by Carina Adams
“Oh!” I laughed at my jumpiness and tried to ignore his scrutiny. “I’m sure they won’t mind if you get yourself another drink.” I gestured at the bar and turned back to my water.
He chuckled, a low deep sound, and stepped closer. “First time heah?”
I nodded, turning slightly to make eye contact. He practically oozed ‘Bad Boy Biker,’ from the way he leaned his large beefy frame confidently against the counter to the intense and dangerous look I could see in his hazel eyes. “Yeah. I’m waiting for Rocker.”
He pulled out a pack of Marlboro Reds and held it out to me. I declined, and he shook one out, lighting up. I took the opportunity to scan him. Next to Tiny, this mystery man was the biggest Bastard—if he was a member of the club—I’d met. His arms were veiny, as if he’d spent every second he could working out. His plain black tee shirt was tight, showing a wide and muscular torso, but it was tucked into a pair of baggy blue jeans that looked like they hadn’t fit him right in years—the thick belt he wore was barely keeping them up. I stared at his buckle a second too long, trying to figure out what was on the large bronze circle. It was Itus. He wasn’t wearing a vest or jacket, but I doubted he’d be able to wear the symbol if he wasn’t a member.
When my eyes moved back to his face, I realized that he was giving me the same kind of once over I’d just given him. I shifted, uncomfortable. “I thank God every damn day for the man that invented yoga pants.” He’d mumbled it to himself more than to me.
Feeling extremely self-conscious, I slid away from him a little. Nothing about him scared me, but better safe than sorry. “You don’t have to wait with me, I’m good.” I gulped another sip of water and, aware of his eyes glued to my ass, turned around, backing into the bar. It was the wrong move. He seemed to take it as an invitation. Instead of moving away, he stubbed out his cigarette and stepped in front of me, boxing me in with his arms. “I’m sure Rocker will be out to get me any minute.” I tried to mask the irritation in my voice, but knew he heard it.
He only smiled, leaning down and invading my space, and moved his head to my ear. “Naw, Babe. He’s got his hands full right now. Won’t be out for owahs.” I pushed against him but would have had better luck moving a boulder—he acted as if he didn’t even notice my hands on his chest. “I, on the othah hand, have the whole fuckin’ afternoon free.” He lifted his left hand, running a thick knuckle down my cheek. “I bet we could think of somethin’ that would fill the time.”
I moved quickly, squeezing out from under him. The slap that followed didn’t hurt that much, but it made me yelp and jump. Moving my hand to my ass, I whirled on him. “What the fuck was that?” I spit out as I rubbed the spot gently, trying to numb away the sting.
I got a glimpse of teeth that were so white they looked out of place as he grinned at me mischievously. “Babe, rule numbah one, if you’ah gonna have it on display heah, it’s gonna get touched.” He twisted his lips and took a step towards me. “Why don’t we go back to my room, and you give me a sneak peek before you go audition for Rockah?”
I stepped back, trying to find a way to tell him to go to hell without causing trouble. Not taking the hint at all, he reached his hand out and, without giving it to much thought, I knocked it away. Deciding that retreat was my best option, I turned quickly, but a hand wrapped around my left wrist, pulling me back and spinning me around. I didn’t think, just balled my hand into a fist like Nick had shown me and stepped my weight into the punch.
I’d aimed for the throat, like instructed, but the brute in front of me lowered his chin when he saw the hit coming. I don’t know who was more surprised when my fist actually connected. He grabbed my right wrist as I tried to back away, amusement, not anger, filling his eyes. Yanking me flush against him, he laughed and ran his other hand over his jaw.
“You’ah a feisty bitch, aintchya?” The hazel eyes twinkled. “That’s not somethin’ we see too often in heah. It’s fuckin’ sexy as hell.” His voice was low and rough. Moving his hand from his chin to my backside, he rubbed the spot he’d slapped earlier and ground his front into me so I could feel just how much of a turn on he thought it was. He was hard as a rock. “Don’t worry, sweethaht, I give just as good as I get. If this is youah idea of foreplay, I’m all for it.”
Lifting my face to his to show him I wasn’t afraid, I glared at him. “Back off, Buddy.” I shoved at him again, but his arms were too strong. If he didn’t let me go soon, I was going to murder him with my bare hands.
“Faahk, you ahh hot!” he muttered absently, and buried his face in the side of my neck, closing his teeth over the bottom of my ear. I narrowly avoided the urge to gouge out his eyes. “Mmm. I want to taste every inch of this body.” He picked his head up, lapping his lips as he starred at mine. “My Ol’ lady won’t be back ‘til tomorrow. Give me the word, and I’m youahs for the night. Let me be your first Bastahd.” His voice held a pleading tone.
I couldn’t fight the look of disgust. He thought I was a club whore! Not just that, this jackass had a girlfriend, or wife, that he was going to cheat on. “I don’t fuckin’ think so.” I sneered, “Let me go.”
His hold started to loosen, but the sound of catcalls and woops had us both looking across the bar. A handful of bikers, all wearing Bastard jackets, were watching us as if we were putting on one hell of a show. He swore and turned us, so his back was to them, sheltering me from their view, and pushed my head down into his chest. “Fuck off!” he barked. I couldn’t hear their replies because his thick hand was over my ear, but a few seconds later, he startled me by roaring, “Now!”
A few minutes later, his arms released me and he stepped back, but enormous hands cupped my cheeks and tipped my face towards his. “Sorry about that. Fuckin’ prospects,” he admonished, obviously annoyed. “You ok?”
I gapped at him. In the last few minutes this man had spanked me, manhandled me, propositioned me, and implied I was a slut. Now he was worried about how I’d handle a bunch of obnoxious men staring at me? I started to giggle at the absurdity of the situation. He shook me slightly, as if trying to get me to focus. “Babe?” I couldn’t answer, the giggles turning into breath stealing, side hurting laughter. Then his mouth was on mine. I reacted instantly, laughter gone, recoiling violently and slapping him hard across his face. He grinned. “Theah you ahh.”
He took a step towards me, but I held up my finger. “Don’t you fuckin’ come near me again.”
“Hooolllyyy fuuuuck!” The words came out in a slow, surprised drawl, stopping both the moose and I dead in our tracks.
Chapter 17
Jo
I snapped my head towards the door. A man stood in the shadows, watching us. All I could see of him was a thick dark beard and wide shoulders. My companion had turned too, nodding a hello. “Got it undah control, Bear.”
Bear shook his head, “The hell you do!” he snapped back. In just a few steps, he was in front of me, inserting himself between me and the giant, gently grabbing my chin between his thumb and finger, pushing my head back. “You ok, Ma’am?”
The familiar face and low voice made distant memories filter through my mind. “Ian?”
He looked like he’d aged ten years in the last few months. I knew he was almost young enough to be my son, but the innocent twinkle he’d had in his eyes had been replaced by a cautious wariness that he shouldn’t have for years, and dark black smudges underlined his eyes. He smiled in surprise, and for a second I could see the handsome kid he’d been.
“I wasn’t sure I’d see you again, Joey.”
It had only been for a few hours one night last summer, but the time I’d spent with this young man had touched me. I’d been out with Matty and the Bastards when a brawl broke out—Cris and I smack dab in the middle of it. Ian had put himself between me and danger, carried me outside, taken me home, and spent the night trying to keep my mind off Matty. He was brilliant, insightful, and sweet. He’d entertained me with stories of his girlfriend, Ellie.
Th
en, only a few weeks later, he and Ellie had been viciously attacked. I’d often wondered what happened to him, and until this second didn’t even know if he was still a Bastard. Thinking about it made my heart ache. Not just for he and Ellie, but for me and Matty. That had been the worst weekend of my life—the one where Matty walked away, breaking me.
I took a deep, shaking, breath, fighting the tears.
He shook his head. “C’mere!” he whispered, dropping my chin and pulling me against him. A nasty scar ran up his throat and disappeared under his beard. A souvenir from that awful night last August? Without thinking, I traced the red line gently with a fingertip. I felt him tense immediately.
As much as I tried to, I couldn’t stop the tears. He ran his hand up and down my back, muttering comforting words. “I don’t even know why I’m crying,” I sobbed against him. “Are you ok?” I mumbled as I backed away from him.
He searched my eyes. “Me? Ahh you?” He glared over his shoulder, and I could see the other man watching us, confusion clear on his face. I nodded as I wiped away the last of my tears and looked around. The room was still empty, except for the three of us. “No one’s gonna hurt you heah. I promise!”
“She’s fine,” Gigantor snapped.
Ian’s eyes flashed and his face hardened. “I asked her, not you!” The other man took a step towards us, furry written all over his face. Ian turned, going toe to toe with the much larger man. “Some things never change, do they, Brothah?”
The look that crossed the other man’s face was enough to tighten my stomach in knots. “I know I’ve been gone a long time, but you’ah outta line, Kid. I wasn’t gonna force her to do anythin’ she didn’t want to do.” He glanced at me and his face softened slightly. “If you wanna talk about this more, we can go out back.”
I stepped towards my friend, but I didn’t look at Ian. Instead, I looked into hazel eyes as I answered. “It was a stupid misunderstanding, that’s all.”
Ian looked from me, to the other man, and back, relaxing a little. He turned, grabbing a stool from the table closest to us, and pulled it out before gesturing for me to sit. He took the seat beside me and then kicked the third chair away from the table slightly, pointing at it as he glared at the other man. “Why don’t you two tell me what the hell I walked in on.” He turned back to me. “‘Cause after what I heard outside, I nevah expected you to be the one I found in heah.” I blushed and looked away as the other man grunted before joining us.
Not taking his eyes off me, he answered Ian. “I thought she was a new girl and was lookin’ for some fun. I’ll talk to Rockah when he comes out and take whatever punishment he gives.” Punishment? The words had me breaking eye contact and looking at Ian to see if he was confused, too. “I’m sorry if I scared you,” he said to me. I shook my head, trying to convey that it was fine. “I’m sorry, Bear.” I could hear the sincerity in his voice. “I didn’t realize she was yours, Brothah.”
“She’s not mine.” A scowl crossed Ian’s features. “So you two don’t know each other?”
“No,” I answered, sighing. I turned my attention back to Mr. Massive, offering him a hand. “I’m Jo.”
He took it, swallowing it with his own, his grip firm. “Tank.” My eyes widened in surprise. Immediately, everything made sense. I could actually see some resemblance to Barbie in him. I smiled, trying to tell him that everything would be fine. He smiled back, the same seductive grin he’d given me earlier, and winked. “So, if you aren’t the new girl, and you aren’t Bear’s, what ahh you doin’ heah, Jo?”
I opened my mouth to answer, but Ian cut me off, obviously annoyed. He tipped his head towards me. “Tank, meet Mateo’s Jo. Or, as Rocker calls her, L.K.”
Tank snorted. “Quit fuckin’ with me, Brothah. I’m not that fuckin’ stupid. I’ve seen pictures of Mateo’s girl. She’s pretty and shit, but she’s not you.” He winked, looking over my tight tank and dyed hair. His eyes roamed my face for a few seconds, then they grew large and he sat back, paling a little. “Christ, I’m a dead man!”
“That’s what I’m sayin’!” Ian nodded, crossing his arms over his chest smugly.
“You are not!” I snapped at them. “For God’s sake, you didn’t do anything some stranger at a bar wouldn’t do. And, you didn’t know who I was even though I could have told you numerous times.” I waved a hand in front of my face, dismissing their argument.
“We’ah not in a bah, Joey. What happens out theah doesn’t happen in heah. We don’t fuck with brothah’s ol’ ladies, simple as that. We view it the same way the rest of the world views stealin’. Tank tried to take somethin’ that wasn’t his, and he’ll go to Court to answer for it.”
Court? What? And back to jail? The thought infuriated me. “I wasn’t scared of him in the least!”
Ian shrugged. “Then why were you cryin’?”
I sighed, exasperated. “I don’t know!” I snapped. “Adrenaline? Seeing you for the first time since…” I trailed off, but Ian understood. I swallowed. “No one will talk about you! I don’t know if Ellie recovered. I didn’t even know you were still a Bastard until I saw you ten minutes ago!” I rolled my head, trying to work out some of the tension in my shoulders. “You were the last person I expected to see.”
Ian sighed. “Doesn’t mattah. In this house, you ahh protected above all else. It’s club business. When somethin’ like this happens, theah are consequences.”
“It’s club business,” I mocked childishly. “Jesus, you sound just like Matty!” I snapped at him, sitting a little straighter in the chair. “In case you hadn’t noticed, I didn’t need you to run in and rescue me.” I shifted my gaze to Tank. “You’re not telling Rocker shit. I’ll talk to him and then tell Matty when I see him. I’ll take care of it. And if either of you do, I’ll deny it all. I have no doubt who they’ll listen to.”
Tank shook his head. “Jo,” he started cautiously, “you can’t…”
My fists curled in anger. “You just met me. Don’t for one second think that you can tell me what I can and cannot do or I will kick your ass!” I practically shouted, suddenly pissed at him. “What kind of man cheats on his girlfriend when he just got home from prison?” He started to speak but I slammed my hand on the table. “Seriously? And, why in God’s name would you think I was a club girl?” He started to answer, and I slammed my hand again. “No! Don’t fuckin’ answer that!” His eyes had grown wide, and he looked like he might be fighting a smile. I narrowed my eyes.
“Let me give you a little bit of advice. You may have gone to prison, but your girlfriend, wife, old lady, or whatever the hell you call her, was also punished. Being without the man you love fuckin’ sucks. You have a free afternoon ‘cause she’s not coming until tonight? Awesome. Spend that time doing something nice for her instead of doing a club whore. Maybe think about a nice gift you could give her instead of giving her, oh, I don’t know, chlamydia!”
A look I couldn’t read passed between them and they both burst out laughing. “Little Kangaroo with boxing gloves,” Ian mumbled, laughing more.
Groaning in frustration, I slid out of my chair, grabbed my water off the bar, and walked to the couches. I wanted to leave and get the hell away from all things Bastard. But there was no way I was going outside alone. Ian had said he’d heard about Tank and I, which meant the men from earlier were out there. I had no desire to see them, and until Cris and Rocker were done, I had nowhere else to go. Sinking onto the couch, I leaned my head on the armrest and closed my eyes.
“She got your cards. Thanks.” I heard the sound of someone sitting on leather as the hushed voice spoke to me. After Matty had left me, I’d been a mess, but the attack was always at the front of my mind. It had given me months of nightmares. I’d sent cards to Cris, asking her to deliver them for me, because I wanted Ellie to know people were praying for her. I desperately wanted to know how she was.
As if reading my thoughts he continued, “She’s fine, Joey.” He sighed. “Physically it was a quick rec
overy. Mentally took her a little longer. But, she’s fine.”
I sat up, turning towards his voice. Leaning back in the chair across from me, he looked defeated. His dark jeans were stained with what looked like grease, and I could see the steel on the toe of his boot where the material had worn away. “Will I ever get to meet her?”
He swallowed and looked away, “We’re not together anymoah. I still see her sometimes. Ya know, just to check in, but we’re just friends.” He shrugged as if it wasn’t a big deal, but I could see the pain etched on his face. “You’ah a lot more naked than the last time I saw you.”
Confused, I looked at my outfit before following his eyes to my empty hand and the finger that used to hold my wedding ring. Last summer I’d still had it on when I came down with Matty. His friends had taken offense to the fact that he was sleeping with me while I was still hitched. They hadn’t known the rest of the story. I looked at the bare hand and smiled. “Yeah. Sometimes, Ian, friends become more.” A thought struck me. “Bear, huh?” He nodded, smirking. “What should I call you?”
“Whatevah you want. Most of the club calls me Bear, but my closest friends can call me either one.” He stood up. “Have you gotten the tour yet?” I shook my head as he held out a hand. “Come on, we’ll show ya.”
Chapter 18
Jo
The clubhouse was huge. The door behind the bar led to a commercial grade kitchen that any chef would be proud of. Next to the kitchen was a communal eating area that was obviously once the school cafeteria. Ian explained that at least quarterly they had giant ‘family’ gatherings where every club member brought his family and friends. It was also the room where the club gathered before charity events.
The hallway to the left of the main room was long and made several turns. No way in hell would I find my around without getting lost. Not only did they have the main common room, there was a ‘TV’ room, a game room, a quiet room, a giant playroom for the kids, offices, and an entire wing dedicated to the ‘dorms.’ It felt like a compound where you could wait out any natural disaster.
