“Let me get her settled in a guest room and we can talk later about what to do ‘bout everythin’,” Twist says and I bite the inside of my cheek hoping the shot of pain will calm my restlessness. I’m telling myself not to just hop on my bike right now and drive up and down every single street in my home town to look for this creep. “She don’t need this stress with her baby and all. She needs to rest for a while,” he tries to reason with me.
“Yeah, I guess that’s a good idea, thanks, brother.” I nod at him. I lean in closer and tenderly kiss Sadie on her forehead.
“Go relax, Sades, we will figure this all out, okay?”
She looks at me sorrowfully andnods. She gives me a whispered “Thanks” and Twist leads her to the rooms. What the fuck am I gonna do about this shit? Fuck.
Avery hugs me tighter around my waist and I concentrate on her for the first time since we came to the bar. “It’ll be okay, 2, you will figure something out. I will help any way you need me to,” Avery says and I smile down at her. She’s so amazing and I can’t believe I almost pushed her away. I lean in and kiss her softly on the lips.
“Thank you, Avery,” I murmur.
“For what?” she asks and scrunches up her nose.
“For being here, for supporting me, for just being amazing.” I hug her tightly and bury my face into her neck to breathe in her scent. Something about it seems to soothe me. I don’t know if she wears a special lotion, perfume or soap, but I can’t seem to get enough.
“Of course, 2, I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.”
I smile and kiss her softly in response. She wraps her arms around my waist and I have to admit, it feels fucking great to have someone in my corner.
Avery
“Shorty, let’s just make some sandwiches and hit the sack, ‘kay?” he suggests and stands from the bar stool.
“Okay, that sounds good.” I follow him to the kitchen where he makes us each turkey and cheese sandwiches. He makes his with sloppy mayo and mine plain just as I like it. We eat standing in the middle of the kitchen like starving teenagers and he pulls me back to the bedroom. Maybe it’s time for round two.
I undress and climb into bed while he’s brushing his teeth. I love when he walks around with his shirt off, doing regular tasks like brushing his teeth. He has no idea how sexy he looks. I swear the toothpaste commercials have it all wrong. They should have a man like 2 Piece walk around shirtless, brushing his teeth and grumbling different things. They would sell tons of toothbrushes and toothpaste. I would definitely be buying stock in that stuff.
He comes out yawning and the bed dips as he slides in next to me. I can tell his mind is going a million miles a minute, or else I would be talking to him about everything prior to his sister’s stuff happening.
I feel strong arms wrap around me and pull me to his muscular chest. We lie there silent and unmoving for what feels like an hour. He eventually falls asleep, never loosening his hold on me. It’s the first time ever he’s just held me and we’ve slept. I have to admit, I loved every second of it.
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I’m awoken by more pounding on the door. Is this going to be an everyday thing? Do people not sleep in around here? I mean it’s a club house, surely you would think they would all be hung over and sleeping.
“Yeah!” 2 croaks and there’s more pounding on the door. I swear it better be a damn emergency at this rate. I get out of bed on automatic and run my hands down my body. Yep, I have clothes on. 2 Piece is sleeping on his stomach with half an ass cheek hanging out of the covers. I’m not too worried about it though, because it’s covered with his tight indigo-blue boxer briefs. Who’d have thought a bad-ass biker would have colorful undies.
I open the door about four inches and peek through. “What’s up, Bean!” Niko says happily and I try to slam the door closed again but he stealthily slides his foot in before I can. “No, no, Bean. Time to wake and pack up,” he says seriously and the fog starts to clear out of my brain.
“Get the fuck outta here, she ain’t goin’ anywhere,” 2 Piece mumbles grouchily. Niko makes a face at me and I smirk. It’s pretty awesome for 2 to say I’m not leaving.
“What exactly is going on, Niko?” I look him over; he’s definitely all freshened up and dressed. He always smells like a million bucks with his delicious cologne. It wafts through the open doorway and I inhale deeply. Ahhh, so good. I know, I’m a weirdo, but that’s fine with me.
“Boss called. We are done, time to go home now. You go back to coffee and I go back to regular job with Boss.”
He smiles and I lose my breath. Go home now? But I’m not ready to go home yet.
“When exactly are you wanting to leave?” I ask quietly and he looks me over, contemplating something silently.
“We go when you pack.”
I swallow deeply and hold my breath for a beat. This is it. Time to pull my big girl panties on and leave the man I’ve grown to care deeply for. Oh, who am I kidding, I freaking love him.
I turn and see 2 Piece sitting up in bed staring intently at me. I take a deep breath and say the one thing I’ve been dreading since I arrived, “It’s time for me to go back home.”
Chapter 14
“Avery,” 2 says and I stay silent, attempting to swallow my emotions.
What is there to say at this point? I know he won’t come see me. He proved as much all the times before when I had to leave and wouldn’t hear from him unless I came back to town. He’s always let me know the score from the beginning, I’m the one who has grown too attached and can’t cope with the thoughts of not seeing him or touching him again for who knows how long. I’m going to have to leave, to go home. I have to leave him, not knowing if I will ever see him again and it’s got me crumbling inside. Does he even feel remotely what I feel for him? I get to go home, back to my boring life, with a job I hate. I’m going to go finish school, get my degree, eventually meet some mediocre man, settle down and be unsatisfied for the rest of my life. That’s if I even meet someone. I could turn into a bitter old woman who sits home, lonely, emailing people their completed tax returns and looking forward to the latest Price is Right episode.
Niko clears his throat and we both turn to him. “He can bring you another time, if you wish? I do not like the sad Bean, chin up and cheer up.”
He is brilliant. I wish 2 Piece would bring me at a later time, but that’s just not realistic. I mean, why would he waste time, energy and gas just to drive me back after he gets sick of me. 2 already told me not to overanalyze stuff and to take it slow, while in the meantime I didn’t get to analyze jack and discuss it with him.
“It’s okay, Niko, I will pack my stuff and not take too long, okay?”
He looks me over, confusion dancing over his features, but nods anyway and I shut the door. I turn toward my bag and set it on the bed so I can get dressed and stuff my belongings in it. I might as well just rip my heart out and leave it on the bed.
2 Piece
So after everything we’ve gone through during her visit, she plans to just up and leave. I’m not finished with her ass yet and she’s fuckin’ trippin’ if she thinks I won’t fight for what I want. I said I wouldn’t settle for just anyone comin’ round and I won’t, but I’d damn sure settle for Avery, any day of the fuckin’ week. I sit up, rubbing my hands over my scruffy face. I need to shave; my beard is getting out of control. I normally keep it really short, but with all the shit goin’ down, I’ve been preoccupied.
“Free bird, you aren’t goin’ anywhere.”
“What do you mean?” She glances at me, hope radiating in her eyes.
“I can’t believe you’d just up and take off after you said you’d help me with shit. I told my sister you’re my chick, and you are. I’m not ready for you to leave yet, I don’t want you to go. Shit’s goin’ real good with us now, not lookin’ to cause problems by havin’ you split.”
I reach over and grab her arm. Pullin
g her to me, she crawls over the bed until she’s sitting next to me. I lightly trail my finger over the side of her face and tuck her hair behind her ear. She nibbles on her finger nail and I pull her hand away from her lips. I want to see all of her gorgeous face.
“What about, well, I know you like your freedom. I was trying to talk to you about this before and you told me to take it slow, not to analyze things. I haven’t really been fretting over it, but now it’s time for me to leave and I can do nothing but worry.”
“Shhh, Shorty, relax. You’re my chick and that’s all that matters, okay?”
She nods and blinks at me a few times. “Well, what happens when you get tired of me?”
“Avery, I’m not going anywhere and neither are you, damn it! You’re so inquisitive and I love that it makes you so smart, but calm down, baby. If I get tired of you, then I’ll leave you alone for twenty minutes until I miss you again. You’re not about to go sixteen hours away, when I finally have you here and by my side, where you belong.”
“You think I belong there, by your side, with you?” she asks and her eyes get a little watery.
“Baby, you were made to be beside me and on the back of my bike.” She gives me a brilliant smile and tackles me onto the bed. Tears trail down her cheeks and I wipe them gently with my fingers. “Good tears or bad?”
“No, they are totally good, happy tears. I was so worried about being so far away from you and not getting to see you. There’s something I have to say first though.”
“Alright, shoot.”
“Ugh, how do I say this? Geez.” She takes a big breath and looks toward the ceiling.
I have to admit she has me a little worried, with all this baby talk that’s been going on around the club. I damn sure am not ready to take that step. Well, maybe one day, but just not this soon. I mean, I would be happy if she were, but upset too, just…well, I hope we get some more time together before we come to that bridge. I know eventually I wouldn’t mind having maybe one kid, after we settle down some. Right now, I want to travel the country with her on my bike, make love to her wherever we see fit and party our asses off if the mood strikes us. I’m a selfsh bastard and want to hog her all to myself for a while. She grasps my hand into her small, feminine one and looks me straight in the eyes.
“Okay, so I’m kind of falling for you. I’m hooked and it’s completely okay if you don’t feel the same way, you should just know what’s going on in my head, my side of things, you know. I want to be straight with you so we are on the same page.” She keeps rambling on until I place my hand over her mouth. She tilts her head and scrunches up her forehead.
“Shush, woman. Of course I feel the same way. I wouldn’t be askin’ you to be by my side if I hadn’t fallen for you.”
“Fallen? As in, you already fell for me and you are currently in ‘fallen’ with me?”
I start laughing loudly, she’s nuts to doubt I wouldn’t be absolutely crazy ‘bout her.
“Yep, Shorty, I’m in fallen with you.”
“So you concede?”
Damn rambling woman. “As in, relinquish to my feelings? If it’s to you, Avery, then yes, is that good for you? Any other form of giving in is basically submission, and that’s all on you, baby cakes.”
“Oh, I’m down with that!” She laughs and I squeeze her tightly to me.
“Good, then go tell ol’ boy out there, that he’s goin’ home alone and you’re stayin’ with me. If you ever decide you wanna go back there, then I’ll take you myself, ‘kay?” I tip her chin up so she’s looking in my eyes, while I let her know how serious this is.
“Okay, Silas.” She smirks and I start tickling her on her ribs until she squeals.
“Oh, that’s what that little sigh was about yesterday, wasn’t it?”
“Yes, I quite like your name, it’s pretty sexy.”
“Sexy, huh? Yeah well, just call me 2. I don’t care if you call me Silas in here, but round everyone else, not so much.”
I don’t care too much for my name since it reminds me of my mother and living in California. I left that life behind long ago. I’m happy here and trying hard not to go backwards.
“Okay, deal.” She stands, wrapping her hands around my neck, lightly scratching it and giving me good chills.
“Hurry up an’ go tell him, so I can fuck that tight pussy.” I smack her ass and she high-tails it out of the bedroom with an exaggerated eye roll in my direction. I’m glad we got that shit out of the way.
Avery
I walk down the hallway to the bar area where I’m sure Nikoli is waiting. Well, I actually skip a little from being so excited. I can’t believe 2 finally told me how he feels. I’m over the moon right now. I hope Niko understands. It’s going to be so weird not seeing him several times a week like normal. He’s sitting on the stool, grinning at me as I approach.
“Hey there, Russian beefcake.” I grin and he chuckles.
“Spit it out, little coffee cake.”
I giggle and take a seat next to him. I love the names and expressions he’s always coming up with, even if he does copy mine sometimes. I’m on cloud nine right now anyhow, he could call me a worm and I wouldn’t care.
“Well, 2 Piece kind of made it clear he wants to keep me,” I say excitably and take in his expression. He looks as if he was expecting this all along.
“Of course. He is dumb man, but not dumb enough to let you fly away.” I roll my eyes and scowl.
“He is not dumb!”
“I believe so, but you—you love him, yes?”
I nod and stare at nothing in particular on the oak bar. It’s true, I do love him. I never thought our relationship would grow into this, I never thought I would need him to feel like I want to feel. I run my nails in a few of the carved grooves and can’t help but think of what my mother would say if she saw me now and knew I feel like I ‘need’ him. She would lecture me on being realistic and growing up. I am grown, though. I know I don’t really need him, but I don’t want to think of life not having him either.
“Yes, I love him,” I whisper and glance over to meet his eyes. He nods and gives me a kind smile.
“I know this, man!” he says loudly and I laugh at him again.
“Oh really, you know, huh?”
I rib him and he gets serious and says more intimately, “You look at him as if he is the only one able to cut your wings. That is good and sad.” His eyes flash with something and he takes me in from top to bottom. “If he is no good, you call. I will be here in sixteen hours and I will fix him.”
I feel my eyes tearing up and I groan. What is it with me crying so much here lately? I feel like an emotional goofball. I blink back my tears and lean in to hug him tightly.
“I love you, Nikoli,” I say into his muscular shoulder. He always feels so solid, so strong when I touch him.
He clasps me tightly and talks close to my ear, “I love you, Bean, you will always be mine first. I just lend you to him.” I feel the first tear run across my nose and try to suck it up. I have to be strong and show him I am making the decision I want or he won’t leave me.
“I know that, Niko, I envy the girl who will capture your heart. I know you will treat her like gold.”
“Shiiiiit, gold? Nope, I will treat her as princess!” he says jovially and I know he is trying to lighten the situation for my benefit. It will be so hard not having him close, Niko is fiercely loyal and caring. He has been a wonderful friend to me.
“Yeah, yeah! Be safe and text when you arrive.” I shove myself off the stool and step a few paces away from him.
“I send picture of my bicep.”
“Oh god, 2 Piece is going to love seeing your messages,” I groan and shake my head.
“You know this!” He smirks as I backtrack to 2 Piece’s room.
2 Piece
Chapter 15
Three weeks later…
“I’m going with you guys, Silas,” my sister argues stubbornly.
“The hell you are! You
are seven months pregnant and there is no way you can drive that whole way again by yourself. I told you we would handle it.”
“So your girlfriend and Twist can ride with you, but I’m not even allowed to drive, is that what you’re saying?
“Look, Sadie, just stay here. I don’t know what kind of trouble we may run into and I don’t want you or the baby getting hurt.”
“How can you possibly know that? You don’t even know who you are looking for, or what he even looks like!”
Twist approaches us as Sadie tries the same argument she’s been working on for the past few weeks. Twist and I talked it over with Prez. He had a good idea who this guy might be after hearing everything my sister said about him.
I already promised Avery a trip to Florida to meet her parents, so this gradually turned into one big trip. First Cali, then some sightseeing for Avery, then we’ll end it in Florida, before coming back home. I think when we get home I will ask her to be my Ol’ Lady. I know she wasn’t too keen on the idea of labels, but hopefully by then she will have changed her mind. Twist wants to go really badly. I’ve caught him and Sades hanging out a lot. I’m not real sure if I’m cool with that, but only time will tell. I can’t imagine what he would want with my sister and her baby, I’m a little nervous with him bein’ fuckin’ warped on certain shit and chillin’ with my sister.
“Ready, brother?” I turn toward him and ask. This is Avery’s first long ride. I have to admit I’m excited to have her with me.
Sadie steps in front of Twist, between us. “No, Silas, I’m going, damn it.”
Twist pulls her gently out of the way and attempts to calm her. I climb on my bike and Avery follows suit. I crank the engine as Twist climbs on his bike, still arguing with my sister. He shakes his head and tenderly places his hand on her cheek. I’m not sticking around for that shit, I give my bike some gas, and we are off.
Avery
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