Unforeseen Riot_A Riot MC Novel

by Karen Renee

  There was a five-foot-long and three-foot-wide kitchen island in front of the range. Sitting on the island was a bamboo salad bowl filled with greens, carrots, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, shredded cheese, and croutons. It just needed to be dressed and tossed. The smell of lasagna baking was filling the air. To the right of the ovens, there was a built-in refrigerator that had a faux cabinet door exterior and, of course, it matched the other honey-hued cabinets in the kitchen. Jackie grabbed a loaf of frozen garlic bread from the freezer.

  She set it on the island, saying, “Let me give you the rest of the tour, and then I’ll pop in the bread and we should be ready to eat.”

  She led us through a hallway off the kitchen and showed us an exceptionally large guest bathroom which had dual sinks and a built-in vanity adjacent to the standard tub/shower, which had a sliding glass door. There was a bedroom on either side of the guest bath, one with a queen-sized bed, the other decked out as an office. Then she took us into the master bedroom. Immediately to our right after entering the room, we saw a large marble-encased fireplace with a flat screen television attached to the marble. There was a completely unmade bed with a wine colored comforter and sheets.

  Jackie turned to us beaming, and also blushing. “You two have to see our master bath. If you think my kitchen made you get wet, well, just you wait.”

  She opened the door, and I didn’t know where to focus my attention first.

  There was a huge Jacuzzi tub, which had in front of it anotherfire place. I didn’t know who used to live here, but a fireplace in the bathroom was overkill. During our worst winter, we could expect possibly three straight days of lows in the teens with highs in the thirties, and maybe another four days of lows in the thirties with highs in the fifties. Granted, it was a humid cold, which made you feel cold right down to your marrow, but it was short-lived. I was a native, and I could count on three fingers the number of times it snowed, and of those three only once did the snow actually stick.

  Then my attention turned to the counter. It was to my left and it was long and it curved just slightly to the right like a lower case letter ‘r’. One third of the way into the counter top was a sink and another sink was set in the curved portion of the counter. The dual sinks weren’t side-by-side with a two foot gap like in the guest bath. It was as though whoever designed this dual sink countertop knew a man and a woman sharing a bath needed a personal bubble when using a sink. It was brilliant.

  Natasha moved further into the room in front of me, and I did a complete double-take when I caught sight of the shower stall, tiled in toffee-colored faux marble. There was a shower head mounted at the back wall, but an identical shower head was mounted on the wall to the left of the back wall. The two shower heads would pour into the center of the shower stall.

  Jackie was watching me and Natasha, and she suddenly said, “Yes,” as if one or the other of us had asked a question.

  Natasha said, “Hunh?”

  Jackie smiled, “The answer’s yes.”

  “Answer to what?” Natasha asked, as if Jackie were losing her marbles.

  Jackie lifted her chin in my direction, “Mallory gave our dual shower head a double-take. The answer is yes, we have. It’s fan-damn-tastic.”

  Natasha’s face split into a huge smile and she asked, “You need a house-sitter?”

  I declared, “No, she does not, because I’m movin’ in. I don’t care what you tell Volt, hell, you don’t have to tell him shit. I’m commandeering a small portion of your behemoth kitchen; I’m gonna put down an overstuffed Great Dane-accommodating dog bed; and that’s where I’ll sleep. But, I’m living here.”

  Jackie burst out laughing, then said, “Whatever floats your boat, Mal. Speaking of boats, let me show y’all the pool.”

  If the kitchen and the master bathroom were top of the line, their pool was equally extravagant. The pool was a good twenty-five feet in length and at the farthest end, glass bricks walled off a Jacuzzi that would seat six easily. The pool area was completely screened in, so mosquitoes and most gnats would not be pesky intruders. There was a full teak patio set poolside with three chaise lounges.

  Natasha and I shared a glance; I turned to Jackie and declared, “In addition to moving in, like it or not, your house is officially our summer party spot. Get prepared. Get very prepared, Jackie!”

  Natasha giggled then asked, “Why is there another Jacuzzi out here? I know I saw one in the master bath. Do you have a bubble fetish, or is this from the previous owners? I’m thinkin’ prior owners, but really, does your man have some kind of need for active water? Is that why he’s called Volt?”

  Jackie smiled. “It was the prior owners. Didn’t want to move any further south and subsequently they added lots of upgrades in an effort to stay super-warm. And no need to prepare, Mal. Volt and I always host a kick-ass Fourth of July party; put it on your calendar now. We don’t invite everyone from the club, but you know…good people, good times. Though, if Vamp shows up, you should be warned. He almost always talks Volt into naked-swimmers-only after nine or nine-thirty. It gets a little crazy from there on out.”

  Natasha laughed outright. “On that note, I need a glass of Mallory’s wine she brought. That ought to clear the visions from my head of hot men swimming naked. You chicks are out to torture me to no end.”

  We were standing around the fabulous kitchen island which had views to the street and the horseshoe-shaped drive. Each of us had a generous glass of pinot noir. Jackie had just removed the garlic bread and the lasagna when we heard two motorcycles enter the drive. Both riders were wearing black domed half-helmets. As the two bikers dismounted, Volt removed his helmet and his thick brown hair tumbled around his shoulders. I caught a glint of red on the other bike and realized it was Cal’s bike.

  “So, he does wear that helmet,” I muttered to myself.

  Natasha replied, “I would, too, on that crazy-ass bridge.”

  I shot Natasha a look. “And Blanding’s not crazy, too?”

  Jackie piped up, “He give his helmet to you?”

  She had me there. “Oh.”

  Jackie nodded, “Yeah. ’Nuff said.”

  Volt wandered into the kitchen with Cal behind him. He made his way to Jackie and locked her into a tight one-armed embrace and proceeded to kiss her as if he hadn’t seen her in weeks. Natasha was fanning herself as if she was about to have a case of the vapors. I shook my head at her, and then caught sight of Cal’s legs atop the island. I gave him a sideways glare, but Natasha practically read my mind.

  “Listen, we all know you got a fine ass, Cal, but that doesn’t mean you can perch it on top of this island. Get down. I know you’ve got to be more civilized than that.”

  I pressed my lips together to contain my giggle, and then said, “Yeah! Jackie’s kitchen is a wet dream. You’re committing island abuse, and the tribe has spoken, you’re off the island.”

  Cal snagged a crouton from the salad, and hopped down. He shot Natasha a look and said, “I told Mallory this once, but I’ll tell you too. I don’t take orders from women. Any of them. Also, I don’t normally let things slide, but I’m letting what you just said slide. I wanna sit on a counter, whether that counter is attached to a wall or a kitchen island, I’m sittin’ on it. My brother has no problem with me doin’ it, and his old lady doesn’t have any problem with me doin’ it. But, even with that in mind, I know the two of you think this kitchen is some kind of fantasy come to life. I’ll respect that, but in future, when I’m here and it’s been a long day and I plant my ass on this island, ain’t anybody,” Cal looked at me then, and said, “voting me off the island.”

  Trying to diffuse the tension in the room, I said brightly, “Okay, so Jackie, are we eating poolside? Where are your plates? Natasha and I can go set the table.”

  Jackie looked at me. “No, we’re not eating poolside. We eat in the living room in front of the TV. I’ll get the plates. Cal, you’re staying too, right?”

  Cal hooked an arm behind me at my w
aist, saying to Jackie, “No, babe. I got shit to see to, so I’ll have to pass. For what it’s worth, it smells great, y’all enjoy. Mallory, walk me to my bike.”

  I started to refuse, but Cal’s expression made me realize it was more of a command disguised as a request.

  “All righty.” I said, following Cal out of the kitchen.

  Cal stopped by his bike and turned to me. He pulled me into a hug and slid his hands into to the pockets on my jeans so his hands could cup my ass at closer range.

  I tipped my head back to say, “You know we have an audience.”

  Cal grinned in an almost malicious fashion, saying, “After last night, you know I don’t give two shits about that.”

  He lowered his head and kissed me. This kiss was just like the one in the breezeway outside Rounder’s, which is to say it started out with him tenderly kissing my lower lip, but then deepening it in a long, wet and passionate way. He broke away, and I asked, “Will you stop it with the soap opera kisses?”

  I was being serious, but Cal’s hands came out of my jeans pockets, his head tipped completely backwards and he roared with laughter. Then he bent over double with belly-laughs. He straightened, and pulled me into him. “Okay, no more soap opera kisses for my woman.”

  I shook my head, “No. Just not in public.”

  He bent toward me, “’Kay.” Then he kissed my upper lip and then kissed my bottom lip.

  I glowered at him, “And there are two more damn soap opera kisses. Seriously!”

  Cal chuckled at me.

  I asked, “So, you really can’t eat with us?”

  Cal shook his head at me, “No can do. When you leavin’?”

  I looked to the side and said, “Um…”

  Cal ran a hand through his hair. “Shit. Jackie’s roped you into her plan.”

  I scowled at him, “I wouldn’t say roped. I’ve never egged anything before. Plus, I have a strong disdain to rival hers for that institution. I mean they boast their athletic programs as being so fantastic, but they never have to compete with larger schools because they never increase the size of their student body.”

  Cal put his hands back on my ass, “So you’re leavin’ late.”

  I grinned, “I was thinking, I’m not leaving at all.”

  Now Cal scowled at me, “What’s that?”

  “I’m moving in.”

  Cal grinned, “Volt knows about this?”

  I shrugged, “Don’t know. Don’t think so. Don’t care. This is my home. The house chooses you, Cal, and the house has spoken.”

  Cal arched an eyebrow and said, “You sure you’ve seen all the houses yet, baby? Here’s a hint, you ain’t seen my humble abode yet.”

  My eyes got big. “Two things, one I can’t imagine how your abode could beat this one. It is the Mac daddy of fabulous unassuming houses. Second, you live in a room at the compound, so, yes. Yes, I have seen your humble abode.”

  Cal shook his head, “Mallory. The night you went to the compound was a total cluster and unplanned. I don’t live at the compound. I’m an officer, so I got a room there so I don’t have to cross the river when I’m ridin’ a good buzz, amongst other things. I’m thirty-seven. I got my own house, babe. You may think this house chose you, but I think my house might have something to say to you. We’ll save that for another day and another time, right?”

  I didn’t have anything to say to that, so I acquiesced with, “Right.”

  Cal gave me a quick peck on the lips that managed to morph into a short kiss with tongue touches. Divine.

  He put his helmet on his head and said, “Go eat, sweet cheeks. Got shit to see to, the sooner I go, the sooner it’s done. I’ll come by your place tonight.”

  I pursed my lips to the side. “Um, you don’t have to, if you don’t want to. I mean, you can sleep in your own bed and we’ll see each other tomorrow.”

  Cal chucked me under the chin and leaned forward, “My bed is great, but your bed is better. Not because of mattress quality or nothing, but because you’re in it. Now, go. I’m comin’ to your place tonight.”

  I had tried to give him an easy out, but before I could firmly tell him I didn’t want him coming to my place tonight, he started his bike and the engine gave a noisy growl. Who was I kidding? Trying to keep this guy from coming to my place was tantamount to trying to keep him off Jackie’s kitchen island. He felt like doing it, he’d do it, consequences be damned.

  * * * * *

  Sitting in their obscenely-large formal living room, Volt, Jackie, Natasha and I ate salad, cheesy garlic bread and the best damn vegetable lasagna I had ever had. The ricotta cheese didn’t overtake the entire dish, and the carrots, zucchini, mushrooms, and chopped spinach all played nicely together with the noodles and tomato sauce. Plus, Jackie had the same affinity for mozzarella cheese that I had. Natasha talked me into having a second piece of lasagna because as she pointed out, “It’s veggie lasagna, Mal. It has to be lower in calories than standard issue. Live it up.”

  Jackie was packing up what leftovers there were, and Natasha and I took over dirty-dish duty. It was as I was drying the last pan that Volt came into the kitchen with a strange look on his face, aimed at all three of us. He pulled a beer out of the fridge, twisted the cap and leaned against the island. The strange look did not slip from his face, and I knew whatever he had to say was not going to be too good.

  He focused solely on Jackie, and then said, “Baby, no offense, but you chicks aren’t gonna be able to hit that sign, unless Mal and her friend have exceptional arms I don’t know about.”

  I waded in. “Natasha was all-state track and field. Sure, it was running the hundred-yard dash and relay team, but you don’t go all-state without doing all the other track and field stuff. That means she threw shot-put, discus, and javelin. She’s got the arm. But, let me tell you right now, your lady and I have the passion to do this. Believe me! Tonight is gonna be the highlight of my year, probably highlight of my decade. Christ, if only Greg were alive to see this!”

  I shut up abruptly and felt a collision of emotions. Embarrassment, guilt, sadness, remorse, and pettiness surged through me.

  The pettiness was in smaller measure because I knew vandalism was petty, especially since my home had been vandalized, but truly, those Samuelson people never used their junior poster billboard for anything but to promote themselves. I’m all for smart business promotion, but the constant grandstanding about a football program that actively recruited any and all top-level talent for ‘scholarships’ rather than develop the talent that paid and arrived at your doorstep as-is really grated on my nerves and always had.

  I was embarrassed that egging a billboard would be the highlight of my year, since deep down I felt like meeting Cal and getting back into the swing of life should be the highlight.

  The guilt and sadness were fairly obvious. I didn’t feel like I deserved to have any fun with Greg and Landon being dead. How could I let something like this excite me?

  The remorse was because in the past eighteen months I couldn’t remember ever saying something like, “if only Greg were alive.” It came out so naturally, but it left one hell of a bitter aftertaste.

  I knew many of these thoughts and emotions were written all over my face, but I didn’t know that Volt was an astute observer. I expected only Natasha to home in on this, and she did, but Volt beat her to acting on it. He came around to me and hooked an arm around my neck. I stiffened, because, beside Cal, no man had touched me in such a domineering fashion. The armhook turned into a hug that was really sweet and comforting. Shit. I did not need one of Cal’s biker brothers to be all sweet to me.

  He pulled away to look deep into my eyes and said, “Mallory. Don’t. I’ve heard a few things about you. One is that the night Cal met you, you were loaded for bear to lay into him for calling you 'sweet cheeks' and 'woman'. I don’t understand what’s so offensive, but I try not to judge. I’ve also heard that you got serious spunk that comes out when a man offends you by calling you h
is property.”

  At this, I took a deep breath to launch into a response, but Volt’s eyes got large and I stopped.

  “Now, I wasn’t around to see those two displays of spunk and feistiness. I was here for your most recent display of spunk. So, don’t. Don’t weigh it down or let it drown in memories or guilt. You’re alive. People who live get excited about shit. All kinds of shit. It’s part of life, so don’t clam up with guilt and other emotions. Be excited. Wish Greg were here, hell, invite his spirit to come with you and Jackie tonight. Whatever gets you through. Just don’t cut yourself off from living because you were too busy feeling that loss. And for damn sure don’t cut yourself off from living a good life, full of fun. Can you do that?”

  I felt tears welling up. What Volt said was the truth, but I had been shutting down in the face of living life for many months now. I gave Volt a feeble smile and nodded. I was surprised that Volt knew as much as he did about me and my “spunk.” Then again, earlier that week, when I was with James, I was thinking about how quickly gossip spread amongst men. I took another deep breath. Volt stepped away, and Natasha stepped into his spot. She hugged me hard, and my nose filled with her scent of shea butter and cherry-blossom body spray. It was a good smell, and it was comforting in its familiarity.

  I stepped back a touch and declared, “I’m fine. Crisis averted. Let’s do this, ladies. I’m ready to lob some eggs up high.”

  Jackie erupted in a squeal, and Volt shook his head, but said, “Hold your horses there, Spunky. You three ain’t goin’ anywhere without at least three Riot brothers to stand as lookouts. Got it?”

  Natasha stepped back from me and gave Volt a mock-military salute. Jackie nodded fervently, and I gave him a chin dip, saying, “As you wish, sir.”

  Volt left the room to call whoever had lookout duty. Jackie opened the door to her refrigerator and withdrew a large re-usable grocery bag. She emptied the bag and set up three stacks of egg containers. These were not your average eggs. They were jumbo-sized eggs, and each carton contained 18 eggs. Jackie set up the cartons into three stacks. The first stack had three containers for a total of 54 eggs. The last two stacks had two packages each. Jackie pulled out two plastic grocery bags, and put the two smaller stacks of eggs each into their own bag. She placed the threesome stack of eggs back into the re-usable bag and gently nudged it toward Natasha.