Tristan: An MC Romance (Heavy Hogs Book 3)

by Elias Taylor

  Tristan

  An MC Romance

  By Elias Taylor

  © Copyright 2020 - All rights reserved.

  It is not legal to reproduce, duplicate, or transmit any part of this document in either electronic means or in printed format. Recording of this publication is strictly prohibited and any storage of this document is not allowed unless with written permission from the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  This book is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locations is purely coincidental.

  Table of Contents

  Chapter One: The Plan

  Chapter Two: Family Man

  Chapter Three: Jump

  Chapter Four: Bonfire

  Chapter Five: Juice

  Chapter Six: Favor

  Chapter Seven: Fake

  Chapter Eight: Show Time

  Chapter Nine: Lucky

  Chapter Ten: Let Go

  Chapter Eleven: Misstep

  Chapter Twelve: Date

  Chapter Thirteen: Inner Circle

  Chapter Fourteen: Motivation

  Chapter Fifteen: Falling

  Chapter Sixteen: Falling

  Chapter Seventeen: Unrest

  Chapter Eighteen: News

  Chapter Nineteen: Confession

  Chapter Twenty: Celebration

  Chapter Twenty-One: Strength

  Chapter Twenty-Two: Future

  Chapter Twenty-Three: Interruption

  Chapter Twenty-Four: A New Plan

  Epilogue

  About the Author

  Chapter One: The Plan

  Kayla Carpenter adjusted her mug atop her desk. It was her work mug. Big enough to fit a healthy amount of coffee, and a serious dark blue. All business, and much different than her Sunday morning mug, which was covered in cheerful flowers.

  Kayla believed in things like that. Ever since starting work at her accounting firm, three years ago and right out of school, she had dressed the part, every single day. Never once did she show up in a wrinkled shirt or an ill-fitting blazer. Her desk was always immaculate with a pristine calendar on full display. How was she supposed to impress big clients if she didn’t look neat as a pin? That’s what people wanted from an accountant. Organization, attention to detail. A born planner.

  She sighed in contentment and gazed around the office. The clicking of a co-worker’s heels on the floor, the hum of the computers, and the buzz of the printer. All the sounds of her office brought her great comfort, especially on a day like this one. Kayla had just landed a massive account.

  Kayla had done all the work on this one. She had researched the account and familiarized herself with the details. She had crunched all the numbers and drawn out plans to show to them. When the client agreed to work with the accounting firm, they had only one condition: Kayla was to be the lead for them.

  Kayla pushed her dark hair over her shoulder and pulled out her phone. She had texted her friend, Cleo Carlisle, as soon as she got the news. As a rule, Kayla didn’t often text at work, but she had allowed herself this indulgence just this once. Cleo was already planning a nice dinner that very night to celebrate Kayla’s big win.

  Cleo was suggesting via text a bunch of wild ideas for after dinner, but Kayla knew that was just Cleo. If she had it her way, they would be up until 4 a.m. dancing in a club.

  Kayla didn’t have time for that. She hadn’t gotten to where she was at the firm by going crazy over every single little accomplishment. She allowed herself brief moments of celebration, she gave herself the credit, then she got back to work. Anything more was a distraction.

  Having her phone out at work was also a distraction. Kayla slid the phone back into her drawer and stood up. Her boss, Clifford, was done with his meetings for the day, and it was time for Kayla to give him the good news.

  She straightened the hem of her practical and no-nonsense grey skirt and headed towards Clifford’s door.

  When Kayla knocked, Clifford ushered her in and she took a seat. Clifford Brentwood was a talented accountant, and he built his firm from the ground up. When she graduated from her accounting course, Kayla had done hours of research to decide which firm would best suit her short-term and long-term career goals. She was grateful she had done the research. Clifford’s firm wasn’t the biggest, and it was closer to Lyndon, the small town Kayla had grown up in, than it was to the bigger cities of San Diego and LA, but Kayla could see that the firm offered tremendous growth opportunities. Three years later, and Kayla’s ascent through the ranks showed no sign of slowing down.

  “I know you’ve got good news, Kayla,” Clifford said. “You only ever have good news.”

  “Oh, I get bad news too, I just take care of it before it reaches your ears,” Kayla said.

  “That’s why I keep promoting you,” Clifford said. “You keep the stress off my plate.”

  Kayla gave Clifford a brisk nod, then clasped her hands on her lap.

  “We landed the Hastings Account,” Kayla said. “It came in about an hour ago.”

  Clifford grinned and nodded at her.

  “I knew you would get it,” Clifford said. “I presume they want you to head it.”

  “Yes, and I’ve already started drafting a few things,” Kayla said.

  “Do you ever slow down?” Clifford asked. “You do know you’re one of the youngest we have ever promoted to upper management?”

  Kayla pursed her lips. She enjoyed receiving praise for her hard work, but she balked at any hints that she needed to ease off the petal. She couldn’t slow down. As soon as she slowed down, she would lose all momentum and then be stuck, standing still, never achieving everything she wanted.

  “I love the job,” Kayla said.

  “Good,” Clifford said. “I just want to make sure you keep loving it, I don’t want you to get burned out or anything.”

  Kayla chuckled as she rose from her chair.

  “Trust me, I’m not going to burn out,” Kayla said.

  She shook hands with her boss and headed back to her desk, breathing in the scent of the office as she walked. It smelled of crisp sheets of paper and clean linen air freshener, and Kayla loved it. She hadn’t been lying to Clifford. She adored this job, and she would make sure she kept climbing the ladder.

  It was her plan. It had always been her plan, and Kayla had never deviated from her plan for over ten years.

  A few hours later, Kayla settled down at a table at The Main, one of the nicest restaurants in Lyndon. Cleo had picked the place, but Kayla had called ahead to make the reservation. Kayla never went to a restaurant without a reservation, she hated having to wait for a table.

  Despite Kayla’s protests, Cleo ordered a bottle of wine.

  “Come on, this is a celebration,” Cleo said. “Just be glad I’m not demanding the nicest champagne they have.”

  Kayla laughed and gave in. She needed a little bit of Cleo in her life. A stark contrast to Kayla, the impulsive and spontaneous Cleo had never planned a day in her life. That kind of thing worked for Cleo. After working a series of temporary jobs in her early twenties, Cleo was currently the assistant to a semi-retired Hollywood executive. She got to travel a little and every day was different, and that kind of thing suited Cleo.

  Kayla, on the other hand, was fine just hearing Cleo’s stories. That was enough unpredictability for her.

  As the two friends dug into their meal, Kayla told Cleo all about the account.

  “It’s really the biggest account I’ve ever had,” Kayla said. “And it puts me actually six months ahead of my overall schedule, so I might be able to adjust all my goals and trajector
y.”

  “Or you could just take six months to relax a bit,” Cleo said.

  Kayla rolled her eyes and sawed through her steak with verve. This was a classic debate between the two friends.

  “That is so not the point of a long-term plan and projected trajectory,” Kayla said.

  Cleo snorted at Kayla’s official terms and took a big sip of her wine.

  “All I’m saying is that it couldn’t hurt to date a little,” Cleo said. “Have some fun on the weekends at least.”

  “It starts as just a little fun, then it becomes a huge distraction that consumes your life,” Kayla said.

  “You talk about dating as if its a plague,” Cleo said.

  “It is,” Kayla said. “You know I can’t get distracted, I’ve had this plan since I was fourteen.”

  Cleo’s face turned gentle. She tried to push Kayla out of her comfort zone, but at the end of the day, Cleo respected her friend’s ambition.

  “I know,” Cleo said. “I just still hold out hope that there’s someone who will fit into your plan.”

  “Later,” Kayla said. “I’ll have time for all that later.”

  Cleo raised one blonde brow at Kayla.

  “You sure about that?” Cleo asked.

  Kayla wasn’t sure, but she nodded with certainty before changing the subject to the Road Warriors, the biker club both of their fathers were a part of. Kayla and Cleo weren’t full members, but they rode along for most of the rides. It was the one hobby Kayla allowed herself. It was a distraction, but never a time-consuming one. Plus, the club allowed her to spend time with her family and enjoy bikes, so it killed two birds with one stone. Kayla loved efficiency.

  After dinner, the two friends parted ways, and Kayla headed back to her apartment. She breathed a sigh of relief once she was inside. Her apartment was all smooth edges and neat corners. The furniture was minimal but high quality. And she had the most gorgeous wooden desk on one side.

  She flicked on the lights and hopped in the shower. The hot water coursed over her skin in a soothing rush. Kayla enjoyed her evening showers. It was when she considered the day she had just had and planned for the next day.

  After the shower, Kayla pulled on her matching striped pajamas and double-checked her work email and her calendar for the next day. She jotted down a few notes. As far as Kayla was concerned, her mind didn’t have to slack off just because it was after 5.

  Kayla headed to her closet next. When she had first moved into the spacious one-bedroom, she had spent hours organizing the closet by style and color. Now it was easy to select the perfect outfit for the next day. Grey slacks and a fitted blazer. With heels. Nothing too fancy, but something to say that she was the lead on the Hastings account, and she meant business.

  Kayla lay the outfit out on her ottoman so it was ready for the morning. As a last-minute thought, she placed some bright blue stud earrings nearby. She had Friday night dinner at her parents after work, and her mother was always nagging Kayla for not wearing enough color. Kayla doubted the earrings would put all her mother’s concerns to rest, but Kayla had to at least try something.

  As Kayla settled into bed with a book she replayed Cleo’s words from earlier in her head.

  Have some fun. At least on the weekends.

  Kayla tried to think of the last time she had let loose during a night out, and she came up empty. Maybe last New Year’s Eve? No, Kayla recalled she had called it a night early since she wanted to squeeze in a morning pilates class.

  It wasn’t that she didn’t like having fun or going out. Kayla loved to dance with girlfriends and gossip about silly things. She just knew that it was a slippery slope. It started with a night out on the town with the girls. Then there was some harmless flirtation with a guy. Then maybe a first date. Then, before she knew it, Kayla would be redesigning her entire life around some guy. Work would take a backseat, and Kayla would twist herself in circles to appease this deeply mediocre man. The relationship would inevitably end, and Kayla would wake up at thirty and realize that she had just wasted five years.

  A small voice in the back of her head pushed back against this logic.

  Surely, one night out wouldn’t hurt.

  Kayla dismissed the voice. One night out could only lead to distractions.

  Kayla didn’t want distractions.

  She had been down that path before. In her second year of college, Kayla had met a guy. He sat next to her on the first day of classes in her accounting course. He had broad shoulders and a smile that could melt ice, and he had smiled at her.

  Kayla knew she was attractive. She wore her dark hair long, and her dark eyes and brows received numerous compliments from her friends. But guys often took one look at her serious face or heard her talk for a few seconds about her career goals and turned away.

  Not Bryan. He had wanted Kayla.

  She had been smitten. For several weeks, they had dated. With each passing day, Kayla had become more obsessed. She spent hours wondering what Bryan was thinking or doing. Why hadn’t Bryan texted her back?

  So desperate was she to please Bryan that she started skipping class if he was skipping.

  After two months, Bryan ended it. He said Kayla was too intense.

  The morning after the breakup, Kayla had woken with eyes swollen with tears and a slipping grade because of the classes she cut. She was furious.

  She was also grateful for Bryan. He had taught her a valuable lesson. Kayla was an intense person. She didn’t know how to do things halfway. She was obsessive about pursuing what she wanted, be it a career or a boy. And as far as she was concerned, the career had much better long term rewards than a boyfriend.

  That was it. Bryan was the one deviation from her plan. And it was never going to happen again.

  Kayla rolled over and turned on her white noise machine. She burrowed under the covers and willed herself to shut out all the memories and all the worries that Cleo was right.

  She couldn’t get distracted. She refused to get distracted.

  Despite the white noise machine, her high thread count icy blue sheets, and memory foam pillow, it took Kayla ages to fall asleep that night.

  Chapter Two: Family Man

  Tristen Knox wasn’t stupid. He wasn’t. He just hadn’t taken anything seriously for most of his 29 years.

  Until now. Tristen was a mid-level employee at an acquisition firm, and he had just landed a huge account. He read over the email confirming the sale one more time before swiveling in his chair towards his desk partner and friend, Perry Styles.

  “Dude, I closed the account,” Tristen said. “The email just came through.”

  Perry pumped his fist in the air.

  “Man, that’s awesome,” Perry said.

  Tristen grinned and turned back to his computer to read the email one more time.

  A few months ago, when Tristen turned 29, he had a major wake-up call. He realized that he was going to turn 30 with nothing to show for it except a stream of mediocrity. Mediocre grades in school, mediocre athletic talent, mediocre jobs.

  Tristen had refused to let that happen. Ever since his birthday he had redoubled his efforts at work, and now it was finally paying off.

  He checked the clock. It was 5:05. The old Tristen would already be packed up and out the door because the Old Tristen did the absolute bare minimum. Not the new Tristen. Instead of messing around for the last hour a day and then bolting as soon as it was 5, Tristen had been focusing on staying productive through the final hour and leaving when his work was done, not when it was 5. He had read that in a career advice book.

  Now that this account had come through, Tristen started to pack up his things. He would just swing by his boss’ office on the way out to give him the big news.

  “We should go out and celebrate,” Perry said.

  “Not tonight,” Tristen said. “But maybe next weekend.”

  Tristen had been making an effort to not go out on weekdays.

  “Alright, but don’t bail
on me,” Perry said. “I feel like I haven’t seen you outside work in ages.”

  “Yeah, for sure,” Tristen said.

  It would feel good to have a drink with Perry and just not stress about work for a bit.

  “What have you been up to lately anyway?” Perry asked.

  Tristen shrugged.

  “Honestly, I go to work, I go home, and then I study for work,” Tristen said.

  Perry raised his eyebrows. Perry was alright at his job, but he had no desire to advance. In fact, Perry threatened to quit pretty much every single time he lost an account or was even a bit hungover at his desk.

  “Well, I guess it’s working for you,” Perry said. “I’ll see you later.”

  Perry swung his bag over his shoulder and headed for the door.

  Tristen shoved a few things into his bag and glanced across the rows of desks towards David’s office.

  Tristen felt like a dork sometimes, going home to read self-help books and watch Ted Talks and search for articles about how to stand out to your boss or snag promotions. But Tristen needed all the help he could get. A manager was moving to a different city, so there was going to be an upper management position up for grabs. Tristen wanted it. He wanted it more than he had wanted anything in life.

  He liked his job, and he liked the work, but he wanted to take on even more responsibility. He at least wanted to be in the running for this promotion.

  He took a deep breath and stood up. If landing this account didn’t help him get considered for a promotion, then he didn’t know what would.

  Tristen started to walk towards David’s office, and his boss met him at the door and ushered him in.

  “I just saw,” David said. “Excellent work on this client.”

  Tristen nodded and smiled. That was a good thing about David as a boss. He was always in the loop and knew everything about all his employees.

  “Thank you, sir,” Tristen said.

  “Honestly, you’ve been doing great work in general for the past few weeks,” David said. “Have a seat.”

  Tristen tried to stay calm and collected as he settled into a chair across from David.