by K. Renee
I run my finger over the tattoo on the inside of my wrist. The one where his name is inked onto me forever. The one the reminds me that this life isn’t pretty, that this life is violent and shitty. All we have is the family around us, and one bullet can take them away.
“He didn’t give us enough time to plan out an attack. He led us right into a trap, and he paid the price for that, and now his girl is alone and grieving the loss of the love of her life. She hates us because he is gone and now it’s only us here to pick up the pieces of her broken heart. Don’t let this happen to your families. Gun knows the deal. We won’t let anything happen to Casey or him. We will protect him with everything we have in us or die trying, but we need to be prepared. I won’t lose more brothers for no reason.”
I clear my throat and walk out of there, not caring what is said after I walk through those doors. I need to get out of here before I break down. I still haven’t cried for my brother. I can’t. If I did, then this shit would be real, and I can’t handle that. I want him to walk through that door one day and tell us we are all being whiny bitches, and that we need to check our vaginas or something stupid.
“Fuck, I miss that bastard,” I mutter more to myself than anything.
“We all do.” Brant puts his hand on my shoulder and squeezes. I should have fucking known he would have come out here after me. The pain hurts me right in the center of my chest, and I close my eyes, rubbing at the invisible hole that will always be a part of me now.
Chapter Eight
Brynn
You know those times where people tell you not to go anywhere with a stranger? Yeah, apparently I didn’t remember those times either. I went to lunch with Aaron, and he happened to be one of the nicest guys I’ve ever met, and he is hot as hell to boot. The ride there was super uncomfortable, but he did his best to get me to stop freezing while staring at him and we actually had a pleasant time.
When I got back to the office, I had Robbie sitting on my desk with a knife in his hand. He was staring at Aaron as he walked me back to the door. Aaron on the other hand was the complete gentleman, unlike my new office mate.
I give Robbie a dirty look, and he just ignores me.
“I had a fantastic time,” Aaron says, grinning at me.
“Me too. Thank you for lunch.” I tried to pay for my portion, but he refused and insisted that I let him pay for my food since he invited me.
“Anytime. Maybe we can do it again sometime.” His boyish charm doesn’t disappear even with Robbie shooting him dirty looks the whole time. Just as I’m about to answer, the door to the office opens and slams shut, bringing another biker into my little office.
“Sorry Romeo, but she’s got to get back to work and you being here isn't helping.” I turn my head and see Sebastian standing there with his arms crossed. I don’t know him all that well, but I do know that he can be a real ass when he wants to. Ever since his brother’s girlfriend got attacked, he’s been worse than normal. They don’t mention her very much, but I know that Elijah and that girl had been together a long time.
“I’ll call you later,” Aaron says with a smirk.
I watch him walk out the door and turn to stare at the two men that are still in my office.
“What is your guy's problem?” I huff out. I don’t appreciate them trying to ruin my dating life just because their brother is a moron.
“Please Brynn, that boy can’t handle you. You need someone a little more rough around the edges,” Sebastian says leaning back against the door frame. His eyes scan me over once before he whistles. “I don’t know why Bent let a pretty little thing like you go.”
That just pisses me off more. Maybe it’s the fact that I’m still hurt, or maybe it’s just to say a big fuck you to Bentley, but I don’t care what they say, I am going to date Aaron whether they like it or not. Bentley walked away from me, not the other way around.
“Why don’t you go and ruin someone else’s life,” I bark out, tossing my purse on my desk. They both stare at me like I’ve grown a second head, but I don’t care anymore. I’m done being the cute little girl that they think they can fuck with.
“Oooh, she’s got a bite,” Robbie says running his finger over the knife one more time. He closes it and puts it back in his jeans pocket before standing up.
“Yeah and if you don’t get out of here, I can show you exactly how I feel about you forcing him to leave.” They both just smirk, and I seriously want to scream. They are like children.
As they walk out of my office, I flip them the bird, and drop into my chair and let out a deep breath before getting back to work. The rest of the day goes by without another kink, and I get to go home without the pressure of those guys from out in the shop.
---
By the time I get to my apartment, my feet are killing me, and I want to relax in the bath. Just as I’m about to strip down to get into my bathtub, my phone starts to ring. Sighing, I make my way back to my room to grab it, and as I check the screen, I don’t recognize the number.
Instead of answering it, I let it go to voicemail and head back into the bathroom to soak in the tub. As I sink down into the water, I hear the voicemail go off, and I close my eyes, trying to force myself to relax. Part of me doesn’t know what I am doing anymore. I’m twenty-six and have nothing more than this apartment, and my job.
At one point, I thought that things with Bentley would be more, but I can see that it’s not going to go anywhere. Plus, he was the one that left, not me. I am still here almost praying that he will come back and say he was an idiot.
Instead of continuing to think about Bentley and everything that is wrong with us being together, I think about my lunch with Aaron. He was a complete gentleman. Not once did he try and ask me personal questions or force me to talk about something I didn’t want to talk about. He asked what I liked to do and how I spent my time after work.
We had some similarities, and I guess we just clicked. It was weird but exciting all at the same time. Maybe it is just the thought of someone new, or maybe it’s more of a way to say fuck you to Bentley, I don’t know.
As I continue to think about Aaron, I decide that maybe I should take that chance and just go for it. What could it hurt? The worst that might happen is that he turns out to be a dick like Bentley who sleeps with me once before hitting the road never to return. Fuck it, when I get out of the bath, I’m going to text him and see if he wants to get dinner or something. Women can make the first move right? It’s technically the second move. He did invite me to lunch today, not the other way around.
After I finish my bath, I drain the water and wrap a towel around me. Before I can chicken out, I grab my phone and send off a text message asking if he was interested in grabbing dinner tonight. It’s not like I have anything else planned and eating alone doesn’t sound all that appealing right this moment.
More thoughts of a certain biker might make their way into my head, and I don’t want that. I already have enough going on in there to drive me insane on a good day.
His response is almost immediate, and I can’t help the stupid grin on my face when I read his words.
Aaron: I’d love to treat you to dinner. How about I pick you up in an hour?
I tell him that it would be perfect and send him my address. As I dance around my bedroom, trying to find the perfect outfit for tonight, I forget all about the missed call and voicemail. Instead, I spend way too much time trying to find something to wear while doing my hair and makeup.
By the time I hear him knocking on my front door, I am almost ready. Zipping up the back of my dress while I all but hop on one foot to the front door. I open the door, not even really sure how strange I look right at this moment. His eyes take me in, and a grin spreads across his face.
“Wow,” he says under his breath.
“Please come in. I swear I am almost ready.” He doesn’t seem to mind, so I let him follow me inside as I hop my way back toward the bedroom. He doesn’t follow me, and I can’t help
but grin. “I’m almost done!” I call out when I finally get my dress zipped all the way. I find my other shoe and slip it on my foot before grabbing my small clutch.
Coming back into my living room, I see him looking at the photos on my fireplace. The ones that are the closest to my heart are displayed proudly. “Beautiful family,” he murmurs looking at the last family photo we have.
Not long after it was taken, my brother was killed by a drunk driver. They swerved into his lane and hit him head-on on his twentieth birthday. I never tell anyone because then they start to feel sorry for me and I am not okay with that. I don’t like people pitying me because I lost a brother and most people don’t understand that.
Ever since Trevor died, I have been living my life safe. I’ve been trying to figure out where I belong in this world and I thought I found that when I started working at Wayward Cycles, but I guess I was wrong. Bentley made me feel small and like I wasn’t good enough, something that hasn’t happened to me before.
Instead of dwelling anymore on my brother and Bentley, I ask Aaron if he is ready to go. I need to get out of my apartment now before more memories of my brother overtake me. Most of the time, I don’t look at the photos on my fireplace because of the memories that they bring up.
Sometimes I think that Trevor’s death has hit Tessa way harder than me, or maybe I just don’t let my emotions show like she does. She kind of went off the deep end with the drinking and the partying after he died. Most nights she outlasts most men and doesn’t give up until she’s puking her guts up. I’ve seen her at her best, and the way she’s been living isn’t it.
The ride to the restaurant isn’t very long, and it doesn’t take long for us to be seated at a booth in the corner. Putting my napkin over my lap, I scan over the menu and order a drink when the server comes around. After Aaron orders his drink, the server leaves to put the drink order in and I can’t help but grin at Aaron.
“I didn’t expect your message earlier. I thought for sure that you would make me wait before I would get the chance to take you to dinner.” An easy grin spreads across his face, and I love seeing the smile on him. It makes him even hotter if that is possible.
“I guess it’s your lucky day.” He makes it easy to flirt with him after I got over my initial stuck in stupid moment the first time I met him. He doesn’t make my whole body heat with just a glance, but right now, that doesn’t matter. Being here with him is right where I want to be.
Bentley can go fuck himself for all I care.
“It definitely is.”
The server comes back with our drinks, and he suggests we make a toast before taking the first drinks. We both raise our glasses and the boyish grin forms on his lips. “To the assholes who let you go. I’ll thank them personally if I ever meet them.”
I blush and duck my head a little. He couldn’t possibly know about what happened between Bentley and I, so I tell my brain to chill out. He probably just means in general. I’ve dated plenty of men over the years; there is no way he knows about my one night stand with the only guy who makes my heart accelerate as he runs his finger across my skin. Nope, can’t be.
I clink my glass to his and take a deep drink from my glass. I think I’m going to need more alcohol than I thought to forget about that stupid biker.
Chapter Nine
Bentley
It took us a few days to come up with a plan, and every day that Brant is here, Anslie is worried. I swear my sister calls him more than I’ve ever seen an ole’ lady call. She always says the twins are the ones who want to talk to him, but I know that it’s secretly her. Maybe she doesn’t trust him while he’s gone after all the shit they’ve gone through, or she just misses that asshole that much when he’s not around.
Thinking about Anslie at home brings my thoughts to Brynn and what she is doing right now. I can imagine her bent over her desk filling out some piece of paper, not noticing the way her little shorts ride up. I just picture the fucking vision right now.
Instead of using my hand to get off, I go out into the clubhouse to see what type of whores they have hanging around here. When I don’t find anything that catches my attention, I make my way out of the clubhouse and head straight to my bike. I need to get off, and nothing here is going to cut it.
Before I can get to my bike, I hear Gunner behind me. “You know the rules of a lockdown.” I turn and smirk.
“Yeah, but you know me, I never did well following the rules.” I shrug at him, and he shakes his head, not saying anything else as I start the engine and put the kickstand up. Giving him a two finger salute, I take off into the night toward a club that I found online last night.
I couldn’t deal with Brant’s mushy fucking bullshit when he was talking to my sister, so I scoured the internet until I found a few places that looked legit. The one I’m going to right now had a strict privacy policy and that was exactly what I need right about now with the shit that we have going on at the clubhouse.
As I pull into the parking lot of the tall black building, I take in the area. It’s a little ritzier than I expected, but I don’t really care. Putting my kickstand down, I shut off my bike and get off. As I make my way toward the front door, I clear my mind. If I keep thinking about Brynn, there is no way I’ll be able to get off here. Only fucking her would do the job and that isn't happening. I’m in Seattle and she’s in Vegas.
Plus, when I talked to my sister yesterday she mentioned that Brynn was dating some douche, so I needed to stay gone. Stay far away from her before I do something stupid like try and win her over.
Pulling open the heavy door, I come to a reception desk that has a pretty little blonde sitting behind the desk. Her eyes rake me over before she asks, “Hi, can I help you?”
I walk over to the desk and rest my forearms on it, leaning close to her. “I don’t know if you can, but I am interested in seeing what your establishment has available.” I grin, and she blushes.
“Can you please fill this out?” The blush gets deeper when my hand brushes against hers as I pull the clipboard from her. I scan over the paperwork, and it’s just a standard contract. Don’t reveal your identity, blah, blah, blah. It’s nothing new to me. I’ve filled out half a dozen of these over the years while trying to find a club that I liked back home.
Oh, of course after I finally found one, Brynn happened to show up, and I had to increase my time spent at the damn place. The night I fucked her was the first night that I didn’t spend time there. All because my brothers wanted to go out that night.
I shake my head, ridding myself of thoughts from that night. I don’t need to think about her. No matter how many times I tell myself that, it doesn’t work. All thoughts always lead back to her. I wonder if that’s how Brant felt about my sister while they were apart all those years? Fuck, I sound like a goddamn bitch.
After I finish signing my damn life away and filling out a shit ton of questions, I finally get to go through the door toward the good shit. Walking through the black door that is on the other side of the blonde, I get to see what all the fuss is about with this place.
As soon as I make it through the door, the low lights and half-naked people are the first things I see. There is leather everywhere, and I can’t help but rub my hands together. Making my way toward the long bar that they have set up on the farthest side of the room, I make my way over to it and order a drink.
“Hey man, what can I get for you?” The guy behind the bar is wearing leather pants and no shirt. Part of me wants to say something assholeish, but I bite my tongue and ask for a Jack and Coke. I need to take off the edge somehow and typically liquor, and kinky shit does that shit for me. Tonight, I’m all about taking the edge off, especially if I have to continue sharing a room with my brother-in-law.
As he places the drink in front of me, I hand him a twenty and ask, “What’s good here?” I turn and look at the crowd for a second before turning back to him.
He points over to a corner where I see a blonde that looks similar
to Brynn. They are similar in height and body type, and I almost say naw to her, but he stops me. “Trust me, if you like hard and painful, she is the one you want.” I groan and dip down slightly before turning back to him.
“Fuck. Of course, she looks just like the girl I’m trying to forget,” I mutter. He grins at me and wipes the bar with his towel.
“They always do.” His chuckle pisses me off slightly, but I tap it down. It's only the first night here; I can’t piss the bartender off yet.
---
After I got off three times with the blonde that the bartender recommended, I’m finally back at the clubhouse less frustrated. It didn’t help that she was just as fucking dirty as me in a tight little package that reminded me of Brynn. All I could fucking think about while I was inside of her was that damn girl back home, the one I wanted to forget fucking. She’s already messing with my mind, and I’d only fucked her once.
The months of her teasing me with her tight little outfits and short fucking shorts didn’t help shit, and now, I don’t know what to fucking do.
Keeping my mind off of her is the only answer. Letting her move on with that douche she met and keeping my ass here in Seattle. Once I know I can deal with seeing her again every day with someone else; I’ll finally go home. Until then, I’ll just keep my ass here and fuck Michelle.
As I walk through the clubhouse doors, I see the men standing around. When I come to a stop next to Brant, I feel the tension in the room. “We strike tonight.” Gunner’s voice breaks out over the murmurs in the room. He’s pissed, and I don’t know what happened between when I left and now, but I’ll do as I’m told.
I have Gun’s back no matter what war he wants to start.
“Gather the guns and ammo and meet back here in twenty.” People start dispersing, and I look over to Brant.
“What changed? I thought this was planned for a week from now.” He grimaces, and I curse under my breath. Something else happened.