Chapter Five
Every time Nikki had a plan, there always seemed to be a run of bad luck that hindered it and made it next to impossible to do what she wanted.
So, the first problem was her car.
She knew this wasn’t bad luck, but because she hadn’t taken care of the machine properly and gotten it checked out when the “check engine” light came on.
Her car broke down, and putting it into the lot meant she had to spend money on her vehicle.
According to the mechanic, it was going to cost a fortune, worth more than the car.
The problem was, she couldn’t afford a new secondhand or even thirdhand car.
So, she had no choice but to spend the money trying to get the car fixed.
Each time he found something and went to replace it, there was another problem.
There was always another problem.
She couldn’t catch a break.
To make matters worse, the plumbing in her trailer stopped working.
The water just seemed to come and go.
She had been in touch with the landlord, and he told her he’d be around to sort it out, and that was days ago.
Still nothing.
She had no choice but to boil bottled water and to wash at work, using the private staff bathroom, which was so embarrassing.
It had gotten so bad, she’d been tempted to go to her mom’s, but to take a shower would cost her money.
Also, she’d have no choice but to clean the bathroom before she used it.
She doubted her mother would have changed in the last few years.
The savings she did have was running out.
She had rent due in a few days’ time.
Everything was just adding up, and it was terrifying.
Her plans to go to night school were crumbling all around her.
Not to mention there was talk at work of possible redundancies and job losses, which sucked.
She didn’t know if she was the last one in, and it made no sense, because it was rare for anyone to stick around.
With the way her luck was turning, she had a horrible feeling she would be let go.
She already checked around for more work, and there was nothing.
Stepping out into the evening sun, she glanced around at the sparse parking lot. She had no choice but to walk. It had been a few days since she last saw Hawk, not that she was spending her nights listening for him, because that would be stupid.
There was nothing going on between her and Hawk, and she didn’t know how to categorize their friendship. Were they friends? He came around a lot, but there was no set time when he would. Not that she was desperate for his company. Was she?
No, there was no way she was falling for this biker. Not at all. They were … whatever. There was no reason to put a label on it.
Sliding her bag over her head so it lay between the valley of her breasts, she clenched her hands and began to make her way in the direction of home. This morning, her cell phone had died, although it had a full charge. Before she went home, she was going to stop by the garage to see if they had any updates.
She couldn’t help but wonder how the generations before her ever got things done without a cell phone. She missed the convenience of the phone call to find out what mess they had encountered, or like maybe some good news. She would be so glad for some good news.
Arriving at the garage, she was gutted to see it was already closed for the day. The gates were already locked, and she couldn’t see any sign of her car. She gritted her teeth and decided to head home.
The past week had her so tired that the walk felt like a million miles. She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn’t see the bike stop in front of her, nor did she hear it. Not until Hawk touched her arm, pulling her out of her dark thoughts, did she finally take in her surroundings.
“Hawk?”
“Are you okay?” he asked.
She frowned and glanced around. She’d been so lost in her musings, she was going in the wrong direction. “Crap, I didn’t even realize … sorry.”
“You don’t have to apologize, climb on,”
he said, moving back to his bike.
Exhaustion was an interesting thing, she didn’t even bother to question him. She climbed onto the back of his bike, wrapped her arms around him, and allowed him to take her home.
Nikki didn’t know what the hell she was going to do. The savings she had were so minimal, especially as she already started to pay for the car parts. Again, due to her mother’s reputation, she always had to give something upfront so people could rely on her. Not that she had ever let anyone down and not paid a bill, but it was tiring. Each time the car needed work, she had to pay half upfront. The rent she had to pay upfront, and if she was late, the landlord would constantly talk about eviction.
She couldn’t catch a break. Not that she was any stranger to a hard life. This was easy compared to some experiences from her earlier years.
Within minutes, Hawk had her outside her trailer, and she was relieved. She was getting used to climbing off his bike, so she was no longer falling on her ass.
“Thanks,”
she said. “Do you want a coffee?”
She did not have a lot of water left. She needed to pick some up.
“What is it?” he asked.
“Nothing.”
There was plenty of water to make him a drink. She was not about to tell Hawk how pitiful her life had become. There was no reason for him to know the truth.
“Nothing?”
“Coffee?”
she asked, hoping to avoid the subject.
Hawk climbed off his bike and she tried not to think about how good he looked. He wore jeans that were neither too big nor too tight, they were just the right size. She nibbled her bottom lip, and she just wanted to keep looking at him. There might have even been a little drool. No, no drool. Hawk was her friend and no one drooled over a friend.
“Coffee it is.”
Stepping into the trailer, Nikki made her way to the fridge, removing her bag and placing it down on the floor but out of the way so no one would step on it. Grabbing a couple of bottles, she was pleased to see there was enough to get her through to the morning. She might even have enough to make herself some ramen noodles, but if not, there was always a sandwich, providing her bad luck hadn’t resulted in shitty, moldy bread. She had to stop thinking this way.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
“Yeah, yeah, I’m fine.”
It just seemed to be one thing after another, and she felt like she was drowning. Putting the kettle on top of the stove, she lit the gas, and sure enough, that extinguished almost immediately. She was out of gas, and this morning, the landlord was already gone, and she needed to get another canister hooked up. Gripping the edge of the counter, she let out a gasp as he suddenly put his hands on her shoulders.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
“Yeah, yeah, I’m fine.”
“Don’t lie to me.”
“You don’t need to hear it.”
“Tell me.”
She took a deep breath and hesitated, then opened her eyes and stared straight ahead. “It’s just life. You know, when one bad thing after another seems to be causing a whole load of crap.”
Nikki turned in his arms. “Everything is broken on my car, and I can’t get it fixed fast enough.”
She blew out a breath. “The plumbing. I can’t get the landlord or trailer lord, or whatever, to move off his ass and get it fixed. Now, my cell phone is dead, and that had a full charge this morning, so I’m down a phone. To make matters worse, there are rumors at work of job cuts. I might lose my job, and to finish everything off, I’m out of gas.”
She pressed her lips together. “Not a lot of big deals but enough to make me a little fed up, and now I can’t make you a cup of coffee.”
She was so close to tears, but she wasn’t going to cry.
“And I’m so sorry if I smell. I’ve been washing in the work sinks as best I can.”
And it would seem the dam had burst. “Oh, and because my mom has a reputation for not paying, before anyone will even work on my car, I have to pay half the bill upfront. Half to have it looked at, half for every part, half for the work, and I can’t get a job anywhere else. I’ve looked and no one is hiring.”
She pressed her lips together.
Hawk reached out and pushed some of the hair off her face. “Come with me,”
he said. “Grab some clothes and come with me.”
“Why?”
“Because I said so, and you trust me.”
She frowned and then glanced at her bedroom, then back at him. “Ugh, it’s fine.”
“There is only one way this is going, and that is my way. Either grab your stuff and come with me, or I grab your stuff and you come with me. Either way, you’re coming with me.”
Nikki knew she didn’t have a choice. The look on his face screamed at her not to argue with him.
Scrambling into her bedroom, she quickly filled a bag with a few items of clothing, including underwear. She packed a few soaps and hair products, and within moments was ready to go with him. The bag she packed was one she could slide on both her shoulders, which she did. Within a matter of minutes, she was back on his bike and he was riding toward the clubhouse.
****
“There’s an en suite. You don’t have to worry about using up all the hot water. There’s a bed, and I’ll make us something to eat. Relax, take your time.”
Hawk glanced over at a wide-eyed Nikki. She held her bag close to her chest, and she looked a little terrified. “Don’t worry, no one will come in here.”
“Are you sure it is okay for me to be here?”
she asked.
“Yeah, you’re my guest. No one will disturb you or cause you any shit. Don’t leave this room,”
Hawk said.
“Got it.”
He stepped out of his bedroom, and for a second he didn’t even move. Life was hard, he got that. Nikki was having a bad run of it. If he’d known about her car, he would have dealt with it.
The mechanic she used was okay, but the man, Kirk, was known for overcharging, especially women. He had several run-ins with the man, especially when it came to the club women. It was why he had set up a small garage in town over from where Nikki lived. Devil’s Beasts MC had a multitude of places to work across several towns, including a beauty salon that the club women used. They had to look their best for the men, and the club paid for the expense. Also, seeing as they owned the place, the expense was minimal. Much to his surprise, the salon had turned a profit. A lot of women loved to pamper themselves.
He’d spoken to Melanie about getting Nikki a place at one of the salons. There was no question, Nikki would work there. He had already told them what they had to do. He had hoped Nikki would apply without knowing the job came from him. He had the leaflet in his back pocket.
Neil, one of the guys who liked to play with computers, had come up with the flyer for the position. Of course, the only person who was going to get one was Nikki. He would have to deal with the landlord of the trailer park. That would be easy. He’d send a couple of boys over to get the job done, the water dealt with, and the gas hooked up.
Stepping into the kitchen, he saw several of the guys were eating from pizza boxes. He made his way over to the kettle, and they knew not to ask about his woman. After making them both a drink, he went to the pizza boxes and piled several pieces of pizza onto a plate.
Without another word, he stepped out of the kitchen and made his way back to his room. On the way, several women tried to stop him, but he wasn’t interested in talking with them. He made his way back to the bedroom, and as he did, Nikki had already gotten out of the shower and changed into a pair of shorts that looked like they had been pants but were now cut at the knee, and a stained shirt. Her hair was damp, and she was rubbing a towel through the strands.
“You have a great shower,” she said.
“I got food and coffee for you. We don’t have any hot chocolate.”
“How do you know I love hot chocolate?”
“You’re always drinking it, and since I’ve never seen you with tea, I can only assume you drink coffee.”
She laughed. “I do own tea, I just don’t drink it often.”
He saw her eyes were still red and slightly puffy.
“I also brought pizza.”
He put the tray on the floor and slid down. Nikki joined him, tossing the towel into the laundry basket in the corner.
“This is good,”
she said, blowing across the surface of her coffee. “You really didn’t have to do this, you know.”
“I know. I wanted to.”
“How much do I owe you?”
she asked.
“Owe me?”
“Yeah, for the food and the water, and stuff.”
“Shut the fuck up.”
“What?”
“I’m not charging you for that shit. You might be used to others wanting to charge you, but I’m not others.”
He shook his head. “I can’t fucking believe you think I would charge you.”
He saw her face go bright red. “I didn’t mean anything by it. It’s just that … I’m used to everyone taking. There is always a price for everything. I’ve had a lot of bad luck lately. All my plans of going to night school are gone. I won’t put myself in debt, my car is just a mess.”
Hawk reached into his jacket. “I came to give you this. I saw it and thought of you. One of the women had it with her at the club, and she didn’t want the job. I thought of you.”
Nikki took the flyer. “I’m not a trained beautician.”
“They’re not after someone trained. They want to do the training, and as part of the job, the schooling comes free. They will put you through college, you learn on the job as well, and all you have to do is sign a five-year deal with them.”
“Is this normal?”
Nikki asked.
He was paying for the college course and was making sure for the next five years she wasn’t going anywhere.
Hawk didn’t believe in forever. He knew there was no chance of forever, but until he got bored with her, he was going to enjoy it. At the end of his fix, he’d take care of her, and they would never have to see each other again.
“Is what normal?”
“I’ve never known places to offer deals like this, or on a term basis. Oh, my, this is incredible, and it’s not even in town, but the town over. I could make this work. So long as my car can handle the travel. Oh, my, you don’t think they have given this to someone else? How old is this flyer?”
Nikki asked.
Her excitement was what he loved to see. She looked positively glowing.
“It’s recent, and I don’t know. There is no harm in calling them up in the morning. They’re closed now.”
Nikki smiled. “This must mean my luck is changing. It has to.”
Then, she surprised him by suddenly throwing herself at him and pulling him in for a hug. “Thank you, Hawk. You’re a lifesaver.”
He pressed his hand against her back and felt how soft she was next to him. The softness of her tits, the feel of her curvy body. Hawk didn’t know what it was about her, but he felt a thickening in his cock, and he wanted her. So desperately.
Nikki pulled away, and even her smile was sexy.
He didn’t do this out of the goodness of his heart. There was a bigger plan, one that put Nikki in his path for good, or at least for as long as he wanted her.
“I guess I am your good luck charm.”