Pursuit: A Bad Boy Romance

by Cristal Pierre

“You were scared?” Linda nearly spat out the words. “How on Earth were you scared? I can’t picture you being scared of anything.”

  I chuckled. “You think too highly of me. I’m human, just like everyone else.” Before I could say anything else, Marshall appeared with our food, placing it in front of us. I was relieved to see Linda grabbing a tortilla chip and eating it.

  “Enjoy.” Marshall smiled at us.

  “Before you go… I have a question for you.” I popped a chip into my mouth, nearly burning the roof of my mouth with the cheese. I swallowed down the bite, painfully trying not to make a fool of myself, but I heard Linda giggle. She obviously noticed my struggle. I felt embarrassed, but I straightened out my posture, trying to remain composed.

  “Yes?” Marshall pulled up a chair and sat down next to us like he was going to tell a story by the campfire.

  “Have you heard anything about Danny recently?”

  “You mean Daniel Smith?”

  “That’s the one.” I took a sip of my soda, trying to wash down a piece of tortilla that was lodged in my throat. Linda continued to giggle. I did my best to ignore her. She was having way too much fun watching me struggle.

  “I haven’t seen him around these parts in quite a while… actually, since you got arrested.”

  “Exactly. I have a hunch – well not really a hunch – I know he killed Ross.”

  “I was thinking the same thing myself.” Marshall ran his hand through his white beard and leaned back. “So how come you were the one that got arrested?”

  “I fit the bill.” I glanced over at Linda who quietly sipped her soda.

  “I see. Well, I haven’t seen hide nor hair of him since you got arrested. Rumor is he went into hiding, but if you really want to find out, you should ask around at Kilroy’s.”

  “That’s the bar the Iron Horses always go to, isn’t it?” I knew the answer to that, but I was just being polite. I knew Marshall got a kick out of teaching people new stuff.

  “That’s the one. It’s just off Route Six. You know, there’s a fork in the road? Just stick to the left, you can’t miss it.”

  “Thanks, Marshall. I’ll check it out.”

  “Oh, I wouldn’t do that if I were you. The Iron Horses would spit you out alive if they thought you were the one that murdered their leader.”

  “Thanks for the tip.” I smiled at him and he took the cue to leave. He stepped behind the counter and started polishing some glasses, looking a bit bored with himself. In a few hours, he would be swamped with customers. It was still early.

  “What was that all about?” Linda asked, grabbing another chip. She nibbled on the end of it, looking pleased with herself. I noticed that a good quarter of the appetizer was already gone.

  “Someone likes the nachos.”

  “Someone’s avoiding my question.”

  “I’m not avoiding anything.” I leaned back in the booth.

  “Then why are you just looking at me?”

  “I might’ve forgotten your question.” I chuckled. “I have a horrible memory, you know?” I told her with a straight face, even though I was lying.

  “And you want me to trust you… Spill it. What’s you big plan?”

  “Ah.” I put my soda down. “I’m actually going to need your help and since you’re not afraid of anything, it shouldn’t be a problem.”

  “I don’t like the sound of that. Not one bit.”

  “We need to infiltrate Iron Horses territory and figure out where they’re hiding Danny.”

  “You’re nuts.”

  “Maybe.” I shrugged. “But that’s the only way we can really get to the bottom of this. We have to deal with this problem head on.”

  “Or we can go through legal channels as we’re supposed to. Did you forget you kidnapped me?”

  “The legal system is the thing that put me behind bars in the first place and we both know that I wasn’t guilty of anything.”

  “I never said you were innocent.”

  “But I’m innocent until proven guilty.”

  I watched in satisfaction as she ground her teeth in frustration. “You forget I studied the classics… which means a lot of classes on Aristotelian logic and debate.”

  “Whatever.” She rolled her eyes at me.

  “Anyway, are you in?”

  “Do I have a choice?”

  “Not really.”

  “Then I guess so.”

  ***

  “Are these disguises really necessary?” Linda asked me the second she got off the bike. It was around midnight, just when Kilroy’s was at its busiest.

  “Do you want these people to kill us? I’m the leader of a rival gang, remember?”

  “Okay, you got a point. But why did I have to dress up too?”

  “You would’ve stuck out like a sore thumb. Besides, you look pretty cute in a leather jacket. Especially one that fits you properly. Good thing you and Liv are the same size.” I chuckled, moving behind her and giving her ass a firm squeeze. She really did look amazing in the leather skinny jeans and matching jacket. She looked like someone who belonged on the back of a motorcycle. I feared I wouldn’t be able to keep my hands off her. “C’mon.”

  “Are you sure we can pull this off? I mean, isn’t it dangerous?” She slapped my hand off her ass and gave me the stink eye.

  “Sure, but don’t you want to know where Danny is?”

  “Not really.”

  “Oh?” I was a little confused by her answer. “Are you finally convinced I didn’t do it?”

  “No.”

  “Then what, you just want to stay with me forever?”

  “No.”

  “You’re a hard nut to crack, you know that, Linda?” There was a half-smile lingering on her face before she walked up to the door and pulled it open as if she had been there countless times before. I followed her, making sure to keep my head lowered and in the shadows. I couldn’t allow myself to be recognized. I had a bandana on and I had covered up all my tattoos, but it would still be easy for someone to pick me out as the leader of the Blackbirds. This was a risky mission, to say the least, but I knew it had to be done. I had to prove my innocence, one way or another.

  The bar was crowded and rowdy. Men and women of all shapes and sizes clung to the tables, drinking beer and having a good time. I pulled Linda close to me, noticing some wandering eyes lingering on her body for a little too long. “Whatever happens, make sure you stay close to me.”

  I pulled her toward the bar and sat down in the two seats furthest from the door. I would have preferred something a little closer, in case things got messy, but the bar was too crowded. I didn’t have a choice. I kept a hand on Linda’s thigh, squeezing it slightly. She turned to look at me, her eyes blazing.

  “I haven’t seen you two here before. Are you from out of town?”

  The bartender, a skinny woman with bright red lips and matching hair, waltzed up to us, her hands on her hips.

  “Actually, yes,” I answered. “We just rolled in from Jamestown.”

  “That’s quite far, isn’t it?” She asked as she adjusted her lip piercing. “What do they drink in Jamestown?”

  “I’ll have a whiskey.” I glanced down at Linda who had moved closer to me.

  “What’s her problem?” The woman asked as she poured a shot of whiskey, placing it in front of me. “She looks like she has seen a ghost or something.”

  “She’s just a little under the weather, aren’t you, honey?” I poked her side, trying to rouse her from her fear-induced trance. If Linda continued to act this way, we would draw suspicion for sure. “But she insisted that we come out here because she’s working on a story.”

  “Hmm?” The bartender raised an eyebrow in curiosity. “A story for what?”

  Linda finally straightened herself out, clearing her throat. “I work for the Daily Herald. I’m writing a story about the motorcycle club lifestyle and I heard that this was one of the best bars in the area.”

  “Aye, that
it is.” She began wiping down the counter with a rag. “Although, most of our clientele belong to the same club: The Iron Horses. They tip pretty well so I’m not complaining.”

  “But this city is also home to the Black Birds, correct?”

  “Sure, but a member of that club would be insane to step into this bar. There’s a blood grudge between the two of them.”

  “Do you know why that is?” Linda leaned forward, her bright blue eyes sparkling. I was actually surprised by how confident she was all of a sudden. This was no easy task, but she was handling it as if she truly was unafraid of anything. I smiled, my hand on the small of her back, steadying her. I thought about slipping my hand down her pants just a little, but I didn’t want to break her focus.

  “No one knows, really. It’s one of those fights where no one can remember how it started or when it’s going to end.”

  “Ah…” Linda seemed to run out of steam as she leaned into me. I caught a whiff of her intoxicating scent and for a moment, my mind went numb. Behind me, the sound of biker boots against the hardwood floor made me remember why we had come here in the first place. I tightened my arms around her, knowing just how dangerous this was.

  “Do you think you could tell us anything about Daniel Smith?” I asked. The faster we got to the bottom of this, the faster we would be able to leave, safe and sound.

  The woman narrowed her eyes at me. “Why do you want to know?”

  “Like I said, my girl here is writing an article for a paper.”

  “And what does Danny have to do with it?” She stopped cleaning the counter, her lips pursed together. She kept looking behind me and I wished I knew what she was looking at. The sound of chairs scraping against the floor echoed through the bar.

  “He’s a friend of the family,” Linda said quickly, trying to salvage the situation, but it was already too late. They were on to us.

  “We have to go, now!” I whispered into her ear, clambering off the stool and dragging her toward the exit. A group of Iron Horses was hot on our tail. I kicked the waste bin and it tumbled on its side in front of the door. “Get on the bike! Start it. I’ll be there in a minute.” I tossed my keys at Linda who just stared at me a moment before she ran toward my bike.

  As the men stepped outside, they tripped over the trash. I punched one of them in the face, disorienting him. He fell back into another and they both collapsed to the ground. The last man charged at me, but I managed to sidestep in the nick of time. He crashed into someone’s bike, setting off the alarm.

  I didn’t stick around long enough for them to get up and try again. Linda had managed to start the bike and I quickly jumped on, revving the engine hard before I sped off.

  More members of the Iron Horses were spilling out of the bar, getting on their motorcycles, determined to give chase. “Hold on tight… this might be a bumpy ride.” I waited for Linda to wrap her arms around me before I sped off into the night, gaining speed like never before.

  We hadn’t even had time to put on our helmets and I knew that the smallest mistake could get us both killed. I tightened my grip on the handlebars as I made a sharp curve, hoping to shake off the fleet of bikers that were following us. To my disdain, they managed to make the curve as well and continued their pursuit. I had no choice but to push my bike even harder, going well over the 100-mph mark.

  “Kyle…” Linda whispered, holding on for dear life. I could feel her whole body shaking.

  “Just hold on,” I told her, letting my bike fly down the road. Behind us, the Iron Horses sounded like a thundering storm that was quickly gaining on me. I had to do something to shake them or we would never get out of this situation unscathed.

  Without warning, I turned the bike into a dirt path. The whole bike jolted as we hit rocks and potholes. I wasn’t sure we would make it as the road became narrower, leading into thicker foliage.

  Linda looked back. “They aren’t following us!”

  “Yeah… because they don’t want to ruin their bikes…” As if on cue, one of my exhaust pipes scraped hard against a jagged rock. I nearly lost my balance, but managed to keep us upright. I kept following the path, hoping the Iron Horses wouldn’t ambush us on the other side. With Linda’s life in my hands, I prayed for a miracle.

  Chapter 12

  Linda

  My brain felt like it was rattling in my skull. I had no idea how Kyle managed to stay in control of his bike on this dirt road. A couple of times, his engine sputtered like it was about to give up on us, but he just pushed it harder until we finally broke through the tree line.

  Once we were on the open road again, I breathed a sigh of relief, easing my grip on him.

  “That was a close one.” He said as if it wasn’t already obvious. Inside my chest, my heart was beating harder than ever. Adrenaline pumped through my veins, making me feel lightheaded.

  “Can we stop somewhere?” I asked, my stomach churning like I was about to get sick.

  “What’s wrong?” He turned back slightly to look at me, a concerned look on his handsome face.

  “It’s just…” I couldn’t even finish my sentence. I felt faint, pressing my cheek against him, my fingers tightening around the material of his jacket.

  Kyle pulled over near an abandoned-looking barn. The bumpy terrain leading to the building didn’t make matters any better. My stomach was one big knot that got tighter and tighter inside me. It was becoming hard to breathe as if all the excitement of the night had slammed into me, leaving me winded. I could feel myself shaking all over.

  Quickly, he killed the engine. Silence consumed everything around us, except for the chirping of crickets nearby. “What’s wrong? You look like you’re about to pass out.” Kyle got off the bike, helping me to my feet.

  “I think I got a little motion sick… I’ll be okay.” I leaned against the wall, trying to keep myself steady, but the whole world was spinning before my eyes, making it hard to distinguish up from down.

  “Here…” He grabbed my elbows, guiding me into the barn. Carefully, he sat me down on a bale of hay, my head between my knees. “Take in deep breaths, you’ll be okay.” He assured me, his hand slowly running up and down my back. My breathing was ragged as I tried to calm myself. I liked to think that I could handle anything in the world, but it was starting to become obvious that there were quite a few things I wasn’t cut out for. A speeding motorcycle was definitely one of them.

  Kyle pinned a strand of my hair behind my ear, keeping it out of my face. I tried to breathe in through my nose and out my mouth like I had learned in yoga, but all I could think about was the fact that we had come this close to being in serious danger. Yet, deep down, a part of me loved the excitement that our close encounter had brought coursing through my veins.

  “Are you okay?” He asked, kneeling down beside me. “I shouldn’t have put you through that. It was foolish of me.”

  “No, it’s okay.” I shook my head. “We’re trying to learn what happened to Daniel… I wanted to go with you.” I tried to stand, but the second I got to my feet, I wobbled, nearly falling forward.

  Kyle caught me before I could faceplant on the ground, his arms tight around me. When I looked up, our lips were impossibly close. “Careful.” He said, his voice deep and husky. A fire burned between my legs and I tried to ignore it, but it was impossible with his dark eyes boring into my own. I got lost in their depths, quickly forgetting that this man was the prime suspect in a murder case before I leaned in, kissing his lips ever so softly.

  He didn’t kiss back right away as if surprised by the fact that I had made the first move. My arms wrapped around his neck, my fingers quickly finding his hair. I tugged at it slightly, pulling him even closer. He fell back into the hay bale, still holding onto me, pulling me down into his lap. I straddled him, the kiss intensifying. I didn’t know what had gotten into me. It was like one moment I couldn’t see straight and the next, my brain completely gave up. Why was I kissing this man? Why was I letting myself fall for him?
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  I couldn’t answer those questions because, in that moment, all I could think about was the pleasure that seeped under my skin. I felt like an addict getting her fix as my lips danced against his. My fingers tightened their hold on his hair, my tongue slowly slipping into his mouth. He finally started kissing me back.

  Our tongues tangled together, nearly tying into a knot. He rolled us over and we fell on the floor. It was covered in hay, cushioning our fall. The air around us was a little stale as if this place had been abandoned for quite a while, but neither one of us seemed to be all that concerned.

  Kyle’s hands roamed my body until they snuck under my shirt. His fingertips running along the bumps of my spine made me shiver. I pulled away from the kiss, catching my breath. I blinked, suddenly realizing that I was on top of this man in the middle of some abandoned barn.