by Erin Osborne
“You want to live, want to develop a relationship with your sister, then you have one option. I’ll even help your pathetic ass. The only way you have anythin’ to do with Harley is to get sober. Clean your fuckin’ act up and become the brother I’ve heard about the few times she’s started to open up. If not, you may as well hole up here and don’t show your face ever again. You can figure out where to find me if you make the right decision. The only decision you have really,” I tell him, spitting in his face, which I hate with everything in me, and make my way through the door and back to my ride.
Mike doesn’t ask questions as he drops me back off at my apartment. He leaves me to my thoughts about what I’m going to do about the girl sleeping in my bed. The one that captures my attention a little more every day. I don’t do love and the happily ever after, but if I did, it would be for Harley. She just wants a bit of fun and I’m good with that. Walking into my bathroom, I take a quick shower to clean Alan’s blood off me and climb into bed with Harley who’s only wearing one of my tee shirts. Too bad everything is about to crash around me.
Chapter Three
Harley
WAKING UP THE NEXT MORNING, I STRETCH and reach for my phone on the stand next to the bed. There’s a bunch of missed calls from my brother and I see that there’s more than a few text messages too. Basically, he’s letting me know that Steel paid him a visit last night and I’m going to be the one to suffer for that decision. Someone took a picture of him and I can see that the man lying in bed next to me, oblivious to the turmoil I’m currently facing, did work him over. Alan’s face is barely recognizable from all the bruising and swelling. There’s bruising and cuts along his upper body, and I can see the swelling in the small picture on the cell phone screen.
The messages made sure to let me know that he was going to follow through on his threats against the girls at the strip club, he was going to take his beating out on me, and then he was going to go after Steel and the club. This is what I was trying to stop but I guess that Steel couldn’t let it go and now everyone is going to pay. If he’s going to go off the club, then he’s got dirt on them or he’s going to try to start a war. I have to leave, that might be the only way that this stops and everyone in my life remains safe. Alan and Steel have made this decision for me based on their actions. I can’t believe Steel did this shit!
Getting out of bed quietly, I make my way into the bathroom to take care of business before leaving. As soon as I’m done going to the bathroom and brushing my teeth, I stand in the door and look at Steel. At any minute I expect him to wake up and stop me from doing what I know I have to do. So, I get my ass in gear and grab my two bags after throwing on a short pair of shorts. This is what my life has come down to. Two bags filled with stuff I couldn’t leave behind and a piece of shit car that will barely make it out of town. It’s a good thing I’ve been saving money so that I have some sort of funds to get me started in the new life I’m going to have to create for myself.
Once I’m out of town, I pull into a gas station so that I can fill up, grab some drinks, and a few snacks. Before I take off again, I text Addison to let her know I won’t be back and to keep an eye on the girls. There’s no way I’m going to tell her why or listen to her try to talk me into staying and letting the club handle the situation for me. I can’t do that. Alan and the few friends I had in school taught me that I can’t rely on anyone. When I needed all of them, they disappeared and treated me like I was nothing but the scum on the bottom of their shoes. Alan was the worst with the things he’s done to me, but it all ends the same.
Shutting my phone off, I throw it in the passenger seat and take off for destinations unknown. I can choose anywhere I want to go and make a life for myself. No one will know me, and I can become a whole new person. One that makes friends without letting people in the way they want me to here. I can work in a job that’s not stripping and add to the money that I’ve saved up. Eventually I’ll forget about Steel and the way he made me feel. I’ll forget the temptation to let him and everyone in Dander Falls into my life in a way I’ve never had before. Today begins the rest of my life! At least that’s my hope.
Steel
I know before I even open my eyes that Harley’s gone. It’s a feeling that’s settled into my gut while breaking my heart at the same time. Reaching my hand over to her side of the bed, it’s cold to touch which isn’t unusual. I roll to her side of the bed and look at the wall to see her bags gone. Even though I cleaned out room in the dresser and closet, Harley never unpacked her belongings. I’m not even sure what she had with her. All I know is my world is crumbling around me with everything I didn’t tell her, things she didn’t know about me, and how I pushed her to let me in when I couldn’t give her the same respect.
I’m not sure what pushed her over the edge or how I know, but I do. There’s a feeling in the pit of my stomach that tells me I fucked up and now Harley is gone. The satisfaction from beating her brother in the early hours of the morning is no longer with me. the anger and rage I felt hours ago is back in spades and there’s no way I’m going to get rid of it this time. I can go to the gym and take it out on the punching bag or call Tank and have a match in the ring with him. It won’t work though. The only thing that’s going to take this feeling away is having the girl that’s been in my life for the past few years back in it. Grabbing my cell phone, I scroll to her name and press the button to call her. It goes directly to voicemail. I send her a message asking her to call me and let me know where she is. If she turns it back on she’ll hopefully answer and let someone know she’s okay.
Knowing that I have to go to the clubhouse to find Tech, I jump out of bed and take care of business before walking out to my ride. The prospects must have ridden it to my apartment sometime after I fell asleep. Throwing my leg over my girl, I get comfortable and peel out of the parking lot in my quest to get to the clubhouse. Hopefully he’s there and not doing some other business. I could care less right now if he’s got a bitch in his bed, this is important.
Pulling into the parking lot at the clubhouse, I park my bike and barely have it off before I’m off and running in to find the only man I know can help me. My phone is at my ear listening to the automatic recording tell me that she’s not available as I pound on Tech’s door. I can hear movement inside and I’m trying to be patient, but I’m not known for that in certain situations. This is one of those moments. After a few minutes, Tech opens the door and I see a club girl laying on his bed, tied to the headboard. I don’t even want to know what kind of shit he gets into.
“What’s up Steel?” he asks, while standing before me with his cock hanging out and not a care in the world.
“Need your help. Harley ran away, and I need to find her,” I tell him, letting him know that I wouldn’t be here if I could help it. “I’m pretty sure her phone’s off so I don’t know where to begin tracking her. Can you help?”
“If her phones off, I don’t know how I’m going to track her. Do you have any idea where she’d be goin’?” he asks, picking up a pair of pants off the floor and slides them on. Once he’s done, he makes his way over to the bank of computer monitors lining his wall. There’s a monitor for just about everything concerning the clubhouse and club businesses. “I’ll see what I can do, but unless her phone comes back on I can’t guarantee anythin’. I’m sorry Steel. I’ll keep the search runnin’.”
I nod my head and leave the man in front of me to finish his business. What the fuck happened? How am I going to get her back? Because no matter what Harley thinks, this thing between us isn’t over with. I haven’t even begun things with her and I know she’s just running because she’s scared of her brother or something he’s said to her. Maybe I should pay him another visit. It won’t take much to make him squeal like the little bitch he is. But, I don’t want to give him a heads up that she’s not here. The less he knows, the better off she’ll be. I’ll leave it alone for now, but sooner or later, Harley will be coming home.
&nbs
p; Alan
I can’t believe my little bitch of a sister sent the biker asshole to do her dirty work for her. There’s no way in hell that he should’ve been to the apartment and put his hands on me while making his fucking demands. Like I’ll ever listen to what that fucking prick has to say. Harley owes me for taking care of her since I killed our parents. They did nothing but get in my way and hold me back. If it weren’t for them, I’d probably be the head of the little gang of guys I put together instead of still listening to someone else.
They didn’t put the first needle in my arm, put the bowl to my lips, or put the plans in my head. That was all on me. In all honesty, I felt like they were holding me back and I found the one way to rebel that they’d never think about. No one in our family was an addict of any kind. The thing that pushed me over the edge is feeling like I was always put on the back burner because Harley couldn’t ever do anything wrong. Then the love of my life told me that she not only killed our baby, but she didn’t want to have anything more to do with me. That may have been what finally pushed me over the edge to choose blocking out the pain instead of handling my emotions with the support of my so-called family. None of them would’ve understood what I was going through.
I’m sitting on the couch that’s definitely seen better days and trying to figure out what I can do now. I look around the apartment that I’ve shared with my ‘little sister’ since moving out of our old place when my drug debt got too out of control. This place is worse than a pig sty right now. The same way everything’s been since Harley walked out the door. Food, garbage, drug paraphernalia, and dirty clothes litter every available surface. There’s naked bodies lying, everywhere they can. It’s nothing out of the norm for a party night at the house. Hell, party night is every night around me. Everyone wants to be around the guy that has the drugs available.
Harley is going to hide behind the pussy club she’s stripping for. I’m sure that she’s fucking more than just the dumb fuck that paid me a visit. I never thought she’d tell anyone about what’s been going on here, but apparently, she decided to open her skank mouth. Now, people know my business and that’s not something I can let slide. The man above me will have my ass six-feet under before I can blink if he finds out. There’s no way in hell that I’m going to get to her without them stepping in my way. Normally I would just take them out and make them pay for getting involved in business that doesn’t concern them, but I need to plan something smart so that nothing blows back on me. Or my boss.
The people that are currently sprawled all over the apartment are all sorts of fucked up. The bitch sitting next to me gave me money so that we could get some stuff. I’ve barely touched it so I can try to find a way to get ahead of my slut of a sister and the Wild Kings. When I get her back, and I will get her back, Harley is going to pay. I’ve never once sold her, but I know that there’s more than one guy that would pay good money to have a little time with her. If she’s fucking the biker bitches, I’m sure that it’s an avenue we can explore when I get her back in my clutches. It’s not like I’ve never let one of the guys here have their way with her. I just never thought to make them pay for it before. It was enough to hear her screams of pain and see her wither up and die a little more every time it happened.
Suddenly the words that the asshole from last night come back to me. He said that the only way I’d ever get back in her life is to get clean and sober. If I get off the shit, or at least make him think I am, I can get Harley back and put some plans into effect. She can go back to giving me her money, so I can start dealing and then I’ll put her on the street so that she can make even more money that way. Hell, maybe I’ll have her deal my shit to the bitches she works with. There’s always a way to get around rules and I’ll have all those skanks riding my dick and then riding the dick of anyone willing to pay me for the chance.
Knowing that I have a plan in place, I relax on the couch, pull the bitch to my dick and tell her to suck me off. She won’t be getting anything in return and I could give two shits about her needs. While she’s getting me off, I set up what I want and let the drugs run through my veins. Throwing my head back, I let them take over and forget about the plans I’ll be setting in motion in just a few short days. The next few days will be filled with partying and doing whatever the fuck I want before I let Steel direct how I’m going to get ‘sober’. Hell, he’ll think he’s the one in control, but he’ll soon learn that I’ll be a step ahead of him the entire time.
Part Two
Chapter Four
Steel
One year later…
THE LAST YEAR HAS REALLY changed me. I know that Harley is out there somewhere, but no one can find her. The first week she was gone, I raged and raged. No one could get me to say what was going on and I spent all my time in the gym to try to control myself. Tech is the one that finally spilled the beans and I just about tore the entire clubhouse to the ground when Gage and the rest of my brothers found out. I didn’t want to hear that they were right, and she ran or that I would only find her if she wanted to be found. To say I was locked in my room until I could calm the fuck down was an understatement. Gage demanded I stay in there until I could get a grip on myself. Two guys were posted outside my door at all times and they brought my meals to me. I couldn’t even have any alcohol during that time.
My room doesn’t resemble anything livable right now. If I was able to rip it from the walls, the hinges, or punch a hole through it, I did. The bed I once slept in is torn to shreds, the wood splintered apart. There was a chair and couch in my room that went through the window after I tore as much of it apart that I could. I’m pretty sure that the only part left alone were medals that my brother earned in the military and some of my clothes. Other than that, I have a lot to replace.
For the first month or so after that, I spent all of my time searching for her. When I wasn’t on club business, I was scouring the town and surrounding areas. I’ve called in every marker I’ve ever been given for side jobs and no one knows a damn thing. When I was made to stay at the clubhouse, I hated it and everyone around me knew it. My mood deteriorated rapidly, and no one wanted to be around me. I really can’t blame them looking back. Especially the girls. Not once would I ever lay a hand on them in my anger, but I sure as hell wasn’t nice to them either.
Since then, I’ve given up all hope of ever finding Harley again. It’s been a year and no word from her. Addison hasn’t heard from her since she got the message saying Harley wouldn’t be back. Now I drown myself in alcohol, barely sleep, and spend my waking hours with random pussy. When I don’t want a club girl, or think I’m paying too much attention to one girl, I go to bars and find a bitch for the night. No one is ever going to be Harley and there’s no point in trying to find someone to replace her when I know that’s not possible. There’s not a single woman alive that could make me feel a fraction of what she did.
I even got Alan sober. He came to me a few days after she left, begging me to help him get clean. He didn’t want to go to a detox center or rehab. For Harley, I’d do anything, so I agreed to help him. At first, I didn’t tell him that his sister up and disappeared into thin air. I let him go through detox before we had that discussion. While I was helping him, I let Gage know that I was going to need time away from the club. He understood once I explained what I was doing. Let me tell you, that was one of the longest months I’ve ever spent cooped up in one place.
I brought Alan to my apartment, telling him I moved his sister to the clubhouse while he went through detox. When I wasn’t bored out of my mind, I was cleaning the bedroom, changing bed sheets, cleaning up puke, and trying to make sure that the man stayed hydrated. He begged me countless times to get him the drugs that he was craving, and I dealt with all of his moods. There were days he didn’t say a single word to me while others he raged at me until he wore himself out. Even after he went through detox, I’ve still been keeping an eye on him. Hell, it’s easy when he’s still staying at the apartment. He said he did
n’t want to go back where people knew he was. So, a change of venue, even just across town, was in order.
When I finally told him that his sister up and left without a trace, I thought he was going to kick my ass. Instead, he went out and searched high and low for her himself. He called in his own favors and still couldn’t turn up anything other than what I already knew. We couldn’t even trace credit cards because she didn’t have any. If she’s working, it’s not under her real name. Or, she’s just hidden herself so much that we can’t find her. Tech has been running every search he can think of and no luck. Alan still believes that she’ll come back in her own time, but I can’t let that hope flare within me. I can’t believe she would do this to me! To what we could’ve been.
“Steel, what’s up?” Crash asks, sitting down on the stool next to me.
“You see what’s up,” I say, nodding my head to the new club girl sucking my cock while I drink and get lost in my own thoughts as I normally do these days. “What do you want?”
“Worried about you, man. This isn’t you and I don’t want to see you lose yourself completely until we find your girl,” he answers, taking the beer Shadow sets down in front of him.
“Don’t worry about me. You got a wife and kids to spend your time worryin’ about. I’m good. Besides, we’re not findin’ her. It’s been a year and no word at all from her. Hell, Alan even tried findin’ her when he got sober,” I say, pulling the bitch off me and tucking my cock back in my jeans. Now that thoughts of Harley are in the forefront of my mind, I can’t keep pretending with the girl I was using.
“We’re all worried about you. You’ve changed in the last year and we don’t know where it’s goin’ to stop. Hell, you spend every day in the bottom of a bottle, you pick random pussy no one else would touch to lose yourself for a little bit, and your best friends with Harley’s brother. Is drinkin’ the only thing you’re doin’ these days?” Crash asks, letting me know that everyone is worried that I’m using just like Harley’s low-life brother was. “When does it end?”
