Born to Ride

by Kasey Millstead

  “He's reeeeal bossy too,” I said to Julian.

  “Kitten,” Talon growled.

  “All right, jeepers.” I grabbed Julian's hand and led him over to the couch. The silently watching Violet and Warden moved to stand near Talon across from us.

  Julian sat between Deanna and me, and Mattie breathed deeply and plopped himself on the edge of the couch.

  “Hey, I'm Julian.” He held his hand out to Deanna.

  “Deanna.” She gave him a chin lift.

  “What's going down here?” Julian asked.

  “Her P.P. man is waiting for an explanation on her past, and why she fuckin' wants to up and leave ever since Mattie found her.”

  Julian raised his hand yelling, “Oh, oh. I know why. 'Cause her crazy ex, right?”

  Deanna nodded and went on. “So now, the idiot keeps getting in her pea brain head that it's best to just up and run to keep her and Maya safe as well as everyone else here.”

  “Oh, shut up!” I glared. “You don't get it. No one does. If he finds me, someone will end up getting hurt. I'm—”

  “Woman.” Everyone looked to Griz when he barked that one word. The other bikers who had been playing with their phones or quietly talking amongst themselves fell silent and stood straighter as if waiting for their queue. “That's why I left earlier. You may have a hard time coming to terms that you're Talon's woman, but once he claimed you, you became a part of Hawks. We take care of our own, and now, that means you. So don't fuck around with thinkin' and worrying 'bout us. We live for this shit. We’ll protect you no matter what shit you dribble. Ain't that right, boys?”

  A chorus of 'Fuck yeah', 'Damn straight', and wolf calls echoed through my tiny house, which brought tears to my eyes.

  I held up one hand. “But—”

  Griz interrupted and said, “Shut ya gob and go with it; nothing you say will change anything. Now get the fuck back to work.”

  I realized he wasn't talking to me when the bikers started to disappear out the front door. Only a few stayed: Griz, Blue and Pick.

  “Kitten, it's finally fuckin' time to sort this shit.”

  Me being my stubborn self-shook my head. I thought if he didn't have the information, he couldn't go off halfcocked and get him and his boys hurt.

  “Okay, if you ain't talkin', I will,” Deanna yelled.

  “Don't. You. Dare,” I hissed.

  Violet cleared her throat. “If she doesn't, I will. You need to stay safe. And against all my better judgment, I think my brother can do that.”

  “How do you know her shit?” Deanna snapped.

  Vi crinkled her nose, raising her upper lip. “Barbie, I'm a PI; of course I done a check on her.”

  “You suck, just like your brother.” I glared, crossed my arms over my chest, and slouched down in the couch.

  “Just for that comment, I'll tell your whole frigging history.”

  “Violet!”

  “Nope.” She shook her head.

  “Someone just fuckin' start talkin',” Talon sighed. “Give me the info I need to keep my woman safe.”

  Whoops, guessed he'd had enough.

  Vi took a breath and began, “Zara Edgingway was actually born Zara Alexander. She accidentally told me her last name when she came in, and I realized it was different from the one on her resumé. Zara grew up in Manly, NSW with her parents and her brother Matthew. She graduated high school. But then she met David Goodwill when she was working at Starbucks. He charmed her into believing he was a good, caring guy. They married young, but—”

  I couldn't look at anyone. David had suckered me into his fairytale, and now my whole life was being aired like some leather-fetished grandma.

  “—unbeknownst to Zara, David Goodwill dealt with the Mob on the side of his club business. He's also dabbled in drugs, selling women, and guns. He's one evil motherfucker.”

  Fruit basket! I knew he was bad, but not like that.

  “Why'd you leave him, Zara?”

  Oh, that hurt. No kitten, but Zara. I couldn't tell him the real reason. I was already Zara; if he really knew the truth, the filth, what would I become then? Nothing. So I shook my head and lied, “I found out what he did.”

  “Zee,” Deanna uttered. I caught her gaze with my own pleading eyes. She sat back and said nothing.

  Something shattered. I gasped and looked up to see that Talon had thrown a vase to the ground, one that had been near the television. “Don't fuckin' lie to me!”

  “Talon.” Blue barked.

  “I'm not, and don’t throw my stuff around,” I said with my head held high.

  “Two years I've waited for you to come to me. I've been waiting and watching, Zara. I know you; I know when you're angry, when you're sad, upset, worried, happy, horny, and fuckin' lyin'. Tell me the truth. Why did you leave him?”

  My bottom lip trembled. Goddamn him for saying that shit to me. The ass wasn’t allowed to say nice stuff. I was gonna have to ban it from the house.

  This could work, though. If I told him, he'd move on. Let me go. It would hurt, but it'd be for the best.

  Standing, I glared at him, my fists clenched at my sides and yelled, “You really wanna know? I'd had enough of his beatings—” The room was eerily quiet except from Julian's gasp, “—but what topped it off, what had me call Deanna in the middle of the night and escape, was when he came home drunk, beat me, and then raped me!” I pounded my chest.

  Um, maybe I shouldn't have yelled. Talon's own hands were clenched; he was breathing deeply through his nose. A mountain of rage filled the room, and I was pretty sure I'd have witnessed lasers shoot out of his eyes if Griz didn't start ordering.

  “Fuck! Deanna, take Zara to her room. Gay guys, PI's, go with them.” Blue and Griz ran across the room and grabbed Talon's arms. “Go now,” he growled.

  Vi, Warden, and Mattie were already heading down the hall. Deanna grabbed my hand; Julian took the other one, and dragged me along with them. We'd gotten my door shut before a roar of fury filled the house. “I'm gonna fucking kill that motherfucker! Let. Me. Go.”

  The boys must have let go because the next thing we heard was things being thrown around.

  “Talon, get the fuck outside,” Blue yelled.

  We listened to the front door being snapped open, hitting the wall.

  “Clean this shit; we'll calm him,” Griz said to someone.

  Moments later, the rumble of Harleys started and took off down the street.

  “Well, honey, pumpkin skin, I think I can honestly say I have never seen this much action in all my life. I love it here. Mattie, we're moving.” Julian smiled from where he sat next to me on the bed.

  “That was fuckin'...wow. I have never seen a man that...super angry before. Hot or what?” Deanna gleamed with excitement. She was sitting on the other side of me.

  Still, Deanna and I both knew we’d seen others that angry before, but this was a totally different situation. We knew that no harm would come from said super angry person. It was actually funny how un-scared I was, especially with what my past had detailed. In fact, I was anything but scared; what I felt was nauseous and sad that I had upset Talon in any way.

  “So hot I think I came in my pants. Sorry, honey,” Julian said. Mattie smiled and nodded in agreement, then patted Julian's leg.

  “Hot-frigging-headed. He's always been like that,” Vi said, shaking her head. She and Warden were standing in front of the door.

  “Maybe...maybe he'll leave me alone now,” I uttered.

  “Oh, here the fuck we go. Where is that mushed up brain of yours leading you?” Deanna asked.

  “Now he knows.”

  “What, Zara?” Mattie asked.

  “He knows I'm not good for him. I'm filthy.”

  “Fuck” Warden hissed, opened the door, and left.

  “Too much girl talk for him, I'm guessin',” Julian smiled. “And Zara, my potato pie. From what I just witnessed and heard, Talon is far from done with you. You ain't filthy, girl; that pubic h
air flossing ex of yours is as good as dead. You are much loved here, woman, and if it ain't you or Deanna or Talon doing the killing, you're going to have many others stepping forward to fulfill that job. That fucktard should never have laid a harmful hand on you. He's gonna pay, poptart. No matter what you say. And Talon will be at your side through all this hell to come. Everyone can see the hard-on he has for you.”

  Chapter Six

  “Alright, while my brother goes off to cool his jets, I need information. First, why are you so interested in running off half-baked? Which will probably get you into more trouble than before,” Violet asked, nearly looking as angry as Talon had.

  “Someone would have followed Mattie. I need to get out of here before they show up, or dickhead gets here himself.”

  “Not that she's sure Mattie was followed; if anything, they would have followed Julian,” Deanna said. “Fuck,” She uttered when she saw my wide eyes of worry.

  “You're safer here than anywhere else in the world. Talon will go to great lengths to keep you that way. As you can see and have heard a million times, Zara, it's not only him; I'm sure Barbie would as well. Then you have me and the guys.”

  I rolled my eyes. “That right there is why I have to go.”

  “You're scared; that's all it is. You're not really thinking.”

  I bounced down to the end of the bed, my flabby belly having a party with all the jiggling at the same time. It must have looked like a treat, but I was pissed. I got up and in Violet's face.

  “Of course I'm scared,” I hissed. “If a man like that was after you, wouldn't you be? And I am thinking as straight as Talon in a gay bar.”

  Julian chuckled behind me. “I'd like to see that.”

  “Oh, no, no. In a gay stripper club,” Deanna added.

  “Shh, you guys,” Mattie ordered.

  Vi glared and said, “No. You. Aren't. If you were, you'd know that this was the right choice, here with us all. Not only the right choice for you, but for Maya. Think, Zara. If you're out there on your own, running for your life, what are you going to tell Maya? How are you really going to keep her safe? You'll be by yourself.”

  I teetered back. “I...I don't know.”

  “I understand the urge to run. I do. But it won't help. It's time to trust the people around you, to lean on them for help when they're so willing to do just that. No matter what may come of the situation.”

  I gracefully–not–flopped back on the bed. Damn, she was right.

  All I wanted was to run, to keep everyone safe, but I hadn't been thinking clearly. Maya was the highest priority, and it hadn’t dawned on me that she'd need more than just me to keep her protected from her cuckoo father. Even if the thought of having others involved in my stuffed-up situation still sent me into panic mode and wanting to sit in the corner sucking my thumb, I needed to stop, take a breath, and think.

  I sat up straight and turned to Mattie. “You have to leave before things get ugly.”

  “If,” Deanna said.

  Mattie smiled. “We're family and I've only just gotten you back in my life—”

  Julian interrupted, “Oh, my Gawd, I'm gonna cry. This is one of those Hallmark moments.” He sniffed.

  Mattie rolled his eyes. “And I've had my fair share of ugly in my life, so I'm kind of used to it.”

  “You better not be referring to me, sac-sucker.”

  Deanna laughed. “I love that one, sac-sucker. I'm going to have to use it.”

  “Make sure to use it on a straight guy. Lordy, that would be funny.”

  Deanna turned to me. “So, you're staying?”

  “Yeah.”

  “You're a fucking miracle worker, but I still don't like you.” Deanna glared at Violet.

  “And you think I care.” She turned her bored gaze to Julian. “I have a question for you, though. How'd you know Mattie was here?”

  “I'd overheard the convo' he'd had with that friend of his who saw Zara down this way. Knew Mattie would leave it for a while and wouldn't approach his sis, so I started to do a little homework myself. Knew my home girl had a little munchkin, and her name. Found the shit I was after on the World Wide Web.”

  “And you didn't tell me because...”Mattie's wild eyes told me he was a little annoyed by the fact Julian hadn’t said anything.

  “Oh, I knew one day you'd sneak off without telling me, on a mission to get to her and not tell her where you'd prefer your dick to lay every night. Of course, I knew if I showed up she'd love me, and in the end wouldn't judge you. Which is how it all worked out.”

  “Still should have informed me,” Mattie mumbled.

  “Your ex doesn't know anything about Maya, right?” Vi asked me as she moved away from the door.

  “Yeah,” I said.

  “That there is great news. He shouldn't be able to find you the way Veronica Mars here did.”

  “Oh, I'll take that; Veronica is hot.” Julian clapped.

  “So what do we do?”

  My door swung open, revealing Warden; his eyes met Violet’s. “Done a sweep. Nothin' out there; your bro already has men on the lookout.” His eyes then fell on me. “Got his number from that wanker out there—”

  “Fuck you,” Pick yelled from the front room.

  “Rang your man; told him what you said—”

  “Warden!” I yelled.

  “On ya, dude.” Deanna laughed.

  “Goodness.” Julian breathed.

  “Shit,” Mattie uttered.

  “He's on his way back.” Just as he said that, we heard the sexy rumble of the Harleys. My heart rate sky- rocketed, and I was ready to run and hide in my closet. But for some reason, I thought the people in the room would have told him where I was. The hairy-ass-rat-faces.

  Quickly scooting back down to the end of the bed where Deanna and Julian were sitting, I placed myself in the middle. We all listened to the front door being opened, heavy footsteps coming down the hall, and then Warden moved away from the doorway as Talon filled it. I gulped and gripped Julian and Deanna's hands. Deanna snorted, let go of my hand, and moved from the bed.

  “That's it; you are no longer my best friend. Let it be known I am now taking interviews to fill her spot,” I told the group.

  She rolled her eyes at me. “Whatever.”

  “Oh, oh. I'll take you up on that. I want a girl bestie, and I'll stand by your side, snookums.” Julian squeezed my hand. I grinned at him. Talon growled low in his throat. “O-o-or not. Later, gator.” Julian moved quickly from the bed, gave me an apologetic smile, and said to Mattie, “Come on, hun. I think Thor wants alone time.”

  My arms went up in the air. “What the hell?” I cried and let my arms fall back down.

  The bedroom door closed, Talon stood leaning against it watching me. I wondered if I'd start whistling and looking around the room, he'd get the hint I wasn't ready for any type of conversation. Or it could just make him unhappier, because he looked very...annoyed? Probably option two, so I refrained from whistling.

  “So-o-o,” I said.

  “Tell me what your mate said wasn't true?”

  “Depends on what he told you.” I went for a sweet smile, raised eyebrows.

  He glared. “That you'd fuckin' think I'd leave you because of what had happened to you?”

  Crap.

  “Uh, maybe. But really, let's look at this.” I tapped my chin. “There isn't really anything to leave because we aren't really together.”

  He stiffened. I gulped and sat straighter.

  “Now isn't the time for fuckin' games. I take a hike to cool my anger, because I just found out my woman-” he clipped, “- had been beaten and raped by her so called ex; and then some dick calls and informs me my woman is in her room looking scared shitless, and wondering if her man would think she's filth.” He took a step closer.

  “What do I have to do to prove this is happening between us? I want this, and I know you want this, no matter what crap you spew.” He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Up
on opening them he said, “You need me to claim your body now; is that it? If I have my dick in you, will you get that this is happening between us?” With one swoop, he removed his tee and threw it to the floor.

  I tried to back up into the headboard of my bed. Waving my arms out in from of me, I perved, drooled, and yelled, “Whoa, hold up there. W-what are you doing?” Oh my God, I've died and gone to bad-boy heaven.

  A thought of David advancing on me like Talon was, flashed through my mind.

  A normal person could have been petrified in this type of situation. But I wasn't. I had also watched and listened to Talon for many years. I knew he talked rough, and his actions screamed scary badass biker, but I also knew he treated women with care. No matter what he said, what he implied or had done, he would never hurt me physically or mentally.

  “Proving to you that I want you. That no matter what your past is, I still want your hot body. You fuckin' drive me insane, kitten. No one else would I let do that to me. No one, kitten, but you.” He was at the end of the bed now. My eyes nearly popped out of my head when he popped the button on his jeans.

  My heart pounded against my chest. Every word, rude or not, warmed me throughout.

  Still, I stuttered through my nerves, “W-wait. Holy hell—uh, wait. Put your tee on for a sec—” I covered my eyes with a hand.

  “Holy shit, he's got his top off,” Julian gasped behind my bedroom door.

  “Fuck, that guy moves fast,” Deanna said.

  “What are you two doing?” Mattie fake-whispered. The door rattled.

  “I just want to see,” Julian whined.

  “See?” I moved my hand and pointed to the door. “We have an audience.”

  “Everyone better fuck off before I kill them all.”

  “I think he's serious,” Julian said.

  “We're not waiting around to find out,” Mattie said.

  “Fuck it,” Deanna complained.

  Talon knelt on the end of the bed. The sight of him, of his muscles flexing, sent a zing to the right spot.

  Still, I said, “Whoa, whoa, whoa. Hold up there, slugger. I can't perform now thinking of them out there.”

  What was wrong with me; why was I stopping this? Scared. Not of him though, of me, of falling into what he had me feeling already.