by Sadie Savage
“It’s hard to imagine you in your 20s,” Michelle said with a quiet laugh.
Blade pursed his lips at her. “Watch it, kid.”
Michelle’s eyes danced and once again he was trapped within them, a slave to his agonizing desires, but he was able to fight through it and get his mind back on track.
“What kind of lawyer is your friend?” Michelle asked.
“He’s mostly into business law, but he knows quite a few people who could help out in a situation like this. Get the divorce papers arranged and notarized quickly. And, probably, get you the majority of this piece of shit’s money.”
Michelle exhaled in disbelief. “That sounds impossible.”
“It’s not,” Blade said, looking seriously into her eyes. “You’re just too used to bad things happening. But you’re with me now. Try to have some faith in the MC. We’re here for you.”
Michelle shook her head and fell back against the couch, looking up at the ceiling with tears in her beautiful eyes.
“I can’t believe any of this is actually happening,” she whispered. “It’s all felt like such a nightmare. This is the first time I’ve felt safe since I was a kid.”
“Bikers tend to have that effect on people,” Blade teased. “At least, the people that they like.”
Michelle laughed and sat up, peering into Blade’s eyes. She put her soft, gentle hand over his and squeezed it.
“Thank you for everything,” she said, her face radiant with gratitude. “I think you might very well be saving my life.”
Blade swallowed hard and shook his head. “That’s a bit of an exaggeration, I think. But you can always count on the MC. I know Alan probably had his own idea about things, but he’s about to find out just how wrong he’s been.”
The two studied each other and the air between them seemed to crackle with life. Blade had waited all his life to meet a woman who could put him under her spell, but nowhere, in all of the country, did he find a person like that. Not until he saw Michelle. It was wrong. He knew it was wrong. She probably didn’t even feel the same way about him.
But the energy between them was impossible to deny. The thought that maybe, just maybe, she might reciprocate these intense feelings, was enough to inspire the man in him to act. He shoved away all thoughts of right and wrong, and surrendered to the moment. And the moment was fucking sweet.
Michelle gasped in surprise and pleasure as Blade’s mouth suddenly pressed against hers, and he felt her body surrendering beneath his touch. He gripped her close to him, the feeling of her breasts pressed firmly against his torso sending a wave of fire to his loins. She moaned when she felt the hard mound of his cock against her, and they broke away from the kiss, both of them breathing heavily.
“Fuck,” Blade said, cringing. Zeke was probably rolling over in his grave right about now. “I’m sorry.”
He stood up quickly from the couch and retreated from the room, leaving Michelle, gasping and hot, behind him.
Chapter 9
Michelle’s entire body was trembling after the brief rapture of the kiss, and she felt like if she stood up now, she would just end up falling over.
She put her head in her hands and closed her eyes, replaying the overpowering ecstasy of Blade’s lips – his entire body – again and again. But when she opened her eyes again, tempted to follow him into his bedroom, she felt suddenly sick inside. Wasn’t it wrong of her to be feeling like this? The man was twice her age. Her father’s friend.
And even if those things weren’t important factors, wouldn’t it be impossible to overlook the fact that she was getting a divorce? What if she was just feeling vulnerable and using Blade as a rebound? And who was to say he was going to take Michelle seriously anyway? Wasn’t her father always saying how Blade wasn’t the type to settle down? He was a man who was always looking for his roots, her father had said. And that was why he was gone most of the time she was growing up.
Finally, Michelle steadied her breathing enough to walk shakily back to her own bedroom. She sat down on the bed, unsure of whether to smile or cry. This whole thing was a complete disaster. The police were sitting outside, just waiting for her, or anybody at the MC, to fuck up, and she was just making matters worse. She was giving in to the forbidden feelings she had been feeling toward Blade ever since he had shown up on her doorstep. There were so many reasons why this was wrong. She couldn’t just succumb to something that would ultimately turn out to be another horrible mistake. The last thing Michelle could live with was another life like the one she’d had with Alan. Enough was enough.
Michelle sighed and opened the drawer in her end table, taking out the small slip of paper that Jo had scribbled her phone number onto. She swallowed nervously, then used the big rotary phone down the hall to dial. Jo picked up on the first ring.
“Yes?” she asked tersely. “You’re interrupting my shows.”
“Sorry,” Michelle said. She was about to hang up, when Jo’s voice lightened up.
“Oh, it’s you! How are you, honey?” Jo didn’t wait for a reply before she continued speaking. “You would love this – there’s a woman who can’t decide between her ex and her sister’s husband. It’s drama central!”
“That sounds interesting,” Michelle said, chuckling despite herself. She probably would never choose to watch a show like that on her own, but she was sure that watching it with Jo would make it even more entertaining.
“You should come over!” Jo exclaimed. “Jackal called over here a while ago talking about the damn cop cars outside the MC. It’s quiet here. Snake and I could pick you up out back if you’d like a break.”
“Actually, that sounds amazing,” Michelle said, grateful beyond words for the option to leave. If she had to face Blade again, she didn’t know what she would do. It was better to be safe.
“Great! Snake will be there in about 10 minutes. I think I’ll stay here so I can catch you up on what’s going on.”
Michelle laughed. “That sounds perfect.”
Michelle hung up, debating whether or not she should risk going to tell Blade that she was leaving. He would definitely freak out if she just disappeared, especially with the cops waiting outside the MC, but she just couldn’t bring herself to face him again.
She grabbed her jacket and packed a bag with a change of clothes in it, just in case Jo decided it would be fun for her to stay the night, and then headed downstairs to the bar area.
“Jackal!” she hissed.
He frowned before he realized who was calling him and then sat down the glass he was drying and came over to her.
“What’s up, kiddo?”
“Could you let Blade know that Snake is picking me up? Jo wanted to hang out and I don’t really feel comfortable here with…you know.”
Jackal’s face lit up with understanding and he nodded.
“Sure thing! Do you want me to walk you out?”
“If you would,” Michelle said gratefully. Who knew what might be lurking behind the MC.
Jackal abandoned his post at the bar and headed to the back door, his hand hovering over the handle of a knife in the back of his belt as he pushed it open. He hesitated, searching the area with his eyes before relaxing his shoulders.
“Should be fine,” he said, leading Michelle outside. “But I’ll wait here with you just in case. As far as I know, this is like our secret getaway area, the pigs don’t know it’s here.”
Michelle laughed quietly. Why would they know it? It looked like a pile of old motorcycle parts and garbage. Who would want to be back there on purpose? But Michelle soon saw the genius of it. The door was concealed by a small collection of tires mounted to the door, that made it look like it was just another part of the dumping grounds. And when Snake approached, only then did she see the thin pathway leading out.
“This shit’s ridiculous,” Snake grumbled, stopping in front of Jackal to speak with him. “You make sure nobody does anything more than act like angels, you get me?”
J
ackal nodded. “No problem, boss.”
“Ready then, young’un?” Snake asked, turning to Michelle. She nodded, and he turned away, back down the path from which he’d come.
They emerged out on a dark dirt road, hidden by thick forest. Snake had brought the truck again, probably hoping not to call too much attention to himself with the police staking out the MC. Michelle climbed in, grateful that she wouldn’t have to hang around the MC any longer. Who knew whether or not Alan would show up? She hadn’t taken it too well the last time he had.
If she saw him today, it would be even worse. Michelle was almost afraid that he would be able to smell Blade’s scent upon her, as if he were nothing more than a wild, possessive dog trying to drag his mate back to the den. It was scary, really, how off-balance Alan managed to make her feel. She thought all kinds of irrational things when he was there. Blamed herself for things that never were and never would be her fault.
“You all right?” Snake asked, glancing over at Michelle.
Snake was a tall, quiet, dignified man. He was surprisingly skinny to be the president of an MC, and seemed to be the type of leader who demanded respect despite maybe not being quite as physically intimidating as the rest of the men. He had been lean and strong when Michelle was a child, and although age had worn away his muscles, it had done nothing to touch his fierce attitude.
“I’m fine,” Michelle sighed. “Just thinking about Alan.”
Snake scoffed. “That ain’t his name anymore. Around me you’re to refer to him as ‘pigmeat.’”
Michelle laughed. “Why not bacon?”
Snake looked at her as if she were crazy. “I like bacon!”
She grinned and they finished the stretch of road out in silence, until they came upon a small wooden house with two pristine motorcycles parked in front of it.
“Home sweet home,” Snake mumbled, turning off the engine and walking to the door.
Michelle followed uncertainly. It was strange to be so far away from the MC after everything that had happened. In a way, she wished she had never left. The thought that she wouldn’t be able to turn to Blade should she need anything made her uncomfortable. He was the one who seemed most eager to protect her, to solve her problems. He was the one she wanted most of all…
But no. Both of them knew that it couldn’t possibly be. It was wrong.
“Michelle!” Jo exclaimed, suddenly pushing the thoughts of Blade out of her mind.
“Hi!” Michelle said as she was whisked into an enthusiastic hug.
“I’ve been takin’ notes on this show here for you,” Jo said, tugging her hand and leading her into the small, cozy living room area. “Let’s get you caught up.”
***
Snake had gone to bed, leaving Jo and Michelle up late in the living room. Just as Michelle had suspected, Jo had a way of making even the most mundane and unbelievable of shows convincing and entertaining, and she had been enjoying herself thoroughly.
“Something’s on your mind,” Jo said suddenly, looking pensively at Michelle.
“What?” Michelle asked, smiling innocently. The truth was that she had been thinking about Blade again. The softness of his lips, the contrast of his scratchy beard against her skin… but she was also thinking about how it just wasn’t meant to be.
“Don’t play me for a fool girl,” Jo said with a chuckle. “I know things. Good at reading people. Me and Snake are alike that way.”
Michelle sighed and leaned back against the couch. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me. Have you ever done something you know you shouldn’t?”
Jo cackled. “Look at me!”
Michelle grinned and nodded. “I just don’t want to do something for the wrong reasons, you know? And there’s so much going on…”
“Listen,” Jo said calmly. “There are times in life when you have to make a decision. Do you want to live according to everybody else’s rules or do you want to live by the rules that make you happy?”
Michelle sighed. “But it’s complicated. I don’t want to hurt anyone…or be hurt…”
Jo chuckled. “Living in fear ain’t the way to do things. The people in the MC know that to live life freely, you have to take what you want and don’t make any compromises. Not for anyone. And especially not for those people out there who think they know how you should be living your life. Chances are, most of the time, people like that are only out to control other people into becoming more like them.”
“What about breaking your own rules?” Michelle sighed. “There are just some things that are better left alone, right?”
“Well, that ain’t for me to say,” Jo said with a shrug. “You have to decide which rules to follow and which rules to break. Just don’t go being a jackass about it, thinking because society has a special way of doing things that you have to do things that way too, you know? Some things just don’t matter so much. It’s all on the surface. If a surface issue is causing you to turn away from a great thing that’s right in front of your face, then there isn’t any help for ya.”
Michelle was quiet as she considered this. Was age really just a surface thing? And was it possible that what she was feeling toward Blade was more than just a fleeing fancy? There was a certain wisdom in the idea of only living for yourself and taking what you wanted, but what she wanted seemed so…dangerous.
“What if what you want will hurt you in the end?” Michelle asked finally.
Jo smiled wistfully.
“Some of the most beautiful things in life come with a little bit of risk. You know, me and Snake met when I was about your age. We’ve been together ever since. It was scary at first, wondering if being with an older man was really a good idea. But we’ve been going strong ever since. He’s over 60 now! And I like to think I help keep him young.”
Michelle studied Jo as if seeing her for the first time. Sure, she had known that Jo and Snake had an age difference, but seeing them together had never felt odd or wrong. They were natural together. And it was true. Jo’s lively spirit seemed to make Snake’s life all the better, even if she was in her 40s and he in his 60s. Suddenly, Michelle felt a lot better about the situation with Blade. Not completely absolved, but better.
“Thanks, Jo,” Michelle said, smiling warmly at her new friend. It was almost as if Jo knew exactly what was going on and had been burning all night with the perfect advice to give her. But Jo was wise enough not to pry into detail.
They spent the rest of the night chatting and laughing together until they couldn’t keep their eyes open any longer, and finally went to sleep.
Chapter 10
Blade woke up the next morning and peered through the blinds. The pigs had switched shifts sometime during the night. Now, two new cop cars were parked outside the MC, just waiting for their chance to bust someone.
Jackal had come in the night before to inform him that Snake had taken Michelle away and he had been flooded with relief. Having that woman so damn close to him was making him nearly lose his mind. There was nothing honorable about wanting to fuck his best friend’s daughter. He just couldn’t bring himself to accept it, and having her dangling in front of his face, clearly wanting it just as badly as he did, could have made that night into something he would regret for the rest of his life.
“Hey.”
The blood rushed to his thighs at the sound of Michelle’s voice coming unexpectedly from behind him, and Blade whipped around, unable to fight the fire that consumed him in her presence.
“Hey,” he said, as casually as he could muster. But that didn’t take away the fact that he had spent the rest of the night in agony over his longing for her body. It had been so close…right within his reach. And doing the right thing had been one of the hardest things he had ever done in his life. But he would do it for Zeke. He had to. Besides, she was just a kid.
“The police are still outside?” Michelle asked, coming up close beside him to peer out the window. She sighed when she saw the new cars. “I wonder how long they’re going
to do this.”
“Probably until things are settled between you and the pigfucker,” Blade said, turning away from the window and taking a few healthy steps away from Michelle. The smell of her was starting to drive him up the wall. Maybe it would be better if she had stayed at Snake’s house a little longer. She was like a drug that hadn’t completely worked itself out of his system yet.
“I don’t know if that will ever happen,” Michelle sighed. “He thinks he owns me or something. He’s got all of them convinced I’m some kind of lunatic and he’s the only person who is willing to take care of me.”
“That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard,” Blade scoffed. “Any man would be insane not to want to take care of you. And the real fuckin’ crazy one is him. Any of those pigs out there had any common sense in their skulls, they would know it, too!”
Michelle looked down at her hands, a smile playing on her lips.
“You always know what to say to make me feel better,” she said quietly.
Blade shifted uncomfortably. He should probably leave the room now. It was too damn painful to be so close to her with all of these idiotic thoughts flying around in his head like this.
“Actually, I don’t know shit,” Blade said, suddenly irritated. He didn’t want to be around her. Didn’t she get that? He was trying so hard to keep his shit under control. The idea of her just willingly seeking him out was infuriating.
“What do you mean?” Michelle asked, her eyes turning to him. He was caught once again in her gaze, feeling like a deer in headlights. Could she see through him, or was he just imagining it? Either way, it was time to take control of the situation again. He had let things go too far.
“I mean I don’t think we should be doing this right now!” Blade growled. “Do you have any idea…”
He trailed off. He wasn’t going to look weak in front of her. Tell her how goddamn hard he had to work to keep his hands to himself and not give in to his impulses every time she looked at him. That would just give her more power over the situation than he would know how to deal with. He owed it to his friend to be the mature one in the situation. To act like a fuckin’ adult and know what was right.