Authors: Carly White
ROMANCE: MC BIKER ROMANCE: Hooked (MC Biker Pregnancy Romance)(Bad Boy Motorcycle Club Romance) (Contemporary Military Romantic Suspense Thriller)
Copyright 2015 by (Carly White) - All rights reserved.
In no way is it legal to reproduce, duplicate, or transmit any part of this document in either electronic means or in printed format. Recording of this publication is strictly prohibited and any storage of this document is not allowed unless with written permission from the publisher. All rights reserved.
Respective authors own all copyrights not held by the publisher.
Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Laney
My legs were burning, but I had another two miles to go. I hated training and was glad it was only once a year. I was sick of running, but as it was the last day for the week and I knew that if I just got through the next few minutes, it would be okay, if my body didn’t shut down before that.
Looking at the chalked line on the ground in front of me, I started to feel that resolve of energy. It looked so close, but yet so far away. I could hear the sounds of the footsteps of people behind me, but I tried to focus on my own sounds of my shoes hitting pavement. Focusing on my breathing and then trying to find the last bit of energy I had to finish the relay.
My legs and arms were starting to get heavy, the finish line further away when I looked back at it. I closed my eyes for just a second and breathed out. Looking down, I tried to block out all of the sounds around me and just listen to my body. I didn’t care if I was first or third, I just wanted to make it.
Then it was over and it took me a minute to slow down. My legs were so used to pumping that they continued to and it physically hurt to finally slow my pace to a walk. I kept walking so that my muscles didn’t bunch up. It was a lesson I had learned the hard way the first time I had run the grueling course. Other runner sped by me in their own fight to change pace.
When I could finally go to a slow walk, I moved back towards the barracks with a small towel in my hand. I wiped sweat from the back of my neck and my face before I made my way to the showers. I still wasn’t sure who won or where I even placed. I had been too worried about making it to the finish line, wishing I hadn’t smoked those few cigarettes at the bar last night. Better yet, wishing I hadn’t let Cassandra drag me anywhere , knowing I shouldn’t anymore. She never cheered me up, no matter how many times she claimed that it was the reason we went out, every time ended with a killer headache.
As I soaped up and washed my hair, I thought about Tony. He was my first real love and my first real heartbreak. It had been a couple of months since we had split up and I missed him. I didn’t know what happened. I just knew that all of a sudden he was gone. I figured it was another woman, but in truth I had no idea. So I was stuck in this sort of limbo, keeping me from moving on and my friends trying to get me back in the metaphorical saddle.
I got back in my training sweats and went out to the mess hall for lunch. The place with swamped with people, but it wasn’t hard to spot Cass’ platinum blonde hair in the mass. She waved me over and let me cut in front of her in the line.
“Great, tater tot casserole again. I don’t even want to guess what it is in it.”
Cass crinkled up her nose. She was waif thin and always on a diet. By the end of the line, she had an apple and a bottled water on her plate. I of course had to eat the vegetable glob mixture because nothing else looked any better. “So how did you do?”
I shrugged. “I don’t know. I was in the front, but I didn’t really pay attention. I thought I was going to die. It’s my own fault for letting you talk me into going drinking last night. I got a side stitch that was too much. How did you do?”
“I made it Laney. That is all I can say.”
“It wasn’t that bad, but I am glad we get to go back to work come Monday. I hate these little training weeks.”
“All part of the job. You can’t tell me you didn’t have fun last night.”
Picking at the greasy mess in front of me, I was noncommittal. It had been a pretty good night, but the place was some dark hole in the wall that she had read in a paper somewhere that claimed it was the place to be in Houston. It didn’t seem like more than a dirty bar, but I had given her the benefit of the doubt. In the end, it was exactly as it appeared and the patrons were exactly what could have been expected. To top it off, she had also brought a friend that she was determined to hook me up with.
“Yes, I was doing okay until Ethan just happened to show up. You are literally the worse liar, so I hope you never do anything wrong.”
She tried to look innocent, but as the fourth or fifth guy that we had happened to bump into in the last month, I had long since found her game. I knew that she was trying to help me, but it was driving me crazy.
“I thought you would really like Ethan.”
“I know, but he was not my type.”
“Well what is your type? I always hear what isn’t your type, but I have yet to hear what is.”
It was a simple question, but there were so many answers. After each breakup, I had found another thing I didn’t like, another type that wasn’t for me, but I was still looking for what fit. After Tony, I didn’t want to think about a type, I just wanted to take a break, but Cassandra was determined to make me move on.
“I am not quite sure yet, but I know that it wasn’t Ethan. He was way too hands on for me.”
“You were looking hot, that’s why. I told you what happens when you set the goods out.”
Sighing, I pushed the plate aside and looked back at her. “I looked like a slut and he pawed me half the night. It wasn’t quite what I had in mind.”
“So where would you like to go?”
Anywhere but there, I thought to myself. “How about the Red Room? It is supposed to be nice. I haven’t had a chance to get over there yet, but I hear good things.”
“Sounds good. Are you driving or am I?”
“How about we get a cab and then we can both drink?”
She laughed, “And you say that I am the bad influence.”
“Just promise no more pop-ins.”
“I swear, you are on your own. Ethan was my plan E, so I give up. Your picky ass can find your own man.”
Chapter 2: Grady
“Grady. What are you doing tonight?”
I shrugged, not really sure. Freddy wanted to go into the city and see if we could scare up some tail, but I was just as happy with Jesse. I didn’t have to buy her a few drinks to spread her legs. She was easy and most of the time, and it was nights likes these, when I wasn’t looking for a challenge.
“I was thinking of staying here. Every time we all go the city, someone winds up in jail. I don’t feel like being the one tonight.”
Freddy shook his head. “It’s not like that. I am not even bringing my jacket. No Black Angel business, just going out for a few drinks.”
I didn’t believe him. Someone always got in a fight, then a brawl and then cops. He had been on me about getting out of the biker’s bar that was like a second home to us. I liked the familiarity, but he wanted something new. After breaking up with his girlfriend, I figured he just needed a little strange to right him.
Giving the blonde next to me a pat on the ass, I sent her away with my eyes. She was not happy to be told to go, but she wouldn’t say anything about it. Jesse knew her place and she was always there when I needed something. The rest of the time, I stuck with mainly one night stands. She was the only one I went back to on occasion. As the waitress at Angel’s Death bar, she was just too convenient to pass up and pass around when I was done.
“Fine Grady. I have my own plans for the night. You two go find you a couple of stuck up bitches from the city if that is what you need.”
Grady chuckled. “See you done pissed Jesse off.”
“So what? Stick something in her mouth and I am sure she will be sucking on it soon enough. I don’t know how you can keep going back to that chick. She is tired and worn out.”
“They are all tired and worn out. At least Jesse knows to be gone by morning.”
Freddy nodded and then looked out at the same sea of people that were there every night. “Come on. I just got to get out of her. If I see Zoie again tonight I am going to lose it.”
I looked over to where he was just looking and saw that his girlfriend or ex, I could never keep up, was moving on with a stranger to the bar. I didn’t know the man, but I knew if I didn’t get my friend out of there, there were going to be cops in the bar. “Come on man, she is just trying to make you jealous. I’ve told you before, if you ignore them, you will never get rid of them. It doesn’t make sense, but that is how women are.”
He looked dubious and I could see the fire in his dark eyes. He had to get over her or something, but the man was embarrassing himself one way or another every time he saw her lately. I grabbed his arm and jerked him out of the bar stool. Nothing good was going to come of staying there, so I was more or less forced to go out with him.
It took us about an hour to get to the city and Freddy was already half lit on a fifth of bourbon that he had swiped from the bar. I was driving, but was feeling no pain by the time we got there either. It was just as Jesse had said, a bunch of stuck up girls that weren’t going to give Freddy the time of day. He was a bit rough around the edges and biker girls were about the only ones that could handle him.
Sighing to myself, we ordered a couple while looking out into the sea of moving bodies. Freddy was already eying a redhead and I had to stop myself from calling him on it. The girl looked about as close to the ex that he was supposed to be forgetting as possible. The two of them made no sense at all and I had to let it go. I was really just there to keep him out of jail. I knew that.
“Why don’t you wait a few minutes before you pick one? There are a lot of girls here Freddy. You don’t have to go immediately to the redhead.”
Freddy nodded, but I could see where his eyes were looking. “There is just something about them Grady. You will know when you try one.”
“I have, I wasn’t that impressed.”
Freddy wasn’t hearing me. He downed the drink and started towards the tall, thin girl that’s face was framed in fiery red curls. She was cute by any stretch of the imagination, but she was not my type. I liked a bit more ass and curves, something more to grab onto. I ordered a couple more, leaving one sitting for when he was turned down. Even without his jacket, both of our arms were covered in tattoos and Freddy especially just looked rough. There was no mistaking us for gentlemen.
“Can I get a couple of shots of tequila and a couple of beers please?”
I looked to the voice and stopped. The blonde met my gaze and smiled at me for a minute. I could see her interest sparked in her blue eyes, but then she looked at my arms and the smile faded. “Let me get that for you.”
I laid some money down, but she pushed it back. “I got it, thanks though.”
She turned back away from me and my eyes studied the bottom profile that was so close. I itched to rub her round ass, but the interest seemed to be gone on her side as soon as she saw my tattoos. “You can’t turn down a drink.”
Turning back around, she smiled and took my money off the bar. “Fine, but you aren’t my type and I didn’t want to lead you on. Since you insist though, me and my friend thank you.”
I could tell I wasn’t her type, but I knew that all women wanted a little bad boy in their life. I didn’t say anything when she turned back around. The drinks came and I saw her struggling with one of the shots and offered to take it to her table. She shook her head, again refusing my help and drank the shot down instead.
I watched her walk away and shivered a little. Why was I so drawn to a woman I didn’t know and who obviously didn’t want anything to do with me? I didn’t know that answer, but after another drink, I was like Freddy, moving into the direction of what I desired. I had about the same chance as Freddy, remembering the way the woman’s ice cold eyes looked through me.
The woman was sitting down at one of the tables in the back with another blonde that was not as pretty. She was thinner and had too much guile in her face when I stopped in front of the table. “Do you want to dance?”
She shook her head. The other girl piped in that she would, but it wasn’t her that I wanted. “I thought I told you that you weren’t my type?”
I sat down next to her in the chair and smiled at her friend. “I am everyone’s type.”
“I don’t know about Laney, but you are certainly my type. What’s your name?”
I smiled at the friend, but I didn’t give her my attention. Laney. The name sounded good in my mind and when I said it, it rolled off my tongue just right. “I’m Grady and it is good to meet you ladies.”
“Cassandra. My name is Cassandra.”
I looked over at thin blonde and smiled. She melted and I knew that she would be as easy to spread as Jesse. But I didn’t want her, I wanted the one that looked at me like I were some kind of thug. She didn’t even know the truth that I really was, she had already decided that I was bad news. “So why am I not your type Laney?”
Once again, Cassandra piped in for her. “She doesn’t like the whole bad boy thing. She likes her men tame and well to do.”
Laney gave her friend a dirty look and I raised my eyebrows. “Well since there are not many of those tonight, why don’t you come and dance with me instead of waiting around for your Prince Charming?”
“I don’t settle.”
“It’s just a dance Laney.”