As I laid there in the darkness, I could hear the soft rhythmic sound of her sleeping. I listened to it and it calmed me down. I didn’t want to say goodbye to this woman, but at the same time, I knew I couldn’t keep her in my life forever. I had probably already overstepped my boundaries. If I was a better man, I wouldn’t have put her in danger like I did today.
I turned my back to her, staring at the wall. I tried to close my eyes, but every time I did, all I could see was her beautiful face and those kissable lips of hers. I never wanted to let her go, but it already felt like I had lost her. I sighed and got up, tip-toeing down the stairs so I wouldn’t wake her.
I grabbed a book from my shelf and sat down on the couch. I settled myself before I started to read, hoping the story would help my restless mind. The hours passed slowly and before I realized it, dawn was breaking. Light filtered in through the windows, illuminating my home. I sighed, feeling fatigued after a sleepless night. I put the book down and leaned my head against the couch.
As I closed my eyes, exhaustion finally hit me and I fell into a deep slumber.
Linda found me in my dreams. She looked even more beautiful than usual, with her hair in tight, bouncy curls that framed her face to perfection. Her face seemed to glow, her skin flawless. She smiled at me, those plump pink lips beckoning me forward.
I stepped toward her, but the distance between us somehow remained the same. Her smile deepened and her blue eyes shimmered. Her lips moved as if she was saying something, but I couldn’t hear her. “Linda?” I called out, but my own voice was silenced.
I held out my hand and she held out hers. Our fingertips nearly touched before she started moving away from me once again, getting further and further away. “Linda!” I screamed, sprinting towards her, but she moved much too fast. The white dress she wore fluttered around her feet, making it seem like she was floating away from me. “Linda!” I screamed again, but she had already turned her back to me.
I tried to run faster, but no matter what I did, I couldn’t catch up. I tried calling after her again and again, but she just kept getting farther and farther.
Suddenly, a deafening explosion made me freeze in place. It sounded like a gunshot. My ears rang with it before I noticed Linda was now sprawled on the ground. As I got closer, the hem of her dress turned red, the color seeping through the fabric, dying the whole thing in a deep crimson. “Linda… get up…” I kneeled down beside her, carefully turning her over.
There was a rose pinned to her chest. Its petals were pure white even as the color-changing dress surrounded it. I carefully took it between my fingers, trying not to damage it. As I did, I exposed a large gaping hole in her chest. Looking down, the rose had turned into a gun and I realized that I was the one who had killed her.
I woke with a start, screaming her name. My eyes shot open and I looked around, breathing hard.
“Damn! What the hell was that?” Linda looked up at me, her eyes wide with fear. She was sitting at the kitchen table, a fork in her hand, as she ate an omelet. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah.” I rubbed my neck, feeling a little embarrassed after my outburst.
“You sure?” She frowned, looking concerned.
“Yeah,” I repeated, wishing she would drop the conversation. “What are you doing anyway?”
“Eating breakfast. There’s extra if you want some.”
I was still dazed after the horrible nightmare. I ran my fingers through my thick hair and got up, my bones cracking. “What time is it?”
“Quarter to noon.”
“Did you just get up?”
“About two hours ago. I took a shower, I hope you don’t mind. I tried to wake you, but you were fast asleep.”
“Maybe you should’ve tried harder…” I mumbled under my breath. I couldn’t shake the feeling that something bad was going to happen. I kept my eyes on her if only to make sure that she was still real and not a figment of my cruel imagination.
“Why are you looking at me like that?” She asked. “And if you’re going to have breakfast – it’s getting cold.”
I sat down numbly, the food tasting rotten in my mouth, but I did my best to force it down, if only for her benefit.
“It’s nothing.”
“Don’t give me that crap. You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
“It’s nothing,” I said firmly. “I just had a bad dream is all.”
She frowned. “Do you want to talk about it?”
“No.” I grabbed the cup of coffee she had made for me and chugged almost all of it, hoping it would settle my nerves.
“I’ve never seen you like this. Must’ve been one hell of a nightmare.” She reached across the table and grabbed my hand, squeezing it gently. “Whatever it was, it was only a dream.” She assured me, but I was no longer so certain. By bringing Linda into the chaotic world of bikers, I was putting her life in jeopardy. If anything happened to her, it would be my fault. My fingers tightened around the cup, nearly shattering it. “It’ll be okay.” She squeezed my hand once more before letting go.
“Do you not like the omelet?” She asked.
“I do. I’m just not very hungry.” I finished my coffee and gently placed the cup down.
“So, when do you think you’ll be able to bring me back to my apartment? I should start getting ready for your case appeal. It’ll be a lot of hard work if I want to prove that you were innocent.”
I ground my teeth together, trying to forget about my dream, but it kept nagging at me. “Today, I guess.” I wasn’t thrilled with the idea, but I knew I couldn’t keep her here forever.
***
We reached her apartment sooner than I had wanted. She let go of my waist and I frowned, killing the engine. She hopped off, walking up to her home with excitement. Looking underneath the welcome mat, she grabbed a spare key and started opening the door. “You know, you really shouldn’t keep a spare in such an obvious place.”
“It’s fine. This part of the town has a very low crime rate. Most of the time, I just leave the doors unlocked.” That didn’t make me feel any better. She opened the door and walked inside, turning on the light. It smelled a little stale since no one had been there for a few days. “Home sweet home.” She smiled, slumping into her couch.
I sat down beside her, my hand resting on hers. “Are you sure you don’t want me to stay with you?”
“What for? I can just call you when I’m done gathering up all the things we need. Besides, it’s a lot easier to work when I’m by myself. Having you here would just be a distraction.” She winked at me.
“I can be quiet. It’ll be like I wasn’t even here.”
“It doesn’t work like that. I’ll still know you’re here and that alone might be enough to tempt me…” She grinned, moving onto my lap. I rested my hands on her hips, holding her close before our lips smashed together in a mind-numbing kiss. I pressed my hands against the small of her back, forcing our hips to lock. How could I leave this woman alone when I knew she was now a target for my enemies? She was the kink in my armor and I couldn’t just leave her unguarded.
All too quickly, she pushed me away. “You really should leave. I have a lot of work to do.”
“Are you sure?” I asked one last time, hoping she would change her mind. In the pit of my stomach, I felt a deep sense of dread.
“Yes, yes. I’m a big girl, I can take care of myself. I’ve been living alone for years before you showed up.”
“Doesn’t mean I can’t worry about you.”
“What are you worried about anyway? What’s going to happen to me?” She asked as she played with my hair. “Those people at the bar barely got a good look at me and besides, I doubt the bartender is going to come after me.”
“It’s not about that. When you’re in a Motorcycle Club, you get your fair share of enemies. As the leader of the Black Birds, I have quite a few under my belt. I’m just worried they might come after you.”
“Stop worrying about me so much. I’ll b
e okay, I promise.” She gave me a quick peck on the lips before getting up. She grabbed my hand and hoisted me off the couch. “Now scram.”
“How long are you going to take?”
“I’ll give you a call when I’m done, but it might take a while. A few weeks maybe.” I groaned inwardly at her response. Did she really expect me to stay away from her for weeks?
“You really do want to get away from me, don’t you?”
“Hmm?”
“This whole time, you’ve been pushing me away. Even now, when you know I’m innocent, you still keep your distance. You don’t want anything to do with me once this case is over, do you? I was just a good fuck while it lasted, but now, you’re all too eager to get rid of me.”
“Kyle… it’s not like that.”
“Then why don’t you want me to stay?”
“I just need to work on the case and I do that better when I’m by myself. This has nothing to do with you, I swear.” She responded. “I just want to make sure that I do the best I can to help you.”
I shook my head. “And when it’s over you won’t care anymore.”
“What do you expect from me?”
“So you don’t deny it then. I was just some guy you fell into bed with, nothing more?”
She didn’t even bother to answer me. Feeling frustrated and angry, I grabbed my jacket and stormed out of the house. I know I was a fool for thinking I had a chance with a woman as gorgeous as her, but I just couldn’t help the heartache that now tightened my chest. I slammed the door behind me before I got on my bike. I didn’t even bother to put on my helmet before I sped down the street.
I didn’t dare to look back, feeling fed up with this whole thing. To her, this was just a job. I didn’t mean anything to her. All these feelings I felt would never be reciprocated. Then again, they never were. I was always the guy they wanted to fuck, but never the guy they wanted to fall in love with.
Chapter 16
Linda
As I watched Kyle leave, my heart tightened. I couldn’t help but think that I had upset him, but what did he want me to say? Our lives were worlds apart. I just couldn’t see myself being with him in the long term, no matter how much I liked him now. I bit the inside of my lip, listening to the rumble of his motorcycle fade in the distance.
I let the door close behind me as I made my way into the kitchen. My stomach growled so I opened the fridge, looking for something to eat. All my leftovers had spoiled while I was gone. I chucked them in the trash, remembering my experience at Daniel’s house. I tied the trash bag and brought it outside. The night air was chilly against my bare arms as I approached the trash bins. I opened the lid and dropped in the bag with a soft thud. The stench that wafted to my nose was almost enough to make me sick.
I stepped away quickly, covering my nose as I took in deep breaths, trying to clear my airways. Once I had composed myself, I wheeled the bin to the curb so the trash collectors could grab it in the morning. Luckily, I had come home just in time for trash day.
As I was walking back toward my house, a sudden chill crept under my skin, making me shiver. I rubbed my arms, trying to ease away the goosebumps that had formed there. A tree branch snapped nearby and I whipped my head in the direction of the sound. I listened intently, waiting for something more to happen, but all I heard was the quiet of the night. I tried to shrug it off as an overactive imagination, but I couldn’t help the feeling that someone was watching me.
The wind whipped up all around me, playing with the hem of my skirt. It rattled a soda can that had somehow managed to avoid the recycling bin. I bent down to grab it when I felt the overwhelming sense of dread once more. I got up quickly, my eyes surveying the area, but nothing seemed amiss. In the distance, I could hear one of my neighbor’s dogs barking.
Shaking my head, I went back inside and locked the door, feeling a little safer now that I was indoors. Maybe I should have asked Kyle to stick around after all… Again, I shook my head. I didn’t need him to protect me. I could take care of myself.
Walking back into the kitchen, I rummaged through the pantry, eventually finding some canned soup. I poured it into a pot and started to boil it. As I waited, I grabbed my laptop, getting to work on Kyle’s case. It wasn’t going to be easy, but I was willing to do it if it meant giving Kyle a fresh start. The more I tried to focus on my work, the more distracted I became. All I could think about was his face just before he left. His eyes had looked hurt and that was the last thing I wanted to do. I was tempted to call him, but it was still too early for that. If I picked up the phone now, I would just look clingy. I would have to wait this one out for a couple of days.
Smelling the soup in the air, I grabbed a wooden spoon and started to stir, taking my time. My thoughts once again wandered to the times we had been together. Never in my life had I felt so good. It was like our bodies were in perfect sync – as if they were made for one another. My thighs quivered at the thought – his handsome body – his tongue on my flesh – his cock rocking my world. Everything about him was absolutely intoxicating. Why then did I keep denying him? Why did I keep avoiding him as if he was the plague? Did I think I was better than him because I was a lawyer and he was just some biker?
I sighed, trying to clear my thoughts, but they kept nagging at me. I felt horrible for making Kyle leave, but there was nothing I could do about it now. I sat down with my bowl of soup, but it just tasted rotten in my mouth. I pushed it away, ignoring my hunger as I migrated to the living room.
I tried to keep working for another hour or so, but it wasn’t going very well. My thoughts kept going back to Kyle. My conflicting emotions raged inside of me, leaving me confused. What was I supposed to do? Stay with Kyle and follow my heart, or push him away and listen to my brain?
I closed my laptop, deciding I needed some time to relax. After all, I was still on vacation. I turned on the TV, flicking through the channels. Outside, the wind rattled against the windows like it wanted to bring my house to the ground. Snuggling into a blanket, I tried to find something good to watch.
Eventually, I settled on an old sitcom. I hadn’t watched this show since I was in high school. As the episode wore on, it became harder and harder for me to stay awake. My eyelids were getting heavy and I was starting to doze off. I wanted to get to the end of the episode, but I couldn’t make it. By the time the credits showed up on the screen, I was already fast asleep.
Almost instantly, Kyle popped up in my dreams. He was wearing nothing but his leather jacket and a pair of acid wash jeans that precariously hung off his hips. I bit my lip in longing as my eyes wandered over his body, taking in his every inch.
I took a step closer and he instantly pulled me close, his fingers tightening around my arms before he slammed me into the wall. In an instant, his lips collided with mine, turning my brain to mush. A fire burned between my legs, making it hard to focus on anything else. Kyle completely dominated my existence as his powerful body took control of mine.
His hand was already slithering down my panties, toying with the little bow. He pulled on it, causing the G-string to sink deeper between my ass cheeks. “Kyle…” I murmured, unable to control the desire that flared inside my chest. This man was too attractive for me to deny. I wanted him. I needed him.
I was about to pull him closer when suddenly, he vanished. I looked around, but I couldn’t see him. A buzzing sound filled my ears and before I knew it, I was on the back of a motorcycle, riding along an interstate. I was all by myself, driving the death machine. My eyes grew wide and I started to panic, the bike swerving out of control until I found myself flying straight for a tree.
I shut my eyes tight, bracing for impact. I was sure that I was about to die. The bike was going so fast and I had absolutely no control over it. The buzzing noise grew louder and louder, drowning out everything else.
Suddenly, I felt someone’s hands on mine, guiding me back toward the road. The bike stabilized and we were once again riding along smoothly. When I looke
d back, I saw Kyle sitting behind me, a sad look on his face. “You want to push me away… but you can’t live without me.”
“What are you talking about?” I asked, feeling confused.
“You don’t want me to be a part of your life, but you can’t let me go. You need me. Just admit it, Linda.”
My jaw locked at his words. My brain tried to defend the fact that I was an independent, self-sufficient woman, but deep down in my heart, I knew he was telling the truth. My life would be incomplete without him. I had gotten too close too quickly and now, I couldn’t say goodbye.
I was just about to tell him that when I heard a thunderous crash. Looking up, I saw a mangled motorcycle sprawled on the asphalt. Somehow, I had gotten off my own bike and was sprinting down the road, my heart beating so fast that it was hard to think.
Pursuit: A Bad Boy Romance Page 81
