It seemed like somebody always wanted something from me.
When we finally made it back home, I noticed a man I didn’t recognize sitting in a black car across the street. He looked like a cop, but he was dressed in regular clothes, as far as I could tell. I felt his eyes on me, and I turned to meet his gaze. I was certain I had never seen him before. He looked away after a short moment, and turned his attention down the street behind me.
The outlaw life made you constantly on guard, and while his actions were innocent, there was something about him that didn’t feel right.
I put lil’ Mike in the house, collected my gear, and locked up. He was still there when I got on my bike and drove off. When I reached the stop sign on the corner, I hesitated briefly to see if he would follow me, and sure enough, he pulled out of his parking space slowly as I turned right onto the main street, into heavy traffic.
I drove a few miles, watching him follow me in my mirror. I wove through traffic a bit, and then turned right, the opposite direction from the clubhouse, to see if he would follow. He did, even cutting into two lanes of traffic to be able to turn after me.
I pulled into the grocery store parking lot a few blocks up and cut off my bike. Discreetly watching in my rearview mirror, I sat on my bike a moment, instead of getting off right away. I pulled my cell phone from the inside pocket of my cut, and pretended to text while I watched his car pull into a parking spot a few aisles away.
He watched me for a moment before getting out of his car and going into the grocery store. He wore khaki cargo shorts, hiking boots and a white polo shirt. He had a cop haircut, his brown hair cropped short and close to his head. He looked over at me a few times as he walked across the parking lot, but he saw I was watching him, and he quickly looked away each time before disappearing into the store.
I sat there a few minutes, but he didn’t come back out right away.
It was obvious he was following me, and he obviously knew where I lived. I wasn’t about to make it easy for him, though. I started up my bike again and made my way to the clubhouse. If he wanted to keep following me, he would have to find me again.
When I reached the clubhouse, I sought out Reaper, who was in his usual place behind the bar with a bottle of whiskey in his hand.
“Hey buddy, how’s it going today?”
“It’s slow and quiet around here today, boss,” he replied, pouring me a shot without asking.
“Hey, I was wondering if you could watch Rosie tonight for a few hours?” I asked.
“Tonight? Yeah, sure of course. What’s the occasion?” he asked curiously.
“I thought I’d go get a drink,” I replied, knowing he was going to push for more information than that, and of course he did.
“A drink? You’ve got a whole clubhouse full of liquor, boss.”
“Yeah, I know.” Oh, what the hell. Why was I being mysterious? He was my best friend. “I have a date.”
He whooped so loudly, I almost fell off my chair.
“Aw, fuck, stop that shit,” I said. “It’s just a drink.”
“Well, it may just be a drink, but you haven’t been on a date in seven years!”
“Yeah, I’m fully aware of that, thanks,” I said sarcastically.
“Well, who’s the lucky girl?” he asked.
“Rosie’s teacher.”
His eyes bugged out and he stared at me.
“The hot Ms. Daisy? Holy shit!” he said, nodding his head up and down, his unruly curls swinging around his face.
“Shut up. Sure, she’s hot, but she’s also….I don’t know…sweet.”
“Sweet!” he spat out the whiskey he just poured into his mouth. “Yeah, and I bet she tastes real sweet, too, boss!”
“Shut up!” I was regretting saying anything at all, but he was the only person I trusted to watch Rosie. My parents had died a long time ago in a car accident, and Rose’s parents lived in New York and while they came to visit every now and then, they were not a regular fixture in her life. I think it was hard for them to look at Rosie and see Rose in her eyes.
His cackles followed me down the hallway as I retreated to the privacy of my office. But, then I remembered the guy following me and I walked back out to Reaper. Sandman had joined him, and they were talking quietly and laughing together, no doubt about my upcoming date.
“Hey guys. Have you seen a black sedan hanging around outside at all? One guy in it — short brown hair, looks like a cop, but isn’t dressed like one?”
They shook their heads.
“No, boss. Ain’t seen nothing like that,” Sandman replied.
“Me, neither,” Reaper said. “Why?”
“He was outside my house today when I finished walking lil’ Mike. When I left, he followed me all the way to the parking lot of Ralph’s. I have no idea who it is, but just keep an eye out and let me know right away if you spot him. It could be the DA sending someone to try to drum up some dirt on us.”
“Sure, boss, we’ll keep an eye out.”
“Thanks, brothers. Reaper, can you come to my house at seven tonight to watch Rosie?”
“I’ll be there,” he said with a knowing smile.
“Thanks,” I grumbled before returning to my office to try not to think about Daisy for the rest of the day.
I failed miserably.
CHAPTER TEN
DAISY
When I opened the door at eight that night, Mike was standing there with two helmets in his hand and a mischievous grin on his face.
He held up the extra helmet and shrugged.
“I forgot to mention I’d pick you up on the bike. Glad you’re wearing jeans,” he said, grinning like a madman.
“I’ve never been on a bike before,” I said, shyly.
“Never? Seriously? Wow, you’re in for a treat! I’m glad I’m your first,” he said, his expression turning serious as he gazed at me and leaned in to kiss my cheek.
I blushed, my insides melting as I felt the heat of his lips on my cheek. I didn’t pull away, I didn’t lean in, I just let him kiss my smiling face and looked up at him when he pulled back.
“I’ll try not to be afraid,” I said, referring to the bike ride, even though the same could have been said about his kisses. There was something about Mike that drew me to him, made me want to be closer to him, made me want him to reach into my heart and jeans all at the same time.
I hadn’t seen him drive anything else, so I assumed we would be on his bike, which is why I eventually decided to dress down tonight. I was wearing my favorite black, pearl-buttoned cowboy shirt, my best fitting pair of jeans and brown cowboy boots. You could take the girl out of Texas, but not the Texas out of the girl, apparently. I had been in Los Angeles for months now, and I still couldn’t bring myself to wear what seemed to be the style here. The last thing I wanted was a pair of Manolo Blahnik pumps or a Chanel dress. Give me comfort over fashion any day.
I was glad I had made the right choice today, at least in what I was wearing. As much as I liked Mike, I had been wrestling with my decision to go out with him all night and day. Part of me was extremely excited about it, aroused even, how could I not be excited that someone like him had asked me out? But at the same time, I knew I wasn’t ready for another relationship. Not after what had happened with Todd.
In the end, I decided I was jumping the gun. Mike had just asked me out for a drink, that was it. He probably just wanted to get in my pants, anyway. What was I thinking about relationships for already?
Besides, I thought, I could use some fun for a change. I hadn’t explored much of this crazy new city, telling myself I was healing, I was settling in, but in reality, I was afraid. I was afraid of beginning another life. What if I ended up making bad choices again? Was dating an outlaw biker really that much of a stretch to think it might be a bad idea?
Sure, Mike was different. He was sweet, he was kind, but Todd was too, in the beginning. Sure, Mike had Rosie, and Rosie was the sweetest kid ever, but I was her teacher, and th
at was even more of a reason not to get involved with him.
So, I told myself, I just wouldn’t do it. I’d keep it all superficial and light. I’d keep my heart closed, and just have a good time with him.
It was just a drink.
And now, a ride. A ride that turned out to be a completely sensuous experience. Once I was on the bike, and he was seated in front of me, he grabbed my thighs and squeezed them around his own. I blushed, thankful he couldn’t see me this time, as I sat behind him and felt his hips between my legs. When he reached back and grabbed my hands, wrapping them around his waist tightly, I was hesitant to grip him too tightly. Until he started the bike, and I jumped at the violent vibrations of the bike beneath us. It was so much more intense than I imagined, and I was suddenly overwhelmed with fear for my safety and everything else melted away.
When Mike accelerated and we began moving down the street, I held on as tightly as I could to him. I felt his abs moving in laughter as he reached back and patted my thigh reassuringly and we moved through the city, the bright lights passing by us in a blur.
After five minutes, I was able to relax and I was in love with it. The rushing air, the vibrations, the warmth exuding from him, the confidence with which he maneuvered the bike through traffic, like it was an extension of his strong body — all those things served to not only thrill me to the core, but created a sense of safety I had never felt before. It was ironic, considering in the back of my mind, I knew not having a metal cage around us and hurtling ourselves down the road with nothing between the hard pavement and our skulls but a fiberglass helmet was definitely more dangerous.
But it wasn’t our physical condition that made me feel safe.
It was the man I was wrapped around. He was solid, he was strong, and yet he was kind and gentle.
Todd had never been gentle.
When we pulled up to the boardwalk at Venice beach, I looked around in awe and delight. I hadn’t made it here yet, and it was everything you saw in the movies. People everywhere, most in bikinis and beach wear, and some even roller-skating down the sidewalk as street musicians played their hearts out, their guitar cases full of crumpled dollar bills.
We left our helmets on the bike, and began strolling down the boardwalk.
“This is crazy,” I said, referring to the crowd and performance artists around us.
“I know, I love it. You said you hadn’t gotten out much, and so I thought you might enjoy a stroll along the freakiest beach in town before we go have a drink. I hope that’s okay?” he asked.
“Of course! I love people watching,” I said.
“Awesome!” Mike grabbed my hand and didn’t let go as we walked along the promenade, stopping periodically to listen to someone sing a song or watch someone paint a picture faster than I had ever seen someone paint anything. It was impressive, and I wasn’t surprised at all with the tips they were receiving.
“Obviously, this is a tourist spot, but I thought you might enjoy it.”
“I love it, Mike, thank you for bringing me here.” I said, looking up at him, as he towered over me, his smile warming my heart. I was slowly getting used to being in his presence. Being wrapped completely around him on the half-hour ride here definitely helped, because I was finally feeling like I could breathe around him.
“So, East Texas, huh?” he asked. I felt my stomach tighten. I had known he was going to ask me more questions about my past, and I had told myself earlier to just be open and honest with him. I may have fled Mineola in a hurry, but I didn’t do anything wrong. “This must seem like a whole different world here to you.”
“Yeah, I grew up in a small town called Mineola, not far from the Louisiana border. And when I say small town, I mean small town. Like four thousand people small.”
“Oh, wow, I can’t imagine living in a place like that. LA’s been my home all my life. It almost sounds like paradise, to be honest.”
“Well, in some ways, it is like paradise,” I said.
“Yeah? Then why did you leave, Daisy?” he asked.
“I um…well…it was time for me to go. I didn’t have much of a choice, but I think I did the right thing. I’d lived there all my life, and it just wasn’t the safe — I mean, the right place for me anymore.”
His eyes darkened as he listened to me.
I wanted to tell him, I really did, but when I thought about Todd, and everything awful that had happened, it was my first instinct to push it all to the back of my mind and pretend it wasn’t real. I kept telling myself that if I just continued going to self-defense classes, kept working out, and kept going to the shooting range to practice, that was all I needed to do. Until the day Todd showed up, I was determined not to let him ruin another minute of my life. Especially now, standing here on this beautiful palm tree-lined pathway, with the ocean in the distance, next to this amazingly gorgeous and sexy man. The last thing I wanted to do was go into it all.
“It’s kind of a long story, Mike. How about I tell you another time? I don’t really feel like going into it now.”
He cocked his head to the side, smiled and nodded.
“I completely understand,” he said gently. “There’s plenty of time. No rush.”
And with that comment, my mind began racing. There’s plenty of time, huh? That meant he had been thinking beyond tonight, too.
“Thanks,” I replied, smiling at him before I changed the subject. I thought about something to ask him, to try to turn the conversation to him, but then I thought about Rosie’s mother and I realized there was probably some stuff he didn’t want to talk about either.
“How long have you been in the club?” I asked, hoping that was a safe topic.
He grinned, his voice and face flooding with pride.
“I’ve been the president of club for the last ten years,” he replied. “My best friend, Reaper, and I joined together. Now, we’re the President and VP.”
“Oh, Reaper, yes I met him the other day,” I said, remembering the big, burly, wild man that had picked up Rosie. “Rosie seems very fond of him.”
“Yeah, I heard you met him. I’m sorry if he was inappropriate, he isn’t much on manners,” he said.
“Oh, no, he was fine. It was heart-warming, actually, seeing how much Rosie loves him,” I said. “She loves you like that, too.”
Mike grew quiet for a moment, his eyes lost somewhere else before he turned back to me.
“Yeah, Reaper’s great. There’s not another soul I trust more in the world. He and my other brothers were what held me together when Rosie’s mom died.”
“I’m so sorry, Mike,” I said softly, his hand still warm in my mine as I squeezed it gently.
“Thanks, it’s been hard,” he replied, his eyes clouding with pain. “But we’re doing okay, I think.”
“It’s obvious you are doing a wonderful job with Rosie, Mike,” I said. “She’s a wonderful girl."
His face lit up when he spoke of Rosie.
“She is, isn’t she? I couldn’t be more proud of her. But like I said, I couldn’t do it without the club. I love those guys and I’d do anything for them.”
“You’re lucky to have their support,” I said.
“Yeah, I am,” he said, pulling my hand up to kiss the back of it as he stopped us in the middle of the busy boardwalk. The crowd trailed around us, parting to the side as they sidestepped us. Mike looked down at me solemnly, not caring that we were blocking traffic.
“Daisy, do you have any idea how beautiful you are?”
“Oh! Goodness…” I stammered. He had a way of disarming me with his directness, and I hoped like hell I never got used to it. “You’re sweet, thank you.”
He reached up, catching a strand of hair that was blowing in the wind, and tucking it behind my ear. What a vision we must be, I thought, as I caught the eye of a woman staring at us as she skated by. Little miss wholesome teacher being tenderly held by a scary, rough and tumble, leather-clad biker.
But I didn’t care. I didn’t ca
re what anyone thought, I didn’t know anyone here anyway, and the chances of me running into someone I knew from home were absolutely zero. I could do whatever I wanted, I could be whoever I wanted, and the freedom of that was exhilarating.
As much as I knew I should resist him, having a man like him in my life could bring me a lot of happiness, in a lot of different ways. I didn’t care what he did, or who he was, when he wasn’t right in front of me. I had heard all about outlaw clubs and the rumors about what they did, but I chalked it all up to myth and stereotypes.
I couldn’t imagine Mike hurting anyone or doing anything immoral. He was a good man, I could feel it.
And he was nothing like Todd. In fact, he was the complete opposite of Todd, and if I was going to allow a man back into my life, then that was exactly what I wanted.
Someone as far away from Todd as I could get.
When Mike leaned down to gently press his lips to mine for a way too quick kiss, I kissed him back fervently, lest he for some crazy reason think I didn’t want that.
Because I more than wanted that. My body was on fire around this man, and I wanted everything he wanted to give me.
He grabbed my hand again and we continued walking down the boulevard together, taking in the sights and laughing as we went along. When we came upon an old woman selling fortunes, Mike’s eyes lit up and he pulled me towards her.
“What are you doing!” I squealed.
“C’mon, let’s get your fortune read! I love this shit!” he said, showing me once more that he wasn’t your typical biker.
“Um…really?” I, on the other hand, thought fortune telling was a lot of baloney.
“Yep, I’ll pay for it. C’mon, it’ll be fun!” He looked almost boyish as I shook my head and let him pull me through the crowd and sit me down in front of the old woman.
I smiled at her as she peered into my eyes. She had to be at least eighty. With wrinkled skin and sunken, yet sharp, blue eyes, her long salt and pepper, braided hair was covered in a fringed scarf, with more scarves wrapped around her neck and wrists along with dozens of jangling chains and colorful beads — and one very scary looking bird claw hanging from a leather rope and displayed squarely over her heart.
RAW: THE ULTIMATE MC COLLECTION Page 44