Kinsmen MC (Complete Series)

by J. C. Allen

  Minus, of course, the rest stops.

  “You took forever, let’s go,” Marissa, my best friend, said.

  “I had to literally clean that bathroom,” I said, frowning at Marissa.

  “Because you’re a priss,” Jenna said with a snort.

  “No, I don’t want a venereal disease.”

  Marissa was the lively type, kind of like me. She studied hard in college and wanted a fun summer before med school started. Jenna was an arts student, like me, and her hair color changed so much I forgot what it was supposed to be. She was tall and modelesque, so much so that I practiced my photography on her all the time. She was just along for the ride before grad school. Meanwhile, I was just the wandering photographer, taking advantage of what opportunities I could to capture life and everything else around it.

  “Whatever. Twenty more miles and then we’ll be there,” Jenna said.

  “Thank goodness,” Marissa said as she yawned, reclining her seat in the front.

  In the back seat, I looked over my old photos, trying to decide which I liked the most. I hadn’t decided on nature or people. Mostly, though, I was just trying to kill the last twenty miles; I think we had reached that point on the trip where everyone was ready to kill everyone, and no one wanted to be with anyone else. Once we got space, things would be easier, but for right now, only our polite natures prevented us from tearing at each other.

  “We should find something northern to eat,” Jenna said.

  “Seafood, I guess,” I said, hoping to end the conversation quickly.

  Somehow, that prompted the two girls in the front to start arguing about what type of food was best, which city had the best seafood, and then, in turn, which of the cities they mentioned would have been best for a road trip. I stayed silent because sometimes, they could argue for hours.

  But honestly, as I looked up on the road and saw the signs for our destination, I finally began to feel some excitement. I finally began to feel like this was a good idea, coming on this trip. We were far away from Texas and anyone who could have known us; this was a trip that would prove to be a talking point for the rest of our lives. All of the shitty fast food, all of the rest stops, all of the little aggravations fell to the side as we considered what the summer would hold.

  I finally began to feel excited at the prospect of living here.

  “This place is so cute. I feel like a real—what do they call people here?” Marissa said, looking around the living room.

  “I don’t know,” I said. “I’m headed for the shower. And I call the master!”

  We ended up chasing each other up the steps like a bunch of school kids, but I still won. It was a nice town home and I was glad to have the master. The bathroom was nice, and there was a walk-in closet. At least I’ll be living in comfort while I’m here.

  The house had modern designs, and the bedding was all neutral colors. The living room was fully furnished with an entertainment system to match, and the kitchen was big enough for a baking party. It was kind of promising for what lay ahead. It just sucked that it had taken a massive roadtrip to get to this spot in the first place.

  I half unpacked and took a shower under the huge shower head. I had a stand in shower at home, but it was nothing like this. I really felt quite pampered. I took what felt like too short a time and quickly threw on some half-decent dress-up clothes.

  “Is this what you guys decided to do?” I said after finding my friends in the kitchen stocking alcohol.

  “Well, we showered too but apparently you felt dirtier than all of us,” Jenna said with a laugh. “We also got us some pizza that should be here at some point.”

  “After that, we should find something fun to do tonight,” Marissa suggested.

  “We just got here,” I said.

  Wasn’t there something to be said for just relaxing a bit? For just taking an evening to decompress and recover?

  Apparently not. I may have been young, but I could have introverted moments, and being in a car with my two best friends, great as it was at times, also sometimes mandated some away time. Just not right now, it seems.

  “Yeah, but we shouldn’t waste time. We can take a break later.”

  That’s what you said earlier, Jenna…

  “Yeah. And I asked at the gas station, apparently there’s this club a lot of people go to in the smaller part of town. It sounded fun.”

  Going to some club I had never heard of didn’t sound like a good idea. In fact, it sounded like the exact opposite. It sounded like a good way for this road trip to turn into something of a horror movie.

  “What if it’s dangerous?”

  “That’s why we came here, Allison. To do dangerous things. Fun, but not all that safe.”

  I laughed and shook my head at Marissa, even as I knew she was completely serious. She had odd reasoning practices, making it funny how she was going to be a doctor.

  Something I hadn’t expressed, though, was that I would soon be on my own for a little bit, and it wasn’t exactly something I was looking forward to. Marissa and Jenna would head back to Texas in a short period of time, leaving me alone. I suppose that there was no better time to do “dangerous things” than right now, with my best friends, but it still wasn’t exactly my idea of a good time.

  But, my idea of a good time also didn’t entail alienating my two best friends.

  “Okay, fine,” I said, surrendering to the evening. “Let’s do it.”

  Jenna and Marissa ended up convincing me to change into something racier. The best I could do was a top that’s not really cropped but seemed that way because of my height. It was faded purple and made my breasts look bigger. I wore jeans and canvas sneakers, brushed out my hair, and put on some lip gloss, even though I almost never wore makeup. It was a stark difference from the other two girls, who looked like Vegas party-goers with the clothes and makeup they threw on.

  “Do you even know where this place is?”

  The two of them seemed awfully nonchalant about the whole night. I wished that it rubbed off on me some, but unfortunately, it didn’t seem to be working very well for me.

  “Off the highway and main route. Shouldn’t be hard to find.”

  “Better not be.”

  We headed to the place with me driving. It gave me the good excuse not to be engaged in conversation and to have a minor introvert moment for me. I had no idea what to expect, but I swore that I would stick by Jenna and Marissa as closely as I could; if they left…

  Then we pulled up, and I felt a very strong combination of nervousness and curiosity pulsing through me.

  “This cannot be it. Oh my—”

  I looked at the lot, full of chrome bikes and the neon lights above the bar I couldn’t even read.

  “This looks so like something out of a Hells Angel party!”

  My mind flashed back to what that looked like, and it was not something that I had any particular interest in experiencing. I’d gladly pick them up later, but I wasn’t going.

  “That’s why we should leave.”

  “No, come on let’s go. If anything weird happens we’ll leave. Scouts honor.”

  Marissa grabbed my shoulder and pleaded. It was just easier to say screw it and go along with her request.

  “Ugh, fine.”

  We get out of the car noticed there were people coming in and out of the bar. There was noise and music and men laughing, lots of men. There were some women mixed in there, too, though they looked much more confident to be there, as if they were regulars. It couldn’t have been that bad if women felt comfortable there.

  Right?

  “Lets hold hands,” Jenna whispered.

  “Oh now you’re scared!” I said, nudging her.

  We headed into the club, swarmed by the smell of alcohol and leather. The men had leather jackets on, almost all of them, laughing with each other, slinging beers and playing bar games. It was thankfully more of a bar than a club. I still felt a little out of my element, but it was a little b
it better.

  “This looks fun!” Marissa shouted.

  It kind of did. Jenna pointed out a table by the juke box and we went over to it.

  “Here’s a chair, miss,” a rugged, tattooed biker in a cut off leather jacket said, dragging it over to Jenna.

  She smiled, giving him twinkly eyes and thanking him. Don’t get too interested, Jenna.

  “See, they’re gentlemen.”

  I shrugged, trying to be in my element. I looked around and took in the crowd. Most of the guys were, in fact, good looking in that muscled, leather way. Someone behind the bar caught my eye. He was tall, and his dirty blonde hair stood out against everyone else. In a gray tee shirt, he had tattoos going up and down his arms.

  But when he grinned, he looked like trouble, like the kind of guy who thought he could claim me as a prize. Definitely avoiding that.

  “We should get drinks.” Jenna shouted.

  It seemed someone heard her because a few moments later, a guy came by and handed us three beers, all unopened. So the people here are smart too. Or…

  We trailed off in conversation for a while and laughed together, sipping at our free beer. Maybe it was a thing here, free beer that hadn’t been tampered with. None of us were showing any effects, and I didn’t feel anything, so—

  “Excuse me?”

  A man, looking a bit older but with a nice smile, came up to me. I gulped as I could see Marissa and Jenna looking on with anticipation.

  “Yeah?”

  “This is from the guy at the bar. Zeke.”

  He handed me an opened beer, and I glanced at Zeke, matching the hot guy I was admiring earlier. The one giving me “fuck me” stares. Not going to happen.

  “Thanks but—I’m good.”

  I handed it back and turned back to my friends, nervously laughing.

  “What the hell?” Marissa said as she swatted me. “He’s hot. Don’t pass up that!”

  “I know, but we have a rule. We stick together.”

  “But we said we’d have fun. Go talk to him!”

  “Yeah, before I do.”

  I just rolled my eyes. I’d come here to appease my two friends, maybe have one drink, and call it a night. I had not come here to have multiple drinks, get hit on by the bartender, and then have a one-night stand. It was antithetical to the kind of evening I’d striven for.

  “He looks like a one-night stand kind of guy.”

  “Which is perfect!” Marissa said. “We’re leaving in three months anyway, that’s the whole point.”

  Really not going to let this one go, huh?

  “He is hot,” I admitted with a laugh.

  “Your ex was smoking hot, just think of it that way. It’s like continuing your hot streak!”

  “Yeah…okay.”

  Just go talk to him, refuse his drink, make it look like you talked to him, and then walk away. Easy. I stood up from the chair, ready to go and talk to Zeke, but when I spun around, I found him heading my way.

  “Shit—” I murmured.

  My friends scattered. I couldn’t decide if that really pissed me off or if I’d be happy about it in a few hours.

  “You turned down my beer.”

  He got up close to me, so close that I backed into the chair a little.

  “I um, have a rule.”

  I swallowed. My friends were now at a pool table, watching from across the room. They were doing me no favors.

  “A rule?”

  I had to admit, though the situation was a bit off, he had me mesmerized. He had a hard, square jaw and was clean-shaven. His skin was smooth and tanned, his eyes a light color I couldn’t place. His smirk was sexy as hell. His tattoos started around his collar bone, his shirt fighting the wide muscles of his chest and arms. I glanced down to his faded jeans, tightly fitted—

  “Yeah, a rule,” I said, taking a breath to keep myself focused. “The beer you gave me was opened.”

  It was a second rule. I was starting to think maybe I had too many rules.

  “Hm, makes sense. Here I was thinking I lost my game.”

  “Your game?” I said, arching my brow, smiling.

  He stepped closer to me. I was realizing that I was starting to fall for his humor and charm, but it was really hard to stay above it and not fall into the trap of having interest in him.

  “Yeah baby, my game. It’s a good one, as far as I knew.”

  “And what if it wasn’t? Maybe you’re just cocky.”

  The more you play the game with him, the more he’s going to win. He tilted his head at me and shook it.

  “It is. So, on topic, can I get you a real drink?”

  I thought about it for a moment, remembering what my friends had said. I did come here to have fun, and while he looked like a bad idea, he also seemed very fun. Plus, he was very good looking, especially up close.

  And it wasn’t like he was asking me right there to fuck him. H was just asking for one drink. One drink couldn’t hurt.

  Right?

  “Sure.”

  He smirked and grabbed my hand, surprising me with his boldness as he led me to the bar. His hands were big, closing over mine, warm and calloused. It ignited my body, and I already felt myself wanting him. I recognized that this was going against everything I had told myself before I left the house, but I also recognized that I had never been courted like this before.

  “VIP seat.”

  He sat me at the bar on the corner where no one crowded it. No one would be able to interrupt us or bump into me. It was… it was nice.

  “What do you like to drink?”

  “Anything sweet.”

  I tried not to smile to maintain some semblance of hard-to-get, but the look he gave me made me grin. I noticed other women staring at us with some intense jealousy—had they all slept with him, or did they all just want him?

  I’m not sure I wanted the answer either way.

  “Something sweet.”

  He dropped a soft pink colored drink in a mini glass in front of me.

  “Thanks,” I said. “Why is everyone looking at you?”

  He leaned over the bar. His muscled arms tensed, and I licked my lips at them. This man is… wow. I can see what Jenna and Marissa saw in him.

  “Because I’m kind of a big deal around here.”

  Oh? It probably wasn’t a great sign for me that my reaction was one of curiosity instead of repulsion at his arrogance. But, well, too late at this point.

  “What exactly is around here? It kind of looks like a cult, all the leather and tattoos.”

  He laughed loudly, as if it was a deep rumble in his chest. I tried not to feel too stupid for the question, but it was clear I’d said something a bit ridiculous.

  “It’s not a cult, I promise. First, though, you have to tell me your name.”

  I thought of giving him a fake name, but the intensity of his gaze was something I could not resist.

  “Allison.”

  I sipped the drink; it was lemony and something strawberry with vodka. Damn if this isn’t the most delicious drink I’ve had in ages.

  “Allison, I’m Zeke.”

  He held out his hand. I shook it, getting that warm feeling again. Unfortunately, though, he still wasn’t answering my question.

  “So… is this just a small town or what? With a dress code?”

  He chuckled.

  “You’re funny. I tend to be funny too.”

  I rolled my eyes and sipped more of the drink, feeling looser. What he’d just said veered a little too closely to the arrogant side… but then he grinned at me, and I was back to being almost too interested in him.

  “You from around here?” he said, arching an eyebrow.

  “God no. I’m from Texas. Post college road trip.”

  “That must be why,” he said knowingly. “We’re an MC. My dad started the place. So people stare sometimes.”

  I nodded slowly and tried to take that in. That was… that was a hell of a confession to make. I had never met an MC i
n life, but all of the thoughts I had from TV and books and what not were not exactly positive.

  “An MC?” I ask. “Like people who ride on bikes and terrorize their towns?”

  “No, we don’t terrorize anyone. At least I don’t.”

  That goddamn wicked grin. I drank more.

  “Don’t you have to work or something?” I asked. “Don’t you have a day job or something?”

  “No, this is important.”

  “Important how?”

  I laughed, but Zeke seemed oddly serious..

  “Me and you leaving together, that’s important,” he said, causing me to roll my eyes. “I wouldn’t want to upset the balance of fate or anything.”

  “Fate is just a myth,” I said, but this was becoming less about rejection and more about banter.

  “I didn’t take you for a pessimist.”

  “Well I did take you for a womanizer.”

  He leaned in close, licking his lips again like he was moistening his words.

  “Have you been womanized? Is that what you’re saying?”

  I cleared my throat and felt my face heating.

  “Maybe it is. What would you do then?”

  I felt completely under his spell, and even when I was able to briefly step back and realize this was happening, there really wasn’t much in the way that I could do. I was just stuck doing his bidding and letting myself enjoy it.

  “Then I’d take you home, like I said. But I have rules too.”

  “Oh really?” I said with a laugh.

  Though I didn’t know why I was at all surprised. I had never heard a guy be this forward before. It was actually refreshing that he wasn’t pretending anything.

  Though, it should be noted, I had also never met a guy who had some “rules.”

  “Yes, Allison. I do.”

  “What are they?”

  “I don’t call. I’ll do you the courtesy of knowing your name while we’re together but I can’t make any promises about that. No strings, not even invisible ones.”

  Damn. That is beyond honest. I have never heard anyone be so to the point.

  It’s… it’s…

  It’s sexy.

  Damnit.

  “What do you say?” he said, leaning in closer.

  I got lost in the brights of his eyes and stared back in more awe than shock. At this point, I was less making decisions consciously as I was just going along for the ride. Maybe it was the alcohol, maybe it was Zeke’s incredible charm, maybe it was just the situation with Marissa and Jenna… maybe it was all of the above.