Strays (Red Kings MC Book 1)

by Eliza Marsh

  Jackie just watched after him, shock on her face. He had made her feel uneasy from the minute she first laid her eyes on him, but now she also flat-out didn't like him. Not only did he scare her to death, but he patronized her too. She looked to Tyler, who was giving her an apologetic smile.

  "Don't mind him," Mack said with a lazy grin. "He's kind of a dick."

  Sighing, she stared at her untouched beer. Maybe coming to the clubhouse to see Tyler wouldn't be an option after all.

  4

  Jackie stood outside of the diner, cell phone to her ear as she tried to get in touch with Tyler. He had asked to borrow her truck this morning, promising he would pick her up as soon as she called. Except she had tried to ring him four times now and he wasn't answering. She let out a frustrated sigh as it went to voicemail again. Rolling her eyes, she turned and began walking towards their apartment.

  She arrived at the small living space forty-five minutes later, finding no signs that showed Tyler had been there since they left together that morning. Jackie sighed and decided to give him a few minutes to show up, setting to the task of cleaning the kitchen while she waited. Half an hour later, she looked at the clock, noting that it was almost five. It wasn't like him to not let her know where he was; Tyler knew she would be worried. She cursed and stood up quickly, grabbing her purse from the table and heading out the door to the only other place she could think of to look for Tyler.

  Jackie got on a bus that dropped her off a few blocks from the Red Kings’ clubhouse, then walked the rest of the way there. She didn't know where else to look except for the biker hangout, a place where Tyler had become very comfortable during the last few months. Walking through the gates surrounding the property, the woman headed towards the first person who might know her best friend's whereabouts. She spotted her old truck sitting in the parking lot and rolled her eyes. Typical Tyler, he was probably sitting at the bar inside, drinking and hitting on the ladies that usually hung out at the clubhouse.

  “Hey, Nash,” Jackie said with a smile as she walked towards a man in the garage they used to service both paying customers and their own bikes. Mark Edwards, affectionately named Nash after his birthplace in Tennessee, was under six feet tall with a few tattoos, dark hair, and bright, piercing eyes. He only spoke when he had something worth saying, which made him seem a bit cold. Jackie tried to avoid being alone with him if only to prevent awkward silences. Still, she found that he was rather accepting of her. He was the only biker that didn't give her any shit about her relationship with Tyler or her sporadic presence around the clubhouse. Nash shifted his eyes from the engine in front of him to her approaching figure and nodded silently in greeting. She leaned on the car he was working on, being careful to keep her distance from him just to be on the safe side. “Have you seen Tyler today?”

  He shook his head, going back to his work. Jackie nodded and scratched the back of her head nervously as she began to walk away.

  “Ask TJ.”

  The mumble was so deep that it was almost a whisper, but it managed to make her jump nonetheless. TJ was the club's Treasurer and a pleasant guy in his late thirties with a rather boisterous personality. He was blond, short, and a little on the fluffier side. The polar opposite of Nash, his mouth was always running a mile a minute. TJ never stopped talking; he could discuss anything and everything and always had an opinion, which was, according to him, the one that mattered most.

  Jackie turned back to Nash to find that he hadn't moved from his original position under the hood, but she was sure he had spoken. “TJ? Right. Is he in the clubhouse?” Nash nodded microscopically, but it was enough for Jackie. “Thanks.”

  She spun on her heel and headed across the open parking lot towards the motorcycle club's hangout, hoping nobody would yell at her for being here. Her day had been pretty crappy so far, and the brunette really looked forward to finding her best friend so she could chew him out. Arriving in front of the main door, she stood there uncertainly for a second, then knocked softly. When she received no answer, she hit harder, grimacing as the metal door brushed roughly against her knuckles.

  “It's open!” she heard someone call from inside the building.

  She tentatively turned the knob and pushed the door open just enough to stick her head inside. Glancing around, she spotted TJ and Taco, the club's newest prospect, playing a game of pool. Taco was a tall, lanky man with shaggy brown hair and was a few years younger than Jackie. He was awkward and clumsy, but he seemed to have a kind heart, which made him an odd addition to a crew like this.

  “Tag-along!” TJ's booming voice hit her ears, causing her to wince slightly, both at the volume and the newly acquired nickname. “C'mon in. What brings you here?”

  Jackie slowly moved into the main room, grateful that there were only two club members present. “Hey, have you seen Tyler? He's not answering his phone, and I can't find him anywhere.”

  “Yeah, he was here earlier. The guys thought it would be a good time to break him into some of the club business.”

  She froze and stared at him, not liking the potential meanings of what he had just said. “Wh-what does that mean?”

  “Don't worry about it, cupcake. Your boyfriend will be just fine.” TJ turned back to his game of pool, lining up a shot and sinking two balls into the corner pocket.

  “Where are they? I mean, is he okay? What are they doing? Could he get hurt?” Jackie was starting to feel the beginning stages of panic set in.

  The blond rolled his eyes dramatically at the woman while Taco stood quietly to the side. “He's perfectly safe,” TJ said, trying to reassure Jackie. “Dean will make sure nothing happens to the kid. Relax.”

  She stared at him incredulously with a raised eyebrow, crossing her arms over her chest. “You cannot tell me that he's with Dean and honestly expect that to help me relax. Dean is a lunatic! He's probably burying Tyler's body right now!” TJ laughed loudly, the sound almost shaking the windows. Even the prospect cracked a smile at Jackie's words, knowing the man in question wasn't exactly the friendliest of people. “TJ!” she whined, looking at him in exasperation. “This isn't funny. I'm really worried about Tyler. He's new to this stuff, and so am I.”

  She pouted as best as she could, watching TJ's face melt. “Fine. Fine! Stop doing that.” Jackie smiled triumphantly and hurried over to him as he pulled his cellphone out of his pocket. “I'll call Dean and make sure Tyler is still breathing. But that's it. Understand?” She nodded fiercely, watching as he dialed a number. “I can't believe I'm doing this,” he muttered to himself, waiting for an answer. “Hey. The kid's girlfriend is here, and she's worried. Is he in one piece?” There was a pause, then a raucous laugh. “That's what I told her, but I think it only made her panic more.” More silence, then TJ shoved the phone in her face with a smirk. “It's for you.”

  She snatched the phone and put it to her ear without a second thought. “Tyler?” she asked quickly.

  “Look, girlie.” She gasped as a deep voice met her ears, instead of the sweet sound of her friend that she was expecting to hear. “You can't freak out every time Tyler disappears. He's got a new job with the club. He'll disappear a lot. And if you can't accept that with no questions asked, then I'm not sure you're cut out to be his woman.”

  “I-I just don't want him to get hurt.”

  He laughed dryly, then replied, “You should have thought about that before you let him get involved with us.” Before she could say anything else, a click signaled that the man had hung up on her. She mutely handed the phone back to its owner with a shaky hand.

  “They should be back around seven,” TJ said with a grin, probably knowing precisely what Dean had told her. "You can hang around until then if you want."

  She smiled softly at him with a nod. “Thanks. I'm not usually this clingy, I promise. It's just... we haven't been separated for any period of time in I don't know how long.”

  He wrapped an arm around her petite frame and directed her to the pool table, where t
he forgotten game laid waiting. “C'mon, I'll teach you how to play pool.”

  Elsewhere, Dean hung up his phone and shook his head, shoving the device into the pocket of his jeans. “You've got one determined girl, Tyler.”

  The smaller man shifted in his seat to face Dean. “I told you she'd manage to figure out where I was. She's gonna be so pissed when we get back.”

  Dean, Tyler, and two other club members were currently sitting at a bar in Atlanta, grabbing a drink after finishing with their dealings. Earlier that day, Tyler had been at the garage for no more than three minutes when Dean had dragged him to the row of bikes and told him that he was about to go on his first official assignment. Sure, Tyler had done some minor hacking for the club, but this would be the first field operation he got to experience. His excitement easily outweighed his nerves, and he hopped on his bike now permanently stored at the clubhouse and followed the Kings to Atlanta. He was kept in the dark most of the afternoon, only getting information he needed to know to complete his tasks of hacking security cameras and breaking through a few firewalls. Overall, it had been a pretty successful day.

  Except every time Jackie called him, Dean told him not to answer it. “No pleasure when you're doing business,” he had said, but Tyler was sure it was just a test. He had totally forgotten that he was supposed to pick Jackie up from work, and he could only hope she wouldn't be too angry with him.

  “So, what's the deal with you and her anyway?” Mack asked with a grin as he leaned back in his seat, taking a large gulp from his beer bottle. “You two fucking or what?”

  Tyler shifted uncomfortably in his seat as three pairs of eyes landed on him in curiosity. People had always questioned their relationship, wondering if they had ever gotten together or if they were a romantic item. “It's not like that, man. We're just friends.”

  “You're just friends with a chick?” Ian asked, causing Tyler to glare across the table at him. “I'm just sayin'. You got more willpower than me if you can resist a hot chick.”

  Ian was the resident playboy. He had a pretty face and charming smile, and he knew just how to use them, especially when ladies were around.

  Said charming smile was having little effect on Tyler, though, who gritted his teeth and once again replied, “We're just friends.”

  “Fine, fine newbie. Relax.” Ian paused momentarily, then shot him another grin. “Does that mean I can hook up with her?”

  Back in Macon, Jackie paced the concrete floor of the garage bay nervously as she kept her eyes on the wall clock nearby.

  “Sit down, would ya?” Nash asked grumpily, lifting his head from the paperwork he was filling out. “You're drivin' me nuts.”

  Jackie swiveled to face him, an exasperated look adorning her face. After a few rounds of pool with TJ and Taco, they had wandered off to do some work, so she had ventured back out to the garage to wait for her friend's return, seating herself near a still-working Nash. That had been an hour ago, and now she was starting to panic. “They should have been back a while ago! Where are they?” She threw up her hands and turned back to the entrance of the compound as if they would magically appear when she said this. She began her pacing once again, and he growled.

  “Sit down, or I will shoot you.”

  Jackie froze and looked at him, immediately determining that he was very serious. She tiptoed quickly over to the shabby wooden chair she had been sitting in previously. As soon as her butt hit the seat, the roar of bikes could faintly be heard in the distance. She jumped back up and resumed her pacing, causing Nash to roll his eyes and go back to his work. What seemed like hours later, the motorcycles made their way gracefully through the gate and into the lot.

  Jackie sighed, relief flooding her as she spotted Tyler at the back of the group, seemingly unharmed and happy. Before he had a chance to turn his bike off, Jackie had him wrapped in a tight hug, effectively cutting off his air supply. “I'm fine, Jack.” He carefully maneuvered himself off the bike while placing his arms around the woman.

  Tyler opened his mouth to continue consoling her when she pulled back and smacked his shoulder. “How could you do that to me?” She hit him again with more force, causing him to wince. The club members in attendance outside laughed as Jackie continued to wail on him angrily. “Did you forget how to use a phone? I was worried sick! I thought you were dead or something!”

  She stopped her attack and embraced him once again. Tyler looked down at her, unsure if the hug was only a temporary lull in the violence. “I know, and I'm sorry. I promise to call next time I go out like that.”

  “I'm just glad that you're okay.” She squeezed him tighter, breathing in the comforting smell of his spicy cologne and motor oil.

  “Relax, pipsqueak. He's fine.” The harsh voice that rumbled through the lot was laced with annoyance. “Just like I told you on the phone."

  She released Tyler quickly and spun to face Dean, who was looking at the pair's affection with a bored expression. “How was I supposed to know that you were telling the truth? You're insane! You could have been lying to me while you were chopping Tyler into pieces.” The hacker's eyes went wide at her hateful words, hoping the biker would take them in jest and not get angry with his friend.

  Dean laughed darkly at the words and crossed his arms over his broad chest. “Trust me, sweetheart. If I were chopping him up, I would have told you. Besides, do you really think I would haul his ass all the way to Atlanta just to kill him?”

  “I don't know, would you?” Tyler grabbed Jackie's arm and tried to pull her in the opposite direction, silently pleading with her not to say anything else. She yanked her arm out of his grasp and stalked back to Dean. “Would it have killed you to let me talk to him for like two seconds? I just wanted to know that he was okay.”

  Dean smirked down at her as she closed the distance between them, incredibly amused at the woman's determination. “Tyler is a grown man. He doesn't need your permission to leave town.”

  Jackie's rational side, however, was anything but amused. Her brain was trying to convince her mouth to stay closed, but it continued spouting insults at the outlaw. Tyler wrapped his arms around Jackie, trying to shout apologies over the girl's frenzied verbal attack as he put himself between the pair. Dean openly laughed and shook his head before turning around and heading into the clubhouse.

  “Jackie, come on.” The blonde man looked at his best friend as he pulled her towards the truck. “You’re overreacting.”

  “Oh, please! Overreacting?” That, apparently, had been the wrong thing to say. The woman turned on him, fire in her eyes. “Do you know how worried I was? I waited for you for hours! And then I come here and find my truck in the lot, and you nowhere to be found!” Her large, wavy hair flew everywhere as she got into the passenger seat, slamming the door and waiting for him to get behind the wheel before continuing her tirade. “And then TJ gets the brilliant idea to console me by telling me you are off gallivanting with a bunch of criminals!”

  Tyler cringed as buckled his seatbelt and started the truck. “Come on. It’s not like that.”

  That hadn’t been the right thing either. “Not like that? Then what exactly is it like?”

  “They’re my friends, Jack.” He sighed. “No, don’t roll your eyes. I'm allowed to have friends. I was safe. We just got a few drinks. Yeah, they aren’t the most presentable bunch, but I like them.”

  Jackie looked at her friend and then down at her hands. Tyler had never been good at making friends, and she felt terrible for being so hard on him. “I wouldn’t take them to meet the parents, that’s for sure…” She breathed in, already regretting the words she was going to say. “I’m sorry, okay. I know it’s not easy for you to find a place you fit in… I was just worried about you.”

  “Thank you, but you don’t have to be. I can take care of myself.”

  The brunette rolled her eyes. “Yeah, right.” She looked at Tyler as he laughed at her, feeling better. “Come on, let’s go home. I’m in the mood for left
over pizza and trashy reality TV.”

  “Sounds like a plan.”

  5

  This was taking way too long.

  Jackie was on her way to the clubhouse, waiting for the traffic light to turn green. The smell of the french fries coming from the take-out bag next to her made her want to devour them before she made it to the auto shop, and the damn light refused to change color.

  Since her fight with Dean two weeks prior, she hadn't made any visits to the clubhouse. Even Tyler hadn't pushed her to go since she still had him on probation for scaring her. Taking that into consideration, she was surprised when he called her right before her shift ended. He was sweet-talking her, saying the boys missed her, and she was a needed breath of fresh air at the garage. When she cut him off and asked what he wanted, he had stuttered out an embarrassed, "We're hungry, but everybody is busy working, and there's no one to go get food." She had sighed and told him she'd be there with lunch as soon as she could.

  The truth was that she couldn't avoid going to the clubhouse forever. Something was bound to come up, and Jackie would eventually be forced to see Dean again. She admitted to herself that maybe she had handled the situation with the biker a bit impulsively. Yes, she had been scared out of her mind for Tyler, and she didn't trust Dean at all. But perhaps cussing him out and almost attacking him wasn't the right way to go.

  Shaking her head, Jackie sighed and looked up at the light, which had finally turned green. She stepped on the gas and continued on her way to the building full of hungry bikers. Pulling into the parking lot a few minutes later, she threw the old truck into a spot at the end of the building.

  As a way to make a living, the Kings had set up an auto parts store that doubled as the local mom-and-pop garage that had been established by the club's founder back in the 1960s. It was an easy way to make decent money and employ many of their members while also giving them a place to work on their bikes. They could also conveniently launder money when the need arose. The garage was situated across the lot from the biker hang out they had deemed their clubhouse. Both were designed with the same plain brick walls and square windows, making sure outsiders weren't overly suspicious of the place at first glance.