8. Blakely
Blakely
E xhausted from the day I had, I still throw on some black-transparent stockings, blue-washed jean shorts, a crop top, and a checked flannel shirt.
This is the best I can do today after a week of adventures, tattoo sessions, and interactions with the spawn of Satan aka Meadow—he’s an expert on how to grate on my nerves. One minute he is the labradoodle, the next, he is trapped deep like a fart, twisting your stomach and begging to be released.
I’m finally taking a few days off . I repeat the words in my head as I lock my door.
Russ, the bar owner, invited me to join their life celebration in honor of the fallen bikers which I find truly remarkable, so obviously, I couldn’t pass.
As I step through the wooden door, passing rows and rows of people chatting, laughing, and drinking, my eyes lock on a familiar bandana with paisley patterns that is wrapped around a familiar head. I grunt on the inside and feel it deep in my core when he gives me a slight smirk with a slight head nod and bites his lip ring slowly.
I roll my eyes, pass a few scuffed tables on my way to the bar, and glance over to the burgundy booths that are fully occupied.
The chandeliers project yellow lights that warm every corner and add a mysterious yet romantic touch to the space.
In my head, I sing along with the rock music that echoes from a few speakers lined on the walls.
Reaching the bar, I prop my ass on a free stool at the corner and drop down, signaling the bartender to come over.
There are dozens of pictures and posters on the brick walls. The dark brown interior, and the curtains that go with the matching padded bar stool and booths give it a nice retro vibe from a nineties movie.
Damn, I love the eighties and nineties movies.
Russ is on the other side of the bar, tending to a group of people he seems to know. They all know each other around here. Especially Milo and Russ who overwatch everything and attend to everyone’s needs.
A young woman about my age approaches me from across the bar. “I’m Lorelai, what would you like to drink?” she holds her hand in the air and gives me a mischievous grin, “Don’t tell me.”
“Surprise me,” I continue.
“You’re a beer girl.”
“Hide your magic, Lorelai, everyone would want it.” I joke, lining my elbows on the counter.
She flicks her hand downward as if to say ‘Stop it’. “Girl, maybe I can read people’s minds.” She widens her pale blue eyes as she opens the cap of a beer and hands the bottle to me.
“What is mine saying right now?” I curve my brows upward.
Her finger taps on her lips four times before she parts her lips, “You’re horny.”
I cough around the sip of beer, I just downed the wrong pipe. Hopefully, no one heard her.
“Maybe tired too.” She adds.
I am tired.
“Who are you?” I genuinely want to know because she has a friendly energy and she strikes me as someone with good intentions.
“You’re new friend…” She waits for my name.
“Blakely, happy to be friends with you.” I grin, lifting the beer bottle, “Cheers.”
She put her fist in front of me and I fist bump her.
“Are you one of the bikers?” I ask, assessing her through my messed-up mascara which I failed to apply early.
“Yeah, I…” she gets distracted by a few men in the background.
“Hmmm,” I tease her, crossing my arms and smirking.
“Yup!”
I laugh as I comment, “Full suits.”
“Amen!” She blushes as one of them waves at her. “Being surrounded by all these bikers, wearing full suits all summer long is freaking paradise.”
We nod to each other, appreciating the view before we giggle in unison .
“Did you take a ride with Brook?” she averts her gaze back to me. “You probably know him, everyone does.”
“Yeah, I met him on my first day here,” I nod as I take another swig.
“He’s very charming and also has a very big dick.”
“W-what?” I slightly shake my head, “You slept with him?” My shocked expression causes her to laugh.
The summer had just begun.
“I wish.” She rolls her eyes to the back of her head. “I accidentally went by his room and it was open as one of his friends walked out with a girl. I think they’re into group activities.”
“There are teens here.” I sound like a mom, and I never pictured myself as the lecturing type.
Are you proud, Mom?
“That is part of what we do here,” she waves her hand in front of her body, “Plenty of sex with strangers.”
He said this is the best place they know, I wonder why?
I nod in acceptance, processing, “Good for you,” my grin slowly rises across my face as I try to let it sink in.
I am not going to have sex with a bunch of strangers as tempting as it may sound I have enough on my plate as it is.
“So his reputation perceives him,” my sly grin molds my cheek.
“You’re dirty, I like.” She leans in, letting her forearms fall onto the counter as she gets called off to help in the kitchen. “Ugh! Sorry, I’ll find you later.”
“Sure.” I twirl a strand of hair around my finger .
“Can I… buy you a drink?” a rough voice comes from beside me almost falling asleep mid-sentence.
I don’t spare him a glance. “Thank you, but I prefer to buy my own drinks today.”
He trudges closer, gripping the counter for support and my agitated body doesn’t appreciate it one bit as it warns me of a possible danger. “Come on, d-don’t be like that.” He stumbles over his words a few times. “Have s-some fun, it’s a meetup.”
This place is swarming with bikers yet the noisy chattering and music block our quiet word exchange.
My grip tightens around the bottle.
With his staggered gait, this burly guy must be drunk as a sailor. I take a sip from my beer which now tastes vapid thanks to him. Through my peripheral vision, I peep every few seconds to ensure he is not entering my safe space.
He doesn’t for now.
“You know girls usually ride my bike and then ask to ride me so you’re in good hands. I’m not here to harm you, darling, I’m here to make it worth your time.”
Agitation crawls all over my body making me jumpy and stiff as I grind my teeth. Motherfucker, I’m fucking exhausted to fight someone right now, but I will if he gives me a reason to.
He continues to rain me with more vacuous thoughts. “Bet you know how to move that body,” he hiccups, takes the beer jar from the counter, and downs it in one go, spilling droplets on himself in the process.
Disgusting .
I’m about to get up and walk away but my movements aren’t fast enough before he teeters next to me, tumbles down, and knocks me down to the floor, but manages to hold on to the edge of the bar, preventing my death.
Annoyed, I stay on the floor as I scoff and my eyes shoot daggers at him. “You need to call it a night and beat it,” my voice is full of poison. “Or do you want me to sing and dance to Michael Jackson’s song until it gets through your thick skull? I know the booze makes it hard but fuck off.”
“Oh shit.” His hand covers his mouth as he laughs to himself. “You look,” hiccup, “P-pretty from down there.” His eyelids fight to keep themselves open.
Is it fair to pummel a person if they’re drunk?
As I’m lifting myself off the floor, someone swiftly moves past me, catches the man by the throat, and pins his head down onto the counter. “That’s enough.” I immediately recognize Meadow’s voice and it is full of rage.
“Are we having some trouble here, let’s give him a waking shower.” Russ intervenes and moves closer to them. The men exchange looks between them before they give each other a curt nod.
Meadow yanks him up and Russ says, “Come on,” lifting a hose in the guy’s direction and a splash of water hits his face. “There you go, my guy, you know we hate drunk drivers straying around here.”
My jaw goes slack.
“Now go to your room and lock yourself there until you sober up. Am I clear?” Meadow’s deep voice sounds intimidating as he spins him toward me.
The man grunts in annoyance. “Yes.”
“Apologize to her before you do.” Meadow points to me.
“Sorry, darling.” In a slow shamble, he barely walks to the front door but manages to stay up somehow before he disappears.
Focusing his attention on me, Meadow’s nostrils flare. “Are you okay?”
“I could’ve handled it.” I brush off the sand sticking to my clothes.
“Then why didn’t you?” He asks playfully, flexing his broad shoulders, waiting for my answer as he shoves one hand into his front pocket.
“I was just about to punch him in the face but I guess chivalry isn’t dead after all.”
“Oh, this?” He salutes me. “No one messes with my toy , they can look for another one somewhere else.”
I shake my head sideways and roll my eyes. “Thanks.” My eyes try to pierce through those shades, “Why are you wearing your shades?”
Having enough, he turns to the bar, “Light sensitivity.”
“You’re so full of shit.” I make a half-suppressed laugh.
He flashes me his shit-eating grin over his shoulder. “You’re so obsessed with me.” He murmurs but I can hear him.
“Am not,” I whisper back. “And I can say the same.”
A ghost of a smile hovers around his lips.
Meadow takes a seat and leans on the bar as I take the stool next to him. Russ serves us three shots and takes the third in his hand. “Let’s raise a toast, in memory of all the bikers we lost all over the years and our recent goodbye, Michael Hayes.” Russ’s full voice resounds.
Everyone in the bar lifts their glasses and bottles in the air.
I look over to Meadow, the mirth he had a second ago fades quickly as Russ mentions that biker.
“We miss you, brother.” They all recite like a choir. “Ride in peace wherever you may be.” It hits me in the chest that the line I tattooed on Meadow’s wrist could be about Michael Hayes.
In Loving Memory by Alter Bridge starts playing.
Meadow’s shot hangs in the air before he puts it back on the table and shoves it forward, back to Russ. He quickly takes it before he nods to Meadow, a silent understanding between the two.
I take the shot in one go, and tequila burns down my throat. “Thank you, Russ.” Detaching from the stool, I raise my hand to say goodbye to Lorelai and put the bill on the counter.
“You got it, Blakely, see ya’ tomorrow.”
I turn to walk away and Meadow’s voice collides with my back. “You’re leaving?”
The song, seeing everyone around me huddled like this, and thinking about my mom, bring all of my bottled emotions to the surface. She was a part of this place a long time ago, walked around these walls, and it hurts a little to be here right now.
You probably raised hell, Mom, right? I know you did.
“Yeah, I need some quiet.” I pivot my head, staring at him .
“Me too.”
He stares at me like he wants me closer but needs to push me away as much as possible. There’s a conflict in the way he acts around me and I’m dealing with one myself. He speaks to me through his eyes when he wears his helmet and opens the visor up. I can track the pain they conceal inside. But with the shades I get nothing.
“Wanna hang outside?” The muscle in his jaw tics.
Scratching my hand, I contemplate his suggestion. “Hmm, sure.”
We make our way to the parking lot of the motel which is usually vacant when it’s nearly midnight. Meadow’s bike is parked by the corner, when we reach it, I glide my hand along the fairings and the handles.
All the power it possesses—I’m still mesmerized by the sight of it.
“You can sit on it and wait while I make a quick run to the store.” He says in a soft tone.
Tapping on the fuel tank, I nod, “Fine by me.”
The friction of the pendant against his necklaces creates a soft clinking tune as he leaves. While he goes to the store, I sneak glimpses at his big strides and rapid walk. I have a clear sight of him from this spot. Nothing blocks him but those disguises he continues to master.
My stubborn bones start to ease up as I take a seat on the asphalt, lightly leaning my back against the bike so I wouldn’t knock it down.
A bag of Cheetos flies and lands on my lap, I look up to see Meadow grinning. He sinks next to me, handing me a Pepsi and a bag of gummy bears. I’m impressed by the gesture but I don’t verbalize it, just say a simple, “Thank you.”
He opens a new pack of cigarettes, takes one, and pushes it between his lips. He swiftly flicks the lighter, the flame sears the tip of the cigarette and sparks it neon orange while the sizzling sound calms me and dissolves the stress of what happened in the bar.
He takes a few drags and brings the cigarette to my lips, I take a deep pull. Tendrils of smoke evaporate around me.
I take another pull and puff it to the soft, caressing wind.
Drinking my Pepsi and taking a mouthful of Cheetos, I nudge him to give me the smoke now that my hands are free. “Thanks, this is nice.”
“Silence, snacks, and a smoke.” He says calmly. “Triple S.”
I can’t see his expressions and his body isn’t projecting any hints of how he actually feels. “You forgot sex,” I add in a mischievous tone, smoke is rolling off my lips.
He gives me a side look, “Don’t tempt me.”
I wish I could rip those glasses off his face and look him in the eyes.
“I did it anyway, get over your pants.” I close my eyes for a moment. “I’m on my period and I’m in pain anyway.”
“Do you want to have sex?”
I sigh in amusement. “Thanks for offering.”
“Why not?”
“I don’t know… for starters, aren’t you disgusted? It’s sticky and smelly…”
“And extremely normal,” he steals the smoke from my hands, grazing our fingers, “Men need to step up. If I get hurt and have a severe cut on my hand, it’s bleeding and hurting would you have sex with me?”
“Yes, but it’s not quite the same.”
“Why? Because it naturally flows out of you in small streams.”
“Kind of.”
“What kind of men have you been with?” his voice comes off judgmental but there’s a fraction of sympathy in there too.
“None of your business.”
“Right…” he slightly parts his lips. “If you don’t feel comfortable having sex, I can use my fingers. I read in articles that sex during period is very healthy. It also helps with the pain, it’s like painkillers.”
“You read articles…?” I mock him, staring at him in disbelief.
“I don’t live under a rock.”
I maintain my sarcasm, “Surprising,”
“Ugh, you jerk.” He feigns offense.
“Right back at ya’.”
We chuckle together.
He leans closer and whispers, “Do you want me to finger fuck your aching pussy?”
As much as his words make my body tingle, I reply, “Your offer is very tempting, but nope.” I slightly slant my jaw.
“At least I tried.” He raises his hands in surrender.
I snatch the cigarette from his fingers, “You should get a medal or something.”
“I should get laid.” He bites the edge of his lip.
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
“When you’re ready my door is always open.”
“It never is.” I retort.
“Then, make me open it.” His raspy voice and low tone leave me breathless again.
I don’t think we’re talking about the goddamn door anymore.
I take a deep breath, staring at the distance that doesn’t hold my attention in the slightest. Every time I’m around him it’s like the whole world ceases to exist. I continue to snack on the Cheetos as we become quiet once again.
“Why did you leave the bar?” he softly asks, lighting another cigarette and we continue to exchange it.
“Things just surfaced and I also felt like an intruder because I didn’t know any bikers who passed away.”
He quickly comments, “It’s not about whether you knew them or not it’s about paying respect to someone who shared the same lifestyle, the same love, for whatever reason. Everyone has a reason. Out here, everyone’s lost someone close to them, and the pain is immense, but we have to carry on for them and ride till our last breath because we all know we’re junkies, addicted to speed.”
“What about you?” I question, staring at his profile. “Why did you leave?”
“Things surfaced,” he uses my words but I already suspect that he lost someone, maybe a few, and the name of the biker Russ mentioned has something to do with him.
“Up here on the surface, we’re okay, but here,” I point to my chest, “Not so much.”
“Yeah, it’s pretty chaotic down there but also up here,” He pokes himself in the head.
“Why do you want to have sex with me?”
“Damn,” he scratches the back of his neck. “I don’t know, Wilder.” And leans back. “I see you, you see me it’s as simple as it can be. And I’m super horny, I swear he can lift a bike if you command it.”
“Oh, shut up.”
“You’re our salvation.” He pretends to beg.
I dump a few Cheetos in my mouth and chew them loudly. “You and your big dick energy.”
“Oh, compliments,” He wickedly smirks. “Carry on!”
“Is it?” I press.
“What?”
“Big?” all this talk makes me so wet and my skin flushes hot as I feel his arm caressing mine unintentionally.
“Why don’t you find out yourself?” he swirls his tongue across his lips and wakes the constant craving that stirs in me without end.
I can’t because he is Milo and Donna’s son and they are so kind to me and I shouldn’t cross that line so I change the subject. “Are you hiding from me?”
“Do you think I hide from you?”
I expel a sigh. “Every time I’m around you, you’re hiding your face in one way or another. ”
“Wilder, the world doesn’t revolve around you,” he quotes me.
So I give him a taste of his own medicine, “Maybe the world doesn’t but your world, definitely.”
He makes a deep chuckle sound and cranes his neck while disturbing sounds come out of it. “I don’t hide from you.”
“Are you going to break?” I ask about those horrible sounds.
“I’m fine,” he assures, knitting his eyebrows together once. “You are one of the people I don’t hide from.”
“So you’re a hundred percent annoying in real life?” I arch my eyebrow in question.
He nods sideways, “A hundred percent yes.”
“Damn, my luck keeps getting better.”
“Honestly, this summer is even better than I expected.”
“So the Grinch makes it better.”
“Color me green-surprised.”
“You see, having sex with me will ruin the whole dynamic.” I take a final drag of the cigarette before I stab it out.
“Nah, we’re a couple of assholes who can’t keep their mouths shut and don’t give a fuck. No one will take that away from us, not even the good, old, mighty sex.”
A burst of laughter erupts from my core. It’s been a while since I had a good belly laugh.
“I need to wash my hands,” I announce as I finish the last piece of Cheetos and discard the cigarettes we finished inside the empty bag.
“Did you eat the whole bag?” he takes a look inside the bag, “Those are my favorites. ”
Taunting him, “Oops, do you want to lick the bag?” I stick my tongue out and roll it in the air.
He stills in place, nibbling on his bottom lip. “You’re something else, Wilder.” He shakes his head sideways.
“I told you I’m on my period.” I search my pocket for some change. “I can get you another one,” I offer.
He looks away for a moment. “I have another idea.”
“What…?” I say slowly, knowing this is ammo for him.
“I can help clean it and decrease your period pain, just give me your hand.” He outstretches his hand, waiting for me to outstretch mine.
My heart rate starts to climb up and I swallow hard around the remnants of Cheetos in my mouth as my palm rests in his hand.
I stare at it in anticipation, wondering what he is going to do next.
Moving my hand closer to his mouth and fixing it around him, he starts pushing my sticky finger past his lips. The immediate contact of his warm tongue swirling and sucking around me calms my whole body. The spices must swim in his mouth as they still swim in mine; cheesy, salty, and sweet. He licks each finger sensually, and thoroughly as I fight the urge to moan.
My eyelids are half shut while I enjoy the wetness of his mouth and the subtle graze of the cool lip ring along my finger.
On the last finger, he swallows all of it, sucking on it before he pulls away. My eyes follow his succulent lips as he departs from my finger and my ring pops in between his front teeth before he seals it inside his palm.
“Give it back.” I grit my teeth in anger.
“No.”
“Meadow.”
“What you gonna do about it?” His mouth slowly curves.
I climb on his lap in seconds, trying to take back my mother’s ring as I hold his throat and force him to open his hand but he cuffs my wrists behind my back instead and denies me that.
“I’ll bite your fucking nose if you don’t,” my voice is full of warning as I breathe audibly.
“Do it,” he goads, “How else do we get to know each other?”
Frowning, I spit out, “I hate you.”
“Show me how much you hate me.” His hands still pin mine behind my back.
High electricity hovers in the space between us and if someone gets near us they will get shocked by it. I wish I could take those shades off. I get pieces of him, not the full image. But I also can’t deny myself the soft texture of his lips and that lip ring that feels ridiculously good between my lips as our mouths crash against each other.
He lets go of my hands and the first thing I do is slide the shades atop his head and slither my fingers over his strong jaw.
The tip of our tongues brushes against each other. Over and over and over again. In circles. The passion heightens. The heat tints my cheeks. My sopping pussy pulses in excitement. I lick along his lip ring and drag it gently. The groans he lets out send a shiver along my spine.
It’s brief but it sucks me in and it is out of my control that my hips grind against him, and my throat creates those soft sounds.
My hands run along his shoulder blades, feeling his deep cuts and taut muscles. His fingers clasp down on my thighs, kneading them and I grab his wrist and place it around my throat. A moan fleeing from my lips and into his mouth. Fuck, he feels too good. Fire warms my core and I…
“No…” I pull back but his lips touch mine one more time. “We can’t.”
Catching my breath, I up my gaze to Meadow, sucked into the dimensions of green swimming in his irises. Darkness encapsulates us, the lights surrounding us barely reach the parking lot but I get a gorgeous shadow to look at—at least what I make out of it.
“Why can’t we?” he whispers against my mouth. “It’s just a kiss.”
I was never the one-time type of girl; one kiss, one night. Maybe I can be but not with him. I can’t do this to him, and I can’t do this to our parents.
“I can’t do this with you, you will hurt me.”
“Why would you think that?” his clenched jaw tics harshly where my hands still cup his face, “What if you hurt me?”
I stay quiet as I gaze at him. No smartass comments slip out of my mouth.
“Momentary lapse of judgment.” He says with venom on his tongue, pulling my hands away from him and placing my ring back in my hand. “Whatever, Wilder.”
“I had so much fun, you had to ruin it.” My voice is barely a whisper. I lift myself off of him and stride to my room, but instead, my legs decide to take me to the back of the motel.
I pace back and forth in anger and agitation like I’ve done a forbidden thing with a forbidden someone. Maybe I shouldn’t have used those words. I wouldn’t know either way.
I huff in annoyance at the warm breeze which doesn’t contribute in any way other than burn me extra hot. Nothing can extinguish this craving that is raging inside me.
I’m trying to make sense of it. This is my hormones, right?
Mom? Please give me a sign. I rub my eyes which are stinging with unshed tears.
When I hear footsteps, I turn to see a furious shadow staring at me.
Meadow.
His chest expands rapidly and he eats the distance between us with fast strides, even if I thought running was an option it isn’t anymore. Rubbing his taut body against mine, he grips my throat firmly, shoves me hard against the wall, and crashes his lips to mine, stealing all the air from my lungs with a deadly kiss.
A kiss that lasts when our tongues meet and play around one another, and continues when he lifts me by my thighs to straddle him as my back still faces the wall.
That kiss tingles everywhere and lights up my entire body .
That kiss is intense, desperate, wild, and savage as he nibbles on my bottom lip and I do the same to his.
That kiss hurts so fucking good—a sweet stinging sensation travels across my lips.
The taste of cheese and smoke rolls on our tongues and merge with each stroke and each nibble and it fucking burns and rages with anger. I rake my fingers through his hair and run them over his neck until they rustle against his clothes.
Pulling me closer, I grind against his bulge, feeling it growing as he squeezes my ass into him and drags me up and down his length.
I hum into his mouth, bathing in the pleasure it brings me.
His lips cover mine as he pushes his tongue farther, letting me suck on it. His body radiates heat and mine succumb to him.
My breathing is ragged, my heart’s racing like crazy and ringing in my ears.
With my eyes still shut, he drops me down, steals another kiss, and pulls away but not before he pushes something into my palms.
I take a shaky breath and when I open my eyelids, he is gone like I dreamt him as part of a wild fantasy that my mind conjured.
But I didn’t.
I lift my arms and stare at the pack of cigarettes and a bag of gummy bears he left me. Yet, he left something else, and it burns my puffy lips.