Biker Bound: The Lost Souls MC Series (10 page)

“Kristen got a flat and I had to go to their rescue,” Sparky laughs, “I’ll tell ya about it later Prez. Shockin’ images as I arrived,” he winks.

Instant blush invades my cheeks and I quickly look down at Zachery who hasn’t moved an inch from my lap to hide it.

“Where’s Alannah and Bonnie?” Slade asks.

“In the kitchen, they’ll be out in a minute,” Sparky answers.

As if to the rescue, I hear female voices drifting behind me.

Alannah and another woman who I assume is Bonnie walk out of the house holding trays of food. I would offer to help but with Zachery still not wanting to move off my lap I can’t.

“Kristen, you made it,” Alannah smiles.

She always acts like we’re the only ones she wants to see. I haven’t figured out if this is what she’s normally like or if it is because of something else.

After they have laid the trays on the table Alannah introduces me to Bonnie.

“It’s nice to meet you finally,” Bonnie says, “Hey Slade,” she adds, taking a seat next to Sparky.

“Hey Bon. Kristen, this is the old lady who cooked for you last week, not so old huh?” Slade chuckles.

“What was that?” Bonnie asks.

“Nothing, Kristen misunderstood me when I said one of the old lady’s cooked the food, she thought you were literally an old lady.”

“Thank you, the food was delicious,” I say, before anyone can get the chance to laugh at me.

“It was nothing, I was happy to help.”

So far my impression of Bonnie is good. She cooked for me not having met me and there’s something about her that screams she is nice.

As the afternoon passes Zachery becomes more comfortable and eventually climbs down off my lap. As soon as Bonnie brought out baby JJ from his nap, Zachery was fascinated with him. He never got too close but he didn’t go far. He was taking everything in like a sponge and could barely keep his eyes off the guys. I tried to answer questions when Bonnie or Alannah spoke to me but Zachery’s movements kept distracting me. I didn’t have a clue what everyone was talking about and I was beginning to feel out of place. I regret not bringing my car, now I have to wait for Slade to leave.

It took longer than I thought when Zachery finally noticed the stream. I jumped out of the chair and followed him down the slight hill. I managed to grab him before he reached the water.

“Not too close baby,” I murmur.

Laughter and jokes drift down the hill towards us. If I close my eyes I could pretend we are back home and it is my dad at the barbeque grilling the steaks. Then the cursing drifts down and I am sharply brought back to here.

Being around Slade is nothing like being here with everyone else. Don’t get me wrong, they’re not at all how I thought they would be. There hasn’t been any fights or smashed furniture, just a pleasant afternoon amongst friends with drinks and good food.

And that is the problem, they are not my friends. It is like I am on the outside looking in.

“You don’t look like you’re enjoying yourself.”

I turn around to find Alannah and Bonnie standing behind me.

“I am, I just don’t know what everyone is talking about,” I admit.

“Why don’t we bring you up to speed,” Alannah smiles.

She asks one of the guys to bring three garden chairs down to us and they both spend the next couple of hours filling me in on who’s who and how the club works.

My first impression of them was of a gang dressed in leather, but listening to Alannah and Bonnie, it sounds like a family where loyalty ties them together stronger than blood ties.

They both tell me about their relationships and how much they love the lives they have here.

The way they speak about the club with pride and love helps me understand why Billy wanted to be a part of it.

“So, you and Slade seem to be pretty close,” Alannah notices.

I have been expecting this at some point and still have no idea how to answer.

“He’s been really kind to us, helping us out while we’re here,” I say.

“Is that all?” Bonnie asks, “Because I heard you were getting hot and heavy on the trunk of your car last night,” she laughs.

My blush immediately returns and I find myself gossiping like real friends about it.

“Okay, so I do like him but I hardly know him.”

“No one knows anyone until they spend time together,” Bonnie points out, “For example, when I first met Sparky he terrified me, I mean you’ve seen him and probably thought the same. But then I got to know him and now, I can’t live without him,” she coos.

“Slade is one of the good ones,” Alannah adds in.

“You’re making out he’s the one, that I’m going to end up marrying him,” I laugh.

“Who knows,” Alannah murmurs.

“I know, it’s nothing like that. I don’t know how long I’m going to stay for and besides, I have Zachery to think about. I can’t bring someone into our lives so easily and he wouldn’t want to take on someone else’s child.”

I’m just horny that’s all, I have a crush and who can blame me? Slade is hot and his body turns me to mush.

A commotion with the guys gets our attention. Half of them were leaving and going by Alannah and Bonnie’s faces, something was wrong. I felt it as soon as I saw Slade watching me with a frown on his face. Picking up Zachery’s bricks and holding his hand, I follow Alannah back to the table the guys are sitting at.

I’m interested to find out what is going on but I am distracted by my phone ringing in my bag.

Quickly digging around, I pull it out and I don’t recognize the number.

I think about ignoring it but it could be my mom.

When I answer, I can hear sirens in the background.

“Hello.”

“Hi, is that Kristen Collins?”

“Speaking.”

“It’s Toby from the motel.”

How did he get my number? I don’t remember giving it to him.

“I’m calling because there has been a fire here at the motel, did you have any valuables in the room? I saw you leave so I knew you weren’t in the room yourself,” he asks.

“Um, I only had clothes and toiletries in there,” I say, relieved nothing of importance was in there.

“That’s good, apparently the fire was started in your room so I doubt there is anything left. Listen, I’m going to have to close the motel, half of it is crisp now anyway. Do you have anywhere else you can stay?”

I heard a voice in the background calling for the manager’s attention. The creep didn’t have the decency to say goodbye, he hung up and left me to panic.

Why would someone set fire to the room I was staying in? What about my car? I left it parked just outside, did it catch fire too?

“Are you okay Kristen?” Slade asks, gently turning me to face him.

“Someone set fire to my room back at the motel, all my things are gone. The manager is closing the place,” I say, in shock that someone would actually do this.

Everyone falls quiet as they listen and I feel Slade tense beside me.

My mind races and I try to think what I’m going to do next.

“We knew there had been a fire but we wasn’t told it was your room,” he says, looking at Cas.

“Why would someone set fire to my things?”

I might be asking a stupid question around these people but in my eyes, there isn’t anyone I have wronged to have this happening to me.

“I don’t know but I’ll find out,” he promises.

“Come inside Kristen, I’ll get you something for the shock.”

Bonnie takes my hand and Alannah picks up Zachery.

Again, I am surprised at how comfortable my son is here. Just like Slade earlier, he doesn’t make a sound in her arms.

“I should go, I need to get my car and find somewhere to stay.”

“Don’t worry about that,” Slade whispers close, “I’ll meet you inside in a minute.”

I follow Bonnie inside and wonder what is going to happen next.

Chapter Nine

Slade

“What the fuck is going on?” I hiss, the women are in the house and I join my brothers at the table.

“With the amount of time you’ve been spending there with her, it seems too much of a coincidence to be a random attack,” Sparky says.

“Why target Kristen if they want me?” I ask.

“To get to you, whoever it is thinks she’s important to you,” he replies.

“Whoever it is, they are going to regret this,” I warn my brothers.

“We have to get to the bottom of this. First Ricky is set up, then everyone bein’ pulled over on ridiculous charges and now this. Someone’s trying to fuck us and we need to find out who…now,” Cas growls.

“I don’t think Kristen is in danger. She’ll probably leave town after this,” Oak grumbles, thinking he is making me feel better.

He’s not. The thought of her out there on her own with Zach while we don’t know who is behind this attack scares the shit out of me.

“She isn’t going anywhere,” I snap.

“Until we know what’s goin’ on, I want brothers on guard and eyes wide fuckin’ open. The women aren’t to be left on their own and the next time this fucker tries anything, we’ll be ready,” Cas instructs us.

“I’m sorry to interrupt but I need to talk to you Slade.” I turn to find Kristen coming up behind me.

I look to Cas and he nods his head telling me I can go.

I lead her down to the stream out of everyone’s ear shot.

“Where’s Zach?”

“With Alannah,” she says, folding her arms around her chest.

“I really need you to drive us back into town. I need my car so I can find somewhere to stay tonight, it’s getting late and I don’t want to be driving in the dark,” she says, sadly.

“You can stay at my place,” I blurt out quickly.

She immediately looks on alert and begins refusing. She doesn’t know it yet but she hasn’t got a choice.

“You and Zach can have your own room, you can stay as long as you like or at least for one night, but I don’t want you going anywhere tonight.”

“I suppose one night won’t hurt, it’ll give me time to think things through,” she murmurs.

“Go and get Zachery ready to leave, I’ll meet you by the truck.”

I give her the keys and watch her walk back to the house. Once I have got myself together and don’t feel the need to go out and find whoever this is and rip their throats out, I head back to my brothers.

“Everything okay?” Cas asks.

“Yeah, she’s going to stay with me tonight.”

Eyebrows raise and Oak smirks.

“I’m taking her back, if you hear anything let me know,” I say to Cas.

“Will do brother.”

After saying goodbye to everyone, I find Kristen still in the house with Alannah and Bonnie.

As I watch her with the old ladies, it suits her. She seems to have made friends with them both, which is good because now she has more to stay for.

“Are you ready?” I ask, picking up her bag.

She nods and says goodbye.

“Take care Kristen and don’t worry, Slade will look after you,” Alannah smiles as she hugs Kristen.

Making our way from the house to the truck my eyes are everywhere, checking to see if anything is out of place.

Before I let them get in the truck, I quickly check under the engine.

“What are you doing?” she asks.

“I thought I had dropped something when we got here,” I lie.

I was really checking to see if any explosives had been attached while we out the back. With someone out to get us, I can’t take the chance.

When I am satisfied there is nothing there, I open the door for them.

The drive back to my house is quiet. I leave her to process today’s events on her own. I doubt anything like this has happened in her life before.

When we are at the house I jump out and get Zachery from his seat and get them both in the house quickly.

“I should get Zachery washed up,” she murmurs quietly, taking him from my arms.

“I’ll show you your room,” I say, leading the way up the stairs.

I had turned my spare room into a guest room not long ago for when my mom or sister came to town to visit.

“I’ll go and get your bag,” I say, leaving them both in the spare room. When I get back they are in the bathroom.

“Do you mind if I give him a bath?”

“Not at all, I’ll meet you downstairs.”

I close the door behind me and head down to the kitchen. I drink two bottles of beer and I am contemplating a third by the time she appears on her own.

“Where’s Zach?”

“He was tired so I laid with him until he fell asleep.”

I nod and slide the chair out next to me.

“Sit down, I need to talk to you.”

I want to do much more than talk but I hold myself together.

“What do you want to talk about?”

“I want to make sure you’re okay, you were pretty shaken up earlier.”

“I was thinking about it while I was waiting for Zachery to fall asleep. Sure I’m not happy that our clothes were destroyed but it could have been worse if we were there. I don’t have any grievances with anyone but Toby the creepy manager on the other hand probably does. It’s probably something to do with him and it just so happened to be our room they chose.”

Christ, she has been thinking about it. I feel bad for not sharing my opinion on the matter about it but if it makes her feel better about it thinking along those lines then I’ll leave her be.

“Yeah probably, Toby definitely has a certain charm about him.”

“You call it charm, I call it creepiness,” she chuckles.

“I meant what I said earlier, you can stay here for as long as you want,” I say seriously.

Her gaze pierces into mine as she thinks how to reply.

“Let’s see how tonight goes,” she murmurs, standing up and walking over to the sink.

She fills a glass from the drainer with water and slowly takes a sip.

“And how do you see tonight going?” I ask, leaning back on the chair and stretching my leg out.

Her eyes rake over my body and I know it is only a matter of time before I am between her legs. She definitely wants this as much as I do.

“At the least, a shower and then bed,” she smiles, walking towards the door.

“And at the most?” I ask, swallowing hard continuing to toy with her.

“Us carrying on from last night,” she says, before leaving the room.