Lost in the Dark

by Ann Jensen

  The owner, Dozer, was a mystery and only talked about in whispers, but if she ever met the illusive man she would definitely let him know her thoughts on a few things. Once on the sidewalk, she got Citlali strapped in and rushed down the several blocks to the studio. Luckily, her daughter seemed in a good mood today so maybe her bosses wouldn’t even notice her.

  She only had one class tonight, but it was one of her favorites because of the students. The activewear rich crowd mostly stuck to the classes run by the completely unqualified, but hot, men the managers cycled through.

  She rushed through the lobby and into her studio dropping her stuff in the corner.

  “Well isn’t she as cute as a June bug in July!” Val, Tari’s most eccentric and, by far, favorite student, exclaimed. Val reminded her of a country singer: all big red hair, sparkly clothes, and over the top personality.

  Her very southern compliment was followed by the laughter of Pixie, one of the newer members of the studio. “That pink flower headband is just adorable. Can I hold her?” Pixie was just what her name implied, tiny. At five foot one the blonde woman was so delicate Tari sometimes wondered how she didn’t blow away in a stiff breeze.

  “Sure.” Tari couldn’t help her proud mama smile. “But be careful she likes to grab at shiny objects.”

  Pixie always wore a silver choker, that had a pendant dangling from it, even when exercising. The two women cooed and bounced her sweet girl while Tari laid out the mats for all the regular students. The two women were always the first to arrive and with their help the music was set up and the room ready by the time the other students arrived.

  “I didn’t know you had a child, Tari.” Val’s voice was wistful.

  “She was the reason I was away those months last year.”

  “You didn’t want to teach while you were pregnant?” Pixie asked while bouncing Citlali on her hip.

  “Mario and Fifi thought it best; said a fat yoga instructor would lose customers.” The loss of income and insurance had been why she had been forced to go with a home birth. Luckily, she had found a midwife and everything had turned out okay.

  “They actually said that?” Val sounded horrified and it eased some of Tari’s own anger.

  “Yup.”

  “Pregnant is not fat.” Pixie rubbed her own little baby bump. The woman was the size of a tiny doll but had the personality of a giant just like her friend Val.

  “No, it’s not. So why are we just now getting to meet this bundle of joy? You should have brought her in when you came back.”

  Tari loved these two ladies, who were becoming more friends than students, but they really didn’t understand the realities of her world. “I’m technically not supposed to have her here now, but there was an incident with her usual sitter so here we are. I’m hoping if I give her cheerios and juice, she’ll sit quietly. She doesn’t talk much yet, but when she does...” Her first words had been up and down when she wasn’t even a year old. The little girl loved copying yoga poses even if it often led to humorous tumbling.

  “Don’t you worry none if she kicks up a fuss, I’ll get her for you,” Val volunteered.

  “But you’re paying for a class. You shouldn’t have to–”

  “I want to. Now get your overly bendy butt up to the front of class and let’s get started.”

  The class went well and Citlali was well behaved, if a bit amusing as she cheered during a few of the more difficult positions and echoed her mommy every time she said the words up or down. Everything would have been fine if Fifi hadn’t stuck her busybody nose in during the last five minutes, and seen Pixie blowing raspberries on the little girl’s tummy during the child’s pose. The woman knew at a glance the girl was Tari’s since she was the only person in the class with skin darker than tan.

  Tari waited for the blow-up as she dismissed everyone with smiles. Her students hadn’t been bothered by her daughter being there and most gave the little girl a smile as she left. But Tari knew, from too much experience, she would probably be hunting for a new job tomorrow.

  “Ms. Jones, see Marco and I in the office now.” Fifi’s whiny voice filled the room as Tari was putting away the last of the mats.

  “I’ll be right there.” Tari pasted on a fake smile and did her best to find her inner Zen.

  She walked over to take her daughter from Pixie but the woman waved her off. “We’ve got her. Go see what miss stick-up-her-butt wants.”

  Val nodded agreement and gave a pissed off look in the direction of the manager’s office.

  Tari set her shoulders, slipping on her sneakers to face the music. The manager’s office held a fake version of every kitschy new age item one could buy. Tari hated the space. Instead of the true flow that should be in a place like this, it was more about marketing then relaxation.

  She stepped inside and Marco’s fake, hippy grin was instantly replaced by a sneer of disgust. Fifi stood in her designer suit smirking behind her husband, a vicious anticipation in her eyes. The married couple played upscale hippies for the customers but Tari knew white trash and that was what these two were.

  “I received a complaint that you brought your illegitimate child into class today.”

  Tari bit down on the words she wanted to say and went with something more neutral. “From one of my students?” She tried to calm herself with a mantra of ‘I need the insurance’ but it wasn’t helping.

  “That doesn’t matter. After the incident last week, I have no patience for your nonsense. We can’t have our customers seeing our employees as anything but upstanding citizens. I was nice enough to let you come back to work here even after your lapse in morals last year.”

  Tari’s temper won the battle over calm. “My lapse in morals? Are you kidding me? At least I don’t use the massage therapy rooms as my personal bordello to fuck every hot customer and employee like some people around here.” She looked right at Marco then snapped her gaze to Fifi. “My morals are strong enough that I don’t sell prescription pain killers as healing supplements to pad my income like others. So please show me where in the employee handbook it outlines the moral code I’ve supposedly broken.”

  The door to the office opened and Val walked in, eyes blazing. Immediately, Marco and Fifi put on their professional masks though the tightness in their shoulders showed the anger they were planning on venting as soon as the customer was out of earshot.

  “Mrs. Summers, we’ll be right with you. I’m afraid we’re in the middle of a personnel issue.” Marco practically simpered at the woman. Tari could have warned him that sucking up wouldn’t work on this southern belle.

  “I would say this place is in dire need of some personnel changes. Starting with the two of you.”

  “Excuse me?” Fifi pulled herself up to her full height and looked down her nose at Val. “Just who do you think you are?”

  “You’re about to find out.” She whipped her phone out of her bra and dialed a number putting it on speaker.

  While the phone rang, Marco and Fifi looked baffled at each other. For once Tari had sympathy for the pair because she didn’t know what was going on either. A deep voice answered the phone, “Hey princess, how was class today?”

  “It was great, baby. You’re on speaker, honey. Would you do me a favor and tell the two morons we have running Dark Zen they’re fired?”

  “If that’s what you want they’re gone.” The deep voice chuckled.

  “Who? Who is that?” Marco stuttered.

  “Dozer Summers. Owner of this fine establishment. You two really never put it together? My lifetime membership and the free services to anyone I brought with me.” Val rolled her eyes. “Definitely not the brightest bulbs.”

  “Am I going to have wrongful termination to worry about or do we have cause, Princess?” Dozer’s voice didn’t seem to be concerned either way.

  “I’m guessing if you pull the feeds you’ll find drugs and hanky-panky a plenty.” Val smirked at the horrified expressions on the pair’s faces.

/>   “What feeds?” Fifi had true fear in her eyes now.

  “The signs on every door that say this place is monitored for your protection aren’t just for show. My old man likes to make sure I’m safe and this place has enough hidden cameras to make a nun blush.” Val seemed proud of the fact her husband spied on her.

  “Or they can just leave nicely and we won’t have to bring in the cops,” Dozer’s voice chimed in.

  Marco was sputtering and Tari enjoyed every second of it. Fifi must have been the survivor of the pair because she said, “We’ll leave.”

  Tari watched slack-jawed as the pair scurried to gather up their things and practically ran from the building. There must have been even more going on then she had thought to have the pair running away like Hell itself was chasing them.

  “I’m stuck in Wyoming for the next two weeks, but I’ll get someone over there to keep the lights on and start going over the books.” Dozer’s voice cut into the stunned silence.

  “Understood. I miss you to bits.” The real love in the woman’s voice made Tari’s heart ache wishing she had someone who loved her like that.

  Chapter 6

  When someone tells you to “Expect the Unexpected” slap them in the face and ask them if they expected it.

  It took about twenty minutes for the three women to close up the studio. Val and Pixie convinced Tari to let them treat her and her daughter to a late dinner. Tari had missed going out to dinner with Val after class, but after her daughter had been born, she couldn’t afford the time or money these social times cost.

  It stung her pride a bit to accept the women’s offer to pay but it had been impossible to say no. As they were walking out to Val’s car the sound of a motorcycle caught all of their attention. Tari felt her chest tighten as memories of her one wild ride played through the back of her mind.

  The man who pulled up was right out of a movie trailer for the sexy bad boy. Dark brown hair framed a face which held a short beard that could weaken a woman’s knees. He was shirtless with just a black leather vest to decorate muscles which, while a little too bulky for Tari’s taste, spoke of hours of hard work.

  Pixie squealed and ran to the man, but Tari barely noticed. Her eyes were glued to the ink that covered his chest. A dark, almost scary tattoo version of Pixie faced off over his heart against a roaring, intricately colored dragon. A dragon done in such a familiar style that she couldn’t help but be thrown back in time.

  Dragon was laid out beneath her like a perfect sexual offering. Tari crawled up his body till she was straddling his hips. She took her time tracing over the swirling bodies of his dragon tattoos with her fingertips, loving the way his muscles twitched under her touch.

  Her excitement was slick between them and even though they had just finished, she could feel him hardening against her core again. Tari couldn’t resist the urge to move against him; enjoying the sensation of him sliding against her pussy.

  She leaned forward, running her tongue around the outline of the dragon’s head that wrapped around his left shoulder.

  He made a deep sound of contentment running his hands along her hips.

  “I think mi reina isn’t satisfied yet.” The sexy sound of his voice had her nipples hardening.

  “Your queen.” She nibbled on his neck. “I like that. You said I only had three hours. I’m not going to spend half of that sleeping.”

  She felt, the tip of his dick brush against her clit and she arched her back in pleasure. Dragon cupped her breasts in his hands, running his thumbs over her tight nipples sending shocks of excitement throughout her body.

  “I wouldn’t want to shortchange you.” She wished she could have a recording of his chuckle to keep her warm at night.

  She moved her hips until she felt him lined up, just teasing her entrance. She hovered there enjoying the anticipation and pleasure sweeping through her as he rolled her nipples.

  “You are so beautiful, Mami. I wish I didn’t have to leave.”

  Tari didn’t want to think about that, she just wanted to feel. Lose herself in the moment with this man who was too quickly becoming part of her heart. She pressed slowly down, trying to memorize the feeling of his cock inside her.

  “Don’t mind them. Sharp and Pixie are like rabbits in spring every time they get together.” Val’s voice interrupted Tari’s memory.

  Pixie had wrapped herself around the shirtless man and the two were kissing like clothes were about to start being discarded. Tari though it was special that the two were so into each other they forgot the world around them. If she was being honest, she also found it really erotic. Watching others always gave her a dirty thrill.

  As the two continued, she felt a pang of loss wondering if she and Dragon might have had something that special if fate had been just a little kinder.

  “Baby present, y’all need to come up for air,” Val teased the two good naturedly.

  Sharp swung Pixie around, then finally let her go with a smack on the butt. Tari recognized the crossed rifle and saber design on the back of the vest the handsome man wore and several things clicked into place.

  “Dark Zen! I always thought that was an odd name. Do the Dark Sons MC own the studio?” Tari wanted to smack her forehead but luckily holding the stroller kept her from embarrassing herself too much.

  Her first college roommate had been obsessed with everything biker. She had often tried to get Tari to let loose and go to some of the wild parties the Dark Sons threw. Tari had never gone but had listened to endless stories and learned more supposed facts about the outlaw lifestyle than any person not living it should need.

  Tari had enjoyed the romance novels her roommate had lent her, but the television shows and movies had gotten tiresome after the third viewing. What she did remember was that the Dark Sons was the largest MC in the area and owned many businesses in and around Denver. Her roommate had called them their ‘fronts’.

  “Yup. I suggested it and my old man Dozer agreed to back it.” Val gave her a knowing smile.

  The man with the bulging muscles looked over Tari with sharp assessment. She knew she should feel intimidated, yet she felt comfortable. “Now I get to figure out what the hell they were doing. Your man says they gave up too quickly when they found out about the cameras being real. We need to know if it is petty crap or something that needs to be cleaned up.” He crouched down smiling at Tari’s daughter. “And who is this beautiful girl?”

  “I’m Tari and that is my daughter, Citlali.”

  The big rough man had such a sweet grin on his face when he looked at her child that she immediately felt more friendly towards him. When he straightened and placed his hand on Pixie’s baby bump, any woman would be jealous of the obvious love between the two.

  “Tari, this is Sharp, Pixie’s baby daddy. Vice President of the Dark Sons Denver Chapter and, although strangely shirtless, is usually a good egg.”

  Tari empathized with the wistful longing she saw on Val’s face as she spoke but thought the Southern woman envied the upcoming baby more than the love the two had.

  Sharp smiled. “Had an oil change get messy. When Dozer called, I figured Pixie would have a spare shirt so I wouldn’t be smelling like my garage all night; while skimming through the footage and searching the place.”

  Pixie pulled some clothes out of the giant tote she always brought to class and tossed a black shirt to Sharp. She then tossed something black to Val and slipped on a vest of her own. Tari saw that it was a vest similar to Sharp’s but instead of the Club name on the back it had Property of Sharp. She remembered the vests were called ‘cuts’ and, according to her ex-roommate, were sacred to mark a Biker and his Old Lady.

  The patches didn’t surprise or even offend her as much as she thought they might. The care and love Sharp showed to Pixie was undeniable. So, if they chose to display that in a nontraditional way who was Tari to judge? After Val put on her own vest and Sharp redressed right on the street, Tari studied the trio.

  “I fee
l left out,” Tari halfheartedly teased.

  “Sharp has plenty of single Brothers.” Pixie looked calculating.

  “I don’t think my package deal would interest them.” Tari rocked her now sleeping daughter in the stroller.

  “You might be surprised.” Sharp leaned over giving Pixie a gentle kiss. “You ladies have fun at dinner.”

  An hour later the three women were laughing at the antics of Tari’s daughter as she sucked on lemon slices and alternately made horrible faces then giggled yelling, “Yum!”

  “You are so blessed, Tari. Dozer and I would slay the moon if it meant we could have our own little miracle.”

  Tari felt awful for the wonderful woman who had slowly become a more than just a student over the last four years. “Do you mind me asking if it is a medical problem?”

  “I don’t mind. No, the doctors all say we are perfectly healthy but we’ve tried just about everything, including drugs that made me a raving hormonal lunatic, but nothing worked. We count my cycle every month and have never missed trying on a fertile day. It’s heartbreaking every time I realize we’ve failed again. Eight years is a long time to be disappointed. I think maybe it just wasn’t meant to be.”

  “Eight years?” Tari didn’t mean to sound quite so shocked but Val did not look old enough to have been trying so long.

  “Dozer met me when I was twenty. We were married the next year.”

  Tari considered her words carefully. “Twenty-nine isn’t nearly old enough to be giving up if you want children. When I was young, I lived all over the world, learned about different cultures, and met so many wonderfully wise people. Can I give you my advice?”