Saving You Losing Me

Chapter 8

CHAPTER 8

ATOM

T he guys are in the mood to celebrate, and so am I as it happens.

We take our custom to Easy Joes and as we crowd around the bar, Alice serves us our drinks. There is a curiosity she has directed at me, and I have no doubt why. Clara.

Knowing I’m meeting her tonight gives me an energy I lacked before and when I leave the restroom, Alice is waiting.

“Clara isn’t like us, Atom.”

“You say that as if it’s a bad thing.”

I lean against the wall and wait for her to speak.

“Her parents will put a stop to it the moment they find out. You already know that, so I’m curious why you’re bothering.”

“She’s my girl.” I shrug as her shoulders sag.

“Is she, Atom? Are you deluded enough to believe that?”

“I know it.”

I shrug away from the wall and as I make to pass, I lean down and whisper, “Sometimes in life you must take chances. To reach for the stars and own them. Who says I can’t have a woman like Clara in my life? We are in the land of opportunity, and anything is possible. Even that.”

“Then you must prepare to fight a war and you may lose—scrub that—you will lose. Is she worth the fight?”

“She’s my girl and I will fight for her until there is no fight left in me.”

“She’s a lucky lady, Atom.”

“I’m the lucky one.”

I walk away with a smile on my face. Right now, at this moment, I am invincible. Foolishly invincible, some might say, but I know better. Atom and Clara were written in the stars and there is nothing I won’t do to keep my woman now I have finally got her.

We spend the evening in Easy Joes and then head home. Luckily for us, we all live within walking distance, but I made certain not to drink because I’m meeting Clara tonight. The guys took no notice. They were too drunk to care because tonight we are celebrating our new clubhouse that will be The Dark Angel’s home as soon as the paperwork is done.

Not only a home either, the business comes with it and our intention is to operate a motorbike repair shop to help pay our bills. Billy is a great tattoo artist and has done most of our ink and he is setting up shop in the clubhouse, which will bring in more money.

I have big plans for The Darkside as it will be known and with Clara in my corner we stand more than a fighting chance. I will finally have everything I want in life and the fact she’s a rich kid going places doesn’t concern me at all. She can make her own decisions now and I must work my darnedest for that decision to be me.

I grab a few hours’ sleep before I’m heading on my bike to meet Clara. I’m not nervous. Why would I be? I’m meeting my woman and I’ve waited a long time to do that. If anything, I’m excited and I don’t get that feeling very often.

I reach the privileged street where she lives and cut the engine under the streetlight. I’m guessing if anyone sees me, they’ll call the cops.

I don’t belong here. Men like me are usually considered being here for one thing only, illegal activities.

At five past two, I hear footsteps and my mind is blown when Clara runs to my bike looking like every wet dream I ever had.

The broad smile on her face settles any nerves I may have had, and as she slides behind me, she whispers, “Let’s get out of this place before anyone sees us.”

I’m not about to argue with that and as her arms slide around my waist, I pull the throttle on the second most important lady in my life.

I do not hesitate to take Clara to my home, which is my grandparent’s house on the south side of the town. I inherited it along with their life savings and I’ve placed the house up for sale so there is enough to buy the new club house.

The only other person who lives here is Tanya, and she is out working at Singles, a dubious strip club on the other side of town. I have long given up trying to set my sister on the straight and narrow. Sometimes it’s important to realize that some fruit is rotten to the core.

We pull up in the small yard and Clara whispers, “Where are we?”

“My home.” I reply simply, not wanting to witness the disappointment in her eyes when she realizes just what she’s signing up for.

I take her hand and pull her with determination from the bike and as we head inside, I am strangely nervous.

The place is as old-fashioned as you’d expect and definitely not a place for a lady like Clara but it’s one up on the ruin I took her to earlier.

We head into the kitchen and as I flick on the light, I’m embarrassed by the heap of dishes lying unwashed in the sink and the remnants of Tanya’s attempts to make herself eat.

This isn’t me. I left it clean and tidy and my heart sinks.

Clara says nothing, and I’m compelled to offer an explanation.

“My sister isn’t what you’d call domesticated.”

“She’s here?”

“No.”

“So, um, what happens now?”

I love how adorable she is as she bites her lower lip and hovers in the doorway.

“That’s up to you, angel.”

“I see.”

She hesitates and I feel bad. This isn’t how I imagined us. Surrounded by dirty dishes and in a house that belonged to my grandparents. She deserves better, and I obviously never thought this through.

On the spur of the moment, I nod toward the door we came in from.

“I have an idea.”

If anything, she appears relieved about that and as we head off into the night again, I have the perfect destination in mind.

This time when we stop, it’s with a very different view and her breath catches as we sit on the bike staring across the top of the mountain. It’s cold up here but the stars are in abundance and I cut the engine and whisper, “This is enough. We are on the top of the world with nothing to bring us down. Up here we are free.”

“You’re a strange man, Atom.”

She shivers slightly, and I shrug off my jacket and wrap it around her shoulders.

“It has been said before.”

I rest my arm on her shoulders and pull her in tight and tilting her face to mine, I waste no more words.

Kissing Clara is like coming home. She tastes like destiny, which is now my most favorite taste in the world.

I could kiss her all night and she is not complaining either and for some reason, this is enough. This is all we need because just being here with her, holding her in my arms, is more than I believed possible.

We kiss all night. Occasionally words get in the way, and I learn a lot about Clara and her so called privileged upbringing. It surprises me and hardens my heart because it appears that my princess isn’t so lucky after all.

She asks about my upbringing—my history and I hold nothing back. There are no secrets between us. I will hide nothing and as the first rays of the sun paint the night sky, the reflection in her eyes is accompanied by happiness.

“It’s beautiful.” She gasps as the sun rises like a majestic god from the horizon and in this moment, I have never been so happy.

Then her eyes dim and she sighs heavily.

“I should be getting home. Mom’s an early riser and Dad’s got an early meeting.”

I nod, hating the thought of spending any time apart, and she surprises me by hugging me tightly.

“Will I see you, um, today?”

“Of course.”

She grins. “I’m working the late shift at Joes. Will you be there?”

“Try keeping me away, princess.”

She leans in and kisses me softly and I wrap my hand around her head and deepen it with a desperation that reminds me we have unfinished business.

She pushes her hand against my chest and whispers against my lips, “You took me to your home. What was going to happen there?”

“It was your decision to make. I’ll make no secret of the fact I want you Clara, but in your own time. When you’re ready.”

“I was ready tonight.”

I rub my thumb against her lower lip and growl, “Now you tell me.”

I smile at her infectious giggle and she says coyly, “Then tonight it is.”

“Are you sure about that?”

“More than anything in my life. I want to be your first and I want you to be mine and we will share an experience that nobody can ever take away from us. Let’s not wait, let’s live for the moment because sometimes that is all you have.”

Before I can form a reply, she gasps. “How fast does this thing go?”

“You’ll regret asking that.”

I turn my back on her and start the engine, loving how her arms slip around my waist naturally and as we head back to her home, I waste no time because if Clara isn’t home before her folks find she’s missing, there may not be a tonight after all.