Page 10 of Hope's Heartlands

I walk down the back alley. It’s only me, but I still keep looking behind me, waiting for them to find me.

I come to the end of the alley and spot Roxanne across the street. She’s stuffing some packages in her saddle bags. I look up and down the road, and even though the Outlaws are still there, they surely can’t see that far.

I run over to her. “Roxy, can you give me a ride back to the club?”

She fastens the bag. “Hey girl! Sure –”

She finally looks at my face and reaches a hand out to me and I grab it. “Cat, what’s wrong? You look like you saw a ghost.”

I step in close to her. “Outlaws.” I nod my head down the street. “We gotta go.”

She peeks over my shoulder and immediately gets on her bike. “Let’s go, girl.”

She doesn’t have to tell me twice. I jump on the back of her bike, holding on to her as she takes off down the road. She’s going fast and I can’t help it, I keep looking behind me. Only when the Ride or Die is in sight do I finally take a breath, believing I’m safe. For now, anyway.

I get off the bike and my legs are shaking. I see Saint standing at the garage doors of the Heartlands Garage, wave at him and run into the bar. Roxy’s right behind me. “Hey, wait up. Look, I don’t know your story, but the Outlaws are not supposed to be in our territory. I’ll let the guys know, but you have to know, nothing’s going to happen to you here.”

I want to argue with her. Tell her I’ll never be safe, not really, but I don’t. I simply thank her and give her a hug, which surprises us both. Neither of us are the huggy type. “Thanks, Roxy. I’m going to get cleaned up for my shift.”

She nods her head and looks at me with pity on her face.

I take the stairs two at a time and bolt the door behind me.

Throwing myself down on the bed, I think about the day and everything that’s happened. It’s been a roller coaster for sure. Maybe seeing the Outlaws should be my wakeup call. Sex with Saint wasn’t just great. It was the first time that I connected, truly connected with someone during sex. With my ex, there was always a part of me that checked out… but not with Saint.

With my head in my hands, I feel silly with how much I miss him already. When I saw those bikers in town, Saint was the first person I thought of. I wanted to call him, to ask him to come get me. But I didn’t. And I’m glad I didn’t. If I had called him and he didn’t come, well, then hell, I would have survived it, but I know my heart would have broken in two. It could have been my wake-up call, though. I have to remind myself that I’m on my own. I have to take care of me. Plus, even though we had sex, Saint probably won’t even look my way again. For all I know, he could have already moved on to the next girl.

Chapter11

Saint

It was hard leaving Cat. I feel like I’ve already put in a full day. I may have slept most of the day and woke up with the hangovers of all hangovers, but everything with Cat has made it better. I can’t get the image of her out of my mind. With clothes on, she’s breathtaking. Without them, I’m like a young Saint again, unable to keep it in my pants. I wasn’t lying when I told her she deserved more than sex in a stockroom at the back of the bar. And before this day is over with, I’m going to make that happen.

I feel like there was so much left unsaid, but when the club president wants to talk to you, you do what he says. I walk across the parking lot and go walk into the Heartlands Garage. It’s changed a lot since I was here last. Chain, Killian and Ranger are all inspecting a newly built engine when Troy calls me over.

He watches the other guys for a minute before getting down to business. “I know you used to be good with your hands and had some mechanical skills. How about helping out in the shop and repairing bikes?”

I agree with him because honestly, with the way the club has changed, I didn’t know how I would be fitting in now. Everything is different—well, the business side of the club is different. But my brothers, my family is still the same. Thank God that hasn’t changed.

We start talking about the garage and what’s expected of me. I’m not talking legitimate work with him for more than fifteen minutes before Sheriff Ramsey pulls up. He gets out of his car, giving all of us the once-over. Killian waves at him, and I guess he has to be nice to the fucker since he’s with the sheriff’s daughter now. It still blows my mind all my brothers settling down. Even Chain has an ol’ lady.

The sheriff stops in front of me, pulling me from my thoughts. “So, Saint, there was a delivery guy visiting the ER this morning and I’m wondering if you know anything about it?”

I just shrug my shoulders. “I can’t say that I do.”

He rubs his chin. “He was beat up pretty bad, but wouldn’t say who did it to him. You don’t know anything about it?” He gives me a once-over and stops on my hands. “Your knuckles are pretty red, son.”

Does this fuck really think I’m going to admit to it?That stupid as fuck delivery guy should be happy I didn’t kill him. I just smile at the sheriff. “Knocking the punching bag around without gloves will do that.”

The sheriff gives me a look that tells me he knows I’m lying. Normally, I wouldn’t give a fuck, but now, there’s no way I’m going back to jail. Not when I just found Cat.

He looks around the bay again, as if he’s thinking we’re doing something illegal and we’re just going to leave that shit out for him to find. When he seems okay with everything, he gives me another warning before he leaves, telling us all that he has his eyes on us. I guess everyone is on board with the changes the club has made except for the sheriff. It seems he’s got nothing else to do now.

We don’t even wait for the sheriff to get into his car before we’re all back to business.

“Anything else?” I ask Troy.

“Yeah. I see you’ve taken notice of Cat.”

---