by Kylie Parker
“Bruce Harris. Pleasure.” He introduced himself with a faint smile on his face, trying hard to hide his surprise, offering his hand for a handshake. “Don’t worry about it. I take it the Softail outside is yours. That’s a beautiful machine.”
“Well, thanks again.” A big smile spread across her face, as she shook his hand. “It is. Do you ride?”
“Yep. A 1200 Custom. My friend rides a Seventy Two. We’re from Boston. We’re on a road trip. We just arrived.” Bruce replied, feeling the skin of her soft palm into his.
“No kidding!” Melissa exclaimed. “You mean you rode all the way here from Boston?”
“That’s right.” Bruce nodded.
“Let me guess. You guys came here because you saw the bike on the façade. Am I right?” She asked.
“Yeah.” He admitted. “It looks really great. The place is pretty good, too. It’s got a nice vibe to it.”
“Well, it should.” Melissa laughed. “It’s a vintage bar. I’ve known the owner since I was a little girl. Jack used to be a Black Sabbath roadie, back in the day.”
“Sounds like fun.” Bruce commented.
“He’s got like a ton of stories. You should ask him. He’s the guy talking to your friend.” She stated, throwing a rapt glance at the elderly man at the bar. “What about you? What made you decide to cross…” She paused and looked up at the ceiling. “Seven states?”
“My friend and I are mechanics.” He claimed. “We spend a lot of time fixing motorcycles, but we never get the chance to enjoy our own. We just ride to the workshop and back. It’s pretty sad if you think about it, but it’s true.”
“No.” Melissa waved her hand in front of her face. “That’s today. We all work to death. Trust me, I’m a lawyer. I know how that feels.”
“A female biker lawyer?” Bruce sounded surprised. “I’m impressed.”
“I was wondering when you were going to say that.” She laughed once more, making his heart flutter. “Men think that…”
“Let me stop you right there.” He interrupted her. “I don’t care what other men think. I think it’s hot, kind of. I’ve never seen a woman ride a Harley before.”
“Hot?” She wondered, leaning towards him.
“Yeah.” Bruce spoke, his voice firm. “Harleys are absolutely gorgeous. What’s better than seeing a beautiful woman like you ride one of them?”
“Thank you. Again.” Melissa made her voice sound sweeter. “Are all bikers good talkers where you come from?”
By all means, Bruce should be thrilled that she was flirting with him. After all, he liked her very much. But, her obvious interest in him did not seem to matter. Her question had brought back terrible memories of things he had been trying to forget for years. He dropped his gaze to the floor, as his smile disappeared.
“Not really.” He groaned. “I’m sorry, Melissa. I got to go.”
“Go? What are you talking about? You just got here!” Frustration was lingering in her voice. “What did I say?”
“Nothing. I just…” Bruce faltered. “Remembered something.”
The quick ride back to his hotel felt like an eternity. He wanted to disappear off the face of the Earth. Bruce had just lost a very good opportunity to have some fun on his first night in Las Vegas. Melissa had reminded him of the money that they had stolen that night and theft was only a part of the life that he put behind him, when he and Matt left the motorcycle club.
Later, in his hotel room, Bruce was having second thoughts about his decision. However, if he had stayed, he would have to explain why he was so upset.
“You’re a great-looking girl Melissa, but I couldn’t pour my heart out to someone I’ve just met. I wonder what Matt’s up to. Nah, who am I kidding? He’s probably going to sleep with that barmaid. Sometimes, I wish I could take things lightly like he does. I could do that tonight; I wouldn’t worry about the money we stole and we’d have a great time. Stealing from a bank is one thing. Stealing from a casino can become very messy.”
Indeed, Bruce had regretted his decision to take the money. At some moment, he even thought of flushing it down the toilet. He had a very good idea about what would happen to him and Matt, should the casino owner found out. There have always been rumors about the numerous holes in the Mojave Desert. He didn’t want to end up in one of them. The money that they had stolen was not worth that risk, but, even if it was, they had promised to each other to lead a quiet life, after leaving the motorcycle club.
Bruce lay in bed, exhausted by the long ride and the night’s events. As fate would have it though, he did not stay there for more than just a few seconds. His phone rang; it was Matt.
“Hey, man.”
“I hope I didn’t wake you.”
“No, I was just about to crash. What’s up?”
“Do me a favor. Look out the window.”
“Why?”
“Just do it.”
Bruce lazily sat up and got out of bed. He went to the window on the right and looked down at the road, only to see Matt on his motorcycle, with Jenny sat behind him and Melissa on her motorcycle, pulling over on the right side of the road.
“Are you still there?”
“Yeah.” Bruce whispered, still trying to wrap his head around what he had just witnessed. Melissa was there, but he had no idea why.
“Sorry man, she insisted. She said she wanted you to see her riding that bike. That chick’s crazy.”
“It’s alright, brother.” Bruce smiled. At that moment, Melissa dismounted her motorcycle and walked up to Matt. “Give her the phone, will you?” Bruce requested. Matt indulged his friend. She looked up and slightly to the left, before she waved at Bruce.
“Hi there.” Melissa said in a sweet tone.
“Hey. I’m sorry I left.”
“Meet me at 3320, Bonanza Road, tomorrow night at 8pm. It’s a pretty big supermarket. It’s kind of hard to miss. Let’s see how fast that bike of yours really is.”
“What?!” Bruce couldn’t believe his ears. “You want to race with me?”
“No, silly.” She chuckled. “I’ll explain when you get there. Goodnight.”
“Goodnight.”
Melissa’s visit put a smile on Bruce’s face. She was not mad at him for abandoning her. On the contrary, she sounded quite cool and her proposal made his heart leap with joy. Bruce wondered what she had in mind, but that could wait. It could be a number of things and he was a little too tired to start speculating.
“I was right.” He thought to himself. “Women on Harleys look really hot. You got me curious, Melissa. Thanks a lot for tonight. I shouldn’t have left like that, but you came here, just to talk to me on the phone. I really like that.”
Chapter Three
By the time he had left his hotel that afternoon, Bruce’s head was spinning, contemplating his next move. However, he was on his way to meet Melissa and he could not afford to show his emotions. Most likely, she would start asking questions. Bruce would have to tell her the whole story and reveal his secrets, secrets that had been haunting him for years. Under the blood-red sky of Las Vegas, her image reentered his mind. He liked her; she seemed like an honest girl, but he barely knew her. Bruce could not know whether he could trust her or not.
During his short ride to Bonanza Road, he enjoyed the scenery. He liked the uphill road, even though a couple of turns were quite steep, but, more than anything, he savored the sensation of the cool air against his skin. The day in the city had been extremely hot; neither he nor Matt would even consider getting out before sunset. However, the evening was rather brisk, ideal for long walks or long rides on his Harley. This one though lasted less than ten minutes. Bruce spotted Melissa on the right side of the wide road, sat on her electric-blue motorcycle, just outside the supermarket she had told him about.
“Hey you.” She sang. “How was the ride? It wasn’t hard to find, was it?”
“Hi. No, it wasn’t.” He said, trying to pull his helmet over his head.
“Keep
it on.” Melissa suggested. “There’s a place I want you to see.”
“Lead the way.” Bruce gave her a smile. She returned it, slowly turned around, put her own helmet on and mounted her motorcycle. Her black leather outfit was tight enough to accentuate her curves. Even in that, Melissa looked very feminine indeed. Sadly for Bruce, he could not watch her for more than just a few seconds. The brunette started the engine of her Harley, as the sun quickly disappeared in the horizon.
“I was so stupid to leave last night. Where are you taking me, Melissa? What is it that you want me to see?”
Curious about what she had in mind, Bruce followed Melissa. For the first time in his life, he was riding with a woman. A beautiful woman. Something in her ways appealed to him. She lured him like nothing else in the entire world could. Bruce was not sure whether it was the fact that she rode a motorcycle, her amazing looks or the way she had treated him so far. It could be any of those things or all of them combined. But he would not bother to analyze it any further. Once again, he was feeling the cool breeze against his skin, as they rode on an uphill stretch of road. The busy Bonanza road continued downhill, giving him a chance to gaze at the dozens of taillights and headlights. The Frenchman mountains stood tall and proud against the clear, darkening sky.
“Freedom, baby.” Bruce thought to himself, as he rolled the throttle on his motorcycle. The speedometer indicated he was doing more than eighty five miles per hour.
“Something happens to you at about ninety miles an hour. All the noise drowns out all sound. You focus on the immediate. All of a sudden, you’re not on the road. You’re in it. You’re part of it. Nothing matters; traffic, scenery, people become nothing more than blurry images of things you’re just trying to avoid. I love that rush.”
The immediate at that point was Melissa and her long hair whipping against her back. The right indicator on her Harley flashed. Fifty yards later, she took a right turn. Bruce found himself onto yet another downhill road. This one however was gravelly and empty, surrounded by thick, dry bushes. Two hundred meters down that road, Melissa left it and went to the right. She rode across a rocky ledge, slowed down and eventually stopped, just a few feet before the edge.
“This is it.” She said, pulling her helmet over her head. Bruce’s jaw had dropped. The hill that they were on overlooked the city of Las Vegas. Thousands upon thousands of sparkling city lights lay ahead of them. Their numerous color variations added to the sheer beauty of the scenery. Several high-rises towered over the rest of the smaller buildings and could be seen from a distance.
“It’s fantastic.” Bruce voiced his mind in a mild tone, as he removed his helmet as well. The two of them dismounted their motorcycles almost at the same time. He left his helmet hanging on the left handlebar and put his hands in his pockets, as he lazily walked up to her.
“This is my favorite view of the city.” Melissa confessed, her voice low and sweet. Then, she turned her head to the left and faced Bruce. “You said you’re from Boston. What’s your favorite view of your city?”
“Charles River.” Bruce’s response was sharp. “It’s a great place for a walk, with amazing views of the city.”
“It sounds interesting.” She commented.
“You should see it someday.” He suggested, as his thick lips curled into a razored smile.
“There’s that grin again.” Melissa remarked, pointing at his face. “I swear to God, if I hadn’t seen you riding a bike, I would never think you’re a biker.”
“Why’s that?”
“Because you don’t act like one.” She explained. “You got…” Melissa faltered. “Manners. You’re not loud. You can actually talk. Most bikers I’ve met yell a lot. They’re pretty crude, if you know what I mean.”
“I know exactly what you mean.” Bruce spoke in an emphatic tone. “I was member of a motorcycle club.”
“Really?” She chirped. “How was it?”
“Well, it was pretty loud. We had lots of fun. You know, riding around, going to places. We were pretty close.” He replied.
“Then why did you leave?” Bruce dreaded Melissa’s last question. It put him in an impossible position. Not ready to reveal his past, he decided to try a different approach.
“Why are you so interested in me, Melissa? I mean, I’m a tourist. You know I won’t be here for long.” He said, as a breeze tugged at his short, black hair. Melissa rolled her eyes to the right and squeezed her lips, clearly saddened by his words.
“I’ve been alone for too long.” She whispered. “My phone was already buzzing in my pocket when you spoke to me. I got a pretty oppressive father. That’s why I was so rude to you.”
“I’m not buying that.” Bruce smirked at her. “You’re too beautiful to be alone. And what you said about your father doesn’t make sense. What does your mother have to say about this?”
“Well, thanks, but it’s true.” Melissa continued. “My mom died two years ago. Heart attack.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t know.” He lowered his tone and got serious.
“Bruce.” She snorted. “You can’t. You just can’t be a biker. I think someone’s playing a joke on me.”
“I am. I got the scars to prove it.” Bruce spoke in his deep, manly voice. “I can show you if you like. Why do you say that?”
“Please, don’t make me repeat myself.” Melissa requested.
“I really liked what you did last night.” He whispered, bending his head towards her. “I dumped you and you didn’t get mad at me. You wanted to see me again.” Sliding his right hand up her forearm, he looked deep into her eyes. She did not stop him; her big smile encouraged him. Bruce’s hand stopped on the side of her neck. The feel of her soft skin in his palm sent sparks up and down his body.
“You could have snapped at me when I said ‘nice try’. But you didn’t. That’s why I talked to you later.” Her high-pitched voice had lowered to a soft, sweet whisper. Bruce closed his eyes and gently pulled her closer to him. Melissa’s skin was very smooth, but it was her tender kiss that blew his mind. Her lips felt warm on his mouth, as she wrapped her arms around his neck. Sensing her hot breath on his skin, he held her near. The wind grew stronger; it began to whip her hair against her face, but she would not stop kissing him. Bruce caressed the back of her neck, entwining his other arm around her back. He trapped her upper lip in his mouth and kissed it one last time, before slowly pulling back.
“I’ve never seen anything prettier in my whole life.” He confessed, watching as the wind continued to whip her hair against her face.
“You’re really sweet, Mr. Boston.” She whispered.
“I’m just being honest.” Bruce added.
“Care to follow me again?” Melissa asked in a husky tone.
“Where to?”
“My place is two miles east from here.” She winked at him. With her scent still in his nostrils and feeling a little dizzy by her kiss, Bruce would not say “no” to her. Their date was going better than he anticipated. He couldn’t wait to be alone with her in a much more comfortable place than a rocky ledge. His heart was racing, as he mounted his Harley for one more time that night.
“Your place it is. It doesn’t matter if it’s up the mountains or in the desert. I really want to spend the night with you.”
Chapter Four
Bonanza Road gradually got narrower and narrower. More than that, the houses on both sides of the road were much bigger and more luxurious than the ones that they had left behind. Indeed, that part of the area resembled more of an expensive, major city suburb. Bruce couldn’t help but marvel at the massive estates all around him. They seemed to be either new or well-preserved. Supercars were parked on the driveways. Lush greenery surrounded each mansion. Almost each and every one of them featured large power gates. Big swimming pools were visible from the road. Bruce began to wonder where Melissa was taking him. A young lawyer like her could not possibly afford a house like that, no matter how successful she was. It was at that moment that
he sensed that she was hiding something from him. The darkness did not allow him to see whether there were any apartment buildings or small, ordinary houses there or not.
Bruce’s first question was answered when Melissa pulled over on the right side of the road, a few feet before a very big estate. She pulled a keypad out of the pocket of her jacket and pressed a button. A huge, grey, iron gate slowly opened sideways. Melissa did not look behind her. Instead, she rolled on the throttle, turned right and entered the estate. With his heart literally racing, Bruce followed her. This time though, he did not stop his Harley behind Melissa’s. Instead, he stopped it next to hers.
“This is your place?” He squinted at her, his voice high-pitched.
“Actually…” She faltered, as she pulled her helmet over her head. “I lied. It’s not. It’s my aunt Helen’s. She’s out of town.”
Her answer made perfect sense. Still, he had one more question.
“Why didn’t we go to your place?”
“Because there’s nothing romantic about my third-storey apartment.” She smiled. “Look around you. The view is even better from up here.”
Melissa was right. The estate was at higher elevation than the ledge they were on earlier and the view was breathtaking. Bruce felt like he was on an airplane, looking down at Las Vegas. Furthermore, the luxurious mansion was surrounded by tall oak trees and Bruce also caught a glimpse of the edge of a swimming pool in the backyard.
“Look, I’m sorry I lied to you, ok?” Melissa made her voice sound sweeter. “It’s just that I haven’t been out on a date in such a long time. I wanted it to be perfect.”
“It’s alright.” Bruce croaked. “I would have appreciated a head’s up, though.”
“What was I supposed to say to you?” She laughed. “Let’s go to my aunt’s house?”
“Good point.” He agreed. “What do you mean by ‘perfect’?”
“Well, first of all, I wouldn’t be wearing my biker outfit.” Melissa joked. “Go wait for me by the pool. Please?” She chirped.