Just Ride Black Rebel Riders' MC Volume 1

by Glenna Maynard

  "Hey," I holler at my brother, "does Baby need a ride over?"

  "You go ahead. I'll swing by and get her."

  Baby

  I wake up to a loud banging on the door. Cracking my eyes open, it feels as though I just went to sleep. Striker is cursing under his breath and our bodies are tangled, his legs are wrapped in mine, his firmness poking me in the rear. Oh shit, it wasn't a dream, as I feel my chest, realizing I am still naked from last night. He kisses me on the forehead and tells me to go back to sleep, but how in the hell can I sleep now, as memories of him and what we did last night flood my mind. My cheeks heat along with other parts of me as I relive his touch, the sweet things he said to me. I'd like to have an encore of his performance last night.

  I shoot straight up in the bed as I hear Rebel's voice yelling for Aspen, and then I feel like I was just punched in the gut, as I hear Striker telling him he spent the night with no one he would know. I mean, I didn't expect him to just come out and say I slept with Baby last night, but it still stings. We didn't talk about anything, I don't know if he wants anything to come of this but, I hope he does after the things he confessed, the feelings he professed he has felt for me for years.

  Striker comes into his bedroom and tells me we will talk soon. I know he is leaving this morning, but I don't know...he is giving me the brush off and it hurts.

  "Don't worry. I'll make sure no one sees me leaving." I stand with the sheet wrapped around me and start looking for my clothes.

  "Baby, I don't mean it like that. It's just this is a bad time ye know. I am running late—I promise I will call you when I get to Chicago. Don't leave angry okay? I don't want to leave things weird between us."

  "Then don't make them weird." I kiss his cheek and let him walk out of the door as much as it hurts, I know I have to let him go.

  As I am getting ready to leave, Striker comes rushing back up the stairs. For a moment, I think he is back because he is going to apologize. "Hey, I feel like an ass, but you promised you'd be at family breakfast this morning." Not the apology I was hoping for, but it is a start.

  "I look and feel like shit, and I am not very hungry."

  "For me, for Mom, she misses you." Striker knows how to press my buttons and when he gives me that puppy dog face, I can't say no.

  "If you'll go to my car, I have a bag with a change of clothes in it."

  **

  Riding on the back of Striker's soft tail, I only wish I could always be the one riding back here, but I know he is going to Chicago and Aspen will be there and he will stay with her, they have history, we shared one night.

  When we get to Foxie's there is more people here than I anticipated. I thought it would be Foxie, Trouble, Rebel, and us. But it seems Striker failed to mention Aspen and Rumor were going to be here. Striker parks his bike, and I take off my brain bucket. He walks up onto the porch and Aspen jumps in his arms wrapping her legs around his waist. "I missed you last night what happened to you? I thought we were going to hangout after I left dinner at my parent's house." She plants a kiss on his lips, the lips that were all over me hours ago. Striker looks caught off guard, maybe he didn't know she'd be here, and it sounds as though he blew her off to be with me.

  "I..." he stutters trying to think of a lie and it makes me angry, although I know he doesn't want to cause a scene, but damn it, can't he say, ‘Baby is my girl now, bitch, get the fuck off me?’

  Foxie interrupts saving him face. "There's my girl, get over here and give me a hug. You are bones, see what happens when you stop coming by and letting me feed ye. I know Sunshine can't cook for shit." Foxie wraps me up in her arms, and I almost cry when I realize how much I have missed her. She moved out of the trailer she shared with Slim after the boys did, said it didn't feel like home anymore. She now has a small place off the freeway near the Fox's Den. I have stayed away for many reasons, and now it seems as though Striker just gave me another reason to put more distance between us.

  Inside, we all sit wherever we can fit. Aspen sits by Rumor at the counter. I sit at the table with Foxie and Trouble. Rebel and Striker are leaning against the counter where their girls are. I can't help but watch them all, wishing I was the one over there with Striker. I can feel the anger, the hurt bubbling up inside of me. The longer I watch, I can feel the tears pricking at the corner of my eyes.

  "You okay?" Foxie follows my eyes, thinking I am looking at Rebel and Rumor, but she has no clue that her other son has my heart, squeezing the life out of it.

  "I just feel so awful that I haven't been by to see you," I lie, trying not rip apart inside and make a scene.

  "Well, you know you always have a place at my house. My door is always open." She hugs my shoulders and the tears I was holding in leak out. Aspen feeds Striker a piece of bacon and it is more than I can take right now. I shove back from the table and walk out onto the porch. I have lost what little of an appetite I had left.

  Trouble joins me on the porch, he wraps his arms around me, not knowing what in the hell I had an outburst over. "Can you take me home?" I can't stay here and watch as Striker plays the perfect boyfriend. I don't know why I am so upset, he made no promises to me, and I didn't ask him to.

  "Sure, give me a minute." Trouble goes into the house to arrange to meet up with the guys in a few minutes to start their trip. I don't have the energy to go back in there and face them, any of them. I don't know why, but I suddenly feel so alone and ashamed.

  As we are getting in the car, Striker comes out and gives me my brain bucket. He leans down to the car, but Aspen is watching him, so he brushes his thumb over my lip. "I'll call you."

  "Sure." I smile weakly, trying to put on a brave face.

  Trouble turns on the car and a song so fitting for this moment starts to play as the guy sings, 'don't you want me baby'.

  Rebel

  Over at my mom's having our last family breakfast for a while, I notice Baby and Striker are both acting off. My mom is talking to Baby, but I can see Baby clearly staring a hole through my brother and Aspen, and then it clicks. He spent the night with Baby. That dumb motherfucker has really gone and done it now. Whom else would he have been so protective over? I know he cares about Baby, but damn what shit timing this bastard has. The hurt in her eyes breaks my heart for her. She’s been hurt enough lately, and he has no idea what he’s doing to her right now.

  Baby abruptly slams her chair back from the table with tears spilling down her face. I want to go after her, but Trouble has beaten me to it. I see my brother swallow the lump in his throat, fighting with indecision the desire to chase after Baby—his loyalty to her, or to choose Aspen and to save face for her. I watch as he makes the choice to go after her but it's too late, and if he says anything now it will only cause a scene, causing an even bigger shit storm, and we are running late as it is. We need to ride out.

  I feel bad for Baby, I know how much it hurt watching Rumor and Tread, and we weren't together. Shit we still aren't, but we are taking things slow. And I'd wait forever for Rumor if she wants me to. She says we'll see how things go, whatever that means. Isn't it usually the guy saying that shit?

  Rumor

  Watching Rebel drive away on his Harley knowing that it will be weeks before I see him again hurts more than I thought it would. I don't know what in the hell Baby's problem was at breakfast, I tried to talk to her after Aspen dropped me off at the house, but she said she just needed to be alone. I guess she is still hurting over that shit with Lucky. I wish I could make her feel better, but I have my own problems to deal with.

  Rebel wants to claim me, but I am nowhere near ready for that. I am not sure I even want to be with him. I care about him a lot, but the whole point of my going to Chicago is to try to live a normal life outside of the club, there is no in-between. Either you are in the life or you aren't.

  Aspen is coming back by later for a girl's movie night. I asked Baby to join us, but she said she is having dinner with Foxie. I think she is lying because she was all for watchin
g a movie with me until I mentioned Aspen, then she backpedaled saying she promised Foxie dinner. And hello, we are watching Magic Mike, no one turns that down, not even me, unless there is someone, you don't want to see—Aspen, but why? I know she isn’t avoiding Channing.

  Chapter 13

  Baby

  The weight of the past few days comes crashing down on me, and I feel like I can't breathe, like a forest after a fire—barren, broken, dead inside. Lucky keeps texting me demanding to speak to me. I don't have it in me to deal with him right now. Striker said he would call, but it's been three days, and I know they made it to Chicago all in one piece. Trouble is coming home in a few days, he has called me regularly, because he actually cares, I guess. We have yet to talk about him feeding information to Lucky. I can't lose Trouble right now. I just can't deal with any more heartache.

  Losing Rebel hurt deep, Lucky's betrayal is a bitter pill to swallow, and keeping his secret is killing me. But this hurts far worse than anything I have ever felt. Striker was different...he was the one. I know he was, and it may seem dumb, and some might say I am way too young, and that spending one night with a guy means nothing, but I can still feel his thumb brushing over my lips. His kisses still linger on my neck. His sweet words still ring my ears. The way he made me feel. He said he loved me, and I truly thought that maybe we were meant to be together. After all the shit I have been through lately, I was willing to give us a real shot. I was so sure he would never use me, that he would never hurt me. Damn, was I ever wrong about him. He is just like Slim.

  After another three days of moping around, I am angry. How dare Striker use me up and spit me out like one of the whores from the Fox's Den. I have a good mind to go and tell his mom what he has done to me, but I don't want to break her heart. She has suffered enough hurts through the years, and I won't add to them. She has been trying to get me to come over and spend the night with her, I know Striker doesn't live there but it just brings up feelings and memories I don't want to recall. And fucking Rumor keeps inviting me to hang out with her and Aspen, but I can't. I am afraid I will tell her the truth about her ideal fucking boyfriend. I probably should tell her, but she is going to be Rumor's roommate, and I won't fuck that up for her. She is so keyed up about her big move. No, I will not say anything at all; I will be a noble sister.

  **

  I am working in the kitchen at the Roadhouse when Romeo comes to the window to place his order. Sunshine is in the office handling paperwork, leaving me to face him alone. I haven't set eyes on or spoken to him since graduation night. "Hey, kid." He grins at me winking, making my stomach drop. Every time I think of what we did, I feel like the biggest loser ever.

  "What can I get ya?" I take out my pad for orders.

  "I don't need anything, but uh have ye heard anything else about ye know." He looks as uncomfortable as I feel. I know what he means I try not to think about it—ever. I try not to think about Striker either. It has been weeks and yet he still takes up most of my thoughts.

  "Nope, I'll let you know on a need to know basis." I place my hands firmly on the counter and give him a nod.

  "Appreciate it, oh and uh—I think LL is going to be hiring a new babysitter, she hasn't said anything, but I know she thinks something, and well, with her being pregnant again...I think it is best she isn't upset any." Wow, I didn’t know that they were expecting again this will make them three. Men like Romeo make me sick. They think they can just use women on the side then crawl in bed with their unknowing wives. Moreover, you know what, that is probably the kind of life Striker wants. Fuck, I am better off without him. Maybe I should take Lucky up on his offer and just disappear. His proposal is sounding more appealing by the minute.

  After my shift ends, I go into my closet and begin looking for that invitation that I first received to meet Rush, I bet Lucky is there right now. I think I will surprise him.

  There is nothing left for me here. I find the envelope I was searching for and take a quick shower. Grim is nowhere to be seen and Sunshine is still over at the Roadhouse. Rumor left for Chicago with Aspen yesterday on their great big adventure. So I leave a note for Grim that I am going to hang out with Trouble. He has been keeping his distance since he came back from Chicago. Him, Rebel, and Striker probably had a good laugh on my part, trading I fucked Baby over stories.

  Bastards.

  Pulling in at the old filling station, I immediately recognize Lucky's motorcycle. Let's see how true he is to his word. I walk in dressed to fuck or die. Is that not what Lucky told me the first night we met? I am wearing my knee-high leather studded boots Foxie bought me last Christmas, paired with a leather mini, and a black halter top, showing my assets and tattoos proudly. That fat asshole Roy is sitting in the same spot he was last time I was here, playing that damn poker machine. Lucky isn't here up front. He must be somewhere in the back. Roy does a double take at me. "Goddamn, sweetheart, can I help you?"

  "I'm looking to get Lucky, he here?" I wink and the old fart about has a heart attack. That is probably the most action he has seen in years.

  "He's in the back, is he expecting you?" He is still trying to recover from my flirtation.

  "Does it matter?" I lick my lips and he shakes his head no.

  Walking back where Rush took me once before, I notice most of the doors are shut. When I get to what used to be the storage room, I find the Devils Rejects having a party in full swing and what do you know, Lucky has a bitch between his legs, and Trouble is sitting to his left with a bitch between his.

  Lying pricks.

  My arrival is going unnoticed, so I decide to kick things up a notch. 'Cherry Pie' by Warrant is playing over the stereo. There is an empty table in the middle of the room. Using a chair to step onto the table, I decide to put on a little show, see if that gets Lucky's attention. I am on the table doing a swirl of my hips for barely a minute, before Lucky is pulling me off it. His brother's protest and Lucky takes me into the hall, and pulls me into a musky, dark room.

  "You shouldn't be here, Baby. What the fuck are you doing here? I told you never to come here."

  "Why, afraid I'd see what I saw just now. That you are a lying piece of shit and Trouble is a motherfucking traitor. You told me women only come here looking to die or to fuck, so which is it going to be? Are you going to fuck me or are you going to kill me?" I press my nails into his face and squeeze his mouth hard. I am so hurt, so motherfucking angry, I can feel the Grim in me about to take over, and when my temper comes out there is no stopping me. I will act out. I will fuck someone up if they stand in my way. "Why the big story that you were a cop, why lie to me? Can't you grow a pair of fucking balls and face me like a man?"

  "Goddamnit, Baby!" He caps his hand over my mouth. "Don't be saying shit like that, if anyone hears you'll fuck everything up. What's the matter with you?"

  "I'm tired of playing games, sick of being used. So Rush has a plan for me does he, where is he? I'd like to have a word with him." The door to the makeshift bathroom we are in swings open, the dim light from the hall illuminating a tall figure.

  "I'm right here, Baby. I was beginning to wonder if I was going to have to drag you here myself. Seems Lucky wasn't very good at getting into your pants and claiming you. Looks like I need to take things into my own hands. Welcome home, baby girl." Rush pushes me up against the wall and pats me down. Lucky starts to intervene when Trouble steps into the room and punches Lucky in the jaw, knocking him out cold on the tile floor.

  "Fuck you, Reject." I stomp on the toe of Rush's boot with the heel of mine and elbow him in the nose, doing little to no damage. Rush is a tough son of a bitch. What in the hell was I thinking coming here?

  "Kill him," Rush says to Trouble, talking about Lucky. "He is no longer of use to us." I plead to Trouble with my eyes to help me, and he laughs in my face, as he starts dragging Lucky down the hallway.

  "Please, don't hurt him. I'll do whatever you want. I'll do anything name it." I know Lucky is a lying prick, but I don't want him t
o die.

  "Baby, you’ll do whatever I ask of you." Rush grabs a hold my wrists and zip ties them behind my back.

  "What makes you so sure of that?"

  "Because I’m your father." He says the word father like it is the most natural thing in the world. I don't believe him. Grim is my father not him. Rush takes me into his office and ties me to a chair with bungee cords. There is a loud pop of a gunshot and my heart sinks, Trouble has killed my only hope of making it out of here. Why is Trouble doing this? He was supposed to be my best friend, and he was supposed to be helping Lucky.

  "You see, Baby, your mother, my precious Gypsy Red, she was nothing but a whore trying to climb her way to the top. She used whatever man would get her there. I was the first, Benji was the second, and Grim was the third. But you are the greatest thing she ever gave me. You will do what your mother wasn't able to do. You will kill Grim. It's in your blood. Haven't you ever wondered why you hate the man who raised you so much? It's because he isn't your father, and despite what you might say, you don't have any loyalty to him. He is the reason your mother is dead after all. The reason you grew up without any real parents to love you."

  Trouble comes into the room and Rush orders him to have his way with me. "Go ahead, claim what's been promised to you. I'd be careful though, if she is anything like her mother, she fights back. Don't get any ideas. I'll be out in the hall. If she screams gag her."

  "You sick bastard, I will never be any man's whore...ever!" I scream as he walks into the hall laughing with a smug look on his face.

  Trouble comes over to me with knowing grin on his face. "How could you, Trouble, I thought you were my friend?" I can’t even look at him.

  "Shut up, bitch. What, you shocked that I grew tired of being your puppet?" he smacks me across the mouth, drawing blood from my lips.