Chapter 4
Kristie
Bit squealed from behind me. Holy shit, that felt amazing. My arms trembled as adrenaline soared through my veins. I did it. Now what?
After explaining to Bit about my job, then getting the call that my boss was not only right about me but herself as well, I was intent on going out and blowing off some steam.
We’d been to this bar plenty of times, but a few weeks ago there was a group of bikers that were pretty rowdy.
One of them took a liking to Bit, but I snuck her away while they were chatting.
She was a few beers in and having fun, but he seemed slimy to me.
I always fantasized about seeing Rick again and the fantasies often flip-flopped between smashing his face in and jumping his bones.
Unfortunately, I wasn’t bold enough to smash his face, but I did manage to throw my drink at it.
Perhaps because it was my fourth cran and vodka, accompanied by a few lemon drop shots.
Still, I stood there, willing myself to stay strong even though he looked hotter than ever.
He was good-looking before, but he’d filled out and grown up.
He wasn’t bulky and huge, but was muscular; his shoulders seemed broader and his pecs were pronounced under his leather cut. My eyes roamed against my will, and I noticed a patch that said Enforcer. I didn’t recall what that meant, but he used to have a patch there that said Member.
The drinks slowed my reaction time; I saw him move toward me, but couldn’t stop him from gripping my wrist and dragging me outside.
Bit started spouting off some choice words but stopped when I shrugged as we passed her. Okay, maybe I wanted to see his plan.
He flung open the door to the patio and jerked me outside. “Hey,” I squealed.
Still grasping my wrist, he turned, jerking me closer. He looked down and my eyes followed. His thumb brushed over the small tattoo. “You still have it.”
My body missed the memo that we were pissed, so I jerked my arm away, needing the separation. “Well, it’s kind of permanent. Unlike other things.” I crossed my arms over my chest, hiding my tattoo and closing myself off.
He ran his hand down his face, flinging the last bit of my drink from it before pulling a hair tie from his pocket. I giggled as I noticed droplets at the ends of his dark hair before he pulled it back into a short ponytail. “Did that help?” he asked.
“Not as much as I hoped, but it’s a start.” Was he always this ruggedly handsome? Totally unfair, very distracting.
He let out a huge sigh. “Sparrow–”
“Kristie.”
His lips thinned and he cleared his throat. “Kristie, I know I deserved that. But it’s good to see you.”
Swallowing hard, I tried to formulate something snappy but my brain was short-circuiting from those light brown eyes staring into my soul. “Well, I can’t say the same.” I hope that came out right. I definitely had too many drinks and not enough food.
His head dipped but then I heard Bit, and this time she wasn’t yelling at Rooster. Rick. He doesn’t get a cool name from me. Turning to look through the glass door, she was arguing with the jerk from last time, the one I’d hoped we wouldn’t run into.
Rushing back inside, I stopped at the door when he cursed.
“Fuck,” he said behind me.
Turning, I asked, “Do you know them? Wait. Never mind. I do, and that guy is bad news. You want to be useful,” I said, gripping his hand, “get her away from him.”
Trying to ignore the shock of his hand in mine, I pulled him inside. He whistled and I whipped my head around. “Hello? My ear.”
“Stay behind me. Close enough I can grab you.”
Something about his tone had me forget I was mad about anything ever and I did as he said.
He still had my hand in his but stepped ahead of me, barreling toward Bit.
The guys he was with were next to him in a second, one standing by me.
“Let her go,” he commanded.
The huge brute sneered as he looked back. “Sorry bud, this one’s taken.”
“Hey motherfucker, he said let her go,” one of his brothers said. They called each other brothers. I remembered that from years ago.
Gasps sounded and some people began to scatter. Did he flash a gun?
“She’s mine,” the asshole said, a couple of his guys flanking him as Bit squirmed to get loose.
“I’m not yours, I don’t even know you, you fucking lunatic!” Bit said as she fought to get free.
Rooster reached for Bit, then all hell broke loose. The women squealed and ran in all directions. Some men joined in the fiasco of fists flying, while others watched from their seats, drinking beer like they were watching a fight on TV.
Bit was thrust into my arms, so I wrapped her in a hug and headed to the door. An arm was around my waist, slowing me down. “This way.”
Still gripping Bit’s shoulder, I let Rooster guide me away from the bar.
“Did you have a purse inside?”
Blinking quickly at the odd question, I answered, “No, we just brought our cards with us.”
“Car?” he asked.
“What? No, we got a rideshare. I got my cell. I’ll order one.”
He grabbed my phone, then pushed us out into the parking lot. “You’re coming with us. You can’t go home.”
I couldn’t suppress the cackle that exploded from my chest. “You’re nuts. If you want to talk, this isn’t the best way to get to me agr–hey!” I shouted as he lifted me and put me onto a motorcycle.
“You, put her in the cab of the truck,” he barked at one of the other guys as he pointed to Bit. “We gotta go.”
Falcon tossed a helmet over. “Here, it’s Daisy’s.”
“Put this on,” he said.
“Rick, you cannot just–”
Bit stuck her head out the window of a box truck. “Just put the helmet on, Kristie, and let’s go!”
Traitor.
Gritting my teeth, I clipped the strap as he mounted the bike, careful not to kick me. He reached behind him, yanking me closer by the back of my knees. “Hold on tight,” he said before the engine roared to life.
Holy shit. How did I go from perfecting a cancer drug this morning to the back of a Harley with my college fling in a matter of twelve hours?