by Sara Crest
“You really are a happy person you know, a happy girl stuck in a bad situation.”
I practically skipped to him before wrapping my arms around him and draping myself off of his shoulders.
“I’m happy around you, you’re the first person to actually realize that this isn’t the life I want to live.”
I looked out onto the city skyline, I had lived in this city for practically my entire life but I never had the chance to really see it from the outside.
He pulled me into him and kissed me, I got goosebumps all over my skin when I touched him. I ran my hand up his t-shirt, feeling his warm skin and defined muscles as he kissed me again and again. He ran his hand through my hair, he held me firmly in place by my hip, he pulled me against his body so tightly I felt like I could go right through him at any moment.
“I’m jealous of you, jealous of your life. You can go anywhere, do anything, every time you sit on that bike you feel more free than I ever have before I met you.”
“My early days were like that” he replied, pulling away from me. “I was my own man and I did what I want, when I wanted. I may not have the freedom I want right now but I’m planning on leaving-”
“Take me with you, please.”
“Look Viktoria, I gotta be honest with you here. I don’t know how real you are when it comes to all of this, what if I stick my neck out to get you away from your father and in the end it just bites me in the ass? Yeah I don’t think you deserve the life you live but that doesn’t mean I can stop looking out for number one.”
“Do you not care about me then?”
“Course I do. It’s why I risked bringing you out here, to make up for everything that happened to you last night… but things aren’t as black and white as you want them to be.”
I looked back out to the skyline, I could just barely make out the building dad and I lived in. I almost felt ashamed, when I was in that building it was like it was my whole world. When I was out here though I saw how small my life really was, how an entire city with millions of people encircled my world but I was trapped in a bubble. I wanted out, and I wanted out as soon as possible but I couldn’t do it alone. Even if Jack let me run off by myself the other bikers and dad’s own men would come after me, not to mention the danger I would be in until I made it far enough away that dad’s influence didn’t matter. Jack was by far the best shot I had at making it in the outside world, he knew more about it than I ever would, and part of me truly believes that he cares about me more than he’s letting on.
“If we only had more time to be alone together” I thought. “Then he’d realize...”
He took my hand in his again and lay down in the grass, pulling me on top of him. He pulled my face to his and kissed me, it was moments like this that I wanted to last forever, they made me forget about everything that was going on.
I ran my hand up and down his body, feeling his warmth against me. I felt his arms muscular arms, counting his tattoos and inspecting each one individually. I felt the scruff on his face prick and tickle my hand before running my fingers through his hair. Each step I took with him was something new, something I had never done before, it sent chills through my body and made me excited and nervous at the same time.
I wanted him to take me, I wanted him to make me his right then and there in that field of grass with the lights of the city shining behind us. Every time I got close to him I wanted to feel his intimate touch, it was a desire I never knew I had until I met him, and now that I had it that desire wouldn’t go away.
But there was just one thing I wanted to do before I pushed him for that next step; I wanted to prove to him I was worth it, I wanted him to realize that I was worth it.
Chapter Fourteen
(Jack)
Felt like I was leading her on, but the rush when I took her out, the feeling I got when I kissed her. It was almost addicting. The newer me was pushing back, trying to look at this more rationally, but the older me was just pushing to get out. The older me would have taken this girl for a ride, I would have stolen her away on the first day without her even asking. I could feel that older me just begging to come back out… begging for another chance to really take control. I was just about ready to let that older me out, this girl felt too good to just let her go.
Even just having her straddling me as I lay there in that grass felt amazing. I never met a girl that drove me as crazy as Viktoria, every moment alone with her I could feel the old me clawing its way out. I ran my hands along her hips and felt every inch and crevice of her body, I could hear her softly moaning just from my touch alone.
I was playing a fucking dangerous game. I mean was it worth it getting close to her, yeah she was a one of a kind girl and in any other circumstance I didn’t deserve her but jesus she was the daughter of a man who could have me killed just for the fun of it.
I finally figure out that I haven’t left the Iron Horses yet because I wanted someone to come with me and a girl like Viktoria comes stumbling into my life practically begging me to take her away. It was like my dream was right there ready to be taken but fate was playing a cruel sick joke on me.
I felt my phone ringing in my pocket, I kissed her deeply a few more times before taking it out to check to see who was calling.
“Shit, it’s Ron.”
I answered the phone, I already knew what was coming.
“Where the fuck are you Jack.”
I ran my hand up and down Viktoria’s hip “oh you know, just getting some fresh air.”
“You fucking snuck out with the client’s daughter? After she was nearly killed?”
“Ron she was attacked because I wasn’t there, I’m here now and she’s safe and sound.”
“Jack you’re putting our job in jeopardy I’m telling the others about this.”
“Go ahead Ron, tell them. Bring em all down downstairs I want them to see the Don’s daughter wrapped around me when I pull up on my chopper.”
“Jack you’re gonna get us all killed, I’m coming downstairs right now and we’re gonna have a little chat when you get back. It’s one thing to have a little thing going on with her but it’s another to take her out without any of us knowing about it.”
“Aww Ron you know I was just looking for a good time” I chuckled back right before he hung up.
Jesus you bring a girl into the mix and suddenly full grown men turn into drama queens.
I rubbed my eyes with my fingers, our night had to come to a premature end. I really wanted to take her then and there, to have her lay in the grass, pull those jeans down, and let her wrap her legs around me as I thrust into her again and again. Girl as sexy and innocent as her would probably feel amazing.
“Sorry baby, we’re gonna have to head back. I got some shit I gotta sort out.”
When did my life turn into this? Why did I ever tie my allegiance to a second rate motorcycle club with less than 100 total members and no real influence outside a small run down town. I could have been tethered to this pretty girl grinding her hips on top of me instead of this club. Shit like Ron’s call was really beginning to convince me to just take her and run.
Viktoria frowned in disappointment. Most of our night was spent just trying to get out here and already we were heading back. At least she’d get to enjoy the ride back, who knows when she’d get to ride my motorcycle again.
On our way back I made sure to drive extra slow, just to enjoy her hands around my waist for a little bit longer. With her on the back of my bike I did feel more free, the more I thought about us together the more I wanted to say fuck the risks and just take a chance.
I pulled up across from to the building, Ron and Mike were waiting for me. Axel was having a smoke and boy did he look pissed. I sighed and got off my bike, leading Viktoria by the hand to the front of the building.
“I told them Jack, I told them everything that you told me” Ron said walking down the front steps. “We can’t keep letting this go on, it’s too dangerous. Especially now that we
actually know about it. If the don finds out that we let you run off with his daughter behind our back he’d personally slit our throats ear to ear. Not to mention that this girl is a marked target, someone made an attempt on her life just last night.”
“You think I’m just gonna stand by and let this happen?” Axel said. “I’m taking control back. I don’t care what Petrov says about you if he knew what you were doing with his daughter he’d want me to regain control.”
“Axel nobody cares who has control, it doesn’t matter, none of this matters because this club is falling apart. If we’re supposed to be the best of the Iron Horses than you think everyone else is shaping up? We can barely pull ourselves together to look after a girl for a week and-”
Before we could even finish that little talk a massive booming noise rang out. We all looked up to see explosive fire shooting out of what was once Petrov’s suite.
We stood there in complete shock as window after window was blown out in consecutive explosions, shooting glass and pieces of furniture everywhere.
Everything felt like it was in slow motion. I watched Viktoria stare up at what was once her home erupt in flames. The sparks of the fire reflected off her deep eyes, it was as if the light was dancing in her pupils.
I grabbed her and pulled her to the ground, shielding her with my body as debris fell all around us. I hoped to god that if any of it hit us that I would take the blow and she would remain unscathed.
Pieces of glass and building were landing all around us, I knew that I couldn’t keep her here. I lifted her up and ran, carrying her in my arms to try and get out of the blast radius. Mike ran alongside me, shouting something out that I couldn’t hear. My ears were ringing so loud that I had gone temporarily deaf, the only thing I could do now was make sure Viktoria was safe.
I saw four men running out of the building, two I very much recognized. They were the two men who had tried to kill Viktoria just the night before. I made eye contact with one of them, he seemingly couldn’t believe his eyes as he saw me standing a safe distance away with Viktoria in my arms.
He tried to get the attention of his accomplices, pointing us out to them. When they all noticed me I snapped out of it and my hearing slowly began to come back.
“On your bike! Jack get on your fucking bike!” Mike was screaming, I could only assume he was yelling that to me the whole time I couldn’t hear.
I set Viktoria down on my motorcycle and hopped on, revving up my engine as the men who made an attempt on our lives scattered from the falling debris and the sound of sirens began closing in.
I pulled a U-turn and sped out of there, I looked behind me to see Jack, Axel, and Ron all mounting their own bikes to come with me.
I still had no idea where Chuck was.
* * *
“The FUCK was that!” Mike yelled as we all pulled up to the warehouse. He took his helmet off and threw it as hard as he could against the wall, shattering the visor.
I got off my bike, Viktoria buried her head into my chest and started sobbing. I don’t think she was upset about the home actually being destroyed, I think she was just in a state of shock. Still there was no way she felt safe right now and because of that I felt like I failed her.
“Where the hell is Chuck?” I asked, rubbing Viktoria’s back trying to console her.
Everyone was silent for a moment, Axel stuttered but he spoke up “he stayed behind when we came down to talk to you. Said that he didn’t need to be there to jump down your throat and then went back to sleep.”
“Goddammit…” I couldn’t believe this, we were in over our heads. “It was those guys, the same guys from that tried to attack Viktoria last night, two more guys were with them this time.”
“Well were they Russian or what?” Axel asked. I was surprised how calm he was during all of this but I could still tell he was a little shaken up. Who would have guessed something like this would have knocked his head on straight.
“Viktoria, did you recognize the two new guys that were there?”
She pulled her head from out of my shirt “no, I didn’t get a good enough look at them to see.”
“Could have been the Italian mafia with them then” Axel said, sounded like he was thinking out loud.
“Who cares who did it, we have to tell Petrov now. If he doesn’t find out through us then he’ll find out through the news people are gonna think that was a terrorist attack or something” Mike said.
They all turned to me, staring at me and waiting for me to make the phone call. I took the phone out of my pocket and looked at it for a few seconds before tossing it to Axel.
“You said you’re the team leader, you make the damn call.”
I took Viktoria away from everyone while they sorted out what to say to Petrov.
“Are you alright” I said taking her face in my hands.
“I’ll… I’ll be fine. I just can’t believe it, first they came after me and now they came after my dad. If he wasn’t away on his trip he would be dead right now.”
I wanted to tell her that the men who set off the bomb tonight were after us, not her father, but with things they way they were I didn’t want to put any more stress on her. When those men saw us I could see it in their eyes, for whatever reason they wanted this girl dead, so much so that they were willing to blow up part of a goddamn building and be chased after by every anti-terror group in the country. I wasn’t going to let them get her, I wasn’t going to let anyone take this girl from me. I was hired to protect her and that was exactly what I was going to do.
“I’m so sorry about your friend Jack, I didn’t know him but I can’t imagine what it’s like to lose someone. I’ve only ever really had my father all my life, I never even knew my mother so I don’t know what you’re going through but I’m here to help.”
Truth is I never really saw Chuck as a friend, but I did respect him more than any other man it this sorry excuse for an MC. I’d find a way to honor him in some way, the man deserves that much.
I reached over and kissed Viktoria, I swear every time that girl’s lips touched mine it felt like a jolt of electricity was shooting through my body. Even with her home gone she still found a way to show strength and selflessness. Just feeling her against me was making me begin to feel a little better.
I heard footsteps coming up behind us and I broke our kiss. Don’t know why I did, everyone already knew her and I were an item. Guess I felt like it would be insulting to them to kiss her like that so soon after one of our club brothers died.
“Well Jack, or job is being cut short. Petrov is on his way back right now, he’ll be here in the morning” Mike said looking at the both of us. “You know, it’s strange, Axel had the call on speaker and Petrov really didn’t sound that angry about his house. He even said he’s gonna pay us all in full, guess when you have that kind of money you don’t have to worry much about shit like this.”
“Did you… you know, tell him about-”
“No, we didn’t. Once we get our money that’s something for you two to sort out. It’s only been a few days and Ron, Axel and I can play dumb about the whole thing. You two gotta decide how you’re gonna tackle this.”
He looked at me directly in the eye “you could always risk telling him and see how he takes it.”
I was about to respond but Viktoria cut me off “a man like my dad wouldn’t take it well.” She reached down and held my hand “wouldn’t take it well at all.”
“Well you got a few hours to decide what to do while we wait for him. Just don’t drag us through the mud when you do it, I’d rather not be killed over your choices.”
“So what do we do now?” Viktoria asked.
“Petrov told us to wait here, we gave him the location. He said he’ll be here by mid day, sun should come up in about 4 hours anyway so it shouldn’t be too long.”
I squeezed Viktoria’s hand as Mike walked back to the others, it was all coming down to this.
I couldn’t just leave her to her fat
her, if Mike was right about him being calm over his home being destroyed then my suspicions started to seem pretty warranted. Even if my suspicions about him were wrong I no longer believed that he was able to really look after Viktoria. I couldn’t live with myself knowing I turned her over to her father when the danger of rival mobs were closing in on her. I don’t think I would be able to live myself if she was hurt under her father’s eye, my feelings for her were growing with every passing moment she was by my side. I was ready to give her the emotion she was giving to me, I wanted her in every way and I could no longer deny that.
I hated the thought of leaving the guys with an angry and vengeful Petrov, but I couldn’t let them take Vik away from me. Not after everything that’s happened. It’s a chance I had to take.
“Do you trust me.”
“Yes, yes Jack I trust you.”
“I know things have changed in the past few hours, that’s why I’m giving you this offer. I’m going to ride out of here tonight, I’m tired of this club and I need to get back to when I used to have real freedom. When I used to be my own man. I don’t know if you still want to come along, but my offer is open.”
“Jack, you know that’s all I want to do.”
“Are you sure, we’ve known each other for only a short amount of time. I just want to make sure you’re making the right choice.”
“Jack I’ve been drawn to you since I first met you. I don’t know where things will end up in the future but I do know is that I’d rather spend any amount of time on the back of that bike than go back to my father. I know you’re worried about what we might turn into, if we’re really truly compatible, but in the end you would have helped free me from this life and I would always be grateful to you for that, even if I did stop liking you and admiring you as much as I do in this very moment.”