Chapter Five
Isy
Since I’d decided to wear a dress, we’d opted to take my truck instead of Rebel’s motorcycle. It was my first time sitting in the passenger seat, and I had to admit I was thankful he was driving instead of me. I hadn’t had it long enough to adjust to driving something this big, and parking always made me nervous. I had trouble telling how much distance I had between the nose of the truck and whatever was in front of me, and same for the back end. If I were going to own one for a long time, I’d want a newer one with a backup camera. Because I sucked at driving anything other than a compact car.
“Here we are,” he said as we pulled up to an Italian restaurant. He led me inside, I had to admit the dim lighting and ivy-covered walls gave it a cozy feel. It looked like the perfect place for a date.
“Smells amazing,” I said, taking in the aroma of garlic and fresh bread as we waited to be seated.
“Best Italian food you’ll ever have,” he replied, as a hostess greeted us with a smile.
“Welcome back, Rebel,” she said. “I see you have someone with you tonight.”
“I’m his girlfriend,” I said, reaching out to take his hand.
Her eyebrows rose as she looked over him, a slight smile curving her lips and humor flashing in her eyes. At least she didn’t seem like someone who’d been romantically interested in him. It set me at ease, but I had no doubt I’d run into at least one or two of those women at some point.
The two men at the motel might have gotten the upper hand with me, but I had no doubt I could stomp a club whore into the ground. Except there hadn’t been any when we’d been at the clubhouse. Did the Savage Raptors not have them? I’d thought only the Dixie Reapers had banned them.
As we settled into our seats and ordered our meals, the conversation flowed easily between us, offering a momentary reprieve from the chaos that had brought us together. I found myself opening up to him, telling him about my life growing up at the Dixie Reapers.
“Being surrounded by family and the club was great, but sometimes it felt suffocating,” I admitted, tracing the rim of my glass. “My dad was always so damn overprotective. He had to know where I was every second of the day. I wasn’t allowed to date. And thanks to my brother being such a screwup, I felt like I needed to be perfect all the time. Foster gives my parents such a headache, I’d have felt bad if I did the same thing.”
“Can’t say I blame him for wanting to keep you caged, considering what’s happened,” Rebel said, his voice low and serious. “First time you set out on your own, you’re almost kidnapped, raped, and prostituted. Still want complete freedom?”
I wasn’t entirely sure how to answer him. “I agree and disagree. If I’d had even a little more freedom, I might not have wanted to run. I love them, but I needed a chance to breathe.”
Rebel reached across the table, his rough fingers intertwining with mine. “You realize you’ve traded one asshole biker for another, right? Only difference is I won’t try to lock you in your room. I’ll handcuff you to the bed and make sure you can’t walk.”
My cheeks warmed. “I can’t believe you said that in public.”
He grinned a little. “As if your dad hasn’t said worse to your mom. I’d be willing to bet he has. In fact, you have to get that wild streak from at least one of them.”
I wrinkled my nose. “Eww. Thanks for that. Now I need brain bleach.”
The server came over with our food, and I had to admit Rebel had been right. The food was outstanding. Probably the best Italian I’d ever had. It was one of my favorite types of food, but my mom always warned me as I got older it would start sticking to me in places I didn’t like.
As the evening progressed, we continued to open up to each other. The world outside the restaurant faded away as we became lost in our conversation. I’d started to worry we’d only get along in the bedroom, but being with Rebel was fun even when sex wasn’t involved, and it seemed we liked some of the same things.
“Isy, there’s something you ought to know about me,” Rebel began, his voice low and serious. I worried what sort of bomb he was going to drop on me. “I’ve been on my own for a long time, since before I joined the Savage Raptors. My life hasn’t always been easy, but it taught me how to survive.”
Well, I’d sort of figured that much out. Most of the bikers I’d met hadn’t had the ideal home life. At least, not the ones in clubs like my family belonged to. They weren’t weekend road warriors who had daytime jobs, followed all the laws, and led normal lives.
His calloused fingers traced circles on the back of my hand, a soothing gesture that calmed my racing heart. “When I need to escape the pressures of the club or just clear my head, I work with silver. I’m a silversmith, and I enjoy making jewelry when I need to lower my stress levels.”
Wait. That’s what he needed to say? I was worried he was going to tell me about a kid he’d had with someone else, a woman he’d never get over, or something else more dramatic than being a silversmith.
“Really?” I tried to imagine him crafting delicate pieces with his strong hands. For some reason, the vision in my head made me smile. “That’s amazing, Rebel. I never would have guessed.”
“Everyone needs an outlet, right?” he said with a chuckle. “What about you, Isy? What do you love to do?”
I hesitated for a moment, unsure if sharing my passion would seem trivial compared to what he could do. Only Dawson really knew about some of my ideas and dreams. But I wanted Rebel to know me, the real me.
“I love reading,” I confessed, feeling a flush creep up my cheeks. “Books have always been my escape. Especially the extra steamy ones. And… I can draw too.”
“Drawing, huh?” Rebel grinned, clearly delighted by my admission. “You’re full of surprises, darlin’. Sounds like we both have creative sides.”
“Yeah, but I don’t know what to do with mine,” I admitted. “It’s always just been a hobby. Dawson says I’m good. I’m not sure if he’s just saying it because we’re family or if I actually have talent. I want to find a purpose, something that makes me feel like I’m making a difference or at least contributing in some way. At one point, I’d wondered if I could do that with art.”
“Isy, you don’t need to have it all figured out right now,” Rebel reassured me, his thumb gently caressing my hand. “But I promise, we’ll find your path together. You aren’t alone, and I believe in you. Whatever you choose to do, I know you’ll be amazing at it.”
Hearing those words from him filled me with a sense of hope I hadn’t felt in a long time. And as our conversation continued, moving between the heavy and the light, I knew I could face whatever lay ahead, so long as Rebel was by my side.
As we finished our meal and walked back to the truck, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of closeness with Rebel that I’d never experienced before. He was more than just a protector -- I knew it wouldn’t take much for me to fall head over heels for him. Now that we were a couple, he’d quickly become an essential part of my life. If the Savage Raptors were anything like the Dixie Reapers, when he’d claimed me, he’d meant it to be a forever sort of thing.
“Ready to head home?” he asked.
“Home,” I echoed, smiling as I took his hand. “I like the sound of that.”
He smiled. “I rather like the way you say it.”
We drove in silence for a few minutes. I watched the scenery pass outside the window, trying to take note of landmarks. I hadn’t been in town long enough to know where things were, like the grocery, pharmacy, and restaurants.
“Hey, have you ever thought about writing?” Rebel asked suddenly, his eyes sparkling with excitement.
“Writing? Like… a book?” The idea intrigued me but seemed so far from my current reality.
“Yeah, exactly!” A grin spread across his face. “You love reading, and you’re a talented artist. Maybe we could try something together, like a comic series or something. You could draw, and we could write the story together.”
My heart leaped at the thought, and I found myself smiling, genuinely excited by the prospect. “I’d love that, Cam. I really would.”
“Great!” His enthusiasm was contagious. “We’ll figure out the details later, but for now, let’s just enjoy the rest of our night.”
I bit my lip. “Um, about tonight…”
“I’m not expecting anything, Isy.” He glanced my way. “I’m sure you’re sore after earlier. Even if I do find you irresistible, I’m not an animal.”
“You won’t be disappointed?”
He reached over to take my hand, lifting it to kiss my fingers. “Never. I wouldn’t want to do something that might hurt you.”
* * *
Rebel
While I wasn’t looking forward to meeting her family for the first time, officially that is, I had to admit I was glad to have Isy in my life. I could tell Lynx hadn’t been happy about the situation, same for Atilla. I’d honestly thought one of them might take a swing at me. Thankfully, they hadn’t.
By the time we got home, it was obvious Isy was beyond exhausted. She’d had one hell of a day. Between the issue at the motel, me not keeping my hands off her, and the fact she’d been confronted by Lynx and Atilla, then had to call her brother, I was honestly surprised she hadn’t gone to sleep before now.
“Why don’t you soak in the tub before heading to bed?” I asked.
“I’m fine, Cam. Really.”
“Will you just let me try to pamper you a little? It’s been a hellacious day and who knows what tomorrow will bring?” I reached out to tug on a lock of her hair. “You need to rest tonight.”
“Alone?” she asked.
“I’ll come lie down with you after I make sure the house is locked up. I typically don’t bother, but now that I have you here, things are different. There’s not a TV in the bedroom. Didn’t need one since it was just me here. We can get one tomorrow.”
“I’m fine without one, Cam. I only had one in my room at home because I still lived with my family.”
She’d never been on her own or had a place to consider hers. This house wasn’t just mine anymore. “Is there anything you need? Maybe something you want to change about the house?”
Her brow furrowed. “What are you talking about? Why would I come in here and start changing everything?”
I rubbed the back of my neck. I’d always thought I was at least somewhat good with words and talking to women. Right now, not so much. It felt like we were having a major communication fail.
“Isy, this has been a bachelor’s home ever since I moved in. I didn’t change a damn thing about it. The dishes are just a cheap set I grabbed at the discount store. Same for the forks and stuff. All my cups are plastic and none of them match.” I sighed. “I’m not afraid to change things here. In fact, I’d welcome you making this place your own.”
“I don’t understand. Why do you want me to turn your life upside down more than I already have?” she asked.
“Baby, that’s not… Look, when you walk into the house of a married man, you can tell he’s married. There’s little homey touches here and there. It practically screams a woman lives there. Everything about this house right now is basic. I don’t have anything on the walls. No curtains, just those cheap blinds that were a few bucks each.”
“So, you want this place to get a makeover?” she asked. “And you want me to do it? You realize I’ve never done something like that, right? Decorating my room was one thing, and even then, I had limitations. This is on an entirely different scale. Not to mention the cost.”
“Let me worry about how much it will be. Just tell me what you want or need. Let’s start there.”
She nodded. “All right. I’ll think about it.”
I kissed her forehead and gave her a nudge toward the bedroom. “Go soak in the tub. I’ll be there in a bit.”
I watched her walk away and tipped my head back to stare up at the ceiling for a moment. Honestly, I had two reasons I wanted her to make this place her own. For one, I’d wanted someone in my life for so long that I’d dreamed of this day. I wanted all those little extras that women added to a house. And two, when her family showed up -- and I had no doubt they would -- I wanted them to see she’d settled in here and that I was taking good care of her.
Maybe then, Bull would only hit me once or twice instead of trying to kill me. I could hope anyway. With some luck, her mom would come too. Maybe she’d be able to hold him in check. Then again, if she was anything like Lynx’s sister, Ridley, she might take the first swing at me.
I checked to make sure I’d locked all the doors and windows, then went to the bedroom and changed into a pair of sweatpants. Lounging on the bed, I heard the subtle sounds of water shifting as Isy soaked in the tub. While I waited for her, I decided to play a game on my phone. My brothers gave me shit about it, but I enjoyed the puzzle games. They gave me a way to relax while still keeping my mind engaged.
A text alert popped up on my phone and I opened the message. It made me laugh when I saw what Lynx had written.
When her dad comes, make sure to tell him I hit you. If my sister gets wind of the fact I didn’t do shit, she’ll try to beat my ass next time she sees me. Or worse, she’ll stop speaking to me.
I snorted and sent back a thumbs-up. Sure, I could do that. Whatever helped him sleep at night. Although, the idea of seeing a pint-sized Ridley beating on Lynx was rather humorous. Maybe I’d get to see that one day.