“No kidding,” I laugh, just speaking about photography makes my eyes twinkle. I jump off the bed and excitedly go to grab my laptop, plopping back on the bed and opening it up to my photo album with several folders. I pull him over to me excitedly so he can sit next to me and see my work. “Check THIS out,” I click on one of the folders named Bikefest/Phoenix.
We are scrolling through the photos, my legs Indian style and he leaning with one arm propped on the bed behind my back. There are photos of people gathered, some of just bikes, but then I show him the fantastic stuff. The pictures I’m super proud of from the motorcycle rally. There are individual pictures of bikers with their bikes, riding frozen in time with their hair blowing in the wind and the amazing red mountains behind them. His mouth drops open. He wipes the palm of his hand across his open mouth. I give him a gigantic smile. “You….you took these?” he asks me in disbelief.
“I love taking photos, it’s kind of my obsession,” I admit to him.
“I guess so. These are AMAZING!” he tells me.
I blush and say thank you, getting a little shy then. He reaches over and touches my face ever so gently. It’s the sweetest thing, “Don’t ever get shy about your work, it’s, well, it’s art what you do,” he says. He looks at my lips and slowly leans over to kiss me, but I flinch and jerk my head away. I know he’d never hurt me really and all he’s done is be great to me, but it was just a knee jerk reaction. “I’m so sorry,” he says and backs up off the bed and stands, “I didn’t mean to…”
“No, I know you don’t mean me any harm, it’s me, my fault. Just broken I guess,” a stray tear rolls down my cheek as the flash of Frodo impaling me as Calibar is leaning down talking in my ear surfaces.
“I’m so sorry, Elle. If we would have just gotten there sooner,” he tells me so truly saddened. I give him a kind look.
“How could you have known? You didn’t even know I existed. There is no way you could have known. What happened to me was my fault,” I say, getting too choked up to say anymore.
“Don’t you EVER say that again, Elle! What happened to you was absolutely not your fault, and I never want to hear you say anything like that again? Do you hear me?” he says angrily and I, for the first time, am scared, seeing so much rage in him. I back myself off the bed and with nowhere to go I back myself against the furthest wall in the room, my eyes wide with fear. When I take a moment and the words of what he said sinks in instead of the sound of his voice, I realize my stupid reaction to it and slide down the wall and put my head to my knees and cry just saying over and over, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I know you didn’t… I’m so fucking broken.”
Benelli leaves the room and gets a wet washcloth and hands it to me. I accept it and thank him trying to recover from yet another crying fit. “I feel like I go from being numb to being hysterical. I just want to be me again,” I say with frustration. “I’m really not like this,” I try to make a joke so this isn’t so awkward.
“No kidding?” he chuckles back. At least we have the same sense of humor to try to make things less deep. “Listen,” he squats down next to me, “I know this isn’t you and I know this is going to take a while but maybe we can work through this together if you let me. Please, just stay for me?” he says seriously but then adds more lighthearted, “you can stay and I will teach you how to take down even me. As for your photography, I guarantee when anyone in the club sees your photos you will have jobs booked up all summer. Hell, you may not even want to leave.”
“I’d really like that,” I say with a last sniffle, take a deep breath and reach for his hand to pull us up. Hey, that’s a big step for me.
I go and tell my mom I’m not going with her and through the protests mom looks into my eyes and grabs my cheeks like she always does and sees that I truly need this. “I love you, my baby girl.” Even though I know all she wants to do is take me in her arms and hold me like this forever, she continues, “I will not protest on one condition, and I will be by your side the whole time.” I look at her in confusion and she holds up a finger and shh’s me, reaches in the back of my jeans and takes my phone, “I want you to call Zen and tell her what happened.” Before I can protest and say I can’t talk about it she shakes her head at me, “No, you can tell her and you will if you don’t want me dragging you home. That’s my condition. She’s your best friend and you know she would kill you if she found out and you weren’t the one telling her.” Knowing she is right, I let out a vast sigh and hold my hand out for my phone.
I take in a deep breath and dial her number. It rings and rings and goes to voice-mail and I hang up not leaving her a message. I try to hand the phone back to my mom, but she pushes it back towards me without taking it. “Try again,” she says. I groan at her and push the green phone icon again.
It rings and rings again and I’m about to pick up when a voice, not Zen’s, answers breathlessly, “This is Zen’s phone, she has taken a vow of silence and cannot speak but I can give her a message,” the Indian voice tells me.
“Um, this is Elle. I really need to talk to her. It’s important,” I tell the person on the other line. I hear the phone being handed over and the person in the background tells her it’s me. The person then shouts and tells me that Zen has the phone. “Zen, something has happened,” I say breaking down.
Immediately Zen breaks her vow and answers, “What is it, Elle? What’s going on?”
I fill her in on what has happened, and she tells me she is booking a flight.
“No hon, you don’t have to do that, I will be ok. I’m not making you leave India for me,” I tell her.
“Elle, if I was only there, I should have just went with you..” she starts to say, but I stop her.
“No, don’t put that on yourself. It isn’t your fault,” I try to tell her.
“You were there for me when my shit happened and I am going to be there for you. What’s the address?” she asks and I motion to Benelli for a pen and paper and to write his address on the note and he hands it to me. I repeat what he wrote back to Zen and within just a few minutes she says, “Ok, it’s done. The flight is booked. The soonest I can be there is around 58 hours. Can you hold out till then?”
“Yes, I will be ok,” I say sniffling.
“Ok, I’ve got 30 minutes to get packed and tell everyone I’m leaving before my ride gets here and we head to the airport. Hang in there sweetie, I’m on my way,” she tells me and ends the call.
“She’s packing for the airport. She’ll be here in a few days. Oh, Benelli, I’m so sorry, I didn’t even ask if this was ok,” I say worrying.
He shakes his head and tells me not to give it another thought. “It’s totally cool, we can put her in Michelle’s room… unless you are going to stay too?” he looks at mom and asks.
“Since we were going to take Elle’s car back home and if it’s fine with you, I will check the flights and hopefully book mine for around the same time that Zen gets here and we can make one trip to the airport,” mom asks him.
I look at him with my hands clasped in a plea that he will say yes, and of course, he does. He’s so understanding and awesome, so I jump up to hug him. I tense a little when he hugs me back, but try not to let it show. I think he does because he quickly releases me.
“Okay, how about Elle and I run to the store and we cook for you guys?” mom says to Benelli to break the tension.
“Yes! What do you like, mom and I can make anything you want,” I say getting excited and looking forward to mom and I in that giant kitchen.
I can tell he wanted to tell us not to worry about it but instead said, “There ain’t much I won’t eat, I’ll let you surprise me. I’ll have one of the prospects take you to the store.” He then takes his phone and sends a text to Toxey, MacGyver and Fireball. Within moments, Toxey and Fireball are in front of us. “Where’s MacGyver?” Benelli asks.
“He’s helping Justice rig something up in the garage,” Fireball answers and continues with a laugh, “he’s kind of sc
ared of her,” and nods towards Michelle.
“Mom? He’s scared of mom?” I ask and look at her confused and cross my arms, “Mom, what did you do to him?”
“Meeee? I’m sweet and innocent,” she says with a chuckle.
“I call bullshit,” Ruger says as he walks up to us with a wink to my mom, “What’s going on?”
“Change of plans, Michelle is going to stay a few days and Elle is going to stay until she gets tired of us. Her friend Zen is going to come to stay with us in a few days too,” he tells his dad.
“Michelle, you know you are welcome to stay too,” Ruger tells her hopefully.
“I appreciate that, but she’ll be in excellent hands with Zen. I need to get back home to Cottonwood and my shop in Sedona. Right now, let’s get some groceries and cook you kind men up a feast,” mom tells him.
“Sounds great to me, I’m starving. I’ve got the SUV out front with the air on,” Fireball says to us, spinning the keyring in his fingers and heads to the door.
Mom and I decide since the Neroni’s are Italian that’s what we would go with and get the makings for a super cheesy meat lasagna with garlic bread and salad. For dessert we are making a no bake lemon jello cheesecake and some cherry pie filling for the top. We get back to the club kitchen and Fireball and Toxey are carrying in the groceries. We told them we could do it ourselves, but they wouldn’t have any part of it. I start on the cheesecake so it will have time to set as mom gets a big skillet and browns the hamburger and ground sausage. We are dancing around the kitchen to the music shuffling on Pandora on mom’s phone.
Lucky comes in and spins mom in a circle and dips her, and plants a big kiss on her cheek, “Hey mom, smells amazing, what’s for supper?”
I’m holding my hand over my mouth trying not to die laughing at the sight but I then mouth, “Mom?” questioning and laugh again when she says, “Don’t ask” and rolls her eyes.
I answer Lucky by saying,”well, older brother??? We’re having Lasagna, salad, garlic bread and cheesecake.”
Lucky starts rubbing his growling stomach, mouthwatering, “Need any help?” he asks.
Mom without a beat hands him a giant stack of plates and shoos him out of the kitchen to set the table.
“Did I miss something?” I ask.
“Let’s just say I’ve had some bonding time with the boys,” she tells me.
“Apparently,” I laugh.
As the guys gather she sends them all right back out to work with some setting the silverware out, some with glasses or napkins. She’s running this kitchen like she’s lived here her whole life.
A few girls I haven’t seen before come into the kitchen. One holds her hand out to mom and then me to shake, “I’m Lyric, this is Breezy and Jinx. It smells so amazing or we wouldn’t be asking, if you have any leftovers would you mind…”
Mom stops her from finishing and take’s her in a hug, “you girls are welcome to eat with us, there is plenty.”
“Ma’am, I didn’t mean to join, I mean, um, we um…” Lyric stumbles with how to put they are club girls.
Mom puts one hand in Lyric’s and one in Jinx’s and looks at them and quietly says, “I know.” She then goes on to tell them, “You are part of this club and you’re welcome to eat with us.”
The girls weren’t used to so much kindness and all three gave mom and I hug and then proceeded to help carry the food and everything else to the massive dining table.
Ruger, Benelli, and the rest of the men still at the club all come in. Ruger starts to say something to the club girls, but Michelle catches his eye and she shakes her head no, to not say anything to them.
They all sit down and enjoy the most amazing meal some of them have ever had. Everyone is laughing, telling stories, picking on each other and getting along like any normal dysfunctional family. I sit back and smile. This is the first time I’ve really felt happy since I’ve been here. It’s like Sunday dinners back home and it’s normal, it’s great to feel normal again. I see Ruger mouth thank you to my mom over the jovial chaos, and she smiles and nods back to him. I think he likes her.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Elle
The last few days have had its difficulties. Sometimes I am doing just fine and then BAM! I flash back to my time with the Vengeful Demons and break apart. Mom has kept me distracted with cooking for everyone, which magically grows every day. I think word is spreading through the club of the feasts, every day we have more and more club members here. It started out just the single guys, but now we have the families too and honestly; I love it. It has always just been me and mom until we started Sunday dinner with my friends; I miss it.
We went to an art shop yesterday where she bought painting supplies. She always brings some with her, but with her rush of everything that happened she didn’t, of course. She took us to the spot where I was conceived and she painted the river, the bridge, and a small island out in the middle of the river. I roamed around with my camera, taking photos. I got extremely close to a doe that was drinking on the bank of the river.
Benelli took me to his house today, and I moved my things in. We drive up this big hill that goes on forever surrounded by woods, and the higher we go the bigger boulders I see. When we get to the top, the ground levels out and overlooks the river. This house is amazing! It is like a fancy log cabin you see in magazines. It has a huge porch that wraps around the front and one side with some rocking chairs and an over-sized porch swing full of colorful cushions and fluffy pillows, looking entirely too inviting. Around the corner comes the biggest pit bull I’ve ever seen with the goofiest smile on her face and tail wagging like crazy. “That’s Luna, she’s a dork, aren’t you girl, aren’t you so silly,” he’s bending down rubbing all over the dog talking baby talk to her and she’s eating up all this attention. I walk over to her and stretch out my hand for her to smell. She sniffs and then forces her head into my palm so I’ll pet her. I show her some love and the next thing I know she’s jumped up on me, eye level licking my face. For a split second it scared me, but I quickly realized she’s just a love bug. This big dog actually wrapped its paws around me and hugged me. She almost knocked me to the ground at her size.
“Luna, get down, quit, yes, she loves you too now get down. LUNA!” Benelli says. At the firm voice of her name, Luna gets down and lays down on the ground looking guilty but when she realizes he’s not really THAT angry with her she hikes her butt in the air and wiggles it, wagging again with that big smile saying, “dad can I play now? Let’s play, come on, throw me a ball.” Benelli just shakes his head and leads us up the porch and into the house.
There are high ceilings and beautiful wood, it’s an open floor plan with a giant, inviting sectional in the middle of the primary area and a TV on the wall that rivals a theater. Along one wall towards the corner is a bar area done in a western theme. Old rifles, six shooters, horseshoes and other items on display. There’s a gigantic kitchen with a huge island in the middle that has cabinets with even outlets and also a seating area. I’m imagining baking all sorts of Christmas goodies spread out all over that island while I see the snow-covered trees overlooking the river. Kids with hot cocoa mustaches reaching their little fingers over the edge to sneak some treats. Benelli sneaking some for himself and them as I tell the kids they have to wait till after dinner. Wow! Where did THAT come from?
Benelli puts his hand on the small of my back and it brings me back in to the moment. “You good?” he asks me when he sees my mind has drifted off.
“Yeah, I’m good,” I say, blushing and tucking my hair behind my ear.
“The bedrooms are up there,” he points to the most elaborate staircase I’ve ever seen with twisted limbs and wood with designs leading the way upstairs, “the gym is downstairs, and the pool is out here,” he says as he slides the glass doors open and we walk out to the back. There’s an in-ground pool with lots of area to lounge around, a miniature cabin that’s a pool house, and an even smaller version that contains a dog bed f
or Luna. “We should probably get back before we have to get your mom to the airport, I’ll give you a better tour tonight,” he tells me as he locks the house back up, shows me how to enter the security code and leads me to his bike this time and hands me a helmet. “I thought since we don’t have a load now we could just take the bike instead.”
“I’ve never been on a bike,” I say nervously.
“Well then, I think you’re way overdue,” he says as he plops the helmet on my head and straps it up. He gets on the Harley and starts the beautiful machine. He takes my hand and puts it on his shoulder so that I can swing over. Once settled in the vibrating seat I wrap my arms around Benelli, grasping tighter and burying my body into his back as we move. The smell of his cologne is driving me crazy. Some kind of musk and spice. I swear it must have some kind of pheromones in it because all I want to do is to be wrapped around his body, in an even better position and sniffing him up and down. Apparently that’s exacting what I’m doing because he starts laughing at me.
Ugh! Can I be any more embarrassed? I lift my head and body off of him while still hanging on, trying to regain control of my flaming cheeks and he grabs one of my arms pulling me in closer and says something but I can’t hear. I, again, lean back into him to try and have him repeat it and he takes my hand and lifts it to his lips and kisses it. “That’s better,” he says and keeps me tight around him.
Benelli
There is nothing better than having a beautiful girl pressed against you as you ride down the highway. Okay, maybe a few things, but we’ll give that a little time. I can tell she loved the house and Luna and whatever she was daydreaming about in the kitchen that gave her a far off smile. The feel of her full breasts against my back and her legs firmly against mine made choosing the bike the right thing. I would have faked the truck not starting back up if I had to. I wanted this time and closeness with her. She smells like some exotic perfume that overtakes my brain… both of them. I try to maneuver my jeans to allow for more room and Elle sits up straighter. “Crap, did she notice? I don’t think so. Can we just stay like this all day her wrapped around me?”
Benelli's Elle: Unfortunate Souls MC Book One Page 7
