Road to Passion

by Piper Davenport

  He grinned and leaned down to kiss me. “You’re being clueless again.”

  “Am I?”

  “Yeah, baby, you are. You’re perfect just the way you are. Trust me?”

  I nodded.

  “Then trust me to tell you the truth.”

  I sighed. “Fair enough.”

  He smiled. “Good girl. Change your shoe and we’ll go.”

  “We’re in the car, right?”

  He laughed. “Yeah, baby, we’re in the car.”

  “Thank you.” I smiled and kissed him quickly. “Be right back.”

  I opted for the other black shoe and then followed him to the car.

  “Will you get in trouble?” I asked once buckled.

  “For?”

  “Us being in the car and not on your bike.”

  Mack raised an eyebrow. “Honey, what kind of club do think I’m apart of?”

  I shrugged, feeling the heat crawl into my cheeks. “I just know how important motorcycles are to motorcycle club members and I don’t want you to be looked down on because your girlfriend is afraid of them.”

  He chuckled. “You’ve been watching too much television.”

  “Maybe,” I said. “But I can try again if it’ll help.”

  We stopped at a red light and Mack took my hand. “Baby, we will try again, but not on a wet day. It’ll happen in a place that has next to no traffic so you feel safer.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Yes, Darien, I’m sure.”

  I squeezed his hand. “Thanks, honey.”

  He smiled. “Don’t mention it.”

  We drove to the club compound and I was a little awed by the bikes on display. Even though I was terrified of them, I still loved them.

  Mack parked the car under the Big Ernie’s Body Shop sign and faced me. “You ready?”

  “Not in the least.”

  “Dani and Kim’ll be here and you’ll meet Payton and Cassidy, so you’ll be in good hands. Promise.”

  “Am I like your old lady now?”

  He laughed. “Yeah, babe.”

  “Am I being clueless again?” I challenged.

  “No, honey, you’re askin’ questions, there’s a difference.” He climbed out of the car and collected me, kissing me gently before taking my hand, and leading me through an unmarked door to the left of what looked like the actual shop.

  A dimly lit hallway led to another unmarked door into a small foyer with a few easy chairs and a desk with a television sat in the space. Through another door we entered a large common room milling with people. The space was filled with sofas, overstuffed chairs, a pool table, large flat-screen television, several smaller tables that kids gathered around for board games, and three outdoor picnic tables.

  “Mack,” Kim squealed and threw her arms around him so hard, he had to let go of my hand to catch her.

  “Hey, babe.”

  Kim released him and then pulled me in for a hug. “I’m so glad you made it.”

  I smiled and hugged her back. “Me too. Pauley’s pissed she’s missing the fun, but she also had the choice to work or not tonight.”

  Kim laughed. “I did too. This is better, plus I needed time with my horse. He’s missing me.”

  “Oh, is he here?” I joked.

  “Ohmigod, I wish. But he’s not potty trained, so...”

  I giggled. “Well, if you could potty train a horse, I think you’d make a hell of a lot more money than working at the bar.”

  “Yeah, I’d have to agree. Come and meet everyone.”

  I grabbed Mack’s hand (just in case he had any thoughts of deserting me) and we followed Kim to the small group huddled around the pool table. I met Ace and his wife, Cassidy, then Hawk and Payton. Ace was a tower of a man who looked like his brother, Knight, and Cassidy was half his size with curly blonde hair a quick smile. I noticed Ace hovered around his wife, but later found out she’d been shot less than six months before by a crazed stalker, so it was understandable.

  Hawk was blond and muscular, and had a kick-ass handlebar moustache. He adored Payton who, with her long, brunette hair and lithe body, looked more like a movie star than a teacher.

  “You got a minute?” Booker asked Mack.

  “Honey, no,” Dani whined. “You promised no business.”

  “Won’t take long,” he said.

  Mack released my hand, kissed me quickly, and followed Booker down a back hallway.

  “I hate it when they do that,” Dani confessed, albeit in a whisper. “Sometimes club business sucks.”

  I smiled. “It must be important.”

  “Yeah, that’s what I’m afraid of.” She sighed. “Come on, we’ll grab some wine.”

  “Sounds good.”

  * * *

  Mack followed Booker into his office and shut the door. “It’s bad?”

  Booker nodded. “Yeah.”

  “Shit.” Mack lowered himself into a chair and took the file Booker handed him. “They’re cookin’ now?”

  “Looks like it. They’re pushin’ out the Bekhterevs... tryin’ to, anyway.”

  “But fuckin’ meth?” Mack snapped.

  “Nika thinks he’s Walter White.”

  “Nika’s a moron.” Mack shook his head. “But Katya is not.”

  “You think the sister’s in on it?”

  “I think she’s fuckin’ runnin’ it.”

  “If she is, she’s invisible.”

  Mack nodded, reading over Booker’s notes. “Yeah, brother, she’s good at invisible.”

  “She sniffin’ after you again?”

  “Again?” Mack smirked. “She never stopped.”

  “She know about Darien?”

  “I’ll assume she does.” Mack sighed. “And talk to a couple of the recruits.”

  “Good call.” Booker shook his head. “I got Flea on Dani when I’m not around.”

  “She okay with that?”

  “Surprisingly, yeah. After Payton got taken from school, she gets the severity. Her father and brother are also gonna help.”

  Dani’s father was police chief for Vancouver, Washington, and her brother was a detective.

  “Help how?”

  “Just watchin’ out. No club access.”

  Mack nodded.

  “Ace’s brother’s familiar with the Bekhterevs. Want me to run it by him?”

  Ace and Knight were two of six brothers. Their older brothers, Matt and Jaxon, were FBI agents, and worked with Payton’s brother, Brock. So far, they’d kept the Dogs at a distance, but had intervened when Cassidy had been held hostage, and when Dani had been kidnapped, so they were a resource, if a last resort.

  “You think we need to?” Mack asked.

  “I don’t want whatever shit the Kozlovs are into to drag the club down, do you?”

  “You might have a point.”

  Booker shook his head. “Last resort, yeah?”

  “Yeah, brother. That’d be good.”

  “Okay, I promised Dani no work, so let’s get back to the party.”

  Mack nodded and stood, following Booker out of the office.

  * * *

  I was standing with Kim watching Cassidy annihilate Ace at pool when strong arms wrapped around my waist from behind. “Hey,” Mack whispered, and kissed the back of my neck.

  “Hi.” I smiled up at him. “Everything okay?”

  Mack nodded. “I’m gonna get a beer. Need anything?”

  “Nope, I’m good.”

  He squeezed my hip and then left me briefly. As I stood with Dani, watching the pool game that had now become some form of blood sport between Ace and Cassidy, I heard a squeal of laughter and followed the sound to find Mack with a little blonde girl in his arms. My heart melted at the sight of her tiny hands cupping his cheeks while he smiled at her.

  Mack nodded and said something I couldn’t hear, then the little girl hugged his neck before he lowered her to the ground and took her hand. They walked over to me and Mack smiled. “Darien, this is Lily. S
he’s Hawk and Payton’s daughter.”

  I knelt to her level with a grin. “Hi Lily.”

  “Hi.” She reached out and took a strand of my hair. “Your hair is so pretty.”

  “Thank you, honey, so is yours.”

  “Lily!”

  We turned to see a rather handsome young man coming rushing towards us. “You didn’t tell me where you were going,” he accused.

  Lily threw her hands in the air. “I wanted to say hi to Uncle Mack. You were playing Smash Bros.”

  “This is Maverick,” Mack provided. “He’s Ace and Cassidy’s.”

  Maverick took Lily’s hand and tugged her toward him.

  “Bud,” Ace said, closing the distance between them and laying his hand on his head. “What’d we talk about?”

  Maverick frowned. “I’m supposed to give Lily her space,” he grumbled.

  “It’s okay, Uncle Ace,” Lily said. “I like Maverick.”

  “See, Dad?” Maverick said with a triumphant grin. “She likes me in her space.”

  I bit my lip in an effort not to laugh and leaned against Mack who slid his arm around me. I looked at Cassidy who was shaking her head and pressing her lips together.

  “How about,” Cassidy began, “we find something to eat?”

  “Daddy!” Lily squealed, and made a run for Hawk as he walked back into the room. He and Payton had walked out back to check on the pig just a few minutes before.

  “Hey, baby girl,” he said, and scooped her up. “You havin’ fun?”

  “I’m with Maverick,” she answered, and Hawk chuckled.

  “You’re havin’ fun, then.”

  “We were just heading out to eat,” Cassidy said.

  Hawk nodded. “Payton’s already gettin’ a plate for Lily.”

  The kids followed their parents outside and I faced Mack. “You start them early here, huh?”

  Mack laughed. “Maverick’s gonna be devastated when Lily figures out there are other boys in the world besides him.”

  “You might be surprised,” I countered. “They might end up together forever. Girls know when they meet their match.”

  He grinned. “Yeah?”

  “Definitely.”

  Mack kissed me gently and then we headed outside to eat.

  A MONTH AFTER he and Darien had become “official,” Mack followed Knight into the restaurant Kim and Pauley worked at and smiled as he caught her eye. Kim didn’t know he was coming and she sure as hell didn’t know he was bringing Knight. But, as they say, payback’s a bitch. Kim adored Knight, but was playing some kind of hard to get thing with him, so Mack decided to move things along a bit.

  “What are you guys doin’ here?” she asked with a smile as she walked up to their table in the bar. She hugged them both, but quickly separated herself from Knight.

  “Dinner,” Knight answered, giving Kim an appreciative look. Even though Blush had great bar food, the guys often took a break, otherwise they’d never leave the club. It was one block up from the restaurant Kim and Pauley worked at, so they usually broke for dinner there rather than the club. Tonight Booker was with Dani, so Knight came with Mack. An obvious attempt to have a legit reason to see Kim. Mack agreed, since Darien was out with Millie, so he wasn’t going to see her tonight. He didn’t like it, but they were both busy, so they had to work around it.

  Kim nodded, but was unusually tongue tied. “What can I get you?”

  “Bourbon,” Mack said.

  “Same,” Knight responded. “And calamari.”

  Kim smiled and left them to put the order in.

  “Fuck, she’s hot,” Knight said.

  Mack chuckled. “She still shuttin’ you out?”

  Knight grinned. “Yeah, but I’ll break her down.”

  “Horses, man.”

  “Said by someone who’s clearly ignorant,” Knight said.

  “Yeah? How so?”

  “Girls who ride the way Kim rides are superior, brother.”

  “Superior?”

  “Yeah, man. In their own minds. They think what they do takes more skill. I gotta break her down, slow so she doesn’t know it’s happening.” He studied Kim with a slight smile. “She finds out I ride, she’ll dismiss me as a cowboy without knowing exactly what I can do. Right now, I want the upper hand.”

  “Good luck with that.”

  “I got a plan.” Knight chuckled. “Where’s Darien tonight?”

  “Out with her friend. Movie I think,” Mack said. “Probably won’t see her tonight.”

  “Sucks.”

  Mack gave a slight smile. “Yeah, it does.”

  Kim returned with the drinks and calamari and Mack excused himself, heading to the bathroom. Mack finished up and walked out just as his phone buzzed in his pocket. It was Darien. “Hey, babe.”

  “Hi,” Darien said. “Movie just got done, so wanted to check in.”

  He smiled. She was always thoughtful that way. “Was it good?”

  “Um, it had Charlie Hunnam in it, yeah, it was good.”

  Mack chuckled. “Do you remember the plot?”

  “Not with Charlie Hunnam in it.” She giggled. “Millie’s waving to me so I’ve gotta go. You having a good night?”

  “It’d be better if I was with you.”

  “Charmer.”

  “I’ll let you go, baby. Call me later?”

  “Sure. ’Bye honey.” Mack hung up and headed back to the table.

  He and Knight had had their food for about ten minutes when a familiar face walked in. Darien and Millie didn’t see him, so he decided to watch his woman for a minute.

  “I thought Darien was at a movie,” Knight said.

  “Yeah. She must have wanted to see Pauley.”

  “You gonna go get her?”

  “Yeah. Just takin’ in the view for a minute.” She looked gorgeous in dark jeans and heels, the soft sweater and jacket she’d worn the day he had to cut their date short. She’d pulled her soft curls up at the sides, leaving the back long. She was stunning.

  Knight chuckled. “Don’t blame you. Her friend’s fuckin’ hot as well.”

  It took all of thirty seconds for other people to notice... particularly the men. Mack clocked one guy from across the bar see his girl and start toward her. Not easy to do in the crowd. “That’s my cue,” Mack said, and rose to his feet.

  * * *

  “Maybe this wasn’t a good idea,” I said to Millie. It was standing room only and we couldn’t even get to the bar to find Pauley.

  “Yeah,” Millie agreed. “I thought for sure we’d miss the crowd. It’s eleven.”

  “Says the old lady.” I giggled. “It’s Friday night, things are just getting started.”

  “Ladies.”

  I turned to find a man smiling, drink in hand, and I tried not to groan. I didn’t want to get hit on and neither did Millie. “Hi, sorry, we’re looking for someone.”

  “Well, you found him,” he said, laughing at his ridiculous joke.

  “We don’t want to be rude,” I said, trying to put distance between us, hard to do in the crowded bar. “But we’re just here to get a drink and see some friends.”

  “I can be real friendly,” he said, and leaned forward and sniffed my hair (yes, sniffed it).

  I stepped back again and shook my head. “You’re drunk.”

  “Not yet, but gettin’ there.”

  “Okay, look, you need to go.”

  He reached out and grabbed my arm. “Come on baby, be nice.”

  “You better get your fuckin’ hands off my woman or you’ll be coughin’ up blood for a week.”

  I gasped at the sound of Mack’s voice, then smiled. “Hi honey, what are you doing here?”

  “Dinner,” Mack said, and scowled at Drunko. “Man, what did I say?”

  “I saw her first,” Drunko slurred.

  I tried to pull my arm away again, but he just gripped harder. “Ouch.”

  The guy didn’t get another chance. I was suddenly released, he let out a
squeal of pain, and Knight rushed over to help.

  “I got him,” Knight said, grabbing the bloody creep. “I’ll take him out.”

  “Thanks, brother.” Mack turned back to me as Knight took the trash out.

  I threw my arms around him and squeezed. “Thank you.”

  He lifted me off my feet and kissed my neck. “You’re welcome.”

  “Do you remember Millie?” I asked, after he set me back on the ground.

  “Yeah. Hey.”

  Millie grinned. “Hi, Mack.”

  “We got a table. Join us,” Mack said.

  “That would be awesome,” Millie said. “It’s out of control in here.”

  He drew his eyebrows together. “Friday night, babe.”

  I gave Millie my “I told you so look” and followed Mack to the booth.

  Millie slid in, then me, then Mack. I scooted closer to him and kissed him quickly. “When do you have to get back?”

  “Soon.”

  “Bummer.” I wrinkled my nose and leaned against him. He slid his arm around me and settled me against his side. “Have you seen Pauley yet?”

  “Yeah, she said she’d come over again when she took a break. She hasn’t done that yet.” He sipped his drink. “Kim’s here somewhere.”

  “I’ve got about twenty minutes, Dare,” Millie said. “Then I have to head home.”

  “Oh, right.” I glanced up at Mack. “Want to take me home?”

  “I’m not done ’til about three, sweetheart, but you can hang in my office if you want to.”

  I nodded. “Yes, please.”

  Mack chuckled. “Fine by me.”

  “Is that okay with you?” I asked Millie.

  “Yeah, hon,” she said. “It means I can hang with you for an extra twenty minutes.”

  “Score,” I exclaimed. Millie was my ride, but my place added over half-an-hour to her commute, so we always had to factor that in.

  Knight returned, met Millie, smiled when Millie went a little crazy, because seriously, Knight was extra hot in his suit, then told Mack they had to get back.

  Mack slid out of the booth. “Buzz me when you’re ready and I’ll come get you or send someone to walk you. Don’t go anywhere alone.”

  “Yes, bossy,” I retorted.

  He smiled, kissed me, talked with Kim for a couple of seconds and then he was gone. I felt a little sad, but watching him walk away was almost as good as watching him walk toward me, so I took it.