Page 208 of The Tempted

Chapter Seven

I paid the cab driver, carefully balancing the pie in my hand, and climbed out of the car. I expected a house, or maybe even an apartment building but the address Jack gave me was to a large warehouse. I made my way past the fence that lined the perimeter of the property and crossed the parking lot. I don’t think I had ever seen so many motorcycles in one place before. Each of them were meticulously kept as they lined the front of the building. I felt the pangs of desire creep inside me, wishing I could get on the back of one again.

As I got closer to the men that were huddled around outside laughing, I could feel their eyes settle on me. I wasn’t sure if it was my heart that was pounding so loudly in my ears or if it was the music blaring from inside the warehouse.

“What do we have here?” A big burly man drawled as his eyes inspected me, violating me with just one stare.

My feet stilled, and I stared back at the man, my mouth agape, taking him in. He smiled creepily as he elbowed the biker beside him. “Look at what I found, Pipe. Hot damn, what a pretty little piece of ass.”

“Aye,” the beast called Pipe said. What kind of name was Pipe? I shook the ridiculous question from my head and licked my lips. “How you doing little lady?”

I felt like I was Baby from Dirty Dancing carrying a pie instead of a watermelon, and instead of the cool dancers making me feel uncomfortable it was a bunch of drunken bikers. I should’ve turned around. I should’ve run but my feet were stuck.

“Looks like Little Red Riding Hood lost her way. It’s okay sweet thing, we don’t bite,” the beastly biker crooned. “Unless you’re into that kind of shit.”

“Wolf, you’re scaring the girl,” Pipe said, laughing.

Wolf? How fitting.

“Blackie, get your ass over here,” Wolf called out over my shoulder, before diverting his eyes back to mine. “You don’t mind if we share you little lady do you? More fun for you. You came here looking for some fun didn’t you?”

“Picked a hell of a night too. Maybe we should let Riggs ride the train too, since it’s his party and all,” Pipe said, ignoring me as he spoke to Wolf.

Ride the train? I needed to get the hell out of this place. I glanced at the two men before me, the ruckus from the warehouse filling my ears, and couldn’t help but think how I truly knew nothing about Jack. If these people were any indication of the man that came into the diner, then I didn’t want to know him and I was better off keeping my apology and my pie to myself.

“What are you two assholes doing?” Questioned a voice from behind me. I slowly turned around and my eyes met his. He was taller than Wolf and Pipe, broader, harder. He crossed his arms against his chest bringing my attention to the leather cut he wore. It was similar to the one I had seen on Jack but instead his patch declared him the vice president of these hooligans. I swallowed, trying to wet my dry mouth and continued to stare at him blankly.

“Look what stumbled into our territory,” said Wolf, laying a hand on my shoulder. I flinched, taking a step closer to Blackie.

He looked down at me, his eyes searching mine for a moment before glancing back to the two men standing closely behind me.

“Piss off you two,” he growled.

“Hey, fuck that, finder’s keepers brother,” Wolf exclaimed.

He fixed his eyes on Wolf, delivering him a deadly glare. Wolf mumbled a slew of curses, some pretty vulgar, before walking around me. He treated me to a wink before pulling Pipe beside him and walking away.

“How’d you get in here?” he asked roughly.

I didn’t know if that was a trick question, there wasn’t exactly a guard at the gate or anything like that.

“A girl like you don’t strut into the Dog Pound because she made a wrong turn. So, I’m going to ask you again. How’d you get in here?”

“I made a mistake,” I stammered. “I don’t belong here.”

“Well, you’re here now so you’re going to tell me why,” Blackie demanded, his voice rising.

“Jack,” I blurted out. “I’m looking for Jack.”

Confusion settled over his features as he raised an eyebrow, assessing me in disbelief.

“You’re looking for the Bulldog?” he took a step back, grazing the stubble that shadowed his face with the back of his hand.

“Is that Jack?” I questioned.

Blackie didn’t answer at first, tearing his eyes from me to look back at the building.

I was seriously contemplating turning around and running while his attention was focused elsewhere but then his cold stare washed over me.

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