by Erin Osborne
“I’ll keep an eye on it,” Renegade tells me before leaving the shop as the first few cars begin to pull in.
Taking a deep breath, I make my way into the office and grab Callie so that we can begin to greet everyone. She doesn’t seem to understand why I want her at my side, but she will. Today is about more than just my grand re-opening. It’s about getting Callie to meet all sorts of people that knew her grandma. And it’s about her knowing that none of this would be possible without her by my side. She’s the one that made this happen so fast and I’m not going to let her get away with taking none of the credit for that. So, I keep my arm wrapped around her as people begin to show up among the members of the club, the smell from the bar-b-que that Corrinth’s cooking, and the happy atmosphere.
Callie
People have been coming and going for several hours now. I’ve been by Bear’s side for most of the day while he shows everyone the new shop, points out the different things to, and makes sure to let everyone know about the ride that the club’s doing in a little while. More than a few guys leave and show back up with their bike so that they can go on the ride. The field is becoming overrun with bikes now. Bentley took out some tape to mark off where the kid’s area was so that no one was able to get close to them. I saw more than a few relieved parents when he did that.
As I walk around with Bear and other club members, I feel eyes on me constantly. Whenever I look around though, there’s no one that’s standing out to me. So, I shrug it off and continue to do what I can to ensure that everyone is having a good time today. Now, I need to find a quiet spot to relax for a few minutes. The day is taking its toll on me right now between being tired and hot from the sun beating down on us. I walk over to the picnic table that Bear had brought in for me to take my breaks at.
I sit back and close my eyes letting the slight breeze cool down my overheated skin. Before I can truly begin to relish the feeling of being in the shade, I feel someone walk up close to me. opening my eyes, I see the girl that had her hands all over Bear the first time I went to the clubhouse and another one standing with her. Taking my time, I look at the two and can see that they’ve lived hard lives. The one that was all over Bear has a head full of curly red hair. It’s not bright, but more of an auburn color that compliments her dark green eyes. If you ask me, they’re the shade of green that would once sparkle and shine bright. Now, they’re not lifeless, but they’re dull and full of a void that shows someone has hurt her really bad. Her face is covered in layers of make-up and I’m shocked that it’s not melting off in the sun. What do I know though? The other girl has legs that go on for days and is showing them off in a pair of the smallest shorts I’ve ever seen anyone wear in public. Her tank top is a support shirt for Satan’s Anarchy and looks like it’s the size for a child instead of a woman. Her dark hair is long and hangs lifeless down her back while her eyes are a shade that’s not quite blue or grey but a mixture of the colors.
“Can I help you?” I ask, not sure why they’re interrupting me.
“Yeah, you can back the fuck off my men,” the dark-haired girl says, placing a hand on her hip. “I don’t know who the fuck you think you are, but these men don’t want you the fuck around here. I run shit at the clubhouse and you’re nothing more than a little fucking slut looking to land a brother. Well, news fucking flash, that’s never going to happen. So, pack your shit up and move the fuck on right now.”
“I’m nothing more than a slut, but you’re only job is to spread your legs and open your mouth for any guy that wants relief? How does that even make sense?” I ask, sitting up straight and glancing around to make sure no one else is around to hear the verbal lashing I just received from this bitch. “Do you even know my name or that I spend more time with any one of these men than you ever will. I don’t have sex with them and I don’t have to clean after them unless it’s my choice. I’m not sitting around waiting for scraps of attention. My time is spent with Bear. Which is why I’m guessing you had to come over here and try to prove that you’re a badass bitch. I guess your little friend can’t speak up for herself and thinks she has to bow down to you. Honey, have more respect for yourself than that.”
Just as I go to stand up and leave these two, bitch number one grabs my arm and pulls me up close to her. “Listen here you little fucking skank! You’re no better than us. Don’t you know that every single night after you fall asleep, Bear comes to the clubhouse so he can fuck a real woman? Either you’re not good enough, or you’re still holding on to that V-card. Don’t matter, Bear and Rusty….”
“I think that’s enough, Legs,” Renegade says, walking up to us. “I don’t know what game you’re tryin’ to play right now. But, the only thing you accomplished was bein’ put on probation. You think that you can talk to Callie like that and face no repercussions? Well, probation is the least of your worries right now. When today is over, we’ll hold church and decide what’s gonna happen to you. Rusty, you’ve been told more than once that Bear isn’t interested. Get it through your head or your out. You’ve caused problems before so you’ll also be placed on probation until church. Get the fuck out of here. Now!”
“Thank you,” I murmur to Renegade as I go to slump back onto the bench of the picnic table.
Before I can sink down all the way, I land on someone’s lap while a set of arms wrap around me. Bear has snuck up behind me and I let myself absorb his strength and heat as he wraps his arms around me protectively. He always makes me feel so safe and secure whenever I’m near him. Renegade nods his head at us before turning and walking away; leaving Bear and myself alone to watch all the activity surrounding us.
“I’m sorry you had to deal with that baby,” he says, dropping his head down to the crook of my neck and taking a deep breath. “And I’m sorry that I couldn’t get here faster.”
“It’s not your fault, babe. She was just trying to lay a claim to you and the guys. I’m not going to let her scare me away when I know the difference between them and me. Just like I know that you’re not going to the clubhouse to be with Rusty every night like she said,” I tell him, leaning further into him.
“What exactly was said to you by Legs?” Bear asks, sitting up and turning me on his lap so that I’m straddling him.
“She basically just called me a slut, told me that the men of the club are hers and that she’s the boss of every female in the club,” I reply with a cheeky grin. “I was also told that you’re with Rusty every night because I’m not satisfying you or still holding on to my V-card,” I say, shrugging my shoulders to show him that I’m really not upset by the encounter. Yeah, I didn’t like what was said to me, but at the same time, my own mother has said worse things to me.
“I’ll make sure that the guys know what was said when we have church tonight. For now, I’m goin’ to leave you here with Bishop while we go on the run. You’ve had enough excitement for the day and I just want you to relax. When we have the time, I’ll take you on a long ride so you can go with me on the next ride,” he says, standing up while keeping me wrapped around his body and carrying me toward the shop.
“You know I can walk on my own two feet, right?” I ask, laughing as his hands dig into my butt to keep me from falling as I throw my head back and laugh as his caveman tendencies make another appearance.
It’s not very often that Bear feels the need to stake a claim or show any sort of dominance. But, when he does, I laugh about it because I usually end up over his shoulder or being blocked from view. I remember the day I was dressed in my workout clothes, I just recently started working out in the morning, and he about had a heart attack when I walked into a kitchen filled with guys from the club. My clothes covered all the important parts. I was wearing a sports bra and a tiny pair of workout shorts. Grave and a few of the other guys couldn’t take their eyes off me as I ran in to grab a bottle of water out of the fridge before heading outside for my workout. Bear immediately jumped in front of me and growled at everyone in the kitchen. I started laughin
g before sliding out from behind him and giving him a kiss. He swatted my ass as I walked back out of the room and told me we’d have words later. We never did have those words.
“I know you can walk, but I like the feeling of havin’ you wrapped around me. You still sure you want that to happen?” he asks, looking down at me as he sets me down on his bike while he pulls out a bandana to tie around his head.
“I’m more than ready for it. Only if you’re sure that you want to go there with me,” I tell him, watching as he gets ready for the ride to begin.
“Fuck yes I want to go there with you. Do you know how many cold as fuck showers I’ve taken lately?” he asks, laughing so that I know he’s kidding me as much as he’s serious.
I just watch him as he makes sure that he’s got whatever he’s going to need for the ride. The rest of the guys come over and start getting ready to leave along with the rest of the community that’s going to be heading out with them. We stay close to his bike while everyone finishes up what they’re doing. Before they take off, he calls Carson over and tells him to make sure that not a single person treats me like shit while they’re gone. At the same time, he tells him to make sure that I have something to eat and drink while they’re gone. He knows that I haven’t eaten hardly anything all day long.
“I’ll see you soon,” I tell him as he throws a leg over his bike and pulls me into his side.
“See ya later baby. Stay close to the guys, yeah?” he asks, while I back up so he can start his bike up and get in line with his club.
The guys have been gone a while and should be back soon. I’ve been walking around and talking to the different people that are still here for the day. Most of the people sticking around are waiting to see who wins the raffles. Those that are still here don’t have kids so I’ve been trying to get most of the place cleaned up. Carson has been helping me in the field while Bishop has stayed close to the table for the raffles and his bike. Just in case someone else wants to buy tickets. But, he’s still cleaning up the area surrounding him.
Just as I make another trip to the dumpster out back, I hear the rumble of several bikes pulling into the lot. Pulling out my phone I see that the guys shouldn’t be back yet. They still have a little while left on their ride. So, I stick close to the building and peek around the corner to see a group of about ten bikers pulled up close to Bishop. He’s standing there with his feet spread apart and his arms folded across his chest. Carson is standing next to him in much the same pose. Before I can decide what to do, a set of arms wraps around my middle and a hand covers my mouth before I can scream out to the men still here to keep an eye on me.
As I look down at the man that’s grabbed me, I notice he has tattoos on his arm that look like a child drew them. There’s not much detail or originality in them from what I can see. He has a distinct smell of body odor wafting off him as he begins to shove me forward, never once letting up his hold on me. With the way that we’re moving, I can feel his hardness digging into my back and I have to fight the urge to throw up all over him. Bishop’s body hardens as he realizes that one of the men have their hands on me and is manhandling me.
He pushes me over toward the rest of the guys with him while keeping his back to me. I turn to face Bishop and see the back of his cut says Scavengers MC. There’s a picture of a dog foaming at the mouth with drops of blood landing at the bottom of the picture. It’s the most disgusting thing I’ve ever seen at this point.
“So, they all leave a fucking prospect and no name here to watch someone important to the club? What a fucking bunch of pussies!” the man that grabbed me says, turning to laugh with the men he brought with him.
“Who the fuck do you think you are?” Bishop asks, reaching around behind him as he calculates the moves that he can make right now against about ten other men surrounding me.
“We’re the Scavengers MC and you’d do good to remember our fucking name. We’ll be taking over your fucking territory soon enough so maybe it won’t matter if you remember us or not,” the same man says as I take a good look at him.
He’s not much taller than me with long, greasy hair that’s in serious need of a brush or to be shaved completely off. His clothes are stained and look like they’d stand up straight on their own if he ever took them off. The man’s teeth, well the ones that he still has, are yellowed and broken off. I can’t believe that he had his hands on me. Before I can even think to move away from these men and back toward Bishop and Carson, a second man grabs me and pulls me hard back against his body. The overwhelming body odor hits me again and it’s almost more than I can take this time.
But, I’m not going to stand here and be a victim either. Especially when I see the look in the man’s eyes that originally grabbed me. It’s like he’s looking at me as a possession of his. There’s not a single ounce of want or need in his eyes like I see in Bear’s. I may not know much when it comes to sex, but I know what it looks like when my man looks at me like I’m a precious jewel that he wants to protect and love. No, this man has a predatory gleam in his eyes as he smirks up at me.
“I’m gonna have fun with you. Know all about you too. How you’re still a virgin at almost twenty-four years old, how you live all alone in that house of yours, and how we almost killed you when the garage exploded. Now, you’re gonna go with us. I’ll take my time with you and break you in just right before I hand you over to my men. Unless your pregnant. If that happens, then I’ll have fun keeping you that way until I have no more use for you. Then, I’ll cut you up into little pieces and send you back to these pussies so they can see what’s left of you,” he says, walking closer and closer to me; almost stalking me if I’m being honest with myself.
“You won’t touch a fucking hair on my head. I’ll kill myself before I let that happen. The only thing you’re gonna get is a bullet between the eyes,” I say back, listening as the rumble of bikes gets close to the garage. The guys are back and I breathe a sigh of relief that this will be all over soon.
The club that came here turns to watch as not only the men of the club pull into the lot, but every single member of the community that went with them. There’s at least four or five times the number of guys pulling in and circling the group that keeps me in the middle of them. I can already sense the tension, rage, and fury coming from the men that I have been spending my time with. Bear is the first one off of his bike and storming toward me. He’s stopped quick when I feel something hard at the back of my head. There’s a tremor that runs through my body as I take in the instant fear that shows in Bishop’s eyes. Carson and Bishop are the only ones that I can see right now.
“You take one more step and I’ll blow this bitch’s fucking head off!” the man that’s acted as if he was in charge yells all of a sudden. He doesn’t seem to care who’s around to witness the scene.
“What are you doin’ here?” I hear Renegade as Psycho and Bear come into my peripheral sight.
“We’re here to put you on notice. The Scavengers MC is going to take over your territory, your women, and anything else we want. I’m not gonna take you today sweetheart. I want to see you live with the fear of not knowing when we’re coming. But, don’t worry, you’ll be in my arms before too long,” he says, leaning down into my neck and I swear I hear him smelling me. “For the rest of you fuckers, we’ll be watching.”
“You’re not gonna fuckin’ touch her! You’ll get your hands on her over my dead fuckin’ body!” Bear roars out, trying to storm the circle of men to get to me.
“I’ll kill her right now,” he says, jamming the gun against my temple so hard that I know I’ll end up with a bruise from this.
I’m so scared, but I keep my eyes trained on Bear, Psycho, and Bishop. I know without a doubt every man standing around us will do what they have to in order to make sure that I’m safe. But, I don’t want anything to happen to them either. Each one of these men mean something to me the more I get to know them. They are fierce, loyal, protective, and I know they’d go to the e
nd of the Earth to ensure that nothing happens to anyone they consider family. These men have a funny side, a sweet side, and a side that shows how much they care about the women in their lives. Even if not a lot of outsiders get to see that side of them.
Before anyone can do anything, the man licks the side of my face and I can smell the rotten breath emanating from him. I shudder in revulsion as a demonic laugh pierces the air. “Yeah, you’ll be under me before too long bitch. And then I’ll pass you around to my men,” he says, pushing me away from him so hard that I stumble and fall to the ground.
Bear and Psycho rush to my side as the rest of the men form a circle around me so that no one else can get close to me. I watch as Bear leans down and picks me up from the ground. He cradles me close to his chest and I sink into his body. Wrapping my arms around his neck and my legs around his waist, I bury my head so that no one can see the tears that I’m struggling to hold in right now. The instant comfort I feel whenever I’m in his arms pales in comparison to this moment. As he walks me over to his bike, Bear continues to murmur words in my ear that I can’t quite comprehend. It doesn’t matter though, it’s the fact that he’s proving to me that he cares more than he’s let on until this point.
“Takin’ her home?” Psycho asks, following us to Bear’s bike and watching as he places me on the seat so he can climb on in front of me.
“Yeah,” Bear answers, making sure I’m holding on to him tight before he turns the bike on.
“Gonna have guys on the house,” Renegade says, walking up to us. “You okay sweetheart?”
“I’m shaken up. But, I knew you guys would save me,” I tell them, letting them know that I have complete trust in them.
“Always,” Psycho says vehemently, placing his hand on my back in comfort.
Bear gives the guys a chin lift and turns his bike on. It rumbles to life, vibrations shooting through my body as he pulls out of the parking lot and heads toward home. I can hear more bikes in the distance and know that they’re going to have our back but try to give us space at the same time. It warms the remaining chill from my body as we take the short ride to our house. I’m not sure when I started thinking of my grandma’s house as Bear’s and mine, but it’s there just the same and I can’t stop it from crossing my mind.