by Rye Hart
Gina was my best friend and one of the most beautiful girls I’d ever met. She had naturally dark hair and skin that was the color of deep mahogany. Her eyes were almost gold and reminded me of honey. She could have been a damn model if she wanted to. Too bad she was more interested in biology.
The average person wouldn’t expect us to be friends. Gina got herself into her fair share of trouble, but she made up for it with her ridiculous intelligence. She was a freshman at the University of Georgia and lived on campus. She came home during the weekends, but I didn’t see her as much as I would have liked. Gina was one of my only friends and when she wasn’t in Atlanta this massive city felt so damn lonely.
“You don’t look like you’re ready to go to the bar,” I murmured, eyeing her fitted jeans and tank top.
Gina snorted a little and crossed her arms over her chest. “Girl, you know my mama wouldn’t let me leave in club gear,” she said holding up her backpack. “What about you?”
“You know I don’t dress up for that shit,” I said, tapping my foot.
“And why not?”
“I’m just not interested in drawing the attention of guys at bars, especially if the city is going to be full of bikers,” I murmured, shrugging.
Gina didn’t really understand my aversion to bikers. They came through Atlanta often enough that the locals didn’t think much about them. They were an expected nuisance like fire ants or mosquitos. They might nip at your legs and arms, but they weren’t going to cause any real damage. I just didn’t see them that way.
I knew about the things my dad had done in his ‘wild years’. My mother told me all about the stores he burned down and the fights he started. There was even a rumor that he was involved with a drug ring and some possible murders. I wasn’t sure about the last two but I wouldn’t put it past him. He’d been an addict his whole life and never managed to break the cycle of addiction. My mom thought he was clean but I’d caught him using more than once. I’d considered telling her about this, but I didn’t really want to go back to Boston.
“You’re no fun,” Gina said with a pout, dipping her fries in her milkshake.
“I’m plenty of fun. You just like going to dangerous places and I end up being den mother. I always have to save your ass.”
“Yeah. Like that time you stopped me from going home with the guy in the Ferrari?” she snorted, rolling her eyes.
“Rich guys murder people too,” I pointed out, stealing some more fries. I didn’t want to spend my own money, so I wasn’t above stealing Gina’s food. “You’re too trusting.”
She sighed and shook her head. “No, you’re too paranoid. You have this ‘bad girl in a leather jacket’ persona, but you’re scared of your own damn shadow.”
I hated when she read me like that. Gina was going to get herself kidnapped one day and I couldn’t help but worry about her overly trusting nature.
“It’s not fear. It’s caution,” I murmured.
“Whatever you call it, it’s no fun,” she said simply.
“You say shit like that and it makes me want to go home.”
Gina sighed and got in on the same side of the booth, draping her arm around me. “I’m not being mean. I just want you to loosen up a little and have some fun.”
“I’m plenty loose.”
“No you aren’t. I can tell by those clothes. Now, let’s hit the mall so we can get you something decent to wear.”
“You aren’t going to let this go, are you?” I asked, frowning a little.
“Not until I see your perfect ass in a dress that actually shows it off.”
I rolled my eyes but sighed and nodded. “Fine. If it’ll shut you up.”
Gina squealed and threw her arms around me, kissing my cheek excitedly. “You’re going to be so pretty!”
I didn’t know if I should take that as a compliment or an insult and I wasn’t quite as excited as she was - but I didn’t like the idea of Gina going a place like that without me so I guess it wouldn’t hurt to pretend.
Chapter Three
“You seriously expect me to walk into the bar looking like this?” I hissed, pulling at the hem of the incredibly tight black dress.
It was made out of a fake leather and hugged every curve of my body in ways I wasn’t really enjoying. This black leather dress was a big change from my normal attire. I fucking hated it.
“You look so good! Quit whining and put your heels on!” she said, handing me heels that looked more like booties.
“I draw the line at heels,” I said quickly, turning away from her and crossing my arms.
“You’re going to look ridiculous if you wear Converse in that dress!”
“Then I’ll look ridiculous. I already told you that I’m not out here to find a man. I don’t want anything to do with those bikers,” I growled, turning away from her.
“You can be so damn stubborn,” she sighed, crossing her arms as street lights blurred past us.
We were back on the tram and heading across the city. The bar we were headed to was on the outskirts of town since biker bars didn’t normally last long in big cities. There was enough crime in downtown Atlanta and the police didn’t want to complicate the situation with a damn biker bar.
“You always throw a fit when I want to go to a biker bar.”
“It’s dangerous, okay? I know you think the world is all butterflies and sunshine but there are sick people out there and bikers can fall under that category” I said simply, still unhappy about the situation.
She sighed and took my hand. “Look, it’s not that I think the world is perfect. I know there are fucked up people out there. I mean, I grew up in Atlanta, girl. I had to deal with racism and sexism every day of my life. I got bullied, threatened and everything else. I know there are bad people, but you can’t let those people define your world. I’m not going to give up on everyone because of a couple of bad eggs. I’d rather believe that people are good until they do something bad.”
I sighed and looked over at her for a moment. “But what if the bad thing they do is to you?”
“It’s a risk you take. I mean every time you get out of bed you run the risk of breaking your neck!” she said with a soft smile. “It’s always so strange to see you like this. You’re so outgoing and fun with me. You’re always taking risks, but when it comes to people, you’re just so damn hesitant.”
I set my jaw, not wanting her to know what was really going on in my head. I was hiding again. Even now I was hiding from my best friend. I shrugged a little and shook my head.
“I guess it’s just one of my quirks,” I said simply in a tone that indicated the conversation was over.
Gina opened her mouth to continue but shut it after a moment, sighing and shaking her head. “Whatever you say darling,” she murmured.
She didn’t bring it up again for the rest of the trip and we rode in silence, tapping away at our phones in order to avoid uncomfortable conversation. When we finally reached our destination, we shuffled off the tram and started walking down the sidewalk, our hips swaying and Gina’s heels clacking on the cement.
Gina smiled and looped her arms with mine, “Are you going to be angry with me all night?”
“Not all night. Just most of it,” I said, though I offered her a small smile and kissed her check.
It was Friday night and the streets were busy with people, laughing a little too loudly and drinking a little too much. That was probably going to be a running theme for the night, but I tried to not let it bother me.
We wandered to the doors of the bar and flashed our IDs. The man glanced at them before handing them back, not even giving us a second look. Our IDs weren’t great (though Gina insisted they were flawless) but bouncers didn’t really pay much attention at the end of the day, especially to girls in short dresses.
The bar was crowded and a bit too loud. As we walked through, I could feel all eyes on us and it made me more than a little nervous. I gripped Gina’s hand and followed her through the b
ar, less afraid for myself and far more afraid of letting her out of my sight.
“Girl, will you calm down? It’s going to be fine.”
Chapter Four
It was as if the cruel forces of the universe took my fears and transformed them into physical reality. We were barely there for two hours before I lost track of Gina. I prided myself at being able to reel that girl in and tonight I was failing miserably. I’d already pulled her off a complete stranger in the bathroom, but at some point between then and now, she’d disappeared and I was in a bit of a panic.
I was walking through the dimly lit bar on my own, trying to ignore the stench of whiskey that completely filled the bar from floor to ceiling. Despite my ‘leather jacket wearing bad girl persona’, I wasn’t much of a drinker. I’d watched both my parents suffer with alcoholism and a range of other problems so I wasn’t really interested in booze.
As if the smell of liquor wasn’t bad enough, every step I took was accentuated by a cat call that made my skin crawl. Most of the men in the club were old enough to be my dad and the ones that weren’t looked like heroin addicts. This was not the kind of crowd I wanted to be in to find a partner.
I walked along the bar, looking around the crowd and trying to spot my friend. I was so wrapped up in my search that I didn’t notice the man that reached for my ass. The slight pinch made me scream and I turned around, my hand snapping out on instinct. I connected with the man’s face and my nails managed to dig into the skin a little.
The man stared at me, blood starting to trickle into his beard. I immediately felt my heart start to beat a million miles a minute. “You little-” his words faded as he raised a glass and aimed it at my face.
I ducked just in time but the glass slammed into the back of another man’s head. This wasn’t good. Soon enough there was a heady brawl going on. People were yelling and screaming and others were starting to throw things. Glass broke overhead and pool cues started snapping.
Everything was happening so fast and I had no idea what to do or where to go. This was everything I’d been afraid of. Every fear I’d ever managed to come up with in my head was coming to fruition now and I didn’t know how to handle it.
My eyes darted to the bar and I gasped, managing to crawl over to it and crawl under the little piece of wood that swung up to let the bartender in and out. I pressed my back against the bar, my heart racing and eyes wide. I could hear men screaming and glass breaking. I wanted to make sure that Gina was alright but my heart was pounding in my ears and tears were starting to stream down my face. I felt like a coward but I was too scared to move.
I covered my head with my arms and let out a few choked sobs, hoping the police would come and end the fight. I could imagine the guns being pulled and bullets flying around me. My heart stuttered a bit and my eyes snapped open. I knew I needed to get out of here.
My gaze darted around the dusty, smoky room and landed on an emergency exit. If I could make it out that door, not only would I be out of the bar, but it would also set off alarms and possibly stop the fighting. Everyone might run out, thinking there was a fire or something.
I took a deep breath and decided I had to do it. I could be helping Gina by getting out that door. I jumped up and leapt over the swinging door, tripping and stumbling forward. The door was nearly in reach and my hands reached for it. The little ring of light that snuck in around the door frame was like a halo. I was so close.
Before I could reach the door, strong arms snatched me off my feet. I screamed and struggled against the man who had a hold on me, my eyes wide in terror. As I turned I came face to face with the man I’d slapped earlier. He had a wicked grin on his face.
“Where do you think you’re going, little girl?”
Chapter Five
I stared at the man, his face inches from mine. I could see the few crooked and yellowed teeth he had left and I could see the little brown spots along his face. They told the story of a life spent baking in the sun, though I could have guessed that just as easily by the leathery look of his skin.
God, I wanted to say something smart. I wanted to rip him a new one, but the fear in my belly was stronger than my desire to be a smartass. I hated the way I felt right now. I’d spent my life being a petulant teenager and living on adrenaline. I’d always thought of myself as invincible, but here I was, being held in the air by a man who was ready to kill me. I honestly didn’t see myself getting out of this in one piece.
He yanked me around and forced me to look out over the bar, which had devolved into a riot. A chair smashed through the window and a tall blonde man followed it.
“Look what you’ve done, bitch,” he snarled. “These men are going to tear each other apart and it’s your own damn fault.”
Suddenly I found my voice and began yanking at the man who had a hold of me. “Bullshit! I didn’t do anything! You shouldn’t have touched me!” I snapped.
The bearded man stared at me, his eyes wide. He was clearly surprised that I’d actually spoken up for myself. It took him a moment to recover, but when he did he drew his arm back, hand curling into a fist. Oh man, he was going to punch my lights out.
“You’re going to be sorry you said that,” he whispered.
I screamed and squeezed my eyes closed as I mentally prepared myself for the pain I knew was coming. My heart was slamming in my chest so hard that I was sure it would burst through my ribcage. At least that might scare him bad enough that he’d let me go.
My own scream echoed in my mind and it took me a moment to realize that the bar had gone completely silent. I was still conscious and the pain never came. My eyes flew open and I looked around the bar, surprised by the way the other men were staring in awe, their eyes following something, or rather, someone.
He moved through the crowd like a river. Men who were still mid-fight parted to let him pass, their gazes following with a sort of fearful awe. I didn’t know who he was, but it was clear to me that these men feared and respected him.
“I wasn’t doing’ anything wrong, Dylan! This bitch slapped me and caused this commotion,” he said, waving his arms around wildly as if to make a point.
Damian was tall and looked to be quite a bit younger than the men whose company he kept. His hair was thick and as black as the midnight sky. It was a bit long and swept back away from his tanned face, the ends barely brushing his shoulders. His hair was a stark contrast to his icy blue eyes which seemed to penetrate right through me and the man.
He cracked his neck a little and looked between us. “Put her down Snake!”
“Boss!” Snake nearly whined.
“I said put her down!” he roared, his voice echoing through the otherwise silent room.
Snake set me on my feet slowly, glaring at me as Dylan approached me. “Did you slap my friend here?”
“Y-Yeah,” I stuttered.
“Why?”
“Because that pig touched my ass! I was minding my own business looking for my friend and he just reached out and touched me!” I snapped, pleading my case.
Dylan’s eyes turned back to Snake. “Is this true?”
“Well, yeah, but look at her, Boss. She came in a biker bar dressed like that! What was I supposed to do?!”
“You know better than that, Snake,” Dylan said, sounding more like a disappointed parent than the leader of a biker gang. “You know you don’t touch a woman without her express permission.”
“Apologize to the young lady,” Dylan growled.
Snake babbled out a strangled apology and I huffed, turning my head away from him. “I forgive him,” I sighed, trying to sound almost bored.
My legs were shaking still and I was embarrassed about it. There was still quite a bit of adrenaline coursing through me and while I was still shaking rather badly I wanted to reclaim a little bit of my attitude.
Dylan smiled and released Snake, letting him slide to the floor as he approached me. “Now, as for you,” he growled, pointing a thick finger at me. “Listen, I don’t
know you but you really shouldn’t get involved in a physical altercation in a bar filled with bikers. You can see from the looks of things, that shit hit the fan quick. You’re better off staying out of places like this.”
“Look - I appreciate you stepping in but that fucker’s behavior isn’t on me” I said, suddenly upset even though this man had saved me.
Dylan walked towards me, his eyes narrowed and his presence powerful. There was a darkness to him that scared me and excited me all at the same time. He stalked towards me and I backed myself into a wall without thinking, swallowing my fear. I didn’t want him to know I was startled by his embrace.
He leaned in close enough that I could feel his breath on me. On my throat then up to my chin and my lips. I could hear him breathing in my scent. He smirked and put his hands on the wall on either side of my waist, trapping me between himself and the wall.
“Sweetie. You really don’t want to get in my line of sight. I might just have to teach you a listen that you wont forget. I think that would be too much for you to handle.” he grinned, “Unless, ofcourse that’s what you want.” Finally pushing himself off the wall and stepping back to look me up and down.
My heart was in my throat and I wanted to say something clever, but the words wouldn’t come out. My mouth was as dry as a desert. I really fucking turned on and I could feel the wetness between my legs growing. Those steely eyes drew me in for some reason, and the fact that he was so damn powerful made me want him even more. What was wrong with me?
“I’m not going anywhere without my friend.” Right on cue, Gina threw her arms around me, gasping loudly in my ear. “Alex!” the voice whined, holding me tight.
I knew that voice better than I knew my own. “Gina?” I looked over my shoulder to see her reddened cheeks as she held me tight.