“Is this it?” Brewer asks what we all want an answer to.
Like Tazer, he’s new to the club and used to getting paid more for jobs that run less risk. Must be his first job with us, given the look of disgust on his face. Can't say I blame him.
“I'll let that comment slide because you’re still new, but this will be the last time you question the amount of money in your hand. Got it?” Ghost threatens.
Brewer’s cold hazel eyes narrow, but he doesn't say another word, he just nods his understanding. The agitation rolling off everyone raises the heat in the room, but we can't leave until dismissed.
“All right, get the fuck out of my office.” Ghost waves his hand, then plops down in his chair.
I haul ass outside knowing that if I don't hustle, I'm going to be late to work. The key is in the ignition when my phone beeps. Pulling it out, I see it’s a text from Poppy. A small grin grows on my face.
Deciding against reading and responding right away, I put it back in my pocket to save for later. She becomes a nice distraction as I fly down the road. Just the thought of her has my body revving higher like the RPMs on my bike.
I lean with the bike rounding a bend and wince at my hard dick being squished. God, this is fucking pathetic. I haven’t even touched her yet, tasted her plump lips, but my dick doesn’t seem to care. He’s excited at the mere thought of her. I try adjusting how I’m sitting. Never rode my bike this aroused before. Not as pleasant as one would think. I’ve got no room to spare in my pants for my aching length and still another ten minutes before I reach work.
What to think about?
Not her tits that would fit perfectly in my hands.
Or her thighs that would feel perfect wrapped around my waist.
Or her mouth that was made to suck my dick.
Nope.
None of that.
Think, think, think.
Ah, my plans for when I leave.
That should help deflate the ache between my thighs. Knowing the Fallen is heading to Tennessee soon, my plan is to head west with my first stop in Oklahoma. I really haven’t given much thought as to why I’ll go there. And who knows, maybe I’ll wind up staying. If I don't like it, then I’ll move on to Arizona.
I’d like to stay near a big city where they have a choice in colleges. I still want the option of going to school, even if I have to pay for the classes out of pocket. That is if they let a convicted felon like me in.
As far as a job goes, I’ll just have to pick up work wherever I can: waiter, mechanic shop, construction. Doesn't matter to me. The pay will be legal, nobody will be trying to kill me for doing my job, and that's all I care about. I did have a brief thought the other night that Ghost would come looking for me, but once I realized it was the still hopeful teenage boy inside me I tossed it into the trash. Ghost won’t waste his time, money, or resources looking for his son.
I pull into Rickie’s parking lot and head around the back where the employees' park. Luckily, rerouting my thoughts helped, and my dick is now soft. That would’ve been awkward, walking into work with a hard-on. It doesn't matter how many ways you try adjusting, unless you have a shirt that hangs down long enough, someone’s going to notice. I eagerly pull out my phone to check Poppy’s message.
Poppy: Not trying to pry, but I hope you’re ok.
A stupid smile grows on my face again. Guess I haven't been kicked to the curb just yet. I find myself touched by her concern, but I also find myself feeling guilty for leaving her worrying all night. I’m not used to someone giving a shit about me.
Ryu: Everything is fine.
My response is short. I leave it open, curious if she’ll press for more information. I don’t know why, guess a small part of me wants to see how interested she is in what I was doing. Not that I can tell her about club business or the fact that I could’ve died last night. But it makes me wonder how pushy she’s going to be when I have to do things—like last night—without being able to offer an explanation. I don’t have time for drama.
Poppy: That’s good to hear. Have a nice rest of the day! TTYL.
Ok. Well, I got my answer. That’s good, right? I stare at her response, wondering why it bothers me she didn't ask more questions. What the hell is wrong with me? Nothing about what I’m feeling makes any sense. Maybe it’s the fact that I feel like crap from last night still? Shit. I notice the time.
Ryu: Talk soon.
I slip my phone back into my pocket and open the back door that leads into the kitchen. The smell of hickory burning blasts me in the face, reminding me that by the end of my shift, the scent will be embedded into my pores. But what can you do? The job market around here isn’t exactly booming, and with no real work experience, plus my criminal history, I was lucky to land this job.
Starting a new life won’t happen for free.
Poppy
“How can I help you?”
I’m currently at Barn’s Complete Auto Care to get Granny’s van serviced. The man behind the counter glances over his newspaper. Streaks of grease cover his face and clothes.
“I have an appointment. Whitley. Poppy.” He sets the newspaper down and taps a few keys on the keyboard.
“All right. I’ve got you checked in. I just need your keys.”
I hand them across the desk to him. “Do you know about how long?”
“About an hour.”
“Thank you.” I head back outside to call Deb to see if she’s still coming over tonight, so we can nail down all the things we want to do while on vacation. Every summer, for years now, Granny takes us to Myrtle Beach for a couple weeks. Even though I’m excited to get away, I find myself a little sad at not seeing Ryu.
It’s been two weeks since my first date with Ryu, and five days since our second date—though it was more of a brunch. I guess you could say we are taking things slow, which is totally fine with me. It’s been a great way for me to control my patience and restraint when it comes to him.
Lately, from the time I wake up until I go to bed, he consumes my thoughts. It’s like I’ve become infatuated with him. Seeing as how I’ve never experienced anything like this before, I’m unsure how to process all my feelings. All I know is that I’ve got to stick to my plan. Deb’s crazy idea to have some fun this summer doesn’t include catching feelings for someone.
The front of the building faces the main road, and with all the cars going by, having a conversation will be difficult. Around back should be quieter. I’m about to hit the call button under Deb’s name when I hear raised voices. My curiosity gets the better of me and leads me the rest of the way down to the corner of the building. I peek around it. There’s a stack of crates and a few metal barrels piled up against the wall. I slip around the corner and hide next to them.
“. . . late this week. It’s the best I can do.”
Peering around the crates, I recognize Mr. Barns’ back. He’s talking to a man who is tall and stocky with a face that looks aged from years of stress. There are a few more men standing around Mr. Barns, all eyes focused on him.
“The shipment will be here in three weeks. You’re already four days late on the payment. Ghost isn’t happy, and you’re lucky it's me here right now and not him.”
From here, I can see all the men wearing leather vests, identical to the one Ryu wears. The conversation with Scott from the night of the party pops into my head.
He mentioned that Mr. Barns was working with Ryu’s dad, but he didn’t know any of the details. Wonder if Ghost is Ryu’s dad? He’s never called his dad by any specific name.
My whole body hums with interest at what I’m hearing. Could I have stumbled onto juicy information?
“Well, hello, Kitten.”
A male voice close to my ear causes me to jump and whip around. I barely hold in the scream that catches in my throat. I look up into the face of a man who sends all my senses on high alert. It doesn’t take me long to place him now. He’s the same creepy guy I saw a few weeks ago—the biker with
tattoos on his face. My fight or flight response kicks in, and I take a step back, forgetting the stack of crates behind me.
I bump into them. Half tumble down, banging onto the metal barrels before landing on the ground. The loud crashing noise has me covering my ears, and Mr. Creepster barks out a laugh. I pivot slowly and find not only Mr. Barns and the rest of the men around him staring at me, but also all the employees and a couple customers come running out of the building to see what the commotion is. Embarrassment floods my cheeks, but that’s not the worst part.
Coming out from behind the back of the group, near Mr. Barns, is none other than Ryu. My eyes widen when I see him, and I don’t miss the raise in his eyebrows.
Well. . . shit.
“What the hell is going on over there? Poppy, what are you doing back here?” Mr. Barns asks, heading in our direction.
The weirdo behind me is still chuckling. “I . . . umm. . .”
“Looked to me like she was listening to our conversation. Isn’t that right, suga?”
I turn back to tattoo face, and he towers over me, darkness gleaming in his eyes. This is a bad man. All my internal alarms wail louder the closer he gets. He puts his face within inches of mine.
Most of his teeth are gone, and the ones that are left are rotting in his mouth. Bile chases the fear up the back of my throat. My initial thought about him holds firm. He gets his rocks off from overpowering women.
“Poppy, you need to leave, now.” There's an urgency in Mr. Barns’ voice but I’m frozen in place.
“My. . . car. . .”
“Head back to the office. Now, Ms. Whitley.”
“But I’m not done playing with my new pet.” With a wolfish grin, tattoo face reaches out and runs a dirty finger down my cheek. The urge to smack his hand away is right up there with the need to vomit and the urge to run. Surely, with this being in a public place and lots of witnesses, this guy won’t try anything—right?
“Ace, knock it the fuck off.”
A deep voice causes a crack in the wall of fear. I know that voice. Instantly, relief begins to trickle its way down through my body.
“Shut the hell up, cockblock,” Ace sneers.
I hear heavy footsteps come to a stop somewhere behind me. “Leave the girl alone. Your cut is on, and we’re out in public.”
Ace flicks his eyes to Ryu, his face twisting into a scowl, making him look even scarier. Not much gets under my skin, but this man radiates everything evil in the world. If a priest were standing nearby, I’d ask for an exorcism.
Ace moves past me and gets up in Ryu’s face. Ryu’s features remain calm and stoic, his eyes never leaving Ace’s. Ace reaches in his pocket and pulls out a pocketknife, releasing the blade. Is this really about to happen? I stare wide-eyed at Ryu, and the only thing I think is how I have no clue how to help him.
“You sure you wanna do that?” Ryu asks. “You know the rules, and I’ve got plenty of witnesses. Can’t kill us all.”
Ace flips the knife in his hand then points it at Ryu. “Soon.” That’s all he says before walking away. Everyone watches Ace disappear around the corner. Once he’s gone, I heave out the breath of air I was holding.
Holy shit.
“You ok?” Ryu asks, his voice still tense. I nod. He turns his attention to Mr. Barns. “We’ll be in touch.” He doesn’t look at me again, he just walks past the other club members. The whole group follows him to their bikes.
Later tonight, I’ll sit and analyze this whole fucked up situation. Until then, I’m going to brace myself for the after-effects of the adrenaline rush that just pounded through my body. Right now, I can't even put together a solid thought, shock and fear still holding me captive. Hopefully I’ll calm down enough to drive home.
“Let’s get you back inside.” I tilt my head to Mr. Barns, who’s giving me a weak smile. I forgot he was standing there. I nod and let him usher me back around to the front office.
“Here, drink this.”
I take the cup of water from Mr. Barns. My stomach is still churning, threatening to release the breakfast I ate this morning. Drinking water may push it past its limit, and I’m not about to vomit at the mechanic shop.
“Do you want me to call your grandmother?”
I shake my head.
“I’m sorry about what happened, and I don’t know what you heard. . .”
“Nothing. I heard nothing,” I lie.
“Good. That’s good, Poppy.”
I don't need to look at him to know he doesn't believe me. I can feel the tension coming off him still. He doesn't press me, just gets up and heads to his office, closing the door behind him.
My phone beeps. One new text alert. Sliding the green button over, I unlock my phone and read the message.
Ryu: Can we talk later?
Before I can decide whether to respond or not, my phone’s screen changes, alerting me of an incoming call—Deb. I sit up straighter and clear my throat, making sure when I answer she can't hear any lingering fear and anxiety in my voice.
I hit the answer button. “Hey.”
“What are you doing?”
“I’m at the auto shop getting Granny’s van looked at. What are you doing?”
“Are you ok? You sound. . . off?”
Crap. She knows me too well. “No. I mean, yes. Yeah, I’m fine. Just sitting here waiting for it to be done.”
“I know you’re lying, but whatever, I’ll get it out of you later. Hey, we still meeting tonight?”
Deb’s been coming with me and Granny to the beach for the last few years. It’s nice being able to spend girl time with my bestie and having Granny around. I look forward to this time every year, so does Deb.
“Yeah. Granny is finalizing where we are staying at. She said we’ll leave either Saturday or Sunday, depending on when the house will be available.” Granny has a cousin who lives in Myrtle Beach and has the in with houses that people rent out privately. It’s better than staying at a hotel, and cheaper.
The door leading to the garage opens, and in walks the man I spoke with when I first arrived.
“Van’s done.”
Has it been an hour already? I swear it feels like I just sat down. The man moves behind the counter and types away on his computer.
“Deb, I gotta go. I’ll see you later.”
“Ok. Bye.”
My movements feel robotic walking up to the counter to pay. It’s like I’m present but not really. Pretty sure the shock and adrenaline are wearing off now. I’m drained, sluggish, and if I was near my bed, I’d crawl in it for a nap.
Before I know it, I’m pulling into the driveway, and for a split second, I wonder if I stopped at stop signs and red lights. With exaggerated steps, I finally make it up to my room and fall face first onto my bed.
This is not how I saw my day going when I woke up this morning. Soon I slip under, the events of the morning forgotten.
Poppy
“If I’m getting a phone call, then it must be important,” Deb laughs.
I’m outside my house pacing back and forth, wearing a path in the concrete. I let out a sigh. “No. I just. . . I don’t know.”
Deb continues her fit of laughter. “My, oh, my. Who knew Poppy Whitley was nervous about going out on a date? I don’t remember you being this bad with the other two dates you went on.”
“I’m not nervous,” I lie. “God, why did I let you talk me into this?” My complaining goes nowhere, not that I thought it would. Instead of consoling me, I get more giggling.
“Look, no one is forcing you to go out with him. If you don’t want to go, then tell him. I mean, it’s your summer vacation. If you want to sit around being miserable and lonely for the next couple of months, I will support you one hundred percent. Because we both know this has nothing to do with you not being interested in him.”
I roll my eyes. It’s not that I don’t want to see him, it’s that I’m worried he’s only hanging out with me because of what happened the other day. Deb does
n’t know what went down at the auto shop. I don’t know the context of what I heard, and speculating will only drive my brain even more insane than it already is. Keeping the information to myself, for now at least, feels like the right thing to do.
“Whatever,” I mumble. “The purpose of my call wasn’t to get a lecture.”
“Then why did you call? We just texted each other an hour ago while you were getting dressed and freaking out about what to wear. I’ve got fifty text messages to prove it.”
Why did I call Deb? It’s a good question, and one I can’t fully answer. All I know is Deb is a safety net for me, and hearing her voice has a way of putting me at ease when I’m spiraling. Supposed to anyway. Her snickering is doing the opposite of calming.
I know I’m letting my worry get to me, and it doesn’t help that the scene keeps replaying in my head. I was scared for sure, but not because I got caught spying. That guy, Ace, seriously freaks me out. And then I just stood there, helpless. It took me right back to the night of the party with Ralph.
When Ace pulled that knife on Ryu, my heart fell into my stomach like a weighted ball, and then my stomach fell to my feet, smashing into the ground. Thinking back on it, I’m pissed no one backed Ryu up.
When I spoke with Ryu on the phone yesterday, I reassured him I was ok. A flash of deja vu hit me, Ryu coming to my rescue—again. Twice now, he’s seen me in a threatening situation where my vulnerabilities have been on display. And twice now, he’s stepped in. The last thing I want is for him to see me as a damsel in distress type. It’s not who I am, who I’ve ever been. But how do you convince someone otherwise, when you’re starting to second guess it yourself?
To my surprise, he didn’t ask if I heard anything, and since he wasn't bringing it up, neither was I. I’m not dumb; there is something going on for sure between Barns and the Legion’s Fallen. The less I say, the better—for everyone.
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