Maniac

by Winter Travers

  “Why can’t you call him from right here?” Karmen laughed.

  “Uh, reception is better over there.” Pipe turned, but he turned the wrong way and slammed into the doorframe. “Mother trucker,” he shouted. He peeked between his fingers and turned himself the right way, in the opposite direction of Karmen. “Give me two minutes and I’ll let you know,” he called over his shoulder.

  “Why do you need to torment him like that?” Nickel asked her.

  “It’s fun,” she replied simply.

  “Okay, your turn. I gotta run to the bathroom, and then I need to check in on Jake to make sure he is doing his homework.” Jezebel handed Cole to me, and I tucked him in the crook of my arms.

  His eyes were closed, and he slept peacefully.

  “You look happy, darlin’.” Maniac sunk down on the couch next to me. He draped his arm over my shoulders and cracked a beer open with his other hand.

  “I’m am,” I sighed.

  “Don’t go getting baby fever on me,” he warned. “I need at least five years before we even think about kids.”

  “Five years is good for me,” I whispered. I was content to just spoil Cole until we had own baby.

  “Wrecker is stopping. He said he’ll call when he finds out what the loony bird is up to.” He cleared his throat. “Those are my words, not his,” he chuckled. He was standing off to the side of the door, shouting in to us. “Can we go now, Nikki?”

  Nikki threw her hands up in the air. “He’s done lost his mind.” She grabbed her purse from the bar and hitched it over her shoulder. She hugged each of us and dropped a kiss on Cole’s forehead. She asked us to say bye to Jezebel for her, and then she was gone with Pipe before Karmen could torment him anymore.

  “What’s he talking about Wrecker for?” Maniac asked me.

  “Nikki hasn’t heard from Alice in a while, so Pipe asked Wrecker to stop by on his way back to the clubhouse.”

  He took a long pull from his beer, then set it on the coffee table. “I’m sure she’s fine. She was when we were there a couple of weeks ago.”

  She had seemed fine, maybe a little off, but I didn’t think there was anything to worry about. “Yeah, you’re right.”

  He pulled me close and pressed a kiss to the side of my head. “You doing okay?”

  I rolled my eyes and took a deep breath. I couldn’t get mad at the man for being concerned at me. I could get a teeny tiny bit annoyed about it, though. “I’m good.”

  He didn’t reply, and I looked up into his face. “What about you? Are you okay?”

  “I’ve got my woman under my arm, sitting in my clubhouse, and I’m surrounded by my brothers. I’ve never been better, darlin’.”

  I smiled and pressed a kiss to his lips. “This is our life, Maniac,” I whispered.

  “It sure the fuck is.”

  There was his favorite word again. But I wouldn’t change one thing about him.

  I loved him and every fucking thing about him.

  Life was fucking perfect with Maniac.

  *

  Chapter 26

  Wrecker

  Thirty fucking minutes out of my way just to check on Alice.

  Why in the hell did I agree to this shit?

  If Pipe and Nikki were so concerned about her, they could have hauled their happy asses up here and checked on her. But no, I was the one who had been tasked with checking on her. I was the damn president of the Fallen Lords and yet I was taking orders from my damn VP.

  I pulled into her driveway and killed the bike.

  She lived on a small ranch, and there was one thing about it that was so Alice I couldn’t help but laugh.

  She had eight pink flamingo statues lined up the length of her driveway.

  Pink fucking flamingos.

  I couldn’t even make this shit up.

  On closer inspection, she also had a string of flamingo lights on one of the bushes next to the house, and also strung across the railing of the porch.

  I had only spent a short amount of time with Alice, part of that with her plastered to my back while I gave her a motorcycle ride. Whatever had possessed me to agree to the ride was beyond me, but I had done it. While it had felt amazing to feel her tits pressed against my back, I figured something else out.

  Alice wasn’t like any woman I had ever met before. She had a light that shone so bright from inside her, it brought my gray and dark parts front and center. Light shouldn’t touch the dark.

  Alice wasn’t meant to be mine. Not for a night and certainly for any length of time. There were women you met that you knew were better than you and shouldn’t be dirtied by the ugly things you had done and seen.

  I combed my fingers through my beard and looked at her house. Knock on the door, make sure she is fine, and then get the fuck out of here. That was easy enough.

  I made the short walk up her driveway and onto her porch. My knuckles rapped on the door, and I waited a long fucking time before it opened.

  But it wasn’t Alice who opened the door. At least, not the Alice who shone so bright she gave the sun competition. No, it was a shell of Alice.

  “What are you doing here?” she croaked. Her cheeks were stained with tears, her face pale, and her body looked like she hadn’t eaten in days.

  Every asshole remark died on the tip of my tongue. I stepped forward, gathered her in my arms, and pulled her close.

  She fought me for a second, then melted into my arms. Sobs wracked her body as she fell apart in my embrace. I held her close trying to steady her in my arms.

  “I don’t know what to do,” she cried. “I just don’t know.”

  I didn’t know what to do either, but I was going to figure it the fuck out.

  The End

  About the Author

  Winter Travers is a devoted wife, mother, and aunt turned author who was born and raised in Wisconsin. After a brief stint in South Carolina following her heart to chase the man who is now her hubby, they retreated back up North to the changing seasons, and to the place they now call home.

  Winter spends her days writing happily ever after’s, and her nights zipping around on her forklift at work. She also has an addiction to anything MC related, her dog Thunder, and Mexican food! (Tamales!)

  Winter loves to stay connected with her readers. Don’t hesitate to reach out and contact her.

  www.facebook.com/wintertravers

  Twitter: @WinterTravers

  Instagram: @WinterTravers

  http://500145315.wix.com/wintertravers

  Coming Soon

  Burndown

  Nitro Crew Series

  Book 1

  May 29th, 2018

  Dive into the First Chapter of Loving Lo!

  Loving Lo

  Devil’s Knights Series

  Book 1

  Winter Travers

  Chapter 1

  Meg

  How did just stopping quickly to get dog food and shampoo turn into an overflowing basket and a surplus pack of paper towels?

  “Put the paper towels down and back away slowly,” I mumbled to myself as I walked past a display of air fresheners and wondered if I needed any.

  “Oh dear. Oh, my. I... Ah... Oh, my.”

  I tore my thoughts away from air fresheners and looked down the aisle to an elderly woman who was leaning against the shelf, fanning herself. “Are you ok, ma‘am?”

  “Oh dear. I just... I just got a little... dizzy.” I looked at the woman and saw her hands shaking as she brushed her white hair out of her face. The woman had on denim capris and a white button down short sleeve shirt and surprisingly three-inch wedge heels.

  “Ok, well, why don’t we try to find you a place to sit down until you get your bearings?” I shifted the basket and paper towels under one arm to help her to the bench that I had seen by the shoe rack two aisles over. “Are you here with anyone?” I asked, as I guided her down the aisle.

  “Oh no. I’m here by myself. I just needed a few things.”

  “
I only needed two things, and now my basket is overflowing, and I still haven’t gotten the things I came in for.”

  The woman plopped down on the bench chuckling, shaking her head. “Tell me about it. Happens to me every time too.”

  “Is there something I can do for you? Has this happened to you before?” She was looking rather pale.

  “Unfortunately, yes. I ran out of the house today without eating breakfast. I’m diabetic. I should know by now that I can’t do that.” My mom was also diabetic, so I knew exactly what the woman was talking about. Luckily, I also knew what to do to help.

  “Just sit right here, and I’ll be right back. Is there someone you want to call to give you a ride home? Driving right now probably isn’t the best idea.” I set the basket and towels on the floor, keeping my wallet in my hand.

  “I suppose I should call my son. He should be able to give me a ride,” the woman said as she dug her phone out of her purse.

  I left the woman to her phone call and headed to the candy aisle that I had been trying to ignore. I grabbed a bag of licorice, chips, and a diet soda and went to the checkout. The dollar store didn’t offer a healthy selection, but this would do in a pinch. The woman just needed to get her blood sugars back up.

  I grabbed my things after paying and headed back to the bench. I ripped open the bag and handed it to the woman. “Oh dear, you didn’t have to buy that. I could have given you money.”

  “Don’t worry about it. I hope if this happened to my mom there would be someone to help her if I wasn’t around.”

  “Well, that’s awfully sweet of you. My names Ethel Birch by the way.”

  “It’s nice to meet you, Ethel. I’m Meg Grain. I also got you some chips and soda.” I popped opened the soda and handed it to Ethel.

  “Oh, thank you, honey. My son is on the way here, should be only five minutes. You can get going if you want to, you don’t need to sit with an old woman,” Ethel said as she ate a piece of candy and took a slug of soda.

  “No problem. The only plans I had today was to take a nap before work tonight. Delaying my plans by ten minutes won’t be a problem.”

  “Well, in that case, you can help me eat this licorice. It’s my favorite, but I shouldn’t eat this all by myself. Where do you work at?” Ethel asked as she offered the bag to me.

  “The factory right outside of town. I work in the warehouse, second shift.” I grabbed a piece and sat down on the floor. If I was going to wait for Ethel’s son to show up, might as well be comfortable while I waited for him.

  “Really? Never would have thought that. Figured you would have said a nurse or something like that. Seems like you would have to be tough to work in a warehouse, sounds like a man’s job.”

  I laughed. “Honestly, Ethel that is not the first time I have heard that, and it probably won't be the last. You need a certain attitude to deal with those truckers walking through the door. I have an awesome co-worker, so he helps out when truckers have a problem with a woman loading their truck.”

  “Sounds like you give them hell. My Tim was a trucker before he passed. I know exactly what you are talking about.” Ethel took another drink of her soda and set it on the bench next to her.

  “Feeling better?”

  “Surprisingly, yes. It’s a wonder what a little candy can do. How much do I owe you?” Ethel asked as she reached for her purse by her feet.

  “Don’t worry about it. I’m just glad that I was here to help.”

  “Mom! Where are you?” Someone yelled from the front of the store.

  “Oh good, Lo’s here. You’ll have to meet him.” Ethel cupped her hands around her mouth and yelled to him she was in the back.

  I started getting up off the floor and remembered I wasn’t exactly as flexible as I use to be while struggling to get up.

  “Ma, you ok?” I was halfway to standing with my butt in the air when his voice made me pause.

  It sounded like the man was gurgling broken glass when he spoke. Raspy and so sexy. Those three words he spoke sent shocks to my core. Lord knows the last time I felt anything in my core.

  “Yes, I’m fine. I forgot to eat breakfast this morning and started to get dizzy when Meg here was nice enough to help me out until you could get here.” Ethel turned to me. “Lo, this is Meg, Meg this is Lo.”

  Oh, lord.

  I couldn’t talk. The man standing in front of me was... oh, lord. I couldn’t even think of a word to describe him.

  I looked him up and down, and I’m sure my mouth was hanging wide open. I took in his scuffed up motorcycle boots and faded, stained ripped jeans that hugged his thighs and made me want to ask the man to spin so I could see what those jeans were doing for his ass. I moved my eyes up to his t-shirt that was tight around his shoulders and chest and showed he worked out.

  I couldn’t remember the last time I worked out. Did walking to the mailbox count as exercise? Of course, I only remembered to get the mail about twice a week, so that probably didn’t count.

  His arms were covered in tattoos. I could see them peeking out from the collar of his shirt and could only imagine what he looked like with his shirt off. Tattoos were my ultimate addiction on a man. Even one tattoo added at least 10 points to a man’s hotness. This guy was off the fucking charts.

  My eyes locked with his after my fantastic voyage up his body, and I stopped breathing.

  “Hey, Meg. See something you like, darlin’?” Lo rumbled at me with a smirk on his face.

  Busted. I sucked air back into my lungs and tried to remember how to breathe.

  Lo’s eyes were the color of fresh cut grass, bright green. His hair was jet black and cut close to his head with a pair of kick ass aviators sitting on top of his head. He was golden tan and gorgeous. The man was sex on a stick. Plain and simple.

  “Uh, hey,” I choked out.

  Lo’s lips curved up into a grin, and I looked down to see if my panties fell off. The man had a panty-dropping smile, and he wasn’t even smiling that big. I would have to take cover or risk fainting if he smiled any bigger.

  “Thanks for looking after my ma for me. I’m glad I was in town today and not out on a run,” Lo said.

  Ok. Get it together Meg. You are a 36-year-old woman, and this man has rendered you speechless like a sixteen-year-old girl. I needed to say something.

  “Say something,” I blurted out. Good Lord did I just say that. Lo quirked his eyebrow, and his smirk returned.

  “Ugh, I mean no problem. I didn’t do that much. No problem.” I looked at Ethel while Lo was smirking at me; Ethel had a full-blown smile on her face and was beaming at me.

  “You were a life saver, Meg! I don’t know what I would have done if you weren’t here.” Ethel looked at Lo and grinned even bigger. “You should have seen her, Lo. She knew just what to do to help me. I could have sworn she was a nurse the way she took charge. She’s not, though, just has a good head on her shoulders and decided to help this old lady out.”

  “That’s good, Ma. You got all your shit you need so we can get going? I got some stuff going on at the garage that I dropped to get over here fast.”

  I took that as my cue to leave and ripped my eyes off Lo and bent over to get my basket and paper towels.

  “Yes son, that’s my stuff right here. I just want to get Meg’s number before she leaves.”

  “Why do you need my number?” I asked, as I juggled my basket and towels.

  Ethel grabbed her purse off the ground and started digging through it again. “Well, you won’t let me pay you back for the snacks you got for me so I figured I could pay you back by inviting you over for dinner sometime. So, what’s your number, sweetheart?”

  “I don’t eat dinner,” I blurted out. I was going to have to have a talk with my brain and mouth when I got home. They needed to get their shit together and start working in unison so I wouldn’t sound like such an idiot.

  “You don’t eat dinner? Please don’t tell me you're on a diet.” Lo said as he looked me up and down
.

  “No,” I said. Lord knew I should be.

  Lo and Ethel just stared at me.

  “So, no, you don’t eat dinner?” Lo asked again.

  “Yes. I mean no, I’m not on a diet. Yes, I eat dinner. I just work at night, so I meant that I wouldn’t be able to come to dinner.” I looked at Lo and blushed about ten shades of red. “Why is this so hard?”

  “What’s hard, sweetheart? Can’t remember your phone number? I can barely remember mine too. Don’t worry about not being able to make it to dinner; I can have you over for lunch. You eat lunch right?” Ethel asked with a smirk on her face. Lo had a full-blown smile on his face, even his eyes were smiling at me. That smile ought to be illegal.

  I could see where Lo got his looks from. With Lo and Ethel standing next to each other, I could totally see the resemblance. Especially when they were both smirking.

  I had to get out of here. I’m normally the one with the one-liners and making everyone laugh, now I couldn’t even put two words together.

  “Lunch would be good.” I rattled off my number, and Ethel jotted it down.

  “Ok, sweetheart, I’ll let you get your nap. I’ll give you a call later, and we can figure out a day we can get together.” Ethel shoved the pen and paper back in her bag and leaned into me for a hug.

  I awkwardly hugged her back and patted her on the shoulder. “Sounds good. Have a good day, Ethel. Uh, it was nice meeting you, Lo,” I mumbled, as my gaze wandered over Lo again.

  “You too Meg. See you around,” Lo replied.

  I gave them both a jaunty wave and booked it to the checkout. Thankfully there wasn’t a line, and I quickly made my escape to my car. I threw my things in the trunk and hopped in. I grabbed my phone out of my pocket and plugged it into the radio and turned on my chill playlist, as the soothing sounds of Fleetwood Mac filled the car.

  Music was the one thing in my life that had gotten me through so much shit. Good or bad, there was always a song that I could play, and it would make everything better. Right now, I just needed to unscramble my brain and get my bearings. Fleetwood Mac singing “Landslide” was helping.