Riding Dirty: Nine Devils MC

by Kara Parker

  “I’m sorry, Joseph. I’m sorry I hurt you.”

  Joseph smiles softly at her. “We each have to live our lives as we see fit. That is central to what I believe. I would rather suffer your loss than try to force you into doing something you disagree with.”

  Rose is touched. Not by the political stuff, but by the fact that he would rather leave her than make her unhappy. But his leaving had made her unhappy as well. It had taken her more than a year before the ache in her soul had begun to fade… and no amount of male companionship had been able to ease its pain. “I’m sorry, Joseph. Perhaps we are just not meant for each other.”

  “Perhaps,” he allows. “But what about you?”

  “What about me?” she asks.

  “I know you finished college and opened Aguilar’s. But what else? Are you in a relationship? Are you happy?”

  “I’m happy enough,” Rose says. “I’m not in a relationship at the moment. Aguilar’s, up until the last couple of years, has consumed all my time and energy. It is getting better now. There is no steady, but I haven’t spent the last seven years pining for you either, so you can get over yourself,” she finishes with a grin.

  Joseph smiles back. “That’s good. I would have felt terrible if you had. Life is too short to live like that.”

  “Yes it is,” she agrees.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  As they converse they find that they fall comfortably once more into the roles they had as lovers, almost as if the past seven years had never happened. Joseph tends to be more intense, thoughtful, and introspective, while Rose is more outgoing and boisterous. Their personalities feed off of each other and they can feel the attraction between them once more.

  The heavy topic of the time between the separation and now past, they laugh and tease. Rose can once again feel the sexual tension that they so explosively worked off each time Joseph would ride down to Las Vegas while she attended college. It is too bad there is so much baggage between them… otherwise she could definitely take him to her bed.

  Joseph watches Rose slowly relax as the evening progresses, the slight stiffness she had displayed around him oozing out of her. She had said that she hadn't spent the past seven years pining for him, and he can say the same about her, but to deny that he hasn't wondered if leaving her was the right choice would be to lie to himself. She is still so beautiful, smart, and alive, he can feel his feelings for her bubbling to the top—feelings he has tried for seven years to bury.

  They spend nearly three hours occupying the table. The waiter is unfailingly polite as he tactfully tries to hurry them along, and Rose knows they should clear the table for another customer, but Joseph seems content to sit and talk with her. Though she has hinted that they should leave he doesn’t take it, so she just relaxes and enjoys her evening.

  Finally Joseph opens the check presenter. Rose can see the bill is just under eighty dollars but Joseph counts off three one-hundred dollar bills. Rose can feel her eyes widen at the tip. But then Joseph lays down another one-hundred dollar bill, separately, and calls the waiter. He hands the presenter to the waiter. “This is for the restaurant. No change.” He then picks up the single one-hundred dollar bill and hands it to the waiter. “And this is for you. Thank you for your service tonight.”

  The young man stares at the tip for a moment before taking it. “Thank you, sir!”

  Joseph nods and then rises to help Rose up. As they are walking out, the waiter stops them. “Sir, the bill was only seventy-eight fifty-three.”

  “I know. But we occupied the table far longer than necessary to eat. That is… compensation… for allowing us to use the table.”

  The waiter stands flabbergasted. “Uh, yes sir. I will tell the manager. And, uh, thank you for dining with us at Adele’s. Please come back, and if you do, ask for me. I’m Thomas.”

  Joseph smiles at the young man. “I will, Thomas. Admirable service tonight. Thank you.”

  “That was very generous of you,” Rose says as they walk to her car.

  “I believe in paying for what I use. We were there three hours, I paid for about three meals. And tipped accordingly. It is a simple matter of fairness.”

  “I wish more people see it that way. I was a little uncomfortable taking a table for so long. I know how frustrating it is when a party just won’t leave.”

  “And now?” Joseph asks with a grin, opening her car door once more.

  “Not so much. Yes we cost them a table, but we didn’t cost them any money.”

  “So you think it was a fair trade?” Joseph asks as he slides behind the wheel.

  “Yes. Thank you Joseph. I had a very enjoyable evening.”

  “Me too, Rose.”

  They are quiet, talking little, for the twenty-minute drive from the restaurant back to Eagle Valley. As he pulls her car into the parking lot of the Goose, he leaves it running as they climb out. “Thank you, Rose, for having dinner with me,” Joseph says as he pulls her gently to him.

  Rose doesn’t fight the light tug as Joseph draws her to him. Nor does she resist as he slowly lowers his lips to hers. The kiss is gentle and chaste, the type of kiss she has given on many a date at her door. But she can feel the flame of passion they once shared come to life. She steps back as Joseph pulls back from the kiss and smiles. “Reminds me of old times.”

  Joseph can feel the surge of desire for her as they part and she steps back. “Yes. Me too,” he murmurs. He moves to pull her to him once more, but she puts a hand in his chest.

  “No,” she says gently. “It’s over, Joseph.”

  He steps back from her and nods. “Okay. But I had to try.”

  “I know. But too much time has passed.”

  “Not for me.”

  Rose smiles, touched by Joseph in spite of herself. “Goodnight, Joseph. Thank you for a wonderful evening.”

  Joseph’s smile is slightly sad as he sits astride his bike and thumbs to life, the classic rumble of the Harley at idle echoing off the walls of Goose as he dons his helmet. He gives her another nod and a smile before toeing the bike into gear and rumbling off.

  It is just a bit past ten and Rose debates going into the Goose to help them finish closing, but decides to go to Melina’s instead. Just as she closes the car door she hears the fading roar of Joseph’s bike as he accelerates away… and she realizes that perhaps there hasn’t been too much time after all.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  When Rose enters Melina’s house she finds her sitting on the couch, wrapped in the throw. She has obviously been crying even though her eyes are now dry. “How are you holding up?” Rose asks as she sits down beside her friend, taking her hand and giving it a gentle squeeze.

  “Okay. Michael was asking where his daddy was. I had to tell him his daddy wasn’t coming back. That was hard. He doesn’t understand, and…” Melina stops, choking off a sob.

  “I know it has to be hard. But it should get a little easier each day,” Rose comforts, holding Melina’s hand, trying to lend her strength.

  “It is. I managed to not cry at all today until I had to talk to Michael.”

  Rose can feel her own eyes becoming wet in sympathy as Melina’s grief pours over her. “Just hang in there, okay?”

  Melina smiles. “I’m trying,” she says, then changes the subject. “How was your date? You were gone a long time for just dinner. Did you go back to his place?”

  “No!” Rose exclaims in teasing exasperation. “We did not go back to his place. We just had dinner and that was it,” she says. “He did kiss me good night, though,” she adds as an afterthought, trying to perk Melina up.

  “He did? How was it?”

  “It was nice. It was just goodnight kiss. No tongue or anything like that,” she adds jokingly.

  “And Joseph? What did he think?”

  “I think he wants a lot more than I’m going to give him.”

  “Why? Did he invite you to his place or something?”

  “No. Nothing like that. Call it a feeling. W
oman’s intuition. Whatever.”

  “So are you going to sleep with him?”

  “Didn’t we already have this conversation?” Rose asks, her tone playful.

  “Yeah, but that was before you had dinner and a goodnight kiss.”

  “Well, nothing has changed.”

  Melina looks at Rose a moment. “Why? Is there someone else?”

  “No. There is no one else. But…”

  “Then why?” Melina presses. “He is even better looking now than before. And you two were so hot for each other.”

  “Because, Melina…” Rose begins, then falters, unsure of what to say.

  “Because why?”

  “I don’t know. Just because,” Rose grumbles. Maybe talking to Melina about this wasn’t such a good idea after all.

  “Okay. Your loss. But if I were in your shoes, I would jump his bones... in the good way,” Melina says, then giggles.

  “When did you get to be so sex crazed?” Rose demands playfully.

  “When you get used to having it four or five times a week, you…” Melina says before her smile fades and she grinds to a stop.

  “Melina… I’m sorry. I didn’t mean anything…”

  “I know, Rose. But I just realized that I will never have that feeling again. That…”

  “Melina!” Rose exclaims. “Don’t say stuff like that! You just need some time, okay? You’re a beautiful woman with two adorable children. Just give yourself some time and some guy will fall all over himself for you!”

  “I don’t know, Rose. I’m almost thirty. I have two kids. I don’t…”

  “You cut that shit out right now!” Rose says sharply. “I mean it, Melina. You’re hurting right now, I understand that. But don’t do this to yourself, okay? I know you are missing Tim. I know it is going to take some time to get over your loss. But don’t give up on life, Melina. You’re too young for that.”

  Melina looks at Rose for a moment. “I just feel so alone right now. If it weren’t for you I would be going crazy.”

  “That’s understandable. You and Tim were together for, what, eleven years? Twelve? That’s a lot of memories. Memories for you to treasure. But there is more to life than just memories, Melina. The heart isn’t a box that fills up—it expands. There is room in your heart for Tim and someone else too.”

  “I don’t think I will ever love anyone else. Not the way I do Tim.”

  “Maybe not. But you may find someone else that you love just as much, but differently. And he will love you too. Melina, trust me. Life goes on. I know it isn’t the same as your loss, but when Joseph and I broke up I thought at first I would never recover… but I did.”

  Melina looks at Rose and smiles sadly. “We’ll see. But in the meantime, I can live vicariously through you. So are you going to see him again?”

  “I don’t know. I doubt it. Not the way you mean.”

  “Your loss,” Melina says, her smile partially returning.

  “Well, if I change my mind, you will be the first to know.”

  “I’m going to hold you to that!”

  “Yes, I’m sure you will,” Rose says with dramatic sigh.

  CHAPTER NINE

  When Rose arrives at the Goose the next day the restaurant is busier than normal for lunch, mostly due to the tables occupied by the Nines. She catches Joseph’s eye but he doesn’t acknowledge her except for a nod in her direction.

  She stops by her office, tossing her mail on the desk for later and Joseph’s mail into his plastic box. It really is no bother to pick up his mail and she wonders if maybe she shouldn’t just keep the current arrangement going. Deciding that idea will require some additional thought, she locks her purse in her desk, makes a quick check on the crew, then mingles with the customers.

  “Rose!” the Nines cheer as she stops by their tables.

  “Afternoon, everyone. Everything okay today? Can I get anyone anything?” she asks.

  “Excellent as always,” a man with skin the color of creamed coffee says.

  “That’s good to hear. If you need anything, just ask for me.”

  She starts to step away, but then turns back. “May I sit down for a moment?”

  “Of course,” one of the Nines says.

  “I was talking with Joseph last night and…” Rose begins, then pauses as the group directs lascivious noises to Joseph, making them both blush. “As I was saying, I was talking to Joseph and he was telling me how the Nines live off the grid. Do all of you live like that? I’m just curious.”

  The group looks at one another, and then the coffee-skinned man begins to speak. “To one degree or another, yes. I think Joseph is the most hard core, but speaking for myself, I’m cutting my ties one at a time. The first to go was my credit cards.”

  “Why is that?”

  “Has Joseph ever shown you the information he can get on you?”

  “No. Is it a lot?”

  “It is scary. There are services whose entire business revolves around collecting data about you and selling it to others. Nothing nefarious, just targeted marketing. But you know if a private company has the information, the government has it too, and a whole lot more. Anyway, when I was thinking about joining the Nines, Joseph bought my information. I was shocked. They had my annual salary to within two thousand dollars. They knew what cars I drove. They knew where I lived. They knew how much I paid in taxes, where I shopped, what I bought. As Joseph is fond of saying, they almost knew what I had for breakfast that morning. It was a real eye opener for me.”

  “How long have you been a member of the Nines?”

  “About four years now.”

  “And you enjoy it? Living off the grid?”

  “It’s hard sometimes. But you get used to it. I’ve learned to write letters again.”

  Rose grins. “All of you look like such normal people too.”

  A rumble of laughter circulates around the table. “Don’t let outward appearances fool you,” a woman says with a grin. “Actually, I think we are normal. Let me ask you something. Do you want people poking into every aspect of your life?”

  “No. Of course not,” Rose says.

  “Do you consider that to be normal?”

  “Yes. I’m sure most people are like that.”

  “Then I would say we’re normal people. The difference is, the Nines are doing something about it.”

  “What does that mean, anyway? The Nine Devils. Joseph said it has meaning to you.”

  No one says anything for a moment. “It is the nine things we consider to be the biggest intrusion into personal freedom,” Joseph says.

  “And those are?” Rose prompts.

  “Affirmative Action, Eminent Domain, Gun Control, Public Education, Regulation, Social Security, Taxes, Universal Health Care, and Welfare,” Joseph says, ticking each item off on his fingers.

  “Wait a minute! You’re against having everyone treated equally?”

  “When did I say that?” Joseph asks, his voice calm.

  “You said Affirmative Action is an intrusion on personal freedoms.”

  “That’s right. And what does that have to do with people being treated fairly? By its very definition, choosing one person over another based on the color of their skin is unfair. Where perhaps the original the intent of the order was to prevent discrimination, it has become the tool for race-based quotas.”

  “But that’s what Affirmative Action is supposed to prevent.”

  “And the equal protection clause of the fourteenth amendment isn’t enough?”

  That gives Rose pause. “I’m embarrassed to admit this, but I don’t know what that is.”

  “It basically means that all citizens have the same rights under the laws. It doesn’t say all white citizens, or all black citizens, or anything like that. It says all citizens.”

  “So all those things you listed, the Welfare and such, you think that is what is wrong with America.”

  “Among other things,” Joseph says. “Anything that creates a
dependence, like welfare, can’t be a good thing, do you think?”

  “So you don’t want to help the less fortunate?”

  “I didn’t say that either. But if you are dependent on me giving you something, what happens when I no longer can, or no longer wish, to give it to you? But if you work for it and earn the item in a fair exchange, then withholding the item would be a breach of contract and I can be held accountable.”