Baby (Black Rebel Riders' MC)

by Glenna Maynard

  "Need a ride." He winks at me playfully.

  "Nope got it covered, better scram, my boyfriend is on his way. And you better take these back. He won't appreciate you sending his woman flowers." I reach him the bouquet of roses.

  "Now don't go hurting my feelings or lying to me, Baby. It doesn't suit you. I know and you know that you don't have a man. You aren't old enough yet to be branded, but I can be patient given the chance. Just give me thirty minutes and I give you my word I'll change your tire and I won't bother you again."

  "Alright, thirty minutes, I have to be somewhere and if I'm not on time they will know something is wrong." I tuck my phone in my bra for safekeeping. I don't trust this guy.

  "You hungry?" He asks as I climb on the back of his motorcycle. Thank God, he isn't wearing his cut. If someone seen me getting on the back of a Rejects bike, I might as well be dead.

  "Starving," I reply wrapping my arms around his waist. I bury my head in the back of his shirt to keep from catching flies in my mouth. I don't usually ride without a brain bucket. Inhaling a deep breath I smell his cologne, Lucky smells good, he smells woodsy like a real man's man. We come to a stop at the local dairy bar Grim used to bring me to as a kid.

  Pulling out my phone I set a timer, "Your time starts now, make it count." I smirk at him, knowing I am being a bit of a bitch.

  "You can't be serious," Lucky looks at me and for a moment I get lost in the abyss of his blue eyes. He runs a hand through his shaggy brown hair. "You going to pause that clock while I order our food or you going to count that against me too?" He walks away shaking his head, leaving me alone at the picnic tables.

  And here comes Trouble, literally. Trouble pulls his car in a few spaces down and I try to hide behind my hair, but who I am I kidding, I am the only girl in this town with flaming red hair. Right on cue Trouble comes over and takes up the seat next to me. "How's my favorite girl?" He smiles with a toothy grin.

  I hope Lucky takes one look at Trouble and keeps his distance until he is gone. Trouble doesn't have a patch on his cut yet but you can still tell he rides under my father's command. "Good, just grabbing a bite before heading to Romeo and LL's to watch the kids. Date night, ya know."

  "I can come with and help ya with those little rascals."

  "Maybe next time. Okay?" Rising from my seat, I give Trouble a peck on the cheek and pretend I am leaving. "But you can stop by and collect your payment." I wink.

  "Hey, how you gettin' there, thought I seen you take your daddy's truck this morning. It break down on ya?" Damn, why does everyone seem to know my business?

  "Caught a ride with a friend from school. I think she is in the bathroom." Before Trouble can stop me again, I head into the bathroom and try to wait him out. A few minutes later, I peek out of the bathroom door to see Lucky and Trouble standing toe to toe. What the fuck? Did they just fist bump as if they know each other? This is not beneficial for Trouble; doesn't he know he is talking to a Reject? I watch as they talk, seems they know each other well. I wait until Trouble leaves before exiting the bathroom. As I am walking back to Lucky, he sends a text to my phone.

  Lucky: It's safe, you can come out now.

  "So, how do you know Trouble?" I face Lucky, hands on my hips.

  Swiftly Lucky grabs my wrists and tugs me forward. "Nope, this is my time remember. You gave me thirty minutes. When I set a time for you, you will get to ask the questions." He smiles wickedly at me. Cocky asshole. But a good-looking one at that.

  "Fine." I look at the timer on my phone. "You have ten minutes left." I give him a pointed look and shove a french fry in my mouth.

  "We got off to a bad start that night I first saw you. I was drunk. I'm sorry I was such a dick to you. I'd like to make it up to you and take you out sometime. If you'd be willing to give me a chance." He blushes, oh my, he just fucking blushed and it is so sexy.

  "I'm not sure that would be smart for either of us." I brush his hair from his eyes forcing him to look at me. "Why would you risk it, my father will kill you on sight."

  "Some things are worth dying for...I think you are the most beautiful girl I have ever seen and I want to get to know you." Now I am the one who is blushing. This Lucky character is laying it on thick, but I kind of like it. Sure guys hit on me, when they want to get in my pants, but Lucky is only asking for a date. I don't get a date with most guys, they just want to fuck Baby, daughter of the Grim reaper. They think screwing me will help them get patched. When they find out I'm not interested in doing one or the other they get lost real quick. And well to be honest there isn't many brave enough to try it.

  The timer on my phone sounds interrupting the kiss we were about to share. "Guess you better get me back and change my tire. I have someone waiting for me."

  "Should I be jealous?" Lucky cocks his brow at me and winks.

  "Extremely, I have a hot date tonight. We are going to watch a movie and play a hardcore came of Uno. It's going to be a wild time."

  He places our wrappers in the trash while I wait by his bike for him. I stare at him as he walks towards me. If we had met under different circumstances, maybe things could have been different. Lucky is the kind of guy I would go after, if he weren't a Reject.

  **

  "You never gave me an answer about our date." Lucky wipes the grease from his hands on and old t-shirt I found behind the seat of the truck.

  "I'll think about it." I give him a small peck on the cheek and jump in the cab of the truck before he has time to try to change my mind.

  "Don't think too hard," he smiles broadly, as I drive away.

  Rebel

  I'm out at the garage when I see Baby pull in driving her daddy's truck. I know I need to talk to her, but I know the things I need to say are going to crush her. I never meant to hurt Baby. But if I am being honest with myself, Rumor is a challenge, that is what draws me to her. I love them both in different ways. I know Baby would be loyal to me, but like Striker has said, she is young and not ready to be any man's old lady. Then there is Rumor, she excites me, she makes me want to throw her over my shoulder and lock her in my room for a week until she submits to being mine.

  Baby gets out of the truck carrying roses. Who sent her flowers? It isn't her birthday. I make my way towards Grim's trailer to talk to her, but then I see Rumor sitting on the porch and LL is pulling up. Finding out where those flowers came from is going to have to wait. I can't wait for Grim to get back tomorrow, we got to get a handle on the Devils Rejects popping back up. Romeo is back from Chicago, but there isn't any point in talking to him without Grim. Those two are tighter than a virgin pussy.

  My brother pulls up to me on his soft tail, with Aspen riding bitch. "There you are been looking for your ass." Before I can ask him what's up I see Tread pull up at Grim's to take Rumor out. Fuck, I blew it. I should have known it wouldn't take long for a brother to move in on her. I can't even be mad, Tread is a good man. He'd make her a good husband. But I'd make a better one. Fuck, where did that thought come from?

  "I was going to tell you, Tread and Rumor got a date tonight. You told me to invite him so I did."

  "It's cool man, just make sure he treats her right." They are just going to a movie, it don't mean a damn thing. But seeing her on the back of any mans motorcycle but mine, hurts.

  6

  Rumor

  Sitting on the porch my nerves are all over the place. Tonight is my first date with Tread. He called me yesterday and asked me to the movies tonight; it is actually my fist date ever. I hope that I don't disappoint him. I know he is a biker and used to women fawning all over him, I don't know how to be that way with men. I don't know how to be that girl, I don't know how to be Baby. I would ask for her advice if she wouldn't be such a bitch to me.

  She just pulled up in Grim's truck, I know she isn't supposed to be driving, but I'll never tell on her. Looks like Rebel sent her flowers. I look over to the garage and see him walking this way, probably to see if she likes her roses. When he sees me watching him
, he stops coming this way and turns back the other way. No time to worry about it now, Striker and Aspen just pulled in and Tread isn't far behind them. I don't think Grim and Sunshine would care for me going out with him. I am almost twenty and Sunshine is always after me to date.

  LL is here to pick up Baby too; she baby-sits for her and Romeo a lot. Tread walks up on to the porch and greets me with a kiss on the cheek, making me blush. You can do this, Tread isn't Squirrel, he isn't out to hurt me. I take a deep breath and give him my best smile. Baby comes rushing past us to get in the car with LL. She takes a double look at Tread and me and she actually gives me a smile. Did hell just freeze? I guess I knew all along that the key to cracking Baby's wall was to cut ties with Rebel and date anyone but him. This is a good thing, maybe I can learn how to open myself up to men and Baby will finally accept me as her sister.

  "You ready to go?"

  "Yeah, what are we going to see?"

  "Some chick flick Aspen has been after Striker to take her to see." Tread takes his time with me; he makes sure I am comfortable before we head out. I watch Striker and Aspen as they talk to Rebel. Rebel gives Tread a chin nod. I don't know why a part of me expected him to be jealous. It is for the best, now maybe if I say it enough I will start to believe it.

  We end up at an Italian restaurant before going to the movies. Aspen seems really nice and she is really pretty. She is a little on the short side but her and Striker look really good together. Aspen has dark hair that is cropped around her chin and she is curvy, a little on the plus side. Not the typical girl you would expect to see a guy like Striker to have on his arm. And when the girl opens her mouth, she does not have a filter. She is brutally honest, but I find it comforting.

  Dinner is nice; we all fall into easy conversation about our day-to-day life. Aspen works for the local Vet as his assistant (she met Striker when he brought his dad's dog in for his shots), she has a huge love of animals, and you can just feel her passion for it when she talks. Striker shares the same passion for restoring old bikes and customizing new ones at the garage. I can't understand why they aren't married yet or at least living together, Aspen says they have been dating almost two years. I wish I had a passion for anything, but there isn't anything that feels like I'd die if I couldn't do it.

  Tread is on the road a lot, I'm not sure how I feel about that. Not that I expect anything serious to come from this one date. And there is my rule of not ever belonging to a patched, Harley riding man.

  The movie we end up seeing is actually based on a book I recently read. Tread holds my hand throughout the whole movie and he doesn't mind my pointing out all of the things that were better in the book, or the things they failed to mention in the movie. He has been a perfect date. Aspen seems like the kind of girl I could be friends with. We exchange phone numbers outside of the theater with a promise to meet up for lunch soon.

  Tread takes me directly home and we end the night with a simple but sweet kiss. He is heading out of town tomorrow, he won't be back for another week or so depending on how his run goes, but says he will call me from the road. I walk into the trailer feeling good about the direction things are going. Tread will make me the perfect practice boyfriend to get my feet wet for the day I am ready to really date seriously.

  I nearly jump out of my skin when I turn on the living room light to find Rebel waiting for me on the couch. "What are you doing here? Baby is over at the cabin, shouldn't you be over there helping her or something."

  "Don't want Baby." I can feel his eyes trained on me. "Did you have a good time on your date?" His tongue clicks on the word date. I think he is drunk, no, I know he is drunk, I can smell cherry moonshine permeating from his skin.

  "You're drunk, go home Rebel." I go into the kitchen and get him a glass of water.

  "I hope you had a good time. I just wanted to tell you that."

  "Okay, you told me now go home." He rises from the couch nearly falling back down. Well he clearly isn't walking anywhere on his own. "Need me to call one of your brothers to come get you home?" There is no way I am letting him spend the night here.

  "I can get home." His phone starts ringing and I can hear Romeo clearly on the other end. Something is wrong with the still and he needs him to get over there now to fix it. "I'll be right there man."

  "Come on Rebel, I'll drive you." I just hope Baby does not get the wrong idea when I drop him off.

  Baby

  The kids passed out on me halfway through the movie. After getting them to bed and cleaning up the mess we made having a popcorn fight, I kick back on the couch to wait for Romeo and LL to get here so I can go home. My phone chimes with a text.

  Lucky: you made up your mind princess.

  Baby: nope.

  Lucky: nope you won't or nope you haven't decided.

  Baby: Haven't decided.

  Lucky: say yes, you know you want to.

  Baby: Answer my question, How do YOU know TROUBLE?

  Lucky: We grew up together and just because we ride for different clubs don't mean we can't be friends.

  Lucky: Satisfied?

  Baby: For now, gotta go babysitting duty calls.

  Now that is interesting, bet my father wouldn't take too kindly to Trouble being buddy buddy with a Reject. I'll have to file this information away for a rainy day. Jamie, Romeo's little mini me has woken up with a bellyache, guess all that candy wasn't one of my better ideas. I get him some tummy medicine and send him back to bed.

  Trouble stopped by to collect that moonshine I owed him, he wanted to hang around to give me a ride home, but I do not want LL and Romeo to think I sneak boys over.

  The still in the basement starts making weird noise after Trouble leaves and it seems to be smoking. I put a call into Romeo that there is a problem and he may want to get home and fix it, I hope he doesn't think I am just trying to ruin their date, or that I am trying to get him here with me. About thirty minutes later, I go to the door expecting to find Romeo and LL but instead it's Rebel and Rumor. Great why are they here and together.

  I step back from the door and allow them to step inside of the cabin. "Keep quiet the kids are sleeping. Why are you guys here, is something wrong?"

  "Rebel needed a ride, says he has to fix the still. You take him down to the basement and help him I'll listen for the kids." Rumor smiles at me, I guess trying to reassure me that she hasn't spent the night with Rebel.

  After taking a good look at Rebel I see why Rumor had to drive him over, I haven't seen him this drunk since his dad died. I hope he can do what needs to be done. I have to practically carry him down the stairs. He spends a few minutes messing with things I know nothing about. He says it's fixed just got overheated, says that the batch isn't a complete loss. Romeo and LL are hung up in traffic on the interstate that there was a bad wreck that is why he is here.

  "Baby, I'm sorry for the way I have treated you. You deserve better." He is slurring his words, they say people are their most honest when they are drunk, depending on the type of drunk they are. I slide down on the cold cement floor next to him against the wall near the stairs.

  He wipes his hair from his eyes, giving me a sly smile, "you know I love you, I'd bleed for ya...take a bullet for ya...I'd kill for ya. I was going to slit that punk Lucky's throat for saying your name." He grabs my hair and forces me to look at him. "I love you, but I'm not in love with you." Guess he has forgotten the conversation we had where I told him I no longer want him.

  "I want you to date; you might find someone who turns your world upside down. And stop fucking around with every guy who pays you attention. You are worth more than that—you are worth more than I can give you. I don't want us to end up like my old man and Foxie. I know you don't want that either."

  "Is that what you want, you want me to find someone else? Want me to, because I will do anything for you—you know that. I love you more than anything or anyone, I always have, I always will. But you are wrong there is only one guy I have done anything with. You. I might m
ess around kissing guys, but I am no man's whore, especially not yours. I told you I would never touch you again Rebel and I meant it. We already had this conversation and I am so done having these talks with you." I am crying now, unable to hold back the tears. Rebel thinks I am just another whore, well fuck that, fuck him. I know I just lied to him, but how can I ever tell anyone about Romeo. He has a wife and kids and if my dad knew he'd kill him and where would that leave LL and their children. I'm a bitch but I am not cold hearted.

  "I didn't know, Baby, look at me," He makes me face him. I can see the shame on his face even if he is drunk, even if he doesn't remember any of this tomorrow I will. "I didn't know. I'm sorry."

  "Yeah, I'm sorry too." A part of me feels like I lost what was left of my friendship with Rebel. Rebel slumps over passing out on my shoulder. I ease out from under him leaving him leaned against the wall. I'll never be able to get him up the stairs, he'll just have to sleep it off. I go upstairs and fetch him a pillow and a blanket, even though the jerk does not deserve it.

  Back upstairs I join Rumor on the couch and for the first time I have a real conversation with my sister. She tells me about her date with Tread. I think she might like him. Rumor truly isn't bad to talk to. Neither of us mentions Rebel, I don't think either of us are ready to go there right now.

  "Rumor can I tell you something?" I am dying to talk to someone about Lucky. Normally I would go to Foxie, but I need someone close to my own age to gossip about boys with.

  "Baby, I am your sister, I wish you'd give me the chance to be." I tell her everything about Lucky, leaving out his name and the fact that he is a Reject. A part of me wants to tell her about Rush, she might recall him from when she was a kid, but I am not sure if I can trust her yet. When LL and Romeo make it home, I leave with Rumor.

  Rumor opens up to me a little more on the drive home, telling me how she is scared to date because of her past. I feel horrible for all of the things I have said to her and about her. I guess I never really stopped to think about what she must have gone through. All I cared about was Rebel and that she was in my way. The wall I have had up between us is not her fault it's Rebel's, he and I both are to blame. If I wasn't so busy chasing after him I might not have missed what was in front of me, a sister and a friend. I have failed to consider her feelings since she came into my life, but that changes now.