by Flite, Nora
“She'll be fine.” The doc cleaned Flora's wound, then dug in with medical tools. He pushed the gushing hole open enough to get the pliers in and fished for the bullet. “I was trained in Nam',” he calmly recounted with the casualness of building a toy car. Flora groaned, but was still incoherent. “This is a cake walk. Your friend—”
“Sister. She's my sister,” Claudine corrected.
“Your sister,” Doc let the words drift as he found and slowly removed the bullet, “—is gonna be alright.” He dropped the bullet into a tray, patted down the wound, then opened her eyes to check her pupils. “Put her on the grass outside.”
I picked her up and he followed us out. Once I had her gently on the ground, I felt her cheek. Her breathing was soothing. “Any word on Poet? He in the area?” I asked, looking around. I recognized a few of the guys, but only through reputation or through other acquaintances. It struck me that these guys were the closest thing I had to a family, and even then I didn't know many of them. It was a lonely feeling.
“Last I heard they were picking off the stragglers, but you know Remy...”
“Yeah, yeah. He's always gotta be the last one out. Poet's a goddamn superhero.”
The old man laughed. “Gives the rest of us a bad name!” He briefly looked me over for any grievous injuries. Satisfied that I wasn't going to fall apart, he patted me on the shoulder and headed back in.
For a long while, I just stared down at Flora's sleeping face. The peace was envious. Glancing up, I saw that Claudine was standing over us. She won't let Flora out of her sight.
Except she wasn't watching Flora—she was staring at me.
I shifted under her scrutiny. “How're you feeling?”
“Like shit,” she answered with an honest smile.
“The withdrawal gets harder every time. It's gonna be rough, but it'll pass if you let it.”
She took Flora's hand again, considering something only she could see. “The withdrawals aren't the hard part, not anymore.” She looked up at the sky, eyes starting to shimmer with unshed tears. “Letting her down, that's what's rough.” Laughing without humor, Claudine lowered her head and rubbed her eyes. Here, watching her raw emotion, I could see she was related to Flora. “This is all my fault. She came out her for me.”
“That's true.” I made myself more comfortable in the short grass, absently stroking Flora's shoulder. “She risked her life for you.”
The painful realization marred her already weary face. “All the damage I've done... Flora's better off without me.” She half-turned, ready to walk off without another thought. “She's safer without me in her life.”
My hand froze where it was. “You're leaving?”
Claudine swallowed hard, the look of determination solidifying on her features. “It's for the best.”
“Don't leave, please,” I said, a tired smile spreading on my face. “Your sister might be game for it, but I don't know if I have another one of these rescue missions in me.”
Hesitating, she glanced back down at her sister. “Tell her not to come after me this time.”
“That's adorable. You think she listens to me? I spent days trying to convince her to give you up, but she came anyways. Stubborn, that one. I see that she gets it from you.” I spoke with enough conviction that Claudine twisted around, listening curiously. “Stay. Say goodbye in person, when she wakes up. You know that she deserves at least that much.”
There was a war going on in her head. I don't know what she decided, but it was good to see Claudine come back and sit down next to her sister.
“You should hear the way Flora talks about you,” I said. “Her big sister. The girl who taught her everything she knows.”
“Hopefully not everything.” She smiled weakly, covering the pronounced track marks on her arm with her hand.
“Should I blame you for teaching her how to steal my bike?”
Claudine chuckled, covering her mouth. “I only taught her how to ride. Everything else is all her.” We sat in quiet for a long while until she added, “Why do all this? You don't owe us anything.”
“You're not the only one worth blaming.” I shook my head lightly and gazed off into the distance. “First, it was because I had to, then... I don't know what happened.” Finally, as if magnetized, my eyes found their way back to Flora. She was filthy and bloody, but still perfect in so many ways. “She clawed her way into my head, and I haven't stopped thinking about her yet.”
Claudine studied me.“Is that a first for you?”
“Hopefully first and last. Violence and danger are one thing, but I think my heart would give out if I ever tried something like this again.”
Flora stirred, but stayed asleep.
I looked at Claudine, the concern for her sister was honest and apparent. “Flora needs you. The real you, whoever that is, not some junkie.” That made her flinch. “The way I see it, you've got two paths in front of you right now. You can run, chasing a high that'll never be as good as the first time, or you can get clean and be there for your sister. As tough as she is, she'll never be able to save someone who doesn't want to be saved. That's gotta be your decision to make.”
“She's a lot tougher than I am,” Claudine whispered. “What about you? You're obviously one of them.” She waved her hand at the other Steel Veins. “Where does an outlaw biker go from here?”
I couldn’t focus on anything past Flora. It looked like her color was returning, but I'd bring Doc over just to be sure. “Hey, Doc!” I saw him put a hand up, telling me to wait a minute. Sighing, I turned back to Claudine. “Hard to say, haven't quite figured out my place in the world yet.” My only concern was getting Flora better. “For now, I'm going to take her to a motel in the area and let her rest. She needs it.”
Doc finally came over, checking her vitals. He handed me some vicodin, to help with her pain when she woke up.
I gently scooped Flora up, then spoke to Claudine one last time. “She'll be feeling a lot better tomorrow, and I'm sure she'll want to see you—if you haven't disappeared by then.”
She kept quiet and looked down slightly. It was only when I turned away that she called out to me. “Wherever you do end up, I hope it's by her side. I see the way you look at her, and how she looks at you. I've never seen her look at anyone like that.” Claudine smiled, a genuine thing that lit up her face. “It's something really special.”
I didn't know what to say.
Flora spared me the challenge. “Claudine?” she asked, weakly reaching out for her sister.
“I'm here.” Claudine clutched her hand.
Flora smiled faintly. “Good.”
Comforted that she hadn't been abandoned, she fell back asleep.
Chapter Fourteen
Ronin
The mattress stirred, blankets rustling. “Where are we?” Flora asked, slowly sitting up in the bed.
It was good to hear her voice.
“Just outside of Miami at the lavish two-star Motel Flamingo.” I put down the crossword puzzle, that I was failing miserably at, and got up from the chair to bring Flora a bottle of water and some pain medicine. “Welcome back to the land of the living.”
“Ugh... Being alive sucks. Everything hurts.” She rubbed her eyes and took the pills, then drained the bottle all in one go. “Guess I was thirsty. Thanks.” She looked to the window, but I had the shades drawn. I didn't think there'd be a retaliatory attack from the Knights, but in the off chance... It was best not to advertise. “What time is it?”
“It's either extremely early or extremely late, depending on your perspective.” I only knew that it was still dark outside, because the alarm clock, despite being plugged in, was off. Not surprising for this type of place, but I couldn't complain. After all, they didn't stop me when I carried a bloody, unconscious woman to my room.
We'd been at the motel for several hours, but I was way too amped up to sleep. After something as intense as the fight earlier, I needed a long time to decompress. “How's the leg?”
“Okay, I guess. Hurts like— Ronin, your face!” She blinked a few times, rubbing the last vestiges of sleep from her eyes.
I smiled, trying to diffuse the worry that was plastered all over her face. “It looks worse than it is. I'm pretty sure Lucky was really a bear in a man costume.”
“That would explain how he was such a fucking animal.” Flora peeled back the covers so she could sit up easier, revealing her silky thighs and panties in the process. Her wound had been cleaned, then dressed, but the rest of her leg was stained with blood and dirt.
I cracked my knuckles and went to grab a water of my own. Filthy or not, I wanted her badly. If I got too close, I wouldn't be able to contain myself. I exhaled deliberately. This wasn't the time for that.
“What happened to my pants?” she asked with some concern.
“They didn't make it, unfortunately.” I pointed to the trashcan on my way to the mini fridge. “Doc had to cut them off to get at your bullet. I picked you up another pair on our way over here.”
“Thanks. Hey, Listen.” Flora took in a deep breath and readied herself. Something weighed heavily on her mind. With only us here, she seemed ready to talk. “Everything you've done. I—I don't really know what to say. I mean, I've lost track of how many times you've saved me” Flora slowly swung her legs over the side of the bed. “I wouldn't be alive right now if not for you.”
“Yeah, but part of this clusterfuck was my fault. Despite my many, many virtues, I do have a few vices. If not for my pride, you'd have found your sister much sooner.”
“Even if you hadn't dragged me out of that brothel... I don't think I'd have made it. I wasn't thinking clearly. Everything was just so fucked up that I had to do something, even if I had no damn clue what that something was!”
“Flora...”
“No! I don't deserve to be let off the hook. All those people back there...” Flora bit her lip, sinking into the sadness. “All the people that died in that mansion. Your brothers, the girls, all those bodies. Part of that was my fault. So much death, I didn't want any of that! I just wanted my sister. I just wanted—”
Flora covered her eyes, finally breaking down. With a soul that heavy, it was admirable that she'd made it that far. “I'm so, so sorry.” She wiped at her eyes, gathering herself.
I walked back over with a cloth for her. When she was finished wiping her nose and mouth, I pulled her head into my stomach. I was going to speak, but held my tongue. I knew she wasn't done. She needed to get it all out. It was the only way back up from something as heavy as what went down today.
When she felt my arms around her, she immediately resumed sobbing. I held her and just let her cry. Flora hugged me tighter and tighter like she was trying to squeeze the guilt out of herself. We stayed like that for as long as she needed.
When she was done, my shirt stained with tears, I squatted down so we were at the same eye level. “A lot of good men and women died today.” I watched her eye's drift low, her face growing even more pained with the hard truth. “Look at me.” She did. “But they didn't die for you, Flora, and they didn't die in vain. All you were was a long, overdue catalyst. Dozens of girls would've been sold into a very short, violent life, if it weren't for you and the suicidal love you have for your sister.
Smiling tenderly, I said, “You helped topple one of the biggest human traffic rings on the east coast. Think of the hundreds or even thousands of Claudines that will never be abducted by scum like the Knights, now.” I lifted her chin carefully, wanting her to look at me straight on. “Maybe you still had some saintly things to do too.”
Flora managed a weak smile. She breathed a little easier, but she was still hurting. I could feel it. It was a pain far deeper than any bullet wound.
“That's very kind, but what I did to you,” she started to say. Her eyes drifted to the floor. I went to speak, but she beat me to it. “Your club, everything, all gone because I dragged you into my craziness.”
Seeing her this distraught made my heart ache. I opened my mouth, but again, she was faster. “And your bike! I'm so sorry for stealing your bike! And your gun, I'm sorry for that too. After seeing those guys at the gas station almost kill you, I just didn't want you to get hurt anymore. I'd always planned to get that back to you, somehow, when this was all over. I really wanted to, at least.” Shaking her head, Flora let her hair fall into her eyes. “How could you possibly forgive me?”
“Forgive? I should thank you.”
“What?” Flora was startled off guard. I didn't know what she expected to hear, but it wasn't that.
“It was only a bike and a gun. You didn't have to save me from those guys at the gas station to steal my bike. Flora, I'm a nomad. People fuck me over all the time and if I'm honest, most times I deserved it.” I chuckled.
I had her attention, and I resisted the urge to taste her red lips. Would they be salty from her tears? I forced myself to keep talking. “Ever since I got back from Afghanistan, there's been this fucking chasm in my soul that couldn't be filled with all the distractions in the world. Then I met you. I thought your singular focus was insane.” I remembered how she'd pleaded with me to go back to the Knights. “But your courage and selflessness reminded me of the man I was when I served. A better man. A man I desperately wanted to be again.”
I stood up, then helped her to her feet as well, making sure that her leg could hold her. She winced, but she stood under her own power just fine.
“I don't feel that emptiness when I'm around you, Flora. I can finally see the truth. You're my only chance of being that man again.” Unable to hold back, I kissed her sweetly. It was brief, too brief. “Without you...” Words that, up until that moment I wasn't capable of saying, came to my mouth like the bursting of a dam.
Words that even death couldn't steal from me.
“I love you.”
Stunned, Flora just stared at me like she'd forgotten how to speak. For a moment, I was more terrified than I'd ever been in my entire life.
“I'm—You too.” She revealed the biggest, most innocent smile I'd seen on her yet. “I mean, I'm sorry. I'm a fucking mess right now!” She breathed in until her chest swelled, taking a moment to calm herself. Finally, she brushed her fingers into mine, her voice firm as steel. “I love you too, Connor.”
My name never sounded so good. It was the first time Flora had said my name without it slipping out accidentally, or being used as a warning. The name Ronin was given to me just after I'd been patched in and made a full member. I'd immediately asked to go Nomad. The name was synonyms for wanderer and loner. I was a warrior who'd lost his way.
Flora hugged me. I didn't feel so lost anymore.
Eventually, she peeled herself off me. “Ugh, I am so damn filthy!” She laughed. “I need to go take a shower. You better not leave. If I slip and crack my head open, that's on you.”
“Scouts' honor.” I put up the three-finger boy scout salute, then helped her to the bathroom. I kept the door open a crack so I could actually hear if she did fall over, not that I thought she would, but at this point I'd lost track of the karma I'd stored up. I didn't want to take any chances.
It was twelve agonizing minutes later that she called for me. It was difficult knowing she was wet and naked and so near. There wasn't any pain in her voice, so I knew it wasn't a call of distress. My concerns alleviated, I opened the door. Steam billowed out and obscured my vision. “You alright?” I asked carefully.
“Yes, I just...” Flora folded back the curtain enough to pop her head out. Once she cleaned the shampoo out of her eyes, she looked at me with eyebrows upturned. “I have to hold on to the wall because of my stupid leg. I was wondering, would you mind, well.” A slightly nervous smile parted her lips. “Washing my back?”
I didn't bother hiding the smirk that crawled across my face. I couldn't think of a better way to spend a morning. “It'd be my pleasure,” I replied, watching her head fade back beneath the steam and semi-opaque curtain.
I pulled the
barrier to the side. Flora had her naked back to me. The harsh, bluish bathroom light couldn't rob the beauty of her every tight curve. Her slick body shimmered, daring me to touch her.
I resisted, at least long enough to grab the bar of soap and lather my hands. I started at her shoulders. They were supple, her skin yielding to my grip. I massaged the soap into her back. Slowly I moved downward, sliding my thumbs on either side of her spine and letting my fingers caress each rib.
I slipped a hand around to her stomach. “Just for support,” I cooed softly. We both accepted it for the lie that it was.
“Of course,” Flora agreed, breathing in deeply. Yearning radiated from her.
My other hand washed over each hip in turn, then lingered just above the swell of her ass. She arched forward, the water running down her back and collecting over my hand. My eyes traced their path over her thighs and between her legs.
And then my hand followed.
I stopped, inches away from her pussy. Flora mewled, wiggling against me. The emanating heat that bathed my fingers was maddening, but I wanted to hear her beg me for it.
“It's not nice to tease a wounded girl,” she said.
I let go of her thigh altogether. “Do I strike you as the nice type?” Flora groaned in disappointment. Her whole body tensed in fleeting protest.
I flexed my fingertips into deep lines across her stomach, pulling her against my chest. My cock dug into her flesh, both of us hissing.
I kissed and bit her; at the back of her neck, at her collar bone, at everything I could. I barely noticed that her water slicked skin had soaked through the front of my shirt and pants. I certainly didn't care.
“Connor.” Her voice was so lustfully liquid that I tried to drink it through the nape of her neck. Her fingers crept along the back of my head, intertwining with my hair, her nails dragging along my scalp. “I need to feel you.”
One of my hands drifted up past her belly button to graze gently between her breasts, while the other dragged down through the nook of her hips. Every touch and scrape doubled my desire for her, it became suffocating. “How badly?”
