by KJ Dahlen
Silence reigned as the noonday sun shone down through the trees.
His woman said not a thing from behind him. Wasn’t it just like her though? She was so unlike all the women he’d known in his life. Most females would be asking a hundred questions or knowing they had fucked up, they would be making excuses or pleading their case.
Not this one.
He sighed.
He didn’t care really. Yeah, he didn’t like that she chose not to tell him, but he’d only known her for 2 whole days. She might have told him later on. She was worth the benefit of a doubt.
Finally climbing off the bike , he grabbed her up.
He knew one thing that would help all his aches and pains. Carrying her around the back of the cabin, there sat the hot spring pool. One of the many along this mountain.
He set her down then pulled her shirt off.
She stood, saying nothing.
He hated the silence but on the other hand, he felt like shit and he did not want to say anything to make her even more upset. He grabbed the waistband of the sweats she wore. Pausing, he didn’t recognize them. One of the prospects must have gave them to her after they took her. He tugged them down. Then he knelt and took her sandals off.
Still a bit unsteady on her feet, Asia stepped out of the sweat pants.
He unsnapped his jeans.
Stepping close, she took over, pushing him back, she had him sit on a huge rock. Then kneeling, she undid his boots and tugged each off, then she rolled his jeans down.
He stood and she tugged them the rest of the way.
He took his shirt off.
Scooping her up, he looked into her saddened gaze. “It will be okay, Asia.” He then sat her in the pool and climbed in. It was hot... not boiling but it burned so good. The minerals would ease away almost any pain. He hadn’t been up here since Hammer brought him here two years ago now.
The man had a sense of humor that did not quit. He loved women and had 4 of them here that time. It had been a long, enjoyable 24 hours. It was a good memory, but in the end, all of it had been soured when they learned that Hammer had been there when Talon’s dad was killed and he had stood by and let it happen. He shook it away. In the past. Dead now. Dead and gone.
He grabbed Asia up and pulled her back up against his chest then just held her.
They floated around in silence just easing away the tension in their muscles.
Falcon began to feel sleepy and Asia looked like she had fallen to sleep. He raised her up and she startled.
“It’s ok. We need to go in before we fall sleep in here.” He helped her out.
She went and gathered their clothes, then she had trouble grabbing his boots up.
Falcon took them from her, she was always trying to do anything needed. But he wanted to do for her. He didn’t need a dammed servant or a woman who acted like a bunny. Bowing and scraping, doing anything a biker wanted. Yes, he realized he still felt exactly the same now as he did before he found out about Hammer. He wanted her and wanted to protect her.
It suddenly occurred to him that he had never spent so much time with a woman and said so very little and she had said not a thing. It reminded him of when he first met her. He never heard a word from her then either.
It came in handy now, as he did not feel like talking and apparently, neither did she.
He could only hope they both had sweated out the drugs. It fucking pissed him off that his own fucking president did that to him. He shook his anger away.
Retribution would come later.
They went in and he locked the door. He laid his gun on the nightstand.
Asia laid down on the bed and sighed.
He sat on the bed and shook his head rubbing his hand over his face. He then laid down. Scoping her small form up, he tucked her in close to his body.
“I’m sorry, Falcon” she whispered in the softest, lightest voice.
Then he heard her breathing even out as she went out like a light.
He kissed the top of her head. He was sorry too. But he still wanted to keep her and he damn well would. He then fell asleep instantly.
Chapter Ten
Asia awoke early, as her face was right at Falcon’s head. She sniffed his hair. She loved the way this man smelled. She wished she could just take secret whiffs of him every day for the rest of her life. She loved him even more now. But she probably just ruined everything they had or any chance they had with what happened yesterday.
Then despite all his denying about honor, he’d done it again. He came in and saved her. Taking her back to safety. This time though, he’d had a choice. He didn’t have to take her away. She had willingly set him free of the obligation.
Then... he didn’t opt out.
Yes. She felt like shit about not telling him. Honestly though, the man was dead and she didn’t know Falcon knew him all that well. Yet, he must have if she’d thought about it. Then yesterday when he spoke about Hammer, it was with pure hatred. She figured it was better to not tell him yet. Like would he hate her? Being related to such a man? She had planned to tell him after that speech he gave about Hammer, once she’d found out that Falcon had known him well. She just figured she would have some time to do it.
She rose up quietly and looked around for a t-shirt or anything to cover herself with. She saw one on top of his bag and grabbing it, she put it on. Rushing to the bathroom, she went and then washed up. She felt rested but whatever they had given to her left her still feeling woozy. Today, she gazed into the mirror and that sparkling eyed woman was not there. She looked pale again and her eyes were red. She didn’t know how she felt about things.
Did Falcon feel angry with her? He hadn’t said much all afternoon, then again, neither had she. What did he feel for her? Maybe he didn’t even know himself?
“ASIA!” Falcon shouted from the other room.
Jumping from the shout, she rushed out to the bedroom.
He was standing there with his gun in his hand. His eyes rounded when he saw her. “Dammit girl! You cannot just disappear on me like that!” He looked wild eyed as he lowered his gun.
“I-I just had to go to the restroom,” she whispered.
“Fuck, you scared me!” He really did look upset.
“I-I’m sorry.”
He sighed then rubbed his hand over his face. “It isn’t your fault. I just woke up and you weren’t here.”
Asia didn’t know what to feel except for being sorry that she upset him.
He strode across the room toward her.
Every step he took scared her, he looked furious.
Grabbing her up, he kissed her hard. His tongue delved in and he utterly claimed her mouth.
Wrapping her arms around his neck, her feet left the floor as he raised her up to fit him. Kissing her desperately, he didn’t stop. As she clung to him, his hands roamed along her body frantically as if he was memorizing all of her.
The kiss was so intense... he was so intense that tears fell from her eyes. She’d never seen him like this and it thrilled her yet terrified her at the same time.
Breaking the breathless kiss, he looked into her eyes. “Until this is over, you aren’t to leave my sight.”
Nodding her head mutely, she agreed.
He finally set her down. “Now, before we do anything, say anything. Is there anything else I need to know about you? Any secret you have?”
Swallowing heavily, she nodded.
“So there is something?”
She nodded again.
“What? What is it?”
“I-I love you...” she whispered.
He stilled. “What?”
“I love you Falcon. That is the only thing you don’t know.”
He looked stunned.
“I know we have only known each other for a short time, but it’s the truth and I was gonna wait for a long time to tell you, but after yesterday... I thought I’d better not put it off like I did about my dad.” She lowered her head. If she saw anything like hesit
ation or that he did not feel the same way, she just refused to see it in his eyes. It was embarrassing enough...
“Are you sure?” he asked quietly.
Her head rose up. “Oh, yes. Positive. I mean, I never ... I’ve never been in love before, but... I just know...” She pointed to her chest. “...in here. You see after the first time I saw you, I never forgot you. I dreamed of you every night for a year almost. It wasn’t just what you did for me. It was you that I could never forget.” She figured she should just put it all out there. No more holding back. “Then when I saw you again? I knew. The way you made me feel when you showed me how...how beautiful I was? That did it. It was a fact after that for me and I can’t change it.”
He stood silent.
Asia knew instantly that she’d said too much. Too much for a man like him. Why would he want her around if he knew she loved him and he couldn’t love her back? When he didn’t say anything, she turned away. “I know that you may not feel—“
He grabbed her up and pulled her close. “You don’t know how I feel.”
“I-I don’t. No, but it would figure that you wouldn’t—”
“Just now? When you were gone?” He cut her off. “I never felt so damn scared in my whole fucking life!” His voice rose. “I never cared about anyone enough to feel like that. When they took you...” His voice fell away. “I died inside. I couldn’t... couldn’t.”
“So you think that could be love? Or just...” She paused. “It doesn’t sound too good. Like it sounds miserable and painful?”
He stared at her as if something had suddenly dawned on him and then he laughed.
Her eyes widened, as she never expected him to laugh.
Falcon laughed so hard, that he had to let go of her and back up to the bed to sit down. “It is though, for me!”
Blinking at him, she didn’t understand at all.
“For me, love would be painful. To be in love would be even worse.” His laughter slowed as he raised his head to look at her. “I do love you. It has to be, because it hurts just to think of anything causing you pain. Of anything harming you. I never felt such agony before.”
Asia shook her head slowly. “I don’t know if you just insulted me or if you admitted that you love me?”
He stood from the bed and gave her that grin of his. “It’s too much for me to think about right now. We will revisit the subject when my mind is right okay?”
Nodding, she said nothing. Maybe it was the dart, the upset and the shock of her being Hammer’s daughter. She couldn’t know what was true, if he didn’t know himself. She refused to be sad though, he still wanted her with him, and she would take that. Just to be with him, around him, would be good enough for her.
He grabbed his jeans and put them on. “Let’s have breakfast.”
Asia smiled. She liked yesterday’s breakfast a lot. And especially the after breakfast treat.
He paused when he saw her smiling. “What’s so funny?”
Her eyes rounded. “No... not funny. I-I was remembering yesterday’s breakfast.”
He paused “Oh... yeah the cheesy eggs and...” He laughed. “You weren’t talking about my cooking skills were you?”
Shaking her head her cheeks flushed. “No, but you can really, really cook.”
He laughed. “Come on, let’s raid the fridge and cabinets.”
Following him out, she watched his form as he walked. She could watch him walk away all day. Shaking her head at her own silly notions, she opened a cabinet. It was full of bullets...ammunition.
Falcon stepped up to look in too. “Well, we can’t eat that.” He chuckled and shut the cabinet door, then opened the next. “Oh, yes...Jackpot!” He pulled out pancake mix. “I got butter and more eggs in the fridge.
Asia went over and grabbed them out.
For the next twenty minutes or so, they made breakfast together.
She watched as he flipped pancakes like a pro. “It just amazes me!” she finally spoke.
“What?’ he asked as he slipped the cake onto a plate.
“You recite, poetry, you cook. What else do you do that doesn’t fit the biker persona?”
He shook his head. “Well, I don’t sing and dance if that is what you’re asking.”
Laughter burst from her lips. “No, no. I cannot imagine that either... although...” She looked him up and down.
“What?” he asked as he placed a dab of butter on the hotcake.
“The way you walk...It could be like a dancer?”
He blinked as he grabbed the plate and pivoted over to set it down at the counter. “The way I walk?”
Nodding, she bit at her lip, almost afraid to confess that she oved the way he walked. It would sound dumb probably?
“So what about the way I walk?” he asked as he came up closer.
Her cheeks heated as she again was put on the spot. “I...it’s...”
“Well damn, why is this making you so nervous?” he raised a brow at her
“You have a sexy walk okay?” she blurted out.
He stared at her. “No kidding?”
She shook her head. “I know many women who would pay money to watch you walk.”
He tilted his head back and laughed.
She slapped his chest. “I’m serious! And especially if you were just wearing say a little pair of black briefs?”
His laughter slowed as he shook his head.” I’m not like one of those Chippendales or whatever the fuck they are.”
“No, you are not. But if you ever wanted to change careers?”
He laughed again and couldn’t seem to pull in enough air. Then he grabbed her up and swerved her around, setting her onto a stool. “You are entertaining as all hell, Little Asia.” He tapped her nose and stepped back. “Now eat... and do you want some milk?”
“Yes, thank y—” she halted. “Yes, I would.”
“You are dammed adorable.” He tuned and got her the milk.
“Maybe I am, but you are still HOT!” she emphasized.
He kept chuckling.
They sat together and ate in companionable silence.
Asia thought she’d never tasted better pancakes in her life.
“So, little girl.” Falcon pushed his plate away. “What did you take in college?”
Pausing, she wondered where that question had come from. “Business MBA, but I also majored in art.”
He raised his brows. “You paint?”
Nodding, she lowered her head. “Some, I guess?”
“You guess?”
“Yes, I paint, okay?”
He raised his hands up. “Whoa now. What is that tude all about?’
She let out a sigh then picked up her milk. “You may not want to hear it.”
He looked curious. “Well now. That statement makes me want to hear it.”
She took a sip and set her glass down. “My dad.”
He tilted his head at her. “Your dad what?”
“He made me go for the MBA when I wanted to just be an artist. And Nan agreed with him!”
“Hammer? He told you this?” Falcon looked stunned.
“Yes.” She nodded. “He said my art would never get me anywhere in life and that it was better as just a hobby and he was paying the tuition.”
Falcon shook his head. “Oh, yes. The man was a scholar himself. He would be an authority on where to get in life...” He seemed to realize the sarcasm and bitterness could be heard in his voice. “Dammit, I’m sorry Asia.”
“I’m not,” she replied. “He was what he was. It was all I had, so who am I to say anything?”
Falcon put his arm around her. “Listen, we don’t know what all happened with him. For years, he was everyone’s idol. All the brothers pretty much worshipped him.”
“They did?” She was surprised.
“Oh, hell yeah. Legendary status.”
“Oh... I didn’t realize.” She looked up at him. “But that changed.”
He nodded. “I won’t tell you any of it. I ju
st can’t. It wouldn’t be anything worth telling.”
Nodding, she leaned her head on his shoulder. “If you can say anything good...”
“Don’t say anything at all,” he finished for her. Then he kissed her softly on the lips.
A huge banging sounded on the door.
Falcon jumped away and pulled his gun from his waistband.
Asia stared. The man was always on high alert.
“Falcon!” A voice yelled from outside.
Falcon lowered his weapon and opened the door.” Condor? What the fuck man?”
“You weren’t answering your damn cell!”
“Ok, why are you here?”
“Talon is going after Devon again and he is doing it alone.”
Falcon stepped close. “And you fucking let him?”
“Nah, man...See this on my fucking nose?” He pointed to his face.
Falcon looked and he did have a nasty cut there.
Condor went on in a rush, “I tried to talk him down man, or at least let me go with. But he fucking laid me out! Rogue’s gonna meet up with us. I called him too.”
Asia heard it all and she began to shake.
Falcon looked back at her. “We got men at the Club right?”
Condor nodded. “We could get Tollman and Hawk to protect her.”
“Yeah, I trust them.”
“You’d better. We are all lieutenants together and we won’t lose our next president!”
Falcon paused as he stared at him “That the way you feel?”
Condor nodded. “All of us... at least the lieutenants do and we’re the ones who have the vote. We want Eagle out and Talon in. Man, Eagle is gonna bring us down one of these damn days.”
Falcon nodded, as he seemed to let this sink in. “Ok. Tell me you have a can. Cuz I’m on E.”
“Sure I did. I knew you’d been riding around like hell was chasing your ugly ass.”
Falcon smirked. “Shut your mouth you mother fucker.”
Asia’s eyes widened at the way they just insulted each other.
Falcon shook his head. “Ok, let’s roll. Let me get ready. Be a few minutes.” He let Condor in.
Condor smiled at Asia as he stepped through.
