by Blair Grey
“She blocked your number?” Lips pulled up to one side, eyes glassy, hip jutted out, she saw the writing on the wall. “Come on, Garrett. You’ve been stood up. Face it. I know a guy as hot as you might not have ever had this happen to him before. But take it from me, it happens.”
“Well, to you it does.” I held out my hands as I gestured to her appearance. “Your hair looks like you haven’t washed it in weeks. I think you might’ve forgotten to wax your mustache too. And this might come as a surprise to you, but that ain’t just the smell of pizza rolls coming out of this apartment, Blanch. That is body odor to the max, honey. But before you go get yourself cleaned up, please wait and keep an eye out for my date. I’ve gotta get going now. I’m getting worried about her.”
“Will do, captain. I can’t even take offense at anything you’ve said. I haven’t had a shower in a week. It was a spiritual cleansing ritual. But I think I took it a little too far.” She left her door wide open. “I’ll be sure to see her – if she comes.”
“Thank you.” I hurried away to get to my bike that I hadn’t put into the garage yet. I’d wanted to see if Nicki would want to take a ride with me after dinner. I thought it might be romantic.
Going up and down the streets between my place and Rudy’s Corner Store, I looked for Nicki’s car. But no little tan Toyota was parked anywhere.
When I pulled into Rudy’s I saw Greta working and stopped to go inside to see if she’d seen Nicki. “You’re either really brave or really dumb, Garrett,” she greeted me.
“Um, hello and welcome to Rudy’s,” I said as I cocked my head at her.
Pointing out the big, plate glass window, she said, “You’re here on your bike. And you have your helmet on. And the man you beat up has already come by here twice, to ask if the man who beat him has shown back up. And now you have.”
“Great.” She was recalling the man who’d been fighting with Nicki. “Okay, so that guy. You saw the woman he’d been arguing with, right?”
“Yes.” She looked nervously up and down the road as car lights came and went. “What about her?”
“Has she been in here recently?”
“No. You should go, Garrett. I’m serious. The cops came and I lied to them about you and I don’t want to get caught.”
“Okay, okay. Did she happen to tell you where she lives?”
“Around here somewhere. That’s all I know. You should get the fuck off the streets while riding your bike and wearing your helmet. At least take the helmet off. I’m sure he’ll recognize you with that on.”
“It’s against the law to ride without a helmet, Greta.” I took it out from under my arm and put it back on, then slid the dark visor down.
“At least push the visor up,” she begged.
“It keeps the car lights from blinding me when I’m driving.” She had no clue about people who rode motorcycles.
As I walked back outside, I remembered that Nicki had taken off in the opposite direction of where I lived. I’d been driving up and down the wrong streets.
Not two blocks over on the next street, I saw the little tan Toyota parked along the curb in front of a warehouse that had been turned into apartments. And right behind that car was the black Nissan I’d seen Dean Strong driving.
Parking my bike behind a truck to hide it, I took my helmet off and tried not to fly into a rage. The sound of a man shouting had me turning to find Dean coming out of the building I’d guessed Nicki was staying in, “I was trying to help you!”
“I don’t want your fucking help,” I heard Nicki scream.
Waiting, I watched Dean get into his car then his tires squealed as he peeled off, gunning the engine as he left. The slam of a door had me looking back to find that Nicki had gone back inside.
Sprinting toward the door, I had no idea which apartment was hers and needed to get inside before she went into her place. “Nicki, wait!” Just as I got inside the main door, I saw her going into the one that went to her place. “Nicki!”
Her head spun and she glared at me, then slammed the door shut. I got to it just in time to hear the lock click. Banging on it, I wasn’t about to just let her shut me out like that.
Then the door flew open. “No!” she screamed at me. “You lied to me! You made me think you were going to be my motherfucking hero. Dean told me all about you. All about how you were sent to tempt me. Now, he’s going to report to my supervisor that I can’t be trusted - that I’m a lonely slut who will go for the first man who shows me any attention. And that I’m incapable of solving even a tiny case like this one. Are you happy now?”
She tried to slam the door again. But I caught it first. “He lied to you. Not me. He lied. I wasn’t sent by anyone. I came to you on my own. I never even meant to like you. That came naturally. So, are you going to believe that rapist or me?” Lava-like temperatures coursed through my body as I waited to see what she would say.
Her entire body shook, she was so angry. “How can I believe you?”
I pulled out my cell and called Lyle. “Ask this man if the DEA sent me to you.”
Looking at my phone with a skeptical expression, she asked, “And who is this guy?”
“Lyle Franklin. He’s the enforcer for the Iron Cobras. And he won’t lie to you about anything.”
Taking my phone, she put it to her ear. “Is this Lyle Franklin of the Iron Cobras?”
I heard him answer, “Yes. And who is calling me from Garrett Robertson’s phone?”
“My name’s Agent Johansson with the DEA” Her eyes cut to me. “Do you know if Garrett works with the DEA in any way at all?”
“I know that he does not work with the DEA at all,” Lyle answered her. “Will that be all? I’m kind of in the middle of something.”
“Yes, that will be all. Thank you very much, Mr. Franklin.” She handed me the phone. “Well, what is going on then? Because I don’t understand anything. None of it. Not you coming on to me. Nothing!”
“Hey!” I wasn’t going to accept that. “I did not come on to you. If you will remember correctly, you asked me to pretend we were on a date and in love with each other.”
“Oh.” She looked down. “Yeah, I did do that.”
“Grab your keys, lock this door, and come with me. I’m getting you away from this place where that piece of shit can find you and brain-fuck you.” The man had it coming to him. “I’m going to want every last detail about what he’s said to you. But first, I’m getting you to my place where he won’t be able to get to you.”
“I – don’t.” Her hesitation only served to piss me off even more at the man.
Trying to calm down, I brushed my knuckles across her cheek. “Baby, I am your hero. You can trust me. Now, come on. I’m taking you to safety. I can’t let him get to you again.”
She took several deep breaths before her expression changed from distrusting to somewhat trusting. Taking my hand, she nodded. “I did trust you this afternoon. But then Dean came and fucked that all up. I can’t let him keep doing this shit to me. I have to move on from it someday. It may as well be today. Let’s go.”
I don’t know how much longer I’m going to let Dean Strong keep breathing.
Chapter Twelve
Nicki
Going out to get onto the back of Garrett’s bike, I took the black helmet he handed to me. “I’ve never ridden on a motorcycle before. Is there anything I should know before getting on?”
He froze and his expression spoke to me. He can’t believe that I’ve never been on a motorcycle before.
Waving my hand to disrupt his vacant stare, I put the helmet on and tried to do the strap under my chin, but it kept coming undone. He took the two pieces into his large hands and quickly made them work together to keep me safe. “There you go. Here is all you need to know about riding with me. Wrap your arms around my body tightly. Lean the front of your body completely up against mine. Whisper sweet nothings in my ear and the occasional kiss to my cheek is welcome.”
“Okay.” I
wasn’t sure that was right, but what could I say.
He put on his helmet, pointed at it and said, “Kidding. As you can see the kissing and sweet whispers can’t be done because of the helmet. But do what I told you about our bodies. That part is true.”
“Garrett, you do realize that I’m out of sorts right now, don’t you?”
He climbed on the bike then offered me his hand. “Yeah. Humor helps with that kind of human stuff, I’ve found. Now put your right leg over and then plant your fine ass on the seat behind me.”
I did as he said. “Fine ass is in place. But where do my feet go?” I couldn’t find anywhere to put them, so I stuck my legs straight out. “Surely, this isn’t the way.”
How come other girls can look so cool as they sit on the back of some tough, hunky biker?
“Please, Nicki, you’re cracking me up. There’re footpegs. If you’ll look at the back tire, you’ll see them. They’re right in front of it.” He started up the beast and it shook my ass like nothing ever had.
Quickly, I found the footpegs, wrapped my arms around his body, leaned my upper body against him, then slid up a bit to put my crotch right up against his lower back. “I think I’m ready.”
Turning his head, he shouted over the sound of the engine, “How about a little cruise before I take you home, baby? I think it will do wonders to calm you down.”
I didn’t feel calm at all. Angry. Confused. Disillusioned. And horny for some reason. Maybe it was the shaking of the bike, the proximity of our bodies, and the cool night air, but I hadn’t felt this horny ever. “Let’s go, biker man!”
“I prefer, hero.” He revved the engine with a twist of his hand on the handlebar.
“Let’s go, my hero!”
The motor was so loud, I couldn’t hear myself think. And the way he zoomed off had me feeling as if I’d left my stomach behind. But then I felt his body solid as a rock against mine and felt stable.
The lights from the oncoming cars made it hard to see and I noticed that Garrett had put his face visor down, so I did the same. The dark lens made the car lights dim and I could see.
And what I saw was spectacular. There was no other word for it. The city lights glistened in the most beautiful way. And we moved so gracefully, like ice skaters dancing through traffic.
Resting my head sideways against his back, I watched the sky, instead of what was around me. The loud sounds put me in a trance as the sights took me far away. The way our bodies bonded to flow along with ease made me feel as if I was part of something a lot bigger than just myself.
Very little traffic moved along the shore as he took that street. The sea air, the ships in the harbor, all of it felt magical while riding along on the back of that bike at night.
I wonder if he’ll take me out for a ride tomorrow during the day.
I wanted to experience all of it. That kind of freedom wasn’t a thing I had known existed. And although I didn’t want it to end, we pulled to a stop in front of a refurbished warehouse I was sure his apartment was in.
When he shut off the engine, I groaned, “Do we have to stop?”
“You liked it?” He reached back for my hand as I nodded. “You get off first, my lady.” Taking his hand, I got off and thought it cool how I could still feel the vibration throughout my body.
Undoing the strap, I pulled the helmet off then shook out my hair that felt plastered to my head. “I loved it. But does my hair?” I shook it some more.
Garrett had already gotten off the bike and taken his helmet off. He pushed his hands through my hair. “Your hair loves it too. You look like a true biker babe. The guys are going to be jealous of me if you ever agree to go on a club run with me. Well, once I’m patched, that is.”
Carrying the helmet with me as he did with his, I leaned into his side as he wrapped his arm around me, leaving a kiss on the side of my head. “Is a club run when you see all those bikers riding together?”
“Yep.” He had to let me go to open the door to the lobby area then we walked up a flight of stairs. “I’ve ridden in the back of the Iron Cobras’ club runs quite a few times. But to get to ride amongst them would be not only an honor but a gift.” He jerked his head toward an open door. “This way. If you think the vibe was great tonight, think about the vibe when you’re in a group like that.”
“Garrett is that you?” came a female voice. And then I saw a rather odd woman wearing pink panties and a bra to match. A thick coat of white was on her upper lip and her hair was wrapped in a towel. “Oh, you did find a girl to have a date with. Wow. I didn’t think you would find one.”
“And you took a shower even though I asked you to keep an eye on my place, Blanch,” Garrett replied.
I had no idea what sort of relationship the two had, but I wasn’t happy about it. “Care to explain?”
He shook his head. “You can close your door now, Blanch.”
“You’re welcome,” the crazy-looking woman said then slammed her door.
We went to the door across the hall, much to my relief. “Thank God. I thought you might be living with that woman.”
He laughed as he opened the door that wasn’t locked. “No. I asked her to watch my door since I left it unlocked. I thought you might come while I was gone and didn’t know what else to do. I try not to talk to Blanch much. She’s a little on the crazy side.”
“I saw that.” Following him inside his home, I knew he would’ve been disappointed in the way I kept my home. “Nice place.” He had a sofa and a chair. And they match. His kitchen had things in it, as mine did not.
“It’s a loft apartment.” He pointed up and I saw that there was only half a ceiling. The rest was iron rafters that went all the way up to the metal roof. “It can get drafty. But when that happens, I just cuddle up in my bed. It’s up that swirling staircase. There’s walls and a ceiling up there. You know, like a real bedroom. Only the one wall is left out and you can look all the way down here from the railing. The main complaint that I have is the bathroom is down here.”
“The bathroom in my place in Arlington is in my bedroom. I mean, there’s a door and stuff, but it’s right there. No real privacy. At least here, you could have a bit of privacy. You know?” I wasn’t much to talk about housing issues. “But whatever. I mean this is nice. Much nicer than my place.”
Taking a seat on the sofa, he patted the place next to him. “I’m ordering pizza. What kind is your favorite?”
I had messed up our whole date by believing Dean. “No.” I pulled out my phone. “I’ll find a place that delivers, and I will get the dinner I promised you.” I pointed at the little table for two he had in the kitchen. “You’ve even got a dinette set. Let me do this. I want to do this.” I wasn’t going to take no for an answer. “I am going to do this.”
“Okay then.” He put his phone away as I found an Italian restaurant not too far away and put in an order for exactly what I’d promised him I would bring. Then I remembered the beer and put in a Favor order to get that coming our way. Lucky for me, there were two empty beer cans sitting on the coffee table, so I knew exactly the brand to buy. “Done.” I leaned back next to him.
His arm slipped around my shoulders. “You handled that quickly.”
“I told you that I’m a pro at takeout.”
“How’d you know my address?” he asked with a grin.
There was a magazine with a motorcycle on the cover. Of course, there was a gorgeous woman straddling it, wearing thigh-high leather boots. Pointing it out, I let him know how I got the address, “It’s on the mailing label of your dirty picture magazine.” Then I turned my cell phone to him, to show him that he’d put his address into it. “And there was this too. Guess you forgot that you gave it to me.”
Pulling me in close, he wore a smile. “I like how smart you are.”
“And I like how cute you are.” I owed him an apology and thought a kiss might be a great start to that. Pursing my lips, I leaned in until our mouths met. “I’m very sorry.”
>
“Stop apologizing. That shithead is to blame.” He kissed me again. “And I really like the way you say you’re sorry. It’s quite satisfying.”
Running my hands over his cheeks, I couldn’t stop smiling. “How do you make me so happy without even trying?”
“How do you make me want to kiss you all over?” He laughed. “Mysteries I think we’ll never solve, baby.”
A knock on the door startled me. But then a voice on the other side, called out, “Favor. I brought your beer.”
“Ah!” Jumping up, I went to the door, pulling money out of my pocket as I did. Opening it, I found a chubby guy with long black hair holding a bag that said, Rudy’s Corner Store, on it. “Hi.”
“Hi. I’m Max. I’ve got your order here. And I added some fresh popcorn. On the house. My girlfriend is working tonight, and she just made it. I couldn’t resist.” Holding out the bag, he looked past me at Garrett. “Oh, hey, you guys in the mood to chill? Like, I can totally help out with that. Only twenty bucks.”
I watched Garrett’s eyes go wide as he shook his head. “No! Thanks, bye.” He jumped up, coming to the door, but I quickly moved to get between him and the guy I’d been looking for.
“Max, right? You said your name is Max and you said your girlfriend’s name is Greta, right?” I reached out in a gesture to get him to come inside. “Please, come in. We would love to see what you have to help us chill.”
For a moment, Max’s dark eyes flashed with dollar signs. But then he started backing up. “I didn’t tell you my girl’s name. This is a setup.” Turning around quickly, he tried to run.
Only I had him by the back of his t-shirt before he could get away. My gun pressed against his side, I asked him very nicely, “Can you please come in and talk to me, Max. There’s no need to run. I’m not taking you to jail. I just have questions that I would like you to answer for me.”
With a gun stuck in his ribs, he did the smart thing and came into the apartment. “Look, I really can’t tell you anything.”