by Chiah Wilder
“Do you need some help up?” The woman offered her hand.
How fucking more pathetic can I get? “No, but thanks for offering. I’ll be okay.”
“All right… if you’re sure.” The woman straightened up and went into one of the stalls.
The wave of terrifying fear passed and Fallon slowly pulled herself up, then splashed some cool water on her face. I can’t do this.
Her phone pinged and she jumped as if a bomb had exploded next to her. She took it out.
Diablo: I don’t see u. Where u sitting?
Fallon inhaled deeply, letting the breath out slowly. She did five repetitions, then tapped in her response.
Fallon: Sorry. Wasn’t feeling well so left.
Diablo: What the fuck? Where u at?
I don’t know what to do. I want to see him but—
Diablo: Fallon? Don’t shut down on me.
Fallon: Sorry. Just feeling shaky. I’m at the drugstore.
Diablo: The one a block from the diner?
Fallon: Yeah.
Diablo: I’m on my way. Don’t fuckin’ leave.
Fallon: I won’t.
The worst of it was over. He’s coming and it’s going to be all right. She broke the seal of the lipstick, quickly swiping the color over her lips. The shimmer brightened her face, and for a brief second, she wondered if he’d like it. She finger-combed her hair and jumped when she heard the ping.
Diablo: I’m here. R u?
Fallon: Yeah. In the restroom. Will be out in a sec.
Staring at her reflection, she brushed some blush on her cheeks, pleased that it gave her face some color. “You can do this,” she muttered under her breath. “You told Shanna off and it felt fucking good, and now you’re meeting a man who’s gorgeous. You’re on a roll. Don’t fuckin’ freak out. Just. Don’t.”
She thrust her shoulders back, secured her purse on her shoulder, and exited the bathroom.
Chapter Ten
Diablo stared at a woman who held her small boy’s hand, turning his head toward her dress as though to shield his eyes from Diablo. She tapped her foot as the cashier took her time checking out the customer ahead of her. The fact that his mere presence caused her so much consternation delighted him.
“Where the hell are you, Fallon?” he muttered under his breath.
“He has pictures on his arms,” the young boy said.
“I told you to look the other way.” His mother tried to hide his view of Diablo, but the young boy peeked around his mother’s dress.
“I like them,” he said.
“They’re not for us,” she said in a hushed tone.
Diablo cracked a half smile. “You into Freddy Krueger, kid?” He walked over and showed the boy the menacing face inked on his upper arm. The boy nodded as he stared at the image.
“Do you mind?” his mother asked.
“The kid seemed to want to see my tats, lady.”
“I don’t want him exposed to that… sort of thing. Jacob, put your candy on the counter.”
“He’s gonna be exposed to a lot worse as he gets older.” He winked at Jacob, then turned away, seeing Fallon coming toward him. Even though her long gray top and baggy jeans covered most of her body, he grew tight in his pants. Her brown hair fell softly around her shoulders, and when she smiled at him, her whole face lit up. He lifted his chin and waited for her to reach him.
“Hi. Sorry it took me so long,” she breathed, her hands trembling slightly.
“That’s cool. It was worth the wait.” His eyes slowly traveled up her body until they landed on her reddened face. “Let’s get outta here.”
Outside, the bright sunlight made him squint, so he took out a pair of sunglasses from the inside pocket of his cut. “You wanna grab a beer?” She nodded. He stopped in front of his bike.
“I thought we were going to a bar around here,” she said.
“There’s a nice one about twenty minutes outta town. It’s got a kickass view I think you’re gonna love. Anyway, I like the feel of you on the back of my bike.” He laughed hard when she turned even redder than she had when he’d checked her out.
With Fallon snug behind him, he revved the engine and made a U-turn down Main Street. She clung tightly to him, and he laughed into the wind when her hand slipped down over his bulge each time he hit a bump in the road. Pressed against his back, she felt warm and soft. Her lemony scent wafted around him, tantalizing him and keeping his dick awake.
Diablo occasionally took women for rides on his bike, especially Maria and Lucy. They seemed to like it, and he could understand why. There was nothing like blending in with the landscape and feeling the wind rush around him; it gave him a high each and every time. When he’d taken various women for bike rides, he didn’t feel turned on like he was at that moment with Fallon pressed behind him. The other women were friends and it was no big deal, but Fallon was causing all sorts of havoc with him as they rode through the desert and began their ascent to Sequana Peak.
There was a pervasive smell of burning garbage coming from a cluster of homes about a mile upwind. In many small communities, burn barrels were a common, traditional practice, and most of the residents used them to save on the garbage pickup fees. Even though open burning of garbage was illegal, the county rarely enforced the law. In the distance they saw domes of smoke rising up from brown metal containers near adobe homes. Taking a sharp left, Diablo rode up Deer Creek Road.
As he rode farther up the mountain, the air became crisper and groups of evergreens, clusters of vibrant wildflowers, and rich green vegetation replaced the rocky brown sand of the desert. Taking another left, a wood log roadhouse appeared with a bunch of Harleys parked in the lot surrounding it. Tall blue spruce trees flocked around the establishment, and the sweet scent of pine floated on a gentle breeze, curling around Diablo and Fallon. A large metal sign had “Iron Rose Saloon” written on it, and it hung high above the place on tall, thick poles.
He looked behind him. “Here we are.” He jumped off his bike and helped Fallon get off. “They have a great beer selection, kickass wings, and the best burgers in this part of the state.” He grasped her hand and led her inside.
The bar had a decent crowd, mostly men in leather, and a big TV hung on the back wall that had images flickering on it that the men ignored. Pulsing beats from a Mötley Crüe song filled the room.
Diablo went up to the bar, a pretty redhead beaming when she saw him.
“Hey, handsome. It’s been a long time. What’s kept you away?” Her gaze shifted to Fallon and then back to him.
“You know, the usual bullshit life dishes out. Gimme a beer and a….” He looked at Fallon.
“Whiskey and Coke,” she said to the bartender.
“Sure enough. How’re Goldie, Chains, Army, and Paco? I haven’t seen them in a while either. Have you guys found another drinking hole?” She handed him his drinks.
“Everyone’s too damn busy. Thanks.” He gave her a ten. “Keep the change.”
“Thanks. Tell the guys I said hi, and don’t be a stranger.”
He led Fallon out back to a patio strewn with wrought iron tables and chairs. They sat down and she looked around. “You were right—the scenery is beautiful. It’s like we’re nestled against the mountain. And it’s so much cooler up here.” She took a sip of her drink. “Was the bartender someone you used to go out with?” She averted her eyes from his.
“Sissy? Nah, I just know her from coming here. She’s a nice gal. Is your drink good?”
“Very.”
“I’m glad you texted me. I thought maybe you were pissed at me.” He took a drink and watched the birds flit about on the branches.
“I wasn’t mad at you. I just didn’t know what to say. You kinda scare me.” She gulped her drink.
“By the way I look?”
“Oh no. You look real good.” Her eyes widened and red streaks painted her cheeks. “I mean, it’s not your looks. Well, you do have a penetrating stare, but it’s not tha
t either. I guess it’s that you’re a guy. I mean… I don’t have any male friends, so this is new to me.” She took another gulp.
“Are you always this nervous or is it just me?” He cocked his head, a smile tugging at his lips.
“I don’t feel comfortable around people. It’s not like I’m crazy or anything, it’s just that I make people uncomfortable. I think it’s because of my limp. People don’t know what to say about it. Some are cruel and some pity me, but mostly they spend a lot of time trying to pretend they’re not looking or wondering about it. Like you. You never asked me about it, but I know you noticed it.” She swept the stray hairs from her face.
“I never asked about it because it isn’t a big deal to me. Do you want me to ask about it?”
She tore at the cocktail napkin, piling small pieces of white paper in a pile. “No. I mean if you want to it’d be okay, but you don’t have to.”
“I’ll keep that in mind. Why’d you come to Alina? I thought you’d come with the friend you were with a few days ago. I was happy to see that you were alone.”
She leaned back and stared at him. “I got into a big fight with my dad and step-bitch. I had to get away. I just got in the car and drove and ended up in Alina.”
“I’m glad you did.” He placed his hand over hers and squeezed it. “How old are you?”
“Twenty-one, soon to be twenty-two. How old are you?”
“Just turned thirty. Have you ever thought of getting your own place?”
She nodded. “I think about it all the time, especially since my dad married Shanna. I really don’t like her.”
“I don’t blame you. I can’t stand her either.”
Fallon smiled broadly. “Really?”
“Yeah. You got a boyfriend?”
She shook her head. “And I’m not looking for one,” she said hastily.
“I’m surprised you don’t have a line of men waiting for you. You’re a natural beauty, and there’s a softness about you that makes a man’s blood boil. I like your freckles too.” He brushed his finger across the bridge of her nose.
“Men and I don’t mix all that well. I don’t really trust them.”
He squeezed her hand again. “Do you trust me?”
She nodded tentatively. “For now. I don’t know… it just seems hard to trust anyone. You do and then they go and do something horrible and leave you all alone, and all along you thought they loved you.” Her voice cracked and she cleared her throat. Shaking her head slightly, she said, “Anyway, like I said, the scenery is beautiful.”
For several seconds Diablo was quiet, the rustling branches and chirping birds filling the silent gap between them. “Who hurt you?” he asked softly.
He watched her lips quiver and her eyes shimmer. “My mom,” she whispered.
“Want to tell me about it?” He stroked the top of her hand.
Licking her lips, she focused on him. “I was always close to my mom. I adored her, and she was so kind and loving toward me. My dad was out of town a lot back then. He worked for a company and was in the sales department. Whenever he’d go on a sales trip, my mom was so relaxed and happy, but a day before he’d come home, we would both be filled with dread. My dad was… is a mean guy most of the time. He’d always accuse my mom of cheating on him while he was gone. They’d fight so much and he’d hit her….” She reached for a napkin and wiped her nose.
“Families do a lot of shit to fuck up their kids. If you don’t wanna talk about it, we don’t have to.”
Shaking her head, she blew out a breath. “I want to. Anyway, a lot of times I’d find my mom crying when she didn’t know I was in earshot. Then a nice man with dark hair and a funny-looking nose started coming over when my dad was out of town. His name was Rich and he worked with my mom at the library. My mom worked part-time, and I remember thinking it was the coolest thing that she was around books all day. I decided that I wanted to be a librarian when I grew up. Pretty soon Rich was staying at our house during the time my dad was gone.” She picked up her empty glass and brought it to her lips.
“You need another drink. Hang on.” Diablo rose from the table.
“I’d like a glass of water and a ginger ale.”
Before he left the table, a buxom brunette came over and took their drink order. They watched the pine needles ruffling in the gentle wind as they waited. The waitress returned and placed their drinks down, winking at Diablo. He gave her a chin lift and turned to Fallon. She gulped her water, then gazed at him.
“One afternoon, after school, my mom told me to come sit on the couch next to her. She said she wanted to tell me something. I sat down and my mom told me that she and Rich were in love and wanted to be together. She said she couldn’t live with my dad anymore. I remember being happy when she told me about Rich. He was so nice, and I loved the way he took an interest in me. She then told me that she and I were going to leave my dad. She said we were going to move with Rich to California. I was so excited.”
“How old were you?”
“I was ten. She made me promise not to say a word to my dad. I never would’ve, but I promised her. A couple months later, she ran off with Rich and left me behind. For the longest time, I kept waiting for her to come get me, or send a message to me, but I never heard from her again. I used to go to her room and open the closet just to smell the lingering scent of her perfume. It stayed in the air for a long time. That surprised me. I still can’t believe my mother left me. She was the bright light in my life, and since she’s been gone, the light has never been any brighter than a candle. So there you have it.”
Tenderness filled Diablo as he watched her tear up her third napkin. He leaned closer and circled his arm around her, tugging her to him. He kissed the side of her head. “What your mom did fuckin’ sucks. You’re a survivor, sweet pea.”
Fallon didn’t pull away, resting her head in the crook of his neck instead. “You’re the first person I’ve ever told the story to. My dad told people that my mom was a slut and ran off with another man. He loved the sympathy he got and the accolades from the town. Everyone thought he deserved Father of the Year. They still do. What a fucking joke.”
Holding her seemed so natural and comfortable, and it surprised him. He normally wasn’t a touchy-feely type of guy, but she brought out a side of him he didn’t know he had. An urge to chase away her bad memories, her sorrows, overwhelmed him. He’d never felt such a pull to a woman. It was magnetic and mind-boggling.
“Are your parents still together?” she murmured.
“Nope. They split up when my younger sister was only a baby. My mom’s a meth freak and my old man’s in prison.”
“That’s awful. I’m so sorry.”
“No reason to be. That’s just the way the cards were dealt. I figured it out.”
“How many brothers and sisters do you have?”
“Three. A sister a couple years older than me. I haven’t seen or heard from her in a few years. She’s a fuckin’ mess like our mom. A brother who was almost two years younger than me. He died of a drug overdose. And a sister who’s five years younger. I hear from her when she needs money. A totally fucking dysfunctional family.” He laughed dryly.
“You must’ve had a tough time growing up. Was your mom able to take care of you all?”
“Nope, but that’s a story for another time, sweet pea. I don’t know about you but I’m hungry as hell. I’m gonna order a burger. You want something?”
“Not really. Go ahead and order.”
For the next two hours, they talked and laughed, and anyone seeing them would think they were a couple enjoying a pleasant afternoon. No one would think how fucked up we both are. He could see the great ache of desolation in the depths of her eyes. He recognized it because its persistent hammer clunked away, trying to break through the cage he’d put it in. But at that moment, he was content to indulge in conversation with her.
After glancing at her phone, she said in a soft voice, “We should head back.”
/> Diablo nodded, then helped her up and escorted her out of the roadhouse. On the way back to town, Fallon held him tighter than she had earlier, and she rested her cheek against his back. Those small gestures warmed him more than he cared to admit, and he found himself very aware of her presence during the short trip back to Leroy’s Diner where she’d parked her car.
“I had a wonderful time. Thank you.” She swept her fingers across his forearm. “I’m sure my dad will be pissed when I get home.” She giggled, but Diablo picked up a strain of fear running through it.
“You don’t really want to go back right now, do you?” Her head dropped down, shaking. “Then why don’t you spend the night?”
Her head jerked up. “Spend the night? I don’t know anyone in town. I don’t want to stay in a motel.”
He fixed his gaze on her. “You know me. You can stay with me.” He chuckled when her mouth flew open and a small gasp escaped from it.
“At your apartment? I don’t think I could do that. I barely know you.”
“I live at the clubhouse. It’d be my room, and I could crash in another one. There’re about fifteen people who live at the club. It’s up to you. I just thought you may not be ready to go home just yet.” He shrugged and leaned back on his boot heels.
“I’m not ready. I guess I can go over and see what it’s like.”
“Sure. You can always change your mind. You can follow me.”
She nodded slowly and unlocked her car door. Soon he was checking in his mirror to make sure she was still behind him. She was.
He had to be careful with her. He wanted to hold her close to him all night, but he knew it was too soon for that. Just thinking of her in his room—in his bed—made him stiffer than he’d been in a while. It’d been over a month since he’d banged Maria, and the way his dick was acting told him how bad he wanted it. But the only pussy he wanted to slide into was Fallon’s. She was doing all sorts of crazy shit to him and she didn’t even realize it.
Keep it easy tonight. I don’t want to scare her away.
He pulled into the club’s parking lot and went over to her, helping her out of the car. The late afternoon light cast a rose-gold glow over her. She’s stunning. He smiled and pointed to the stucco house behind them.
