Just Ride: Legion of Guardians

by Turner, Xyla

  I stopped near the condiments sections, and so did he. Facing the ketchup, I went to grab a bottle, and he came towards me with his arms out. I screamed and pulled my hand back with my fingers curled into each other and uppercut him with the heel of my hand in his nose. He grunted, and then I pulled his shoulders down towards me and kicked him in the groin.

  The man grunted and went down, and then I connected my knee to his face. When I went to kick him in the face again, someone grabbed me, causing me to turn and that’s when I brought the heel of my hand to the other assailant’s nose. He groaned and took a step back.

  “Fuck, Kylie! It’s us,” a familiar voice called.

  I turned around and saw Apollo holding the guy on the ground up while the guy I hit was holding his nose up as blood spurted out.

  “Man, what the fuck?” he sniffled.

  “Who are you?” Apollo asked the man.

  “What do you mean?” he looked confused. “I’m sick as a fucking dog and Xena the warrior princess starts hitting me when I tried to get some goddamn olives.”

  His voice was nasally and his nose was bright red.

  Oh shit.

  “Dash, get her out of here. I’ll talk to him.”

  “Come on,” he growled.

  “I’m so sorry, Dash.” I felt horrible. “I didn’t see it was you. I just don’t know what to do. I’m not sleeping and I’m fucking paranoid. I…”

  There was nothing else to say. I was a hot mess and more importantly, I was making my own self crazy.

  Dash took my keys and brought me to this dirt road that had three different warehouses on each side similar to a cul-de-sac. There was no exit except for the way you entered. Bikes were everywhere; at least forty of them were parked at various sections of the dirt road. He took me to the center warehouse, and then instructed for me to have a seat. As I looked around, there was an open space but rooms down the south side of the building. A small refrigerator was near the kitchen area along with industrial size ovens. Behind where I was sitting was a wall decorated with pictures, surrounding the huge painted Guardians patch along with the creed. Sort of like some wall of fame.

  Dash disappeared and came back with a lady in a white jacket. He had two pieces of gauze peeking out of his nose.

  “You must be Kylie,” the older lady said as she walked towards me with an outstretched hand.

  “Hello.” I put my hand out to shake hers.

  “You’re a little thing to almost have broken Dash over here.”

  “Shut up,” he snapped as she erupted into laughter. “She caught me off guard.”

  A door burst open and the next words sent chills down my spine, “Kylie! Kylie!”

  It was Razor.

  I turned towards the noise and saw him frantically searching the area. When he laid eyes on me, he charged towards me and pulled me up towards him. As he encased me in his arms, for the first time in four days, I felt so damn safe and secure. I did not even care what it meant, but as he was hugging me, I wrapped my arms just as hard around him.

  Yes, I know what I told him, but boy was I glad that he was here.

  “You alright?” he whispered in my ear.

  I simply nodded my head as it was buried in his chest. We stayed like that for what seemed like a lifetime until he pulled back.

  “Heard you gave that guy and Dash a run for their money.”

  His hands were still on my waist and my body was pressed against him. There was no answer to give him, except to ask, “Was he the guy?”

  “No, his story checked out.” One side of his mouth turned up.

  “Oh, okay.”

  “Do you guys need some alone time?” I heard from behind me.

  Turning around, I saw that Apollo and Bronx were standing there. Razor let me go and said, “Thanks guys.”

  “Yeah, looks like Xena here can defend herself,” Apollo joked.

  Bronx laughed, but Razor and I didn’t.

  “You ready to go back home or you want to try shopping again?” Apollo asked.

  “I think I really need to get some rest,” I answered.

  “But you haven’t been sleeping.” Razor looked at me. “All this week.”

  What? How did he know that? He must have read my mind because he said, “The monitors.”

  “Oh, okay.” That still didn’t explain how he knew I wasn’t sleeping at night.

  I turned towards Apollo and said, “Yeah, I’d like to go home.”

  “Where’s your grocery list?” Bronx asked. “We can get someone to drop them by for you.”

  “That would be perfect. Thanks so much.” I knew I was delirious even agreeing to that.

  My head was hurting and my body was aching. Nothing was happening the way I thought it should.

  * * *

  Friday evening had come and contrary to what Shay and Lori had wanted, I was not going outside. I still was not able to get any sleep, and even though my groceries were delivered, the only thing I was craving was something sweet. There were bags under my eyes, and my skin looked pale and unhealthy. There was nothing attractive about me in this state.

  After bingeing on Netflix documentaries, I finally fell asleep on the sofa.

  Some time afterward, a loud noise woke me up, and I could not pinpoint where it came from. I searched the house with my pepper spray and texted Apollo. He simply texted back to get some sleep. At three in the morning, I had enough.

  In my pajamas and all, I went outside and started walking down the street. This was the very thing I was afraid of- being held a prisoner at my parents’, or someone else’s house. I had enough. I’m sure my head was not on straight, but after Apollo got out of a random car on the street and asked where the fuck I was going, I answered: “Take to Razor. Now!”

  Without waiting for an answer, I got in his car and buckled my seatbelt. There was an open laptop with different views of my house on the screen.

  Apollo got in, closed the laptop and said, “Girl, you got balls of steel. He could be with someone. You prepared for that?”

  I turned towards him and said, “I’ve seen worse, plus I don’t give a fuck. Take me to him.”

  You’re Mine

  Razor:

  Kylie still wasn’t sleeping. Hadn’t all week, but she was determined to stick it out. I had been seconds away from pulling the plug on the entire operation so she could stay with me, but Bronx pulled the plug on the thought of me pulling the plug and reminded me what she said because I told him to.

  It wasn’t time. We weren’t a thing. Move on.

  The week had crawled by and most of my time was spent watching the various angles of her place my phone app. I could access it remotely and that was probably not for my own best interest. If I was supposed to be moving on, this was not a good first step. Honestly, I had not made that decision to move on. I told her ass that when she came to her senses, she knew where to find me. When I received a text that read special delivery, and then a knock on my house door at three in the morning, it should not have taken me by surprise.

  But it did.

  I opened my large front door and there stood Kylie, looking totally exhausted. She didn't say anything, but just face-planted in my chest and wrapped her arms around me.

  When my heart felt a sudden wave of warmth and my arms encased her with my face in her hair, which surprised me too. All of the words she said to me prior to this moment meant nothing. Kylie was here and that's all that mattered.

  She looked up at me and said, “I'm tired.”

  I almost laughed but realized she was probably a few steps from delirious.

  “I know sweetheart.” I rubbed her hair. “I know.”

  Scooping Kylie up in my arms, I took her to my room and laid her on the bed. She was already in pajamas, so I pulled her slippers off and tucked her in under the cover.

  There were no objections from her and when I climbed in and pulled her to me, she released a sigh and cuddled into me.

  “Thanks, Razor.” She bre
athed.

  “Anytime, sweetheart.” I pulled her closer.

  The next morning, Kylie was still out cold. Literally dead to the world. Phones were ringing, the fire department went through the streets for an exercise, and I know I snored. Yet, she remained curled up on the massive bed looking like a frail angel.

  My girl slept through all of that. I cooked breakfast for her and brewed coffee, but she still did not wake. It wasn’t until five in the evening that I heard some noise upstairs.

  I found her in the bathroom washing her hands.

  “Hey, how'd you sleep?” I asked while leaning against the bathroom door.

  “Like a baby!” She wiped her hands on the towel.

  “You slept for twelve hours straight, so I’m sure you’re well rested.”

  “Oh my God. WOW! I was so tired; it was getting bad. I was nearly delirious from lack of sleep.”

  “Does that explain you going ape-shit on that poor guy in the grocery store?” I chuckled.

  “Oh my God. That’s so bad. Did you guys get his information? I do want to apologize.” Kylie looked mortified.

  “Ha. It’s cool. We smoothed it over.”

  “Oh thanks,” she said and tried to leave the bathroom.

  I held out my hand, which spanned across her stomach and pulled her towards me. “Hungry?”

  “Starving,” she said as her stomach growled loudly.

  I could feel the vibrations on my hand as she laughed at herself.

  “I guess I should be embarrassed.” She continued to laugh. “I am hungry though.”

  “Come on, food’s downstairs.” I tagged her hand to guide her there but she pulled back.

  “It’s fine, Razor. I have plenty of food at home. They brought it over yesterday.”

  “Naw, you’re with me.” I said as we continued down the stairs.

  “What?” Kylie asked.

  “You’re with me.”

  “I’m good, Razor. I just needed to sleep and now I’m good.”

  “Told you, sweetheart. You want clarity, you come to me. I’d be waiting. You came, so let me be clear. You’re with me. Mine. You came to me, so you’re with me. You’re not going back home, to your parents or anywhere else. You’re staying here because you want to be here. If you didn’t, you wouldn’t have come. If you didn’t feel safe, you wouldn’t have slept half the day away. You wouldn’t have come. But you did so I’m taking advantage. No more pushing. I let you have it your way before, but no more of that. Now you’re on my court. This goes my way, and you,” I pointed to her, “are here with me because you came.”

  We entered the kitchen and I cornered her near the refrigerator, “So, make yourself at home. Your shit is already upstairs and I took some of the groceries to get an idea of what you liked. I got your schedule. Your detail remains, you can continue business as usual, but you lay your head down here from now on or I’m at your place. Got it?”

  Kylie’s hazel eyes looked up into mine and tears were welling up in them.

  “What’s wrong, sweetheart?”

  She shook her head and murmured, “N-nothing.”

  “Something is wrong.” I leaned down and kissed her forehead. “You’re crying.”

  “I just.” She sighed. “Um, I just. I want, um. I don’t know. Uh. I want…”

  “Me.” I finished for her. “You want me.”

  One tear dropped and she turned her head. I brought Kylie’s face back to look at me, then kissed her tears away. “Don’t hide from me. Ever.”

  The other unshed tear fell from her eye, but they remained on me. My hand moved her hair out of the way and I kissed her forehead again while I wiped the tears from her eyes with my thumb.

  “Told you not to be scared,” I reminded her.

  “Easier said than done, Razor.”

  “Yes, but I got you sweetheart.” I rubbed her lips. “Let’s get you some food.”

  Kylie smiled as I pulled her away from the refrigerator. For dinner, I made barbecue chicken, corn, and baked potatoes. After grabbing the chilled bottle of wine that the guys brought from her house and a beer for me, I removed our dinner from the oven.

  “Take this to the dining room table,” I instructed, motioning for the drinks and glasses.

  When we sat down to eat, Kylie looked over the food, then asked, “Did you make all of this yourself?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Oh wow.”

  “Why are you so surprised?”

  “Because you’re possibly a better cook than me.”

  I laughed. “Well, I had to learn early, so I got better over time. Especially with Mace in the picture. He needs to have well-balanced meals.”

  “Yeah, I get it,” she nodded and took a bite of the chicken.

  “This is great, Razor. Tender and everything.”

  I nodded my thanks for the compliment.

  We ate in silence, but it was evident that Kylie’s mind was racing as she devoured her food. I meant what I said earlier, and as far as I was concerned, there was no turning back. Not for me anyway. I would not back down, and if needed, I’d become that man. I was forty-four. She was thirty-two. It broke my rule, but fuck that. If someone had told me that the one I’d fall for would be twelve years younger than me, sassy as fuck and hot as shit, I would’ve called them a liar. Yet, here Kylie Mills was in my house, eating my food, and sleeping in my bed.

  Bronx’s words came back to me. When did it happen?

  It was time. I couldn’t run from it any longer, just like I would not let her anymore either. It was time.

  Now the question remained what her plans would be after the stalking and her mom’s illness were no longer keeping her here.

  “So,” I said as I took a sip of beer. “Any questions about what I said earlier?”

  “I’m sure I do, but I’ll ask as they come up.” She took a sip of wine. “It didn’t seem like there was much of a choice on my part.”

  “No.”

  “That’s what I figured,” Kylie nodded.

  After a few seconds had passed, she asked, “So, what does an MC President do on a Saturday evening?”

  I laughed.

  “Besides eat dinner with his lady?”

  “Lady?” Her glass stopped mid-air.

  “Lady.” I confirmed. “Sometimes I’m at the compound or Peppers. Sometimes we ride.”

  “Ride?” Kylie asked as her eyes widened.

  “Yeah, we ride.” I smiled.

  “Just ride?”

  “Yeah, sweetheart.” I grabbed her hand. “Just ride.”

  “Can we?” she looked down at her empty plate.

  “Course.” I nodded. “You ready?”

  Her face brightened and the color started to come back to her pale skin.

  “Yeah, let me just go take a shower and get ready.” Kylie pushed her chair back and got up. “Give me twenty minutes.”

  I smiled and nodded.

  Yup, my lady.

  Excited about riding.

  Just riding.

  Thirty minutes later, she finally emerged. Her hair was damp, her skin was a healthy pink, and her eyes were clear.

  “Feel better? You look better,” I asked.

  “Much better. Thanks.”

  “You’ve been on the back of a bike before, right?” I asked.

  “Yeah,” she answered, nodding her head.

  I nabbed Kylie’s hand, grabbed the spare helmet, and we were off. We rode three towns over, through the plains, and even passed my old bicycle club. I didn’t stop there just yet. Pete had told me to wait a while, well a long while, before I came back. Plus, it wasn’t time for me to introduce Kylie to my full family, but I slowed down enough for her to see the place. I also showed her where I grew up along with my middle and high schools. It was dark, but the baseball field was still lit up, so I parked over near the bleachers, and we got off and took a seat as we held hands. A

  My mind wandered to my high school days and mentally traveled to where I was.

/>   Baseball was my number one love back in those days. Girls were always there, and I enjoyed my fair share, but nothing came before the game. My mom thought I was wasting my energy on the wrong thing, and my dad wanted to live vicariously through me. Combating the two forces was difficult, but the one thing that kept me on the straight and narrow was my brothers in the Legion of Guardians. These men were strong, supportive and, our chapter was a legitimate organization. When I heard all that they had done for the people of the community, I knew I had to be a part of it.

  I climbed the ranks, but started just like everyone else as a hang-around, and then a prospect. I got a college scholarship to play baseball, and that was something they not only encouraged, but pulled strings to make sure that I had everything I needed. I was smart, but not diligent in my studies, so I went pro the first chance I got. This happened the summer of my sophomore year.

  My professional career lasted for six years until I blew out my knee out doing a stupid slide into third base, and that was the end of my baseball playing days. I kept my life simple. Most bikers did, so I had plenty of money stashed away for rainy days along with six years’ worth of contract money so I was set. Not for life, because I had to have the money work for me and the club.

  Once I was patched into the club, Pete showed me the ropes and schooled me on which investments to make and which ones to pass. He wasn’t a financial guru, but just a resident of the small Pennsylvania town and wise way beyond his years. A few years later, I was elected as the Sergeant-at-Arms, where Pete trained me in the day-to-day business operations of the club. Shortly after that, he named me as his Vice-President. No one objected because they knew he was grooming me to run it, but nobody knew he was grooming me to run the district- not even me at one point. When Pete told me to go for the President position in Manor, I did. I trusted that he wouldn’t steer me wrong, and he didn’t.

  “Where were you just now?” Kylie asked, interrupting my thoughts about my career in baseball and the club.

  Pulling her so she was sitting on top of one my legs and facing the other one, I opened them wider so that she could fit comfortably in between.