Trust in Me: A Biker Erotic Romance (Dark Riders MC) (5 page)

“What’s wrong?” Charlie asks, pushing me up. “You’re crying.”

I can read the concern on his face and it touches me deeply. “Nothing,” I gasp, as I kiss him softly. I don’t know what was happening to me. I like the feelings Charlie is giving me; but, they frighten me, as well. I put my head back on his shoulder. I just want to feel his touch, as he softly caresses my back and neck. I close my eyes as the tears, the tears I can’t seem to stop, slowly run down my cheek.

I’m still wondering what is wrong with me as I slip into sleep. 

CHAPTER EIGHT

We awaken early the next morning. Sometime in the night I had moved off of Charlie’s chest. I find myself lying in the crook of his arm, more comfortable than I can ever remember being. “Are you okay?” Charlie asks, as I begin to stir.

“Yes, why?” I ask.

“I was just worried. You were crying after we…afterwards.”

I smile, feeling more like my old self. “I guess having you fuck the shit out of me made me kind of emotional.” I rise up and kiss him on the lips. “Everything is fine. In fact, I expect a repeat performance tonight.”

I can feel Charlie relax. “I’ll do the best I can,” he says with an impish grin.

We get dressed and have breakfast in the hotel dining room before Charlie takes me home for a quick change. We are watchful, but see no sign of the
Demon Knives
or Darren. Charlie drops me off at work and I kiss him before I get out of his car. I don’t know why, but having Charlie drop me off at work with a kiss seems so right and natural that I have to smile.  

I’m practically walking on air, as I stride behind the parts counter to put down my things. Darren will probably be around later to give me a ration of shit, but I don’t care. I don’t think anything can dampen my mood at the moment. I can feel my stupid ass grin still on my face, as I open my locker to stow my purse.

My scream brings the entire staff running.

Read on for an excerpt from the sequel
Break Away,
part two of the
Dark Riders MC
series.

Excerpt from the sequel,
Break Away

I sit in the service manager’s office of the Harley-Davidson dealership. My hands shake so hard I’m afraid to pick up the coffee someone has given me to try to quiet my nerves. I feel like my world is spinning out of control. At least my tears have stopped.

So much for the ass-kicking-biker-bitch. She’s dead and buried. This frightened little girl is what’s left in her place. “Aubrey, is there someone for us to call. Someone to come get you? Can I have one the guys take you home?”

“What?” I ask, looking up. The voice finally penetrates the static that is roaring in my brain.

“Is there someone we can call?” John, my boss, asks.

“No thank you, John. I just need a minute.”

“The cops are sending someone out. I got a call last night about a break-in. Someone broke out a window in the shop and set off the alarm. I came out, but couldn’t find anything disturbed. I thought it was just kids breaking windows. I’m sorry, Aubrey. I’m sorry I didn’t catch that.”

“How would you know? You can’t go around and open every desk drawer and locker. I should have locked it when I left yesterday. I never do that because the locker is empty. I just leave the lock hanging.” I grin tightly, trying to tamp down the revulsion again. “I won’t be making that mistake again.”

John smiles. “After you talk to the cops, if you want to go, I understand. Take the rest of the day off. Tomorrow, too, if you need to. Come back on Monday.”

John’s a good guy. “I don’t have a way home. I rode in with a friend this morning. I’ll be okay once I get that…mess…cleaned out of my locker.”

“I can have one of the guys take you home. I already have one of the guys taking care of the locker. Whoever did that is one sick bastard. Any idea who did it?”

“Yeah. I have a pretty good idea,” I say, my voice full of venom.

John grunts. I can tell he is dying to ask, but he doesn’t. “We’ll assign you a new locker. Don’t put your name on it this time. In fact, I think we’ll take all the names off the lockers, so nothing like this happen again. Hang tough, Aubrey,” he says, looking up. I follow his gaze and see a uniformed cop step into the service area. “Hang on. I’ll be right back.”

John walks out and greets the officer before motioning him to the back. A few minutes later John and the officer enter. “Ms. Carmichael, I’m Officer Kissel. I’d like to get a statement from you, if you don’t mind.”

I nod my head to indicate I am willing.

“Ms. Carmichael, do you have any idea who would do something like this? Anyone upset with you for some reason?”

“Darren Kelly,” I spit out.

“You believe Mr. Kelly did this? Why?”

“I broke up with him a couple of weeks ago. I guess about a week and a half ago now. He has been following me around. Someone slashed the tires on my car and broke into my house Friday. Nothing was stolen. Later he, Darren, showed up at my door. Said he noticed my house had been broken into.”

“Did you recognize the animal, Ms. Carmichael? Was it your cat?”

“No. I have never seen it before today.” I shudder. I can still see that poor creature, gutted, with the knife still stuck in its body. I grit my teeth to fight back the tears and the nausea.

“One more question Ms. Carmichael. Do you have any evidence that Mr. Kelley is involved in either of the two prior incidents or this one? Anything at all?”

“He was hanging around outside my friend’s apartment before my tires were cut.”

“But you didn’t see him cut your tires? Didn’t hear him make any comments or threats?”

“No. I haven’t talked to him in several days. I’m trying to ignore him. I’m hoping he will give up and go away.”

Officer Kissel snaps his notebook closed. “Ms. Carmichael, I’m sorry to tell you this, but there is very little I can do to help you at this time. If Mr. Kelley ever communicates a threat, call us. But until then, without some form of evidence, there is little we can do. You might consider seeing the magistrate and having a restraining order placed on Mr. Kelley.”

“I understand.”

“Ms. Carmichael. I wish I could help you more. I really do. Here is my card. Call me if something like this happens again. If nothing else, I’ll try to bust him for animal cruelty. I’ll mention this to my Captain and see if we can’t get a patrol car to cruise by your house every now and then. Maybe this Mr. Kelley will take the hint.”

I take the officer’s card and smile wanly. “Thank you, Officer Kissel. I will appreciate whatever you can do.”

The mundane task of procuring parts for my service guys and customers has a calming effect. By the time the afternoon rolls around, I am nearly back to normal, so long as I don’t have to walk into the locker room.

As I am walking out of the back with an oil filter for one of my regulars, I see Darren standing in line at the counter. I plaster a smile on my face, print the ticket, and hand the filter to the customer. As he walks away, Darren steps up to the counter, all smiles.

“Hey, Aubrey. I need a-”

“I ought to call the fucking cops on you right now!” I hiss.

“For asking for a set of spark plugs?” Darren says with a grin that makes my skin crawl. I can’t imagine what I ever saw in this creep.

“Get the fuck out before I have one of the boys show you what it feels like when a wrench goes upside your head.”

“Whoa, there,” Darren says, taking a half step back and holding up his hands. “What would the service manager say to you threatening a customer like this?”

“Let me call him and we’ll find out,” I say stabbing my finger down on the intercom. “Service manager to parts. Service manager to parts,” I say.

John is there in seconds. “What is it Aubrey?”

“Mr. Darren Kelley, here, wants some spark plugs. I suggested that it would be best for him to leave.”

I see John’s eyes narrow. “Get his plugs,” John says, his voice hard.

I know what bike Darren rides, so I don’t even ask what he wants. I quickly return with the plugs.

“I need the wires, too,” Darren says smugly. 

I grit my teeth and get those as well.

“Is that all Mr. Kelley?” John asks.

“I think that is all for today.”

“Then, pay for your items and get out.”

“Jesus. Everyone is so friendly around here,” Darren says taking his items and turning away. “It’s like somebody’s cat died or something.”

I can see John’s jaw muscle bulge, as he grits his teeth. He says nothing, as he follows Darren first to the pay counter, then out the door.

Enjoyed the excerpt?
Break Away
by A. L. Summers is available for purchase in the Kindle Store.