“Fine.”
I know damn well she’s not ready to give up unless she finds a new target.
Once I’m finished dealing with my mother’s matchmaking, I make dinner. Nothing too fancy, but it gets the job done. I’m full as fuck, so I decide to watch some television, but there ain’t shit on. Needing some air, I head out for a ride on my bike.
Passing by the grocery store, which is now closed, I only see one car in the lot and the tell-tale sound of a car not turning over. A head bangs against the steering wheel in frustration. I ride up to the car and cut my engine. Her wide eyes turn to me, and I’m completely taken by surprise.
“Who the fuck are you?” I ask, coming off rude as hell because I already know the answer. She’s mine.
Chapter 2
Mackenzie
“Shit. This thing is total freaking garbage,” I complain, banging my hand on the steering wheel. It refuses to start. How the hell am I supposed to get home? Tears begin to fill my eyes. This day has been a shit show. First, I broke one of the jacks, the second one in almost a week, sending an entire pallet of corn all over the floor and twisting my ankle after trying to run from Mrs. West’s son.
Some would ask why I would run from that sexy hunk of man meat, but I have a past that I’m running from. Nothing too nefarious, but I don’t want to lie to anyone I date. Even if they are super sexy, and I play with myself every night to thoughts of his rough hands on me. I’ve watched him from far away, staring at his handsome face with subtle muscle through his dirty work clothes. His dark hair needs my hands running through them, but I have to resist.
I hear a motorcycle and my first thought is, “I hope it’s a Steele Rider.” They at least have a good reputation with women and wouldn’t harm me. I turn my head and I’m hit with the first up-close look at Mr. West or as he’s called by everyone—Wrench.
“Who the fuck are you?” he barks out, startling me just for a moment, but from the look in his eyes, it’s not anger I see. Lust, feral lust in those pretty eyes. I moan and catch myself, realizing that I’m embarrassing myself. “Open the fucking door, Mackenzie.”
“How do you know my name?” I narrow my eyes, doing my best not to throw myself at the man. He’s truly a danger to my sanity. I want him more than I’ve ever wanted anything.
“It’s on your nametag, Dash.”
“Dash?”
“Yes, you’re always dashing away from me. You have to be the ultimate champion of hide and seek, but don’t fret. I’m about to drop you off at home and have your car towed to the shop.”
“I can’t afford the repairs. I might as well junk it and move to Dallas.”
“Damn, you’d move to Dallas than have to deal with me another day. Sweetheart, I’m flattered, but I’m not going to press you for shit. Consider it payment for my mother harassing you for eight months. God knows she never gets it out of her thick head. Grab your purse and let’s go.” Wow, so he’s not interested in me. Maybe that wasn’t a look of lust I thought I saw. It’s not like I really know what it looks like. I’ve only seen it in movies or read it in books.
“I’ve never been on a bike before.” A smirk spreads across his face. I bet he’s going to purposely ride like the wind to be a jerk since I’ve been hiding from him.
“That’s fine, you’ll get your first lesson. Where do you live?”
“Please, don’t start Dash. I promised to help nothing else. I could leave you here and hope that some sick fuck doesn’t show up.” He starts to walk back to his bike.
“Wait,” I call out, unlocking my door and snatching up my purse. When I look again he’s on the phone. Who is he calling at this hour? His woman? No. His mom said he was single unless he had a date that I interrupted.
“The tow truck will be here in ten minutes. Do you need anything else from your car?”
“No. I’m good.” I throw my purse strap over my shoulder then walk toward him. I rattle off my address and he knows which apartment building that is. I have a roommate just to make the rent, but it’s a nice place. He takes my hand and gets on his bike, helping me climb on back. Nervously, I lift my leg over and slide behind him. “Okay. I’m a little freaked out.”
“Relax. Hold onto me. I’ll take it slow.” He starts his bike and I quickly throw my arms around his stomach a little harder than I should because he lets out a grunt. The heat from his body passes between our clothes and feels so good on me. “Relax, Dash. I promise to go slow.” I cling to him greedily as if it’s the last time we’ll be this close. The wind throws my hair around. I shake as I cling to him. “We’re closer to my garage.” He pulls in down a road and then enters a large lot before turning off the engine. I jump off and then he does.
“What are we doing here? You promised to take me home.”
“I am. Relax. You are fucking scared. I’ll drive you in my truck.” He grabs my hand and pulls me to a large black SUV and helps me inside, strapping me in like I can’t do it myself.
“You didn’t need to switch vehicles for me.”
“I want you to feel safe, Dash.” He gives me an uncomfortable smile as if it took him all his strength to do it before closing the door. Shit. My heart’s getting more involved then I wanted. His mother is truly a gem even though she’s insistent. With a son like him, I’m surprised he’s not taken.
“Ready?”
“Yes. Thank you for this.”
“No problem. I’d lend anyone stranded a hand.” He shrugs and turns the key. I watch his strong hands grip the steering wheel firmly, missing his gentle touch of his hand in mine earlier.
“So how long is it going to take to fix it?”
“Probably a few hours if the problem is simple and we have the part in stock. If not a week.”
“How am I going to get to work?” I blurt out, forgetting my manners. He’s doing me a favor. It’s not his problem how I get to and from work. “Never mind. That was rude. I can find a ride or walk.
A low growl comes from him as his knuckles whiten on the steering wheel. “I’ll drop you off and pick you up.”
“I can’t expect you to do that.” He looks pissed off like he feels forced to do it and I hate that. I never want to feel like anyone’s burden or indebted to anyone again. Memories flood my mind about why I’m living in this small town and I push them back because I only have a few stolen moments with this handsome, grumpy man.
“I’m not asking. What time do you start tomorrow?” He reaches out and squeezes my knee.
Stunned by his hand on my knee, I respond without thinking. “One to close.” Great. Now we have to see each other again. Internally I’m smiling, but I keep my expression flat.
He drops his hand to the gearshift and puts it into park. I hadn’t realized we reached my apartment so quickly. “Okay. I’ll pick you up and then drop you off. If your car’s ready to go, then we can get you squared away by the time your shift ends.” So he’s just as eager to get rid of me as I am to hide from him.
“Thank you, Wrench,” I say, pressing the button releasing the seatbelt when he reaches out to stop me.
“It’s Simon. By the way, I need your number.”
“Sorry, I don’t have one.” It’s dark out so he probably can’t tell I’m blushing, but I am. My face must be entirely red at the moment. It’s really embarrassing to be this poor, and still I wouldn’t change it to go back to my old life. There are worse things than being financially destitute.
He stares at me as if I’m lying, and I guess it is hard to believe, but I broke my last cheap phone and don’t get paid for another week and can’t afford another. Sensing the truth or just giving up, he says, “I’ll be here to pick you up at noon.”
“Thank you, Simon.” A small uptick of his lips shows he’s not as grumpy as he’s leading me to believe. He lets go and this time, I exit the SUV and walk to my apartment building.
“I’ll see you tomorrow,” he calls out. I wave to him and then unlock the main entrance, stealing one more glance at him to s
ee him watching before I close the door behind me.
Once I get upstairs and slip my key through the lock, my roommate’s on the other side wrenching it open and dragging me in. “Oh my God. I can’t believe you’ve finally gotten a man. Who is he? I didn’t get a good look except those muscular forearms and hands that reached out to you.”
“Hi. How are you? How was your day?”
“Oh quit the shit. We’ve known each other almost an entire year. I need gossip. This town is full of secrets and intrigue and yet boring all at the same time. Seriously, I only moved out of my parents’ home in Paxton because I want to live on my own. Well you know what I mean. So dish.”
“Fine. My car broke down at the store. He passed by and had my car towed to his garage and gave me a ride home.”
“His garage? Are you talking about Wrench?” she squeaks, jumping up and down, yanking on my arm.
“Yes.”
“Wow, girl don’t sound too excited. It’s not like you’re not fucking your hand to him every night.” My eyes slap open as I stare, my blush clearly visible in this light. “Don’t look at me like that. It’s not like the walls are made with stone. It’s freaking drywall. I’m not going to tell anyone anyway. Although you need a toy because that’ll get you there a lot faster. Or better yet, let that handsome bastard fuck you dirty.”
“Girl, what has gotten into you?”
“Nothing, but a chance to live vicariously through you.” She’s been wonderful to me. I met her when I left home with nothing more than my car and whatever I could stuff into a gym bag and suitcase. She helped me get a fake ID so they couldn’t trace me, and we moved to a small town which would be easier to pass it off in.
“Actually there’s nothing to tell.”
“He’s promised to fix my car for free to make up for his mom trying to hook us up.”
“Are you serious? She’s trying to get you two together and you’re not already jumping up and down his pole?”
“You know I can’t get into a relationship with him. Besides, he’s not interested either.”
“First of all, he’s totally into you. He’s not fixing it because of her. It’s all about you and it doesn’t explain why you refuse to get into a relationship. It’s not like you have to tell him the truth anyway.”
“I don’t like lying to people, and there’s just something about him that makes me want to bare my soul, so it’s best I keep my distance.”
“You’re nuts. I’d jump all over that man.” I narrow my eyes at her, glaring. “See. You’re running scared. You can’t run forever.” That’s what I’m afraid of.
“I’m going to bed. I’m tired.”
“How are you getting to work tomorrow?”
“He’s picking me up.”
“Yep. He’s more than interested.” She starts singing the wedding march as I walk toward my bedroom. She’s out of her mind, I think to myself. There’s no doubt she’s got to be out of her mind. Someone like Simon wouldn’t want me. Why does he want me to call him Simon then?
I try to push that aside and get ready for bed. After washing my face and brushing my teeth, I strip down to my t-shirt and panties. I have a long week of work if I don’t have my car. The bone-tired feeling that I had when I ended my shift simply disappeared. I closed my eyes and thought about Simon. Biting my lip, I hold back a moan, squeezing my breasts as a reflex. The man has been a menace when it comes to my panties. I’ve watched him shop like a little stalker who never had any intentions of getting caught.
I’m about to slip my fingers under my boy shorts when I remember what she said. “Ugh,” I grumble, slamming my head on my pillow and turning on my side. Damn them all.
Chapter 3
Wrench
I lied. I lied like a motherfucker, and I refuse to take that shit back. The sleeping hours disappeared as I spent the night laying out my plan on how to make Mackenzie fall in love with me. I had to tell myself multiple times to slow down. I call up Cyber and demand a new cell phone with all his tracking information inside it preloaded. My woman not only needs a phone, but I need a way to keep track of her ass so she can’t slip away from me. Now that we’ve finally met, she can’t hide from me anymore.
Smiling, I hop in my truck and drive over to Cyber’s apartment to pick it up. The number is new, but I have access to her text messages and voicemails. It’s sick and not cool by most people’s standards, but I learned that she can be difficult. Now the other woman I have to deal with is just as sneaky. I’m barely outside Cyber’s apartment when she calls. “Good morning, mother.”
“Good morning. I just wanted to say that I’m going to stop harassing you.”
“Good. I actually met the mysterious Mackenzie last night. We didn’t hit it off at all, so I’m glad you’re not pushing that anymore.”
“What? How could you not?” I smile because I know damn well she had a plan B ready.
“She’s cute, but I’m not interested in her. I can’t make a baby if I can’t get it up. So sorry. Nice try though. I’ve got to go. Business is calling.” I end the call and ring Cyber’s doorbell.
“Come on up, Wrench.” The door buzzes open and I take the steps to the second floor and knock. He opens it and we fist bump. “So what the hell is the need for the phone with all the secret bells and whistles? Has another Rider been struck down with the caveman disease?”
“You got me on that.”
“I want to be that lucky.”
“You don’t think we’re crazy?” I know I feel fucking crazy.
“Not at all. If I got to have constant sex with a woman who I loved, I’d be all over her and you’d have a much harder time getting shit from me.”
“One day. For a while I thought you had something with Roxie.”
“Everyone did, including her husband. I just take care of the women close to us like any of us would. I just happened to be involved from Martin’s side as well.”
“I get it.”
“So Boomer said you’re going to be working on vehicles for Ghost and Grace.”
“Yeah. My guys have already started the upgrades. It seems we’ve done so many we could have our own brand if we wanted.”
“You’d need an assembly line because they’d be selling faster than you could make them. How’s the software holding up?”
“Great, actually. I feel like everything’s under complete control. I can manage the shop from anywhere. You should market that baby.”
“Yeah, I’ve considered it. I could shop out the rights to a big company, looking for a new product, but for now our companies benefit from the software only.”
“Speaking of, I’ve got to be out. I have to tell the guys what I need then, I need to pick up my woman before she gives me the slip again.” I leave with my new package and head back to the shop. By the time I arrive, I see her little four-door coupe in the lot, waiting to be taken care of by the guys.
“Good morning, Wrench. What’s with the twenty-year-old beater right there.”
“Shane picked it up from the store lot. I need it analyzed and repaired as soon as possible. It’s not turning over.”
“Understood. Should I push back the restore a couple of hours?”
“Yeah, we’re making good time on the restore. Thanks, I’ll do the work myself after I come back from running an errand.”
“Sure thing.”
I head up to my office and check my emails and messages, clearing up my schedule for a few hours, so I can get my woman some food before picking her up. Shit, I can’t believe how fucking lost I am over her. One look in the dark with just the light beaming from the parking lot fixture and my heart had decided she’s mine forever.
When it’s time for me to go, I take my stuff and clean my truck. Last night I wasn’t bothered because it was dark, but in the light of day, it’s filthy. The extra twenty-minutes is worth it in the end. I arrive at her apartment at eleven thirty just in case she tries to run. I’m just about to ring the bell, but a petite woman walks
past me and opens it. “You’re Wrench, right?”
“Yes, I am.”
“I’m Sarah, Mac’s roommate. Come on in, she’s probably still in bed. She didn’t get a lot of sleep.” She smiles and unlocks the door. I follow in to see Mac’s purse on the counter, reassuring me that this chick isn’t lying. “Relax, dude. Come in, I’ll go check on her.” She puts her bag on the counter and a personal massager slides out onto the table. I turn from it quickly because I’m not interested in the roommate and don’t need to see her toys.
“No wonder you haven’t made a move. I thought for a rider you’d be a little less freaked out seeing a vibrator. It’s for Mac. I’m betting her hand is getting tired of strumming to thoughts of your dick every night.”
“What?” I sputter out.
“I got her a present. She’s so stubborn, but every girl needs one of these. Even a virgin.” She waves the box around and all I can think about is Mackenzie with her hand between her legs calling out my name. My cock wakes up to that idea. Shit, anything to do with her has me irrationally hard. In the middle of setting up my plans for the future with Mackenzie, I jerked off three times. The fucker just wouldn’t stay down.
“She’s not petting herself to me,” I argue. The thought of her doing it for anyone else pisses me off.
“I’m pretty sure she is; unless there’s someone else named Wrench.” She winks at me.
“Simon,” Mac calls out from the hallway entrance to the kitchen. I turn to see my beauty with her hair freshly washed, hanging over shoulder in just a tank top and a pair of boy shorts that barely covers her pussy lips. I want to drop to my knees and spread her wide this very second, but I hold back. Fuck, she’s too sexy. I’m doing everything I can to not run to her side. I don’t need my little woman running off.
“Dash,” I choke out. My dick’s so damn hard that it’s not hard to miss. She notices it and so does her roommate.
A light giggle comes from the roommate. “I told you he isn’t doing it to just be nice. He’d probably like to bend you over the hood of your car.”
Wrench: A Steele Riders MC Novel Page 2
