Walk, Colt, walk the fuck out…
I turned and opened the door, letting it fall shut behind me. I walked to my bike and straddled it, shoving my helmet on my head and looking around. The house was modest, but nice. A traditional cabin-style structure, with an A frame entryway. Tall evergreens towered behind it, lending a backdrop of rich, vibrant green.
Like her eyes.
Like —
“Oh, hell no,” I said, realizing there was something I’d forgotten. I got off my bike and pulled off my helmet as I walked back to her door. I knocked and waited.
It took a few more seconds than I thought it should, but she finally opened the door. She stood there, gloriously beautiful, as stoic and stiff as she’d been a moment ago.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
SAGE
My heart sank when he walked out.
The sound of the door closing was like a door shutting on my heart, leaving me breathless and trembling. As soon as I’d woken up in his arms, reality came screaming back into my brain and everything I’d blissfully forgotten about for a few short hours hit me like a truck.
The guilt immediately wrecked me.
My mother was still missing.
My entire family was in crisis mode and I was shallow enough to seek refuge in a stranger’s arms — albeit a stunningly handsome stranger. The alcohol had allowed me to let my guard down last night, but now that the effects had worn off, I felt like an immature hussy.
I felt like a monster.
Maddy needed me to be more responsible. I should have been out combing the streets of Astoria first thing this morning — something I’d gotten into the habit of doing each day, just in case — and it was already nine a.m. and I hadn’t done it yet.
Instead, I spent the first half hour staring at the naked creature on my Mom’s couch and hoping like hell Corinne didn’t bring Maddy home early.
And yet, when he indicated that he’d be leaving, I was devastated. I’d spent that half hour not only staring at him and praying Maddy didn’t walk in, but also fantasizing about what might happen when he woke up. I didn’t have a lot of experience with one-night stands and I fretted over if I should make breakfast — too presumptuous? — or wake him up purposefully, in any number of ways. Was I supposed to wake him up with sex? Coffee? I had no idea how these things worked, in real life.
In the end, I settled on coffee and walked outside to let him sleep, lest he wake up and catch me staring at him like he was an exotic animal in a zoo and think I was crazy.
So, I decided to play it cool and let things unfold naturally, which is what I assumed Corinne would do. Just go with the flow.
Only the flow ended up being the tears coming out of my eyes when I walked outside and saw that my Mom’s crocus had bloomed in one of her flowerpots on the porch. A small purple bloom stood proudly jutting from the soil, reaching for the faint rays of sunshine breaking through the clouds. When I’d first arrived, it hadn’t even sprouted yet and now here it was, in full bloom, a stark reminder of how much time had passed. The last two weeks had gone so quickly and deep in my heart, I woke up every morning hoping Mom would walk through the door. And yet, so much time had passed that this flower had lived its short lifetime already and she still wasn’t home yet. Mom’s flowers were blooming without her and it just broke me.
The sobs were immediate.
And then, of course, he’d picked that moment to wake up and walk out onto the deck. I tried to lock down all the sorrow flowing through me so I didn’t scare him, but in the process of doing that, I shut down every other emotion, too.
I wanted to tell him I’d had an amazing time. That I could still feel his hands on me, still feel his lips on mine, still feel him deep inside of me and that my entire body was buzzing from the pleasure he’d given me.
I wanted to tell him that I wanted to see him again, in some other universe where I wasn’t living smack dab in the middle of a nightmare.
I wanted to thank him. For the short reprieve, even if I felt guilty about it now in the light of day.
I wanted to tell him it had been my favorite night of my life so far.
I wanted to ask for more.
And yet, I shut everything down and I sat paralyzed in place as he covered up all those smooth inches of flesh I’d grown so fond of. And then, just like that, with a tiny little wave, the only pleasure I’d known in the last two weeks was fully clothed and disappeared out the door, just like it had never been there in the first place.
I took a deep breath and melted into the couch, numb.
Panic and fear, shame and pleasure, longing and regret — like a cocktail of wrenching despair that tore through my soul, I began trembling deep inside, a slow growing thread of panic snaking through me.
The knock at the door jarred me.
Assuming it was Finn, I contemplated ignoring it. But I was sure he wouldn’t go away, because I’d tried that before. He knew if I was here and politely waited, like a determined cat that was ready to be fed. He checked on us every single day. It was kind, but I was not in any condition to listen to him right now.
But it wasn’t Finn.
“Hey…” I said, staring in awe at the gorgeous creature standing on the doorstep. He looked so different in the light of day, his thoughtful eyes kind and calm. Last night, he’d been a little wild — his dark curls tangled around his face after our ride, but now the hungry gaze that left me shaken hours ago was now filled with concern and curiosity.
“Hi,” he said, running a hand through his hair. The morning sunshine left streaks of light running through it, illuminating some of the strands with a silvery sheen. “I forgot something.”
“Oh?” I said, glancing behind me. I hadn’t noticed anything he’d left behind.
“I uh — yeah. I forgot to get your name, actually. What’s your name? I can’t just leave without knowing your name.”
He looked down briefly after he asked, then shyly looked back at me, flashing his shimmering eyes.
I stopped, realizing at once that he was absolutely right — we’d not exchanged names at all. I couldn’t believe it.
Slowly, a deep laugh formed in my belly, escaping in a wave of rolling laughter that managed to access all the emotions I’d been swallowing down until my laughter turned into deep, wracking sobs that left me violently shaking.
“Oh, goddammit,” he muttered, pulling me into his arms. “I’m so sorry…”
I collapsed into his arms in the threshold of the doorway and he held me as I broke down. His arms wrapped around me like a safety blanket and all the resistance I’d built up, all the walls, all the armor, everything crashed around me until I couldn’t hold it in.
And all I could think was…this poor guy.
This poor stranger — taking it all in like a champ. After a few moments, he gently led me inside, kicking the door shut behind him and leading me to the couch. He sat me down, never taking his arms from around my trembling body for even a second.
He didn’t say a word.
He didn’t ask questions.
He didn’t ask for my name again, either.
He just held me. He let me just let all the tears out.
It was exactly what I needed and I hadn’t even realized it.
Just a strong pair of patient arms to fall into…
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
COLT
After a while, her sobs subsided and she collected herself, pulling herself out of my arms and flashing me a weary smile.
“So sorry,” she whispered, wiping her face with the sleeve of her sweater.
“No apologies necessary,” I said, waiting a beat before continuing. “But, just in case you were wondering, my name’s Colt.”
She looked at me and laughed, shaking her head. She put a hand over her heart. “I’m Sage.”
“Sage,” I nodded, letting it slide over my tongue. “I like it, thank you.”
“I should be the one thanking you,” she said. “I don’t usually fall apart i
n a stranger’s arms.”
“Way I see it, now that we know each other’s names, we’re not exactly strangers anymore.”
She smiled again, her eyes lighting up a little more each time. Green as the grass on a Spring day, I wanted to stare into them forever.
“Besides my name, there’s something else you should know about me,” I said. Actually, there was a hell of a lot someone should know about me if they were going to spend any amount of time with me, but that would come later.
“What’s that?” she asked.
“I’m a good listener,” I nodded, firmly. “And not to be one to assume anything, but it seems like maybe you need someone to talk to.”
She smiled again, softer this time. “I suppose I do owe you an explanation.”
“Well, that’s where you’re wrong, Sage. You don’t owe me a damned thing. Just say the word and I’m out the door.”
“Please don’t go,” she shook her head. “I do want to explain. Although, I’m not sure what you’ll think of me afterwards.”
“I’m not one to judge people, trust me on that.”
She nodded, biting her lip as she stared over at me.
“You’re a nice guy, Colt.”
“I try.” I shrugged.
She took a deep breath and her words came rushing out.
“My mother is missing. It’s been two weeks. This is her house, actually. I live in Portland, but I came back to stay with my sister. She’s only thirteen. She’s not here now, she’s with my best friend in Portland for a few days, but things have been rough. I don’t know what to do, honestly. The cops haven’t been much help. We have no leads. She just disappeared without a trace and I’m terrified.”
She stopped to look at me, no doubt to see if I was ready to run out the door. I reached over and grabbed her hand. “Go on.”
“Last night,” she began, pausing to look away for a second before looking back at me. I wanted to pull her into my arms, but I waited. “Last night was amazing, but I do owe you an apology. The simple fact is that I used you. I’ve just been so stressed, it’s all been overwhelming and I just wanted a tiny escape. Just a few minutes to stop thinking about it. I was just going to go home last night, I had too much to drink, and I still couldn’t stop thinking about Mom. It just made things worse, to be honest. But then, I realized I couldn’t drive and the cab was going to take forever, and it was so cold…but then, I saw you, on your bike…and I - I -,” she shrugged, throwing her hands up in frustration. “Well it worked. For a little while. You were an amazing distraction, an escape that I’ll never forget, if I’m being terribly honest. Until I woke up and it all came rushing back, and the guilt set in and damn it, I am so sorry!”
A slow smile spread across my lips, knowing I’d provided just a small amount of comfort to her as she was going through such a monumental event. I couldn’t even imagine the weight of all she was carrying.
“You’re smiling.”
I nodded. “I am.”
“Does that mean you don’t hate me?”
“It does,” I said. “But the smile is purely selfish.”
“Selfish? Why?”
“Because it means I gave you what you were looking for, even if it was just for a few minutes.”
“Well, I mean, it was a lot longer than a few minutes,” she grinned.
I laughed, shaking my head. “Thank goodness.”
“Colt, seriously, thank you for being so cool about everything.”
I paused before replying, thinking about her situation, weighing my words.
“Sage, at first I wasn’t sure why we met, or why I ended up here with you, other than we were both looking for the same thing at the same time, but now I understand. It all makes sense.”
“It does?” she asked, looking at me skeptically.
“Yes. I can help you. My club can help you. Fate brought us together.”
“Your club?” She raised an eyebrow, making her look even more adorable.
I nodded, remembering she knew absolutely zero about me.
“Right, I’m not wearing my cut,” I said. “Okay. So, I’m a biker. But I also belong to a club.”
“A club? Like a gang?” Her eyes widened.
“Gang has such a negative connotation, doesn’t it?” I winked. “Sure, like that, but we’re not outlaws. Well, not exactly. Hell, maybe we are. We help people. We help people who can’t, or aren’t, getting help one might normally get from official channels. Sometimes, you need alternative support. We supply that.”
“I see,” she said, looking at me with squinted eyes. “I think…”
“I know it sounds…unorthodox…but trust me. We might be able to help you find your Mom.”
“Oh! That would be amazing,” she said. “I mean, I’ll take any help I can get. I’ve done everything I can think of. And like I said the cops are just…indifferent. It’s maddening.”
“It sounds awful,” I said, her hand still in mine. I wanted to pull her into my arms, but instead, I kept my cool.
I needed more information.
I needed to call Slade.
Or Riot. Or Ryder or Grace. Someone. Any of them would help us, to the best of their ability. The absolute faith I had in that support had a way of making me feel like I could take on the world.
“It’s going to be okay,” I said to Sage, my heart breaking for her. No wonder she was crying. The fact that she was holding it together so well was a testament to her strength and I had the utmost respect for her.
Didn’t mean my savior complex didn’t kick into full effect, because it sure as hell did.
Unfortunately, her Mom’s been gone for two weeks and that didn’t make me feel very hopeful. Sage looked over at me, her eyes illuminated with a twinge of hope, a glimmer that I’d put there with just a few words.
The weight of my promise hit me hard. I wanted to hold her and smooth away the lines of worry and make her smile again. But there was only one thing that would make that happen.
I had to find her Mom.
I had a big job ahead of me. Against all odds, at best.
Holding her would have to wait till later.
“Tell me everything,” I demanded.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
SAGE
After I spilled my guts, telling him every detail, he left me alone and went outside to talk on the phone. It wasn’t a short conversation. In fact, I found myself peeking out the window several times to make sure he hadn’t just run away.
Who could blame him if he had?
This drunken one-night stand had turned into a pandora’s box of drama.
But he didn’t blink an eye. His confidence was comforting.
After at least forty-five minutes he came back in, told me everything was moving forward, and all we needed to do was wait a little while. We sat on the couch and he wrapped his massive arms around me. I melted into them, resting my head on his chest and trying to will myself to believe his words. I really had no idea what to expect, but what happened next was not what I was expecting at all.
We heard them before we saw them.
It seemed like the entire house was vibrating by the time the last of the Gods had driven up in front of the house. Colt and I went to the front door to meet them and I watched in shock as five of the biggest creatures I’d ever seen strode up the sidewalk, all sinewy muscles and beefy limbs and leather and tight jeans and boots and hair — so much hair.
All except one of them had long flowing hair, similar to Colt’s long locks, and I reached down and pinched my wrist to make sure I wasn’t dreaming. I looked over at Colt in surprise, but he smiled down at me reassuringly.
“They look a little wild, but trust me, they’re complete professionals.”
I nodded slowly, a shaky smile on my face as he introduced me.
“Guys, this is Sage. Sage, this is Ryder, Riot, Slade, Wreck and Blade.”
Ryder was dark and mysterious and very serious, but his handshake was firm and gentle, all at the
same time. His eyes were warm, which immediately put me at ease. Riot was a little rougher and hairier and bigger, with tattoos trailing up out of his shirt and onto his neck. He shook my hand, completely business-like. Wreck was quiet, hanging in the background and giving me a little wave, while Blade stayed close to him, his blonde locks long and straight down his back.
Slade was the one I couldn’t stop staring at, though. His face was all sharp angles, his bright green eyes laser-focused and curious, his head shaved bald.
But his smile was as wide as his ears almost, appearing to be permanently fixed to his handsome face, despite a missing tooth. His arms were bare, showing off a kaleidoscope of terrifying monsters and skulls and scars that zigzagged over his inked flesh. He was smaller than others, but what he lacked in size, he made up for in rippling, taut muscles.
Ryder handed Colt a patch of leather and he swung it over his shoulders. Instantly, he fit in with the others, all of them wearing their cuts like badges of honor. He led them into my mother’s house like he owned the place, and in moments, they were all sprawled around the place like they were taking over.
I stood at the front door, watching with breathless wonder.
What the hell had I gotten myself into?
The door opened behind me, bumping into my back, causing me to stumble forward. Colt, never venturing far from my side, caught me as I fell into his arms. I turned to look at the widening front door and saw Corinne and Maddy standing there, their eyes quickly widening as their jaws dropped.
I stood frozen in place, wrapped in Colt’s massive arms, looking like a deer frozen in headlights. Behind me, the leather-clad Gang of Hope had spread out on Mom’s couch and around her kitchen table, with Riot setting up a laptop and Ryder towering over him.
“What the…,” Corinne whispered, her eyes sparkling with instant lust.
Maddy on the other hand, looked utterly confused. As confused as I felt.
I hadn’t had time to figure out how I was going to explain any of this. First, I had to explain how I’d met Colt in the first place and that just had awkward written all over it.
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