by Kasey Krane
“I’m going to have to make a complaint with management regarding your lateness,” I said with a stony face.
“Aww…shucks!” Spike commented.
The girl straightened up and stared at me without blinking.
“To whom? Hank?” she asked.
“That your manager’s name?”
“Well, he’s the only other staff here.”
“Yeah, then maybe I’ll speak to him about the service.”
“I’m sure he’s looking forward to your constructive criticism,” she snapped and whipped around in the same breath. We watched her walk away quickly.
“Man, you may have pushed it a little too far,” Spike said.
I watched her weave her way around the tables. This time, she didn’t turn to look at me but I couldn’t take my eyes off her butt in those jeans. I knew I needed to claim her.
I stood up.
“You goin’ somewhere?” Ghost asked.
I didn’t respond to him. They didn’t need to know my business. It would only lead to more jokes and sniggers anyway.
She was behind the counter when I went up to her, busy filling up someone’s shot glass with vodka.
“I have no intention of actually speaking to Hank,” I said. I wanted to make sure she wasn’t offended.
“And I really don’t care,” she replied without looking up. The guy beside me drank his shot of vodka and tapped the glass on the counter for more.
“It was supposed to be a joke,” I added.
She poured him another shot.
“I’m not laughing.”
He drank it, wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.
“No, I can see you’re not.”
“You’re observant,” she remarked, and finally, her blue eyes settled on me.
The guy sighed. He didn’t ask for another shot. Instead, he left a few dollar bills on the counter and walked away.
She took the money and went to the cash register. I followed her down the counter on the other side.
“Can I help you with something? Do you want another beer?” she asked.
“Not yet. I just wanted to clarify that you can be as late as you want with my orders. I don’t mind waiting.”
I saw the dip in the front of her shirt, a few buttons unclasped. I could see her cleavage. Her shape was soft and athletic. I had an idea that I could mold her to any shape while I fucked her.
“What is your name?” she asked as she pinged the cash register close. Her blue eyes shone as she stared at me.
“Flash.”
“Flash?”
“What’s yours?”
She was smiling now. She thought my name was funny. Finally. Something to make her smile!
“Allegra,” she informed.
“That’s a killer name.”
She rolled her eyes and shook her head.
“I have to get back to work. I don’t want anyone else to complain to Hank. I have a reputation to maintain.”
I said nothing while she started to walk away. Our gazes were locked for a few moments till she eventually looked away. I wished she hadn’t, because now I wouldn’t be able to stop thinking about her.
It was late. We had our drinks, played our pool, made too many jokes at each other’s expense, and now it was time to hit the sack. I’d already arranged for motel rooms for us for the night. It was time for us to leave and get our asses into bed so we could be up the next day at a decent time.
But I couldn’t leave without getting a taste of Allegra.
We’d spent the rest of the night eyeing each other. She seemed to keep her distance from me and every time she brought an order over to our table, she made it clear she didn’t want to make direct eye contact with me.
I let her do her job, but I also let her know I wanted her.
She had to know.
I’d been checking her out all night.
When the others started making to go, I told them I’d see them at the motel the next morning.
The place was practically empty now and I knew they were going to close up soon. So I decided to wait out by the back for her.
Ten minutes, then twenty and finally I saw her step out of the door. I walked up to her and she gasped, clutching her bag to her breast from shock.
“Oh, my God! What are you doing? You scared me!”
“I didn’t mean to. I wanted to talk to you.”
Allegra licked her lips, her shoulders heaving as she watched me. The blue neon sign of the bar blinked above us. Even in this strange surreal light, she was strikingly beautiful.
“I don’t think I have much to say to you, Flash. I really need to get out of here.”
She looked nervous for some reason.
“Why?” I asked.
“Actually, this is my last night here…well, last night was supposed to be my last night but I kinda needed the extra cash so I…anyway, I don’t know why I’m telling you all this.” She added a nervous chuckle and looked up at me. I came closer to her.
“What are you trying to tell me?” I asked.
I wished we were doing less talking and more fucking, but I got the feeling that she needed to be handled sensitively.
She gulped and shook her head.
“I don’t know. Nothing. I’m not trying to tell you anything. I have to go.”
“Where? Where are you going?”
“I’m leaving town.”
“Why?”
“Because I…just have to. That’s the plan. I can’t stay here for too long.”
“Too long?” I asked, a little confused. Allegra shook her head. Her long dark hair shook too, messing up over her eyes.
I closed the gap between us and hooked a finger under her chin. She faced me, her eyes focused on me.
“I can’t stay anywhere too long,” she answered, but that didn’t explain much either.
“I promise you, this won’t take long,” I said and gave her a moment.
Her mouth parted. She was watching me closely. Waiting for me to take the next step.
We lunged at each other at the same time. Our mouths fused and I grabbed her by the waist and picked her up. My tongue was inside her mouth. I shuffled forward, carrying her while she wrapped her legs around me. Her hands were all over me. My mouth was all over her.
We pushed into the side of the building. Her back was up against the wall, pinned up to me. She tasted so sweet, just like I predicted. Her body was warm, so soft. With one hand, I undid her jeans and pushed my hand in. I felt the zing of her teeth on my earlobe. I just wanted to feel her pussy, her hot sticky pussy in my fingers.
A bottle broke with a crash behind me.
“What the…” I growled under my breath and looked over my shoulder.
“Oh, my God! No!” Allegra screamed.
There was a man headed right to us with a broken bottle in his hand.
4
Allegra
It was Billy. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing, couldn’t believe this was actually happening. I’d convinced myself I was imagining him here last night. How could he have found me?
But he did. He found me. And now he was going to kill me. He was going to kill Flash.
I saw the maddened look in his eyes. Anything that stood in the path of him getting to me, he would destroy. He had the broken bottle waving like a flag above his head and he wouldn’t be afraid to use it.
Flash whipped around and in the second before Billy was going to slash his face with it, Flash caught it and threw it to the ground.
It caught Billy by surprise; he staggered backward a little, taken aback by the interruption to his attack.
“You having second thoughts, my man?” Flash asked and there was a lilt in his voice. What the actual fuck? Did he think this was funny?
I could barely breathe.
Billy let out a loud drunken war cry and came charging at us again. Flash got his gut this time. His fist went straight into Billy’s stomach and he doubled over, falling straight
to the ground. He clutched his stomach in pain.
“That’s not the way to introduce yourself to a lady,” Flash quipped.
I could feel my breathing going crazy. I thought I was going to fall to the ground too. It was all too much to bear. Flash looked up at me.
“You okay?”
I tried to get my breathing under control while I stared at Billy groaning on the ground.
“Hey, Allegra, you okay?” Flash’s sharp voice ripped through my thoughts. I looked up at him and shook my head. It was the only thing I could do.
He came toward me with his arms outstretched. Before I knew what he was going to do, he’d picked me up and thrown me over his shoulder.
“You’re coming with me,” he said with a grunt. I didn’t know whether to be scared or relieved by that.
Flash was the kind of guy I had only ever admired from a distance. Big, muscular, tattooed. The kind of guy who wore leather jackets and rode dangerous bikes. The kind of guy you didn’t mess with.
He was hot. Easily one of the hottest guys I had ever laid my eyes on. I’d noticed him the moment he walked into the bar, felt a warm flush in my chest. I had an urge to go and speak to him and at the same time, knew if I looked into his eyes, he’d see what I was thinking.
Dirty thoughts.
Inappropriate.
I was never the type of girl to have a one-night stand with a stranger. Because guys had always fallen all over me, I’d learnt I had to be careful. I was usually very picky about the person I spent time with.
Like Billy. With him, I’d thought I was making the right decision.
But look where that landed me…
So I built up the courage to go speak to this guy. I felt a tingling sensation in my toes and fingertips when he looked at me. Like he could see right through me. Like there was nobody else in the room other than us.
I thought it was just some harmless flirtation, didn’t think it would go beyond the few minutes we spent being mildly passive aggressive toward each other. I certainly didn’t expect him to wait for me till my shift was over. But there he was, refusing to let me go so easily.
I knew I wanted him. He could see it too.
A part of me was thrilled—over the moon—in complete disbelief that he waited for me. When we kissed, I felt like a part of the world exploded around me. Like I actually heard a deafening bomb go off. Our bodies connected, he lifted me up and carried me to the wall and that kiss felt like it was inevitable. Like something I’d been waiting for all my life.
How was that possible? Who was he? His tongue in my mouth, his hand down my jeans. I wanted him to possess me. Something had taken over that I couldn’t control. I didn’t usually behave that way.
Would he believe me if I said that?
But I didn’t get a chance to. Billy found us. He was going to hurt me. He’d hurt Flash in the process. I thought it was all over this time.
But Flash protected me, knocking Billy out with a smile on his face, like it was nothing. He scooped me off the ground and plonked me on his bike without another question, then brought me here to this motel and locked the door behind us. And now he wanted an explanation.
“Do you want to tell me what’s going on?” Flash asked.
I was sitting in the small uncomfortable motel chair. The one by the bed, with the peeling upholstery. It wasn’t a fancy room, but it had the basic amenities like a mini-bar that was fully stocked.
Flash was looking through it as he spoke, scanning the stock for what he wanted. I watched him crouch in front of the fridge. He’d taken his jacket off, and underneath, his thin white t-shirt spread tightly over his muscles. Tattoos crept up his arms. He had heavy looking metal rings on his fingers, tattooed marks on his fingers and hands. His belt was heavy and dangerous-looking—like it could do actual damage.
“Whisky?” he asked, looking at me over his shoulder.
I shrugged.
I was never a big drinker, but tonight felt like the kind of night I couldn’t say no to a drink. Flash screwed open the cap of two mini bottles of JD. He brought them over.
“Drink this; you need it,” he said, handing one over to me. He followed me with his eyes, waiting till I’d fully emptied the bottle down my throat. Then he followed suit. I could feel the liquid traveling down my gullet, settling in the pit of my stomach warmly. He was right; I did need this. I felt a light buzz in the back of my head and despite the fact that Billy was probably still lying in the parking lot of the bar, it didn’t seem so scary anymore.
Flash took a drink from his bottle too.
“I didn’t mean all of it. Like a shot. But good job.” The corners of his handsome lips curled in a grin.
I sighed, running my fingers through my long open hair. It was a little messy and all over the place since the bike ride, but it was the least of my concerns. I could sense Flash’s eyes on me again so I looked up at him.
“Why have you brought me here?” I asked.
“Because you seem like you need to spend the night somewhere safe, somewhere where that dickhead can’t find you. Who is he?” Flash spoke.
I stared at him, trying not to give away exactly how nervous I was. How I could feel my own hands quivering in my lap.
“Jealous ex?” Flash continued. I blinked at him. Was it really that obvious? Of course, it was!
I nodded slowly and he took two large sips of his whisky, then threw the bottle into a bin nearby and crouched down in front of me.
I still had to tilt my face up to look at him because he was so much bigger. I had a thought—a memory of what it felt like to be carried by him, thrown over his shoulder.
“He can’t get to you here tonight, alright? You’re safe here,” he said.
I nodded. I knew he was right. I knew Flash would keep me safe.
“Is he the reason why you said you’re skipping town?” he asked.
I nodded again. I couldn’t bring myself to actually say the words.
“What about your family? Friends? Do they know you’re leaving?”
I gulped, realizing Flash had it all wrong.
“I’m not from here. I’ve only been in this town for about two weeks. I’m kinda…just passing through.”
His brows furrowed as he stared at me. His eyes were deep, brown and intense. He had the kind of stare that meant something. Like his brain was always whizzing and churning.
“So where are you from? What are you doing here?”
I took in a deep breath and stood up, unsure if I was prepared to answer those questions. They were too suffocating. I hadn’t explained my situation out loud to anyone.
“Maybe I should go back…I erm…I need to get to my car.”
Flash straightened up and came toward me.
“Okay, so you don’t want to talk. That’s okay. You don’t need to leave over it.” He held my gaze firmly and I believed him. I believed that he wouldn’t force me to answer his questions.
“How about another drink?” he suggested.
“What about my car?”
“What about it?”
“What if he…he might…”
“Damage your car?” Flash asked.
I licked my lips nervously, watching as he went over to the mini-bar again.
“Wouldn’t you rather be safe here tonight? Out of his reach? Than go looking for your car that may or may not be damaged by him?”
He had a point.
This was the first time in the past year—since I’d left my hometown and gone on the run—that I had someone’s company. Someone who I was inclined to trust. Could I really trust this man? I knew nothing about him. What if he was just as dangerous as Billy?
But as much as I tried to convince myself that Flash was not to be trusted, I did. Maybe it was because we’d kissed. Because I’d been in his arms and felt safe there. Even though I knew nothing about this man, I knew that he was able to make me feel something I hadn’t felt in a long time.
Flash was opening two more bottles of JD.
I stared at him while he worked them and then brought them over.
“What are you doing in this town?” I asked him and he smiled.
“I guess that’s a fair question.”
I held the bottle to my lips and drank half of the whisky. I waited for him to do the same and then when he was done, he sat down on the edge of the bed.
“I belong to a Motorcycle Club. The Iron Thunders MC. We’re on a Club Ride. I’m the road captain and this town is our first stop.”
I stared at him in confusion as he spoke. A lot of what he was saying made no sense to me. Even though I knew about bikers and biker clubs, I didn’t actually know anything in detail. But I felt stupid asking him to explain. Flash was looking at me, probably assessing my reaction.
“Do you know anything about MCs? How we work?”
I gulped and shrugged. “I know some.”
He didn’t buy it for a second, and smiled. I could feel my cheeks flushing.
“You can ask me anything you want. I want to make you feel like you can trust me. Like you’re safe here,” he continued.
The question I really wanted to ask him was why? Why did he care what I thought of him? We’d just met. We didn’t know each other. In the morning, I’d be gone and we’d probably never see each other again.
“What is your real profession?” I asked, assuming that was a safe enough enquiry. For some reason, Flash burst out laughing.
“You don’t think this is a real job? Being the Road Captain to my MC?” He was laughing and didn’t seem offended. My cheeks burned even brighter.
“I’m just curious how you make a living, that’s all.”
He finished the remainder of the whisky from his bottle. I drank mine too.
“We have our means. We have a few businesses. We even have a security store, where we sell cameras and security gear. Shit like that.”
I nodded. “And what about your other businesses? What are they about?”
He clenched his jaws. He came toward me and for a second I thought he was going to grab me. But he didn’t.
“You have your secrets to keep, so do I. How about we don’t talk about the shit we don’t want to?”