Faith: Biker Romance (The Virtues Book 2)

by Lynn, Davida

  I knew there were no answers, and I was beginning to think of my boy far more than my man. I began to look harder for a job, even though my time was getting closer. I started to climb from the darkness. Each little kick from inside my womb was a little kick in the ass. I wanted a good life for my son, even if he was going to be staying with Esther and Matt.

  The birth came and went. After I recovered, I had my second little miracle: I found a place that was willing to hire a young girl with no experience and a kid. Esther was even pleased with me when I told her. Things were looking up. I still didn't feel safe contacting Eddie, but Esther must have felt pity, because she made a trip to see him.

  My heart was in my throat when she returned. “Well?”

  She handed me back the photo of Trask, our son, and I tried to find a giveaway on her face. She was hard to read, especially when it came to anything related to Eddie. After a pause, she looked back at me. “He was so happy, Faith.”

  I threw my arms around her, overjoyed that Eddie finally knew about his son, his little man. I remembered the Steinbeck quote Eddie had mentioned to me, and it wasn’t the same book, but I thought Trask was a good, strong name for a little man.

  She laughed a little. “I think I even saw him shed a tear. He asked how you were. Said he’d come out a changed man. Probably the same stuff all the single mothers hear on the other side of that glass.”

  Esther didn’t believe him, but I did. I knew he’d come out with only his son on his mind. It gave me a renewed vigor that I’d thought was gone forever.

  The next three years, I tended bar at a bar that changed names more times than a stoplight. When I began serving there, it was the HandleBar. A new owner renamed it The Mag Seven. He soon changed it back to the HandleBar when customers stopped coming.

  By the time Eddie was up for parole, a Mexican by the name of Carlos Fernandez had bought the place and called it Los Bandoleros. He built the place up and brought in the kind of people I could get along with. Everyone pulled up to Los Bandoleros on two wheels.

  A few of the bikers had done time, and one of them knew Eddie. He was making fast friends in prison, and he was set to be out at the end of year five. The biker, Lucky, said that Eddie had big plans for when he was released. I wasn’t sure what that meant, but I counted the days until his parole hearing.

  Meanwhile, Trask was turning into a handsome little boy. He was always playing, and I had already talked with Esther and Matt about getting him into youth soccer or T-ball. Whenever I visited with my little guy, he was a ball of energy, but he always listened and was such a good boy. I knew Esther and Matt were doing an amazing job taking care of him, and I grew to respect them more and more.

  I became a mainstay at Los Bandoleros, getting to know the local bikers well. They knew me through Eddie, and I knew him through them. They became family. Little did I know...

  Eddie was released in the spring of ‘91. Esther had softened to him over the years, and she had seen my undying affection for him while he was away. I had a two-bedroom apartment that was all ready for a second occupant. I was ready for a second occupant.

  I met Eddie on May third outside the prison. I picked him up in a used Subaru I had bought. It wasn’t much, but it was paid for.

  After stepping through the double gates, he stopped and smiled at me. That grin. I’d never gotten over it, and I’d never forgotten it.

  I ran to Eddie and threw my arms around him. He lifted me up, his body stronger than I remembered. Beneath his white shirt, I could see new tattoos. He had a trimmed beard and a bandana over his hair.

  “Fuck, it’s been so long. I missed you so much, Faith.” He whispered it into my ear, setting my heart ablaze.

  “I love you so much. I counted every day from the day you sped off.” I think my words came out wrong, because he gave me a slightly hurt look. I pulled him in close for a kiss. “I know you did it to save me. And you did save me, Eddie.”

  He carried me the rest of the way to the beat-up Subaru. “They called me Bear on the inside.”

  I slipped into the passenger’s seat. The name fit him. He’d gotten much larger and stronger. “I can see why.”

  At Los Bandoleros, he and I sat and talked over a beer. He had changed, but not how Esther would have liked. He spent time making friends with guys who had skills. Some from the military, some from previous lives. They all had one thing in common, though: they had no leader. I already knew where Bear was going as he spoke.

  “Do you blame me?” he asked, holding my hands in his.

  I shook my head, but answered with an honest tongue. “I did at first. Seeing you take off without me was heartbreaking. Even in that moment, I knew why you did it, but I couldn't accept it. I had plenty of time to get my head out of my ass, though. No, Bear. I don’t blame you.” I pulled his rough hand to my lips.

  “If you hadn’t let me escape, the state would have taken our child away. I should be thanking you.” I had tears in my eyes.

  Bear looked more determined than I had ever seen him. He looked around the bar. “I’m setting up something big, Darlin’.”

  “Another bank job?” He had pulled me right back into that life. The thought of the danger and adventure had my heart racing. I thought I’d outgrown it, but it was just like my man—I’d never outgrow it.

  He smiled. “Not a job, an empire. You and I will be safe from anything illegal. We’ll never want for anything, and our son will have anything he wants. Even Esther and Matt won’t know what’s going on.”

  “Trask can’t know, can he?” I felt that ache in my heart. I already knew the answer.

  Bear shook his head. “No, Darlin’. We’ve got to keep him safe.”

  Over the next twenty years, my husband formed the Rising Sons Motorcycle Club. As his friends got out of prison, they joined the ranks. They earned plenty, but not all of it was above table, and Bear and I knew it was best to keep Trask out of that life, despite bringing it up many times. We both knew it meant keeping Bear and his son apart, but in the long run, we had to keep our son safe.

  We tried to keep him from that world, but life has a funny way of pulling people together when they’re meant to be together. In 2010, I remember standing behind the bar, now as a co-owner, and seeing my son walk through the front door. Fresh from the military, he looked out of place and distant. I knew the look he gave me, even across the bar. He wanted answers. I smiled at him and waved him over. He was going to get them.

  Trask wanted to know where he came from. He wanted to know why he had a Harley heart and a restless soul. It was time to tell my story.

  If you enjoyed this book, I’d love to hear from you! I’m always looking for beta readers, so if you would like to read future stories and give me feedback, email me personally at authordavidalynn@gmail.com

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  Coming December 15th

  The Virtues, Book Three

  Charity

  Charity makes her living swinging from the poles of a local strip club. As if she didn’t have enough trouble from handsy customers, her ex-boyfriend has started harassing her. She’d call the cops, but since Jason is on the force, Charity won’t get very far. When one of her regulars catches them arguing in the parking lot, he steps in to save her.

  Rhodes is a hard and fast biker with nothing to lose. Although he was looking for a punching bag, he realizes that Charity is in great danger, and he vows to protect her. He’s foul-mouthed, but she sees something deeper behind his pale grey eyes.

  Together they are fighting against an unstoppable force. Jason won’t give up, and Charity soon realizes there’s only one way out of this mess. Rhodes is more than prepared to do the unthinkable to keep Charity safe.

  Chapter One:

  �
�And you're a very sexy girl, that's very hard to please.” It was my favorite part of the song. At this point, I was upside down, my legs squeezing the pole as I slid downwards. The second my hands came off the pole, I would let myself drop just a moment. When I squeezed and caught myself, the crowd would go nuts.

  Against the pink and purple lights bathing the stage, I could see the men shoving their way around the runway. They were crowding around, bills waving from their frantic hands. I smiled, singling one out. When I saw his expression change (They always did when you gave them personal attention), I gave him a wink.

  Guns N‘ Roses went on as I slid down, pulling myself into a handstand. I released my legs from the pole, bringing them back to the runway floor in a controlled and careful movement. I bent forward at the hips, giving the audience the view they’d been waiting for. I could hear from the cheers that they were satisfied. Somewhat satisfied. The patrons at the strip club were never truly satisfied.

  I straightened back up and made my way back down the runway. Looking out past the stage lights, I saw some of my co-workers. Angel, whose real name was Stacy, was serving drinks tonight. She was recovering from a pulled hamstring and needed a few nights off the stage. Heaven, her actual name, was behind the bar, pouring a line of shots for a group that had just come into the club.

  I looked down at the men gathered around the runway, and that’s when I spotted him. The routine already had my heart racing, but seeing him almost made me lose control. My eyes widened for a split second before turning back into the Kitty Kat eyes I’d perfected on stage. My heart, on the other hand, that wasn't as easy to control.

  Changing up the routine, I headed back to the curtains, shaking my chest to the words that Axl Rose was singing. Near the door to backstage, our DJ booth sat bathed in red lights. Calvin was manning the tunes, but he was also the dancers’ liaison. Any problems went to him. He was also one hell of a bouncer.

  Grabbing onto the railing, I leaned forward, letting my heels slide on the slick surface. As I spread my legs and sank to an almost horizontal stance, I yelled to him. Through the pounding music, he’d barely be able to hear me.

  “He’s back, Cal. Halfway down the runway, the Kings t-shirt.” I nudged in the direction with my head, frustrated at myself for my own stupid mistake.

  Calvin looked over towards the crowd. He pulled the headphones all the way off his head and leaned forward. I had to get back to the crowd, my song was nearly over.

  I could hear Axl sing, “It’s gonna bring you down,” and I decided I had to go for a big finish. It would get me at the front of the stage to collect my cash, and make up for disappearing briefly.

  As Axl gave his last rockin’ “Huh” to end the song, I ran down the runway, dropping to my knees and sliding towards the pole. It faded as the audience went crazy. I stopped with the pole between my legs, not three inches from slamming me right in the cookie. A bit of luck and alot of practice.

  As I leaned back, panting in the darkness of the stage. I grasped at the money that had been thrown onto the stage. The club was busy, even for a Saturday, and I’d take home nearly seven hundred dollars if things kept up. Five hundred from my three featured dances, and a few bucks from lap dances here and there. It should have put me at ease. Rent was due soon, and I had bills piling up. I was anything but at ease, though.

  I heard Calvin’s voice, and I reached out for the last of the bills as he talked me offstage, “That was Charity. Remember, guys, give generously. Stick around, because in just a few minutes, Heaven is going to be coming around with some shots. Them shits is gonna be cheap as hell!”

  By the time he finished up and threw on some Poison, I was backstage, pulling off the stilettos and running for the back office. I had to talk to Leonard. I expected messages on my phone when I got back to my locker. It didn’t matter how many times I changed my number, Jason always found out.

  With the ridiculous shoes off my feet, I padded down the hallway to the manager’s door. It was half open, and I saw Leonard leaning over a book. He’d be planning out the schedule for the next week. As much as I needed to tell him, I stopped for a second. I’d already caused trouble with my ex before.

  The last time I had to tell Leonard, I was off the schedule for two weeks. No explanation, no warning, no nothing. The bills all went on the credit card, and I had to pull everything else together for the rent. I stood outside his office with that thought in my head. If Leonard wasn’t in a forgiving mood, my estimated seven hundred bucks might have to carry me for another two weeks.

  With a silent sigh, I headed back to the dressing room. I was going to have to figured Jason out on my own. Calvin would make sure Jason was thrown out of the club for the rest of the night, and he wouldn't tell the boss about it. That was just one night, though. He’d be back. He always came back.

  ***

  I walked into the dressing room. One wall was lined with mirrors, lights surrounding each one. The other side of the room was lockers. Each dancer had two to accommodate all our different outfits. I had between eight and ten different changes of clothes in mine. Despite how skimpy most of them were, they sure took up plenty of room.

  Ellen was putting on some eye shadow when I came in. “Hey, Jazmine,” I said, heading back to my locker to fish out my phone. As a rule, we tended to stick with the stage names while we were still on the clock. Every single one of us had dealt with a stalker or creepy customer at one point in our lives, and we never risked someone overhearing our real names.

  “Charity, you are raking it in tonight! How many more stage dances are you doing?” She looked at me in the reflection, one of her eyes held open as she penciled around it.

  I was distracted, digging through my bag for my phone, “Hmm? Oh, two more tonight, then I’m off.” I fished around past thongs, make-up cases, and costume jewelry, finally grasping at the phone. When I pulled it out, of course it was flashing notifications at me.

  As I came back to the long table to sit down, she had her mouth open, sculpting her look with care, “Nice night. I’ve just got one on stage. Going to have to really work the crowd afterwards.”

  Ellen wasn’t new, she just needed to work on her choreography. I’d offered to work with her twice, but she politely declined. I wouldn't ask a third time. She’d either learn or she wouldn’t.

  I smiled at her, but I was distracted. My eyes were locked onto the phone. What had Jason said this time? “Yeah, big crowd, at least.” My conversation with Ellen was on autopilot. She must have noticed, because she stopped talking and looked at me until I realized. I turned up to her.

  Ellen knew my words were just taking up space. She turned to me, “He’s not back, is he?” I nodded. “Oh, Charity, fuck that guy. Enough is enough. Leonard needs to know. We gotta do something.”

  I knew she was right. Enough was enough, but it wasn’t that simple. It rarely ever was. “Jaz, if Leonard finds out, he’ll pull me from the weekend shifts. He doesn’t want trouble, especially with Jason.” I dropped the phone onto the counter and lowered my voice. “I need that money pretty badly. Calvin already kicked him out, so everything should be just fine.”

  Ellen grabbed my hand and yanked it. She’d been through her own domestic issues, and it showed, “Just fine?” She pulled down her bra, exposing herself to me. The scar along the bottom of her breast was very apparent. “I thought things were just fine, too.”

  Ellen’s boyfriend had attacked her with a pocket knife when she wouldn’t give him half of her earnings. He’d threatened to sell her for sex, and threatened her two small boys that lived with her mother. She was lucky to get out.

  My eyes were glued on the scar. “I’m sorry. That’s not what I mean. Jason just gets a little depressed and misses me.”

  She dropped my hand and covered her scar back up, “Yeah, Johnny missed me alot, too.”

  Ellen went back to her make-up like I wasn't even there. She was mad, and it was understandable. It wasn’t as easy as just leaving. She put up wi
th stalking and abuse for weeks before he got put away. I thought she was a brave woman for ever coming back to work, but she had two kids to support. I guess she felt safer with him behind bars, too.