by K E Osborn
We don’t have to wait long before we hear the sound of a rumbling Harley outside the hotel. A knock comes soon after, and I walk to the door putting on a brave face. This guy could be the start of something big for us so I have to be on my best behavior.
Upon opening the door, the guy standing before me is intimidating. His broad chest is covered in a leather vest, his spiky brown hair and his chiseled jaw with a spattering of growth is all very manly. He’s strong looking with bulging biceps that are covered in tribal ink. He’s tall and has a definite presence about him. The only thing that takes away from his tough biker image is his black rimmed glasses, but somehow he even manages to pull that shit off. If I were a woman, I’d be swooning all over him. I’m not the least bit gay, but I know a good looking man when I see one, and Techie’s a good looking guy.
“Danger?” he asks putting out his hand for me to shake.
“Yep! Techie?” I question.
He nods and I shake his hand. “Nice to meet you. The other guys are in here?”
Nodding, I stand back and let him walk in. He seems like a big teddy bear to be honest, but I have to admit the cut and his stature is definitely intimidating. We walk down to the bedroom and the guys instantly sit up taller.
“Relax guys! I might wear the one percent badge, but I’m not that kind of biker. I’m one of the good guys. I won’t break your legs… unless you deserve it,” he says with a cocky grin.
We all tense up, and he cracks up laughing.
“I’m joking, boys. I’m having a laugh. Did you know that frequent laughter helps the human body fight off harmful diseases? It does this by altering the levels of cortisol in your body. So when you laugh, it lowers your levels of stress and fights off all the nasty and harmful stuff. So you see, boys, you just need to laugh,” he says.
I raise my eyebrow at his little fact session. Lunar was right, he really is a geek, which is in total contrast to the way he looks. It’s actually quite comical, and I can’t help it as a little chuckle escapes my mouth.
“See… there you go. Let that cortisol loose through your body, Danger,” Techie says.
As he says it I break into a fit of laughter, and he smiles like he knows I’m laughing at him.
Ryan, Matt, and Nate are all grinning with hushed chuckles too, and I shake my head as my laughter dies down.
“Okay, well, now that we have the pleasantries out of the way, I guess we need to know how you can help us get started here in Australia.” I take a seat on the couch and he leans back into the cupboard, crossing his legs one over the other and folding his arms.
“Okay, the next point of play is I get you guys into the pubs, clubs and bars around Adelaide for starters, just till you get your mojo back. Then once I have a feel for you and I like what I see, I’ll get in contact with my mates in the industry to come and have a listen to your sound. See if we can line up some bigger venues.”
“Sounds good to me. What do you think guys?” I ask.
“I’m good with that,” Ryan says and Matt and Nate both nod.
“So, how soon can you all start?” Techie asks.
“Well, that’s up to the boys. Not sure how long they need to adjust and for the jet lag to settle—”
“I don’t know about Matt and Nate but I feel like performing as soon as we can. How about two nights, tomorrow to rehearse then perform the next night. I’ve been dying to get back on stage, and I’ve been waiting over a year for the band to be back together,” Ryan states.
“Yeah, I’m not letting some stupid jet lag hold me back,” Nate says.
“Me either,” Matt chimes in.
“Okay, it’s settled then. I’ll set you up to play in a bar in a couple of nights in the city. I suggest looking into hiring a van so you can transport your instruments and shit,” Techie suggests.
“I need to buy a drum kit, and we need to get amps and other stuff we need. We’ve performed before, so we know what we want,” Nate says.
“Awesome. I’ll leave you guys to it and I’ll be in touch with the details. It was great to meet you guys. We’re going to do good things, just you wait and see,” he says nodding his head then turning for the door. I stand up and head out with him.
“Thanks Techie, we really do appreciate you helping us.”
He nods and grins. “It’s my pleasure. Like I said, I’ve heard your stuff. You guys are solid. We can make this happen for you,” he says then turns and walks away, his heavy feet thumping the pavement like some giant caveman. His personality and his look really don’t match. But he seems to be a fantastic guy all round. Turning, I head back down to the bedroom and the guys are grinning.
“So?” I ask.
“He’s cool and really pretty,” Ryan says in an all too effeminate voice making me chuckle.
Nate rolls his eyes and Matt chuckles. “I think if he knows the right people this could be good for us,” Matt suggests.
“Yeah, this could be great. I think he’ll be an asset for sure.”
Chapter Six
After spending the rest of the night pigging out on diner food and just hanging with each other, the next morning we set ourselves the task of purchasing a van and the equipment we need. It’s a must have, seeing as our first show is tonight. Without the right equipment we’ll be royally fucked. We’ve pooled our resources and bought a second-hand van, thinking that in the long run it’ll be cheaper than renting one. We can do what we want to it, but also have the option to sell it when we leave the country and recoup some cash.
From the car yard we went to the biggest and best music outlet we could find, and spent up buying equipment, amps, mics, a drum kit and a guitar for me. Then we exhausted ourselves for the rest of the day rehearsing, getting our groove back and making a play list for tonight.
Now we’re setting up at the venue of tonight’s gig. The place is small, but the acoustics are great. It’s nothing like the stadiums we’ve played in, but we’re starting again and we know we have to work from the bottom. It’s a natural progression. Turning around after plugging in my mic, I see Techie walk in and next to him is Lunar. My chest tightens and my cock twitches seeing her in a tight little dress. She looks stunning with her flowing multi-colored hair.
It’s been bugging me that she hasn’t called since our steamy kiss, but I don’t want to seem like that guy, that desperate guy that messages and calls every second to find out where she is and what she’s doing. Not only that, she said she’d call me and I want to respect that.
She smiles at me, so I jump down from the stage and walk over. The smile on my face comes naturally as I lean out to embrace Lunar. She kisses my cheek quickly. I want to bang her against the bar as my cock starts to stiffen because she smells so fucking good. She pulls back looking me up and down.
“Hey Candy, wasn’t sure I was going to see you again.”
She smirks. “I wasn’t sure you were going to either… but hey here we are. Guess I couldn’t keep away.”
Furrowing my brows, I tilt my head as Techie chuckles and walks off leaving us alone. “So, you weren’t going to call me?”
Her shoulders sag slightly. “You’re from the US, I’m in a biker club. Sure the chemistry is there, and you’re really fucking hot—”
“But?” I interrupt.
“But I think there’s something about you that is, well… dangerous for the lack of a better word. Whether it’s your fragility or your eagerness to be dominant I’m not sure, but your head is all over the place, Danger. You have to know that.”
Fucking Ella, she isn’t even here and she’s fucking everything up.
“I’m damaged goods?” I ask and she winces.
“It just seems to me that when you came into Strapless you had a severely broken heart, and then you latched onto me pretty quickly.”
It finally clicks. “You don’t want to be the rebound?”
She shrugs. “I don’t want to go leaping into something that’s going to end up with anyone getting hurt. I’ve had
enough hurt in my life… you certainly have too. There’s no need to add to it.”
This only makes me like her more. “Then how ‘bout we simply hang out? No expectations. Just spend some time with each other and let fate decide.”
“How very poetic of you,” she says with a smirk.
“I am a musician, I’m supposed to be poetic.”
Lunar giggles. “Okay, we hang out. But don’t expect me to fall for you.”
I chuckle. “Okay, no falling for each other. I got it. Probably a good plan.”
Ryan calls out that we need to do a sound check before the bar opens to the public, and I nod then turn back to look at her.
“Go! Show me what you’re made of, rock star.”
“You wait till you see me on stage, you’re panties are gonna be so wet—”
She bursts out laughing and rolls her eyes. “One… they’re called knickers here, and two… you have tickets on yourself, big guy.”
Laughing, I lean in kissing her cheek with a smile. “Hold onto your knickers, Candy.” I waggle my eyebrows up and down and turn walking off toward the stage.
LUNAR
Stepping up to the bar, I sit down as the band continues to set up. Techie smiles at me over-zealously, and I roll my eyes. “What?”
“He likes you.”
Scoffing, I shake my head. “No shit Sherlock, for a genius you’re not that smart. But we all know that!”
He frowns and tilts his head. “You’re a Snappy Sandy tonight. What’s up your twat?”
I roll my eyes again. “Danger… I don’t know what to make of him.”
“He’s a rocker from America… bad boy persona, bit of a douche… all that stuff. But isn’t that why the ladies will love him?” Techie quips.
“You’re a douche. But seriously, I need to be careful, right? I mean I am club property. I can’t just hang around guys who aren’t brothers.”
Techie swivels to face me and sighs. “Lunar, look, I know Steel finding Willow has been hard on you. I also know you wanted things with him to go further, but he’s really invested in Willow. You need to let Steel go. I’m sorry babe, but he’s let you go. And if Danger is willing to show you a good time, and Steel has loosened his grip on you, then take the reins and run girl. It’s not often club girls can be in the club and explore other options. Steel being VP and letting you do what you want is a blessing in disguise. Don’t be disappointed… be happy that you have your freedom now. You can either… stay in the club and be open to the brothers… trust me we’d love to have you back… or, you can branch out and start looking at the bigger picture. I’m going to get in trouble for saying this, but there’s more to life than the club, especially for women. The men… we’re in it for life. But for you, you can get out. With Steel moving on I think that option’s a good one for you, Lunar. I’m not saying that because I want you gone, I’m saying it because I know you, and seeing Steel with Willow all the time will eat at you, girl. You gotta let go.”
Swallowing hard, I nod. I know he’s right. Seeing Steel get cozy with his new flame is more difficult that I had imagined. I’ve loved Steel since I was seventeen, but that love has never been returned. I have to let him go, and if that’s me letting go of my fear, stepping out of my comfort zone and trying something new with someone a little more dangerous, then maybe I need to do that. Danger thinks I didn’t call him because of his ex drama, but I also didn’t call because of mine. Maybe together we can forget about each other’s pasts and move toward something nice together. Or maybe it will just be a fling while he’s in Australia. Either way, he will be a nice distraction.
“Okay, maybe I’ll live a little more, try something new, see where the road takes me and all that jazz.”
“That a girl. Bartender, a round of shots. We’re celebrating!”
“We are?” I ask raising my eyebrow.
He nods. “To your new found freedom.”
“To my freedom.”
The bartender slides two tequila shots in front of us, and I grin at Techie as we pour the salt on our hands preparing for the shot. The hum of tuning guitars filters through the bar, and my heart rate spikes as I get excited waiting to finally hear Danger’s singing voice.
The crowd trickles in slowly, and I swivel on my stool to face the stage. The crowd isn’t huge. Some are seated in the booths, some at the bar, a few on the dance floor and others are standing around. It seems just like any other night in a typical bar.
Danger steps up to the mic and clears his throat. Everyone looks up to the stage while he smiles a knicker-dropping grin out to the patrons. I draw my bottom lip in with my teeth as even I squirm on my seat watching that smile.
“Hey Adelaide, we’re Recoil, and we’re gonna blow your fucking minds!” he calls out.
The crowd laughs, even some people cheer. Danger furrows his brows like he was expecting everyone to erupt into a frenzy of elation or something. He nods back to the drummer, and he kicks in the beat and then the music begins. As it filters off through the bar, the sound is amazing, euphoric even. It flows through me making the hairs on my arms stand to attention. Their sound is electrifying, and I love it.
Danger steps up to the mic and what happens next sets my soul on fire. His voice echoes through the mic and sweeps into my pores, flooding my veins, filling me up with warmth, like smooth honey being dripped all over me and then he’s licking it off so sexually it’s driving me crazy. I can’t even imagine how someone’s voice can sound so erotic, and so haunting, and so goddamned perfect at the same time. He’s mesmerizing, and as I stare at him moving around the stage and commanding that everyone pay attention the entire room shifts and watches.
All eyes are on the band as the area fills with an electrical charge that flows through the air, flicking from one person to the next, connecting us all with the lyrics he sings and the energy he performs with. This guy’s a magician and he has us all under his spell.
My breathing becomes short and sharp as I stand up in fascination and make my way through the crowd. I stand in the middle of the dance floor right at the front so I can appreciate the full experience of his power. He’s drawing me in, and I can’t help but watch him as his voice works its way into my very core. It’s like nothing I’ve ever experienced in my life as I get lost in his voice.
I chew on my lip nervously as my legs clench together to dull the ache while watching Danger. His slick moves and deep gravelly voice only help my experience as I get lost in a trance.
They’re about half way through playing a set and they’re flawless. You wouldn’t even know they’ve been on a break from performing for the past year. These guys are so pitch perfect that the energy flowing through the room is euphoric. The sounds reverberating through my chest make my heart pump faster as the melodies and beats of their metal rock sound pulse through my veins.
I’ve always loved this style of music, but this—their sound—is amazing. How they haven’t hit it big before, I’ll never know. But then after the music interlude, Danger’s deeply sensual voice breaks through as he sings the lyrics to their song. The words flowing effortlessly from his lips, rolling off his tongue in such a way that his mouth is caressing each word perfectly. I have first-hand experience with how he can caress with that mouth, and those words are in heaven right now.
My thighs clench tightly together as I watch him perform on stage. He’s a consummate entertainer, oozing sex appeal and the crowd is eating it up. The women love him.
He was fucking right, though, goddamn it—my knickers are soaked just watching him. He’s a master at making me want to fuck him while he sings. All I can think about is how he’s stroking the mic stand and how I’m jealous of it. How I wish his fingers were caressing my skin like that, and teasingly edging up and down my side as he kisses me sensually. I want to feel what it’s like to have him pulsing inside of me, as I dig my nails into his back wondering if his skin underneath that shirt is covered completely in tattoos like his neck and arms are. I’m bett
ing every inch of him is covered. I’m also betting more of him is pierced than just his tongue. I like my men a little rough. Hell, I’ve grown up with bikers. I’m used to tattoos and dominance. I crave it, and Danger oozes all of the above.
Shaking my head as he sings the last of his song, my thighs clench firmly together needing him to touch me. I’m not sure if I can hold out tonight, I might be going back to his hotel with him. I might be letting go. And I might just let myself feel something for another man for once. What harm could it possibly do?
He ends the song and spots me in the middle of the dance floor staring up at him. He smirks and hops off the stage right in front of me, our bodies almost touching. He’s breathing heavily from singing, and I’m breathing heavily from watching him. I can’t contain myself any longer, I jump up into his arms wrapping my legs around his waist and cling onto him thrusting my lips to his. He’s tense as he holds me like he’s shocked by my actions, but quickly recovers and kisses me back gripping his fingers into my ass as he chuckles into my mouth. His tongue ring glides against my lips, and as I pull back I look him in the eyes with a smile.
“Like the show?” he asks.
I smile and nod. “Can I come back to your room?” I ask forwardly.
He swallows hard, his smile falling and his face turning serious. “You wanna come back to… talk?” he asks raising an eyebrow.
I shake my head slowly from side to side chewing on my bottom lip. “I don’t want to talk. I want to forget. I think you want to forget too, and I think we should help each other with that.”
He purses his lips and takes a deep breath as his cock hardens against my pussy where it’s pressing against him. “Pretty sure I can handle a night of forgetting.”
“Good.” Leaning in, I kiss him again and his mouth connects with mine as his tongue dances along to an imaginary rhythm. Danger’s kisses are hypnotic. A flutter starts in my belly sending butterflies into a flurry. A slight buzz of electricity threatens to fizzle in the air around me. Seriously, I could kiss this man for hours.