Touch Me: A Bad Boy MC Romance

by Cristal Pierre

  “Huh?”

  “Are you okay?” I eased her off the bike and looked at her face, noticing that her skin was a little pale. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

  “I…” She tried to move away from me, but she wobbled, nearly losing her balance. I caught her before she could topple over. Taking her into my arms, I carried her into the diner.

  “Kyle –” The owner stopped mid-sentence when he saw us. I placed Linda down in a booth. It looked like she had fainted.

  “Marshall, get me a wet washcloth. Now.”

  The older man nodded, rushing into the back. A few seconds later, he emerged and handed me the cloth. I gently dabbed Linda’s forehead with it, hoping she would come to. Was she that afraid of motorcycles? I couldn’t understand why she was so jittery today when she had been fine the first time around.

  Slowly, she opened her eyes, fluttering her eyelashes. She sat up, looking confused before she saw me. “Kyle… what happened?”

  I motioned for Marshall to leave us. He moved behind the counter, wiping it down with a rag. I could tell he was trying to eavesdrop. The diner was empty. It wasn’t like he had anything better to do. “Are you okay?” I asked, grabbing her hand, holding it gently.

  “I… my head feels funny.”

  “You fainted. Did something happen? Did I go too fast?”

  She shook her head and bit her lip. She had a habit of doing so and it drove me insane. I wanted to kiss those pouty pink lips of hers, but now wouldn’t be the best time.

  “No… It’s just… When I was younger, I had a really bad accident. I think I just had a really vivid flashback and it triggered some kind of response. I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to worry you.” I squeezed her hand in mine and smiled at her.

  “No need to apologize. It happens to the best of us.” I beckoned Marshall over, ordering us two colas and some nachos. He nodded, disappearing into the kitchen to rouse his staff.

  “Where are we anyway?”

  “This is a little diner I like to come to sometimes. It’s Marshall’s Diner. Nothing too fancy, but the owner is a really good friend of mine. I thought he could help us out with something I have planned.”

  “Why do I not like the sound of that?” She asked as she grabbed one of the coasters and started to play with it nervously.

  “Well, you obviously still have your doubts about me.”

  “Are we really on that again?”

  “Of course we are. I told you I wouldn’t stop until you could look me in the eye and accept, without a doubt, that I’m not the murderer.”

  “Okay. So how is this Marshall guy going to help us?” She asked, refusing to make eye contact.

  “Well, for starters, this place is neutral territory. Both Blackbirds and Iron Horses come here for a good meal. He makes the best burgers and nachos in town if you didn’t know.”

  “No, I don’t usually come to this part of town.” She said, still refusing to look at me.

  I reached across the table and lifted her chin. “Linda.” Our eyes locked. I could see the fear and mistrust on her face and my heart tightened for a second. “You have nothing to be ashamed of.”

  “But… I fainted, just because I got on a motorcycle. That’s embarrassing.”

  “You had an accident. It’s okay for you to be afraid. You don’t have to act like you’re Miss Tough all the time. I won’t judge you if you end up having a few vulnerabilities.”

  She shook her head. “You just don’t understand because you’ve never been weak.”

  “I’ve been weak all my life. I’m still weak now.”

  “How are you weak? You’re the leader of a motorcycle club. You’re attractive. You always hold yourself like you own the entire world.”

  “That’s all just an act. I can act confident all I want, but sometimes, I have my moments of fear as well. I know it didn’t look like it, but I was scared when you told me you wouldn’t defend my case. I was so sure I would end up in jail. I honestly don’t know how my gang managed to get my bail.”

  “You were scared?” Linda nearly spat out the words. “How on Earth were you scared? I can’t picture you being scared of anything.”

  I chuckled. “You think too highly of me. I’m human, just like everyone else.” Before I could say anything else, Marshall appeared with our food, placing it in front of us. I was relieved to see Linda grabbing a tortilla chip and eating it.

  “Enjoy.” Marshall smiled at us.

  “Before you go… I have a question for you.” I popped a chip into my mouth, nearly burning the roof of my mouth with the cheese. I swallowed down the bite, painfully trying not to make a fool of myself, but I heard Linda giggle. She obviously noticed my struggle. I felt embarrassed, but I straightened out my posture, trying to remain composed.

  “Yes?” Marshall pulled up a chair and sat down next to us like he was going to tell a story by the campfire.

  “Have you heard anything about Danny recently?”

  “You mean Daniel Smith?”

  “That’s the one.” I took a sip of my soda, trying to wash down a piece of tortilla that was lodged in my throat. Linda continued to giggle. I did my best to ignore her. She was having way too much fun watching me struggle.

  “I haven’t seen him around these parts in quite a while… actually, since you got arrested.”

  “Exactly. I have a hunch – well not really a hunch – I know he killed Ross.”

  “I was thinking the same thing myself.” Marshall ran his hand through his white beard and leaned back. “So how come you were the one that got arrested?”

  “I fit the bill.” I glanced over at Linda who quietly sipped her soda.

  “I see. Well, I haven’t seen hide nor hair of him since you got arrested. Rumor is he went into hiding, but if you really want to find out, you should ask around at Kilroy’s.”

  “That’s the bar the Iron Horses always go to, isn’t it?” I knew the answer to that, but I was just being polite. I knew Marshall got a kick out of teaching people new stuff.

  “That’s the one. It’s just off Route Six. You know, there’s a fork in the road? Just stick to the left, you can’t miss it.”

  “Thanks, Marshall. I’ll check it out.”

  “Oh, I wouldn’t do that if I were you. The Iron Horses would spit you out alive if they thought you were the one that murdered their leader.”

  “Thanks for the tip.” I smiled at him and he took the cue to leave. He stepped behind the counter and started polishing some glasses, looking a bit bored with himself. In a few hours, he would be swamped with customers. It was still early.

  “What was that all about?” Linda asked, grabbing another chip. She nibbled on the end of it, looking pleased with herself. I noticed that a good quarter of the appetizer was already gone.

  “Someone likes the nachos.”

  “Someone’s avoiding my question.”

  “I’m not avoiding anything.” I leaned back in the booth.

  “Then why are you just looking at me?”

  “I might’ve forgotten your question.” I chuckled. “I have a horrible memory, you know?” I told her with a straight face, even though I was lying.

  “And you want me to trust you… Spill it. What’s you big plan?”

  “Ah.” I put my soda down. “I’m actually going to need your help and since you’re not afraid of anything, it shouldn’t be a problem.”

  “I don’t like the sound of that. Not one bit.”

  “We need to infiltrate Iron Horses territory and figure out where they’re hiding Danny.”

  “You’re nuts.”

  “Maybe.” I shrugged. “But that’s the only way we can really get to the bottom of this. We have to deal with this problem head on.”

  “Or we can go through legal channels as we’re supposed to. Did you forget you kidnapped me?”

  “The legal system is the thing that put me behind bars in the first place and we both know that I wasn’t guilty of anything.”


  “I never said you were innocent.”

  “But I’m innocent until proven guilty.”

  I watched in satisfaction as she ground her teeth in frustration. “You forget I studied the classics… which means a lot of classes on Aristotelian logic and debate.”

  “Whatever.” She rolled her eyes at me.

  “Anyway, are you in?”

  “Do I have a choice?”

  “Not really.”

  “Then I guess so.”

  ***

  “Are these disguises really necessary?” Linda asked me the second she got off the bike. It was around midnight, just when Kilroy’s was at its busiest.

  “Do you want these people to kill us? I’m the leader of a rival gang, remember?”

  “Okay, you got a point. But why did I have to dress up too?”

  “You would’ve stuck out like a sore thumb. Besides, you look pretty cute in a leather jacket. Especially one that fits you properly. Good thing you and Liv are the same size.” I chuckled, moving behind her and giving her ass a firm squeeze. She really did look amazing in the leather skinny jeans and matching jacket. She looked like someone who belonged on the back of a motorcycle. I feared I wouldn’t be able to keep my hands off her. “C’mon.”

  “Are you sure we can pull this off? I mean, isn’t it dangerous?” She slapped my hand off her ass and gave me the stink eye.

  “Sure, but don’t you want to know where Danny is?”

  “Not really.”

  “Oh?” I was a little confused by her answer. “Are you finally convinced I didn’t do it?”

  “No.”

  “Then what, you just want to stay with me forever?”

  “No.”

  “You’re a hard nut to crack, you know that, Linda?” There was a half-smile lingering on her face before she walked up to the door and pulled it open as if she had been there countless times before. I followed her, making sure to keep my head lowered and in the shadows. I couldn’t allow myself to be recognized. I had a bandana on and I had covered up all my tattoos, but it would still be easy for someone to pick me out as the leader of the Blackbirds. This was a risky mission, to say the least, but I knew it had to be done. I had to prove my innocence, one way or another.

  The bar was crowded and rowdy. Men and women of all shapes and sizes clung to the tables, drinking beer and having a good time. I pulled Linda close to me, noticing some wandering eyes lingering on her body for a little too long. “Whatever happens, make sure you stay close to me.”

  I pulled her toward the bar and sat down in the two seats furthest from the door. I would have preferred something a little closer, in case things got messy, but the bar was too crowded. I didn’t have a choice. I kept a hand on Linda’s thigh, squeezing it slightly. She turned to look at me, her eyes blazing.

  “I haven’t seen you two here before. Are you from out of town?”

  The bartender, a skinny woman with bright red lips and matching hair, waltzed up to us, her hands on her hips.

  “Actually, yes,” I answered. “We just rolled in from Jamestown.”

  “That’s quite far, isn’t it?” She asked as she adjusted her lip piercing. “What do they drink in Jamestown?”

  “I’ll have a whiskey.” I glanced down at Linda who had moved closer to me.

  “What’s her problem?” The woman asked as she poured a shot of whiskey, placing it in front of me. “She looks like she has seen a ghost or something.”

  “She’s just a little under the weather, aren’t you, honey?” I poked her side, trying to rouse her from her fear-induced trance. If Linda continued to act this way, we would draw suspicion for sure. “But she insisted that we come out here because she’s working on a story.”

  “Hmm?” The bartender raised an eyebrow in curiosity. “A story for what?”

  Linda finally straightened herself out, clearing her throat. “I work for the Daily Herald. I’m writing a story about the motorcycle club lifestyle and I heard that this was one of the best bars in the area.”

  “Aye, that it is.” She began wiping down the counter with a rag. “Although, most of our clientele belong to the same club: The Iron Horses. They tip pretty well so I’m not complaining.”

  “But this city is also home to the Black Birds, correct?”

  “Sure, but a member of that club would be insane to step into this bar. There’s a blood grudge between the two of them.”

  “Do you know why that is?” Linda leaned forward, her bright blue eyes sparkling. I was actually surprised by how confident she was all of a sudden. This was no easy task, but she was handling it as if she truly was unafraid of anything. I smiled, my hand on the small of her back, steadying her. I thought about slipping my hand down her pants just a little, but I didn’t want to break her focus.

  “No one knows, really. It’s one of those fights where no one can remember how it started or when it’s going to end.”

  “Ah…” Linda seemed to run out of steam as she leaned into me. I caught a whiff of her intoxicating scent and for a moment, my mind went numb. Behind me, the sound of biker boots against the hardwood floor made me remember why we had come here in the first place. I tightened my arms around her, knowing just how dangerous this was.

  “Do you think you could tell us anything about Daniel Smith?” I asked. The faster we got to the bottom of this, the faster we would be able to leave, safe and sound.

  The woman narrowed her eyes at me. “Why do you want to know?”

  “Like I said, my girl here is writing an article for a paper.”

  “And what does Danny have to do with it?” She stopped cleaning the counter, her lips pursed together. She kept looking behind me and I wished I knew what she was looking at. The sound of chairs scraping against the floor echoed through the bar.

  “He’s a friend of the family,” Linda said quickly, trying to salvage the situation, but it was already too late. They were on to us.

  “We have to go, now!” I whispered into her ear, clambering off the stool and dragging her toward the exit. A group of Iron Horses was hot on our tail. I kicked the waste bin and it tumbled on its side in front of the door. “Get on the bike! Start it. I’ll be there in a minute.” I tossed my keys at Linda who just stared at me a moment before she ran toward my bike.

  As the men stepped outside, they tripped over the trash. I punched one of them in the face, disorienting him. He fell back into another and they both collapsed to the ground. The last man charged at me, but I managed to sidestep in the nick of time. He crashed into someone’s bike, setting off the alarm.

  I didn’t stick around long enough for them to get up and try again. Linda had managed to start the bike and I quickly jumped on, revving the engine hard before I sped off.

  More members of the Iron Horses were spilling out of the bar, getting on their motorcycles, determined to give chase. “Hold on tight… this might be a bumpy ride.” I waited for Linda to wrap her arms around me before I sped off into the night, gaining speed like never before.

  We hadn’t even had time to put on our helmets and I knew that the smallest mistake could get us both killed. I tightened my grip on the handlebars as I made a sharp curve, hoping to shake off the fleet of bikers that were following us. To my disdain, they managed to make the curve as well and continued their pursuit. I had no choice but to push my bike even harder, going well over the 100-mph mark.

  “Kyle…” Linda whispered, holding on for dear life. I could feel her whole body shaking.

  “Just hold on,” I told her, letting my bike fly down the road. Behind us, the Iron Horses sounded like a thundering storm that was quickly gaining on me. I had to do something to shake them or we would never get out of this situation unscathed.

  Without warning, I turned the bike into a dirt path. The whole bike jolted as we hit rocks and potholes. I wasn’t sure we would make it as the road became narrower, leading into thicker foliage.

  Linda looked back. “They aren’t following us!”

&n
bsp; “Yeah… because they don’t want to ruin their bikes…” As if on cue, one of my exhaust pipes scraped hard against a jagged rock. I nearly lost my balance, but managed to keep us upright. I kept following the path, hoping the Iron Horses wouldn’t ambush us on the other side. With Linda’s life in my hands, I prayed for a miracle.

  Chapter 12

  Linda

  My brain felt like it was rattling in my skull. I had no idea how Kyle managed to stay in control of his bike on this dirt road. A couple of times, his engine sputtered like it was about to give up on us, but he just pushed it harder until we finally broke through the tree line.