Blayd: A Bad Boy Biker Romance (The Reckless Riders MC Book 1) Page 5

  8

  Burns Like a Wildfire

  I wondered if I should’ve waited until I got to know him a bit better before I even brought up the fact that I was somewhat aware of who Scotch was. It seemed to catch him off guard and I worried that I had jeopardized my efforts to get any information from Blayd.

  I’d become nervous too. I could feel someone watching me closely whenever I stepped foot outside of my apartment, and it became exhausting to keep feeling for my gun, to make sure I could reach it when I needed to protect myself.

  I had just gotten out of the shower, watching as the steam from the bathroom entered my bedroom as I sat at my desk, glancing down at my computer screen to check the messages I’d received from the men that hired me. I typed away, telling them that I needed more time to get the job done.

  I sighed, knowing I needed to head back out on the road, to see if I could dig up any more information about the Reckless Riders and any of their rival clubs before I made my way back to the Lazy Pint hoping to run into Blayd again. He seemed to be an upstanding guy, trying to get accustomed to Scotch’s world. I could see the look in his eyes the moment he offered me help. He looked nearly as clueless as I was to all the dangers. I hoped he would be able to get me close enough for him to introduce me to Scotch, for me to be trusted amongst the Reckless Riders, so I could find out about these Dawn Vultures.

  The one thing that was bothering me was how they even knew I was involved in the first place. They had to have been watching me for some time. I questioned why I’d come out here in the first place, and who it was that hired me. I had thought the people who’d hired me were retired cops or someone that simply had a vendetta against the Reckless Riders, but now I was starting to question who they really were.

  Maybe I’m just being paranoid, but something about this doesn’t feel right. Well, this wasn’t anything that I wouldn’t be able to handle. I reminded myself while I was slipping into my light-wash jeans and a t-shirt. I had dealt with incredibly dangerous criminals before, but nothing ever scared me like this did. If there was one thing I was always good at, it was protecting my privacy, making sure that no one ever knew I was involved. The fact that those bikers knew exactly where I lived, what my name was, and what I was planning to do, gave me enough to be worried about. If this got any worse, it meant having to walk right up to Scotch myself and demand that he offer me protection.

  Blayd was my way in, but I had to make sure I didn’t allow myself to get distracted, that I kept working my angles. I realized I’d let myself get a bit too comfortable with him last night at the bar, indulging in small talk and looking into his beautiful eyes for a bit too long. Though, I couldn’t deny that I owed Blayd one for saving me from that ugly ass, smelly biker. The last thing I’d wanted to do was to make a scene and let everyone know the stranger in town knew how to fight her way out of a sticky situation. Blayd came to my rescue without anyone having to tell him to do so, because I knew that Scotch was nowhere to be seen. It had been a move that made me start to believe that maybe he’d been right.

  Maybe there are a few bikers that have redeeming qualities after all, and they’re not all as bad as I thought.

  I’d been taking a slow ride around town, trying to look ahead, following in the same paths I’d drawn for myself, while I recalled every meeting spot the Reckless Riders liked to frequent. I thought about how well the biker I’d followed seemed to handle the news of the police cracking down on them. Like they probably had a lot more to worry about than keeping the police off their trail.

  I decided to keep riding, head a bit farther out of town, to see just how much distance they truly managed to cover. I kept my eyes peeled for that emblem, and any others that I might see repeated a few times. My sole mission right now was to find out anything else I could before having to turn back to Blayd, and come up with an explanation as to why I would even have bikers after me in the first place. He had no idea what I did for a living, or how for the most part, I liked to invite trouble into my life when it was something I could control. Though, the moment I had to give up that control, everything always seemed to go downhill, to make me feel like I was in over my head. I would not allow that to happen this time.

  The moment I got overwhelmed would be the moment I got sloppy, and that would give whoever was hunting me down that much more reason to make sure I paid for getting too close. I would never find out who those bikers were until I got in with the Reckless Riders, until I proved I could be a valuable asset to them, because that was the way it worked around here. I had to find some kind of information to leverage when I got alone in a room with Scotch, trying to convince him why I was worthy of his protection, and that was exactly what I intended to do. As much as I appreciated Blayd, I worried that me getting involved with him wouldn’t have been enough to sway Scotch into protecting me, and I had to find something else to help soften the blow when the time came.

  Though, while recalling the events of that night when he first came to my rescue, I realized I had a soft spot for bikers. It wasn’t strictly business with him like it had been for every other man I’d ever had to warm up to for my job and that scared me. It just felt so natural speaking to him, to see that he was genuinely interested in what I had to say. A part of me was looking forward to indulging in that again, but every time I allowed my thoughts to drift like that, I had no choice but to reel myself back in.

  You need to snap out of it, Angelina. The last thing you need to do is to start taking interest in a biker when you were hired to take out the leader of the Reckless Riders in the first damn place. I don’t think that Blayd is going to care too much that you had a change of heart the moment you realized that they may not be the worst ones out there. The fact that you even accepted the job is enough to drive him away for good. He would end up shutting me out forever when he realized who I really was and what I’d been after.

  I was stuck at a crossroads, because I knew I would have to protect one biker club to take out the leader of the other. I’d better choose wisely before I even withdrew out of my contract for the job, because it would mean having to protect myself from who hired me.

  It didn’t feel right going after Scotch anymore, not after seeing the way he acted around his club members, the way he took care of his own, and how he was training his new recruits. Blayd was a great example of this, but I was already so deep into this, that I had no choice but to keep going, otherwise it might cost me my life. I held onto the handles of my bike firmly, feeling the air around me grow heavier like it was going to rain as I ventured further out of the city.

  I pulled off into one of the side streets where I came across a small laundromat that had been boarded up completely. It looked strange and completely out of place, seeing as how lively the rest of the area had been, but I thought nothing of it until I turned around to see a man staring directly at me.

  Now, after stopping virtually in the middle of nowhere, I started to get a bad feeling. I glanced over my shoulder again to see the man who’d been staring at me was getting closer.

  He walked directly up to me like he knew exactly who I was, rolling up his sleeves like he was going to hit me. He then pulled his hood up over his eyes, so I couldn’t get a good look at his expression anymore.

  When I finally glanced down at his bare arm, I saw his tattoo. It was a vulture, flying over what looked like a sunset. He was now, way too close for comfort.

  I scrambled back into my helmet, revving my engine, riding off into the opposite direction, long enough for him to completely disappear into the distance. I had no idea who he was or what he wanted, but I had been in ultimate danger. I had gotten good at eluding my enemies over the years, those who were trying to seek me out because they had a change of heart after the job was completed, and they were on the hunt to get their money back. The only time I ever entertained a full refund was if I didn’t go through with the job. Something told me I was running out of time, like those that had been keeping a close eye on me were sta
rting to get impatient, or that they believed I wasn’t considering the warning they gave me.

  I realized I wouldn’t be able to go at this alone anymore. I needed the help of the Reckless Riders to deal with this threat. I had no idea how many men I was dealing with, how many bikers I would have to defend myself against. But judging from how many of them I heard right outside my apartment door when they showed up to give me their first warning, it had been far more than I could’ve ever handled on my own.

  I rode my cycle back into the city, letting the rain pour down overhead, soaking me completely, but I didn’t care. I worried that with every turn I made, there might be someone waiting to come after me again. It was a terrifying feeling, one I wouldn’t wish on anyone, and after my line of work had taken precedence over any semblance of the normal life I once had, I never thought I would ever feel this unsafe again.

  I felt a sense of relief wash over me when I finally made it back to the Lazy Pint, like it had brought me some kind of refuge from the storm and the people trying to hunt me down to give up my search, to stop asking questions. I knew I wouldn’t do that though. I was in too deep, I was too invested in the truth to just give up now. It was coming time for me to come clean to Blayd about what was going on. Time that I got myself in a room with Scotch and detailed everything that I’d learned since getting into town, hoping that he would spare me for my honesty. I was being backed into a corner, and I didn’t even know who my enemies were, or what I was up against, but I was fairly sure that Scotch would be able to help me figure that out.

  I hadn’t been able to gather enough intel on these Vultures and I felt like I was flying blind here, and blind could get me six feet under.

  I parked my bike, heading inside while soaking wet, looking for Blayd. I spotted him sitting at the other end of the bar.

  Once he glanced up at me, he smiled, but it quickly faded away when he realized how distressed I looked.

  I rushed over to him, slumping onto the bar stool, while I ran my fingers through my damp hair.

  “What the hell happened to you?”

  “Nice to see you too, Blayd,” I said with a smile.

  “You look like you’ve been through shit, Angelina. I know that we didn’t get the chance to dive into what’s really going on with you the other night, but if you’re really in trouble, I can help you,” he said, and even then he seemed unsure. He searched my expression for something.

  My mind was so clouded by everything that happened, I couldn’t seem to place what he was looking for. “I need you to do me a favor, Blayd. I know we’ve only known each other for a few days, and you may still have your doubts about me, but I’m starting to think that I really am in danger.”

  He nodded. “What kind of favor?”

  “I need you to tell me what that other club here is up to, because I’m being targeted by them,” I said, letting the conversation unfold as vaguely as possible, because I wasn’t sure how long I would be able to hold out until I had no choice but to come clean about everything.

  He seemed to think about it for a moment, running his fingers over his stubble as he stared at my face. “Is there any particular reason they would be targeting you?” he asked.

  I could see that he must’ve spoken to someone about me, because he was skeptical all of a sudden. I needed to convince him that I was no threat to his club. “I’m new to town, and ever since I’ve gotten here, I’ve noticed that every biker around has taken an interest in me. And not the good kind of interest. Look around, Blayd. It’s clear that everyone’s a little suspicious of me being here, and I need to know how much trouble I’m really facing, and what I’m up against.”

  “I need you to tell me everything that happened, everything that’s made you feel like you’re being targeted. Don’t take this the wrong way, Angelina but I need to know that I can trust you.”

  I completely understood, because I needed that same trust for him if I was to ever find a way to get out of this mess. I had to choose my words carefully, make sure not to give too much away before he’d be able to find out what my occupation was, how many people I’d had to take out over the course of my career, or why I’d even ended up here in the first place. “When I got into town, everything seemed to be fine. I was excited to start a new life here, to not have much to worry about like I did when I was just trying to make ends meet back home. I grew up in a family that didn’t care much about what happened to me, and I took that neglect to heart, until I managed to muster up enough courage to get out. I never really had much of a fresh start until I got here, but that quickly ended when I started to feel like I was being watched.”

  “Watched?” he asked. “What do you mean by that?”

  I nodded. “Every time I headed back out onto the road, I felt like someone was following me, and I couldn’t understand it. I noticed that there aren’t many other girls out there on their bikes without an emblem etched onto their jackets. Maybe I’m being hunted, tracked down, forced to make a choice to join a club. I tried to brush it off, until I’d been woken up from my sleep at my apartment by someone threatening me. I didn’t know much about the people who were there that morning, because they never tried to enter, only to scare me. So today, I was out riding. I’d stopped for a moment on the side of the road out in a rural area, well it seemed like an old part of Vegas, I guess. Then a man approached me.”

  “What did he look like?” Blayd asked.

  “He had his hood pulled over his face, so I couldn’t make out his features all too well, but he got close enough before I took off to see his tattoo. It was of a vulture flying over the sunset.” I knew from the look in his eyes that he recognized the tattoo.

  “It’s not a sunset. It’s a sunrise. That tattoo is a mark of the Dawn Vultures. They’ve been rivals of the Reckless Riders for a very long time, much longer than I’m even aware of. If they’re after you for some reason, then I can safely say that you are in real danger. I’ll be honest with you, Angelina, I spoke to Scotch about our little conversation, and he wasn’t too happy about me offering any help, but he might think differently now.”

  My eyes widened, as I tilted my head at him, confused as to how this would change Scotch’s mind. “Really?”

  “Any enemy of the Dawn Vultures is usually an ally of ours, but seeing as you’re being targeted without cause, I have to believe it’s even more of a reason for the Reckless Riders to keep you safe. I have to say though, that Scotch will be the one to decide whether you will be protected by the club or not.”

  “Like would I have to be part of the Reckless Riders?”

  He shrugged. “These clubs don’t usually have women members, so I’m not sure what it would mean? Scotch has a very specific way of dealing with these things, and he makes sure to protect his own without question. I want to help you, but seeing as I’m relatively just as new as you will be, I don’t have much say.”

  I appreciated him trying to stick his neck out for me, knowing it would probably put a toll on his relationship with Scotch. “If it’s going to keep me safe, then I’ll do what I have to. I guess. That is, if Scotch will even help me.” The Dawn Vultures seemed to have the badass reputation around here, just as much as the Reckless Riders did, but I had to make sure I was doing the right thing by siding with them. However, it seemed like I had no choice.

  “Why don’t we ask him ourselves?” he said as he got up and walked away.

  I saw that Blayd tried his best to help me even though he knew absolutely nothing about me. Yes, maybe he had taken an interest in me, but I knew the moment he learned the truth about my involvement with both the Reckless Riders and the Dawn Vultures, he wouldn’t be able to look at me the same way again. He seemed like a genuinely nice guy, and I didn’t want to use him like this, but I was afraid of what would happen if I didn’t find some sort of protection. It also dawned on me while he headed to the back to retrieve Scotch, that I really liked him. I’ve never felt that way about anyone before.

  I worried tha
t having feelings for Blayd would eventually be ruined by the truth, but I couldn’t help myself. There was something different about him, something that made me feel like he’d been where I was before, whether it was the way he looked at me when I’d confessed a few details of my past, or the worry in his eyes the moment he realized that it was the Dawn Vultures that had been threatening me.

  I can already feel the Dawn Vultures closing in on me and I’m not sure how much longer I’m going to be able to protect my secret.

  9

  She’s Got a Secret

  I sat there with Angelina while Scotch began to interrogate her, asking every question he could think of because he certainly didn’t seem to trust her. I had my doubts at first, but now that I’d seen how much of an effect this all had taken on her, I’d begun to feel a bit differently.

  She kept looking over at me as Scotch continued on, and I wondered what he would make her do to prove her loyalty to the club, knowing that it would probably be dangerous. Something told me that Angelina was capable of protecting herself, so this meant she felt she was truly in danger for her to come to us. So much of her story left me with far more questions than answers, but I knew that with time, everything would eventually be revealed.

  I’d already told her that I would be looking out for her and I supposed that would come back to bite me in the ass sometime down the line. I could tell that he blamed me for this mess, but I didn’t care. I was curious about Angelina’s past, but I was also drawn to her in a way that I hadn’t been before.

  “So, if we offer you protection. What can you do for us?” Scotch asked.

  Her face paled a bit.

  He laughed and shook his head. “We don’t need another biker bunny. You’re pretty and all. You really are but…” he paused and looked over at me. “We can protect you. However, Blayd here would need to have you under his wing. Women in a club can cause a lot of strife if they’re just loose and wandering around.”