by L. Wilder
“I see.”
“What about you? You got a boyfriend?”
Her brows furrowed as she shook her head. “No, not since high school, and even then, I’m not sure I’d call him a boyfriend.”
“Seriously? I figured a beauty like you would have guys crawling all over ya.”
“It’s not that there aren’t guys who are interested. I’ve just ...” Alyssa’s expression quickly grew troubled as her voice trailed off, and I could tell there was something big weighing on her mind. I gave her some time, hoping she’d bring it to light, but after several moments of silence, she simply said, “I really haven’t had the time to invest in a relationship.”
“I understand.” I knew there was more to the story but decided not to push. Perhaps, in time, she’d realize I was someone she could trust. “Maybe that’ll all change when you get moved and start your new job.”
“Maybe?”
We were both so engrossed in our conversation that neither of us noticed Hyde had walked up. “Hey ... Is everything all right?”
“Yes, why wouldn’t it be?” Alyssa asked.
“You tell me,” Hyde scolded. “You’re the one who disappeared on me.”
“What’s the big deal? We were just out here taking a break for a minute!”
“A minute?” Clay argued. “You two have been out here for hours.”
Alyssa sighed in frustration. “This is your party, Clay. You should be celebrating, not keeping tabs on my every move.”
“Just looking out for you, Lyssa.”
“And I appreciate it, but I’m not sixteen anymore. I can take care of myself.”
“Not sure I agree.” Just as she was about to rear back at him, Hyde announced, “Mom’s wiped. I think she’s ready to call it a night.”
“Okay, I’ll take her back to the hotel.”
“No.” Hyde glanced down at the beer in her hand and said, “You’ve been drinking. I’ll get one of the prospects to drive you.”
“Fine.” Alyssa stood, then looked over to me. “It was really nice meeting you. I hope we can do this again sometime.”
“Definitely.”
With that, she turned and followed Hyde back into the clubhouse. Moments later, she and her mother were on their way back to the hotel. I considered going back inside to join the party but decided against it. The only person I was interested in spending time with was no longer there. I walked out to the parking lot, got on my bike, and as I started heading towards my place, I thought back to my conversation with Alyssa.
Most women I’d met were only interested in the whole bad-boy biker bullshit and cared very little about getting to know me as a man, but it wasn’t like that with Alyssa. I felt no pressure to try and impress her, yet she seemed interested in everything I had to say. That wasn’t something I was accustomed to, and I liked it. I liked it a lot. I had to keep myself focused on the fact that the chick was too young, too beautiful and innocent, for a man like me. Sadly, that would be something easier said than done.
2
Alyssa
When my uncle Viper had come to the house, telling us about Clay earning his Satan’s Fury patch and the upcoming celebration at their clubhouse, it left me more than a little apprehensive. I wasn’t one to do the whole party thing, especially after what’d happened on Homecoming night.
I was just sixteen at the time—a sophomore with a with a head full of fairytales and schoolgirl dreams. When Lucas Brant, the star football player and one of the most popular guys at school, had asked me to the Homecoming dance, I couldn’t have been more excited. I’d thought I found my prince charming, but instead, I found a monster who stole my innocence. I blamed myself for what happened. I was careless and so caught up in the moment that I hadn’t realized I’d put myself in a precarious situation. By the time I’d figured it out, it was too late. The damage had been done.
I should’ve gone to the police and told them what Lucas Brant had done to me but decided against it. I’d convinced myself that if the residents of my small town ever found out that the “star quarterback” had raped me, they would’ve turned against me and blamed me for tempting him … or called me crazy for not wanting to be with him in the first place. So I kept my terrifying ordeal a secret—only sharing the details with my brother.
Clay hadn’t understood why I wouldn’t tell anyone else about what happened and ended up taking matters into his own hands. He’d gone to the party, found Lucas and then beat the hell out of him. I’d like to say that it helped knowing that Lucas paid some small penance for his crime, but it didn’t. Every time I saw his stupid face, I’d find myself thinking about that night—the way he’d held me down and how I fought him as he inched my dress up over my thighs—but most of all, it was what he’d said to me. I’d just gotten off the bed and was fixing my clothes when he came over to me and shoved his hand between my legs, gripping me tightly as he taunted, “Damn fine pussy you got there, Lyssa girl. I gotta tell ya, popping that fucking cherry of yours was the icing on the cake. Hell, I can’t wait to come back for seconds. If you’re lucky, I might even come back for thirds.”
And just like that, all the feelings of fear and helplessness would come rushing back, making it difficult to breathe. I’d hoped that over time it would get better, and in some ways it did, but I was never able to truly put that night behind me. I couldn’t let myself trust anyone, so I didn’t have a lot of friends—just my roommate, Nicole, and Hannah, my best friend from high school. I never really dated, at least not of my own free will. Nicole and Hannah were constantly trying to fix me up with guys they knew, but it didn’t take long for them to lose interest, especially when they realized I wasn’t going to jump into bed with them. The same held true for guys I’d met at parties. I would cringe at their touch, and they’d quickly figure out that I wasn’t an easy lay and move on to their next target. It wasn’t their fault. It was me who was damaged. I was the one who was unable to make a personal connection in fear of being hurt again.
I decided I was done letting Lucas Brant take from me. I wanted a normal life, and even though it meant facing all my fears head on, I was going to have it. Determined to take life by the horns, I couldn’t think of a better way to do that than to go to a party at an MC clubhouse. Besides, the party was for Clay, and after all he’d done for me, I owed it to him to be there.
Mom and I rode down to Memphis with Viper and a few of his brothers. Viper was my father’s brother, and after my dad died, he’d taken it upon himself to keep an eye on us, doing whatever he could to keep our family going. It was actually his idea for Clay to go to Memphis to prospect for Satan’s Fury, and there was no missing the proud look on his face as we drove through the main gates of their clubhouse. As he glanced around at all the cars and motorcycles, he smiled and said, “Looks like one hell of a turnout.”
“I didn’t realize that there’d be so many people here.”
While Viper never found out about what’d happened to me, he could tell from the tone of my voice that I was feeling somewhat uneasy by the large crowd. He glanced over his shoulder and looked me in the eye as he tried to reassure me. “These are good guys, Lyssa. I can almost guarantee that you’ll have a good time, and if not, I’ll get one of the boys to take you over to the hotel.”
“Okay. Thanks, Viper.”
Mom gave me a little pat on the leg and said, “It’s going to mean a lot to Clay that we’re here.”
“I know. I’m really looking forward to seeing him.”
“Me too. It’s been so long.” Her expression grew solemn when she added, “Now that you’ve gotten that internship at Chez Philippe, I’ll have both of my kids living in Memphis. I don’t know what I’ll do with the two of you gone.”
“You can come visit anytime you want, and you know, you could move down here with us. There’s nothing keeping you in Nashville.”
“True, but I don’t want to be one of those mothers who isn’t able to let go and smothers her kids.”
&n
bsp; “You would never smother us, Mom.”
Mischief crossed her face as she asked, “So, you’d be okay with me moving in with you?”
“Umm ... I don’t know if I’d go that far”—I giggled—“but it would be nice to have you close by.”
“Well, it’s definitely something to think about it.”
Our conversation had distracted me momentarily, but as soon as we’d parked and started inside the clubhouse, my anxiety quickly returned. I knew the second I stepped through the door this wasn’t going to be like any party I’d ever been to before.
The bar was packed full of burly bikers and scantily dressed women, drinking and talking as the loud music roared in the background. The room was filled with tables and chairs along with several pool tables and a long wooden counter with stools in the side corner. Most of the seats were already taken, but after stopping several times to speak to some of the men he knew, Viper managed to find a few empty spots for us to sit. As soon as we were settled, the girl behind the bar took our drink order, then brought them over several minutes later. I was looking around, taking in my surroundings, when Mom leaned over to Viper and said, “Everyone seems so friendly. They’re nicer than I expected.”
“I doubt Fury’s members would consider themselves nice.” He chuckled. “But they are good men. I wouldn’t have sent our boy down here if they weren’t.”
“You’re right. I guess I’m just a little surprised. I would’ve thought they’d be more ferocious or something, especially with a name like Satan’s Fury.”
“No different than the Sinners. We know how to play nice when we need to,” Viper cocked his eyebrow as he continued, “but that doesn’t mean we take any shit. You fuck with us, you pay the price.”
“Someone would have to be pretty crazy to mess with you and your boys.”
“You’re right about that.” Viper took a sip of his beer, then added, “Clay’s going to have a good life here with these boys. You’ll see.”
Before she could respond, the front door opened and Clay appeared in the doorway. I’d never seen my brother look more proud as his brothers surrounded him, congratulating him with hugs and pats on the shoulder. We all watched in awe as Gus, the large and very intimidating looking president of Fury, presented him with a leather vest that had been embroidered with the Satan’s Fury logo. My heart melted as I watched Clay put on that vest like it was his most prized possession. My brother looked so utterly happy that it brought tears to my eyes to watch his new brothers share the moment with him. We gave him a few minutes to speak with everyone. When his brothers started to disperse, Landry approached him and gave him a big hug. After they talked for a few minutes, Viper motioned over to me that it was time for us to head over to him. When Clay saw Mom and me walking towards him with Viper, his eyes immediately lit up. “You came.”
“Of course, we did,” Mom answered. “We wouldn’t miss it for the world.”
Viper crossed his arms as he looked at Clay and asked, “Well, you gonna say it?”
“Say what?” Clay questioned with a smirk.
“You know damn well what.” Viper narrowed his eyes. “Come on. You know I’m not gonna let it go until you say it.”
“Fine.” Clay chuckled as he replied, “You were right.”
“Damn right,” Viper boasted. “Always am.”
“I don’t know about that,” my mother scoffed before turning her attention to Clay. A bright smile crossed her face. “You look good, Clay. I wish your father was here. He would’ve been so proud.”
I could tell by her tone that she was about to tear up, so I slipped my arm around her, giving her a tight squeeze. “He is here, Mom. There’s no way he’d miss this.”
“She’s right. He’s definitely here.” Clay reached over and hugged us both. “Damn, it’s good to see you.”
Landry slipped up beside him and smiled. “Hey, honey. Congratulations. That cut looks great on you.”
Clay grabbed her around the waist, pulling her towards him, then planted a kiss on her lips. “Thanks, babe.”
We were all standing in a circle, catching up, when one of his brothers caught my attention. I’m not sure exactly what it was about him, but there was something about the burly, bald-headed biker covered in tattoos that had me intrigued—which surprised the hell out of me. Normally, a man of his size and intimidating physique would completely terrify me, and I’d do whatever it took to steer clear. Unsettled by my interest in him, I quickly turned my attention back to my conversation with my mother, Landry, and Clay. I tried to keep my focus on what they were saying, but after only a few seconds, I found myself glancing over my shoulder for another peek at the handsome biker. He was tall and broad shouldered with dark brown eyes, and there was a kindness to his smile that one wouldn’t expect from such a fierce-looking man. I watched as he started laughing at something one of his brothers said, and a strange warmth rushed through me. I dug deep and gathered all the courage I could muster, then turned to Clay and asked, “Who’s he?”
Typical Clay, I thought, when he searched around the room and asked way too loudly, “Who?”
“Him.” Trying not to draw any more attention to the situation, I motioned my head to the back of the room. “The bald guy in the corner?”
When he realized who I was talking about, he quickly looked back at me with a stunned expression. “You gotta be fucking kidding me.”
“What?” Clay had always been protective of me, even more so after what had happened with Lucas, and while it was sweet of him to look out for me, it was time he learned that I could take care of myself. Besides, if I could gather the nerve to talk to a big, tough biker, then I could do anything. I knew my brother would never understand, and as I stood there studying his horrified expression, I couldn’t stop myself from teasing him a little. With a mischievous grin, I shrugged innocently and goaded, “He’s hot—”
“Lyssa, no,” he warned.
“Well, I happen to think he—”
“Nope! Not gonna happen, Lyssa.”
Landry and I were so caught up in giving Clay a hard time, I hadn’t noticed that the man had come up behind us until I heard him ask, “What’s ‘not gonna happen’?”
When I glanced up and saw the smirk on his face, I couldn’t help but smile. As he stood there towering over me, I didn’t feel threatened by him—not in the least. Instead, I found a warmth in his eyes that I didn’t expect. “Nothing. Clay is just being Clay.”
“Oh, really?”
It was clear from Clay’s expression that he wasn’t pleased I’d blown off his warning, and his disapproving expression only grew more intense when the man smiled down at me and asked, “Why don’t you let me get you a drink, and you can tell me all about it?”
“Okay.”
Before Clay had a chance to talk me out of going with him, I gave my overprotective brother a quick wave, then followed the stranger back to the bar. After I sat down next to him, he quickly introduced himself and ordered us both a drink. As I sat there waiting on the bartender, I was feeling quite proud of myself. I was actually sitting next to a man who belonged to one of the most notorious MCs in the South, and I wasn’t freaking out. Instead, I did my best to remain cool, calm, and collected. To my surprise, it was much easier than I thought. Then again, T-Bone made it easy. The entire time we talked, he didn’t put on any airs and try to impress me. He simply treated me as though I were an old friend, and we were just taking some time to catch up.
I’d just started telling him about my upcoming move to Memphis when he leaned towards me and said, “The music is a little loud in here. You want to continue this outside?”
I couldn’t remember a time when I’d enjoyed a man’s company so much and didn’t hesitate when I answered, “Sure.”
Once we’d found a spot at one of the picnic tables, T-Bone looked over to me and asked, “Is it just me, or is this your first time being at a clubhouse party?”
“What makes you say that?”
&nb
sp; “I don’t know. Just a hunch.”
“Well, your hunch is right. It’s my first time.”
Looking surprised, he asked, “You never went to a Sinners’ party?”
“No, Viper wasn’t too keen on the idea. Clay went to a couple, and it always seemed like he’d had a good time.” I shrugged. “I guess I missed out on all the fun.”
“So, now that you’ve finally made it to a club party, what do you think of it?”
“It’s not exactly what I expected.”
“What exactly were you expecting?”
“Honestly ... I figured it would be a little rowdier.” I should’ve thought before I spoke, especially considering that T-Bone was one of the very guys I was talking about, but for some reason, I didn’t feel the need to hold back. “Guys cussin’, fightin’, and chuggin’ back beers ... You know, basically a frat party with big and scary badass bikers who’d just as soon kill you than buy you a beer.”
T-Bone didn’t immediately respond. Instead, he just sat there staring at me with a blank expression, making me worried that I’d said too much, but then his lips slowly curled into a smile. When he started to roar in laughter, I did right along with him. “Scary badass bikers, huh?”
“Well, you all are pretty badass, but I’ve come to see that you all aren’t as scary as I thought you’d be, especially you.” My eyes skirted to the ground as I admitted, “When I first saw you, I was a little intimidated, especially when you asked me to have a drink, but after talking to you, I see that I had nothing to worry about.”
“Well, I’m glad you took a chance.”
