Chapter 14
Tank
The days after the charity run were a whirlwind, full of emotions I wasn’t used to feeling. Boiler had kept his promise and got all the bikers there, showing me that he was a man of his word. It wasn’t just the success of the event that had me reeling, it was the fact that Boiler had managed to burrow his way into my thoughts and, dare I say it, my heart.
When he called to ask if I wanted to join him and Max at the carnival, I hesitated for only a moment before agreeing. The idea of spending time with Boiler outside the chaotic world of our clubs was a little daunting. But I couldn’t resist the chance to see him again.
The carnival was a riot of colors and sounds, a perfect backdrop for the surreal feeling of being there with Boiler and his son. When I arrived, Boiler’s face lit up, and Max ran up to me with pure excitement. Seeing Boiler’s softer side with Max was a revelation. I learned Max was just four even if he was tall like his father.
“Hey, Tank!” Max greeted me, his enthusiasm infectious.
“Hey there, buddy,” I replied, bending down to his level. “Ready to have some fun?”
We spent the day riding the Ferris wheel, playing games, and eating way too much junk food. Max’s laughter was a sweet sound, and I found myself smiling more than I had in a long time. Boiler’s presence beside me was comforting, his hand occasionally brushing against mine, sending sparks through my skin.
At one point, Max was determined to win a giant stuffed animal. Kneeling beside him, I carefully guided his hands, teaching him how to throw more accurately. When he finally won, the look of triumph on his face was worth every second.
“Good job, Max!” I cheered, high-fiving him.
“Thanks, Tank!” he beamed, clutching the oversized Pikachu.
As the day wound down, we discovered a peaceful area beneath a tree to savor some ice cream. Max was busy making a mess, and I had a rare moment of peace with Boiler.
“You’re really good with him,” Boiler said, his eyes filled with admiration.
I shrugged, trying to downplay it. “Kids are easy. Adults are the ones who are hard to figure out.” I felt like I’d heard other people say the phrase a million times.
Boiler chuckled. “Ain’t that the truth.”
We enjoyed a calm silence for some time, observing Max go after a butterfly. Then we opened up about our lives. I told him about my family trauma, at least some of it. He told me that Max’s mom had disappeared from their lives. Once it was all out in the open, I wanted to wipe my mind of it.
Then Boiler suggested, “Wanna come back to my place? We can put Max down for a nap and have some time to ourselves.”
I hesitated for a moment, but the pull towards him was too strong. “Sure, why not?”
Boiler’s place was a surprise, I’d been there but not really seen it. I’d expected the typical biker’s pad—dark, cluttered, and bare. Instead, it was cozy and filled with unexpected touches. The walls were lined with bookshelves, crammed with old, worn volumes. There were houseplants everywhere, thriving in the soft light, giving the space a peaceful, almost serene atmosphere.
“You’re into plants?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.
Boiler smiled, a bit sheepishly. “Yeah, my mom taught me. She had a green thumb. Helps me relax, you know? A green thumb like you. I saw your garden out back of your shop.”
“Pix and I share it. But yeah, it’d die if not for me. Pix has a black thumb. And what about all the books?” I scanned the titles, noting the mix of classic literature and poetry.
“Helps me unwind. I like reading,” he admitted, his tone casual but his eyes searching mine for any hint of judgment.
I nodded, impressed. “You’re full of surprises, biker.”
Boiler grinned, leading me further into the apartment. Max loved dinosaurs. They were everywhere, from his bed sheets to the walls. He had a million stuffed ones.
“Welcome to Jurassic Park,” Boiler joked, his voice warm with pride.
“Hey, Tank!” Max called out, rushing over with a dinosaur toy clutched in each hand. “Do you like dinosaurs?”
“Who doesn’t?” I replied, ruffling his hair. “I used to be a big fan when I was your age.”
Max’s eyes lit up with excitement. “Really? What’s your favorite dinosaur?”
I took a moment, thinking back to my childhood. “I’d have to go with the Triceratops. Those three horns are pretty badass.”
Max’s face lit up with a grin. “I like the Triceratops too! But I bet you don’t know all of them.”
Boiler chuckled, taking a seat on the chair beside Max’s bed, leaving me to sit on the edge of the bed. “Oh, this is gonna be good. Let’s see how much you know, Tank.”
Max scampered off to grab a book, coming back with a hefty encyclopedia of dinosaurs. He flipped it open to a page with a vibrant illustration of a long-necked dinosaur. “Do you know what this is?”
I peered at the image, recognizing the familiar shape. The kid was covering up the name. “That’s an Apatosaurus, right? Used to be called a Brontosaurus, but they changed the name.”
Max giggled, shaking his head. “Nope! This one is a Brachiosaurus. See? It’s got a different neck shape.”
Boiler laughed, clearly enjoying the interaction. “Looks like Max got you there, Tank.”
“Okay, okay,” I conceded, smiling at Max. “What else you got?”
Max flipped to another page, showing a fierce-looking dinosaur with a sail-like fin on its back. “What about this one?”
I squinted at the picture. “That’s a Spinosaurus. Pretty cool predator, one of the biggest.”
Max’s eyes sparkled with delight. “Right! But did you know it also swam? Like a crocodile!”
“Gosh, kid, you really know your stuff,” I said, genuinely impressed. “How old are you? Only four?”
Max put up four fingers suddenly looking all of four.
“Alright, hit me with another.”
He turned to a page featuring a dinosaur with a series of plates along its back and a spiked tail. “And this?”
“That’s a Stegosaurus,” I answered confidently. “Those plates were for display and maybe temperature regulation. And that tail? Total weapon.”
Max nodded eagerly. “Yeah! And did you know they found out its brain was really small? Like, the size of a walnut.” He pinched his tiny fingers together mimicking the right size.
Boiler laughed again. “Looks like you two could talk about this all night.”
I peeked at him and got all cozy. “Guess I’m not too rusty, huh?”
Boiler’s eyes softened. “You’re pretty impressive, Tank. Max, isn’t Tank awesome?” He winked at me.
Max beamed, nodding enthusiastically. “Yeah! She’s almost as awesome as the dinosaur book!”
I chuckled, feeling a sense of pride. “Almost, huh? Well, you’re the expert here, Max.”
Max hugged his dinosaur toy, his excitement bubbling over. “I’m glad you like dinosaurs too, Tank. Can we read more together after my nap?”
“Absolutely, kiddo,” I said, ruffling his hair again. “You can teach me all the new stuff I missed.”
Max held up another dinosaur, his eyes shining with curiosity. “Do you know about the Ankylosaurus?”
I nodded. “Sure do. That armor and clubbed tail? That dino was built like a tank.”
Max giggled. “Like you, Tank! That’s your name.”
Boiler cut in, “I don’t think that’s Tank's real name.”
Max’s eyes got big. “My daddy’s real name is Thomas Parker,” he stated, and rattled off his number and his address. “What’s your real name, Tank?”
I looked to Boiler as I said it. “Vanessa,” I uttered a name that felt useless.
“Just Vanessa, like Madonna?” Boiler joked.
“No, Vanessa Monroe.” That was my maiden name anyway.
We put Max to bed, which was surprisingly easy. Boiler said it had something to do with routine.
Then Boiler showed me his guitar, another unexpected aspect of his life. “I play sometimes,” he said, strumming a few chords. “It’s my way of coping.”
I sat on the couch, watching as his fingers moved skillfully over the strings. The opening notes of "I Want to Know What Love Is" by Foreigner filled the room, the melody instantly recognizable. It was the one that always seemed to bring him to mind.
“Glad you think so. That song always comes on at the club, late at night. It reminds me of you.”
“Comes on a lot at the Roost too,” I said, not telling him about the correlation. “I’ve always liked it.”
Boiler set the guitar aside and sat next to me, his eyes intense. “There’s more to me than just the biker, Tank. I’ve got layers, just like you.”
“Layers, like I’m an onion, like Shrek or something.”
“No, not like that.”
“It’s okay. Because of my size, I’m used to being compared to an ogre. Really, Boiler, I used to be more, but now I’m just a biker bitch.”
“Bullshit, Tank. You can’t fool me. You’re strong and know what you want. You’re breathtaking and fierce. You might seem intimidating to a weaker man, but not to me. Plus, your heart… you saved me. Your enemy.”
“Well, I do bring strays to the shop because I want them to find good homes,” I joked. But it was clear this wasn’t the time. I reached out, touching his arm. “You’re a good man, Boiler. More than I ever realized.”
The tension between us was thick enough to cut with a knife. Boiler’s eyes locked onto mine, a storm brewing in his gaze. “Tank, I want you. All of you," he said, his voice raspy with desire.
I swallowed hard, feeling the heat pooling low in my belly. “Then take me,” I challenged, my voice barely a whisper.
Without another word, he closed the distance between us, crashing his lips against mine in a kiss that was both fierce and desperate. My hands had a mind of their own, roaming over his solid physique, basking in the warmth and power. He responded in kind, lifting me effortlessly and carrying me across the room.
We didn’t even make it to the bed. The kitchen table was the closest surface, and we tumbled onto it, a tangle of limbs and lust. His mouth was everywhere, kissing, biting, and sucking. His hands roamed my body, touching and teasing, driving me to the brink of madness.
“Fuck, Boiler,” I panted, my fingers fumbling with the buttons of his jeans. “I need you. Now.”
He growled low, helping me pull his pants down. His length sprang free, hard and ready. I licked my lips, as he loomed over me as he were feeding it to me. His taste was intoxicating, and I couldn’t get enough. I worked him with my mouth, sliding up and down his shaft, my tongue teasing.
“Goddamn, Tank,” he groaned. “You’re gonna make me lose it.”
I looked up at him, my eyes locking onto his as I took him deeper, loving the way he moaned my name. I could feel him getting close, his body tensing, but he pulled me up before he could finish.
“My turn,” he rasped, flipping me onto my back on the table. He yanked my jeans down, his mouth descending on me with a hunger that made me cry out. His tongue worked magic, licking and sucking, bringing me to the edge in record time.
I was writhing beneath him, my hands gripping the edge of the table, my back arching as he pushed me over the edge. I came hard, my cries filling the room, my body shuddering with pleasure.
He didn’t give me a chance to recover. He stood up, guiding me towards the edge of the table and positioning himself at my entrance. He looked down at me, his eyes dark with lust. “Ready for more?”
I nodded, biting my lip in anticipation. “Fuck me, Boiler.”
He entered me in one hard thrust, filling me completely. I gasped at the sensation, the pleasure almost too much to bear. He maintained a ferocious speed, plunging into me with an unwavering intensity that had me panting. Circling my legs around his waist, I tried to accommodate him, meeting his every thrust with equal fervor.
The table creaked beneath us, the sound mingling with our moans and the slap of skin on skin. He leaned down, capturing my lips in a bruising kiss. The added stimulation was my undoing, and I came again, my body clenching around him, pulling him over the edge with me.
He roared my name as he found his release, his body shuddering above me. And then the table gave way, sending us crashing to the ground.
Max ran into the room, and Boiler used his body to cover me, until he talked Max into turning around and going back to bed.