RECKLESS AND WILD: MOTORCYCLE CLUB ROMANCE BOX SET (10 page)

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

I must have passed out again, because I was abruptly brought back to consciousness when I heard River's loud, angry voice.

“What the fuck!”

My eyes tried desperately to focus on him as he stood in front of me. The Barbie bitches were on either side of him, their arms crossed over their massive, perfect boobs. The tape was still over my mouth, so I had no way of even beginning to explain myself.

“Yep. This is her, River.” Polly said as the three of them looked at me. “Brandy was about to go into the party when I texted her and told her that I couldn't find that old picture of you and Colby at my house. We wanted to give it to Colby for his birthday. So Brandy came out here to look for it real fast. Brandy was rummaging around in Grandma's old papers and I stopped by to help her out. Good thing I did because when I got here, this pathetic little bitch was taking pictures of Brandy through the kitchen window! I don't know who she works for, but something isn't right here, River,” Polly said.

“Yeah, and she has no explanation, either,” Brandy continued. “She's either a cop, or a pervert, we've decided. Probably a pervert.”

“Well, she's not a cop, you are right about that,” River said with a sigh.

“What?” Polly asked. “You know her?”

“Yeah, I know her. Sorry, girls. You can leave now. I'll handle this.”

“Seriously!?” The girls exclaimed loudly and simultaneously.

“Yeah, seriously! Now get the hell out of here and go to the party. Tell Colby I won't be back tonight. The picture you are looking for is on my bedroom dresser.”

“Wow.” Brandy walked past me on the way to the bedroom, her voice low. “You're lucky you didn't get shot, mama. My brother must like your pussy.”

Silence filled the room as we waited while she retrieved the picture. River's eyes bore into mine with something I had never seen in them before. When she returned, they both hugged River and left without a backwards glance at me.

River walked them to the door, locking the deadbolt after them. When he turned back to me, I burst out crying again.

“Hey, hey, hey.....come on now, everything's okay.” He walked over to me, and kissed my forehead and began gently pulling the duct tape away from my mouth. “Here, let's get you loose.”

He didn't sound angry. He sounded worried, actually. It was the same River that I had woken up to both of those times after I had hit my head. And I had no idea how to take it. I was a mess and everything I had gone through the last few weeks came rushing back and I was overwhelmed with emotion.

Wincing as he pulled the tape from my lips, I realized I wasn't sure what to say to him. I had so many questions, there was so much I didn't understand, and yet I couldn't form even one coherent word. I sat silently as he continued to free me from the sticky mess the Barbies had created.

“So. I see you met my younger sisters. Twins. Obviously.” River began talking, his voice low and steady in the quiet room. “They're tough. And protective. Especially of me. They're pretty much the reason I've been single all these years. No woman is good enough for me, according to them. I've tried for years to get them to be nice to various women, but after a while I just gave up. Our grandma left me this cabin when she died, with one stipulation. We have to all have dinner here once a week. We do that, and it keeps us close. I don't see them much outside of that.”

“They're close to some of the members of the club, though. Colby especially. We all grew up together. I'm so sorry they hurt you, but what the hell are you doing here, Dixie? You were supposed to come to the party. I was waiting for you. Luckily, they called me. I had no idea I would find you here.”

He finished removing the last of the tape from my ankles.

“I thought they were your lovers.”

I hadn't meant to say that. I could have started with anything. Like, I don't know, maybe something like, 'thanks for saving my life from your deranged and violent psychopathic sisters' for starters? Instead, I gave away my one secret that he never needed to know.

“What? Why the hell would you ever think that?”

“I...um...well, River, I um....I saw them here once before.”

“Once before? What are you talking about, Dixie? As far as I know, you've only been here twice and they were nowhere around.”

“I know. I'm sorry River.”

“You're sorry for what? You spied on me again? Is that what you're saying?”

“Yes.”

“WHAT THE FUCK, DIXIE!” His voice rose in anger, and I knew I had lost him. My head pounded with each horridly loud syllable.

“I know! River, I'm sorry. It was while we weren't talking.”

“When were we not talking, Dixie?”

“Well, I mean...I was angry with you, River!” My voice rose, surprising me as the words tumbled out and as much as I told myself to shut up, there was no stopping them. They flowed from my mouth like a river bursting from a dam.

“You left me that first morning so abruptly, insisting I leave! And then, just when I thought you might be a nice guy after you punched out Colby and Spider at the bar and you took me home and took care of me, you leave me again, and not only do you leave, but you pour salt in my wounds leaving me money like I was a common hooker! I was so insulted! I'm no hooker and I already told you that, River. This whole thing has been so screwed up. But then I found myself following you again one night, in spite of my anger at you. And I saw you cooking up a cozy dinner with those Barbie twins! I didn't know they were your sisters, I swear. If I did, I would have left right away when I saw them tonight. You're right, though, they are some seriously mean bitches!”

“I'm sorry I ever got involved with you, River.” I stood up, my legs shaking and trembling underneath me as I slowly walked to the door.

River stood there, silently drinking in my words. He looked so damned handsome, his long, wet blonde hair framing his gorgeous face. But I knew it was useless. It was over. Whatever we had between us was over. Whatever future we may have had was obliterated within my failure to follow his simple instructions.

“I'm sorry I failed you, River. It was fun while it lasted. And thanks for saving me from your evil sisters.”

I took one last look at him, his eyes a mixture of confusion, anger, and sadness. It was unbearable.

I turned, opened the door and walked back into the pouring rain.

Five steps into his yard, I fainted, my body falling heavily into a muddy puddle.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

“Thank you, Doctor.”

I heard a door close and I opened my eyes, wincing at the blinding bright light overhead. Moaning, I grabbed my aching head and looked around.

Machines beeped next to me, and River stood at the end of the bed gazing at me.

“Where am I?”

“Mercy General Hospital,” he replied.

“Concussion?”

“Yep. A few of them. I should have taken you to the hospital the last two times, apparently. The doctor is worried that maybe you're a battered wife or something. I'm glad you're awake so you can tell them they were indeed accidents. Hopefully, you can leave out the part about my sister pistol whipping you? As a favor to me? It's been a little hard for me to explain. I'm still not convinced they aren't going to charge me with assault.”

“Oh, my god. Of course. I'll explain everything.”

“Thank you.” His voice was soft and gentle, his touch even more so as he caressed my head and kissed my forehead.

“River, I'm so sorry for everything. You must hate me. I barreled my way into your life and you've been nothing but kind to me and I keep interfering.”

“Dixie.”

“I feel like such a fool. You're so sweet and forgiving and I just got so upset about that stupid hooker money you left me and then I thought your sisters were well...you know -”

“Dixie.”

“I couldn't even follow the most simple instructions and as much as I tried to stay away from you, I couldn't stop thinking about you, and then when you asked me to help you, I thought, maybe, just maybe -”

“Dixie! HUSH!”

I stopped and gazed at him through my tears.

“Okay, um....s-sorry....”

“Enough with the apologizing, Dixie. Listen to me. First of all, you need to know I left you that money to pay for your fucking cab fare! We left your car at the bar and I had some club shit to deal with early the next morning. I never meant to insult you, and I certainly never for once thought you were a whore!”

“Oh!” Could I climb even higher on the idiot scale? I had never felt so dumb. Of course it was for cab fare. What the hell was wrong with me?

“Yeah. I just thought you would figure that out. I can see now why you would think differently, after the incident with Spider at the bar, but you thought wrong.”

“Oh.”

“Right. Dixie, look at me.” I had dropped my gaze, shame and embarrassment filling my every pore. I had been wrong all along. I had caused so much trouble because I had been wrong and misunderstood his gentlemanly gesture of paying for my cab.

His finger pulled my chin up, forcing me to gaze into his blue eyes.

“I love you, Dixie. I don't know how you did it, but you got under my skin. I thought my skin was way too thick for anyone to get under it, but you and your wacky ways have endeared me to you. I don't know what that means, though. I have no idea what my life would look like with you in it. And honestly, I don't know how my sisters are going to react to all of this, but frankly I don't give a shit. But I can promise you that they won't hit you over the head and tie you up ever again, okay? I'm the one who needs to apologize here. I should have taken you to the hospital before. I feel so guilty for not doing that.”

“The doctors say you need to stay here for a few days of observation, but after that you should be back home and feeling better. They just need to monitor the swelling in your head, and get a statement from you. They said they're optimistic that you will recover just fine.”

“That's good.”

“It is, isn't it? Although, I still think we need to invest in a few helmets if we're going to be hanging out together. I'm so sorry I didn't take you to the hospital earlier.”

“I'm not.”

“Well, you should be. I feel like a complete asshole that I -” his eyes raked across my body as he continued, “- took advantage of you in those moments. We should have been racing to the hospital, but I was racing to get you naked.”

“River.”

“Yes, Dixie?”

“I forgive you. If you forgive me. And if you promise me one more thing?”

“What?”

“That no matter what our life together looks like, you'll always leave that mirror hanging above your bed.”

His laughter roared down the hallway and he leaned down to gently to brush his lips against mine.

“Deal. But you have to promise me something, too.”

“Anything.”

“That the next time you want to see what's happening in my house, you just walk in the door.”

“Deal.”

THE END

DIRTY CROW MOTORCYCLE CLUB

By Honey Palomino

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“Live with vultures, become a vulture;

live with crows, become a crow.”

~ Laotian proverb

CHAPTER ONE

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My name is Olivia LaVelle.

Raised by misfit parents that I loved and cursed all in the same breath, I was born into a world that made no sense to me, a world full of chaos and drunken debauchery, a constant party - always moving, always dark - I had no choice but to grow up fast and tough. My father rode with the Blackheart Motorcycle club. After learning that moving drugs was an easier dollar to earn than swinging a rigging ax, and that the Blackhearts provided a sense of protection and brotherhood, he quickly became a fiercely loyal and proud member, wearing his cut everywhere he went.

My mother was attracted to him at first glance. They bonded over a lap dance at the local strip club she worked at, and he had her straddling the back of his bike before her shift was over, calling an end to her dancing career. Despite the stripping, she was a good girl, but the MC lifestyle soon ravaged her beauty and her health. By the time I was born, she was deep into an alcohol and cocaine addiction with no time to properly care for a needy baby girl.

Somehow, I survived. My parents weren't so lucky. They died in a violent, bloody crash in a drunken collision with an 18-wheeler headed South on I-5 when I was ten years old.

The MC was a curse, but it was also my first blessing. After my parents died, they made sure to take care of me as best as they could - which wasn't great - but they tried. But by the time I was 12, I was running the streets and getting into trouble all on my own. Salvation was not in the cards. A future in the California prison system seemed inevitable.

Then I met my savior - Officer Tommy Kurtz.

He found me after I had broken into the house of a kid I knew from school. I knew the kid was on vacation with his parents, and I also knew they had a fully stocked liquor cabinet. Officer Kurtz found me passed out in their bathroom lying in my own puke after the family had come home early and called the cops instead of waking me up.

Tommy Kurtz was a man's man. Six foot three, two hundred seventy-five pounds and fists the size of my head, he could terrify a man just by looking at him. In spite of his rough exterior, he was a gentle soul. Kind and fair, he never left a man out in the cold or hungry, and was known to give someone the shirt off his back, if necessary. Meeting him was my second blessing.

Instead of taking me to juvenile detention, and throwing me into the abyss of abusive foster homes, he took me home. He and his wife put me up in their frilly guest room and watched over me all night long, holding my hair back while I puked into their pink, plastic trash can. The next morning, over bacon and eggs, they watched me with kind smiles as I ate like a starving child.

They gave me a stern talking to about house rules, and said that I could stay there for a few days. Days turned into weeks and weeks turned into months, and after a year of stability, love and kindness, they offered to adopt me. Tommy and Mable had always held out hope for a child of their own, but it just never happened. I was the next best thing, they always said. It was good enough for me.

Humbled by their never-ending kindness, I did my best to turn my life around and leave the past behind. I went to school, studied hard and immersed myself in athletics. When I received a scholarship for Track at UC Berkeley, I jumped on it. Inspired by Tommy, and rejecting every ounce of my past, I studied law and decided to become a cop myself. I was accepted into the police academy immediately after graduating.

As much as I tried to leave the past behind, it had ways of sneaking up on me. Little things would set off the memories. The smell of my college roommate's bong water, the loud, window-shaking rumble of a passing motorcycle, the feel of a piece of leather sliding under my fingers - all things that could bring me right back to the clubhouse.

My memories weren't all bad, but the good ones were far and few between. Unfortunately, it was all I had.

As I panted my way through my morning run, the memories were strong. I had come so far and that realization was hitting particularly hard on today of all days – I was graduating from the police academy this morning. As I trailed through the sprawling campus, making my way back to my room, I marveled at how strong and confident I felt now. It was a far cry from the craziness of my childhood, and if Tommy hadn't come along just when he did, I knew for sure I wouldn't be graduating at the top of my class today.

Soaked in sweat, my muscles tight and firm under my wet shirt from years of working out, I ran up the stairs to my room and headed straight for the shower. I tried to focus on letting all the bad memories wash down the drain and my heart swelled with pride for myself and my journey. After overcoming so much, I was proud that I had done so well and that I had chosen a different lifestyle than my parents. I wondered what they would think if they could see me now?

An hour later, I reached the auditorium where the ceremony was to be held. Tommy and Mable were waiting right out front, their smiles spreading widely across their wrinkled faces. Mable's green eyes sparkled as she embraced me tightly.

“I am so proud of you, Liv! So, so proud!”

“Thanks, Mabel. I couldn't have done it without the two of you. I owe it all to both of you!”

I kissed her on the cheek and turned, hugging Tommy, loving the smile on his face. Now that I knew him so well, it was amusing to me how he could turn his rough exterior on and off so easily. It was all an act, and not many people knew that.

“You've been a good influence, Tommy. I love you!” I said, smiling up at his tall frame.

“I love you too, Liv. Shall we do this?” He offered me his bent arm, and I slid my hand in. Mable took the other arm and we strolled into the roar of the crowded room together.

Bending his mouth to my ear, Tommy whispered to me, “I have your first assignment. It's big. I think you're ready for it. We'll go over it tomorrow, after all the festivities.”

“Oh, great, you're just going to leave me hanging like that, wondering all night?”

“Yes, I am! Today is a day for celebrating. Tomorrow, we work. So – go! Celebrate!”

“Okay, okay!” I said, laughing as I strolled away from him towards the group of other cadets of my graduating class, my imagination going wild with the possibilities. I had been trained to go undercover and I knew I wouldn't be able to concentrate on anything else until Tommy filled me in.