Rust: A Bad Boy Romance (Courage MC)

by Kara Hart

  They roared when they saw Bobby. “We got ‘em!” Bruce shouted. Everyone in the room started screaming, “Toast! Toast! Toast!” They wanted to hear their boss give them the speech of a lifetime. I didn’t blame ‘em. I did too. It was a triumphant day.

  “Alright, alright. Settle down. Look, uh … it’s been a tough fight. But we came out victorious. There were some inner struggles within Courage, but those of us who kept wishin’ for better things, stayed strong. Now, some may say that we can’t stay a tight knit crew for long. You know what I say to that? Go to hell!” Cheers erupted throughout the club. “Because anyone who says we won’t last, doesn’t know the Courage faction! They don’t know what we do to people who talk back to us. I present to you, Bobby Farole!” We grabbed his huge body and lifted him up onto the stage.

  “And this here’s our brother Luke!” I shouted. “Some of you may know, he sold us out. He was consumed with pride and jealousy. And he was swallowed up by it. Well, tonight he lost his kneecaps. And tomorrow? Well, I’m sure he’ll lose more than that. He’s all yours.” I laughed. “Drinks for everyone! They’re on me tonight!” Bruce slapped my back in solidarity, lifting his beer up high in the air. More cheers across the club.

  The rest of the night was a celebration. Luke’s celebration. Only this time, it was for a different reason. Funny enough, I felt the same as I did before. Stuck. I could figure out why I couldn’t be happy when everyone else was.

  “What’s wrong?” Hope asked me.

  “I don’t know, darlin’. I just keep thinking how much I want you, I guess.” I muttered, taking in a big sip of whisky. I felt it hit the bottom of my stomach in a fast burn.

  “But you have me, baby. You always will.” She told me, massaging my shoulders.

  “You don’t hate me?” I asked.

  “Hate you? Are you kidding me, Avery? You’re the love of my life! You saved me from Bobby. Twice now. How could I hate you for that?” She kissed my cheek and ran her tantalizing tongue across my ear.

  “You wouldn’t have gotten into any of this mess if it wasn’t for me. And I never got your career back. Shit, I didn’t even get your house back. I’m a failure, Hope. A fuckin’ failure.” I shook my head and stared at the back corner of the room. The same people were singing the same songs, drinking the same drinks, while they sat next to the same people. What was all this for? Wasn’t there something more to all this? Maybe I was just overthinking things.

  “Avery, you have to listen to me. You’re not a failure. You’re everything to me. Oh, God, you idiot! Don’t you see? I don’t need a career or my own place. I don’t need to focus on trivial things when I have you. You’re what I wanted. I think I’ve been searching for you all my life. I just got mixed up is all. I took a lot for granted. Never again.” She looked down at the ground, seemingly embarrassed by what she said.

  I grabbed her head and pulled her in, kissing her passionately. “You’re right.” I said. “I’m just in a weird place. I don’t think I can do this “front lines” shit anymore. Courage is my family, Hope. But you’re more than that to me. I’m gonna tell Bruce I ain’t going to be no boss. That’s Adam’s job if he wants it. Nah, I want to take a more undercover approach to all this. I want a new house. A life. A family with you. I can’t be shootin’ guns at people for the rest of my life.” I gulped down some more alcohol.

  “What did you just say, boy?” Bruce had snuck up behind us, listening to every word I had uttered. Hope blushed and looked away. It was time to face the music.

  “You heard it, Bruce. I can’t do it. I just can’t. Remember when you told me I needed a wife to keep me centered? Well, I didn’t understand it back then, but I sure as hell do now. You were right. And now I need to honor that feeling. I’d like to present you with a deal.” I said.

  “What kind of a deal?” Bruce frowned.

  “You give me a brand new title. Call it whatever you want. I’m not big on names. You bring me in, undercover, on the big jobs. I’ll get shit done. And when things get really bad, because they might you can always trust me to go in and take down the enemy, by your side. What do you think?” It was a big proposal, but one that made sense. I wouldn’t be leaving Courage, but this would allow me time to spend with the woman I loved.

  Bruce creased his eyebrows and took in a long, hard drag of his cigarette. “You would have made a fine leader, son. And I still would like to see you lead this group someday. But as of right now, I’m gonna approve of your new job title. As for now, go have fun.” He patted me on the back.

  “I love you, Bruce. You’ve always been a father to me.” I said.

  “I know that. I do. Now kiss your damn fiancé! It’s time to celebrate!” He walked over to the jukebox and put on the hardest rock and roll song he could think of. The whole club erupted with energy. I was going to miss these hooligans. I really was.

  “This one’s for Angelo.” Hope said, holding up a shot of whisky.

  Bruce and I held up our own, shooting them back. “To Angelo.”

  “Shit!” Bruce suddenly yelled. “That reminds me. We better leave before morning. We’ll get The Sapo Boys to help out and house us for a while. The feds are gonna be crawlin’ the place.”

  “So much for that honeymoon.” I laughed, turning to Hope.

  Hope shook her pretty little head and said, “I don’t care what Bruce says. You’re taking me to bed when we get safe. I need you now. Like, right now.” She whispered.

  “I can’t wait till later.” I said, picking her up and running to the backroom. I locked the door.

  “You’re mine. Forever.” I muttered, grabbing her body and pulling it close to mine.

  “Yes I am, Avery. Always.” she smiled.

  I was the luckiest damn guy on the planet. And I wasn’t lookin’ back.

  Epilogue: Hope

  Looking back on everything, it’s hard to understand how I got so lucky. After we hid out for a solid month, Avery received a huge bonus for all the hard work he put in with Courage. It was bittersweet, of course, but in the end we had each other now and we needed to explore that.

  Avery may look and act tough, but deep down I think he’s a real softy. After some time, he finally sat down on one knee and proposed to me. He said, “I told you once I’d give you the world. I’m going to work hard everyday to do that. I’m going to give you more than that.” It was enough to bring tears to my eyes.

  Well, Avery did just what he promised me. He threw the best wedding a girl could have asked for. All the family was there. The Sapo Boys, Bruce, pretty much all of Courage, and he even convinced my mother to come. The reception was on a mountain top, not too far away from Avery’s old house. He worked day and night to install lights that formed a giant red heart across the rocks. When all was said and done, my wedding was something I would remember forever.

  Luckily, my music never went away. Once things were finally settled, I made sure to write as many songs as I could. I wasn’t aiming for the life I used to have. I knew that kind of living was toxic to a person. I just wanted to sing and to be able to tell the story of Avery and I.

  As for what happened after our wedding– well, he truly went above and beyond for me. He went and took every last penny he had been saving and bought me a beautiful white house, complete with a luscious green yard and a clear-blue pool. It nearly killed me when he surprised me! And yes, if you were wondering, I am pregnant with a beautiful baby girl. We’re naming her Joy, and she’s going to be the strongest, prettiest, and most badass biker baby this world has yet to see! Don’t believe me? Just wait and see!

  Burnt: A Bad Boy Romance

  Courage MC Series, Book 1

  Copyright: 2016 Kara Hart

  Get ready for the ride of your life…

  Everything fell apart and turned to ash. We were the traitors, the bastards, and the low-lifes. I told her to stay away from me, but she wouldn’t listen…

  Prologue

  I moaned, feeling the tight rope around my body. I
spit out chunks of blood and dirt onto the pavement. Where am I? I thought. I pushed my head back, opening my eyes as much as I could. “Adam?!” I cried out. Searing pain flooded my senses. Candles were lit in a circle around me and the flickering of the small flames sparked something fierce within me. I looked around the dimly lit room and coughed as I tried breathing in. My ribs were bruised. Last night…did that really happen?

  I felt the windy breeze run through my back and the smell of engine fluids permeated the warehouse around us. I shook with chills from the cold air and forced myself to stop chattering. I clawed at the tightly knotted rope. I gasped for air. “ADAM!” There was no one.

  Then, suddenly, there was the sound of sharp moaning. Then footsteps. I began clawing at the rope faster. Shit, shit, shit! Come on, Rose, think. How did you get here? I managed to see a blade a few feet ahead of me. I tried hopping in my chair, but I instantly fell over onto the concrete. I was almost instantly knocked unconscious, yet somehow I managed to keep going. Hurry! I kept telling myself. If you don’t, they’ll kill you…

  I looked around the musty warehouse. Paddles, shackles, rope, and all kinds of tools were scattered around a group of motorcycles. Oil was spilled on the concrete next to my chair. There was a body in the corner of the room. Adam… He was clearly knocked unconscious. I only had moments to break free. I looked to my left and saw my backpack and some bags. They were filled with all my precious belongings. The footsteps grew closer.

  Closer.

  Closer…

  The mysterious presence loomed over me. No! This was it. Everything was over. I didn’t stand a chance. His body cast a dark shadow in the candlelight. His laughter echoed throughout the garage.

  “I told you not to play with fire, Rose…”

  Chapter One

  Three months earlier…

  I met him on the corner of 58th street and Broadway. I was sitting in the park alone, reading a book when all of a sudden a man in denim jeans and grungy boots cast a large shadow over me. He was wearing a large leather vest that barely covered his naked chest. I looked up to find him stroking his chin. He was unusually buff and clean looking despite the area and time of day. I have to admit, I lost track of time and realized it was nearing midnight. It was definitely time to leave.

  "What're you selling?" He asked me.

  "Excuse me?" I uttered back, starting to feel a bit afraid.

  This area had been known to attract sex workers and drug addicts of all kind. I became nervous that he wanted more than I was willing to give him. If I was being honest, I was extremely beautiful, blessed with big, full lips, a cute face, and a nice round butt. I may have been thicker than the other girls in my school, but men still looked at me in “that way”.

  I wasn’t stupid. I saw the men turn their heads to look as I walked down the street. I was different. But different was hot to a big group of people. Still, I was inexperienced at dealing with most men and very uneducated when it came to these kinds of encounters. So when he asked me again, "What are you selling?" I got up, ready to run away.

  He grabbed my arm hard, leaving a red mark pressed against the outside of my flesh. I struggled to break free. I stomped my feet and tried to scream. It was no use.

  "Wait." He commanded me.

  I was clawing away from his grasp. I scratched at him and spit in his face. I even kicked his knees. He wouldn't let go. He didn’t even budge. He was going to have his way with me.

  "No!" I screamed.

  "Stop it, kid. I'm just kidding. I've never seen you here this late before. Why are you out here?" He asked me, suddenly changing the course of our conversation.

  I was out of breath. My hair was a mess, strewn across my eyes. Before this little encounter, I had felt as if I had finally become an adult. Now it was obvious I was merely a frightened little girl. He didn't seem to mind, however. He just laughed and put out his hand. He brushed the hair out of my eyes and held my cheek. I blushed, still shaking like crazy. Who was this man and what did he want with me? I could barely even look him in the eye

  "I was reading and lost track of the time. But I have to be going home now. My mom will kill me if I’m not home soon.” I said, still pulling away from his statuesque body.

  I had grown up in a small area near Tucson, Arizona. I wasn't used to strangers talking to me in the middle of the night. It was a tiny population around these parts, so I knew everyone who walked around this area.

  "Here. Let me help you." He reached down and grabbed my book that I dropped. “Hm…Crime and Punishment, huh? One of my favorites.”

  “You’ve read Crime and Punishment?” I asked, trying my hardest not to look impressed.

  "Everyone’s read Crime and Punishment.” He said, looking smug. “I'm Adam. Nice to meet you, Rose."

  Chapter Two

  How he knew my name, I couldn't quite put my finger on it. Nevertheless, I took his big hand and shook it. At this point, I was still a bit freaked out. But I was always a daring girl and willing to take the challenge of figuring this man out. I looked him up and down. Who was he?

  He was a total alpha male from what I could gather, and I pegged him to be as tall as a basketball player.

  "You're some kind of business guy?" I asked him. I still couldn’t believe it. Looking at him now, he was just some motorcycle bad boy type. There was no way he was CEO of a big company…

  "Something like that." He said in a mysterious tone.

  "Hm..." I didn’t know what to say to him. I stood there, under the park lights, in silence.

  “Someday I’ll tell you the story of who I am. As for right now, I barely know you. I can’t give you all my secrets.” He said, winking at me.

  He was actually pretty buff too. Not that I was normally attracted to muscle men types, let alone guys who were twenty years older than me, but they did stand out. Plus, he looked natural, like he got his body from working hard outside or something, not at some gym. I was so small compared to him. I looked down at my thin ankles awkwardly.

  "Well, do you want a ride home, kid?" He asked me.

  It irked me how nonchalant he was being. "Uh, no. How did you know my name earlier?"

  “I know everything, Rose. Your name was the first thing I found out about you. I’ve been watching you for years, waiting for the right moment to talk to you…” He smiled and began laughing like a crazy man.

  “And,” he began, playfully slapping my back kind of hard, “it’s on your nametag on your shirt.”

  I looked down and saw my work badge. Shit, I thought. I forgot to take the damn thing off.

  “So…” He said. “…about that ride…”

  Chapter Three

  Of course, I never left this place. I never could find a way out. I was finally done with high school, yet I was still not any closer to leaving home. And despite my good grades and positive attitude, college didn't seem like a very likely choice either. I mean, I applied to a few good schools, but I didn’t think I’d ever really get in. Instead, I chose to stay and help out the family business. What a load of good that did…

  I found myself telling him my life story. I wasn’t sure why, to be honest. I just felt like I knew this guy. He was approachable, good looking, and I soon realized he wasn’t very scary at all. At least not to me. Maybe he could understand my escapism.

  “…That’s when I became the store clerk for my pop. Whenever I have time, I escape to this park so I can read and be free from everything. I always dreamt of escaping, but I just never could. I feel so obligated to help those around me. It’s such a burden…” I looked at him in his dark, handsome eyes. “You understand, don’t you?”

  He simply nodded. “Sure do, Rose. I remember when I was your age. You gotta’ explore and figure out who you are.” He then looked at me funny. “How old are you anyway? 15?”

  “Hey!” I punched his arm. “Not funny…I’m 19 and I’ll have you know, I’m very smart for my age.”

  “Just messin’ with ya, kid. Come on.”
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  He led me to his vehicle, which was parked in the corner of the lot, directly in the shadows of the light. It was a huge Harley-style motorcycle. I felt myself grow excited. I squeezed my thick thighs together and swung my round butt up and down with exhilaration and surprise.

  “A motorcycle?!” I clapped my hands with glee. “I’ve always wanted to ride a motorcycle!”

  “It’s no toy. This here is my wife. We’ve been together for a long time now, me and Bessie.” He ran his hand against the warm metal exterior and smiled.

  “Well she’s beautiful.” I said. “Can I ride her?”

  “Up you go.” He said, lifting me off the ground and gently sliding my thighs onto the bike’s seat. I moaned, quickly catching myself. I wasn’t sure why, but little things seemed to send me to weird places lately. Ever since I had turned nineteen, I felt new desires enter my body and mind all of the time. Being around this kind of a guy made it hard to act normal.

  He massaged my shoulders lightly and then stepped onto the bike. “I have to tell you something, Rose. I get you.” He said to me. “I was just like you once. But I’m lost now. It’s nice we met and all, but I would stay very far away.” He stepped down hard onto his motorcycle.

  ROARRRR…

  “Lost?” I asked him.

  “Long story. Been feelin’ like a ghost these past few days. You ever have a falling out with your crew?” He asked me.