by Annie Buff
Oh shit, that wasn’t something Ajax expected her to ask. “I ain’t sure that’s something you really wanna know. I’ll tell you, but be sure before I start.”
Tara thought she wanted to know, but after hearing his voice she wasn’t sure anymore. It sounded ominous but if there was going to be anything between them she had to know. “Tell me Ajax, I’m a big girl and I can handle it.”
He took a deep breath, shot down his tequila and started. “Noah, my given name is Noah and I want you to call me that. For you I’ll always be Noah. Okay?” He watched her nod, then continued his explanation. “A Cleaner is someone that makes sure no DNA is found. Sometimes things get messy, and that’s where I come in. Does that make sense? Some people I’ve worked for aren’t exactly nice. Do you understand what I’m trying so fucking hard not to say?”
Oh boy did she ever, and all she could think of was gross. “Yuck! How the hell do you do that? I mean I think I’ve got a pretty good idea what you’re saying, and eeww!”
“My grandparents owned a slaughter house in south Texas,” Ajax went on, “we all worked there from the time we were young, blood and guts don’t bother me. There’s something else I need to tell you, but I’m scared. Scared you won’t wanna see me anymore if I tell you.”
This sounded really bad, Tara wasn’t going to ruin this night with whatever he had to say. She wasn’t sure it mattered anyway, she liked him… a lot. “Tell me later, it’s not important now. I mean we all have a past Noah. Maybe not quite like your past, but we all have one.”
He knew no one had a past like him. But she said not now, and that was a relief. Ajax seriously didn’t want to ruin this night with her.
The rest of dinner was spent talking and laughing about little things. He asked more about her sight and she gladly told him, then he asked about the rape. That wasn’t as easy. But she finally said it out loud to someone other than her therapist, and it felt like I giant weight was lifted.
Tara explained it all in vivid detail to a shocked Ajax. Then he had to comment, “So it’s not just the fear of sex, he violated you anally and that’s one of those things that you just don’t jump into. One of the Brothers won’t have sex any other way for fear of getting a girl pregnant. Anal sex doesn’t just happen, you gotta work up to that, and damn woman I’m so sorry.”
Ajax now understood all of it, and he was even more pissed than he was before. The detail in which she described her attack was so intense he actually hurt for her. Tara said she tore so bad she required stitches, he just couldn’t fathom doing to anyone what had been done to her. Well there was one person but, he’d been underground for years. Aries hadn’t been heard from since the Bastards had killed Ajax's Daughter and her Mother. That was one person he would pay to see hurt in that way.
As they walked back together towards the bakery Ajax got an idea. “Ever been on a bike? A motorcycle, I mean?”
Tara had never been on one, now not having her sight she was terrified she would fall off. “Never, I’m honestly terrified of them.”
She wasn’t getting out of this, he needed her to ride with him. Ajax had to show her she could trust him and this was the best way he knew how. “Please Tara. I would never let anything happen to you. Can you trust me just a little?”
She heard the pleading in his voice. She was thinking, and that much he could tell. Tara thought of all the ways this could go wrong and she would get hurt. Finally, after hearing him ask please in such a sweet and comforting voice, she gave in.
Ajax started the bike but then shut it off and when Tara went to the rear of it he stopped her. “Up front, you’re driving.” He told her as he scooted back enough to let her on. There wasn’t any way she could be the driver but there was a way she could feel like it.
“Oh, sweet Jesus you’re crazy, and we’re gonna die. I can’t see remember!” She half laughed as she denied him.
He laughed out loud, his eyes were going to be her eyes. Tara climbed on in front of him, fear gripping her.
“Put your hands on mine. Can you feel the grips?” He watched her nod. “Good, now take your hand and follow mine. Feel the key? Start the bike my Beauty.” Tara turned the key but nothing happened.
“Shit did I break it? It’s not starting Noah.”
Ajax pushed the start button and his old hog roared to life. “You ready? Let’s take a ride, remember keep your hands on mine and your legs up. This old boy has a suicide shifter so I need the leg room.”
They were off, and at first he could feel the panic in her. Her body was stiff as a board but within just a few minutes she had calmed, and she molded into him. He knew the sigh he let out was heard but he didn’t care. When she started laughing he knew he had just made a rider out of her.
“Holy shit!” She shouted. Tara knew she wasn’t actually doing the driving but it sure felt like it and that was something she desperately missed; being able to drive. To feel independent again was exhilarating.
Ajax headed the bike towards the lake, it was just about twenty minutes up the old highway and the roads were fairly gentle. He grinned the entire ride as he heard her laughing. Tara was putting her trust in him and that meant more than he could express. Ajax had never been good with words but he was damn sure trying for her. When they stopped by the dock, he let her off first and she was still laughing.
“Still scared of the bike?” Ajax asked with a chuckle. He knew she wasn’t by her reaction.
“Oh no! That was freaking epic! Can we do that again?”
“How you think we’re getting home Beauty? You’re the driver, I’m just the eyes.” He took her hand and they walked to the end of the dock.
She knew where they were by the smell of the water and the small motion under her feet. “I’ve missed coming here, I used to drive up here to think. The sound of the water is so soothing, it would help me calm down when the ex and I fought.”
Ajax hated this man, and even though he’d never meet him he still wanted to hurt him just for hurting Tara. “My ex and I fought all the time too, she wanted something I couldn’t give her. I didn’t love her. I tried, but I didn’t. And I wasn’t exactly Husband material. She wanted a ring but I wasn’t going to marry her if I didn’t love her.”
They wandered a while longer before stopping at a picnic table, he had Tara sit up top while he sat on the bench. It made them closer in height.
“Thank you.” They were two very simple words, and not adequate for how she felt. But, they would have to do. In a few short days Tara felt more at ease with him than she ever had with anyone else in her twenty-seven years. She was falling, and she was scared of how she felt. It was too soon to feel this much. But she did, Tara just prayed it wasn’t one-sided.
“What for? You give me the best night of my life. And you’re thanking me? Tara you’re incredible, and I’m having some serious feelings for you. Right now, I’m gonna kiss you, so please don’t freak out.” His right hand cupped her cheek as Ajax put his lips on hers. She had soft, full lips that felt like rose petals and his dick took notice again. It wasn’t a long kiss and when they broke his forehead stayed touching hers. There was an intimacy just touching Tara and he didn’t want to lose that feeling. “Woman, I ain’t never felt like this before and I want it like you wouldn’t believe. Can we? Me and you Tara, like a couple. Fuck! I’m screwing this up royally aren’t I?”
Tara shook her head. He was doing great, and to her own surprise she wanted him to kiss her again.
“Tara be my woman, in my mind you already are. I just need you to say it.” Ajax saw her smile and that’s all he needed.
“Will you kiss me again? I felt that down to my toes.” She asked him.
Ajax didn’t need to be asked twice, this time he pulled her onto his lap so he could feel her body touching his as he kissed her deeply. This time his lips stayed with hers long past the kiss, she stirred something deep within his soul. If Ajax had any doubts before, he surely didn’t now. Tara was the one person meant for him and he
would walk through the fires of Hell to keep her safe.
“Something is poking me, I think it’s your phone.” She complained mildly.
He just laughed, that was definitely not his phone. She was sitting on his lap and his dick was rock hard. That’s what she was feeling on her ass. “That ain’t my phone my Beauty, but please don’t freak out. I ain’t in a rush for that, it’ll happen when it’s right for both of us. You okay?”
Tara was embarrassed that she thought it was his phone. She just assumed that was too big to be part of him. She could feel the heat in her cheeks and she was just thankful it was dark out and her face was hidden by the cover of night.
“We should head back,” He told her, “you got a big cupcake order to fill and a bakery to run. I got a woman that needs protecting… my woman.” Ajax kissed her once more, this time more tenderly. His kiss said words he was afraid to speak out loud. It said I love you and nobody will hurt you on my watch, it said you’re mine forever.
Not long after they left the lake he noticed it, there was a bike about half a mile back in his rear view. He had no idea if this was a friendly or not and he had to keep it on two wheels and shield Tara if the bullets started flying. Ajax leaned into her ear so she could hear him over the rumble. “Woman I need you to turn around. Sit facing me and wrap your legs around me and hang on. We got company.”
Tara didn’t like the sound of that, she somehow maneuvered herself to be in the right position without falling off the bike. “Now you hug the hell out of me and keep your head down. You gotta trust me Beauty, I got this, and I got you. Do you trust me Tara?”
She did, and nodded against his chest.
“Okay my phone is in my back pocket, Red is speed dial number one. Call him and tell him we’re at mile marker one-sixty-two heading south, and we need backup.”
She did exactly as he asked, telling Red someone was tailing them and Ajax asked for help. The Old Man said the Cavalry was coming.
Ajax watched the tail for another quarter mile before the rider started to close the gap. He had both weapons locked and loaded, in his line of work you had to. An unloaded weapon was worthless, he always kept extra mags full and one bullet in each pistol chambered at all times.
The first bullet whizzed passed his head, close enough he felt the burn. “Fuck!” he yelled as the blisters formed. This was going South quick, as two more bullets came his way. He heard Tara scream as the bike weaved all over the road to avoid being shot.
“Beauty can you reach the gas cap?” Ajax wasn’t taking any lead and he damn sure wasn’t going to let her be injured. He had a plan that would keep them both alive until Red showed up. Ajax watched her reach down, fumbling with the cap. Tara nodded so he knew she was there.
“Dammit I didn’t wanna blow up my bike but we need cover. I gotta lay it down, I’ll keep you as safe as I can but you’re gonna get some scrapes. Okay? Just hang on to me and do what I tell you.” The tank was full so laying the bike down would spill the gas with the cap off. He just hoped he had the right angle on the slide to light it up and shield them enough so he could fire at the enemy.
“Sweet Jesus Noah!” she screamed knowing what was about to happen.
Ajax was weaving all over the highway avoiding the hailstorm of bullets coming his way. He needed to keep it on two wheels until they reached the last curve at the top of the canyon, that was the safest place to put it down. The landing would be softer, it was sandy there and easier to keep her in one piece. It was just under a mile away and Ajax was trying to keep her calm when the bike jerked, the burn started immediately. He had been shot and it was just under his left shoulder blade, the bike was going down sooner than he expected. He just couldn’t maneuver the way he needed to with only one good arm.
“Now!” he yelled, jerking the handlebars hard left. Ajax kept her wrapped as tightly as he could as they went down hard, sliding across the asphalt into the brush. He shoved Tara behind him, fumbling for a lighter in his cut. His old Zippo was beat to hell but never failed to spark. Ajax tossed the flame into the trail of fuel, hoping his plan would work.
He saw the ignition, watching the flame run until it hit the bike. He threw himself over Tara as the explosion scattered metal in every direction. The boom was deafening and echoed through the canyon but the lone gunman wasn’t deterred. He stopped his bike and continued to fire through the wall of flames. Ajax did the same, going bullet for bullet with him until he ran out of ammo. His backup mags were in the bags of his now mangled and burning bike. “We’re gonna have to run when the flames die down, I’m out of ammo and we ain’t got much choice Beauty. You okay Tara?”
She really wasn’t okay, but dying here wasn’t an option so she just nodded and hoped help got there soon.
“Fuck!” He yelled into the night and that too echoed in the canyon. Ajax could hear the cackle of the shooter over the crackling of the flames and he was certain he knew the voice. At that moment he couldn’t place it, but he knew him from somewhere.
Old Red, Smoke and a few more brothers flew down the highway on their way to help Ajax. Red heard the terror in Tara’s voice and that’s all it took. He was sure Baldy could handle himself but the worry for Tara was ten-fold. They were about ten miles from the mile marker Tara mentioned and going like the wind. There was a brother in trouble and that meant go hard.
Ajax hoped Red would get there before the fire died down. He could feel the bullet lodged in his shoulder, and it burned like a mother fucker.
“Noah there’s something sticky on your back.” She wasn’t sure what had happened in the confusion.
Fuck, she’d noticed the blood and he wasn’t going to lie to her. Lies always came back and bit you in the ass. “Bullet got me, don’t freak out. It’s not bad, just burns like a bitch. If we need to run I’ll have your hand, you gotta trust me. I will keep us alive, that’s a promise.”
Tara believed him and she knew the fire was dwindling. She wasn’t sweating nearly as much as when it had started. “Fire is going out isn’t it? We’re going to have to run aren’t we?”
It was certainly looking that way. Ajax had her hand, looking for their best escape route when he heard the distant roar of Harley’s. Red was just down the highway and coming to save his ass. This would be another one of those things the Old Man would never let him live down. “Hear that rumble my Beauty? That’s Red, the Old Man is about a mile off. We’re gonna be fine. My bike on the other hand…” he said with a small chuckle. Ajax had been meaning to trade that old one in for a while, now he didn’t have much choice.
Red came barreling up the highway, gun drawn. Smoke was next to him and both Presidents were firing at the unknown shooter, causing the lone gunman to flee into the night. Right behind them was Bones with his truck, Red must have been concerned about injuries to have enlisted the Doc. Red skidded to a halt and looked to the bike that had been turned into a bonfire.
“What the fuck happened here?” Red demanded. “Tara, are you okay?”
Tara nodded, she was scraped and a little scared but other than that she was fine. Ajax wasn’t fine, she felt the blood and it wasn’t just a droplet. “I’m okay, but Noah isn’t. He’s been shot. He needs medical attention fast.” Tara stopped to take a breath, realizing she wasn’t fine at all, but she had to hold it together for now. When she got home she could fall apart. Behind the closed door of her apartment she could let loose and freak out. Right now, Ajax needed a strong woman. That’s exactly what she was going to be.
Bones took a look at the wound and shook his head. “I just dug one out three inches from this one. Can you try not to get shot for a while?” They both grunted a laugh, knowing Ajax had been a magnet lately for bullets.
Red waited for Bones to make sure nothing vital had been hit before grilling Ajax on what happened. “When the fuck did you pick this guy up? And who the fuck was that?”
Ajax shook his head, he wished he had an answer to the Old Man’s questions but there wasn’t one. Some asshole s
hot him, scared the shit out of his woman and caused him to burn his bike. This was not how he planned out this evening.
“No fuckin clue but trust me Old Man, I will find him! We’d only been on the road but maybe six or seven minutes when I spotted him. And you know what? I know him, I just can’t place the voice but I know the fucker.” Ajax was waving his hands in the air when the bullet moved just a fraction and he hit his knees. That was worse than the initial wound. It hit bone and he knew it.
Tara heard him grunt in pain, struggling to figure out what just happened and where exactly he was. When he put his head on her hip she knew what just occurred, or at least she had a decent idea. Her hand found the side of his face and she gently caressed it. It was her way of comforting him, he was injured worse than he told her and she knew it. Men always made light of their injuries, and her Ajax was no different.
“Alright we’ll deal with this in the morning.” Red commanded. “Come on Baldy, let’s get you two back and give Bones some time to work.”
Ajax grimaced at both the Baldy comment and at having Bones fishing more lead out of him. It was time he pulled the chicken skin out and started wearing it. Kevlar was hot and uncomfortable, but it beat anymore holes in him. So, they loaded up in the truck and Ajax gave a salute to his old hog as they headed for home.
He noticed Tara was unusually quiet, figuring she was probably still in shock from it all. “Hey Beauty you okay? You’re quiet, and I’m worried about you.”
She cracked the first smile he’d seen in an hour. “Yeah I’m alright. Just a little shaken up and I can feel the scrapes all over my arms, they kinda burn.”
“Road rash, you probably have little pebbles from the asphalt in your skin. Doc needs to look at you too. Make sure you’re good. I ain’t having you get an infection from any crap off the road.”
The rest of the ride back was filled with talk of cupcakes and new ideas. Ajax surprisingly had quite a few suggestions and Tara was astounded at how good they were. She asked about having the bullet removed.
