Chapter 15
LARK
After a moment, I realize I have no idea where I’m going. Stopping, I offer Hal a sheepish smile. “So… I actually don’t know where your silicone grease is. Am I going the right way?”
His lips tip up in a genuine smile. “That you are, wild girl. I’ll show you the rest of the way, though.”
It’s only when Hal tugs me along by my hand that I realize we’re holding hands. I just grabbed him without thinking it through, too desperate to get away from Azrael and the random woman.
I can’t lie and say I don’t like how Hal’s hand feels in mine. Much like him, Hal’s hand is big, strong, and warm, making me feel absolutely tiny for once in my life.
Butterflies swarm in my stomach at the contact, and I know I shouldn’t be feeling so giddy from simply holding hands. But I do, and I refuse to examine this feeling too much right now.
As we wind through the garage, I look around in shock at the dozens of motorcycle lifts. Most of them are filled with bikes, and a team of ten or so mechanics are working between the different machines.
I had no idea the shop was so big from the outside. Business seems to be booming, too, if how many bikes are here is any indication.
While I expect Hal to lead me to one of the workstations along the slate-brick walls, he instead brings me to a shiny black door on the back wall. He quickly punches in a code before tugging me into the darkened room.
Flipping on a light switch, Hal reluctantly releases my hand.
When the lights come on, my jaw drops at what must be close to a hundred motorcycles stored in the large room. A quarter of the space is dedicated to a bunch of tool chests, workbenches, and a couple of lifts. The rest of it is taken up by rows and rows of bikes.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen this many bikes in one place. I thought Charlie and Coop’s collection was insane, with a dozen between the two of them.
Turning to Hal in a daze, I ask, “What is this place?”
He chuckles at the look on my face. “It’s our personal workshop and bike storage. We’ve collected a lot of them over the years and needed someplace to store and work on them.”
“Holy shit. You own all of these? Business must be going really fucking well.” There’s no way a couple of businesses would allow them to buy this many bikes, so I have to wonder where they’re getting the rest of their cash flow from.
He snorts. “You could say that.”
Hal places his hands around my waist and lifts me up. I squeak in surprise and have a death grip on his wrists until he sets me on the butcher-block top of the workbench.
I look at him questioningly for a moment, but he doesn’t explain himself. I let him randomly picking me up go. Hal seems to be the most touchy-feely of the guys, so I’m guessing he just does this stuff without thinking.
Shrugging, I lean back on my hands and get comfortable. “So, you own the dealership, ice-cream shop, and this place. At least, I assume so because it has Colt’s last name on it. Are those all the businesses you own?”
Hal grins at me and shakes his head. “Yeah, we own this place. And not even close. We have over a hundred businesses in Willow Bend and the surrounding towns. We’ve had a long time to build our portfolio up, though.”
I gape at him. “Man, no wonder you ride Ducatis and have hundreds of bikes.”
My family is very well off, but even they don’t own a hundred businesses. Then again, most of their wealth comes from less-than-legal sources.
Hal doesn’t say anything as he opens drawers on the toolbox to my left. He has to rifle through a couple of drawers before he finds what he was looking for. He pulls out a small white tube with a blue top and hands it to me.
“Here’s your grease. Want a Skittle?” Hal pulls a bright red pouch of candy out of his pocket and offers it to me.
I can’t help my smile as I accept some of the candy I’m coming to associate with him.
After munching on his own portion, Hal says, “Sorry about everything with Az and that rando out there.”
My face heats at the mention of Azrael and that woman. I didn’t do anything wrong, but I still feel embarrassed about the whole situation.
“She seems… nice,” I squeak.
Hal chokes on his laugh. “She is most definitely not nice. Az doesn’t stick his di—” He breaks off and gives me a sheepish look. “He doesn’t go out with anyone who has any redeeming personality traits.”
My heart pangs uncomfortably at that. I’d bet everything I have that I’m too “nice” for Azrael to be interested in. I already know I’m not Azrael’s type, but it still hurts to have it said so bluntly.
And I really don’t need to be thinking about where any of the five of them are sticking their dicks. The thought of them fucking other women makes me simultaneously furious and depressed.
Knowing I should leave it, I still ask, “Why?”
Hal’s lips twist into a grimace. “I’m sorry, wild girl. That’s not my story to tell. Speaking of stories, how’d you end up at the garage with Azrael?”
I let Hal not so subtly change the subject. I wouldn’t appreciate Charlie or Coop sharing my fucked-up story with anyone without my permission, so I understand why he’s hesitant to say anything. It just shows what a good friend he is.
“Oh, the usual.” I shrug and look as casual as I can. “He showed up at my apartment for some reason, told me I was fixing my thermostat wrong, then kidnapped me.”
Hal’s eyes widen. “Please tell me Az didn’t actually kidnap you. I honestly wouldn’t put it past him, but I thought he had more sense than that.”
I chuckle. “No, he didn’t. He just wouldn’t accept ‘no’ for an answer when I said I didn’t want to ride on the back of his bike.”
His eyebrows raise. “He let you ride on the back? I’m surprised. Az normally won’t let anyone ride behind him.”
My heart gives a pathetic little thump in my chest at that, like I’m somehow special to Azrael. Even though I know, without a doubt, I’m not.
Needing something to distract myself from the stupid hope blooming in me that Azrael will ever view me as anything more than a nuisance, I stare at the motorcycles. “So, you have a favorite one of your bikes?”
Hal scoffs and gives me a look like I’m being ridiculous. “Of course. My KLR 650s are obviously my favorite. All four of them.”
I look out over their impressive collection and see if I can spot which ones Hal’s talking about. When I can’t, I turn back to him and ask, “What is a KLR 650?”
Clutching at his chest like I wounded him, Hal gasps dramatically. “You don’t know what a KLR is? That’s a travesty. Stay right there. I’ll be back!”
Before I can say anything, Hal darts off to his bike collection. It doesn’t take him long to come back with a bike. Once he sets it in front of me, he rushes back out before I can say anything. He does this three more times until there are four motorcycles in front of me.
They look like a cross between a dirt bike and a street motorcycle. I’ve never really seen anything like it. “Those are KLRs?”
Hal’s chest puffs up in pride as he surveys his machines.
“You bet your cute butt they are. Kawasaki KLR 650s are a hybrid between a dual-sport and an adventure bike. They’re tall, slow, and suck at everything, but I love them so much.
My favorite is probably the ’97 Kickstart KLR. It’s the first one I ever got.”
I duck my head as my cheeks heat at him calling my butt cute. I’m sure he was just saying it to be funny, but it still makes my insides feel all warm and gooey.
He points at the blue-and-purple bike that looks kind of like a nineties jazz cup threw up on it. I can’t help but grin at the crazy design and Hal’s enthusiasm. “They look pretty cool. Maybe I’ll have to find one to ride sometime to try it out.”
He rolls his eyes. “Don’t be silly, wild girl. Just lemme know when you wanna ride, and you can borrow one of my KLRs. Hell, you can borrow any bike from my collection if you want.”
He’s being so sweet and thoughtful that I suddenly feel really bad about changing my number without telling him. Plus, he might still need something else for the bike purchase, so he should probably have a way to contact me.
“I changed my number,” I blurt.
Hal tilts his head as he examines me. “Thank you for telling me, wild girl. I’d be pretty bummed if I didn’t have a way to talk to you. Why’d you change it?”
I studiously avoid his gaze, not wanting to tell him why but also not wanting to lie to him. “I had some problems with my old one. So, would you like it?”
He gives me a droll look. “Of course I want it. But I don’t want it just so I can contact you about your 636, you know.”
My eyes bounce between his for a long moment as I try to figure him out.
“What are we doing here, Hal?” I whisper. “What do you want from me?”
Stepping between my slightly parted legs, Hal gently grips my chin and tilts my face up so I’m staring directly into his light green eyes. “I want whatever you’re willing to give, Lark. Whether that’s being riding buddies, friends, or… more.”
With him in my space, I can’t think properly. It feels like his presence consumes all the oxygen in the room, and it makes me feel all fuzzy.
When I process what he said, it feels like I’ve been dunked in ice water.
“I can’t…” I whimper, feeling the panic rise at the thought of being in another relationship. “I can’t do more, Hal. Not right now. Probably not ever. I just can’t.”
My only real experience with being in a relationship is with Andrew. And I barely escaped that one alive.
I can’t go back to being involved with anyone, because that means he’ll own me, mind, body, and soul. He’ll be able to do whatever he wants to me, and I won’t be able to stop it because we’re in a relationship. He’ll be able to hurt me, and it’ll always be my fault.
While I don’t think Hal is like that, I can’t risk it. Not when I’m barely holding on as it is.
And I know Hal has probably only been spending so much time with me because he wants something from me. Now that I’ve told him I can’t give it to him, he’ll probably disappear.
Despite how hard I’ve been trying to keep my distance from the five of them, I know I haven’t really been successful. It’ll hurt like hell when Hal decides he doesn’t want to hang out with me anymore.
I start to hyperventilate at the thoughts of relationships and disappointing Hal when I’m suddenly lifted up.
Hal takes my place on the workbench and gently sets me on his lap. He wraps his arms around me and crushes me to his chest. I’m too lost in my mind to even enjoy the contact.
“Hey, wild girl, it’s okay. Shh, baby, it’s okay,” he rasps into my hair over and over as he rocks me back and forth for who knows how long.
When I start to calm down minutes or hours later, he presses a gentle kiss to the top of my head and whispers, “I’d be the happiest man alive if you just let me be your friend.
I don’t need anything more than that, okay? ”
My lips part in surprise at that. Of all the reactions I thought Hal would have, telling me he’d be happy just to be my friend wasn’t it. I don’t know why I’m so surprised, though. Hal has been nothing but kind and understanding since we met. I could definitely do worse for a friend than him.
“I think I can do friends,” I croak as I cautiously peer up at him.
Hal’s face lights up, like I just told him he won the lottery or something. “Really?”
My lips twitch up slightly at his enthusiasm. “Really.”
He grins down at me. “That’s the best news I’ve ever heard.”
While he’s trying to seem upbeat, I can see the worry in his gaze. He clearly wants to ask about my little freak-out but is holding himself back. I’m thankful for it because I don’t think I could answer any questions right now, even if I wanted to.
I roll my eyes at him. “I’m sure you’ve heard better news before.”
“Nope. Never have. So, now that we’re friends, will you stay for dinner tonight? As friends, of course. It’s the least I can do after Az kidnapped you and dragged you out here.”
I open my mouth to refuse, but he gives me puppy-dog eyes that instantly shatter my resolve. I sigh. “Sure, Hal. I’ll stay for dinner.”
He’s practically vibrating with excitement as he leans down to plant a kiss on my forehead. Then he gently sets me down next to him and hops up. “Awesome! How ’bout we go upstairs so you can relax a bit before dinner? It’s been an eventful day, with Az kidnapping you and all.”
I snort and hop off the bench to stand next to him. “Sure. What’s upstairs?”
He intertwines his fingers with mine and starts leading me out of the back room. Over his shoulder, he explains, “It’s where the five of us stay when we have business in the city or just need a break from everything. Everyone’s here today, so we can all hang out together.”
My heart thumps excitedly in my chest at the thought of seeing the rest of them. As much as I try to tamp down on the excitement, a small smile still spreads across my face.
Hal pushes through the door and holds it open for me. We’ve only taken a few steps when we almost run into a person I never expected to see here.