He smirked. “The down low, huh?”
“Yeah.”
“What you mean is keep it from your mother?”
I nodded.
He sighed. “Kitten, you shouldn’t be lying to her.”
“Yeah, but…”
“But, nothing. She’s your mother and you’re an adult. Tell her the truth.”
“The truth,” I repeated, now smirking myself.
“Yes,” he said, grabbing both my hands. He turned them over and kissed my knuckles. “Tell her you’ve fallen for me and there’s nothing she can do about it.”
He already knew it, too. I had definitely fallen for him.
“And then I will tell her that she needs to trust me. That I’ll never let anything happen to her daughter.”
“Easier said than done,” I said. “You’ve met her. You know she doesn’t listen to you.”
“That’s her problem then.”
I sighed.
“What do you want from me?” he asked, his eyes burning into mine. “I mean, really?”
“The same thing you want from me,” I said, not really sure exactly what I was ready for. I could pretty much guess what he wanted, however. Sex. Lots of it.
“And what is that?”
“This,” I said.
“You mean, sex?”
I nodded.
He smiled in amusement. “Is that it? You just want me to fuck you?”
“Isn’t that what you want?”
His face became serious. “Honestly? I want much more than that. I want you on the back of my bike. I want you sitting next to me in the morning, while we’re eating breakfast. I want you picking out sheets for our bed. I want to know what your favorite kind of pizza is or how you like your burgers. I want to know what kind of perfume you wear, because it drives me insane. Do I want sex? Fuck yes. But I also want everything else, Kitten. That’s what I want from you.”
I couldn’t help it. I smiled, my stomach full of butterflies as I imagined waking up to him every morning and eating breakfast. Taking showers together. Shopping at Home Depot. Decorating our Christmas tree together. It all sounded so romantic.
He smiled back. “You have no idea how beautiful you are when you smile. No idea.”
I was about to tell him that he wasn’t so bad on the eyes when I heard the front door open.
“Fuck, my mother,” I said, jumping out of his arms.
He growled.
“Okay, um… just, stay here until she goes to bed. I’ll drive you back to your bike afterward,” I said, pulling my robe on.
“Fine,” he said, looking pissed.
“You’re mad at me,” I said, watching him get out of bed.
“I’m frustrated,” he said, walking toward my bathroom where his clothes were spread out on the floor.
Sighing, I slipped out of my bedroom and met my mother by the stairs.
“Hi, honey. How was the reception?’ she asked, yawning.
“It was… very sad.”
“I’m sure. I called Bonnie and left her a message. The poor woman,” she said with a somber expression. “I just can’t imagine what today was like. Seeing your daughter buried like that.”
“I know,” I said, suddenly feeling guilty about the last couple of hours. My best friend was in the ground and I’d been acting like a sex addict who’d finally gotten her fix.
Although, Krystal probably would have been proud…
A loud thud from inside of my bedroom startled us both.
“What’s that noise?” she asked, pushing past me to my door.
Fuck!
I followed her in, ready for an argument.
“Keep this window closed,” she said, moving to my bedroom window. “It’s cold outside. You’ll get sick.”
I looked around, shocked that Trevor wasn’t inside. Then I realized that he’d climbed out the window, which I’d done quite a few times myself as a teenager. He was quite a bit heavier than me, however, and it made me wonder if the trellis was broken.
Mom closed the window and locked it. Then she turned to smile at me. “Guess what?”
“What?” I asked, moving next to her. I looked outside, but didn’t see any sign of him.
“Jim asked me if I wanted to go away with him for a weekend in January.”
I turned around, surprised. “Are you?”
“I think so,” she said, her cheeks flushed. “He owns a cabin up north, and wants to take me snowmobiling and ice-fishing.”
“You should go. It will be good for you.”
“I’m definitely going to consider it,” she replied, walking toward the door. “He’s such a nice man. So thoughtful and polite.”
“He seems very nice from what I can tell.”
Her eyes sparkled. “You know, he has a nephew who’s single. A dentist.”
I groaned. “Don’t even think about trying to set me up.”
“Maybe we’ll invite him over for Thanksgiving.”
“Mom…”
She grinned. “You should give him a chance, Adriana.”
“Like you gave Trevor?”
Her smile vanished. “That was different, and you know it.”
“Trevor’s a nice guy, Mom. He really is.”
“I don’t care how nice he is,” she replied. “He hangs out with bad people. You and I both know it. Look at what happened to Krystal.”
“That wasn’t Trevor’s fault.”
She sighed wearily. “Are you really going to rehash all of this? I thought you were through with him anyway.”
“Maybe I am. Maybe I’m not.”
Her lips pursed. “I knew when I saw him at the funeral there would be trouble. I just knew it.”
I rubbed my forehead. “There wasn’t any trouble.”
“Right. That’s why you’re bringing him up?”
“Seriously, Mom, I’m tired of you treating me like a child,” I said, resisting the urge to stomp my foot.
“Then start thinking and acting like a level-headed adult.”
“You know, I think I know what my problem is,” I said, more to myself.
“That you’re too trustworthy with men?” she replied. “Or that you think you can change them? Because you can’t. Especially someone like him. Someone who doesn’t want to change.”
I glared at her. “No. My problem is that I let you run my life.”
Her eyes widened. “That’s not fair.”
“Not fair? Mom, I’m twenty-one years old. You insist on doing my laundry, cooking my meals, even picking out my makeup. You’ve not only spoiled the hell out of me, but you’ve made me feel like I owe you.”
“What do you mean, I make you feel like you owe me?”
“I just…” I stammered. “I just feel like I’m living your life and not my own sometimes. You wanted me to work at the shop, so I did. You’re the one who talked me into my college classes, you’re the one who picked out my car. You even make my salon appointments when you think I need a haircut. It’s just so frustrating.”
“Well, I’m sorry,” she said, her eyes filling with tears. “You’re my daughter and all I have left. Maybe I coddle you a little too much, but that’s what mothers do. I just want what’s best for you.”
“Mom, you’re not just coddling me, you’re smothering me.”
“You’re exaggerating.”
“Am I? Hell, maybe Trevor is bad for me or maybe he’s the best thing that ever happened. But, I won’t know the truth if I continue letting you make all my decisions. You have to stop and I have to quit allowing it to happen.”
She raised her hands in the air. “Fine, you want to risk your life by hanging out with a hoodlum like Trevor? Do it, but don’t come crying to me when he breaks your heart, or ends up in jail.”
“Mom, you have to try and trust my judgment a little better,” I said, softening my voice. “I’m not out to risk my life. I’m not going to be joining their club. I just want to get to know Trevor better, and if I find out that he’s real
ly no good for me, at least it’s my decision not to see him. Not yours.”
She wiped a couple tears from under her eyes. “If anything ever happened to you, I don’t know what I’d do,” she said. “Please, if you’re going to see him, be careful, Adriana.”
I took her hands in mine. “Mom, I swear to you, I’ll jump ship the moment anything gets dangerous or weird. Okay? I promise.”
“You’d better.”
I sighed and gave her a hug.
“Don’t you really want to work at the shop?” she asked.
I pulled away. “I don’t know. I mean, I guess it’s fine for now and I do appreciate that you’re letting me work there. But, once I graduate from college, I’ll probably move on.”
“I understand that. But, remember, when I die, the company is going to be yours. You need to know how to run it. It’s our legacy, Adriana.”
I groaned. “Fine, but quit talking about dying. That shouldn’t happen for a very long time, Mom.”
“One can only hope, but we both know that you can’t predict the future,” she said.
“But, we choose the path that leads us to it,” I finished for her. “Yes, I know.”
She sighed wearily. “Well, I’m going to take a shower and then make some tea. Would you like a cup? It’s decaffeinated.”
“No. I’m going to take a shower and get ready for bed, too. But, thank you.”
“I love you, Adriana. I’ve only always wanted what’s best for you. You know that, right?”
“I know and I love you, too, Mom. More than anything.”
She smiled sadly and left my room.
Chapter Thirty-Eight
After I almost broke my fucking neck climbing out of Adriana’s window, I called Tank.
“Can you pick me up, brother?” I asked, walking away from her place. As I passed by several houses, I could see people watching me through their curtains. Snooping.
Old Geezers.
“Where the fuck you at?” he asked. I could hear music in the background and a girl giggling.
“Just left Adriana’s place. I need a ride to my bike.”
“Where is it?”
I told him.
He sighed. “Yeah, give me an address and I’ll shoot over there in twenty minutes.”
“Why twenty?”
“Because I was in the middle of almost getting my dick waxed when you called,” he snapped.
“Then you probably only need three minutes,” I joked.
He chuckled. “You ain’t kidding. This chick is double-jointed, man. She can twist her body and munch her own box if she wanted to.”
I laughed. Apparently he was now dealing with Krystal’s death much better than he was earlier. “Where’d you meet her?”
“She’s friends with one of the strippers. I should take a picture of her and send it to you. Doll, can you wrap your ankles over your neck again?”
“No pictures. Just, hurry up. I need to get my bike.”
“Fine. I’ll see if I can get her to give me a quick blow, since I’ve got to come and pick your ass up.”
“Sorry.”
“Bros before Hoes,” he whispered and then let out a ragged breath. “Double jointed, though, man. You owe me.”
“Get her number.”
“Fucking right I will.”
I noticed there was a coffee shop up the street. I told him about it.
“Yeah, I think I know where that is.”
“It’s closed but I’ll be waiting for you on the bench outside. Call me if you get lost.”
“I doubt anyone can get lost in Jensen,” he replied.
After we hung up, I sent Adriana a text, letting her know where I was. She called me back.
“Guess what?’ she said, a smile in her voice.
“What?”
“I told my mother about us.”
I grunted. “Really. How’d she take it?”
“She’s not exactly thrilled, but… she’s not going to interfere.”
“Good. I didn’t like sneaking out of your bedroom like that. Not only did I bend your trellis, but I felt like a punk ass kid slipping away in the night.”
“You bent the trellis?”
“Yeah, I can fix it though. No worries.”
“Where are you?”
“I’m heading toward that coffee shop, Bella’s Brews. Tank is picking me up.”
“That’s nice of him.”
“He’s a real sweetheart, all right,” I said, grinning. “We’re BFFs you know.”
She giggled.”
“What are you doing tomorrow?”
“I have classes.”
“What about after?”
“To be honest, I’m usually really busy during the week with homework and school.”
“What about dinner? Or lunch? You have time for that?”
She was silent for a couple seconds. “I’ll make time.”
“Good. I’ll pick you up and bring you back to my place when you’re free.”
“To eat?”
“Oh, I’ll be eating pie. You can do whatever you want,” I said, imaging her riding my face again.
She breathed in sharply. “You’re so bad.”
“You like it when I’m bad. Admit it.”
She giggled. “I’ll call you tomorrow. Between classes. Okay?”
“I’m counting on it.”
“Goodnight.”
“Goodnight, Kitten.”
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Tank picked me up in his dad’s black Suburban.
“So, how was the reception?” he asked, as we drove back toward it.
“Good.”
“You work things out with Adriana?”
I grinned. “Yes I did. A few times.”
He chuckled. “Can I smell your finger? I didn’t get any tonight. Least you can let me do.”
I held up my middle finger.
Tank laughed.
“Didn’t you get your BJ?”
His smile fell. “No. She took off. I’m supposed to call her tomorrow.”
“You going to?”
“She’s a fucking contortionist. Of course I’m going to call her.”
I laughed.
“So, you going to make Adriana your Old Lady now, or what?”
“As far as I’m concerned, she is my Old Lady.”
“You need to make it official.”
“I will. Just need to ease her into it.”
“Ease her into it? You must really dig this chick,” he said, pulling out a pack of cigarettes. “You mind?”
I was probably one of the only guys in the club that didn’t smoke. “No,” I said, cracking a window.
“Fuck, I still can’t believe those fuckheads killed her, man,” he said, lighting his cigarette.
“What’s the deal on that? We coming down hard on them, or what?”
“Hell, yeah. We have to be careful though. The Old Man still isn’t sure who the informant is.”
“I have no fucking clue either.”
He was silent for a few minutes. “So, this is how it’s going to be – we’re going to lay low for a couple of months, and then when the time comes, blow their fucking club up. Take everyone in that Chapter out. That way the word on the streets will be that nobody fucks with us or our women. Nobody.”
Taking them all out seemed extreme to me, but I wasn’t the one making those decisions. “You know where they set up their new camp?”
“Yeah. They’re north. Up in Minnesota. Hayward, I think. It’s only four hours away.”
“Huh.”
He grinned darkly. “It’s going to be beautiful, brother. Beautiful. I’m going to take Mud out myself.”
“The Mother Chapter is going to want to retaliate,” I said, knowing that the rest of the Devil’s Rangers wouldn’t stand for it.
“We’ll worry about that when the time comes,” he said. “Besides, Pop says he’s already talked to Bastard.”
Bastard was the original founder of t
he Gold Vipers. An old vet who still led the Mother Chapter in Sacramento.
“What he say?”
“We wouldn’t be going forward if he wasn’t backing us.”
“Shit’s going to get ugly.”
“Far as I’m concerned, it can’t get any uglier than it already is,” said Tank, clenching his teeth. “Not after what they did to Krystal.”
I held out my fist.
He smacked it with his.
Chapter Forty
For the next three weeks, Trevor and I spent as much time together as we could. When we weren’t making love, we were taking walks, renting movies, or he was teaching me how to cook.
“I have to say, this is a good fucking omelet,” he said one morning after I’d stayed overnight. I’d made him something called a “Denver Omelet.” I’d found the recipe online. “Your cooking skills have greatly improved.”
“I have a good teacher,” I said, smiling as I poured him another glass of orange juice. His compliment made me giddy, though. I actually enjoyed cooking and wanted to please him. It was a trait I knew had come from my mother. Making her man happy.
He set his fork down on his empty plate and pulled me onto his lap. “This is great, isn’t it?” he whispered, moving my hair to the side. “I mean, it feels like were married sometimes. I like it.”
I grinned. “You do?”
He kissed my lips. “Don’t you?”
“I guess so. I mean, I know sometimes married couples don’t have sex very often,” I teased.
“That’s never going to be us,” he said. “In fact,” he gulped down his orange juice and then pushed everything off of the kitchen table and onto the linoleum, startling the hell out of me.
“Trevor!”
“Don’t worry. I’ll take care of it.”
“Good.” Although nothing broke, there was still a mess.
“What are you doing?” I asked as he stood up and walked over to the refrigerator. He grabbed a bottle of maple syrup and walked back over.
“I need dessert,” he said, grabbing the front of the white muscle shirt I was wearing. The one he’d loaned me.
“Dessert?”
He ripped the cotton away from my chest and tossed it aside. With one hand on my right breast, he reached down for my panties.
Taming The Biker (MC Biker / Bad Boy Romance) Page 33
