Chapter 2
two
W ilheim Rusek increased the speed of the bike between his legs. There was nothing like being free on the open road with the wind in his hair. He’d left work early, using a headache as an excuse, but nothing was wrong with him. Not really. His younger brother, Niko, had given him an odd look but didn’t question him. Today, Will just wanted to get on his bike and go. He wanted to ride along the coast, but before he did that, he’d head home change out his grease-covered clothing then jump back on the road.
It wasn’t often that Will missed work. He and Niko had busted their asses to make Precision Motors what it was today. They’d been given the chance to purchase the shop from George, the former owner. The old man had taken a liking to the Rusek boys when they were just teenagers. Will had first started working on motorcycles for George when he was around sixteen years old. He had fallen in love with the machines at an early age and he had been given a chance that many kids in his old neighborhood didn’t get.
Trouble seemed to follow him and Niko wherever they went and, thanks to George, they’d had a place to go to get off the streets. Niko always tagged along with Will, and George decided to hire his younger brother as well.
They had worked for George until he decided it was time to retire and sold the shop to the brothers. Will and Niko renamed the shop, renovated it, and with their savvy business sense and street smarts, they had become one of the premier motorcycle shops on the west coast.
The Rusek boys had come from nothing and Will was damn proud of what he and his brother had accomplished. Their father had been a drunk and their mother had always ignored the abuse the old man dealt out.
Will had left home at the age of eighteen. If he had stayed any longer, there would have been a high chance that he would be in prison for taking his old man out. But even with leaving, he hadn’t forgotten his little brother. He’d kept an eye on Niko who soon followed and joined Will when he was seventeen. They had left that life behind and last either of them had heard their father died from an overdose and their mother was on her fifth husband.
W ill guided his bike through his neighborhood until he arrived home. He pulled into the driveway and drove around to the back. He hadn’t planned on staying long so he parked outside the garage. The three car detached garage housed not only his bikes, but his cars as well. Will had an addiction to tinkering on machines and when he wasn’t at the shop, he was working on his beloved motorcycles and he had a major restoration project that he was in the midst of.
He killed the engine and swung off his bike. He jogged up the back stairs of his home and entered through the back door. He kicked off his boots by the door.
Will had purchased a home in the Bay Area outside of the city years ago. He had wanted a quiet community but was still near the city. His commute to work wasn’t bad, but Will needed to be away from the hustle and bustle. He had settled on an area that offered fabulous views, rolling hills, access to the water, and beautiful parks where he could go running when the mood struck.
He made his way to the second floor where his master suite was located. The clothes were the first to go. He tossed them into the hamper in the closet. He contemplated a shower. Working in a shop meant that dirt and oil would be embedded on his skin. He caught a whiff of himself and decided a shower would be smart. He stripped off his underwear, tossed them in with his clothes and went into the attached bathroom. Anxious to get back on the road, his shower was record breaking, but the hot water had done wonders on his stiff muscles.
He wrapped a towel around his waist after drying off and moved in front of the vanity. He paused and took himself in. Clear blue eyes stared back at him. He raked his fingers through his damp hair and noticed a few gray strands. He grimaced with the realization that he resembled his late father. Both he and Niko had similar features, but Will was slightly taller than his brother.
Will held back a grin when thinking of his younger brother. Niko had finally realized something they all had known. He was in love with his friend, Kizzie. Will had never understood how Niko hadn’t known, but apparently it had taken Kizzie moving back to Ohio for Niko to wake up. Will was proud of his brother. He had done something neither of them had ever experienced in life.
Niko had found love, settled down and started a family.
Their home was filled with love and laughter which was something Niko and Will had never experienced. Kizzie was a good woman and balanced his brother out.
Will shook his head and left the bathroom to find some clean clothes to throw on. Settling down was something he could never do. As much as he tried to deny it, he had his father’s blood running through his veins, and he’d be damned if he ended up like him. Niko was lucky, but Will doubted Lady Luck would strike twice for the Rusek brothers.
He had settled for being the best uncle a kid could have. Niko’s son, Kylen, just didn’t know how lucky he was. He had not only a protective father, but a bear of an uncle who would do anything to protect him.
Marriage and settling down was not for Will.
He was quite content with his life as it was.
He owned a successful business, had plenty of money in order to live a comfortable life, and did what he wanted when he wanted.
As for female company, he was never alone. He had plenty of women he could call on to take care of any needs he had. Be it just friendly company or that of the carnal kind. He could pick up his phone right now and choose one to call and they would answer
There was once a time when he thought he’d been in love. He’d met Whitney when he was thirty and she’d been twenty-five. A pretty blonde with bright green eyes and an infectious smile. He had thought she was the love of his life. Their relationship had moved fast. By their eighth month of dating, they had gotten a place together. It was before he and Niko had taken over the shop. He had just been a regular mechanic trying to make ends meet.
Within months of them moving in together, things began to change. Whitney started to demand more from Will. He had been financially supporting them both while she tried to follow her acting dreams.
At first, he supported her dreams and aspirations. He’d certainly had his own. He and Niko scraped to save money because they had known eventually George was going to want to retire. He’d started mumbling about it and Will didn’t want to see the shop be sold off to just anyone.
Whitney hadn’t understood that. She had expected him to funnel all of their money to pay for her classes, clothing, makeup, and anything else she deemed necessary in order to catch the eye of a producer or whoever could help her get a role.
She’d done a few commercials and local things, but she wanted more.
Their once fun times and loving nature began to go south. Then the arguments started. Items around the house had been thrown and broken. She’d even called the cops on him one night when their argument had turned heated. Even though she had been the one throwing things at him and hitting him, he was the one arrested. The police believed her story immediately.
After spending one night in jail because of her, Will knew he had to cut it off. He refused to go down that road. Memories of the fights his parents had had ran through his mind. It was best for him to walk away now. Luckily enough he’d always used protection with her even though she had claimed she was on the pill. With no kids and no marriage, it was easy for him to just leave. He didn’t know when things between them changed, but the woman he had been in love with had crushed the fantasy that he could have a better life than his parents had.
It was then Wilheim Rusek decided he would be single for life.
He did love the company of women. Natural beauties with curves were his favorite. He was a large man and always preferred a woman who could handle his size. Women who had sought the latest cosmetic surgical trends were not for him. But a woman who was in touch with what she possessed and confident with herself always drew Will’s attention. He began to think of who he could call. Maybe he could meet up with someone tonight. It had been a minute since he’d had a little fun with the opposite sex.
He threw on a clean pair of boxer briefs and tossed his towel on the back of the chair in the corner. He’d hang it up later. He was in a rush to get back to his bike. He planned to drive down the coast, and then grab a drink and a bite to eat. He was going to take this day for himself.
The ringing of his cellphone cut through the air. He glanced over at the nightstand where he had tossed it, his wallet, and keys and frowned. Who would be calling him? He walked over and peered down at the screen and didn’t recognize the number. He snatched the phone up and answered.
“Hello?”
“Hi, is this Will?” A sexy, husky voice greeted him. He paused, not recognizing the voice and raked his fingers through his damp hair.
“This is,” he replied. Her breathless chuckle had his cock stiffening. He glanced down at his member pressing against the cotton material that confirmed he needed to make a call. “Who is this?”
“It’s Imani. Imani Bishop. I’m Kizzie’s friend,” she replied.
Will immediately knew who this was. His brother had asked a favor of him. His sister in law's friend was in town for a work event and needed a date for a black tie event. Normally that type of scene wasn't one he would find himself at, but because Kizzie was asking he would do it. One never knew where new business could be found. The last time he had donned a tuxedo was for a buddy's wedding. He had sworn that would be the time he'd wear a penguin suit.
"Imani, how are you?" he asked. Will had agreed to the date but one thing he hadn't asked was what Imani looked like. At that moment it hadn't really seemed to matter since he was helping out Kizzie’s friend. But now hearing her voice, he needed to know. He'd met several of Kizzie's family and friends when she and his brother got married, but didn't recall meeting anyone named Imani.
"I'm doing well, thanks for asking. I figured since I'm in town I would touch base with you to confirm that you’re still interested in being my plus one for the black-tie event?”
"Of course," he replied. He sat on the edge of the bed wanting to hear her speak more. Images filtered through his head as he tried to imagine her. She had to be gorgeous. Kizzie was a nice looking girl and he highly doubted any of her friends wouldn’t be. Good looking women tended to hang out together.
He ran a hand across his chest at her squeal of excitement.
"I really appreciate it and I promise this is not how I usually get dates… I’m not the type of woman who can’t get a date on her own,” she laughed.
“I never would have thought that.” Will found a small smile playing on his lips. A woman whose voice dripped sex appeal would never find herself alone. Will’s interest was piqued. He just had to see her in person before the big night. “Well since you’re new to town. How about I show you around.”
The phone went quiet for a moment. Had he overstepped a boundary? He didn’t think he had. If she were new to San Francisco and had time, he could show her around. His heart suddenly sped up. Was this nervousness? Hell, he couldn’t remember the last time he’d gotten this way over a woman.
“That does sound nice. Are you sure I wouldn’t be keeping you from something? I don’t want to intrude if you do?—
“My day is cleared, and I wouldn’t mind showing you around.”
“I can be ready in an hour. I just got to the hotel and want to freshen up a bit.”
“That would be perfect. Wear comfy clothing and shoes,” he said. A full fledged grin spread across his face. He stood up and began moving over to his closet. In the back of his mind, he began thinking of all the touristy places that he could take her to. He grimaced thinking of the common spots. Most natives of the city avoided certain attractions because of all the people clamoring to see things like the Golden Gate Bridge. He’d take her there if she wanted to go, but there were some other places they could go he was sure she’d enjoy.
“Comfy clothes and shoes. I think I have something I can throw on that would fit that.”
“Good. Where are you staying?” he asked. She told him the name of the hotel, and with the promise to see her in an hour, they ended the call. He paused before tossing his phone on the bed. He opened up a text message and shot her a quick question.
You’re not afraid of motorcycles, are you?