Cowboy Bikers MC #3

by Esther E. Schmidt

  Knocking on the door rips us apart. A voice bellows, “Come on you two. Prez made me come over here to tell you two to hurry.”

  “Come on, beautiful,” Decker whispers. “Let’s get dressed.” He turns his head and bellows in the direction of the door, “We’re comin’, Colt.”

  Rushing into the bedroom, Decker follows and within a few minutes we’re walking into the large room of the clubhouse. I’m surprised to see it somewhat crowded. There’s music flowing and a handful of bikers are hanging around the bar in the corner while six are around a table playing cards.

  Weston and Roper stalk our way at the same time Joaquin squeals, “Ohhhh, girl. Are we going to finally hear you sing?”

  Joaquin has been nagging me to play for him ever since he saw me. At the time I just wanted to put my life on hold and jump into the change of scenery Decker offered me. But today I feel different. Inspired. Free and adored to relish in the moment and like Decker said; face anything and come out stronger. Double the impact and double resistance.

  It’s for that reason I give Joaquin a bright smile. “Absolutely.”

  And to be honest? I’m itching to start working on my new song and what better way than to have these people around me while doing it.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  — Decker —

  “Maybe later,” Weston interrupts and locks eyes with me. “We have to deal with something first.”

  “What’s wrong? Did you manage to reach Nick?” I question.

  “Church or here?” Weston grunts and I know he’s leaving the decision up to me if I want Muriel to hear the information he’s sitting on at the same time as me.

  “Here,” I state. “I’d rather have her knowing than keeping the information from her. If it concerns her, it concerns all of us and I rather not blindside anyone or diminish shit.”

  My prez nods approvingly. “Understood. And I hate to tell you this, but I think it’s safe to guess your social media guy is your stalker. Jay slipped passed the eyes we had on him. Mac, the president of our other charter in Oklahoma, just called and gave me the news. We agreed to keep two brothers on him in case he would run. Somehow he slipped past them because when Nick had people swing by to arrest him the house turned out to be empty.”

  “How could he have known we were onto him?” I growl in anger between clenched teeth.

  “Mac found out the cop we questioned is friends with Jay’s sister. I just got off the phone with Nick. He mentioned it’s a good possibility he warned them.” Weston grabs his Stetson and rubs his forehead before placing it back. “Nick is working on it but he also mentioned that if Jay is in the wind, it’s hard to determine when and if he pops up again. Even more now he knows the law is searching for him.”

  “If he’s the social media assistant he would keep an eye on her accounts. You could easily draw him out,” Joaquin quips and I shoot him a glare in an effort to shut him up.

  “We don’t want your input on club business,” I hiss.

  Anger flows through me at the mere thought because I do follow his train of thought but drawing out a killer can go bad within a millisecond. “I’m not putting my old lady at risk.”

  “Careful,” Alfie states in a low voice as he comes to stand next to Joaquin. “Joaquin might not be a brother, but the man here is connected to two old ladies and therefore protected and respected. Need I remind you of the fact he interfered in a delicate situation and saved Roper, his old lady, and even you since you were standing in that fucking room too. And I have to say, whatever is going on I would like to hear his opinion before you burn down a suggestion, don’t you agree?”

  Alfie and I fall into a staring match until Muriel places a warm hand on my arm. “Why don’t we just hear out Joaquin?”

  “Fine,” I grumble.

  “Well,” Joaquin starts with a self-assured grin in place. “Seeing this stalker asshole is probably your social media guy and an over the top obsessive douchebag who is probably still watching your social activities…even if you dropped off the face of the earth for a few weeks, right?”

  “Yes?” Muriel asks and drags the word out as a question to see where Joaquin is going with this.

  “Sit your ass on that couch, rip out your guitar and start to play while I livestream. I’ll tag you in everything or you could do it from your own account, and it would lead him straight here.”

  Joaquin holds up his hand to stop the steam from blowing out my ears from all the pumped-up anger going through me.

  “Hold your man-boobs, I’m not done explaining,” Joaquin huffs. “You know very well how secure this place is and how you guys added even more security after the whole ordeal when the threat popped up when someone wanted to steal the horses on this ranch. With the help of your buddies you have a chance to turn the tide and determine on what grounds you take this fucker out. On your grounds. Where you guys rule.”

  He crosses his arms in front of his chest and is wearing a self-assured smirk on his face.

  And I hate to say it, but he’s right. If we do manage to draw him out, we get to do it on our grounds. Weston and Roper are eyeing me, both have their lips sealed and wait for me to say something. A deep sigh rips from my chest as I turn to face Muriel.

  “What do you think?” I question.

  “I think I want to be able to put everything behind us.” She leans in and whispers for only me to hear, “And if I remember correctly it was you who mentioned something about face anything and come out stronger.”

  Fuck. “I’m going to be very pissed if either of us dies.”

  She reaches out and laces her fingers with mine. “I’ve been hiding and even if it was the best decision at the time, not to mention it led me to the one person who turned my life completely upside down, it’s time for it to end. No more hiding. We need to step up and face whatever comes our way.”

  “Powerful words and all. One hell of a pep talk,” Joaquin compliments and shoots Muriel a wink. “But let’s see if it works and if this Jay douchebag is in fact your stalker. If not, we might still lead the stalker here but we won’t know who it is. I’d say everyone is a suspect who doesn’t belong here.”

  Alfie grips Joaquin’s shoulder and gives him a few pats. “Wise words. Now let’s get busy.”

  “I’ll call Nick,” Weston states and heads for church to get some privacy.

  Nick might be my contact and I’m the one who started this whole thing by doing a favor, but it quickly turned into club business. Hence the reason Weston is handling all communication.

  “You’re sure?” I murmur as we’re the only two standing close.

  She places the guitar case on the couch next to us. “A new song hit me today and others are roaming around to come to the surface. Which means I like to work and work entails heading into the studio to record. I can’t do that if I stay hidden.” Her eyes fill with doubt and regret and a hint of fear. It becomes clear why when she adds, “No matter how badly I would like to stay here with you, I have other obligations. And with that said, you and your friends should be aware of the added risks since it wouldn’t just be the stalker we will attract by doing a livestream.”

  “We’re aware of the possible media invasion. We normally wouldn’t welcome any spotlights on our MC but in this case, we’ll make an exception. You’re Decker’s old lady and there might be some dirt if they dig deep. Dirt your family, the President might not be all too happy about. So, really, it should be you who should be aware,” Weston says and gives her a smirk.

  She stares Weston straight in the eyes and tells him without blinking, “I don’t care how many dead bodies they drag out of the dirt this ranch contains. I’m not giving Decker up. Not for anything or anyone.”

  “Good answer.” Weston smacks me on the back. “I knew you’d pick a smart woman.”

  “Okay, folks, let’s do this.” Roper tucks away his phone. “Prez said Nick will be here with a team within twenty minutes, that means we have exactly fourteen minutes left until they get
here. We need a chair in front of that wall so we have our patch in the background.”

  Joaquin guides Muriel in this direction and Alfie helps set things up.

  Garrett strolls toward me. “I got the text regarding what’s about to happen. You do realize this stalker gets triggered when someone touches her, right? You gonna add to the whole get the stalker here? Gonna put the spotlight on you by kissing the fuck out of her in the middle of the livestream? That should light him up.”

  “Well, when you put it like that,” I grumble, anger yet again swirling at the thought of someone being controlling enough to kill those who dare touch my woman. “I guess I’ll give everyone a show of my own.”

  “Nice,” Garrett chuckles. “We’ll be ready, no worries. We’re prepared.”

  “That’s what my partner thought when he pointed a killer in my deceased girlfriend’s direction,” I mutter underneath my breath and take a step toward Muriel but Garrett grabs my cut, keeping me in place.

  “This is not the same, brother. Your partner went all vigilante, selfish shit. You guys have a whole MC and an FBI team at your back. We got this, okay?”

  “I’ll believe it when the stalker is dead and gone.”

  “Soon.” Garrett nods. “Hopefully very fucking soon.”

  I nod and stroll to where Muriel is sitting on a chair, softly strumming her guitar. She’s so damn beautiful with the pink highlights in her black hair, falling forward to cage her face as she gives all her attention to the guitar. Like these past weeks, she’s not wearing a cowboy hat and I’m sure she doesn’t even realize it either. She didn’t even think about hers when I put mine on before we left the cabin.

  It’s minutes later when Nick and a handful of other guys stalk into the room. He gives me a chin lift before he disappears into church along with Weston and Roper. Two guys are staying outside while one is talking in his sleeve.

  I reckon Nick brought a few extra men who are doing a perimeter sweep. I’d love to see Nick’s face when Weston shows off his toys since we have this place secure with high tech stuff and this involves cameras at all angles.

  Though it’s not what has my attention right now; Muriel has. Joaquin is standing next to her and she’s typing away on his phone. When I get closer I notice she’s logging into her social media, also she can do a livestream through her own account.

  She hands the phone back to Joaquin and at the same time she notices me. The smile this woman has for me is one that warms my heart and strokes my soul simultaneously.

  “Hey,” I huskily quip.

  “When do you want to start?” Joaquin questions.

  Muriel keeps staring at me and says, “Now.”

  Joaquin takes a few steps back and murmurs, “Going live in three, two, one.”

  Again, she gives me a blinding smile and it shifts slightly when her eyes slide to Joaquin’s phone. “Hey everyone, sorry I haven’t been around as much. I was a bit busy with new things. Yes, including new material and you will get more information soon enough. But first I have to show you the one thing new in my life. The best thing in my life.”

  A flow of laughter flows over her lips, carefree so it seems but I can see the way her eyes hold the camera she’s well aware she has an audience to entertain. “He’s most definitely not a thing, but absolutely the best thing that ever happened to me. Since it feels like the whole love of my life thing.”

  Her eyes widen a fraction by her admittance and this right here wasn’t to entertain but more a slip of the tongue.

  I’m taking full advantage when I step closer to her, cup the side of her face and crash our mouths together. This kiss is for her, for us, for the devil may care because there’s no one who will come between us. Not while I’m still walking and breathing.

  I regretfully pull back and murmur, “For sure as fuck it’s the whole love of my life thing. Now go ahead and sing a song for me.”

  I grab my Stetson and place it on her head.

  “Oh,” she gasps, realizing she’s missing her own hat.

  “I got you, darlin’,” I tell her and the blush spreading her cheeks is making my dick hard. So. Damn. Beautiful.

  “Yes,” she mutters back. “Always.”

  Nodding once, I step back and let her do her thing. Though the closeness of us was needed to agitate the stalker, this wasn’t a show, this is us; as real as life gets.

  I step away and make sure to stand behind Joaquin, making it easier for Muriel to look at me while facing her audience at the same time. She starts to sing and it’s a song I don’t recognize. Not the one she was singing when I walked in my living room, something different. The next song and the other two following after some chatting in between are just as beautiful.

  I haven’t heard any of her songs till now. I figured I would hear them at some point and I’m happy I didn’t search for any of her music because hearing her voice while she’s holding my gaze, strumming her guitar...sexy as hell and I’m so damn proud of her for living her dream.

  It’s obvious she was born to sing, born to entertain. The way her voice curls around the words, the tunes flowing from her guitar and eyes showing the emotion she voices through singing a story is captivating every single person in this room and I’m pretty damn sure everyone who’s watching along with it.

  She ends the song and holds out her hand, signaling me to come to her. I don’t hesitate and stalk right up to her. She pulls me down for a kiss, and I go willingly. I think there isn’t one single thing I would ever deny her.

  When you’ve lived years on end without having this kind of a connection, you sure as fuck catch a ride on that speed train heading for the happily-ever-after station.

  When we come up for air, it’s Joaquin who’s grinning at us holding up his phone. “Perfect ending people, perfection.” He presses his finger and thumb together and plants a kiss on it to add to the whole perfection statement he’s making.

  I shake my head and tug Muriel underneath my arm.

  “We done here?” I ask Weston who is standing next to Nick.

  “Yeah, but I suggest you two crash in your room here instead of the cabin.” He turns his head to Nick. “The room is located within this building, easier to protect, harder for anyone to enter without going through a few of our guys.”

  “I don’t think he’ll show up tonight. He needs to research and get here first, that shit takes time and since he was spotted in Oklahoma a mere few hours ago, I’d say we’re in the clear until tomorrow morning. But that doesn’t mean we’re going to relax. I also have people keeping an eye on all incoming messages, comments, everything.”

  “Thanks, Nick. Appreciate it.” I smack his shoulder and guide Muriel toward my room.

  It’s not much more than a large bedroom with a connecting bathroom, but it’s all I need if I have to crash and not want to walk back to my own cabin. I like having this space and I like having my cabin. The cabin mostly to have some private time and this room to be closer to all the brothers. And incidentally if I’m too damn drunk and want a bed asap.

  None of it is the case now. The reason we’re here is because of safety matters. And I hope when all of this is solved, we’ll move into the cabin permanently. Though we might have to discuss the issue seeing my woman has a penthouse and travels a lot for her job.

  Whatever. Future stuff. For now, the bed is looking mighty fine and we’ll leave all the worries till morning.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  — Muriel —

  “I hope this gives you another boost of inspiration,” Decker says as he holds out his arms to help me off the horse.

  I place my hands on his shoulders at the same time he grips my hips to lift me up and onto my feet. He places a kiss on my head and I can’t stop from grinning.

  “You always give me inspiration but I never expected to enjoy riding a horse.” I turn and let my hand trail down the light caramel neck of Decker’s horse. I love the light against his stark black mane and tail.

  It’s been thre
e days since I did a livestream and all I heard back was the information Nick shared how Jay shot me a few emails about me needing to stay safe. How I put myself and my boyfriend at risk.

  In another email he asked me to meet him, how we needed to talk so he could explain because he knew who the stalker was. Nick mentioned Jay was planning to trick me into meeting him. A chill zips down my spine.

  “Still not trusting the animal or is the shiver about the lack of clean angle?” Colt questions.

  He’s holding the horse and though he’s sweet for helping Decker to teach me how to ride, I’m also agitated because I work hard at stepping over my need for cleanliness issues.

  “If you have to know, my train of thought jumped to my stalker.” To make sure both Colt and Decker understand it wasn’t the horse, I lean in and give the warm, sweet animal half a hug. “Such a good boy,” I praise.

  “Okay, that’s enough,” Decker grumbles.

  Colt snickers. “Jealous of a horse, are you now?”

  “Shut your piehole,” Decker snaps. “Come on, darlin’, Colt will take care of the horse while we head to the house for some drinks.”

  I give the horse a few more pats before I follow Decker. On our way over we pass Roper and Cassidy who are heading to the veterinarian clinic. Joaquin works at the clinic too and when I saw him earlier this morning, he told me Harlene wasn’t feeling well so he was going to call the other vet to take her place today.

  I also know Cassidy isn’t feeling all too well either, but I guess that’s why Roper is trailing along with her. I’ve come to realize all these bikers are overprotective but will always put their women first.

  And while there are only three old ladies—myself included—all of them treat us with the same level of respect. There hasn’t been one moment where I haven’t felt safe and I owe it to each and every one of them.

  This has also allowed me to dive back into work; writing songs. In these mere few days, I’ve written seven songs and fine-tuned three. To say I’m overly excited is putting it mildly.