Biker's Bride: A Bad Boy Romance (Demons MC) (Includes bonus novel Kinged!) (35 page)

As I reflected further on the last two times I had sat at the bar, the front door opened and in walked a few young guys. I recognized the one in the front of the group: it was Tadd, the creep from the other night. I kept my head down and hoped he wouldn’t notice me, but there were so few people in the bar that it was impossible for him not to. I glanced back up as the group sat down at a nearby table and caught Tadd leering at me, a big grin on his face. I quickly looked away and sipped my drink.

His group ordered pitchers and sat down, laughing loudly and talking. I tried to ignore them, but I could feel Tadd’s eyes burning into my back. I finished my first drink and felt the warm, comforting buzz of the alcohol wrap itself around my brain. I nodded to the bartender and ordered another.

Before my second drink appeared, I felt a body take the seat next to me.

“Hey there, blondie,” Tadd said. I looked at him and frowned. His pig face was scrunched up and he had this terrible, leery smile in his eyes.

“Hi, Tadd,” I said quietly. The bartender returned with my drink.

“No Rex around tonight, blondie?”

I shook my head in response. “Just waiting for him.”

“Oh, you’re waiting for him, are you? That’s interesting.” Tadd took a deep drink from his beer and shifted his body closer. I could smell his thick stench and shied away as much as I could.

“Yeah, he should be here soon.”

Tadd’s grin grew larger. “He’s going to be here, in this room?”

“That’s what I said.”

He leaned his left elbow on the bar top and looked at me curiously. I couldn’t read his expression. “That’s very interesting, blondie. Very interesting. Say, why don’t you come join my friends and me over there? We’re very friendly.”

“No thanks. Like I said, waiting for Rex.” I didn’t understand why he wasn’t getting the hint.

His grin got even bigger. “That’s okay, he can join us too.”

“No, thanks. I’m fine here.”

“Oh come on, blondie. It’ll be fun. I’ll buy you drinks.”

I looked at him as seriously as I could. “I said no, Tadd.”

His face dropped. “You’re a rude bitch, aren’t you?”

“Leave me alone, you smell like shit.” My heart began to hammer in my chest.

He burst out laughing. “Rude and ballsy. When’s Rex getting here?”

I felt my hands begin to shake and the fear spike through my body. Something felt off about the conversation. Tadd was terrified of Rex the last time we had talked, but for some reason he wasn’t backing down. I realized suddenly that he knew I was bluffing, but it was too late to go back. I had to convince him I wasn’t lying, and that Rex was going to show up soon.

“I don’t know. I heard from him this morning. He’s meeting me here.”

“Rex isn’t coming here, you fake bitch.”

“Call me a bitch again.” I wanted to claw his disgusting eyes out.

He leaned closer, and I could smell his breath. It was like old pickles and mothballs mixed with alcohol.

“Bitch.”

“I’m going to rip your balls off,” I said, gripping my drink.

He leaned back and laughed again. I felt a few of the people at the bar watching us, but nobody looked like they wanted to intervene.

“Come on, come join me and my friends. It’ll be fun. I’ll treat you better than Rex ever did.”

“I said, leave me alone, Tadd.” I felt my anger beginning to overtake my fear.

“Don’t be so stuck up. I’m a nice guy.”

“I just want to be left alone right now.”

“Why, so you can meet with your big, handsome junkie fighter boy?”

“What do you know about Rex?”

“I know Rex is a junkie. I know he shot up thousands of dollars into his pathetic junkie veins, and now Michael owns him.”

“What are you talking about?” I knew Rex owed Michael money, but he never said exactly what he had done to fall into debt. I assumed it was a gambling issue, or maybe he had borrowed it for some stupid reason, but drugs? I knew Rex was an addict, but I couldn’t imagine he had used that much.

“What, you didn’t know? Rex is a pathetic junkie. Don’t let the muscles fool you.”

“Ex-junkie. He’s clean now.”

Tadd laughed even harder, head thrown back. “Is that what he told you?”

“What the fuck do you want, Tadd?”

“Oh my god, he actually told you he’s clean? Rex is a lying junkie shithead.”

“Fuck you, Tadd.”

His face softened. “Aw, don’t get mad at me. I didn’t make Rex shoot up all that shit. I didn’t make Rex boost cars or fight dudes.”

“What do you mean?”

“Rex is Michael’s go to muscle. He used to steal cars for the people, back when he was a skinny shitbird, but now he’s all muscles and tats. And you know he’s still shooting that garbage up to make his jobs go easier. Once a junkie, always a junkie.”

“I don’t believe you.”

“You don’t have to, but it’s true. Rex and his partner used to get into all sorts of shit. You should hear the stories people tell about him. Apparently, he shot up so much heroin that he owes Michael thousands. Michael basically owns his ass now. Rex has to do whatever Michael says, or it’s lights out for him.”

I took a second to absorb everything. I couldn’t believe what Tadd was saying, but there probably was some truth to it. I believed that Rex went into debt over drugs, and I believed that he probably did some bad things in his past. But I didn’t believe he was still using. Nothing about the man I knew suggested that he was anything but clean and trying to get his life together. I knew that Tadd was the sort of human filth to lie about someone for his own gain.

“Rex is clean,” I said quietly.

“He fucking lied to you. Rex is probably holed up in some crack house right now, using as much as he can.”

The image of Rex, his perfectly muscled body and beautiful face, sitting on a dirty crack house floor shooting up jumped into my mind, and I had to take a deep drink to get rid of the thought. I couldn’t listen to a guy like Tadd. Then again, I hadn’t heard from Rex in a few days. I had no clue where he was, what he was doing, and it was true that staying clean was really difficult for an addict. I was torn, and Rex’s silence over the past week did nothing to help me.

“He’s coming to meet me here, asshole.”

“Rex isn’t coming tonight. He’s not even in the city, you idiot. Your boyfriend didn’t tell you that?”

That was my chance. Tadd was contradicting himself, but something about it rang true for me. If Rex was off doing some job in another city, then that might explain why he hadn’t messaged me, and why he wasn’t in the bar that night. If I could convince Tadd that Rex was back in town and coming soon, he might be scared enough to back off.

“He came back early. Why do you think I’m here?” I gave him my best “you-dumb-asshole” look.

That gave Tadd pause. He may have been a disgusting animal, but he was still able to form a coherent thought, even if it took him awhile. I had to be confident and play it just right, otherwise Tadd would see through me, and who knows what he would do then.

“I don’t know about that.”

“Why the fuck would you know about it?” I felt my chance, and I was taking it. Confidence swelled inside me, and I inwardly steeled myself.

“I think you’re lying.”

“Why would I sit here alone if Rex weren’t coming? Why would I waste my time with dickheads like you?”

I could see the wheels spinning in Tadd’s little pig brain. He wasn’t a genius, but he was still clearly afraid of Rex. I guessed that even if Rex wasn’t in the city, he’d still have something to say to Tadd if he heard Tadd was messing with me. Plus, he probably wasn’t important enough to know exactly where Rex was at all times. Tadd glanced around the bar, and I knew I had him.

“Fine, calm down, touchy bitch. I was just fucking with you,” he said.

I felt elated, my pulse racing hard. “Great jokes. Leave me the fuck alone.”

“Whatever,” he mumbled as he climbed out of his seat. “Tell Rex I said ‘what’s up.’”

“Yeah, I will.”

Tadd gave me one last look then walked back to his table. He rejoined the others and they all laughed loudly at something he said, probably at my expense. I didn’t care, though; I was terrified and shaking, and one second away from passing out. I waited a minute or two then stood up and went into the bathroom.

What a stupid idea. Rex had tried to warn me, he told me he couldn’t always be around to protect me, and he was right. But then again, I had handled Tadd myself. I had to resort to using Rex’s name to do it, but I still found a way. I splashed water on my face, and I felt the tears building in my throat. I wasn’t used to men like Tadd talking to me that way. I wanted to scream and scratch his eyes out, kick him in the balls, and punch him in his pig nose. Instead, I stared at myself in the mirror, and waited until the anger burned itself out and slowly receded into nothing.

After I had calmed down, I went back out into the main room, and took my seat at the bar. I ignored the looks from the people around me, and slowly finished my drink. I kept myself calm and composed. Once I was done, I paid my tab, and slowly walked out of the bar. Once on the street, I walked fast toward the first corner, made a left, and almost jogged out to Broad Street where I caught the first cab I saw.

Sitting in the back of the car, relatively sure I was safe, the fear and the adrenaline rushed back into me, and I broke down in tears. Fortunately, cabbies in Philadelphia aren’t the talkative types, and I cried quietly in the back seat, the frustration and anger and disgust spilling out of me. I wasn’t the kind of person who cried, but I realized I needed to release all the pent up energy inside of me. Tadd’s words kept running through my mind, over and over
. Once a junkie, always a junkie
. What if Rex really was using again? I couldn’t be with him if that was the case.

But why would I assume that Tadd was telling the truth, and Rex was lying? I was so confused and torn. I couldn’t give up on Rex just because one disgusting asshole said something bad about him. I knew he had a hard past, but he was trying to get away from all that. As my tears fell, I kept wondering why he hadn’t called me, or even messaged. I felt pathetic, pining for a guy who owed me nothing.

We had a real connection, and I wasn’t ready to give up on that without some closure. Tadd had said that Rex was out of town, and I believed that part, especially considering he had bought my bluff. That meant Rex wasn’t in some crack house shooting up, but was doing a job for Michael. Still, that job was likely illegal or at best semi-legal, and I still had cause to be worried. But I was slowly becoming more and more sure that Rex wasn’t still using, and that Tadd was being a piece of shit.

Finally, when the cabbie pulled over in front of my apartment, I gathered myself together. I wiped off my face, paid the fare, and climbed out onto the street. I took a few deep breaths and laughed at the absurdity of my night as the car pulled away. I had gone looking for a man I barely knew in a dangerous bar, and almost gotten mixed up with the kind of scumbag I had been warned against. Who knew what Tadd would have done to me if I hadn’t out smarted him? I laughed at my small victory, at my idiocy and insanity, and at the crazy rush I felt at getting out of there in one piece. I felt terrified and angry and frustrated and alive, very alive.

I
was a mess again by Wednesday. I still hadn’t heard from Rex, but I was definitely staying away from Drake’s. I couldn’t help but wonder where he was and what he was doing, and why he hadn’t messaged me yet. Fortunately, I was keeping myself together enough not to blow his phone up, but I really wanted to.

Then the text came mid-afternoon. I was getting back from lunch, hoping Marissa wouldn’t be around, when my phone vibrated. I pulled it out and my heart almost stopped when I saw that it was from him.
Meet me at the wharf tonight at 8, be careful
. That was all he said. I was beyond thrilled that he wanted to see me, but also worried. I tried not to read too much into it, but it was hard not to. I hadn’t heard from him in days, and even stalked him at his bar. I was a little surprised he wanted to see me without talking first, but I guessed he had his reasons. I wanted to respond, but I decided against it. He was vague and mysterious for a reason, and I guessed it had to do with the reason he hadn’t been in touch sooner.

The day flew by after that, and I soon found myself getting dressed to see him. I decided on the same socks and chucks combo, plus frayed short jean shorts and a tight navy blue T-shirt. My heart was racing as I left the building and made my way toward the art museum. The last time, he was waiting at the top of the steps, but this time I knew where I was going. I went past the metal horse fountain, went right toward Kelly Drive, and wound my way up around behind the museum. The area felt creepier and smaller without Rex leading the way; I had the distinct feeling of being watched. I realized I was paranoid, but wasn’t sure why. I guessed it had to do with Rex’s mysterious message. I felt almost like a spy, going for a secret drop in a secluded area.

The black spiral staircase was exactly where I left it last time, but it felt even more daunting. I hesitated at the top, and took a deep breath. I needed to be sure this was what I wanted, and it was my last chance to back out. Rex was a dangerous man involved with dangerous people, and I had already almost gotten myself into a really bad situation. I didn’t know what he had been doing, but it was almost definitely not something legal. More than likely, it was violent and bloody. He may have even still been doing drugs, for all I knew. Tadd was a disgusting human, but he might have told the truth.

I looked out across the water, at the lights of West Philly, and stared as the small waves and currents bent and curved the reflected buildings. I thought about Rex’s strong hands on my hips, his soft lips against mine, his teasing laugh, and his easy confidence. I thought about him calling me spoiled, and hated to admit that it turned me on. I wanted him to break me, to show me a world I had never seen before. I didn’t crave danger, but I craved that man. I took a step, then another, and soon I found myself at the bottom of the staircase on the dimly lit pathway winding its way through sparse trees.