Chapter 3
CHAPTER THREE
LEXI
THEN
I couldn’t concentrate once Ryan left the cafe. I watched them all through the window as they got back on their bikes after lunch and rode down the street. I needed to try and unwind and think about something else. Once my shift was over, I decided to take the book I was reading and sit out on the porch swing out the front of our house. Our porch swing was a three-seater which meant I could sit against the arm rest and lay my feet almost flat in front of me.
I heard the bike approach our house before it turned into our driveway and the engine was cut off. I didn’t even know Jay had got a bike; he didn’t have a job that I knew of so I have no idea how he would have afforded it. I watched Jay take his helmet off before making eye contact with me, giving me a small smile as he walked up the stairs. He leant against the porch railing beside me as he looked down at his shoes.
“How long?” I asked him. He knew exactly what I meant by the question.
“Almost a month. I was going to tell you, Lexi, I swear. I just didn’t know how.” I knew my brother well enough to know he was nervous about this conversation and unsure of exactly how I was going to react.
“How about ‘Hey Lex, I decided to join the Vipers’?”
“Oh yeah, because you would have taken that so well,” Jay said sarcastically, which made me roll my eyes at him. He was right though. No matter when he told me, I was never going to take this well. “I know why you hate the club, Lex, but believe me, it isn’t what you think. It isn’t this bad place where they just do illegal shit. The boys there are already like my brothers and I am really happy to be a part of it all. I finally feel like I belong somewhere.”
“You are going to end up in prison, Jay. You know that everything the club is involved in is illegal and also very dangerous — don’t even try to tell me it’s not. What I don’t understand is how you’re just okay being a part of that and risking your life?”
“Lexi, it’s different for you, okay. Dad is a founding member of the Vipers, I was raised by him to be in the club and to follow in his footsteps. Yes, he had his accident and isn’t involved in the club anymore but I still had to grow up around all of it. His stories of his glory days, his bike sitting in the garage and even his cut hanging in the house like a goddamn trophy. I wanted nothing more than to be a part of the club that he built. I wanted to make him proud. A son follows in his father’s footsteps, just like Ryan did. He joined the club when he turned eighteen and between the two of us, Preston is already talking about how we can take over the club one day.”
I hated the thought of Jay being in the club. I never thought what it must have felt like for Jay, growing up listening to Dad’s stories. The way Dad described the club back then was different to how it was now. Now if you saw a Viper, they were usually followed by a police siren. Although I was really disappointed in Jay for not telling me he joined, I also needed to respect his decision because he was an adult. As I looked into his pleading blue eyes, I saw just how much he wanted this, and how much he wanted me to trust him.
“I still hate this, Jay, but you’re right. I suppose I don’t understand what it was like for you. I just worry about you. Promise me you will be safe? I don’t want to lose you.”
“I promise I will be safe. Come with me to the clubhouse tonight. They’re having a party and I want to introduce you to everyone and show you it’s really not as bad as you think.”
“What’s the party for?” Not that they need a reason, they have a party pretty much every weekend. Like I said, they are known for parties, bikes and women.
“Uh, one of the boys just got released from prison and it’s his first night back,” Jay said, scratching the back of his head as he tried to avoid looking into my eyes.
“Yeah Jay, the club is nothing like what I think.” I rolled my eyes and we both laughed.
After he spent a few more minutes begging me to come with him, I found myself in my room picking an outfit. I hadn’t been to the clubhouse since I was a child, so I had absolutely no idea what girls wore to these parties. I was pretty certain I wouldn’t own anything suitable so I decided to just stay comfortable and casual. I pulled on my favorite light blue denim jeans and a black crop top with a V shaped neckline with a lace overlay. I touched up my already straightened hair and added a soft highlight to my cheeks and a coat of my favorite pink lip gloss on my lips before heading downstairs to let Jay know I was ready.
I stopped at the entrance of the kitchen when I saw my dad and Jay standing by the dining table. Dad pulled Jay into a tight hug and told him how proud he was of him as he looked down at the leather cut. Jay had changed his shirt from a basic tee to a black button up shirt. He had run some product through his hair but it was still in its usual messy style.
As I watched them, I realized what Jay meant earlier. I never realized how much pressure he must have felt from being Scott Davis’ son, to join the club that his dad started. I cleared my throat from the doorway to let them know I was standing there. They pulled apart from each other and I watched as my dad raised one hand to his face to wipe a finger under his eye.
“Great, Lex, now I am going to have to be warning everyone all night to stay away from you,” Jay muttered. “Can you not wear a baggy t-shirt or a jumper?”
“Not likely. Let’s go. I’ll drive,” I said, holding up my keys. We were only two more months away from our twenty-first birthday so I didn’t have to worry about drink driving since I still couldn’t legally drink. Not that the Vipers cared much about the law when it came to that sort of thing.
“You want to drive your car to the clubhouse? You do realize that your car sounds like it is about to die any day now. We will take my bike, it’s the easiest and fastest way into the party since it’s members only. We will be able to just ride straight in.”
“Jay, I am not riding on the back of your bike. No way”
I hadn’t been on the back of a bike since I was a child, before Dad’s accident. He used to take me and Jay for little laps of the street once we were old enough to hold on tight. The thought of getting on a bike terrified me, letting someone else be in control and all I could do was hold on and hope no one knocked us off.
Jay pulled me from my thoughts as he put two hands on my shoulders and pushed me out the door towards his bike.
“I promise I will go slow. Just tap my side if you want me to slow down or stop at any time.” He held out a spare helmet in his hands for me to take. I took a deep breath and agreed to go on the bike. If there was anyone I trusted to ease me into it, it would be Jay.
* * *
T he entire ride I tapped his side to slow down and he laughed every time, but each time he listened and slowed down. The party was loud enough that we could hear it halfway down the street before we even pulled into the parking lot of the clubhouse. I was instantly hit with a sense of nostalgia. Jay and I used to spend pretty much every weekend here with Dad when he was a member. I saw the small playground we always used to play on had a bit of an upgrade and there were some kids playing there while their dads were at the party. There was a group of women standing next to the playground, which is exactly where my mother would’ve been when we were kids.
Jay parked his bike in the row of bikes lining up against the fence. There had to have been about fifteen to twenty bikes already in the lineup.
On our way inside, we walked past some members sitting on the outside tables smoking their cigarettes. They were all smiling at Jay and some of the men were looking at me in a way that made me feel a bit uncomfortable. I pulled at the bottom of my shirt to try and cover the exposed skin above my jeans. Jay must have noticed it as he put his arm over my shoulder protectively, showing the men I was with him.
The clubhouse was crowded and full of a mixture of men wearing leather cuts and women wearing a lot less clothing than me. I spotted Ryan across the room standing with some of the other members who were at the sandwich shop earlier. He watched me closely and raised his beer up in my direction before continuing his conversation. Jay kept his hand on my shoulder as he walked towards Ryan and the group that surrounded him. I looked around the room and the closer we got to the group, the more I felt like I didn’t belong.
“I’m actually just going to go to the bathroom quickly,” I said to Jay as I stopped walking beside him.
“I’ll take you there.” His protective brother instincts must have kicked in, being surrounded by all these bikers.
“It’s okay. Is it still at the end of the hallway?” Jay nodded and I headed down the familiar hallway.
I stopped when I came up to the end of the hallway and looked at all the old photos hanging on the wall. I saw photos of my dad and Blake and also of my parents. I had to smile at the photo of three young toddlers sitting on the black Harley, the two boys wearing t-shirts with the Viper logo that were way too big for them. It was Jay, Ryan and I when we were only three and four years old. Even though Ryan was only a year older than us, he always acted as though he was ten years older and thought of us as babies.
“Alexis Davis, I almost didn’t recognize you. Wow you have grown into such a beautiful young woman.” Preston Blake stood next to me and I forgot just how tall he was as he towered over me. He looked the same as the last time I saw him six years ago, although the wrinkles around his eyes and greying hair showed his age.
“Hi Preston, thank you. It’s good to see you again.”
He reached out to me and gave me a half hug, pulling me into his side. “You too, did Jay bring you tonight? It is really good to see both of you here again. You’ll have to remind the old man to come around one time.”
I had to bite my tongue when I really wanted to remind him that he could also go and visit Dad too and that the phone works both ways. When someone else called out to him from the main lounge room, he gave my shoulder a quick squeeze and walked back down the hallway towards the party.
* * *
A fter I went to the bathroom, I made my way back to the main area. I stood on my tiptoes to try to look over the crowd and spot Jay, but I couldn’t find him in the crowded room. I squeezed my way through the main room full of people, getting pushed around, before I ended up at the bar. I decided to wait here and send Jay a text to come find me rather than continue to get shoved around the room.
“Hey pretty girl, can I buy you a drink,” the man next to me slurred. He looked like he probably should have stopped drinking a while ago. The strong smell of alcohol wafted off his breath as he leaned in closer to me.
“No, thank you.” I smiled and turned slightly, trying to show my disinterest without being rude.
“Playing hard to get, I like that. I haven’t seen you here before, I’d be happy to show you around. Perhaps I could show you to the bedrooms.” He winked as he put his hand on my thigh. Before I could tell him I wasn’t interested, I felt his hand being pulled off my leg and he tumbled to the ground.
“Take no as an answer, dickhead.” I recognized Ryan’s voice, although this time when he spoke, it was rougher and more intense. I looked up at his face and could see his jaw was clenched and his eyes were darker than earlier.
“What the fuck, Ry? Just cause your daddy is President you think you’re untouchable?” That was when I noticed the man was also wearing a cut. He was a Viper but what stood out was the patch on the front that read ‘Vice President’.
“I don’t think I’m untouchable, Stubs, but do you want to know what is untouchable? Her. Don’t touch her again.” Ryan and this man, Stubs, were in each other’s faces and I wasn’t sure what was going to happen. I looked down at Ryan’s tightly clenched fist. The other men at the bar were keeping their eyes on them.
“Didn’t realize she was already spoken for, man.” Stubs raised his hands as a sign to say he’s backing off, then walked away shaking his head and stretching his jaw where Ryan had punched him.
“You really didn’t need to hit him, I could have handled him on my own.” I looked at Ryan who was still watching Stubs walk away. He turned to look at me and I could see his face soften when our eyes met.
“A simple thank you would be fine, Lexi. Trust me, he’s a pig. He wouldn’t have stopped at no.”
“Oh yeah, this club and brotherhood sounds great. I am so glad my brother is a part of this.” I rolled my eyes.
“This family and club are great. There’s the odd exception though and in our case that’s Stubs. He’s been the VP for a few years and thinks he runs the place. Needs to be put in his place sometimes.”
“And it’s up to you to do that?”
“Sometimes, yeah. Other times it’s up to my dad. Speaking of, have you seen him since you’ve been here? He’d be pretty surprised to see you here.”
“Yeah I did, only briefly though. He asked me to bring my dad around sometime, but he does realize he can go visit him too, right? My dad is pretty lonely being stuck at home most of the time. Would be nice for his so-called friends to visit more often.”
“I agree, they definitely should be there more often. My dad has changed over the years, he feels like he has to run this club on his own and just forgets about the outside world and the people that matter.”
“Sounds like my dad before the accident. The club is everyone’s top priority when they are in it.”
“You’re different than I remember, and not just in the way you look.” Ryan smirked while not even trying to hide his eyes traveling down my body.
“Are you flirting with me, Ryan Blake?”
“Just appreciating how you grew up. I’m glad you’re not that annoying kid trying to steal my candy anymore.” He let out a deep chuckle and kept that same smirk on his face that he always seemed to wear.
“For the record, I never stole your candy, that was Jay.” Ryan laughed as he took a step closer to me and I could feel his breath near my ear when he leaned in.
“See you around, Lexi.” He winked and then turned to walk away.
I watched him walk outside and out of my sight as I felt my brother come up to me.
“Everything okay?” He asked as he followed my eyesight towards Ryan.
“Yeah. I know we haven’t been here long, but can we go home?”
Jay nodded and led me outside towards his bike. As we got onto his bike, I saw Ryan wink and smile his signature smirk at me.
And just like that, I think my crush on Ryan Blake came back.