s not gonna fly. You just said ‘helmet.’”
“I just meant--”
“And you’re wearing a leather jacket.”
“Fall is coming quickly. It’s getting cold.”
Hannah gasped again and I knew I was sunk.
“Are you going out with him?” she squealed.
I winced at the high-pitched sound. “Who?”
“Oh, don’t you dare, Danika. Don’t you even try. You know exactly who I’m talking about.”
“Hannah, don’t freak out.”
“Oh, my God! You are! Mr. Sexy Leather Biker Baddie! You’re going out on a date with him! I didn’t even know you two were talking. How in the world have you been keeping this from me? I feel so hurt. I thought we were friends. When is he supposed to be here?”
I blinked. “Don’t call him that, please.”
“So is that who you’re going on a date with?”
“Hannah.”
“You have to say it.”
“He’s going to be here any minute.”
“Is the leather-clad sculpted mound of muscle on the bike who you’re going out with tonight?”
I paused. “What did you just say?”
She sighed. “Okay, I’m assuming it is. Now, for my next question. Is this the best idea?”
I rolled my eyes. “I have to leave.”
She gripped my wrist. “Hey, cut me some slack. I’m just now figuring out about this and I’m trying to make sure my best friend’s okay.”
“I’m going to be fine. Thanks for your help.”
She spun me around. “He’s not a raging criminal or shit like that, is he?”
I sighed. “He’s not what you think he is, Hannah. And I have to go. We can talk about this later. But right now, I need some shoes and I need to get downstairs.”
“Oh! I have the perfect pair. Here. You can borrow mine.”
She rushed over to her closet and I spun around, reached for the floral-printed scarf my father got me for my birthday last year, and tied it around my neck. A pop of pattern to the muted tones of the white and the black. Hannah turned around with heeled boots in her hands and sighed. She smiled at the scarf before she tossed the boots to me, and my eyes widened at the heels.
“Are you crazy? On the back of a bike?”
She giggled. “Put them on and get out of here. They’re only three inches high. You’ll be fine. And as payment, I expect details when you get back.”
I leaned against my bed and pulled the boots up my legs. I zipped them up, figuring they’d fit me oddly, or be uncomfortable. But the heeled black boots actually made me feel more powerful. I nodded at Hannah as she held the door open for me, leaning against it with a crooked grin on her face.
“Be safe, beautiful,” she said with a wink.
I shook my head as I headed out into the hallway. I took the stairs to try and get used to the heels on my feet. The last thing I wanted to do was trip and fall in these suckers right in front of Max. Hannah was right, though. They weren’t hard to navigate. They weren’t much taller than the one pair of heels I owned, so it didn’t take long for me to feel stable in them. I really hoped Hannah didn’t stay up worrying about me. The last thing I needed was someone blowing up my phone just to figure out what I was doing. Because I knew Max would never hurt me. I knew he’d never put me in danger.
I trusted that more than anything.
I trust him more than anything.
“Rein it in a bit, Dani,” I murmured to myself.
The sound of the bike engine in the distance made me shake. A smile broke out across my face as I pushed out the main glass door and walked across the lawn to stand underneath the broken, flickering lamp light. The engine grew closer, roaring and revving off in the distance. I checked to make sure my phone was in my jacket pocket, along with my wallet and dorm keys. Then I zipped the pockets and fluffed my hair one last time, hoping and praying I looked all right.
My ribcage rumbled as Max grew closer. I smiled when he turned the corner, making his way to me. He puttered to a stop right in front of me, his hands poised to pull his helmet off. When he did, I wasted no time in leaning in to give him a kiss before squeezing him in the biggest hug I could.
I felt him wince.
“You okay?”
Max chuckled. “Never better. Ready to go?”
I pulled back and furrowed my brow at him. “You sure you’re okay?”
His gaze slipped down my body. “I'm great, and you're beautiful.”
I blushed. “Not too much?”
He wrapped his arm around me and pulled me close.
“Never too much.”
His lips captured mine again as my hand landed on his cheek. Our tongues came together as his bike vibrated between his legs, calling for me to get on and forecasting the fun tonight would bring us both. I moaned softly down the back of his throat. Our tongues did battle while his cologne filled my nostrils. I felt his arm tighten around me, making me groan against his lips. As if he couldn't get me close enough. A sensation I adored more than anything else.
Then, once he finally pulled back, he flashed me that charming smile of his.
“Your helmet’s in the storage compartment. Get it and get on.”
And he sure as hell didn’t have to tell me twice.
34
Max
The feeling of her arms wrapped around me. The way she leaned her helmeted head between my shoulder blades. The way her legs clenched on to me. It felt right, having her on the back of my bike. And the way she squealed and laughed as we banked tight corners made me smile.
I never smiled like that with anyone, except her.
I came up to the last light, the one I had to take a left at in order to get to our final destination. But I found myself staying straight instead. I wanted a few more minutes of her to myself, on the back of my bike. Clinging to me, her laughter filling the space around us as I revved the engine and blew through stop signs.
“Woo hoo! Yeah!”
I chuckled at her bombastic sounds.
You’re going soft, Max.
I pushed the thought from my head as I drove farther away from our destination. More time to get back there meant more time to spend with her all to myself, instead of allowing the general public to invade our personal time together. I had half a mind to take her back to my place, to shut her up in my room and tease her with my tongue until she begged me to take what was rightfully mine. I knew I could do it. I knew I could coax it from her. I knew I could give her the time of her life. A moment she’d never regret.
Your father’s on to something.
I growled as I whipped a U-turn in the middle of the road. I heard Dani gasp as she held me tighter, her hands fisting my shirt. I could’ve sworn I felt her fingernails rake against my abs, and it caused me to growl. Heat rushed through my body. A need for her against me rose up the back of my spine. No, I wasn’t going soft. My father wasn’t right.
Dani was exactly what I needed in my life.
This college girl was beauty incarnate for me. Untouched by the darkness of my life. Untouched by any darkness, really. She was safe. Cute. A breath of fresh air. Pleasantly ignorant to the crime that crept up into the corners of poor old Ann Arbor. A blind citizen that still enjoyed something as simple as getting coffee without having to look over her shoulder.
I liked that about her.
You love that about her.
I gnashed my teeth as I pressed onward.
Dani was everything I didn't deserve. She was everything I longed for, and everything I dreamt about at night. All wrapped up in one innocent, clumsy package. She didn’t understand darkness. She didn’t understand the underworld. She didn’t understand abuse and mental illness and all of the things that crept up into the lives of the people around me on a regular basis. To her, the worst thing im
aginable was a stormy night with no power. Or the possibility of being broken down on the side of the road.
I enjoyed her youthful ignorance and her bountiful laughter. I enjoyed everything about her, because she was mine.
Even if only for a little while.
I grinned at the thought. I’d make her mine. Even if she didn’t stick around for the long haul. Hell, even if she didn’t stick around into next week. I’d find a way to get what I wanted. To show her exactly how a man treated a woman like her. She deserved that much. She deserved to have that kind of a bar set in her life. How a man should spoil her. Kiss her. Whisk her away, and make her feel alive. She deserved a man who knew how to rile her up in bed. Who knew how to throw her over the edge until she begged for mercy. And then did it again.
Dani deserved every kind of beauty this world had to offer.
And I was determined to give as much of it to her as possible.
We rode back up to the light and I took the turn I needed to. I was still disappointed at the ride not taking longer than it had. But I tried my best not to show it. I pulled up to the curb and parked in an open space right in front of the pub. With its flickering neon sign hanging crookedly on the brick façade, I put down my kickstand and cut the engine to my bike. Even slid my helmet off to draw in the all-too-familiar scent of stale cigarette smoke and frying grease.
“Brick’s?”
I slipped off my bike and watched Dani take her helmet off.
“Yep.”
She loosened the scarf around her neck. “Well. Uh. This is… not what I expected.”
I heard the nerves in her voice, and it made me chuckle.
“This is my clubhouse.”
She blinked. “Your what?”
“My clubhouse. This is where my crew and I socialize. And I want you to see what it’s like being me.”
The sweetest smile tugged at her lips. “Really?”
I shrugged. “We’re here, aren’t we?”
She slid off my bike. “Well, okay then. I’m honored. But you’re sure I’m not going to stick out like a sore thumb in a place like this?”
