Frisco

16. Kali

16

KALI

M y phone lit up again twenty minutes later.

Shane: I’m outside. Can’t come in. You gotta come to me.

I frowned, but okay then. My tab was already paid, so I slipped off the stool.

Aly and Harper didn’t notice, both engrossed in their own conversations. Aly was flirting with Brandon, and well, Harper was too. Kinda. I got the vibe that Brandon was straight, but he was cool. He rolled with the little winks Harper sent his way.

I went back out through the door I’d entered.

Just a few feet away was Shane. He had his motorcycle pulled all the way up, and he was locked in a stare-off with the bouncer. Two other Red Demons were beside him, but they were sitting back, waiting. Watching.

I could feel the tension as soon as I stepped outside. I maneuvered around the bouncer, who turned and fixed me with a disapproving look.

“You don’t have to go with them.”

I opened my mouth, not knowing what to say.

Shane beat me to it. “She’s mine.”

My mouth closed with a snap. I faintly registered the other Red Demons sharing a look as Shane turned his eyes my way.

He sat up and held out a helmet. “Plans changed. We gotta go.”

I frowned. “About my sister?”

He didn’t answer, just held out the helmet.

The bouncer reached out, touching my arm.

“Don’t,” Shane clipped.

I blinked and froze.

He hadn’t moved a muscle, but the other two had. Guns now pointed at the bouncer, and neither guy looked scared to use them.

The bouncer went rigid, but said under his breath, “This won’t slide.”

“You have hands on mine.”

I flushed. He said it before, but what the fuck?

I mean, I knew. I’d watched the shows and a fair number of documentaries about the biker lifestyle after Gloves told me Shane was in, but hearing him say that? WTF?

I pulled my arm away.

The bouncer wasn’t looking at me. He wasn’t even looking at the guns. He was staring right at Shane. Ghost . He was looking at Ghost.

I felt the frost when he said, “She wasn’t acting like she was yours inside.”

I stilled, hearing his implication.

I shot him a look, but again, he was only focused on Shane.

I turned, locking eyes with Shane too. “I don’t know what’s all going on here, but that’s a lie.”

Shane was locked down, his jaw clenched. “Take the helmet, Kali.”

I frowned. “My friends are insi—”

“We’ll get ’em home,” the bouncer interrupted. “Don’t need more of you lost to those guys.”

If he’d been someone I gave a damn about, that would’ve hurt. He wasn’t, so he was starting to piss me off.

I moved to Shane’s side and took the helmet, pulling it on. Shane indicated the seat behind him.

I looked back at the bouncer. “You’re a dick.” Then I swung a leg up and climbed on.

My irritation blocked out the fact that I was getting on a motorcycle, and not just any motorcycle. Shane’s bike was the real deal, and then there was the fact that I was behind Shane.

Shane King.

Shane King .

Images of us flashed in my head, from the motel room, as he’d pinned me against the wall. As he’d moved in. As he’d lifted me up and begun grinding into me.

My throat was dry.

He walked the bike back before taking off, and I pressed forward into him, my arms locked tight.

He was solid, pure muscle. He’d called me all woman before. He was all man.

Foley was a boy.

I never thought that before. He’d been my height, my weight, and a pretty boy. White. Not that the way someone looks makes them a boy versus a man, but there was something about Shane. Something Foley didn’t have.

I’d thought Foley was cute when we first met. He’d been charming, but there’d been a feel of authenticity to him—that’s what I fell for, not his charm. Not his quick wit or quick grin. I fell for the side to him that had been real, but now, riding behind Shane and having been in his arms just once, I knew Foley had been nothing but a boy.

Shane never had time for the athletes in school. Even at their age, there’d been an otherworldly feel to Shane. He knew things, had seen things, been through things. He was still going through things, and it had made him who he was. I’d felt it even then. And Connor wasn’t popular, but Shane hadn’t cared.

Shane could’ve been the popular asshole. He’d chosen not to be. He chose to be my brother’s friend.

That, right there, started it all.

Sitting behind him now, I wasn’t thinking about Aly or Harper. I wasn’t being the responsible adult I should’ve been. I just wanted to rub against him the entire ride to wherever we were going. I suppressed a shiver, pressing my cheek against Shane’s shoulder.

I felt him look back. I didn’t move.

It was dark, and the wind whipped against us. I could smell the grease and oil from the bikes.

All of it was heady, freeing in a way. I hadn’t felt free in a long time, maybe ever.

But I did right now, and I couldn’t comprehend that. Why now?

I should’ve been worried about Aly and Harper. But instead I was with Shane, going wherever he was taking me.

This wasn’t me. I’d grown up cautious—you had to be in this world. I’d grown up smart. I worked hard all of my life. Now here, on the back of a bike, I was someone else.

I scooted even closer to Shane, my front and the sides of my legs molded against him like glue. If he’d stopped and stood, it felt like my body would’ve lifted with him.

A shiver went through me.

Shane must’ve felt it, as he glanced back again.

I didn’t move, just took a breath in and burrowed my head into his back.

He reached down, took my hands and moved them up to his chest. I flattened my palms there, my fingers spread out. I moved one hand to his stomach, and he squeezed my leg, leaving his hand to rest there. He kept it there for most of the drive, leaving me when he needed to touch the handles.

I wasn’t watching where we were going, but I knew we were leaving civilization and headed elsewhere.

I should’ve been scared, and a part of me was.

But if Shane decided to ride all night, taking me away somewhere, a part of me would want that too.

It seemed both too long and not long enough when Shane started slowing down.

For the last part of the drive, there’d been no one else on the road. I didn’t know California well, but I was learning that this state had everything—rivers, the ocean, mountains, forest, desert, valleys, plains. If I saw a kangaroo hopping by, I would react, but I wouldn’t be that surprised.

I looked up when we turned onto a gravel road, and there were three guys there, guns in hand. We slowed, and when they saw Shane, they waved us through. From there, the driveway went another mile. It was dark, but I could see multitudes of light up ahead. When we neared, it was some sort of ranch. There were bikes everywhere.

A large, three-story house sat in the center, with some campers set up on one side. Behind it was a barn, and beyond that, there were more barns and sheds.

On the other side was a long, extended barn with fences set up around it. I heard horses neighing, and some guys came out to the house’s front porch as we drew near. They waved us past and around to the side of one of the barns. More guys opened the large doors, and we drove inside.

I didn’t know what I’d been expecting, but this wasn’t it.

Shane drove all the way through, parking right in front of the back doors. The two guys parked behind him, and I heard the roar of more engines. More guys were coming inside to park.

A few came over to greet Shane before he was called to the side to talk to another group of guys.

This left me on the bike, and yeah—I had no clue what to do.

I waited, climbing off the bike and stretching.

It was then that my sanity came back to me. I’d left my two best friends—two friends who were family to me, who had taken this entire road trip here to get my sister. I’d gotten a text and left them high and dry behind me.

Shit, shit, shit.

I fished out my phone, seeing the first of a whole chain of texts.

Aly: um, hello.

Aly: Brandon -- his name is brANDON -- said you took off with some bikers. Guessing that was Shane?

Aly: We’re heading back to the hotel. Brandon is taking us.

Aly: Officially waiting for him to finish closing up. I like him. He’s hot. But I’m with Scott. Am I being stupid? He’s a baby. Brandon is not a baby.

Aly: Harper asked and HE’S OUR AGE! I’m officially not a cougar. Gah. Girl. Where are you? Okay. Putting on a responsible friend hat here, are you safe? I get it. It’s Shane. You know Shane. We know Shane, but still. Brandon is not happy you went with those guys. He doesn’t know we know Shane. Wait. He’s giving me a look. He’s flirting with me, hon. Flirting. Sigh. I don’t feel old tonight. Is that wrong? I should feel ancient, but he’s making me not feel extinct.

Aly: Okay. The universe has spoken. Royce just sent me a picture of Scott at a bar and his hand is up the back of Melly’s shirt. Message received, Universe.

Aly: I love you. Be safe. Check in when you can. We realize you getting Claudia back is going to be an ordeal. We’re cool with that. We can play tourists, but just check in. I’d feel a lot better if I knew where you were right now.

Harper: Where are you?

Harper: The guys are pissed, said the bikers were dangerous. They said you went with one of them and they’d help us get back wherever we need to go. I’m sober, but honey, I’m pretending to be drunk. The bartender is into Aly. I’m going with it. Don’t blow my cover.

Okay. The ball of tension eased in my chest a bit. They weren’t too pissed.

I kept scrolling, reading through them.

Harper: The Brandon guy looked ready to spill about the Red Demons, but then he clammed up.

Harper: He’s driving us to the hotel.

Harper: He’s into Aly. I know I already said that. I might not be pretending to be drunk.

Harper: I asked a friend to do recon on Scott and score! Little fireman was caught red-handed. Aly is into this guy. I got a good feeling about him.

Harper: Full disclosure, I’m in the hotel room. Alone. Aly went with Mr. Hottie Brandon, so on to you, Kali. Where are you? Are you safe? We know you’re with Shane, but the guy is scary. Totally aware you bringing Claudia back will be a whole adventure. Keep us updated. Or me.

Harper: Why is Justin texting me saying you reached out to him?

Oh!

Me: I’m with Shane. I’m going with it because I have no clue where Claudia is, but she’s with another biker. I’ll keep you updated. Don’t be mad about Justin. I love you. He loves you. Aly needs to hump The Brandon.

“Hey.”

I put my phone away, stuffing it into my pocket.

Shane had come back. He bent down, pulled a bag out of a compartment, and handed it to me.

I took it. “What’s this?” This was my bag. “You got my bag?”

His hand came to my elbow. “Made a stop first. Come on.” He took my hand, leading me out of the barn.

There were bikers everywhere, and a lot of them were watching me.

“What’s going on, Shane?”

He shook his head. “Hold on. I’ll explain in a bit.”

A big guy came out on the main house’s front porch and gave Shane a nod. “We got a room for you in the back, unless you want to be with your guys.”

Shane indicated the other barn. “We can bunk with them. I don’t want to put anyone out.”

“It’s no bother, not for the national VP.” The guy looked me over. “But we can put you with your guys. I’d do the same.”

Another guy came out and stood next to him. “Rash will show you to your place.” He said to Rash, “Maybe mention to Shelly about VP’s guest?”

Rash nodded. He looked mid-forties, with some skin that had seen a lot of sun. There was a leathery texture to it. He looked a bit thin, but he had a small stomach on him, and as he stepped down from the porch, he walked with long, loping strides. He had dark hair, slicked back into a ponytail. “This your old lady?” he asked Shane.

I tensed, knowing what that meant and remembering how Shane had called me his at the bar.

“She’s mine,” Shane said.

I gave him a look, but he only grinned back.

All of this was new to me.

Seeing him again. The pull of him. The feel of him.

My motel room.

God. How he’d talked to Foley for me.

I wasn’t in a position to put up a fight about whether I was his or not. And I didn’t know how I felt about it anyway, if I were being honest.

Rash led us to the other barn, where I recognized a few of Shane’s guys, including Corvette from the grocery store, who stopped and stared at me. Hard.

Shane noticed, growling, “Eyes away.”

Corvette turned immediately.

One of the other guys who had ridden behind us was coming down a set of stairs, and he jerked his chin toward Shane. “Up here, VP.”

Rash stepped aside, but he didn’t say anything. He just watched us go up the stairs. I looked back once we hit the second floor, and I saw a few of Shane’s club members almost herding Rash out of the barn.

What the what?

But we were walking fast, and I turned my attention to the barn itself. It was a renovated horse barn. The middle section had couches at one end and a kitchen at the other, with tables in between. The stalls had been walled in with doors. A few were open, and I saw beds inside. We were on the second level of bedrooms now, and a walkway attached both sides in the middle, creating a loft over a large table below. In a way, this place was cozy and cool. On the other hand, it was scary too because I was only seeing bikers everywhere.

No. Wait.

I saw two women in the kitchen. One was setting up some coffee, and the other was cooking.

The biker—I didn’t know his name—led us down to another set of stairs at the far end. These led up to a third floor that expanded over half of the barn. It was a gigantic room, and as we went up and inside, I saw a private porch, set away from the main house. I could only imagine what that view would look like in the morning.

The guy motioned around the place. “Got your own apartment up here, it looks like.” His eyes found me, lingering a bit before moving on. “Thought you’d like privacy, and…” He motioned to the patio. “There’s stairs going down for an exit, if you need it.”

The guy was young—younger than us—but his eyes weren’t. They were very, very old.

He had dark hair, cut short, and he was bulked out, but still lean. He would’ve been pretty if he hadn’t seemed so haunted.

Shane nodded toward him. “This is Stripes.”

Stripes gave a nod, but he didn’t extend his hand for a shake.

“I’m Kali.”

“Nice to meet you.”

Shane looked around the place. “You good here?” he asked me.

“Uh…”

“I got some business to handle.”

Right. So the whole explanation would come later?

But he didn’t wait for a response. Stripes was already leaving, and Shane went behind him.

He stopped, reaching for the door. “Don’t open this for anyone except me, or if I send Stripes for me. Got it?”

I moved toward him, and as he shut the door, I grabbed the handle, holding it in place. I stepped close and lowered my voice. “You wanna explain what the hell I’m doing here? Or you’re just taking off until who the fuck knows when?”

His eyes hardened, but he let out a soft sigh. “Some shit went south. You’re here because I want you close. Now, I gotta go handle said shit before even more shit happens because of it. Listen, the guys in my charter are fine, but I don’t know the other guys. Stay here. Don’t tell anyone where you are, because that could make them not safe. Got me?”

Was he serious? “No!”

“Good.” He pulled the door shut and spoke through it. “Lock it.”

I growled, but did as he’d said.

Now what?

I hit call on my phone.

“Daughter! What are you up to? Getting tickets for the reunion show?”

I gave him the rundown without telling him where I was, and he got quiet after.

Really quiet.

Really really quiet.

“ Say what? You’re where? You told me you were road tripping to California, not to go and get your sister! Because Ruby told you to do that. How come this is coming out now?! ”

Oh, boy. This was going to be a long call.

I opened my mouth to talk and closed it.

He started in again.