It was the first Christmas I could remember feeling like we really belonged.
Until we went to school and tried to interact with the kids.
The teasing took a toll on my brother. While I kept my nose in my books and earned a full ride to the University of California in San Diego, Colt started running with this biker gang. The Fallen Reapers. I heard people in Los Angeles talk about them from time to time, but they always talked in hushed tones and fed their souls with rumors. Colt kept me very separate from the life he had cultivated for himself, but I wiggled in when I could. I had been around that lifestyle for years. Ever since middle school, when Colt started running with them in the first place.
He wasn’t aware that I knew it started way back then. But what he didn’t know wouldn’t hurt him.
I knew The Fallen Reapers had the mechanic shop, but I also knew they did things that required those hushed tones I heard whenever I came home. I didn’t know what they had gotten themselves into, but I figured it was bad. Colt tried to keep my nose clean of it all, even as I fraternized with the guys. But throughout the years, I was able to piece together a few things.
Like what ‘guns for hire’ meant.
When I went off to college, I missed the guys. Sometimes I would stop by the shop just to hang out and talk with everyone. Mainly the older guys. Colt never really let me near his core group of friends in the club. Usually, it was when things with Mom and Dad got tense. They were good parents, but with the two of them working two and three jobs, tensions were bound to explode. The mechanic shop was my escape, and the guys welcomed me with open arms.
Colt always kept his eye on me, but I knew it was just because he was worried.
College had been different. I felt out of place again. Like I didn’t belong. Whenever I hung out with the guys, it felt like a family. I could see why Colt had gravitated to them so quickly, and I think it worried him that I was doing the same. He tried to put as much distance between them and I as he possibly could, and it fueled many fights between us. I went off to college mad at him and punished him by not seeing him whenever I did come home to see Mom and Dad.
As I typed away on my laptop, applying to jobs and hoping something stuck, I wondered where Colt was. We had repaired things between the two of us over the past couple of years, but things were still tense whenever we were together. He came to my graduation when I accepted my Bachelor’s in Computer Engineering, but he didn’t stay long. He came to congratulate me, hug me close, then he hopped on his bike and rode off.
It warmed my chest that he came, but it hurt that he hadn’t stayed.
I never told Colt about it, but I got teased a lot in college as well. I was one of the very few girls in the computer engineering program, and because of my looks, I always had guys trying to dumb down concepts for me. It was annoying, listening to them talk down to me. Like a child trying to figure out how to work a toothbrush. I’d have to step up and run them over, showing them my intelligence on the topic before they talked to me like a regular fucking human.
It was exhausting, and I was so glad when I graduated.
I loved proving everyone wrong. I loved showing them that I was more than just a set of green eyes and wild red hair. I loved showing them that beyond the striking looks that turned more heads than I cared to admit, there was an intelligent mind who could bury the finest computer engineers in their own graves. The stunned look on their faces was something I gained my energy from. My confidence flowed from the confusion that percolated behind their eyes when they found out I was more than a pair of nice tits they couldn’t stop staring at.
I sat on the couch for an hour applying to jobs before there were no more in the immediate area to be found. I had taken a job right out of college at a large consulting firm, but it wasn’t where I wanted to stay. I moved back in with my parents to save money and help them with some things, hoping I could shoulder some of the financial responsibility they were still trying to upkeep. I paid off the rest of their home and got their mortgage off their back and told them I would take over the electric bill since it fluctuated so badly. My parents were insistent that I didn’t have to do anything, but I told them I wasn’t moving back in unless I could help.
So, they caved.
I stretched my arms and legs as my stomach growled. An hour’s worth of applying to other jobs left me hungry and wanting food. I closed my laptop and slid off the couch, steadying myself onto my feet. Since no one was going to be here for dinner I didn’t feel like cooking, I decided to head to the Milo’s.
Some good seafood and a drink or two would do me some good before I got back to applying for more jobs.
I was looking for anything from Los Angeles to Long Beach. I loved the area I grew up in, but I sometimes wished I was closer to the ocean. And being a computer engineer would give me the ability to afford that kind of lifestyle.
And if I played my cards right, I could fund my parents’ retirement so they could enjoy the rest of their years instead of working themselves to the bone.
I grabbed my things and headed out the door, locking it behind me. I drew in the stale Los Angeles air as a grin crossed my cheeks. The consulting firm was a decent gig with a decent paycheck until I could find something I really enjoyed. Or better yet, it gave me the time I needed to start a freelance business of my own. Ideas were swirling around in my mind as I made my way to my car, my stomach screaming at me for food.
I wondered what Colt was doing, considering he hadn’t lived at home in years.
Cranking my car up, I pulled out of the driveway. The drive to Milo’s was therapeutic, and it gave me time to think. Time to figure out where I wanted my life to go and what I wanted to do with it. I was one of the few young adults that came out of college with no debt to her name, scholarships helped me with that, and I was hellbent on keeping it that way. I paid for my old ass car with the money I saved while working at a bar during my college years, but now I had the paycheck to do anything I wanted.
At least, that was what it felt like.
I did miss those days. I missed the smoky bar I used to work in. I missed the guys whistling at me and tipping me far more than they needed to because my ass looked great in a pair of jeans. Most women found that sort of thing degrading, but I loved the attention. It helped build my confidence after years of being relentlessly teased for the way my parents made ends meet. I built relationships with those customers and flooded the bar with regular customers. My boss loved that shit so much he promoted me over the other waitresses, putting even more money in my pocket before I graduated.
It was why I enjoyed Milo’s so much.
That bar had been home to me during college. And now? Milo’s reminded me of that bar back at college. Where I was confident, beautiful, and at the top of the food chain.
Now, all I had to do was find a way to replicate that in the real world. Even if that meant starting at the bottom of the totem pole with this ridiculous consulting firm.
Chapter 3
Rider
“You shot that fucker right from the air?” Bruiser asked.
“He thought he could get the jump on me, and he thought wrong. Being in the air is a very vulnerable position,” I said. “If you want control of your movements, your feet should never leave the ground.”
“That’s fucking brilliant,” Bruiser said.
“And that was just the first time I was deployed,” I said.
“How many tours did you go on?”
“Four before I got banged up. Fucking IED on the side of the damn road. We were usually really good at spotting shit like that, but they were trying new tactics. Burying shit in the sand. It’s a close range IED. Not triggered by movement. It requires a tire to actually roll over it to detonate. But if that shit happens, you’re done for.”
“That’s some fucked up mess,” Bruiser said. “How the hell did you get out of there?”
“My body wasn’t messed up from the explosion. It was messed up from the bullets and
shrapnel it took as I tried to pull guys off to the side. The blast rendered most everyone in the vehicle unconscious. But it threw me from the vehicle. I broke my leg, but then took four bullets trying to get my guys to cover.”
“Holy hell. You’re a fucking hero, man.”
“I could’ve told you that shit,” Colt said. “Tell them about your second deployment. With that woman.”
“A woman? I thought soldiers kept their dick in their pants when they were deployed,” Fender said.
“Who the hell told you that? If anything, sex is more rampant overseas. Soldiers need to blow off some serious steam.”
“I take it you did that on this deployment Colt’s mentioning?” Jax asked.
“Eh, I tried. She ended up being someone trying to sneak a bomb onto the base. She was one of the janitors, and she was looking for a good time, but halfway through our encounter I found the detonator in her damn pocket.”
“Oh, shit! That’s fucked up,” Bruiser said.
“Did you still smash that pussy?” Grave asked.
“You would still want to know that,” Colt said with a grin.
“No, I didn’t. But it didn’t stop me from getting some later that night,” I said.
“Good on you. Our soldiers deserve some decent pussy,” Grave said.
“On a serious note,” Bruiser said, “I wanna ask you something.”
“What’s up?” I asked.
“You ever think about talking to Doc about becoming a prospect?”
I tried to keep my excitement at bay as the guys’ attention fell on me.
“I’ve tossed it around in my mind. Why?” I asked.
“We could use another ex-military man on deck,” Jax said. “We’re getting more and more guns-for-hire gigs with our reputation expanding. We’ll need to put together another team that can field some of these calls.”
“And with your expertise,” Colt said, “it would be nice knowing we had you on our team.”
“Well, how do I go about setting something like that up?” I asked.
“Doc is who you’ll wanna talk to,” Fender said. “He’s the President of the group.”
“He already knows that dipshit,” Colt said.
“I probably know more than I should, thanks to you guys,” I said.
“Another reason why you should just become a prospect and stop pussy footing around,” Colt said.
“I’m not pussyfooting. I was just biding my time. Making sure, you know, that I was a valuable asset to you guys,” I said.
“No. You were waiting to see if we could look past your scars and offer,” Fender said. “But you don’t gotta worry about that shit. We would never care about something like that.”
“If I wasn’t such an asshole, I think I’d shed a tear for that shit,” I said.
“All kidding aside,” Colt said, “I’ll set the meeting up. I’m sure Doc would have no issues talking with you about it.”
“Thanks, man. I appreciate it.”
“Now, with that said. I gotta take a piss. Don’t miss me too much,” Colt said.
“You can take that information elsewhere,” I said. “Nasty.”
“Can’t handle a bit of piss, soldier boy?” Bruiser asked.
“I just don’t like thinking about some dude whipping his cock out. Sorry if that doesn’t trip my trigger,” I said.
“Well, you’re picking up the tab for putting that image in my head,” Fender said.
“Asshole,” Bruiser said with a grin.
We all sat around nursing our beers and shooting the shit. It was a good way to unwind after a long fucking day at the shop. Colt was going to talk with Doc about what the hell I needed to do to become a prospect, I knew exactly where the core of the group stood, and I was feeling good with three beers already in my system. The night was going well, and I was ready to have a good time, but the doors to Milo’s flew into the wall as a woman walked through them.
“The fuck?” Grave asked.
“Who the hell thinks they’re hot shit?” Jax asked.
“Well, she thinks she’s a hot little thing,” Bruiser said.
I couldn’t take my eyes off her. Her features were striking. She had wild red hair and fiery green eyes. Pale skin that reminded me of a creamy cup of coffee and curves for fucking days. She walked with a confidence that matched the determination in her eyes, and the way her hips swayed was mesmerizing. I could feel my eyes raking along her body, pulled by an invisible force that was ready to devour her whole. I felt my cock twitching at her sight as the bar fell silent.
Her eyes locked on mine as she made her way for us all.
“Fuck me, she’s got some curves,” Fender said.
“The hell’s wrong with you?” Grave asked. “Look at that hair. I’m all about that hair. I bet my fist would wrap up nicely in it all.”
“She’s got a nice rack,” Jax said.
“I’m more interested in what those lips can do,” Bruiser said.
“What about you, Rider? What part of her do you like?” Jax asked.
But it wasn’t a part of her body that kept me entranced. It was the glimmer in her eye. The confidence she exuded in her step. It was all of it combined into the framework of curves I wanted to sink my teeth into. To sink my lips into.
To sink my cock into.
The guys kept teasing me for answers as the woman walked towards us. She had silenced the entire bar with her entrance as men turned their heads from their dates to look at her. She was one of those women whose confidence ushered her into a room. She walked with her head held high knowing she had the attention of the room.
She slid into the barstool next to me, her eyes holding mine as the bartender came up to her.
“What’ll it be?” the bartender asked.
“Whatever beer’s on special,” the young woman said.
“You didn’t strike me as a beer drinker,” I said.
“Yeah? And what kind of drink did you think I would enjoy?” she asked.
The bartender slid her a glass bottle beer, and she caught it in her hand. Without even fucking looking at it.
“I don’t know. A fireball?” I asked with a grin.
“That a quip on my hair? Good one,” she said.
“I’ve got more if you’re interested.”
“Assume I am, Clever Boy.”
“Boy?” I asked. “What makes you think I’m a boy?”
“Your charm,” she said with a grin.
She was a spitfire, that much was for sure. She sipped on her beer, her lips wrapping around the tip. I felt my legs pulling taut, imagining her luscious tongue wrapping around the head of my cock. Licking off the precome I knew would ooze for her if I ever got the chance to press my body against hers.
Fuck, Colt was really missing out on this one.
Silence settled onto all of us as we quietly sipped our drinks. I didn’t want the guys to think I was going to ditch them for a little bit of pussy. I was here to secure the idea of my becoming a prospect. Which meant keeping my attention turned on them.
But every time I looked their way, they kept giving me these insane looks.
“Hey, you guys wanna go shoot some pool?” Bruiser asked.
“I’m in,” Fender said.
“Get me a stick ready,” Grave said. “I gotta piss.”
“Don’t get lost,” I said. “Pretty sure our friend’s slumped against a wall or something.”
“Or found some chick to bang,” Jax said.
“That, too,” I said. “You guys go enjoy yourselves. I’ll be over in a bit.”
“Take your time,” Bruiser said.
He couldn’t have made it more fucking obvious if someone had painted ‘stay the fuck there’ on his damn forehead in red ink.
I chuckled and shook my head as the guys walked away. It left just me and the fireball at the bar, nursing our drinks in silence. Now that the guys were gone and Colt still wasn’t anywhere to be seen, I drew a deep breath through my nose and turne
d my body towards her.
I grinned when our eyes connected, and I knew I was going to have her.
No matter what I had to do tonight, I was going to sink my cock into this luscious woman.
Chapter 4
Zoey
I busted into Milo’s and began looking around. I was prepared to eat and drink alone tonight, but a part of me didn’t want to. I hadn’t come back home to sit alone in my parent’s house pathetically applying for jobs and hoping one called. I had come back to bond with my brother. To learn about his life. To help my parents and to make friends of my own volition. I looked around for my brother, trying to find him amongst the sea of people who were settling down in hushed tones.
But I couldn’t see him, or anyone else for that matter.
It didn’t shock me that I didn’t recognize anyone. Even if some of the guys were in here, I would have no idea what they looked like. I hadn’t seen most of them in years. Since before I had graduated high school. Colt shielded me from that lifestyle as much as he could, so I had only met some of them a handful of times. I used to think it was because he was ashamed of me. He didn’t want his geeky sister mingling with his cool ass friends.
I came to understand, however, that it was because he was trying to protect me.
I wasn’t ignorant. I knew what the life of a motorcycle gang entailed. It wasn’t glamorous like most people thought and it required a lot of slick work to fly underneath the radar. Illegal activities that lined their pockets with money and fall guys who willingly spent months-- sometimes years-- in jail for the club they gave their life to. Men in clubs like The Fallen Reapers traded solitude and normal lives for adrenaline, freedom, and lifelong bonds.
But that shit came with a price.
It always did.
After looking around the bar and not recognizing anyone, I scanned for a place to sit. I thought about leaving. Going back home and cooking dinner instead. I had purchased steaks and a head of broccoli as well as potatoes to make a creamy, whipped concoction of potatoes, sour cream, cheese, and bacon. It would be easy to throw together, and I could set plates aside for Mom and Dad.
Girth (Marked Skulls MC Book 1) Page 26