Riding With The Grizzly

Chapter 6 – Nara

The blankets are ripped off of me and I startle, blinking my eyes open and trying to figure out what’s going on. It’s dark in my room and I look toward the windows, but it’s pitch black outside.

“Wha?” I ask groggily, blinking until my dad’s face comes into view.

“You fucking bitch!” he seethes as I sit up in my bed.

“What? What’s going on?” I ask.

I can see my brother and stepmother out in the hallway, glaring at me. They’re looking at me like they hate me and I wonder what could have happened.

“You think that we wouldn’t find out about you sleeping with the enemy?” my dad shouts as my stomach sinks.

Someone must have seen Jude and I together either at the diner or on our date. I should have been more careful. I should have insisted that we leave town for all of this. Now look at the mess that I’m in.

“I just had dinner with someone,” I say and I flinch when I see the look on his face.

He looks like he wants to hit me or drag me out of the house by my hair. It wouldn’t be the first time.

“Dinner with a member of the Devil’s Pack MC!” he shouts. “Not just a member. You went out with the fucking president of our rival MC!”

“What’s the matter with you, Nara?” my stepmother asks, disapproval smeared all over her face.

“Don’t you have any familial loyalty?” my brother snaps, making me flinch again.

“I… Of course. It was just one dinner.”

“And that’s all that it’s going to be,” my father snarls. “You are forbidden from seeing him ever again.”

My stomach clenches and for the first time in forever, I want to argue with them. I don’t want to give up Jude. He’s the first man I’ve ever been interested in and he seems like a good guy. Plus, we’re fated to be. Right?

Can I really give him up? What if he’s my future?

I’m so sick of them trying to order me around and run my life. I don’t want to stay here anymore. Not in this house, not with these people. I don’t even know why I moved back here or back home. I knew that it was going to be a disaster and it has been from day one.

I should leave. I could go and stay with Astrid, even if it was only for a few days. It’s not ideal, since she’s still living with her family, but it’s better than here.

“Is that understood?” my father asks, his voice flat and annoyed. It’s better than the rage he was showing earlier.

I nod, unable to force any words out.

He scoffs and stalks out of my room, slamming my bedroom door so hard on the way out that a few pictures fall off the wall, the glass frames breaking as they hit the floor.

As soon as they’re gone, I leap out of bed and start to pack. I stuff everything of importance into my bags and then drag them over to the window.

I grab my phone and see that it’s after midnight. I hate calling Astrid so late and waking her up.

Maybe I can just go hang out at the diner until she”s awake.

I toss my bags out the window and then climb out after them. My family must have just gotten home. I watch as all of the lights go off inside before I turn and head out to the road.

I start walking toward town. Luckily for me, it’s not that far of a walk. Still, by the time the diner comes into view, I’m out of breath and my arms are killing me.

The rumble of an engine reaches me as I start to cross across the diner parking lot and then a bike stops in front of me.

“Nara? What are you doing out here?” a familiar voice asks. Jude. I look up right as he’s hopping off his bike and rushing over to me. “Why are you crying?”

I blink, raising my hand to my cheeks.

“I didn’t even realize I was. I guess I was just on autopilot.”

“What happened?” he asks and I sniffle.

“My family found out that I went out with you. They woke me up and… forbid me from seeing you,” I tell him.

“Shit, I’m sorry, Nara. I had a bad feeling about leaving you with them earlier tonight. I’m sorry, princess. Where are you going? I can give you a ride.”

“I’m going to try to stay with my friend, Astrid, but it’s too late to call her. I was planning on waiting at the diner until she’s up.”

”Don”t do that. Come home with me. You can stay there.”

”That might not be the best idea, considering.”

Jude frowns. It’s actually closer to a pout, which is pretty adorable.“It’s the only option. I can keep you safe.”

“It will piss my family off even more,” I point out. He shrugs.

“I can handle your family.”

His offer is so tempting. So, so tempting. I know that it might not be the smartest decision, but I’m sick of bending to my family”s will. I want to start doing what I want.

“Are you sure you don’t mind?” I ask and he smiles.

“I’m sure, mate.”

He reaches for my bags and I raise a brow as I stare at his bike.

“What’s your plan here?” I ask him and he gives me a sheepish smile.

“Wait here. I’ll go home and grab my car. I’ll be back in a few,” he promises and I nod.

He helps me carry the bags into the diner and then buys me a piece of pie before he jogs back to his bike and takes off. I enjoy my pie, watching out the window until a car pulls up outside. I know that it’s Jude and I stand, heading out with my bags.

“Let me get those,” he says, taking my bags from me.

He puts my bags in the back and then opens the passenger door for me.

“Where do you live?” I ask him as we pull out of the parking lot.

“North of town. It’s only a few minutes drive.”

“Wait, you don’t live in the old Warren house do you?” I ask as he turns onto a backroad.

“Uh, yeah. I bought it from Alfred Warren Junior a few years ago. Why?”

“I love that house! I always have. I used to clean it when I was in high school and I would pretend that I lived there. There was something so warm and, I don’t know, magical, about it.”

“I’m glad that you like it. It’s your home now too,” he says as we pull into the drive. “We can change anything you don’t like about it.”

“You’re getting way ahead of yourself,” I warn him and he grins.

“Wishful thinking, I guess then.”

I try to hide my smile as he parks and we climb out. I take in the old house as Jude grabs my bags.

It’s exactly like I remember it. The house is two stories with a wrap-around porch. It’s settled in the woods and has always reminded me of a fairytale.

We head up to the front door and I smile as I walk inside. The place is familiar, like coming home, though there’s less furniture and decorations than when I was here last.

Dark hardwood floors are throughout the whole house and I run my hand over the stairway banister as I toe off my shoes.

“Do you want the tour now or in the morning?” he asks and I smile.

“It is morning,” I point out.

”Touché. Alright, come on. I”ll give you a short tour. I”m guessing that you don”t really need it. You could probably show me around,” he jokes and I smile.

“Probably.”

We head into the front room and I take in the more modern furniture.

“Living room,” Jude says, reaching back and taking my hand as he leads me back toward the kitchen. “There’s a half bath here.”

I nod, peeking into the small bathroom. I remember cleaning that room for most of my high school years. I usually handled the bottom of the house, while Astrid did the upstairs.

“Here’s the kitchen,” he says and I take in the gleaming appliances.

“Looks like I remember,” I tell him. “Although, a little more modern.”

“Come on, I’ll show you to your room. I’m sure you must be tired. Do you want me to run you a bath or anything? Or are you hungry?”

“I’m fine. Just tired.”

He nods, squeezing my hand as we head back toward the staircase. He drops my hand and then grabs my bags.

“I can take one,” I say and he shakes his head.

“I’ve got them.”

I follow him upstairs and down the hallway. We pass one bedroom, then two. There’s a bathroom in between them and we walk past all of it to the bedroom next to the master.

“How’s this one?” Jude asks and I look inside.

It looks like the other rooms that we passed with a queen-sized bed, dresser, nightstands, and not much else.

“Sure, it’s fine.”

He puts my bags in and I pause.

“Why this room and not one of the others?” I ask him as he steps out of the room.

“Because it’s the closest to me. I would have put you in the master bedroom if I thought that you would have gone for that,” he says with a smirk.

“I wouldn’t have,” I tell him and he nods.

“I know.”

“Not yet anyway,” I whisper before I step into the bedroom and close the door in his surprised face.

I smile to myself as I unzip my bag and start to get settled.