FORTY
W hen she arrived at her apartment, the doorman greeted her with a nod. “Miss Poison, there’s a package for you,” he said.
“Thank you. You can just give it to me. I’ll take it up myself,” she replied, eager to get to her apartment.
He shook his head. “I’m afraid it’s too big. It’s waiting for you in the parking garage.”
Curiosity piqued, she headed to the garage. Her footsteps echoed in the quiet space as she followed the doorman.
Her breath caught when she saw it—a sleek, matt black motorcycle with venom green finishes. It was the same Kawasaki H2R as Scorpion’s bike. Her heart pounded in her chest as she walked closer.
There was a note attached to the handlebar and she took it with trembling fingers:
Miss Poison,
Consider this a token of respect and an apology for
ruining your old one.
Sincerely,
DY
She stared at the bike, emotions swirling within her. Anger, gratitude, confusion—all tangled together. The bike gleamed under the garage lights and she couldn’t help but admire the beauty of it.
She ran her hand over the sleek surface, feeling the cool metal under her fingers. This was more than a gift; it was a favor she wasn’t sure she could afford. The boss of the Japanese Mafia wouldn’t give such an elaborate gift without expecting anything in return.
But fuck it, it was a stunning machine, and he did help ruin her old one. Swinging a leg over the bike, she settled into the seat, feeling its power thrumming beneath her as she flicked the beast to life.
She didn’t notice the doorman leaving or when he came back, but when he did, he handed her a matching helmet with a venom green bow on top. She laughed at the added detail as she took it and slid it over her head.
“Drive safely, Miss.”
With a nod, she revved the engine and headed for the door with screeching tires.
The morning air was crisp, the city just beginning to wake. She could feel the bike’s power beneath her, a raw, untamed force. She twisted the throttle, and the machine responded with a roar, launching her into the streets. The sensation was exhilarating, the speed intoxicating. She wove through traffic, the world blurring around her as she pushed the bike harder, faster.
Every corner, every straight stretch, was a burst of freedom. Her thoughts, which swirled with dark clouds thinking about Scorpion, his betrayal, his coldness toward her, now cleared, all le pain in her body evaporated, leaving only the pure, unfiltered joy of the ride. The wind whipped past her, carrying away the remnants of her frustration, pain and anger. She was untouchable, unstoppable.
But as she sped through an intersection, the flash of blue lights in her mirrors pulled her back to reality. A siren wailed, cutting through the euphoria. Poison’s heart sank, annoyance and resignation filling the void where excitement had been.
She pulled over to the side of the road, the bike’s engine purring beneath her as she waited. The cop approached, his expression stern and condescending.
He tapped his knuckles on her helmet. “Morning, Miss. Having a little too much fun, are we?”
She removed her helmet, shaking out her hair as irritation and anger dug its claws into her chest.
“Morning, officer,” she said, plastering on a sweet smile, despite the adrenaline coursing through her veins.
“Do you have any idea how fast you were going?” he asked, his tone dripping with superiority.
“Fast enough to get your attention, apparently,” she replied, unable to keep the hint of a smirk off her face.
The officer’s expression didn’t soften. “License,” he demanded, extending his hand.
She handed over her license, trying to tame her irritation.
The officer scanned her information, then looked back at her with a condescending sneer.
“Nice bike. Bought it with Daddy’s money, did you?” he asked, flicking the bow on her helmet.
Poison’s jaw tightened, but she forced a smile. “Actually, it was a gift.”
He handed her documents back with a smirk. “Of course it was. Daddy forgot the training wheels?” He shook his head, clearly enjoying the show of power. “I’m going to let you off with a warning this time. Try to keep it under the speed limit, Princess.”
She took a deep breath, punching a cop would not do her any good, sliding her helmet back on. But the officer’s next words pushed her over the edge.
“Better yet, leave the riding to the men. Girls like you shouldn’t be on a bike anyway.”
Poison’s vision narrowed, a red haze of anger clouding her thoughts. Before she could stop herself, she swung her leg off the bike and marched up to the cop. Without a second’s hesitation, she head-butted him with her helmet still on.
There was a sickening crunch as his nose broke, and the cop stumbled back, falling to the ground. Blood poured from his nose as he swore at her, fumbling for his gun. He pointed it at her, his hand shaking with rage and pain.
“You crazy bitch!” he spat, his voice muffled by the blood. “Get on the ground, now!”
Poison’s heart pounded, but she kept her stance firm. “You sure know how to flirt, Officer. Pulling a gun on me? I’m flattered.”
His eyes widened in disbelief and fury. “I said get on the ground!”
She took a step closer, ripping off her helmet, staring him down despite the gun aimed at her.
“Or what? You’ll shoot me for defending myself? Go ahead. I’d love to see how that plays out for you.”
The cop’s face twisted with rage. He lunged at her, forcing her to the ground. The rough pavement bit into her skin as he wrestled her arms behind her back and slapped on the handcuffs.
“Assaulting an officer, huh? Let’s see how tough you are in jail,” he growled, yanking her to her feet.
Her mind raced, her body thrumming with adrenaline and anger. She watched helplessly as he grabbed her bike’s keys and pocketed them, then shoved her toward the patrol car, picking up her fallen helmet.
He opened the back door and roughly pushed her inside, her head hitting the top of the door frame. She bit back a curse as he slammed the door shut. Climbing into the driver’s seat, he radioed for backup, his voice muffled by the blood streaming from his nose.
“Dispatch, this is Officer Jenkins. I’ve got a suspect in custody. Send a tow truck to impound the bike at my location.”
The car started moving, and Poison stared out the window, fury burning in her chest.
The city blurred past, a whirl of concrete and steel, but her mind was laser-focused on her anger.
They came to a stop at a traffic light. The silence in the car heavy, filled with hostility. She glanced at the light, then at Jenkins, who seemed lost in his thoughts, his knuckles white on the steering wheel.
“Light’s green. You can go now,” she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
Jenkins snapped out of his daze, glaring at her in the rearview mirror.
“Shut up,” he growled, pressing the gas pedal.
Her lips curled into a smirk. “Touchy, aren’t we?”
He didn’t respond, but she could see the tension in his jaw, the way his shoulders stiffened. It was a small victory, but she savored it, needing any bit of control she
could grasp.
They pulled into the station’s lot, the gray building casting a long shadow in the morning sunlight. Jenkins got out and yanked open her door, dragging her out.
“Welcome to your new home, Princess,” he sneered.
She met his gaze, her eyes hard. “It’s Queen to you,” she said, her voice low and menacing.
He chuckled, a sound devoid of humor. “We’ll see about that.”
Jenkins marched her into the precinct, his grip bruising her arm. He shoved her into a chair at a desk, turning to a nearby officer.
“Newbie, book her,” he ordered, clutching his nose.
Poison looked up, her heart skipping a beat. Standing there, just as surprised as she was, was Gavin. They stared at each other, the world narrowing down to just the two of them.
“Gavin,” she breathed, shock and amusement flooding her.
“Minke,” he replied in a whisper. The confusion and disbelief in his eyes mirrored her own.
Jenkins noticed the exchange, his eyes narrowing. “You know her?”
Gavin snapped back to attention, his expression hardening. “Yes, I do. I’ll handle this.”
Jenkins grunted but didn’t move away, his eyes lingering on her.
Gavin began pulling out papers on a desk but stopped when he noticed the blood on Jenkins’ nose and laughed.
“Was that you?” he asked her, amusement lighting up his eyes.
She straightened in her chair. “Yeah, that was me.”
Gavin shook his head, chuckling. “You never cease to surprise, do you?”
“Nope,” she replied with a smile. She was so happy to see Gavin again, despite the current circumstances.
Jenkins glared at both of them. “You think this is funny? She assaulted an officer!”
The murmurs in the precinct grew louder. One officer called out, “Jenkins, you’re a known prick. She probably did us all a favor!”
Another added, “Give her a medal, not cuffs!”
Jenkins’ face turned a deep shade of red, but Gavin stepped in, unlocking the handcuffs from Poison’s wrists.
“She acted in self-defense, Jenkins. Look at you—you’re bleeding. Clearly, you were the aggressor.” He winked at her, a small, reassuring gesture.
Jenkins’ turned nearly blue, but he couldn’t argue with the entire precinct against him.
“This isn’t over,” he spat, storming off.
Poison and Gavin burst into laughter. The absurdity of the situation was too much to hold in.
“Why am I not surprised to find you here?” Gavin said between chuckles, shaking his head. “Only you would kick a cop’s ass and have the whole precinct on your side.”
She grinned, feeling a strange camaraderie with the officers who had defended her. “Well, Jenkins was asking for it.”
Gavin led her to a quieter corner of the station, still laughing.
“Tell me everything,” he urged, his voice full of amusement.
She recounted the morning’s events, and with each detail, they both laughed more. The absurdity, the tension, and the sheer ridiculousness of the encounter made it all the more hilarious.
When she finished, Gavin wiped tears of laughter from his eyes. “You always manage to find trouble, don’t you?”
“I don’t find it. It finds me,” she replied with a grin.
Gavin leaned back, stretching his legs out, as she leaned forward, her elbows on her knees, still riding the adrenaline.
“So, are you going to tell me what happened?” Gavin asked, glancing at her bruised knuckles from the corner of his big blue eyes.
“What do you mean?” She acted oblivious.
“You haven’t spoken to me since you told me you’re a streetfighter .” Gavin lowered his voice and whispered the last words, glancing around the room as if the check that no one was listening.
“I’ve been meaning to call,” she tried to explain, lowering her head in shame. “Things have just gotten out of control, and I’m still trying to pick up all the pieces.”
“Does, what’s his name... Scorpion have anything to do with it? He didn’t try to hurt you again, did he?”
“We sorted our shit, and got back together, but then…” She shrugged. “He was training me and kept pushing me to do more, punch more, kick more. More and more. I couldn’t take it. My hands were bleeding, and he wouldn’t let me rest.” She shuffled her feet, the weight of her words settling in her chest.
Gavin eyed her carefully. “I don’t mean to sound rude, but why are you still with him then?”
“I’m not,” She scoffed. “I told him it’s over.” She refused to acknowledge the emotions those words caused, so she shoved them to the back of her mind and closed a door on it.
“Great!” Gavin exclaimed, his face lighting up like a Christmas tree. “Well, in that case. What are you doing tonight?” He beamed.
“Gavin!” She blushed, bumping his shoulder with hers.
“What?” he asked, wide-eyed. “Hey, I can’t help that I think you’re hot and that I’m really into you,” he explained with a wolfish grin.
Her face turned scarlet, and she stared down at her feet. “Since I’m not training anymore, I’m free.”
“Awesome!” he said excitedly. “It’s a date.”
She couldn’t help but laugh at his childlike excitement. “Well, Officer, seeing as I’m not under arrest anymore, am I free to go?”
He grinned, the humor still dancing in his eyes. “Yeah, you’re free to go. But only if you agree to dinner and a movie?”
“Is an officer of the law actually trying to bribe me?” She feigned shock and Gavin threw up his hands.
“Can’t blame a guy for trying.”
“As long as it’s a horror and not some sappy love story,” she replied.
“That’s my type of girl,” he said proudly, getting to his feet and offering her his hand to help her up.
“Wait, there’s one more thing,” she said. “How do I get my bike back?”
Gavin’s expression shifted, the lightheartedness giving way to determination.
“Jenkins impounded it, didn’t he?”
“Yeah,” she replied, frustration creeping into her voice.
He nodded, she could see the plan already formulating in his eyes. “Stay here. I’ll be right back.”
Poison watched as Gavin strode across the precinct, stopping at the desk of the officer who had her helmet on the table. She couldn’t hear the conversation, but Gavin’s gestures and the other officer’s nods reassured her. A few minutes later, Gavin returned, keys and helmet in hand, a triumphant smile on his face.
“Good news,” he said, handing her the keys and helmet. “Your bike is still here, and Jenkins has no grounds to keep it. Let’s go get it.”
Relief washed over her, and she followed him out to the impound lot. The sight of her bike seemingly unharmed calmed her nerves a bit. She still couldn’t believe the thing was hers.
Gavin unlocked the gate and wheeled the bike out. “There you go,” he said, handing it over to her. “All set.”
She ran her hands over the sleek metal, a smile spreading across her face.
“Thank you, Gav. You have no idea how much this means to me.”
“I think I do,” he replied. “So, we’re still on for later?”
“Definitely,” she said, her eyes sparkling. “I’ll meet you at the diner at six?”
“Sounds perfect,” he replied, a grin on his face. “Try not to get arrested again until then.”
She nodded with a smile. She watched him walk back into the precinct, then swung a leg over her bike. Revving the engine, feeling the thrill of its power beneath her. She rode out of the lot and into the morning streets, her mind buzzing.
The city was just waking up. She felt free and alive, the wind whipping through her hair as she navigated the streets. The weight of everything that had happened to her seemed to dissipate with each mile flashing by.