Love, Loyalty & Mayhem: A Motorcycle Club Romance Anthology

by Ryan Michele

  As soon as we hit the city limits, we found a place to stay and set to work. I’d like to say that everything went exactly as planned, that we didn’t have a single hiccup, but I’d be lying. We ran into one obstacle after the next, but thankfully, it wasn’t anything that couldn’t be handled. We kept pushing forward and, after a few weeks’ time, had started to make some real progress. We’d purchased an old train depot that was located on the east end of downtown, right on the banks of the Mississippi River. The place needed some work, but it was the perfect size and the location couldn’t have been better for our clubhouse.

  After spending the entire day busting our asses on some of the renovations, we all met up at one of the local pizza places to grab dinner.

  The waitress had just brought over our drinks when Moose turned to me and asked, “You got any thoughts on what you want to do about the exterior fence?”

  “It’s gotta be at least ten feet with electric gates at the front and the back.”

  Moose was in his early thirties, and big as a fucking ox with bulging biceps and tattoos from head to toe. He was the Utah chapter’s enforcer, and I’d learned early on that he wasn’t a man who was afraid to speak his mind. I wasn’t at all surprised when he argued, “You sure we’re gonna need all that? Back in Utah, we only have a six-and-a-half-foot fence, and with the additional barbed-wire, it’s been more than enough.”

  “Yeah, and it’s located on the outskirts of Davis County in a fairly safe neighborhood. That’s not the case here. Memphis has gangs at every corner.” My voice grew more forceful as I told him, “As soon as they realize that we’re encroaching on their territory, they’re gonna be out for fucking blood, so if that means we have to put in a ten-foot security fence with barbed-wire, install a high-tech security system, and have guards posted around the clock, then that’s what we’re gonna fucking do.”

  With an almost defeated expression, he nodded and answered, “Understood.”

  “We’re getting close.” Trying to ease the tension, I told him, “It won’t be long before we’re out of that fucking hotel and into the clubhouse.”

  “Can’t happen soon enough,” he grumbled. “I can barely breathe in that tiny box of a room and having Louise and Rayne in such close quarters isn’t helping.”

  “At least she doesn’t fucking snore like T-Bone,” Cyrus complained from across the table. He was Louise’s brother, and while he was barely twenty-one and the youngest of the mix, he wasn’t the least bit intimidated by anyone sitting at that table. Cyrus spoke his mind and didn’t give a damn who he pissed off. “It’s like I’m sleeping next to a fucking bear.”

  “Who said she doesn’t snore?” Moose chuckled. “Hell, your sister’s been sawing timbers since the first night.”

  “Yeah, well, the snoring’s one thing, but the gas he’s been letting out all week is another. It’s like something died in his fucking gut.” Cyrus yawned before he added, “I haven’t slept worth a damn since we got here.”

  “It’s not that bad.” T-Bone, the jokester of the group, actually sounded a little bothered by Cyrus’s comment. He’d only been prospecting for a couple of months, but in the short time he’d been with us, T-Bone had proven himself worthy as a brother, never failing to make himself available when we needed him. His eyes narrowed as he continued, “And just so you know, you’re not exactly easy to live with either, brother. Your clothes and shit are all over the floor, and there’s never any clean towels. I don’t get it. What the hell are you doing with them? Do you take three fucking showers a day or what?”

  Before Cyrus could respond, our waitress came over and placed our pizzas down on the table. As everyone started to fill their plates with food, Cyrus turned to me and asked, “So, what’s going on with the diner?”

  We’d bought a small place right on the corner of Beale Street, but we hadn’t started working on any renovations. “Nothing right now. We need to make a final decision on what we’re going to do.”

  “Louise says simple is always better.” Moose added, “I’m telling ya, brother, she knows her shit. Give her a few months, and with Cyrus’s help, she can make a real go of it. Daisy Mae’s will be the talk of the city.”

  I looked at the others and asked, “You guys good with Daisy Mae’s Cafe?”

  “An all-American-style café with checkered tablecloths and pictures of all the great legends of Memphis plastered on the walls: Elvis, B.B. King, Aretha Franklin, Morgan Freeman, Cybil Shepherd, and Isaac Hayes. Hell, yeah. No one would ever suspect that it’s a front,” Bane agreed.

  When the others nodded in agreement, I said, “Then, it’s settled. Daisy Mae’s it is. Tell Louise to get the ball rolling.”

  “Consider it done.”

  “Before she gets started, we’ll need to make sure the electrical and plumbing is up to code,” Half-pint warned. Over the past few weeks, his experience with all the ins and outs of construction had been invaluable. For a prospect, he’d saved us a lot of headaches. “And once we get a construction plan together, we’ll need to get the necessary permits.”

  “Agreed. I already checked all the zoning codes, so we should be able to get the permits without any issue. It looks like it will pass inspection, but we all know that doesn’t mean a damn thing.” I leaned back in my chair and crossed my arms. “I’ll go by there tonight and check things out. If all looks well, we’ll get the city inspector to come down to see if he’ll give us the go ahead.”

  “While you’re doing that, we’ll head back over to the clubhouse and finish up some painting,” Moose offered.

  “It’s been a long day, brother. You boys go back to the hotel and get some rest.” As I stood up, I placed enough money on the table to cover the bill and the tip, then told them, “We’ll get things finished up in the morning.”

  “You got it.”

  After I said my goodbyes, I walked out of the restaurant and headed towards my bike in the parking lot. Every muscle in my body ached as I swung my leg over the seat and started the engine. I was so tempted to put off checking the pipes until morning, but knowing I’d just end up regretting it, I pushed myself forward. Thankfully, as soon as I pulled out onto the main road, the cool night air started working its magic on me, and it wasn’t long before the tension I’d been carrying with me all day started to fade. I’d always liked riding in the city, seeing all the bright lights and the people wandering along the streets, but there was something about Memphis that took that feeling to a whole new level. Cruising around in the birthplace of rock & roll, seeing the Arkansas bridge with all its lights, and hearing the blues down on Beale Street got to me like no other city ever had. By the time I made it to the diner my spirits had lifted, and I was feeling optimistic about our club’s future.

  I checked inside and was pleased to see that I was right about the plumbing and electric. They both seemed to be in good condition, and I didn’t see any reason why we wouldn’t pass inspection. Relieved, I locked everything up and headed back out to my bike. I was just about to start the engine when my attention was drawn to a man and woman who were arguing across the street. Something didn’t seem right, so I got off my bike and started towards them.

  As I got closer, I was able to see them both better. The woman was young, maybe in her mid-twenties, with long blonde hair that was pulled back in a high ponytail, and she was wearing a black knee-length skirt with a black suit jacket. Even in the dark I could tell she was beautiful. The guy standing next to her was twice her size and looked like he’d just crawled out of a fucking dumpster, so I couldn’t exactly blame her for being scared. I was just about to approach them when the guy reached out, jerked her purse out of her hand, and took off running. Without thinking, I started chasing after him. He was fast, really fast. I raced behind him, worried that I might not be able to catch up to him, especially since I was exhausted. But as soon as my adrenaline kicked in, I got close enough to lunge towards him. With a hard thud, I tackled him to the ground and used my weight to keep him in pla
ce. Once he’d recovered from the impact, he started thrashing around, trying with all his might to free himself from my grasp. Unfortunately for him, there was no way in hell I was gonna let him go. I yanked his arm behind his back, pinning him to the ground, then said, “Knock it off before I put a fucking bullet in you.”

  “What the hell are you doing?” he barked as he tried to buck me off him. “Get the fuck off me!”

  Careful to keep it out of sight, I took my gun from the holster and shoved it into his side. “Not going to say it again, asshole.”

  “Whoa, man!” He stilled then said, “I wasn’t gonna hurt ’er. I just needed a few bucks. I’m jonesing something awful and need a fix.”

  “So, you just figured you’d steal a lady’s purse? Damn.” My patience was wearing thin. “You’re a real piece of shit,” I growled.

  “Done told you. I wasn’t gonna hurt ’er,” he whined. “Just let me go and I’ll get gone.”

  “I’m thinking that’s not a good idea.” I pulled his arm back even further, causing him to cry out. “I’m thinking you’ll just do this shit again, and that doesn’t work for me.”

  “No, man. I learned my lesson. I ain’t gonna do it again. I swear it.”

  “You better mean that.” I jabbed the barrel of my pistol into his side. “Cause if you do … I’ll find out and I’ll come for you.”

  I picked up the woman’s purse, then eased off him, making sure to grind my knee into his back. He got up as soon as he was able, and after giving me the once over, he scurried off. Once he was out of sight, I turned and headed back towards the young woman. I handed her the purse and asked, “You okay?”

  Her voice trembled as she replied, “Yes, I think so.”

  “Good. I was worried he might’ve hurt you.” I expected her to say something more, but she just stood there staring at me with a stunned look. “You sure you’re okay?”

  “I’m a little shaken up, that’s all.”

  “I imagine you are.”

  “I don’t know what I was thinking.” She dropped her head into her hands and groaned. “I should’ve known Haley wouldn’t show.”

  “Haley?”

  “She’s one of the pharmaceutical sales reps at MBC Pharmaceuticals. We were supposed to meet at Morgan’s for dinner, but she didn’t show.” She motioned her hand over to the back lot and continued, “Since I parked close by, I thought I’d be okay, but then that guy came out of nowhere.”

  “It’s not your fault. Just need to be a little more careful at this time of night.”

  “I know. It was a stupid move. I don’t know what I would’ve done if you hadn’t come along.” She looked up at me with those beautiful eyes, and I was done. “Thank you so much for helping me like you did.”

  “No need to thank me. Happy to help.”

  “Well, I really appreciate it.” A light blush crossed her face as she asked, “If it’s not too much to ask, would you mind walking me over to my car?”

  “I’d be glad to.”

  As we started towards her car, she turned to me and said, “By the way, my name is Samantha Travers.”

  Samantha Travers. I repeated her name in my head, committing it to memory.

  “Nice to meet you, Samantha. I’m Gus.” When we reached her car, I waited for her to unlock the door and get inside. “Be careful heading home.”

  “I will. Thanks again.” I nodded and turned to leave. I’d only taken a few steps when I heard her call out to me. “Gus?”

  There was something about the way she said my name that made my chest tighten. “Yeah?”

  “Will I see you again?”

  “You can count on it.”

  A smile crossed her face as she closed her door and started the engine. It was the kind of smile that let me know she was interested, and I couldn’t deny that I felt the same way.

  2

  Samantha

  “I just feel terrible,” Haley complained. “I meant to call you to let you know that I couldn’t make it, but it must’ve slipped my mind.”

  She’d called me into her office to apologize for being a no-show the night before. After hearing about what had happened with me, she was even more regretful. I’d been interning under Haley for the past couple of months, and things had been going really well. I didn’t want anything to jeopardize my chance to land a job there, so I decided not to make a big deal of it. “It’s okay. Things happen.”

  “It’s not okay. You could’ve been hurt.”

  “Yes, but I’m perfectly fine.”

  She leaned forward and placed her elbows on her desk as she continued, “You watch the news. It seems like every night someone has been shot or raped. To think that could’ve happened to you and it would’ve been all my fault!”

  “Don’t be silly. It wouldn’t have been your fault.” Haley had a flare for the dramatic, and today was no different. I tried to settle her down by saying, “Besides, this man, Gus, was there to make sure nothing happened.”

  “Yes. Thank goodness for that!” A mischievous smile crossed Haley’s face as she said, “Sooo … Tell me more about this Gus fella. Was he hot?”

  “Umm … Yeah, he was very hot. He was tall and muscular with dark hair and dark eyes.”

  “Oooh … Tall, dark, and handsome.” She smiled. “I like it.”

  “I did too.” I could feel the warmth rush to my face as I thought back to the way he took charge of the situation and tackled that awful man to the ground like it was nothing. With his tattoos and thick beard, I should’ve thought I’d simply traded one bad guy for another, but that wasn’t the case. There was something about him that made me feel safe and protected, something more than the fact that he’d rescued me. “He was a little rough around the edges, but in a good way … a very good way. I’d never met anyone like him before. Gus had this confidence that just radiated off him.”

  “And he just appeared out of nowhere?”

  “Pretty much.”

  “Maybe he’s some kind of superhero or something.” She teased.

  “I highly doubt that, but he definitely saved the day.”

  As she looked towards the doorway, her eyes grew wide. “You said the guy had dark hair and dark eyes … Did he, uh, have a beard?”

  “Yes.”

  “Was he wearing one of those motorcycle vests and boots?”

  “Umm … Yeah, I think so.”

  Haley was still looking over at the doorway as she continued with the questions, “And did he have tattoos?”

  “Yes?” Curious to see what had her so enthralled, I turned to look behind me. “How did—?”

  I didn’t finish the question. I couldn’t. My mind went completely blank when I noticed Gus walking in our direction, wearing jeans and a leather vest. He sure didn’t look like the other men in our office—and I liked it. Different looked good on him. So good, that I couldn’t take my eyes off of him as he approached the doorway. “Hey.”

  “Hey.” His eyes met mine. “I thought I’d stop by to make sure you were okay.”

  “That’s so sweet of you.” I smiled as I stood up and walked over to him. “But you didn’t have to. I’m fine.”

  “I know I didn’t have to.” A sexy smirk crossed Gus’s face. “I wanted to.”

  Haley came up beside us and batted her long eyelashes as she purred, “Sam was just telling me how you came to her rescue last night. You’re quite the hero.”

  “I’m far from a hero,” he scoffed. “Just doing what I could to help.”

  “I’m Haley, by the way.” She was practically drooling as she added, “Samantha and I work together.”

  He glanced over in her direction just long enough to say, “Nice to meet you. You mind if I have a moment with Samantha?”

  “Oh, uh … sure,” she stammered from the rejection. “I’ll just go grab myself a cup of coffee.”

  Once she’d left the room, he looked back over to me and asked, “You got plans for tonight?”

  “Um … No, not that I can
think of.”

  “You wanna grab a burger or something after work?”

  Trying not to act too eager, I forced myself to take a breath before I answered, “Sure. I could do that.”

  “What time do you get off?”

  “Five o’clock.”

  “Great. I’ll be here at five to pick you up.”

  I was dressed in a pair of slacks and a white blouse, not the kind of thing I would normally wear on a date, so I asked, “Umm … could we make it five thirty or six, and you pick me up at my place?”

  “Absolutely. Just need your address.”

  “Okay.” I grabbed a post-it note off of Haley’s desk and wrote it down. “Here ya go.”

  As Gus took the paper from my hand, he said, “Gonna be on my Harley, so wear jeans and boots if you have them.”

  “Your Harley? You mean a Harley motorcycle?”

  His lips curled into the sexiest smile I’d ever seen. “You gonna be all right with that?”

  “I’ve never ridden a motorcycle before.”

  Still smiling, he replied, “That wasn’t the answer to my question, Ms. Travers.”

  “Yes, I’m good with it.”

  “Great. I’ll see you at six.”

  And just like that, he was gone. I probably would’ve spiraled into a fit of uncertainty about my impending date, but I had four appointments scheduled before noon and three after. I was already running late, so I rushed to my office and grabbed my things and then raced to my car before I made myself even further behind. I spent the entire day bouncing from one doctor’s office to the next, so I didn’t have time to dwell on my doubts about going on a date with a complete stranger and riding a motorcycle for the first time. That freak-out came five minutes before he was supposed to arrive at my apartment. My heart was pounding in my chest and my palms were sweating as I looked at myself in the mirror. I took a couple of deep cleansing breaths, but just as my nerves were starting to settle, I heard a knock at the door. I wiped my palms on my jeans, then made my way over to the door and slowly eased it open. When I saw Gus standing there and looking all kinds of sexy in his jeans and leather jacket, my nerves kicked into high gear. Trying to pull it together, I forced a smile and said, “Hey, come on in. I just need to grab my things.”