Sal (The Ride Series)

by Megan O'Brien

  Whenever Scarlet asked me about it, I’d brush if off. It was my way and she knew it. I’d talk about it with her when I was ready, or maybe not at all. She knew that, too. I was overdue at her place for coffee and I was looking forward to seeing her and the baby.

  It had been a stressful night at the bar made more so because my stupid eyes shifted restlessly to the door every time it swung open.

  “What’s on your mind?” Jodie asked, nudging me gently with her elbow when I’d been cleaning the same spot on the bar too long.

  “Nothing, why?” I asked innocently.

  She smirked. “I’m sure it has nothing to do with the drop-dead gorgeous man who comes in every night and sits at the bar staring at you like you’re his next meal.”

  I rolled my eyes in reply and mixed the Cosmos the girls at the end of the bar had ordered.

  I knew it the moment he walked in, as always. It was as though the air shifted, growing thick with the intensity that was Sal. I forced my gaze to remain on the drink I was mixing, but I felt his presence as he sat in the same seat he always sat in.

  I snuck a peek at him when I was sure he wasn’t looking. Yep, still smolderingly hot as usual. He wore his leather cut over his black, short-sleeved T-shirt, his muscles flexing as he clasped his hands over the bar. His hair was black as midnight under the dim bar lights and unruly as always. Sal had a quiet intensity about him that I’d always found compelling; it was nearly impossible to remain unaffected when it was solely focused on you. He sat alone, ignoring anyone else around him, his eyes tracking me with a singular focus so intense my knees shook with every step.

  I sent Jodie down to serve him as was my routine, and like always she came back shaking her head. “He wants you.”

  I snorted at the irony of her statement.

  I walked over to him, my heart pounding as his dark eyes traveled from my face to my neck, staring a beat too long at where my speeding pulse gave me away.

  Where was a turtleneck when a girl needed one?

  I raised my brow at him in silent question as to what he wanted, though I knew what it was.

  “Bud,” he ordered, looking at me like a man starved. It was unnerving and a huge turn on.

  I nodded and averted my eyes as quickly as possible, opening his bottle and placing it in front of him.

  “Have you been following me?” I asked bluntly before I lost my nerve. I’d wanted to ask him this ever since he got back into town. The feeling of being followed had persisted all these weeks; I couldn’t shake it.

  His eyes widened in surprise that I was speaking to him before narrowing. “No, I haven’t been following you,” he answered ferociously. He leaned forward and clutched his beer tightly between his large hands, the “Ride Free” tattooed across both knuckles on prominent display. “Why do you ask?”

  Well, shit. I’d really done it now, hadn’t I?

  “No reason,” I replied entirely too quickly. Damn, despite the incident with the grey truck I’d really thought, even hoped, it might have been him all this time. I moved to head to the other end of the bar when his tattoo-clad arm clamped firmly on my hand, impeding my progress.

  “Just a minute there, Birdie,” he said in a tone that was not to be trifled with. “Let’s talk for a minute about why you’d ask a question like that,” he commanded.

  “I’ll talk to Cole about it,” I answered briskly. I knew it was a bitchy thing to say, but I wasn’t about to say more to him than absolutely required.

  His eyes grew fiery before he controlled his reaction and he simply nodded once in resignation.

  Throughout the next week, we interacted a bit more, a few more words being shared every day. I wouldn’t say I was warming to him, but it was too exhausting to freeze him out completely. Plus, it made it a hell of a lot less awkward when he walked me to my car at the end of each shift.

  I had Friday off and after sleeping in late, I’d made pretty good use of my time. I’d stopped in to see Scarlet and the baby, sweated my ass off at the gym, and was now strolling the food aisles at the grocery store. I always seemed to shop when I was starving, which made me buy the strangest things. I currently had pickles, blueberry cream cheese, and Count Chocula cereal in my cart. My food choices were going to make for a really weird dinner unless I got my shit together.

  When Sal unexpectedly appeared down the aisle, leaning on his cart as though he didn’t have a care in the world, I immediately narrowed my eyes at him. He even made pushing a cart look hot somehow. The man was infuriating!

  “Are you stalking me now?” I demanded heatedly, ignoring the leisurely way his eyes raked my body as though he still owned it and me.

  “A guy’s gotta eat,” he replied, a slow smile transforming his already handsome face into something breathtaking.

  I gulped slightly, wanting to slap myself into lucidity. “Yeah, well, see you around,” I replied as I moved to pass him.

  I was going to get out of there as fast as I possibly could. It seemed my dinner would consist of chocolate cereal with pickles sprinkled on top after all.

  “I was going to barbeque up a couple of steaks. You hungry?” he asked with a cocked brow. He knew how much I used to love it when he barbequed.

  My stomach betrayed me by rumbling in response, but I ignored it and pushed away from him. “Not a chance in hell,” I retorted, not even turning around.

  “You havin’ cream cheese for dinner then?” he asked, and I could hear the smile in his voice.

  I glared at him over my shoulder.

  He shrugged. “Whatever you’re eating is working for you, baby,” he replied, his tongue licking his full bottom lip as he appraised me in my yoga pants and tank top. “Didn’t think it was possible you could get any hotter, but somehow you did,” he said, his eyes shining with lust.

  I resisted the urge to ogle him in return in his white T, stretched to its limits across his muscular chest and shoulders. I could see his stomach muscles through it, and I couldn’t stop myself from imagining running my fingers over the smooth plane of his skin that smelled like heaven and tasted like sin.

  Then reality knocked me over the head, evaporating any lust or warmth, and I narrowed my eyes at him once again.

  “What I’m having for dinner and anything else to do with my body is none of your business, Sal,” I seethed.

  “Oh, it’s my business,” he assured me smoothly.

  His arrogance set off my temper and I spun to face him, my cart crashing noisily into his. “Do you have amnesia?” I hissed. “You left, Sal. Six months ago. I’m not your woman anymore and I won’t be again,” I exclaimed, trying hard to keep my voice down despite my temper.

  “You were always mine, baby,” he replied softly. “There’s nothing I see clearer now than that.”

  “Go to hell, Sal,” I told him as I pushed my cart away from him.

  “Only if you’re coming with me, baby,” I heard his deep voice return before I was out of earshot.

  Well, shit.

  Chapter 6

  That Saturday had been a particularly busy night at the bar, and I was exhausted when I pulled into my parking garage. I heard the sound of Sal’s bike as he roared off after seeing me home. I slammed my car door, the sound reverberating throughout the concrete covered space and began to head for the entrance to my building.

  When a hand slammed down on my mouth from behind I was so shocked that time seemed to stand still for a moment before it sped up abruptly.

  “Don’t you say a fucking word,” a deep, unfamiliar voice snarled behind me. He hauled me back against his body and pressed his hand deeper against my mouth. “Shit, you’re fucking beautiful. It’s a damn shame I don’t have a chance to explore that tight little rig you’ve got,” he murmured, his breath warm and wet on my ear. “I’ve been following you for months, but you’re even more gorgeous up close and personal,” he hissed, grinding into me from behind.

  I cringed away from him, my heartbeat hammering in my ears.

&nbs
p; “What do you want?” I choked out when he removed his hand briefly.

  He spun me around. “You’re Armstrong’s woman?” he demanded.

  “Not anymore.” I shook my head adamantly.

  “That’s not what I heard,” he glowered. “Did you know your bitch of a mother owes us a shit ton of money?” Before giving me a chance to respond, he continued. “Sometimes things have a way of working out,” he sneered. “We know for a fact the Knights can pay it back. So, I’ve got a message for you.”

  I knew instantly I didn’t want the message.

  I looked at him incredulously before I let out an ear-splitting scream and tried to run away.

  He tackled me to the ground and punched me in the face. Fuck, that hurt.

  “You wanna make it interesting?” he laughed into my face, the spittle from his excitement hitting my cheeks in a nauseating tandem.

  That’s when I got my first solid look at him. He was slim with jet-black, slicked back hair and olive skin. I’d never seen him before.

  “You tell Sal and all those other fuckers there are new players in town. And they aren’t as badass as they think they are. No one is safe from us. Not their women, not their children,” he threatened, his hand wrapping painfully around my neck. He started to squeeze and I clawed at him in panic.

  Holy shit, he was going to kill me.

  No…

  Air…

  “You gonna tell them?” he demanded.

  I nodded rapidly, desperate for him to let me go.

  “I think I’ll come pay you another visit. Armstrong doesn’t know what to do with a hot little piece like you. Looking forward to seeing you again.” He grinned salaciously before he hauled himself off me and ran, leaving me lying on the garage floor gasping for breath.

  For an indeterminable amount of time, I laid there staring up at the fluorescent lights overhead. My ears were ringing and my heart was hammering so loudly in my chest I was afraid to move. I knew the message had been conveyed, but I definitely didn’t want to linger. Somehow, I picked myself up off the ground and hobbled over to the elevator. I knew I should call the police, that was what a normal person would do, but back when things were rough with my parents the authorities always managed to fuck things up. They’d just put me in foster care, which was sometimes worse than being with my folks. And I always ended up back with them anyway.

  It was one of the ways I’d related to the club early on, the police weren’t ever a part of their life or the way they exacted justice.

  I needed to call Cole and I would. I just needed to get my shit together first.

  I let myself into my apartment building. Luckily, it was late so I didn’t encounter any neighbors as I made my way clumsily down the hall and through my door. I grabbed some ice and some heavy-duty painkillers I had left over from an accident the previous year. I fell onto the couch with a wince. The bed felt too far away despite it being mere feet. I placed the ice on my eye, wincing at both the cold and the tender feel of my swollen flesh. I’d have a black eye for sure, not something I’d had for a long time. And my hands and knees were badly scraped from the scuffle. My throat hurt from being pressed so tightly, but that was the beauty of the pain pills. Once I took one I was able to quickly drift into a fog and fall asleep.

  I heard a distant pounding and ringing, but it sounded like part of the dream I’d been having. At some point I’d taken another pill or two; I’d lost track. My whole body throbbed and I had no interest in pulling myself out of the pain pill induced sleep. Then I heard a large crash, but it was all part of the fog.

  “Fuck, baby,” I heard a pained, familiar voice bite out as my body was carefully lifted from the couch. Sal’s voice being so close to my ear made it feel more like a dream. “Baby, wake up,” he was more insistent now, clearly worried.

  “Hmm?” I murmured drowsily.

  “What the fuck?” I heard another voice bark from farther away. Mack? I couldn’t quite place it.

  They exchanged words I didn’t understand, and then freezing cold water was suddenly cascading over me.

  I garbled and gasped in the tub where I found myself. “What are you doing?” I wheezed in complete shock at the cold.

  “Sorry, sweetness, had to wake you up. You were out cold,” Sal explained as he hovered over me, his brows pinched with concern.

  “Am I dreaming?” I asked seriously. Sal being here was confusing.

  He looked more concerned for a moment before he shook his head. “No, baby, you’re not dreaming.”

  “Why are you here? How did you get in?” I asked, shoving my wet hair away from my face. I looked down to find he’d stripped me down to my bra and underwear as I shivered violently.

  “I’ll make the water warmer now that you’re awake,” he assured me, moving to adjust the nozzle.

  I tried to cover myself up, feeling completely vulnerable half-naked in my own bathroom. “No, just g-g-go. I’m f-fine,” I protested, my teeth chattering.

  “What do you want me to do, man?” I heard Mack’s voice rumble from the other room.

  “Get Cole over here, now,” he bellowed from over his shoulder. “I don’t think she needs to go to the hospital but hang tight,” he barked, clearly agitated.

  “N-no!” I cried desperately, feeling utterly helpless and exposed. “Just go!” I exclaimed, extremely distressed.

  He regarded me cautiously for a moment, unsure of what to do with me. “Do you want Mack instead?” he asked and it wasn’t a threat. He clearly wanted me to calm down and to feel comfortable.

  I groaned. “I don’t want anyone. I want to be alone. I’m not dying. I’m fine. Just go,” I pleaded again.

  “Not gonna happen,” he shook his head, leaning in closer still. He took my face in his hands and looked down at me with large, worried eyes. “I know I don’t deserve this, but I need to take care of you right now. Please let me do that,” he requested softly. Sal had never asked me for anything. He was the bossiest guy I’d ever known. When something mattered to him, he usually just pushed his way in. And I’d never seen his face look the way it did now. He looked…haunted.

  I didn’t know what the hell he was doing here or why he wanted so badly to take care of me, but he was the only one I would be comfortable with in this situation. Despite all of my turbulent emotions surrounding Sal, he made me feel safe and protected.

  “Fine,” I sighed while looking off to the side. “But, please put some clothes on me,” I huffed. “And turn this fucking water off,” I added tersely.

  His handsome face lightened some at the clear proof I wasn’t dying if I could dish out some attitude.

  “Yes, ma’am” he replied, his lips quirking into a small smile.

  I stood up in the bath carefully, and Sal put a solid hand on my arm to steady me. He wrapped a towel around me and I stepped out on to the bath mat.

  “I’ll go get you something to wear,” he murmured, slipping out of the bathroom and shutting the door behind him.

  That’s when I caught a look at myself in the mirror.

  Holy fuck. I looked like death warmed over. No wonder he was freaked out. The skin around my eye was indeed black-and-blue; more black than blue, the bruising was so dark. My eye was bloodshot and the area was painfully swollen. But, what really freaked me out was the deep bruising at my neck.

  I shuddered, unable to tear my gaze from my reflection. Sal slipped back into the bathroom holding my clothes and immediately stepped close to me when he took in my stance.

  “I hadn’t um…” I stammered. “I hadn’t seen…” I tried to explain.

  “You didn’t realize how bad it was,” he finished grimly.

  “Yeah,” I breathed.

  “What happened, baby?” he asked gently, turning me away from the mirror.

  I shook my head in utter anguish. I knew Sal well, and I knew he’d absolutely lose his mind when I shared the details.

  “You’re going to freak,” I whispered hoarsely. Talking hurt my throat.
>
  I watched him stiffen as he eyed me warily. But then he must have seen how scared I looked.

  He pulled me carefully into his arms and held me. “You’re safe now,” he soothed, his voice low and deep, the vibration of it humming against my cheek. God, I’d missed being right here so badly. Even though it was temporary, I gladly soaked up the comfort.

  “Why are you here?” I asked again suddenly, unable to quell the question any longer.

  “Get dressed and then we’re gonna talk.” He held out the clothes he’d brought to me. “It’s long overdue,” he muttered.

  For some reason, I didn’t think a talk was a good idea as far as Sal and I were concerned. I held the clothes to my chest waiting for him to leave the room. I sure as hell wasn’t changing in front of him.

  “Right,” he muttered again, taking the hint and turning to stride out of the room. I threw on the yoga pants and soft hoodie he’d brought me. I brushed my teeth and hair, trying to feel a bit more human. Somehow, I forced myself not to look in the mirror again. I took a deep breath and headed into the great room where Mack, Sal, and now Cole all stood pensively by the kitchen. They made my place feel smaller because they were all tall and broad. I winced a bit at the attention as three sets of angry eyes turned to me.

  “Shit, Kat,” Cole bit out when he got a look at me.

  I wanted to come up with some sort of clever quip to lighten the mood but nothing came to me. I merely shrugged as though to say, “shit happens” and sat on the edge of the couch twisting my fingers together.