A New Day (Knights Disciple Motorcycle Club Book 1) (4 page)

CHAPTER SEVEN

It was strange sleeping in a place that wasn’t hers. Her brother, however, liked it. To him it was a giant sleepover, but Laura liked being settled. She and Will decided it was, perhaps, a smart move to sleep in separate rooms, though when she saw his sumptuous bedroom, pangs of desire tortured her.

She was instantly filled with fantasies of making a complete mess of his room with intense erotic acrobatics. And then she got a little jealous of the other women who might have had the amazing fortune to share it with him. Will Shriner was a handsome and sensitive man. He was a total catch and a wonderfully gifted lover. No doubt he sowed some wild oats. She started comparing herself to imaginary women and wondering about this man that she had basically had stranger-sex with. Well he wasn’t a stranger any more.

Laura was to make the transition from having Lucas in public school to homeschool without missing work. When it was decided that she would be driven to and from work, she asked one of the guys to do it. As much as she was dying for Will to take her, she was trying to slow things
way
down between them, but her request confused both Pete and Darren.

“I think Will was planning on doing that,” they said.

Will walked in on the conversation. “Plan on doing what?”

“I was thinking it would be better if one of these two took me in,” she answered hesitantly.

“Why is that?” Will asked intently.

Laura blushed. “You know,” she answered, “Because.”

Will plucked her keys of a hook where he hung them. “Okay, we can talk in the car.” It was kind of funny seeing a member of the Knights’ Disciples, who looked awesome and appropriate on a motorcycle, drive her car.

“So do you mind me driving you?” he asked her. There was something devilish about how he asked it, like he was gently teasing her. She blushed again. It overtook her like a little wildfire. “That is the second time you have done that. Is it too much for me to drive you?”

“I just thought we probably could do with some space,” she said. Just being near him aroused her. “As much as we can under the circumstances.”

“I see. So you thought we needed space or you needed space or I needed space?” he asked for clarification.

“I – I,” she stammered. “I am not sure I know that answer to that question,”

CHAPTER EIGHT

Whether the Members of Park Heights had backed off or were waiting for Laura and Lucas to resume their former pattern of living, no one knew. One night, over yet another dinner that Will prepared, Lucas expressed his gratitude to the Knights’ Disciples for their protection and their hospitality. Laura beamed. She liked the results the male influence had on her younger brother.

The guys had been working out like crazy with Lucas and, against her better judgment, teaching him how to defend himself with weapons. His school work hadn’t really missed out in quality. Laura wouldn’t have been able to achieve all of that on her own. They even taught him how to ride a motorcycle. That, however, Laura was not too happy about; she thought they were dangerous.

“So is falling in love,” winked Will.

“So I was wondering,” said Lucas as the bread was being passed around, “how does someone become a Knights’ Disciples?”

His question stopped the flow of dinner. The Knights regarded each other as if to look for the answer, and Laura looked at Lucas. “Why? Do you want to become a member?” she asked.

“Yeah,” he said shyly.

“Why?” Laura inadvertently asked as though it were the worst possible choice.

“Ahem,” Will smiled. “There are worse fates. So, Lucas, this would be something you would really have to think about. I know we’ve spent a lot of time together in the past couple week but there is a lot to being a Knights’ Disciples. We have a code.”

Now Laura smiled. “What would that be?” All sorts of playful answers rolled around her head, answers that she would only be able to share with him.

“No gangsters,” Pete chimed in.

“That’s right,” said Will. “Some of my guys have records. We aren't choirboys, but we live by the straight and narrow now. We take care of ourselves and don't eat a bunch of crap. We drink in moderation and no illegal drugs. We don't break laws, so if you were looking for a different kind of cool, we ain't it."

Laura couldn't quite read it, but she thought, for a moment, that her little brother was disappointed in Will's response, but of course a teen would romanticize a motorcycle club. She must have had some idea that having the positive male influence for her younger brother would solve everything. It wasn't going to be that easy after all. But for the few weeks of camping at Will's remarkably lovely house, life did seem to go back to normal. Lucas was getting along great with the two members Will assigned to him.

Will and Lucas seem to hit it off, as well. The Knights’ Disciples managed to teach the kid to shoot and break cinderblocks with his head, elbows, and feet, and help him keep up with his studies. The focus on her brother definitely took the heat off of Laura and Will. She wasn't really heartbroken about it. It was nice to slow things down to get to know him better, to really come to admire him.

And his solution was right on target. Moving Laura and Will to his place worked miracles. They didn't hear a sound from the gang members. No more pop up appearances by M.O.P.H. Nothing. So one day, on the fly, Laura and Lucas went over to the Boys and Girls Club to do some volunteer work. It just came up in conversation during one of those rare moments when they were alone and they just went with it.

Lucas liked to use the gym there and she could put in some much-needed hours. Her criminal justice degree required so many hours of elective community service. It was just a short bus ride over from Laura's work to the club. She would ride over and meet Lucas there when he was finished with school and whatever else the guys had him do. Since everything died down, they figured they would start living a normal life again. It was a relief and exciting at the same time.

"See you there," said Laura, "just remember to let the guys know, because I'm in depositions all day with my boss and I won't get a chance."

Lucas showed up and Laura double-checked that the guys knew what they were doing. Lucas said yes, so they bused over and that was that. So it was confusing as to why Will and about five Knights’ Disciples rode into the lot as though they were ready to do battle.

"Where’s Lucas?" were Will's first words. He had a scowl on his face that gave Laura a hint as to what he looked like when he in a confrontation.

"He is in the weight room. What’s up?" Laura asked a little nervous about what he might say.

"I told him to wait for me and that we were going to go over and talk to a detective about the gang stuff and he split on me.” Will was furious.

She was hurt beyond belief. Her brother was lying. "We had plans to come here and he said he told you all."

"You left that up to the teenager?"

Suddenly there was a loud crash. It sounded like a stampede in the weight room complete with the noises of breaking glass. The mirrors were being shattered. The Knights’ Disciples flew down the lower level to address what turned out to be Lucas and another kid. This time Lucas has the upper hand, literally, and was holding a shard of broken mirror. He had the room paralyzed, hoping that if they were still, he would be still.

"Lucas," Laura scolded. Her stomach was in knots. Will just glared at the boy and it was enough to have him release his opponent. Pete and Darren held Lucas and disarmed him.

"I had to show him he couldn't push me around," Lucas offered.

The gym was a disaster. In minutes the air was filled with sirens. The cops had arrived. And so had the director of the club. She was speechless. She faulted Laura with not having good judgment to stay away given the circumstances and basically said she invited the trouble to the club. She barred Lucas and her from volunteering. They were dismissed.

Will stepped up and offered to cover the cost of the damage and he said he and his men would have the place restored by the morning.

"Impossible," said the director.

"Watch us," said Will.

"In that case, I accept," said the director. "By the crack of dawn, this place better be put back together or I may level criminal charges against you."

CHAPTER NINE

Laura was without words. The emotion that rested in her body tangled her tongue. She knew that Lucas was no more than the average teenager but, at the moment, she was destroyed by his behavior. She really didn't like him at the moment. She wasn't even sure that she liked the director's decision to not press charges against the teens even though, by all accounts, the other kid started it. The cops agreed with Laura, but if the Knights’ Disciples could fix the place like they said and they could keep the controversy to a minimum, that was how the director wanted it.

Laura stood by quietly as Will read Lucas the riot act. "We had a date with a detective," he began.

"This was something I had to take care of. They were calling me a bitch and I had to show them," Lucas replied with no remorse.

"So while you were talking to me and talking to your sister who lives and dies by you, in case you hadn't noticed, you were lying," said Will.

"I had to do what I had to do," said Lucas.

"So do I and so does your sister, but we don't tend to use people to do it. That would be a hint and half for your ass that you're doing the wrong thing," said Will.

"Man, don't talk to me like you're all cool and shit," said Lucas. He affected a street accent that sounded just like that the M.O.P.H. gang members had.

"Laura, I apologize for interfering. Clearly this young man doesn't need his fellow man. I suggest you send him back to public school and let him handle things." Will unlocked Laura's car and when Lucas started to get in, Will stopped him. "Where do you think you're going?" Will asked.

"I am going to be with my sister," he said.

"Oh no. You're staying here to help us clean up this mess. She is going home with some of the guys," said Will.

"But the other guy doesn't have to help!" protested Lucas. "And he started it."

"Did you two arrange to meet here to fight it out?" Will demanded vehemently.

"Yes," Lucas replied.

"Well then you both started it. I can't make him stay, but if I could, I would. I can make you stay. You can go your own way after that, but you're pulling an all-nighter like the rest of us."

"I'll stay," Laura volunteered

"No," Will said shortly. "You go home. Get into bed. Besides, I don't think the director wants the both of you here, no offense."

Something in the way he looked at her, so directly - his eyes were so searing – made her shiver. Even in the heat of a tense moment where Will was annoyed with her, she found his look erotic. Her breathing picked up and she could hardly hear.

She didn't argue with him. She left her brother with the Knights’ Disciples. She realized Will was more effective and less partial than her. And making Lucas responsible for his behavior was a good move. Plus she needed to go home alone. She had almost no time to herself ever in the years since her parents died when she wasn't working or taking care of her young brother.

She rode shotgun as Pete and one other Knights’ Disciples drove her car to Will's. Before pulling away, Will tapped his ring against her window so she would lower it. She did so expecting him to lecture her, too, and she was right.

"I didn't want to say this in front of the boy, but I am bummed you didn't check in with me before acting on coming over here. I wished you had trusted me."

"Well just let me go back in time to make the right decision!" she snapped. "It wasn't like that," she put her face in her hands trying to push back the sobs. "I didn't think it would be that big a deal. I just wanted a little bit of normal. Is that so wrong?"

Laura was overwhelmed with how badly everything went. And she hated that she was at odds with Will all of a sudden. He looked so hurt by her short remark, but he kind of deserved her scolding her like that. "We do appreciate everything you've done. Everything you're about to do. We just made a mistake. We got a little ahead of ourselves; that's all."

He lifted her head so he could look at her, study her. He stood silent outside the car. Laura was emotional at the anticipation that he might tell her he was through with her, with both of them. Instead he reached in, cupped her hair and kissed her fully in front of his guys, in front of Lucas. When he broke the kiss he promised, "It's going to be okay."

No one said a word beyond that driving to Will's. The ride was silent, on the outside. Laura's head was filled with noise. She couldn't sort all the choices she had made for her kid brother just now.

She took a deep breath and decided to lose herself in a torrid fantasy about Will instead. He might have been a Knights’ Disciple who rode a motorcycle but to her, his club was appropriately named.  Will and the club members were real-life knights, handsome, rugged, romantic, and caring. No one complained when they were pulled from their own comfort to babysit Laura and Lucas through this nonsense, and they didn’t complain even now that Lucas was behaving badly.