Chapter Six. #2
“Brave girl, you can’t see the crash site from the town. Either come with me, or I sleep here, and that couch isn’t big enough,” Vortex quipped lightly. Even though his tone was steady, his eyes burned with emotion. Vortex was angry and worried. If he was, then I was, too.
“Okay,” I whispered.
“Go and pack, brave girl. Jeans, sweaters, some nightclothes, and anything else you might need. A backpack will do,” he said. I nodded and hurried off.
My mind was whirling as I packed two pairs of jeans, a pair of yoga pants, three tees, a sweater, underwear, and the usual things a woman needed.
Most of my go-to items had burned up in the crash, but I tried not to think about it.
I owned plenty of clothes. The backpack was ready to burst by the time I’d finished.
I tied a pair of sneakers’ laces together to hang them around my neck and picked the bag up with a grunt.
Quickly, I changed into some dungarees and grabbed a jumper. I pulled a hat over my ears as it was cold outside and put on a coat. Realising I still had my slippers on, I kicked them off and shoved my feet into a pair of moon boots. I wriggled my toes against the inner fur before heading out.
Vortex moved and took my pack the moment he saw me. “Okay?” he asked, searching my face.
“Yeah. I don’t know what’s happening, but if you’re worried, I’m sticking with you,” I replied softly. Vortex nodded, his eyes beaming approval.
“The feds ordered the locals to take the wreath. They’ll also fingerprint the door. I’ve told them they can speak to you at Merritt in the morning around eleven.”
“Okay,” I whispered. Vortex sent the cops a chin lift, and we all headed out. Vortex made sure the door was locked, and then we walked downstairs.
“Have you ridden a Harley before?” Vortex asked, and I shook my head.
“It’s easy. I’ll get on first and balance the bike, and you swing up behind me.
See those bars—put a foot on that to help throw your leg over.
That pipe there is the exhaust; don’t touch it, it gets hot.
Keep your arms tight around me. When I lean, you lean, but don’t overbalance, okay? ”
“Got it, I think,” I whispered.
“Amy, I’d prefer you had a helmet, but I won’t crash or have an accident. I’m a safe rider,” he assured me.
My teeth pulled my bottom lip. “Vortex, I do trust you.”
“Good.” He smiled and helped me don the backpack before mounting the huge Harley.
His long legs kept the bike steady as I put my foot where he told me to.
I swung up and over and gasped as I settled in behind Vortex.
Unsure how tightly to hold on, I placed my hands on his waist. Vortex grabbed them, hauled me closer and wrapped them around his stomach. Oh boy. This was intimate.
Despite everything going on, my body reacted.
Vortex was a handsome guy, and his smile was blinding.
His fair hair and ice-blue eyes would affect any woman.
He wasn’t bulky, although he was tall. Goosebumps broke out on my skin, but for a different reason this time.
My nipples tightened, and I thanked God I was wearing a thick coat.
“Okay?” Vortex called over his shoulder as I licked my lips.
“Yeah,” I said in a husky voice. I lay my cheek on his back as he started the engine.
Oh hell, that was worse. The vibrations from the bike shot through my body, and tingles erupted in my pussy.
The urge to clench my legs together and rub was almost overwhelming.
Shit, what was wrong with me? I was being forced from my home, and instead of being afraid, I was getting turned on.
Maybe I’d suffered a brain injury or something because I wasn’t acting normally.
Vortex steered the bike out of the car park and hit the road.
At first, I was tense, wondering whether I was leaning the right way or holding on too tight.
After a few minutes, I relaxed and began to enjoy the experience.
It wasn’t what I'd expected, and I could understand why people rode.
There was something special about this. A couple of times, I heard the faint tinkle of a bell and thought I was hearing things.
But despite that, I really loved the ride.
I was sad when Vortex pulled up to some closed gates, swiped a card at an identification terminal, and entered a car park when the barriers opened. Around me were Harleys, various cars, trucks, and a couple of SUVs.
“This is our private space for the club. Nobody is permitted to drive on Main Street. Traffic would damage the town. Over there is a visitor, guest, and staff parking area. That road leads to the town, which has some barricades preventing vehicles from entering. The only four allowed to drive in town itself are the sheriff’s car, the two fire engines, and the RRV that Doc drives. ”
“Okay,” I replied. Once again, I heard a faint tinkle. “What is that?”
“My guardian slash gremlin bell.”
“Your what?”
Vortex laughed. “It’s called either a guardian bell or a gremlin bell.
The tale goes that an old, grey, bearded biker was riding home alone one night.
His saddlebags were full of gifts for children in a local orphanage.
As he rode along the road, at one with it, a nasty group of road gremlins or goblins, depending on who’s telling the story, waited for him.
“These are creatures that set out to injure and trap bikers.
Their sole aim is to cause a crash, and they use deer, other animals, rocks, boxes, and other things to create accidents.
When the biker rounded a curve, they sprang their ambush, and he crashed, knocking himself out.
When he woke up, he was in a ditch with his bike to one side, but one of the saddlebags was near him.
“The goblins thought they could finish him off, and in desperation, the biker began throwing things at them from the saddlebag. Finally, there was only a tiny bell left, and he rang it, thinking of the children to whom he’d promised gifts.
The tinkling sound froze the goblins, confusing them.
Noticing this, he kept ringing it. Even though they were confused, they were still between him and his bike.
“Close by, two other bikers had stopped to make camp and overheard the bell ringing.
Curiously, they decided to check it out and discovered the injured man.
They attacked the goblins, saving him. The old biker tried to pay them, and they refused.
In the end, he cut some leather strips and tied bells to them, explaining that the sound confused the goblins.
“A biker can ride any road as long as they’ve got a bell and they’ll be safe from goblins. If you buy your own bell, it doesn’t work. They have to be gifted to you. The bell’s shape can trap evil spirits, while its sound chases them away. A gremlin bell, once given, is cherished,” Vortex explained.
“Wow, I love that story,” I said. “And you have one?”
“Inglorious gave me mine when I became a brother. We all have one.”
“Can you have more than one?”
“Yes. It means we’re doubly protected,” Vortex replied.
I shivered and looked around.
“We have a private path here that leads us into town and is only open to us. Saves us having to battle the potential crowds,” Vortex explained. Without a word, he took the backpack from me and smiled at my sneakers hanging from my neck.
“Good idea.”
“I thought so,” I replied.
“Come on, it’s cold, and I don’t want you ending up ill,” Vortex stated. He slung an arm around my shoulders and steered me away from the car park. As we turned the corner of the tree-lined path, I gasped. The pictures I had seen did not prepare me for the vision before me.
“Hey, you said this wasn’t a Wild West town?” I exclaimed.
“It’s not Deadwood. The houses are brick. There are a couple of brick buildings on Main Street, but most are wood. The club’s gone overboard with fire suppression systems. If a blaze takes hold here, we could lose the entire town. This burned in eighteen-ninety-three, so we don’t take any chances.”
Even though I was tired, I wanted to explore. The town called to me, and I smiled as I looked at the beautifully restored buildings. Vortex seemed to read my mind.
“I’ll take you on a tour in the morning, but it’s early hours, babe, so let’s get some sleep.”
I nodded and let him lead me to a building which had a sign hanging above the saloon-style doors.
Unwanted Bastards MC—Private, it stated.
Vortex pulled open the doors, and I was surprised to see two more behind them.
Unlike the saloon doors, which were head-height, these were floor-to-ceiling and slid to the side.
“Yeah, it’s weird. But we had these installed to stop guests wandering into the clubhouse at night or when it’s empty. Usually, there’s someone here so we can chase them off. The club can lock the doors and be confident nobody’s going to invade us,” Vortex explained.
“I like the way they slide behind the wall,” I said as I studied the setup. It had been done with consideration and looked original.
“Yeah, that was Apache and Rock’s idea from Rage MC. They run a busy company. Blackrock Construction did all the restorations here and is now working on the houses behind Main Street.”
“There are a lot of houses?”
“Yeah. Tucked behind the clubhouse sit two hundred twenty. Between that side of Main Street and the field where the zeppelin crashed are another seventy-five. Although that number will shrink, the club will be using the larger area for our homes. They’re all semi-detached, so we’re having them knocked into one to make bigger houses for us.
The seventy-five we’re hiring out for staff to use. ”
“Oh, that’s good,” I replied, but didn’t feel it.
I couldn’t imagine living there and looking over the field into which the zeppelin had crashed. Although Vortex had been matter-of-fact, I’d flinched when he mentioned the crash. How long before I stopped doing that?
“Come on, you’re tired and overwhelmed.” Vortex led me into the clubhouse, and while I got a quick glimpse, he hurried me up some stairs. He walked along a passageway, up a second flight, and opened a door.
“There’s nobody on this level, so you’ll not be disturbed here. My bunks on the ground floor, but tonight I’ll stay opposite you, just in case I’m needed,” Vortex said. He opened the closet and pulled out two plastic bags containing bedding and pillows.
“Go do what you need. The bathroom is through there. I’ll make your bed up,” Vortex ordered.
Tiredly, I headed for where he pointed. I did need to use the facilities. Once I washed up and re-entered the bedroom, I wasn’t surprised to see the bed ready for me.
“Amy, I’m going to my bunk to collect my bedding and shit. I’ll be gone ten minutes tops. Go to bed. If you need me, I’ll be across the hall,” Vortex said.
“This is so much trouble…”
“Shhh, brave girl, it’s nothing of the sort. Get some rest, tomorrow I’ll take you on a tour of the town. Just ignore the chaos that you’re bound to find in the morning. The brothers aren’t quiet, and neither are Nanci and Daisy-Duke.”
I didn’t get a chance to ask who they were as Vortex kissed my forehead and left the room, shutting the door behind him.
Damn, that man was something else. If only he didn’t view me as a project, the one he’d saved.
Then again, he had asked to see me; did that mean dating?
Life was so confusing right now. I wish Natasha were here; she’d understand what was happening.
As sorrow rose at my loss, I climbed into bed and lay there listening for Vortex to return.
Boots clomped quietly, and my bedroom door opened. I kept my eyes closed, and Vortex shut the door and headed into his own room. Shit, how could you not care about a man who checks if you’re asleep and okay? Life was turning on its head. Sadly, I didn’t know which was up.