Sexy Bastards Anthology: Bad Boy, Biker, Alpha, Motorcycle Club, Contemporary Romance Collection (28 page)

Chapter 13

She’d never had Indian curries before. They were tasty and so freaking hot, it was all she could do to get enough water down to cool her throat. Yet she wanted more.

What nefarious torture was this? The fried bread she’d consumed in large quantities had also been lovely. Full and happy, she wandered out on the porch while Cash paid the bill.

The dating scenario was such a fun experience. Great food, Cash was awesome company, and he was a gentleman. Oh happy sigh for finding a decent man.

She worried that her quick jump into his bed was a bad start to the relationship, but she was where she wanted to be, and that was all that mattered. Not to mention most relationships didn’t start where theirs had started.

Under more normal circumstances, she could see it would take weeks or months to get to where they were already.

Standing in the sunshine, she realized how blessed she truly was.

“Ready?”

She turned to smile up at Cash. “I am.”

“Good. Let’s get your shopping done and we’ll head home.”

Her pleasure dimmed at the word home. Greg and that whole mess of problems were at home. Still, it was Cash's home and not Greg's they were talking about, and that made all the difference. She’d be happy to go home with Cash.

The drive to the store was fun and happy, and they went to a drugstore and then a liquor store where Cash bought a bottle of single malt whiskey and several bottles of wine. She loved that. No buggies full of beer or cheap booze that burned her throat.

At the clothing store, Cash went a little wild. He’d insisted she try on several outfits and had bought the ones he’d liked. He’d also picked her out several pretty sets of lingerie. They were the nicest things she’d ever owned. At one point, she’d stopped and stared at the full cart he was pushing.

No one had ever bought her gifts like this.

Cash, seeing her frozen in the store, reached out and hugged her gently. “You need clothes, and these are a gift from me to you. Now let’s keep moving. We have a couple of other stops we still need to make before we go home.” And he’d kissed her, a slow lingering kiss in front of everyone that had left her wanting more.

“Now I wish we were home already,” she muttered.

He laughed and wrapped an arm around her shoulders and led her to the checkout counter. The amount of money he paid for the items made her pale in shock. Good Lord. She’d have had to work for weeks to make that, but he handed over the money without a qualm.

It appeared that Cash wasn’t going to end up on the streets anytime soon, whereas she figured Greg was halfway there already.

She could see him homeless on the streets in a not-so-distant future. And he’d be a violent drunk if that happened.

Still, with any luck, he wouldn’t be her problem anymore.

The drive home was uneventful except the weather turned wet and ugly.

A storm swept in, and she felt safe in the truck but couldn’t imagine how some small cars could maneuver in the heavy winds and rain.

The shift had come on so suddenly, there'd been little warning.

Cash parked in the garage. She hopped out and laughed. “That was nuts out there.”

“The weather did change quickly,” he agreed, pulling out the some of the bags of purchases they’d made. “Grab the door, will you?”

With the keys, he unlocked the garage door and turned on the lights. He went in ahead of her. She picked up the new purse he’d bought her and smiled at the simple black design. With her other hand, she picked up several bags of clothes he’d bought her. On the way home, she’d offered to pay for the clothes, but he’d laughed. Said she’d needed them and he was happy to give them to her. And in the future, she was to tell him if she needed anything else. He wanted to make sure she didn’t go without.

Her new purse bulged with the cash he’d given her earlier. He hadn’t let her use that money for today’s shopping either.

She’d never had anyone buy her gifts like this or throw money around like he appeared to. Then again, she’d never met anyone who had money. She was loving his generous spirit and the fact that there was no sense of 'owing' to his gifts. Nor was there a feeling that she’d pay later for what he’d given her. It was something Greg had always used against her. Not that he’d bought gifts for her, but more that if he was nice, he was expecting her to be ‘nice’ to him later.

That hadn’t been fun.

Cash wasn’t in the kitchen when she entered. The liquor was sitting on the counter, so she put the bottles away then walked into the bedroom.

Only he wasn’t there.

Confused, she threw down her bags and walked toward the bathroom. And found him on the floor, blood oozing from a head wound.

She dropped to his side, her hand instinctively reaching for his head. “Cash, oh my God. What happened?”

“I happened,” said a mocking voice behind her. “Did you really think I was going to let you go so easily?”

She closed her eyes at that hateful voice. Shuddering, looking for control, she forced them open and focused on checking Cash’s wound. Greg would kill her this time. No way he wouldn’t. But Cash, he’d only shown her gentleness and compassion. He didn’t deserve any of this.

He had to live.

It was already too late for her.

She stood up, ready to make a deal with the devil. Anything to save the angel at her feet.

“Hello, Greg.”

Thank you for reading Biker Baby Blues! If you’d like to read the rest of the series they can be found here:

Biker Blues: Salvation Part 2 -
Amazon

Biker Blues: Salvation Part 3 –
Amazon

Other books in the Biker Blues world

Biker Blues: Morgan Part 1 –
Amazon

Biker Blues: Morgan Part 2 –
Amazon

Biker Blues: Morgan Part 3 –
Amazon

Biker Baby Blues: Morgan Part 4 –
Amazon

If you’d like to read about other books I’ve written, please check out my website at:
www.dalemayer.com
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Cheers,

Dale Mayer

By

Cassie Alexandra

Copyright ©2015 by Cassie Alexandra/K.L Middleton

Cover Design by Book Cover By Design (Kellie Dennis)

Cover Model – Connor Smith

Photographer – Reggie Deanching/RplusMphoto.com

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Prologue

Taylor

Seven years before…

I looked up at the clock; it was almost nine p.m.

Where in the fuck are you?

I wasn’t sure whether to be pissed off at my girl or worried about her welfare. Amber, who I’d been dating for three months, wasn’t answering my calls or texts and we had a party to go to. She was supposed to have picked me up thirty minutes ago and was never late. Unfortunately, I’d gotten my keys taken away the weekend before by my old man. He’d found out that I’d been drinking and driving. Needless to say, shit had hit the roof.

“Dammit,” I mumbled out loud as I paced back and forth in the kitchen. “She’d better have a good fucking excuse, that’s all I can say. Especially t
onight
.”

The party was for my best friend, Carter. It was his eighteenth birthday and his older brother, Drew, was throwing a huge kegger for him.

Scott, my old man, walked into the kitchen. He was wearing grey overalls covered in white paint, and looked exhausted.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, opening up the refrigerator. He grabbed a beer, cracked the can open, and took a long sip. 

I checked my cell phone again.

Still nothing from Amber.

“I’m supposed to be at Carter’s. Amber hasn’t shown and I don’t know what the hell is going on.” I sighed. “Can I just get my keys back?”

He belched. “Sure. On Monday.”

“Look, I know I screwed up,” I told him, leaning against the kitchen counter. “It won’t happen again. I’ll even stay over at Carter’s tonight if I have anything to drink.”

“Sorry, son, but that’s not going to happen. You know the rules,” he replied, sitting down at the kitchen table. He stretched his legs out, grabbed a pack of cigarettes that were sitting on the table, and lit one up.

“But, it’s Carter’s birthday,” I snapped angrily. “Can’t you just cut me some slack?”

“Cut you some slack? I think I’ve already done too much of that,” Scott replied through a cloud of smoke. He frowned. “You know, it’s bad enough that you were drinking underage, but you did it on your motorcycle, Taylor. If you’re going to be doing that shit, you may as well just lie down in the middle of the road and wait for death.”

“I only had a couple of beers,” I replied, frustrated. “I wasn’t even buzzed.”

“It doesn’t matter. You knew the rules,” he repeated, “and you broke them. Now you’ve got to face the consequences. Frankly, you’re lucky I’m giving you the keys back on Monday.”

From the stubborn look on his face, I knew he wouldn’t budge. “Can I borrow your truck then?” 

“It’s like talking to a wall,” he muttered, rubbing his jaw. “No, you can’t borrow my truck.”

“What about Sheila’s van?”  

I was desperate. The last thing I wanted was to show up at Carter’s party, in my stepmom’s mini-van, but it was better than not showing at all.

“No. Face it – you’re not driving anything tonight. Hell, I shouldn’t even let you out of the house.”

“I have to be there. He’s my best friend. You know that.”

He stared at me for a few minutes and nodded toward the window. “If it’s so important to you, why don’t you just hoof it?”

I looked at the clock again. He lived about six miles away. It was May and the walk was definitely manageable.

Maybe I could get ahold of Amber along the way, too?

“Fine. I’m not going to be a no-show. He wouldn’t do that to me.”

Scott sighed. “Fuck it. I’ll drop you off. I’m not going to let you walk. Too many drunken assholes out there. Some of them on motorcycles, even.”

“Thanks,” I said, ignoring the dig.

He stabbed out his cigarette and nodded. “Let’s go. We’ll take my truck. I’ll even let you drive.”

“Swell,” I replied dryly.

“Don’t be an asshole, Taylor. You’re lucky I’m doing this for you.”

“I know,” I said, forcing a smile onto my face. “I appreciate it.”

“You’d better.”

I grabbed my leather jacket and followed him out to the garage.

***

The party was in full swing when we arrived at the house, which looked like a palace compared to our place. Scott was a carpenter and Sheila worked part time as a bartender at a dive called Sal’s. Funds were tight, our house was small, but I had to admit – life with them wasn’t too bad. Carter’s family, on the other hand, had a shitload of money, his parents were always fighting, and he couldn’t wait to go to college next fall. It made me appreciate what I had. My old man could be a prick sometimes, but overall, he treated me fairly. The truth was, I usually deserved whatever he was dishing out.

“Are his parents home?” asked Scott, frowning at the number of cars parked up and down the street. Fortunately, Carter’s house was far enough away from his neighbors that the party wasn’t disturbing anyone. Not yet, anyway. The cops had been over on a couple of occasions, back when his older brother had been living at home. Once, when Carter and I were fifteen, we’d stolen some beer during one of his Drew’s shindigs, and proceeded to get shitfaced in the guest-house. When the cops arrived, three older girls had snuck in as well to evade the cops, and before the end of the night, both of us had lost our virginity. It had been one hell of a night.

“His brother Drew is back from college,” I said. “He’s keeping things under control.”

“That’s comforting,” he replied dryly.

“Everything is cool,” I said, pulling up to the front of the house. “It’s just a party.”

“That’s what I’m worried about,” he said, gawking at two chicks walking into the house, wearing miniskirts and high-heels. He grinned. “Maybe I should come in and make sure Drew doesn’t have too much to handle. Some of the girls walking inside look like trouble.”

I snorted. “What would Sheila say?” 

“Sheila would think I was doing a good deed.”

“Sure she would.”

A couple of other girls walked out of the house and Scott pretended to wipe the drool from his chin. “I can’t believe their mothers let them go out in those dresses.”

“They probably borrowed them from their mothers. Some of them are MILFs,” I said, wondering what Amber was wearing. As far as I was concerned, she could wear a garbage bag and still look sexy.

He laughed. “I bet. Damn, I was born in the wrong generation. I’d be all over some of these hotties if I were you.”

“Aren’t you supposed to be telling me to keep my hands off?” I asked dryly.

“Just keep your dick wrapped, son, and you can put your hands anywhere you want,” he said, checking out two blondes that were walking side-by-side toward the house. “You ever get with either of them?” 

“No. Amber’s my girl. You know that.” 

“You’re too young to be with one girl.”

I sighed.

It was the same conversation. He thought we were getting too serious. Maybe we were, but she was a wildcat in bed and I was starting to have some real feelings for her.

“I know. I’m just saying that you should keep your options open. You’re young and,” he grinned, “you’ve got your old man’s looks. I see the way the girls look at you. Don’t waste all of that on one. Not at this age, at least.”

Scott had been a ‘player’ in his younger years. He’d once bragged that he’d had sex with over eighty chicks, and that was just in a five-year span. Claimed it happened when he was in college and on the hockey team. Apparently, he’d shot his puck into so many holes, they’d started calling him “Slap-Scott.” This had more to do with the fact he’d been slapped in public, on more than a few occasions, by jealous ex-lovers.  Unfortunately, it had all come to an end when he’d broken his wrist, which not only ended his hockey career, but his wild sex life. It was a year later that he’d met up with my mother. I couldn’t remember much about her myself; she’d died when I was four in a car accident. I still had some pictures of the three of us, though. I could tell how much Scott had loved her and how much she’d loved the two of us.

“I hear you,” I said, not wanting to get into it.

“I hope so. Listen, let me know if you need a ride home later,” he said, getting out of the truck.

“I will. Thanks.” I got out too and scanned the cars parked along the side of the road. When I spied Amber’s white Jeep, I frowned. 

What in the hell?

“What’s wrong?” he asked, noticing my expression.

“Nothing. I’ll catch ya later,” I said, shoving my hands into the pockets of my leather jacket.

He got into the driver’s side of the vehicle. “Remember, call me if you need a ride home.”

“Thanks,” I replied, walking away with my head down. The last thing I wanted was to get shit from one of the other guys at school seeing me get dropped off by my old man.

“Hey, Taylor,” said a girl’s voice in the darkness as I headed toward the front door.

I looked over to the side of the house and noticed Lauren Macey standing alone in the shadows. She was Carter’s latest conquest, a pretty girl with reddish- brown hair, large green eyes, and a body that could very well be in a Victoria’s Secret commercial. Although he hadn’t gotten down her pants yet, I knew he was hoping to do it tonight. They’d already been on a few dates and he claimed she was a tease. Unlike Amber, who’d had her hand down my pants halfway through the horror flick we’d gone to, on our first date.

“Hey. What’s up?” I asked, wondering what she was doing outside by herself.

Lauren, who was wearing white shorts and a thin blue shirt, shivered. “I need a ride home,” she said, rubbing her arms to try and warm up.

“Already?” I stepped closer. When I noticed her red-rimmed eyes, I frowned. “What’s wrong?”

Lauren’s cheeks turned red. “Nothing. I just… I want to get the hell out of here,” she answered in a husky voice.

“Where’s Carter?”

She jerked her chin toward the house. “In there. By now, probably getting laid.”

My eyes widened. “What? Really?”

She smiled bitterly. “Yeah. I walked in on him and some girl messing around in his bedroom, about ten minutes ago.”

“No way.”

“Yeah. What a fucking asshole.”

It didn’t exactly surprise me. Carter was a pig and he even used to keep a roster of the number of girls he’d banged. I used to be a player too, before Amber took me out of the game. “Who was he with?”

“I’m not sure. He was tickling her on the bed and I couldn’t see her face.”

“Was he hammered?” I asked.

“Does it matter?” she said, staring at me like I was from another planet. “We’re supposed to be… I don’t know…
together
? I guess he forgot about it already.”

“Really?
Exclusive
?” I asked, surprised. Carter hadn’t mentioned it to me. Probably a new line of bullshit he was dishing out just to get down her pants.

“Well, he said he wasn’t interested in seeing anyone else. I guess I just assumed…” she replied, looking like she was going to cry. “Anyway, I need to get out of here and my friend Jen doesn’t want to leave the party.”

“Jen Fisher?”

She nodded.

“Nice friend she is,” I muttered, watching her lip tremble.

“Well, to be honest… I didn’t exactly tell her,” she said. “I was too upset at the time.”

I let out a ragged breath. “Man, I’m sorry, Lauren,” I replied. “What can I say? He’s my best friend, but he’s also a fucking dick.”

“Hey, Adams!” hollered a voice.

I turned toward the house and saw one of my other friends, Chad Barnes, sticking his head out of the front door. He was a running-back for the high school football team.

I waved.

“What in the hell are you doing? Get your ass in the house and grab a cold one!”

Lauren, who he obviously hadn’t noticed, moved further back into the shadows.

“I’ll be right there!” I called.

“You’d better. I’ve got a red cup with your name on it, bro! Let’s get wasted!”

It was obvious that he was almost there already. “I’ll be in soon!” I said.

“You’d better be!” Stumbling, he closed the door.

I turned back toward Lauren.

“Yeah, he’s already wasted,” she answered, with a small smile.

“Most definitely,” I replied, smiling back.

There was a loud crash from somewhere in the house and then laughter.

Lauren rolled her eyes. “I really need to get out of here.”

I sighed. “I’d give you a ride but the truth is, I had to find one here myself.”

“I kind of figured. It’s okay. Could you do me a huge favor, though? Go and look for Katy Johnson? She’s in there somewhere. Tell her I need to talk to her. I’m sure she’ll give me a ride.”

“Why don’t you text her?” I asked.

She pulled out her phone and waved it. “I’ve been trying to. I think it’s too loud inside. Or hell, maybe she’s ignoring me. It’s one of those nights, you know?”