Train Wreck (Rawkfist MC Book 3)

by Bijou Hunter

  Before he drove away, Emmett nipped my lower lip. I still feel a hint of his teeth. Our date wasn’t supposed to leave me feeling this way. Everything was fun and games until he got weird and made me worry my friends might end up in shallow graves.

  “Do you think Emmett is unhinged in a dangerous way?” I ask my sisters.

  Justice stands nearby, looking through the mail. “Yes, you should dump him immediately. Bring Jared with you. That way, if Emmett goes nuts, Dad can put him down.”

  “Not helpful,” I mutter before focusing on Journey. “Does my favored sister have any thoughts on the matter?”

  “If you’re asking if he’s dangerous, my answer is yes. Do I think he’s dangerous to you? Probably not.”

  “He’s the guy the club sends to scare people.”

  “So is Court,” Journey says.

  Justice sighs. “My man is pragmatic while Emmett is an insane baby with a gun.”

  “I’m not going to punch,” I tell Justice. “I know that’s what you want. I see you standing there, just begging for me to slap you silly, but I won’t do it. You should stop wasting your time by baiting me.”

  “What’s with the questions?” Journey asks while Justice silently gives me the evil eye. “Did something bad happen on your date?”

  “No. It was a good date. We laughed. We loved. He whacked off in the bathroom. I offered to do him on our next date. It was like a fricking rom-com. I’m even thinking of getting Meg Ryan’s old haircut.”

  “From You’ve Got Mail or Sleepless in Seattle?”

  “Neither. I’m thinking When Harry Met Sally. You know, huge and helmety.”

  “Good call,” Journey says.

  Justice sits in Mom’s chair and asks, “Why was Emmett whacking it? Did you say something provocative?”

  “Provocative?”

  Justice shrugs. “I can say big words if I want.”

  “I was just me. So, yeah, I was probably super sexy, but it’s not like I was flashing my tits or anything. I kept it classy.”

  Journey pats the spot next to her on the couch. “What brought on this question?”

  “All these years, I’ve been thinking about Emmett. Today, I kinda panicked when I thought he might not be who I’ve built up in my head.”

  “That’s what dating is for. You get to know the person beyond the surface stuff.”

  “What if there’s nothing between us beyond the surface stuff?”

  “Then you find someone else.”

  Groaning, I slide onto the floor. “I don’t want to start over. I’ll just fix Emmett until he works.”

  “How do you manage to be both so lazy, yet willing to do so much pointless work?” Justice taunts.

  “I can’t expect a peon like you to understand. It just is what it is, Justice Bayer.”

  Smiling at hearing her married name, my sister backs off. Journey only watches me.

  “I’m surprised you’re so invested in him already.”

  “When I met him that first day, I assumed he was a freak and wrote him off. I liked looking at boys, but doing anything more implied effort and I was really into the idea of spending my high school years festering in my laziness.”

  “Sounds about right.”

  “But I saw him over the last few years and what he was like when around people he wasn’t trying to squirt sperm at. He opened doors for old ladies and got a box down from a top shelf for a kid. Emmett seemed complicated. Like a loud, almost silly queef on the outside, but also like a nice, smart guy on the inside.”

  “And now you don’t think that?”

  “It’s just I might have underestimated the casually violent side of him.”

  “I’m confused about your sudden concerns. Did he threaten you or pressure you in some way?”

  Even holding her baby and in full mom-mode, Journey is ready to go homicidal on Emmett if he’s harmed me. I smile at how much she loves me. Ike and Otto are lucky to have such a good mom.

  “No, not me. He just got weird when we talked about the dweebs. Like he might hurt them even though they’re dweebs and can’t defend themselves. It seemed a little fricking insane, you know?”

  “Why was he upset with them?”

  “He thinks they wanted to bang me.”

  Journey suddenly smiles and glances back at a grinning Justice.

  “You know they do, right?” she asks me.

  “Yes, but so what. I’m sure your man wants to bang me too, but he never will. I’m hot. Men walk around horny. What’s the big deal?”

  Justice frowns at the idea of her man attracted to anyone besides her.

  “Back to your problem with Emmett,” Journey says, ignoring my bragging. “Men like him get possessive, and they wag their dicks. That bravado is normal, even for guys not in a biker club.”

  “Emmett can back up his bravado, though,” Justice says, trying to cause trouble.

  “I don’t want him to hurt the dweebs.”

  “Well, then tell Emmett if he messes with them, that you’re done with him. That’s all you can do. He’s a grown man, and you’re not his mother.”

  “I guess.”

  “You want things to be easy, but you didn’t pick an easy man to date. You waited for Emmett as much as he waited for you. Now you need to do the work.”

  Resting my head against her knee, I smile up at Journey. “I like when you give me tough love advice.”

  “I want you to be happy,” Journey says, caressing my hair, “but you’re an adult now and that means life will get crappier.”

  “Uplifting,” I whisper.

  “Honesty always inspires.”

  We share a smile that instantly causes Justice to feel left out. She hurries over to join in on the joyful bonding. We remain cuddled together in stupid bliss until their men arrive to poop on my fun.

  15 Train Wrecks - Emmett

  Before saying goodbye, Poppy kisses me wild and hungry, just like I crave. She also gives me more than a few odd side-eyes. While I don’t mind her being smarter than me, I can’t have her becoming a mystery. I need to know where I stand. Not in everyday life maybe, but with Poppy, I have to be sure I’m on solid footing.

  Driving around Tumbling Rock, I have an itch that needs scratching. Normally, that would mean my dick is screaming for Poppy. Instead, my ego needs soothing.

  I recognize one of her dweeb friends standing on a lawn in the most residential part of Tumbling Rock. Wearing an oversized striped shirt and denim shorts, he struggles with a small lawnmower. I pull up to the curb, but the kid doesn’t notice. Finally, I rev my engine to get his attention.

  Staring at me, he doesn’t turn off the lawnmower or say anything. I snap my fingers and gesture for him to come over. The kid still doesn’t shut down the mower until the Harley’s engine goes silent. I’m about ready to storm at the little shit when he shuffles closer.

  “Can I help you?”

  “Which one are you?” I ask.

  “What?”

  “You’re one of Poppy’s friends, aren’t you, fuckwit?”

  He nods slowly as if underwater.

  “Which one?” I ask again.

  “Cowlick,” he squeaks, swallowing hard.

  Studying his brown hair, I spot a cowlick struggling against the power of his gel.

  “Do you know who I am?”

  “Emmett Mercer.”

  “How do you know that?”

  “She talks about you.”

  My anger falters under the weight of my new curiosity. “What did she say?”

  Cowlick glances around nervously. He doesn’t want to rat out Poppy. As much as I admire his loyalty, I still expect him to spill.

  “Cough up some info or my fist might slip and hit your face. You don’t want that, do you?”

  “She said she likes you. I can’t say more.”

  “Did she say what she likes about me?”

  “I can’t say more.”

  “Would Fatty or the other one have more info? I could a
sk them.”

  “It’s Chubs and Four-Eyes, and they wouldn’t tell you anything either.”

  “We’ll see. I bet they know more anyway.”

  Feeling challenged now, Cowlick straightens up a bit. “They don’t hang out with her more than me.”

  “Oh, I don’t know. She never even mentions you.”

  “How come you came to me first then?”

  “Your place is closer. I was lazy.”

  “Poppy said some nice things about you. I could tell you, but why should I?”

  “Are you fucking with me, kid?”

  “I’m the same age as Poppy. Do you think of her as a kid?”

  “Naw, but she’s smarter than you.”

  “If she were smarter, she’d want out of this town.”

  Frowning, I cross my arms. “What’s wrong with living here?”

  “It’s a dump in the middle of nowhere.”

  “Sure, for a dweeb like you with a psycho cowlick and no girlfriend. If you had a woman here, I bet you’d want to stick around.”

  “I guess, but I still think Poppy should go to college.”

  “With you? So you can hook up with her?”

  Cowlick surprises me by laughing. My frown turns ugly while he chuckles himself silly. I admittedly don’t know much about the dweeb-set, but I don’t think I said anything particularly funny.

  “Poppy thinks I’m like a girl,” Cowlick finally says. “You know, because I’m sensitive and have feelings and use my brain. Does that sound like she wants to hook up with me?”

  “No, but you want to hook up with her, don’t you, sport?”

  “Why do you keep talking to me like I’m twelve?”

  “Because you act like you’re twelve.”

  Cowlick shakes his head. “Poppy is beautiful on the outside, but she’s a guy in too many ways. She also likes to bully people, and that isn't exactly sexy. I do like when she bullies my bullies, but she also bosses me around a lot. Oh, and I’ve spent two years being called Cowlick so much that I’ve started introducing myself that way. So, no, I don’t want to hook up with Poppy.”

  “Does she know you talk shit about her?”

  “Yeah. Friends rag on each other. She mocks my big knees, and I mock her big mouth. Don’t you rag on your friends?”

  Shrugging, I think about all of the smack talk I do with Court, Donovan, and especially Floyd. I really like ragging on the last one because he takes that shit so personally and gets pissed to the point of throwing punches. He’s a fun fucker to mess with.

  “What’s your real name?”

  “Rye.”

  “Poor bastard. So tell me some stuff about Poppy.”

  “I shouldn't.”

  “You want to, though. I can see in your eyes how bad you want to spill.”

  “Did you come over here to ask me questions?”

  “Sure.”

  “Because you looked pissed when you first got here.”

  “Well, I don’t like men hanging around my woman.”

  “Is she your woman? I’d heard you went on one date.”

  “Second date was today. You need to keep up.”

  Rye grins at my response. Normally, I’d smack a guy for mocking me, but the slightest impact would likely split this kid in two.

  “What kind of stuff do you do with Poppy?” I ask after giving one of his neighbors a long, dark glare.

  “We play video games.”

  “What kind?”

  “First person shooter.”

  “You talk about shit too, right?”

  “Yeah, sometimes. Poppy talks to her sisters about relationships and stuff.”

  “Did she ever want to hook up with any guys at school?”

  “No. She hated the guys in high school.”

  “Why?”

  “She said they were gross.”

  “Gross how?”

  Cowlick smiles at the memory. “They smelled and didn’t interest her.”

  “Did she ever show any interest in any guys?”

  “Besides you?”

  “Yeah.”

  “No. I thought she was a lesbian until she mentioned you. Made sense considering how she blew off all the jocks who wanted to date her.”

  “So your friends, Big Butt and Glasses, do they want to date Poppy?”

  “Chubs had a big crush on her, but he likes some girl he met at the community college. Four-Eyes doesn’t like girls all that much. That’s why he wants to get out of this town.”

  “I get you.”

  “Poppy will find out about you coming here. Even if I don’t tell her, she’ll find out and think you’re spying on her.”

  “Good. She needs to know I protect what’s mine.”

  “Good luck convincing her of that,” he says, revealing a hint of confidence.

  “You don’t know enough about women to give me advice, kid.”

  “I know enough about Poppy to know she won’t make it easy for you. The more you push, the more she’ll pull. She likes to make people squirm. It’s why she likes the guys and me. We took her shit without complaining. Other people would have cried or freaked out, and she has no time for people guilting her into behaving.”

  “Good to know.”

  “If things end badly with you, I hope she goes to college. This town is a dump.”

  “She won’t leave because her family is here and Poppy can’t breathe without them.”

  Rye looks me over, and I get the feeling he sees me for the first time. I don’t know why I care. People always think wrong shit about me. I look like someone who can be summed up with one derogatory term – redneck. They assume I’m a big, dumb, rude loser. When I can count higher than ten, people suddenly wonder if I’m more complicated than they thought.

  Rye is having his ah-ha moment. I had it earlier when I realized this guy and his dweeb friends were no threat to me. They’re just losers trying to survive in a small town with no use for them.

  After giving Rye a hand starting the mower, I leave the kid to finish working on the yard. I no longer suffer the gnawing irritation in my gut. Poppy isn’t leaving me. I have time to show her who I am.

  Relaxed now, I drive to the Tavern and spend the evening thinking about my next date with Poppy. I’m curious if she’ll keep her word about spreading for me. I bet she won’t, but I look forward to her excuse for telling me no. I’m certain it’ll be a doozy.

  16 Train Wrecks - Emmett

  Poppy asks for me to pick her up at Jared’s auto shop. I find her in the back lot where Thor remains until she scrapes up the money to fix him. On our last date, I offered to pay for the repairs, but Poppy only rolled her eyes and mumbled about not being for sale. She’d been in a tense mood by then, and I was lucky she hadn’t bailed as soon as I got to her place. Instead, she spent a long time kissing me like she hadn’t wanted to punch me earlier.

  “Are you getting him fixed?” I ask, joining her next to the lime green horror show.

  “Not yet. I like to visit him whenever I get a chance.”

  “How close are you to getting what you need for repairs?”

  Poppy gives me a side-glance and doesn’t answer. She’s in a weird mood still.

  “How come you went to Cowlick’s house?”

  Even knowing this topic might come up, I take too long to respond. “I saw him while I was riding around and figured I’d say hi.”

  “He said you threatened to kill him if he didn’t leave town.”

  “I didn’t say that shit.”

  “He said you even pulled a gun.”

  “That little shit is lying,” I growl.

  “It doesn’t feel good knowing people are talking about you behind your back, does it, Emmett?” Poppy asks, crossing her arms and giving me a disappointed frown. “You should remember this feeling the next time you decide to chat up my friends.”

  Frowning, I size her up. “Are you messing with me?”

  “I don’t like you scaring my friends.”

 
“I didn’t threaten him.”

  “I know, but you’re a big guy, and he’s a dweeb. Guys like you have spent his whole life scaring him. I don’t want that happening because of me. Do you understand?”

  “He’s a good guy.”

  “I know. He’s going to move to a big city and meet a dweeb girl, and they’ll get married and buy a nice little house and have dweeb kids. Cowlick has a good life ahead of him. Too bad he can’t have it in Tumbling Rock. I’m gonna miss him.”

  “He’ll visit.”

  “Not much. His family isn’t close, and his parents will probably move in a few years. No reason for him to come back.”

  “Are you going to cry?” I ask, leaning closer.

  “No.”

  “I can’t tell sometimes. You get a look in your eyes, and I think I might need to hug you.”

  “Bullshit. You’re just looking for a reason to feel me up.”

  “I don’t need a reason,” I say, kissing her. Before she can enjoy a good taste, I pull away. “You need to control your desire for me. It’s not healthy to be this obvious.”

  Poppy rolls her eyes. “I thought I would have to dump you after our last date. Then when Cowlick said you came to his place, I was totally sure I was going to dump you. Now I’m not going to dump you, but I still feel grumpy.”

  “You were never going to dump me. I’m irreplaceable, and you know it. Hell, Cowlick knew it too and said you’ve been creaming your panties over me for years.”

  “I know he didn’t say that because he likes his balls too much.”

  Pressing my forehead against hers, I whisper, “You’re too mean to those poor guys.”

  “They need tough love. Their parents raised them soft, and the world would eat them up. I made them stronger. Now they’ll make something out of themselves and return for our high school reunion to rub that shit in the loser jocks’ faces.”

  “You really hate jocks, huh?”

  “They’re assholes. Before I moved here, they tormented the dweebs. Shoved them into lockers and stole their money. The assholes only stopped because they thought I was crazy and might kill them.”

  “I can see why they’d think that. I’m a little scared right now.”