BAD BOY ROMANCE: DIESEL: Contemporary Bad Boy Biker MC Romance (Box Set) (New Adult Sports Romance Short Stories Boxset)

by Parker, Kylee

  Adrien swallowed hard, sneaking a sideways glance at the girl standing against the far wall of the large room, too far to hear what they were saying but close enough that he could see her bug eyed gaze glued on his every movement. Sera was known by all in the tribe, and it damn well wasn’t for her sweet disposition and good looks. Everyone knew she was a bitter, selfish girl despite the fact that she was almost Adrien’s own age of twenty six. She was all sallow skin and bird bones, and her shrill voice could carry for miles. He knew that for a fact, had heard her on multiple occasions, screaming and shrieking when something didn’t go her way. No, Adrien pitied the man who ended up with her as a wife, but it sure as hell wouldn’t be him.

  “Well, Adrien, what do you say to such an honor? Out of all the eligible bachelors in the tribe, my beautiful daughter chose you as her mate.”

  “Uh, well, you see, sir,” Adrien stalled, trying to think of any way to escape the death sentence that had just been pronounced for him. He looked over at Sera, the chief’s daughter, one more time. She grinned at him, gapped-tooth and with a malicious light gleaming in her dull gray eyes. He barely contained a shudder at the thought. Because he knew once the choosing ceremony took place, that would be it for him. Bears mated for life, and the ceremony reinforced that bond. There was no way he could let this happen.

  Panic fueled through him and his mind raced for answers, for a way out. Finally, his thoughts caught on something that Harris had said and he leaped on it, desperate for a way to save himself.

  “Yes? What is your answer?” Harris demanded, his haggard face drawing in impatience as he was forced to wait. It was something he wasn’t used to as the leader of one of the biggest and most prosperous tribes in the area.

  “Um, you see, sir, I uh…I can’t because I’m not eligible.” Adrien spat the words out all in a rush, fighting the urge to cringe as Harris’ face darkened with anger.

  “What do you mean ‘not eligible’, Adrien?” Harris stood up from the wood carved chair he had appropriated as his throne. The look in his wide, dark eyes shot another spear of panic through him. Adrien had heard the rumors, of course. That Harris was growing ever more unstable, that he was leading the tribe into disaster.

  His own father, Dominic Black, had brought the tribe long years of prosperity and happiness. They had thrived under his leadership. But after his death they had fallen into chaos, that was until Harris had taken on the role. For years, the clan had followed him, but the last decade had been getting worse and worse.

  Adrien gave himself a mental shake, drawing back to the problem at hand. Harris was still glowering at him, as was Sera, aware now that things weren’t going the way she had planned.

  “I’m sorry, Harris, it’s the truth,” Adrien shrugged, trying to keep his expression neutral as he met the wild eyed gaze of his leader, “I can’t marry your daughter, I must unfortunately turn down that…honor. Because,” He took a deep breath before continuing, “I’m already engaged.”

  “No! That’s, but that’s impossible!” Harris spluttered, shaking his shaggy, gray mane as he took a stumbling step forward.

  “Sorry, sir, like I said that’s the truth…uh, give my apologies to your daughter. I’m sure she’ll make some man very lucky.” Yeah, as long as it wasn’t him, Adrien thought with a snicker. There was a moment of silence as Harris processed Adrien’s lie and he took advantage of that pause to make his way hurriedly to the exit.

  “Wait, Adrien!” Harris’ voice pulled him up short and he reluctantly turned back around to face his leader.

  “What is it? I’ve already told you…” Theo took a threatening step forward at his tone and Adrien made sure to keep any of his roiling emotions off of his face as he continued. “I really have to get to work, sir, I’m going to be late as it is.”

  “Yes, yes of course,” Harris murmured, lost in his own thoughts as he stroked the straggly black and gray specked beard that hung limply from his chin. “Adrien, I would love to meet this woman of yours. We should have a feast to celebrate your upcoming nuptials, yes?”

  “Oh, no, that’s not really necessary…”

  “No, I really think it is.” Harris grinned at him and it was like staring at an oil slick on a cracked, deserted road. “This Saturday, here at the lodge.”

  “Saturday’s a no go. It’s the busiest day at the bar–.”

  “Sunday then,” Harris growled the words at him and Adrien knew he wasn’t going to be able to get out of this one. His stomach sank like a lead weight in his gut as he nodded, turning back towards the door. Harris’ voice stopped him one last time, but he didn’t turn around, not sure what he would say if pushed any further, and not sure how the obviously unstable leader would react.

  “I can’t wait to meet your mystery girl, Adrien.”

  He inhaled deeply, forcing himself to exhale just as slowly. He could feel the bear inside him, the beast that was as much a part of him as his human form, raise its hackles at Harris’ tone. If he had been in bear form he would have been growling, the skin around his lips pulled back in a grimace of sharp, tearing teeth. He tried to keep his voice civil when he answered.

  “On Sunday.”

  With those last, short words Adrien made his way out of the building and into the bright, Nevada summer sunshine.

  *

  With the barest nod of his head, Harris sent Theo trundling after the disrespectful cub like the dog that he was. He came when he was called, fetched whatever Harris needed fetching, and Theo’s most important attribute, he would attack on command. Without question, without remorse. Exactly the kind of right hand man that Harris needed. Although he would hate to be called that, Harris thought. More beast than man, that one was.

  He waited until Theo exited the building, feeling the weight of his age press against his bones. He was getting tired, so tired.

  He flicked his fingers, motioning for Sera, not noticing the black grime underneath his finger nails or the grease on his skin from breakfast. His daughter stomped over to him where he sat once again in his throne. He knew it was antiquated, having a throne. And he knew that damned sainted Dominic Black never had one, but he felt more sturdy when he sat in it. It made people look up to him, respect him more. A constant reminder that he was in charge of them all, that he was their leader.

  “Daddy!” Sera shrieked as she drew near, “Daddy, what happened! You said he would agree, you said he would have to.” She even stomped her feet for good measure as she stopped short right before him.

  Harris cringed as her voice knocked through his head, exasperating the ache that had been pounding there since he’d woken up that morning.

  “Shut up, daughter.” He shouted, cutting through her tantrum. She stared at him with big, tear filled eyes and he felt a moment of regret for his harsh words, but even more so he felt relief at her silence. “I am sorry, Sera. Believe me, he’ll be all yours soon enough.”

  “He has to be daddy! You promised!”

  “And he will be!” Harris took another deep breath, trying to stem the temper flooding through him. He had worked too long and too hard on this plan of his. And he wasn’t going to let anything stand in his way, especially not Adrien Black. He needed this union to work. He needed it to solidify his position as leader. He heard the rumors, could feel the restless tension amongst the clan. He could see them all, staring at him, wondering if he was still all there, if he was still sane enough or healthy enough to rule.

  Well, when his daughter was mated to the heir of their last beloved ruler, they wouldn’t be wondering anymore. His rule would continue, unquestioned. Now, he just had to figure out how to get rid of this little complication.

  Chapter 2

  “Unbelievable!” Adrien muttered to himself as he slammed his hands against the leather steering wheel of his jeep. What the hell was Harris thinking, trying to pull something like that on him? After his father died, he had no family left in the tribe, and was all but exiled by Harris, and now he’s trying to push him to
mate with his daughter? To tie his life to hers, forever? Hah! What a joke.

  He pulled into the gravel driveway of the Kingstown Bar and Grill and smashed his foot down on the brakes, sitting for a long moment even after he had shut off the ignition. He just stayed there, slowly easing the death grip he still had on the steering wheel until he could pry his fingers off. What was he going to do? He had been so caught off guard by the entire situation, and then Harris had practically demanded that he bring his so called fiancé to the Lodge of all places. The meeting house and main location for his tribe.

  Although he hadn’t been a part of the Long Pines clan in a long time, he couldn’t help but think of them as his. Adrien had only been barely seventeen when his father had died in that tragic accident. With nowhere left to go, no one willing to take him in, he’d done the only thing he thought he could. He ran.

  He didn’t make it far on the twenty bucks he had in his pocket, had in fact only made it as far as Kingstown, population six hundred and the only bit of civilization for almost two hundred miles. If you could call a bar, a grocery store, and church civilization.

  Calese Tompkins had been the owner of Kingstown bar and grill, although grill was overselling it a bit. At the time you could get onion rings, hot wings, or peanuts and if you didn’t like it, you could get the hell out of her bar. Needless to say, no one complained.

  She had taken one look at the grimy, dark haired teenager, his dirt smudged cheeks lined with tracks from his tears, and had taken him in on the spot. Calese had given him a job sweeping and cleaning and looked the other way when he slept on the small pallet in the back room. Eventually he had graduated to bar back, and then finally taking over as bartender when Calese got too old.

  She had been a gruff sort of mother figure, adopting him into the strange family that all seemed to revolve around the bar. There was old Roger, a self proclaimed ex alcoholic that only drank on Sundays and Danny Ferris, a twenty something greaser that came to the bar because he said it was his lucky charm with women.

  Although, Adrien never saw him get lucky at all, unless you count getting a drink thrown in your face as lucky. Because in that case, he was very lucky indeed.

  There had been a whole cast of characters that had taken him in, become his new family when he had lost the old. And he would never forget that. Adrien stared up at the old bar’s sign, its paint starting to chip from age and mentally added it to his list of things to do. When Calese had died almost five years before, she had left him everything. The bar, the small apartment adjacent to the building, and everything that came with it.

  What was he going to do? The thought ricocheted through his brain, bringing his thoughts back to the massive problem at hand. What the hell had he been thinking, telling Harris that he was already engaged.

  ‘No thank you, Harris. I don’t think I want to marry your daughter’. Yeah, that would have been great. Simple, to the point, not having to come up with some make believe fiancé in less than three days.

  “Damn it!” He slammed the steering wheel again, accidentally hitting the horn and the loud noise inside the cabin of the jeep had him jumping in his seat, and then swearing again at himself. Adrien racked his brain for any way out, any thing he could do to get out of the mess he had just made for himself.

  Desperate for anything, he did the thing he had always done when his was in trouble since he was just a little kid. He called his best friend, Grand Fisher.

  “Yolo.” The deep voice on the other end of the line answered.

  “Hey, Fish, I…What?” Adrien said, the word finally registering.

  “You know. Yolo.” There was a pause, and then a huff of annoyance. “You only live once, man. It’s my new mantra.”

  “Yeah, right,” Adrien barely stopped himself from rolling his eyes. It seemed like every other week, Grant had another big idea, or life changing decision, and they always ended of the same way. Disappearing as soon as Grant came up with something else. “Anyways, I have a problem.”

  “You see, that’s exactly what I’m talking about. You can’t look at it as a problem, just look at it as an opportunity waiting to happen. And ya gotta take advantage of everything life throws your way, because you only–.”

  “Right, you only live once, got it.” Adrien said, continuing before Grant had a chance to speak again, “Listen, Fish, Harris told me his daughter ‘chose’ me as a mate, and told him that I couldn’t because, well, because I was already engaged and now he wants to meet her.”

  “That’s great, man. Congratulations!” Grant said, his voice crackling with excitement.

  “No, Grant, pay attention. I’m not engaged, I just lied and told him I was to get out of…whatever it was he was trying to pull, but he’s suspicious and basically demanded to meet her.” Adrien was practically gritting his teeth as he got out the car and started walking inside. He should have been at the bar almost twenty minutes ago and he made a point to never be late.

  “Well, shit. That is a problem.” His best friend said after a long pause, and this time Adrien did roll his eyes.

  “I know. Now, what in the hell am I going to do? He’s throwing me an engagement dinner on Sunday.”

  “That’s nice of him.” Grant interrupted, and Adrien was surprised he didn’t chip a tooth his jaw was so tense. He threw open the front door, and walked in. The bar wouldn’t open for business for another forty minutes but he always liked to be there early to make sure things were set up. Especially because it was a Friday night, their second busiest after Saturdays.

  “Grant, come on, help me out. Where am I supposed to find a fiancé in less than three days?” Adrien practically yelled over the phone.

  “I don’t know, Adrien. Wait, she doesn’t have to be a real fiancé, right? Just someone to pretend to be your fiancé so Harris will get off your back about mating ‘sweet Sera’.” She got the nickname from being the exact opposite of sweet. But Grant’s words had Adrien thinking and he didn’t see the petite shadow walking up behind him.

  “Hey, that’s actually not bad, Fish. But still, where the hell am I going to find a fake fiancé?”

  “With your winning personality? It should take no time at all. I’ve got a few calls I can make, a few friends that might be willing to help me out.” Grant said smugly, and Adrien knew exactly what kind of ‘friend’ Fish was talking about. Despite being skinny as a stick and wearing glasses thicker than his little finger, Grant had a way with women that Adrien could never understand, or emulate. Fisher could walk away and leave them smiling, or laughing at some dumb joke, and wishing him well. When Adrien left it was usually at a run, being chased by some angry hulk with a hero complex or dodging pots and pans, and one memorably time an entire china set, that was being thrown at his head.

  “Alright, do what you can and give me a call later?” Adrien had the phone to one ear, wedged between his shoulder as he started prepping the bar for the night. It took him a moment to realize that most of the prep was done already.

  “You got it. Remember, yolo.”

  “Yeah, yeah. Whatever. Bye Fish.” With that he hung up, looking at the pristine set up before he realized what it meant. Someone was there. Someone had already prepped the bar. Someone had overheard his conversation.

  He turned around slowly with a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. It dropped even further when he met the sparkling, green eyed gaze of the last person in the world he would have wanted to hear that. Morgan Fevereau.

  Chapter 3

  “Hey, Adrien.” She rocked back on her three inch black heeled boots, still not enough to put her even at his shoulders. He stared down at her for a long moment, his mind racing and completely blank at the same time. He usually had no problem talking around women, actually thought it was one of his strengths, but for some reason, when he was around the auburn haired pixie, he lost all ability to think, let alone actually form cohesive sentences.

  “Uh…Morgan. Yes.” Yes? What the hell is his problem? That was the best
thing he could come up with? He shook his head, ready to make another attempt. He paused, thinking it through. Hi, Morgan, how are you? Lovely day we’re having. Yeah, that would do. A hell of a lot better than ‘yes’. But just as he opened his mouth to speak, she beat him to the punch, and as her words registered, that’s exactly what it felt like.

  “Adrien, I couldn’t help but hear…fake fiancé? Wouldn’t a real one be better?”

  Yep, right to the solar plexus.

  “Uh…uh…Well, I,” Adrien swallowed hard, staring down at her laughing green eyes, trying hard not to drown in their mysterious depths. It was a constant battle when he was speaking to her, had been for the past three years ever since she had taken a job as an extra bartender when business had started to spike.

  Adrien forced himself to turn away, fiddling with a stack of napkins that had already been perfectly folded, and the jar of garnishes that were perfectly peeled and ready to finish whatever perfectly made cocktails she would make that night. It was all just so…perfect.

  “I, um, it’s a prank, you know…pranks,” Adrien finished with a forced laugh, still not looking at her. He wished he knew why she was the only woman that ever made him tongue tied. He was usually charm incarnate when he was talking to woman, or anyone for that matter. It’s part of what made him such a good bartender, why his customers kept coming back.

  “Yep, I know what a prank is,” Morgan stepped up the back of the bar, right next to him, and he felt his pulse spike uncontrollably. “What I don’t know is what a fake fiancé has to do with one.” She looked at him, her dark brow raised in question and he blurted out the first words that came to his head.

  “It’s for a…a friend. He’s getting married and I thought it would be funny to fake get married.”

  Morgan stared at him for a long time, that damned brow of hers still raised. It might have even gone up a little higher, he thought with something like desperation. Although why what this curvy minx thought of him mattered to him at all he had no idea.