Page 2 of Bear

Ringo snorted. “Glad to be of service, brother.”

We continued down the street. The sound of people partying or generally having a good time filled the night. Each time we passed a bar, the scent of alcohol hit us. Occasionally someone would be smoking a joint or a cigarette and those scents would blend in as well. Passing a strip joint brought the cheap perfume into the mix.

I was about to suggest we go inside one of the strip clubs, just to pass the time with something different when I spotted a woman making her way down the sidewalk. Something about the way she moved was just that little bit off. She glanced behind her, then straight ahead. She hesitated, then continued moving.

“What’s goin’ on there?” I asked the question more to myself than to Ringo, but the other man zeroed in on the woman immediately.

“Not sure. Could be she’s just lost.”

“Right,” I agreed, though I wasn’t so sure. Something about her posture wasn’t right. “Could be.”

“Uh-huh.”

We both continued forward but at a slower pace. Grim Road MC wasn’t a secret club, per se. The club was known to the locals, just not where the clubhouse was or who any of us were beyond our road names. To everyone around us, we were simply another motorcycle club in the area around Palm Beach. As such, we wore our colors proudly. So, when the girl got closer to us, and we slowed down, we wanted her to know what we were.

I stopped while Ringo turned slowly around in a circle with his hands out, letting her see the emblem on the back of his vest proclaiming him a member of Grim Road.

She let loose a little sob and ran the rest of the way to us. To my complete and utter shock, instead of stopping when she reached us, the girl threw herself into my arms, wrapping her arms tightly around my neck.

And I’ll be Goddamned if my whole body didn’t come alive. Lust I’d never even dreamed about punched me in the dick before sucking me into its mouth and making me hard as a fucking pole. The scent of her was like something out of a dream. Fresh spring flowers and a dash of cinnamon. She was slender, but I could feel every single one of her slight curves against my big body. She was so small I could easily wrap my arms all the way around her with room to spare. Unfortunately, instead of moaning and finding my mouth with hers, she trembled in my arms. I didn’t think it was from desire. Her mouth at my ear was a sinful promise. Until she spoke.

“Angela,” she whimpered. “I need Angela.”

“Hey, sweetheart,” I said loudly. “Missed you, too.” I chuckled, swinging her around happily. What I was really doing was putting my body between her and the two men I now saw following her.

I didn’t acknowledge the men. Instead, I strode down the sidewalk with her still in my arms. Ringo had my back. If he couldn’t discourage the guys, I could get her far enough away she could get inside to the relative safety of a bar or club. Then, I’d help Ringo help these motherfuckers have themselves an accident.

When I rounded the corner with her, I set her on her feet, but kept hold of her hand. Everything inside me rebelled at the separation. I wanted to pull her solidly against me again but needed to make sure I had one hand free if Ringo needed me. Stepping from behind the wall, I eyed Ringo. He stood where I’d left him, but the men were already gone. Ringo took slow looks around the area as he backed toward me. I gave a low whistle, and Ringo turned and hurried in my direction.

“Get to the bikes.” Ringo’s order was delivered in a crisp voice. “They didn’t keep following after you picked her up. You spoke and they backed off. Still don’t want to take a chance.”

“To Knox’s place?” I knew we couldn’t take her to the compound. Not without precautions. If the guys had truly backed off, she wasn’t in immediate danger. If they hadn’t, we’d reevaluate when we spotted them.

Ringo nodded. “I’ll be on your six. Just gonna let Rocket know what’s goin’ on and that we’ll call him when we know more.”

I grunted, but tugged the woman with me and hurried to my bike. I snagged the helmet strapped to the back of my bike and shoved it on her head. Instead of waiting while she climbed on, I lifted her and set her on the back. “Feet on the pegs.” I put her foot closest to me where I indicated and trusted her to do the same with the other one. Once I’d climbed on, I tugged her arms until they were around my waist. I wanted to tell myself it was for her safety. I mean, it was, but it was also because I wanted her mashed up against me. Needed it. Craved it. “Do not let go of me. Understand?”

“Yes.” Her voice was soft and breathy, and she trembled. “Aren’t you going to ask me any questions?”

“Yep,” I said as I started up the bike and took off. I had plenty of fucking questions. Starting with how she knew the club’s safe word for the women and what she expected to happen next. But not until me and Ringo were sure we were in a safe place with no immediate threats. Then we’d get to the bottom of this and find out what the woman expected to happen next. Because, if I had my way, once whatever threat she was facing was eliminated, I intended to get to know her a lot better.

* * *

Olivia

I clung to the truly massive biker in front of me like my life depended on it. And I mean fucking huge. Guy towered over my five-foot five frame like I was a child. He had at least a hundred and fifty pounds on me. The phrase I’d dropped on him had started a chain of events I knew I’d regret. Probably for the rest of my life, even knowing the rest of my life probably wasn’t going to be very long. Lord knew this guy could break me in half with little more than a thought.

We rode through the back streets, taking several twists and turns. I thought there might have been a few double backs as well. In another situation, I’d have been having the time of my life. Not only was there a thrill riding on the bike, but the man…

He was big. Muscled. Tattooed. And, oh my God, he smelled wonderful. Cedar and sandalwood. And gasoline. I could feel the muscles of his abdomen rippling beneath my hands where I clung to him. In another world, without all the shit I was getting ready to bring down on his club, I could see myself trying to keep his attention focused on me. Being wrapped up tight in his arms had been the safest I’d felt in a very long time. It only lasted a few seconds, but the effect was profound. I’d do anything this man wanted. Follow wherever he wanted me to go. But that could never happen. Even if I knew he wouldn’t take me over until I was a shell of myself, what I was about to do to his club would forever negate anything there might have been between us.

As if a man like this would ever want a woman like me. No. He’d want someone strong. Someone who fought for what was right, no matter the consequences to herself, instead of a little girl clinging to something toxic and dangerous just because it was familiar. Guess which one I was. Spoiler alert: it’s not the former.

It wasn’t until the other biker pulled up beside us and gave some kind of hand signal that we headed in a direction with purpose. The streetlights gave way to a darker, narrower road, and we seemed to disappear in the night.

A few minutes later, we pulled into the driveway of a ranch-style house with a porch running the length of the front. I didn’t get a great look at it because it was too dark, but the windows were lit up from the inside as if someone was already there. The big biker drove straight into the open garage. The second both bikes were inside, the door closed, and they shut down their rides.

“Rocket, Lemon and Dom are already here,” the other one said. “Inside.”

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