by Xander Hades
Tamed
An MC Romance Novella
Xander Hades
Copyright 2017 by Xander Hades.
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechan ical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review
Author Contact
Email: [email protected]
Will her past destroy our future?
The moment I saw her
I knew Quinn Hopson was mine
A firebrand of temper and temptation
Tough, headstrong and stubborn as hell
She is everything I want
And all I have ever needed
The only problem?
She wants nothing to do with me
My life or my family
She’s carrying a grudge I can’t see
And a scar the keeps her far away from the MC
Can I change her mind, before danger takes her away?
Table of Content
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Epilogue
Another Epilogue
Author’s Note
Chapter 1
Quinn
The cool wind blew down the Black Hills, through the ranch, and man, it felt good. The last day and a half at the Cougar Creek Ranch just about did me in. I leaned against the barn door and swept my red hair back up into the ponytail, which had long ago come undone. I lifted my arm up. Nope, not good. Arm back down.
As I wiped the sweat from my eyes, I heard the distinctive rumble of bikes coming down the dusty dirt road. The crunch of straw behind me alerted me that Mike McIntosh, the ranch owner was coming up. His bowed over, white-haired self, came through the barn, quicker than men half his age. Stooped over, he could see me eye-to-eye. No small feat as I stand at five feet nothing.
“Afternoon, Doc Hopson.”
“How many times do I need to tell you to call me Quinn?”
“I’ll get there eventually. Figured I should call you by your title. Doc Robinson told me you worked hard to get it.”
A stream of tobacco hit the straw.
“Looks like the boys are back.”
“The boys?”
Mike pointed and waved at the two motorcycles that pulled up by the ranch bunks. One had a side ride, but I couldn’t see what was in it. That man waved back. From the distance, I could only see a tall, built frame, sitting well on the bike. Even from this distance, that was a nice looking man and a kick ass bike. Looked custom.
“Elijah Taylor, the one who waved, is my ranch manager. He’s the one you’ll be dealing with usually. The other is his brother, Bryce Bearshield. Sturgis just got over.”
“Sturgis?” I played stupid.
Mike spit another stream of tobacco. “Yeah, big motorcycle rally in Sturgis. About fifty miles from here.”
He waved his hand toward the west. “Every year, a million people show up for a couple of weeks. Only time Elijah takes time off. And anytime there’s a MC meeting.”
I just looked at him.
Mike laughed and clapped me on the shoulder. “I forgot you’re still new here. You’ll get used to it.” He pointed back to the herd in the yard.
“How they looking?”
“Should have a good batch this time.”
I turned toward him.
“I appreciate you…”
Mike waved me off.
“Dr. Robinson was one of my best friends when he was here. He says you’re good and to give you a try while you set up shop, and hell, that’s good enough for me. See you in a week and change to check on the cows.”
He turned away and crunched his way back through the barn.
I looked at the two men walking into the bunkhouse. The tall one who waved, turned when he got to the door. Sizing the new vet up, I’m sure.
I walked over to my truck and paused as I opened the door.
Shit. Bikers at the ranch. And not just bikers, a motorcycle club and seeing the cuts, not just any MC. That’s. Just. Great.
As I opened the door to my apartment, I peeled off my overalls, shirt, and pants, stripped down to nothing, and just put them in a trash bag I kept by the door just for that reason. God, I stunk.
I walked naked to the bathroom and as my little legs got into the shower, I let the steam hit me and get rid of the ranch grit. Heaven in little droplets.
About twenty minutes later, hair wrapped up turban style and wearing my signature metal t-shirts and jeans, I was famished. Grabbing the trash bag, I took my clothes straight away to the washer neatly stowed next to the dryer in the kitchen closet. My cell phone rang. I found it in my discarded overalls and dug it out. Then I wished I hadn’t as I looked at the incoming number. Crap.
“Hi, Steve.” I threw a packet of detergent in with the clothes and started it up.
“Listen, Quinn, don’t hang up. I want to apologize.”
I tapped my fingers on the kitchen counter and closed the door to the laundry area.
“I think the time has long passed. I sold you my half and shook my hands free. You got our business and God knows got the secretary as well. When is she due again?
“Don’t be like that. I’m calling because I want another chance.”
“Another chance? Oh, let me guess. Business not doing well and she kicked you out?”
The silence on the other end spoke volumes.
“Goodbye, Steve. And lose my number.”
Hanging up, I just shook my head. Six months ago, when my world came crumbling down, I was a successful vet in Minneapolis. Steve Dickson (seriously, what did I expect with a name like that) and I had been together through college and started our own practice. Wedding bells in the near future. My mom hated him but she loved me.
I wish I could say I was just blind but that would be lying. He’d always had a wandering eye. I just figured it was his eyes that wandered. Not the rest of his body. I shook my head.
I was happy that my old college professor got me a job in Rapid City. South Dakota was about as far as I wanted to get away. And it was perfect for a large breed vet. The gig came with small animal hospital underneath and a bell that rang up here when someone came by plus a cute little apartment upstairs.
Thinking about it seemed to trigger the dainty little bell overhead. I went over to the intercom. “Go on in. I’ll be down in a second.”
Someone coming in for a vet visit. Dog, cat, hamster. I’m glad I’m done with cows for a few days. Love them, but since I haven’t worked on too many since I got my degree, my muscles would be sore for a week.
Grabbing my lab coat from a hanger by the door, I threw it on as I headed downstairs.
Chapter 2
Elijah
Mike was seldom wrong. Hope he was right about the redhead. A whimper came out of my cut.
“It’s okay, boy.”
I heard the footsteps behind me and turned around. The redhead would have stopped anyone in their tracks. Cornflower blue eyes, ponytail flicking red hair to her shoulder, and kicking body in a cute compact hourglass shape, though she tried her best to hide it behind a lab coat. I forgot for one second why I was there.
She blinked slowly at me and took me in. She unlocked the door and let me in. Being a big man at six six, I was used to people being on their guard around me. Normally, I sit down to put m
e more eye to eye, but the hospital was too cramped for a waiting room. So I’d have to stand and tower over the petite woman. I looked around the small, almost cramped room with cabinets and a small medical table. Everything had its place, that’s for sure.
I’m also sure my Wild Wolves cut didn’t help either.
I saw her swallow and my thoughts started to wander in a nice little way. She cleared her throat.
“Can I help you?”
“If you’re Doc Hopson?”
“That’s me, but Quinn is just fine. So, once again, how can I help you?”
“It’s Gareth.”
“Gareth?” She looked around me, not seeing anything.
“Oh. Sorry, that’s my dog. He’s hiding right…”
Gareth stuck his goggle-eyed head outside of my jacket; surprisingly, he seemed to like Quinn and she didn’t even have treats for him.
When I reached into my jacket and pulled out the ten pound French bulldog, he practically jumped into her arms. Quick reflexes, she caught him. Once she grabbed little Gareth, she walked to the table, rubbing up against me as she did so. My entire body caught fire.
“Gareth. Like the Goblin King in Labyrinth?”
I smiled back at her. “Exactly. One of my favorite movies.” And just like that, she went from hot to lukewarm. Like a mask coming down.
“So,” she said, “what have you been feeding him?”
“I don’t know. It was the rally. Everyone was feeding him whatever they wanted.”
She laughed, huskily, like water over a brook. “Whatever they wanted. Right. Let me take a guess, lots of hot dogs, beer, running around in the grass, and now he won’t stop itching. Sound familiar.”
“Well, yeah,” I said, beginning to feel a little stupid. Come on, my first dog.
She poked and prodded Gareth until she seemed happy there was nothing else wrong.
“So how old is the little guy?”
“I don’t know. Got him out of a box at a strip mall a few of months ago.”
I can barely make a coherent answer. She’s talking to me and all I can see is her beautiful blue eyes. Gareth jumped up and licked her face. She laughed, surprised. Quinn has one of those laughs that comes from deep inside so you know someone is actually laughing and not just humoring you.
“Okay, Mr?”
“Elijah. Elijah Taylor. I’m the ranch foreman over at Cougar Creek. Weren’t you there earlier working with the livestock?”
“Maybe.”
She was still holding Garrick, and all I could think of was I wanted her to be holding me. She rummaged around a little bit in the cabinets behind her and pulled out a bottle.
“What our little guy here has is a classic case of allergies. Since he’s only about six months old, just to warn you, Frenchies get a lot of allergies. So I’m going to give you a bottle of hydroxyzine. Should help with the itchies. And since he was in the grass all weekend, he may need to have a bath as he smells.”
She handed Gareth back to me.
“As do you.”
As much as I was tempted to take a sniff, I decided to just man up and ask her what was on my mind.
“Say how about I take you out...”
“Sorry, I just don’t date…whatever you are, cowboy, biker…whatever,” as she waved her hands in the air.
Jesus, that’s harsh, I thought.
“How about I pay with some dinner? No date, just dinner. Maybe a beer.”
“And how about you write your address down here and I’ll send you a bill.” Tough nut.
As I scribbled my address on a piece of paper, I couldn’t help but notice how awesome she smelled. Don’t know if it was her hair, perfume, or just her naturally, but it was getting to me, that tingling feeling.
“You know it’s the MC headquarters. You should just come up and…”
She raised her hands and before I could get another word out she said to me, “There is no way in hell, I’m going out to the MC.”
I raised my hands in defense.
“Okay, okay that’s fine. I guess I’ll see you at the ranch.”
She handed Gareth to me and our hands touched. Don’t know if it was static electricity from my little Frenchy at work or if I was imagining things. Her eyes opened in surprise and she backed away.
So, I guess it wasn’t just me. I put Gareth back into my jacket and headed on out to my bike. As I put him into my sidecar, got him all strapped in, and his goggles on tight, I looked back at the animal hospital. The curtain fell back as I looked and I smiled. She may be a tough nut, but it was one I was willing to crack.
Chapter 3
Quinn
As the door closed behind him, I went to the window to look out, backing away as I saw him look over and grin. And I was right. From a distance, he was a fine looking man. Close up, it was like a molten dream. Tall, really tall, long chestnut brown hair to his shoulders, matching brown eyes, fringed with black eyelashes. Why do men have such awesome eyelashes? That’s just wrong. and from what I could see, a body that would feel tight and strong under my fingers. What the hell? I mean, it’s been a while since Steve, but I can’t be that much in need of a man.
As I went back into the doctor’s office, I noticed Gareth’s medicine still sitting on the table. In the background, I heard the roar of Elijah’s scoot. Grabbing the bottle and address off the table, I checked the paper and it had his number too. But I knew he wouldn’t answer it while riding. I headed out the door, taking my denim jacket that was hanging up by the door. Nights get cold, even in the Indian summers.
The last thing I wanted to do was to set foot again in an MC. I typed the address into my GPS. The location was up in the Black Hills. Take me about an hour, hour and a half to get up there and back. Just thinking about it pissed me off. I mean I had plans. Maybe just a book and a glass of wine, but plans none the less. Getting into the truck, I slammed the door hoping it would make me feel better and did. Took the edge off my temper.
The drive up into the Black Hills was just as beautiful as always. Not too far from the turnoff to Mount Rushmore, passing by a small town called Keystone. I had dinner when I first got here at the Ruby House. Great buffalo burgers.
Once I got off the main road, the woods began to creep in and the road turned to dust. It made you feel like the only person in the world. Lonely though.
About a mile away from the MC, I started noticing all these signs: Back Away, Turn Around, Don’t Come This Way, and I laughed when I saw this, “For this path will lead to certain destruction.” He wasn’t joking that he liked Labryinth.
The GPS led me to a small ranch house framed with Harleys and Indians kicked outside. As I got out of my truck, there was silence from the men and their ol’ ladies hanging out by their bikes. They just watched me as I walked to the front door. I went to go in and the door opened as someone stumbled out. I walked through the front door. Just when I needed another reason really hate being here, the smell of beer and cigarettes practically knocked me over.
My mom would roll over in her grave just knowing where I was. I hope she didn’t. I hated breaking a promise.
Chapter 4
Elijah
I had just gotten Garrett all set up with his water when I noticed the men and women start laughing outside. Then I heard Bryce. That voice, the one that started me thinking all the way home on my bike, asking if Elijah was here.
“Well, doll face, I don’t know if Elijah is here, but I’m ready for a stacked glass of water like you,” said Bryce. I came out of the kitchen to see that Bryce was standing a bit too close to her for my comfort.
He went over to touch her ponytail where it laid on down low on her chest. “I can certainly help you with any…and all needs.”
She gave him the once over, “I don’t think you have the all the equipment I need.”
Saw Bryce squint. Not good. He’s not above smacking women. I’d seen that enough during the rally. And they still kept coming back to him.
Quinn
heard me coming and turned in my direction. I couldn’t help but notice Bryce enjoying her backend view.
“I thought you said you wouldn’t set foot in my MC?”
“I just couldn’t see putting Garrett through any more issues than he currently has to deal with having you as his owner.”
“Ouch.”
“If it was up to me, I’d still be at home, kicking my feet up, having a glass of wine, and reading a Oprah’s best.”
“I think I could do something better than read a book.”
She gave me a stinky look.
“You read?”
Meanwhile, Bryce stood behind her leaning back against the door. Laughing.
“She’s got you by the short hairs.”
Quinn whirled around.
“What do you mean by that?”
See, people don’t mess with Bryce. We’re only a year apart. Different baby daddies. And he’s held that grudge for the last thirty years, him being younger and all. It didn’t hurt that he stood over six four with a scar down his left cheek, steel grey eyes.
I was pretty impressed that she held her ground. He’s my Road Warrior and she didn’t bat an eye. Either she was a brave little thing or not very smart. And I really didn’t like how he got all quiet. That’s never good.
