Wrath #2
Bones got up and walked out of the conference room, leaving the rest of us to start piecing together our plan to take down the Demarco brothers. It didn’t go as well as I’d hoped. We didn’t know much about either of them—just what Bruton had given, but that wasn’t much.
They’d always met at various locations in the area to make their drops, each time different from the one before, so there was no known warehouse or building for us to plan to attack.
It felt like we were all talking in circles until Savage finally said, “We aren’t getting anywhere with this.
We’re just gonna have to wait for Bones and Big to find us something we can actually use. ”
“Agreed.” Cotton turned to me and motioned his hand at my blood-stained shirt. “And that means you can finally get home and take a shower.”
“Why?” I acted offended as I asked, “You don’t think red looks good on me?”
“Shower, brother. For your sake and mine.”
“I’ll take that as a no,” I scoffed. “I’ll go home and shower, but I expect to be called if anything comes up with the Demarco brothers.”
“Absolutely.”
I did as I promised and went home to shower.
When I got to the house, I didn’t bother with the dirty dishes in the sink or the unopened mail.
I simply grabbed some clean clothes and headed for the bathroom.
I started the shower, and as soon as I stepped under the hot water, the tension in my muscles started to subside.
After a long, brutal day, I was finally starting to relax, and it wasn’t long before my mind drifted to Mia. I thought back to the night before when I found her in my bed and how disappointed I was in the morning when I discovered she was gone.
It was a feeling I had no business having, but I had it, nonetheless.
I decided it was time for us to come to an understanding, so I threw on my clothes, grabbed my cut, and headed out to my bike.
I was just about to put on my helmet when I spotted Rosa walking towards me.
I wanted nothing more than to just ignore her and drive off, but I waited until she got closer and said, “I was just heading out.”
“I see that.”
“There something you need?”
“No.” Her eyes drifted to the ground. “I was just hoping we could... Never mind. It’s not important.”
Our past hookups hadn’t meant anything to me, but clearly, they’d meant something to her.
She was a nice girl who’d been through a lot with an abusive ex.
The last thing I wanted to do was add to her hurt, but I had no interest in getting tied up with her.
Instead of drawing things out, I gave her a nod and pulled out of the driveway.
I went straight to Mia’s, and we hashed things out—if you can call it that.
I’d planned to end things with her, but once again, I found myself in her bed. What can I say? The woman was a temptress, and I simply couldn’t resist her.
I’d been lying there thinking about things for God knows how long when I turned to check if Mia was still asleep. I was surprised to find that she was not only awake, but she was staring right at me.
Her voice was low and raspy from her slumber as she whispered, “Where did you go?”
“I’ve been right here.”
“You have, but your mind is a hundred miles away.”
“I was just thinking about my crazy day.”
“Is that why you can’t sleep?”
“Partly, but it’s nothing new.” I sat up and reached for my boxers. I slipped them on as I told her, “I should get going and let you get some sleep.”
“No, I’m fine,” she argued. “So, what do you usually do on nights like this when you can’t sleep?”
“I don’t know... Watch TV or take a ride.”
“A ride sounds nice.” Her lips curled into a smile as she said, “We should go.”
“You serious about that?” I pulled on my t-shirt and grabbed my jeans. “It’s going to be chilly.”
“Absolutely. That’s what coats and toboggans are for.”
She tossed the covers back and scurried to the bathroom.
After cleaning up a bit, she came out with a towel wrapped around her.
She collected her clothes, then returned to the bathroom.
In a blink, she returned to the bedroom wearing a pair of jeans and a hoodie.
She smiled as she said, “Let me grab my coat, and I’ll be ready to roll. ”
“You sure about this?”
“Of course.” Her eyes were bright with excitement. “I haven’t been riding in ages.”
“Okay, let’s do this.”
I pulled on my boots and put on my cut, then followed her into the living room. She already had on her coat and gloves, and she was slipping on her hat as she asked, “Do you have a hat and gloves?”
I didn’t respond.
I just gave her a look, and she quickly shook her head. “Of course, you do. I don’t know what I was thinking.”
“You ready?”
She nodded, then grabbed her keys and walked over to her front door. She gave the deadbolt a turn, but it didn’t budge. “Damn.”
She bumped the door with her elbow and gave the doorknob a tug. “Troubles?”
“It just sticks sometimes.” She tried turning the deadbolt again, and this time, it released. “It just needs a little love.”
Mia giggled, then headed down the stairs. I followed after, and when we got down to my bike, I offered her my spare helmet. I kicked my leg over the seat, then helped Mia climb on behind me. Once she was settled, I started the engine and asked, “You all set?”
“Ready when you are.”
Mia’s hands clutched my sides as I slowly backed out of the parking lot and out onto the main road.
She was no novice at riding. She’d ridden a hundred times with her brother and father, so she knew exactly how to move her body with the flow of the bike.
And from what I could tell, she loved riding just as much as I did.
Being on my bike had always given me a rush. Absolutely nothing beat the feeling of riding a six-hundred-pound, two-wheeled machine. I loved having the wind in my face, even when it was freezing-ass cold outside. It made me feel alive and free.
All of my senses were magnified—I became one with the road and the world around me. It was an incredible feeling. As we drove down the old country road, I was worried that Mia might not feel the same, but then she leaned forward, her lips close to my ear, and shouted, “I’ve missed this.”
“You aren’t too cold?”
“No, I’m good!”
I nodded, then continued towards Port Angeles. When I sped around a curve, I could feel Mia's grip tighten around my waist, her trust in me evident. She was the first woman to ride on my bike, and I was surprised at how much I liked having her there—even more than I cared to admit.
After a few more miles, we arrived at my secret spot. It was the perfect place to see a breathtaking view of the moonlight on the ocean. We parked and dismounted, and as we stood there side by side, Mia whispered, “It’s beautiful.”
“I thought you’d think so.”
“I had no idea this place even existed.”
“I came across it a few years ago. I like to come out here when I need to clear my head.”
“Well, it’s the perfect place for that.” She glanced up at me and smiled. “Thank you for bringing me here.”
I found it odd that she was thanking me.
It was me who should’ve been thanking her.
She’d taken a shit day and turned it into one I wouldn’t soon forget.
I don’t know what it was about this woman, but she’d caught me under her spell, and without even trying, she’d made me feel things I never thought I could feel.
I didn’t know if I should hold onto her and claim her as mine.
Or run like hell.