Blood (Dark Riders Motorcycle Club) (6 page)

Suddenly, a dark fragrance filled the air. It smelled familiar, and my heart started to race.

"Lily?"

I turned around. It was Asher.

His arm was bandaged again. This time, he had some kind of sling to keep it stable. It was good. That was exactly what I would've wanted.

We stared at one another. It was stupid, really. After everything, why were we hesitating? What was there to be shy about?

Still, I stayed where I was. I took a step back, and pressed my body against the fence. It clanged under my impact.

Asher ran his hand through his hair and pressed his fingers against the back of his neck.His mouth opened, but nothing came out.

It was now or never, wasn't it? If I didn't say anything, the moment would pass. We'd go back to how we were. Nothing would have changed.

Was that what I wanted?

At first, I was surprised by the tears. They poured down my face before I even knew what I was feeling. My body knew.

I had to tell him. He had to know my answer.

So I ran. I didn't feel like running, but I ran. Every step seemed to take a million moments. He was so close, but it took me so long just to get to him.

Maybe because when you know what you want, not having it for even a second seems like an eternity.

I fell against Asher's chest. He wrapped his arm around me, stopping me from falling. For a moment, I just savored the feeling. He was strong. I was safe.

I looked up at him with the tears still streaming down my face.

"Lilly, what's wrong?" he asked. "Are you okay? What-"

"Yes!" I yelled.

"Yes what?" He looked down at me, his eyebrows knitted and confused.

"Yes! Yes to riding. Yes to everything. Yes to
you
!"

Asher didn't say anything. He stared hard into my eyes, as if he was trying to see if I was telling the truth. I could feel his heart thumping hard in his chest. Then he pulled me close.

His lips pressed against mine. Softly at first, and then more insistent. He pulled me up to meet him, so I was straining on the toes of my feet. My whole body strained, pressing against him.

I kissed Asher back. My arms wrapped around his neck and I tasted his lips. It wasn't the first time, but it was somehow
different
. Every touch he made ran through my body like lightning.

And then he pulled back.

"I've been waiting to hear that all my life."

Epilogue

Today was the day.

I shoved the last T-shirt into my duffel bag. I didn't need anything fancy, I was just going home after all. A couple of sneakers. Some jeans. That was it.

Anything else would just get covered by motorcycle grease anyway.

Still, I couldn't help but be at least a
little
excited. I checked myself in the mirror. Hair is okay. At least I don't look
crazy
.

I slipped my arms into the leather jacket Asher had gotten me. I turned around to admire the back.
Property of the Dark Riders.

Who would've thought I'd be a real old lady? Not me. It still felt strange wearing it anywhere but in the clubhouse. No one else understood.

My phone buzzed on my desk. I didn't even have to look to know who it was. Jeez, that man was impatient.

I took one last look in the mirror and grabbed my bag. On the way out, I made sure that my dorm door was locked, and then I headed down the stairs.

And who did I find waiting for me right outside the door, with his hands on his hips?

"How many times are you going to be late?" Asher asked. He tried to look mad, but he was failing.

"For your information, I'm not late," I said. I pushed my finger into his chest. "
You're
the one who's early."

Asher took my duffel bag and picked me up, throwing me over his shoulder. I yelled and kicked, but he didn't budge.

"I thought you fancy college folk were supposed to be on time for things?" Asher said.

"You don't have to come pick me up, you know! I know my way home perfectly well, thank you very much," I said. "Plus, you must be super busy,
Mr. President.
"

Asher dropped my bag onto the back of the bike and finally took me off of his shoulder. Both of his hands wrapped around my waist and held me in front of him.

"Hmm, I don't know if that's a good idea. We all know what happens when you drive home alone," Asher said. I already knew what was coming next. "Some handsome young guy might try to kidnap you. We can't have
that
."

I punched Asher in the chest, but he just laughed. "Ha ha.
Very
funny."

White bandages peeked out from under Asher's jacket and I pulled the leather back. I peeled away some of the layers to take a look at his arm.

"Have you been taking care of your arm," I asked.

"Yes."

"Every day?"

"Yes…"

"And putting fresh gauze?"

"Yes…."

"And -"

Asher's lips caught me off guard. They pressed against me,
hard
, until I stopped resisting. I felt myself go soft in his grip.

Then Asher pulled back, leaving my lips.

"That's better, " he said. "So what's with the inquisition?"

"Can't I have questions?" I said. "A lot of things have been happening, and I just want to know what's going on."

Asher sat down on his bike and gave a sigh. He shrugged his shoulders and threw his hands up in defeat.

"Okay, fine. Fire away."

At first, I didn't want to. But once we got on the bike, we wouldn't be able to hear each other. So this is my only chance. While we were alone.

"How's Mav?" I asked.

"He's getting there," Asher said. "The Doc had him try out his crazy looking prosthetic leg. It's like something straight out of a sci-fi movie."

"And how was it?"

Asher looked at me with a smile. "Who knows?" He said. "It looks like he just might be riding with us again."

I laughed and pumped my fists in the air. "Awesome!"

I was happy for Mav, but I had one more question.

"And what about the Tarantulas? What is up with
them
?"

Saying the name made me come down with chills. I didn't exactly have the fondest memories of my time with the club.

"Most of them got locked up. That was a
serious
amount of cocaine they had. I can't even imagine how they got their hands on it," Asher said. "But just a few of them went free. Young kids who had no idea what was going on.

"I invited some of them to join us."

My heart started to race. "Are you
sure
? How can you trust them? After everything they did!"

Asher got off the bike and came close to me. He ran his fingers through my hair and curled his hand around my neck. His lips pressed against my forehead as he held me tight.

"Don't worry about it," he said. "I know what I'm doing.
Trust
me. Okay?"

"Okay…"

"Actually, I think you'll be really happy to meet them."

I turned away from him.

"I guess…" I paused and then started again. "But what about-"

Asher picked me up again. He swung me around, spinning me like I weighed nothing.

"Hey!" I yelled. "I'm not done!"

"Nope!" He said. "Question time is officially over. It's time to get on the road."

Asher plopped me down on the seat of his bike, and then climbed on himself. Before I had time to protest, he revved the engine and took off. All I could do was hold on.

As my dorm faded in the distance, I felt more and more at ease. These were my favorite times. Me and Asher. Just us and the road.

I didn't have to think about my exams, or my roommate, or even that one professor who refuses to give anyone anything above a C+. Instead, I just took in the sights as they came to me.

Evening was coming and the sun had just started to set. It was heavy on the horizon, looking like a giant molten ball of gold. The edges of the sky darkened as night tried to approach. It wouldn't be long before the whole sky was inky black, dotted with brilliant stars shining in the night.

All of this I got to share with Asher. We both shivered as the cool air rushed over our skin. We both smelled the sweet scent of magnolia and jasmine lingering on the breeze.

It was nice, but it was also wrong.

Maybe he thought I wouldn't notice, but I did. This wasn't the way home. A few miles back, Asher turned in a direction that we had never gone. I thought that he had just made a mistake, and that we were going back, and he never did.

So just
where
was he taking me?

The thought lingered in my mind as we rode. The farther we got away from our regular path, the more I couldn't ignore it.

We passed a large field as the sun finally started to set. It dipped below the horizon and set the sky on fire. We were surrounded in bright pinks, deep reds, and marigold-yellows.

Asher pulled into the field and parked his bike. He pulled two juice packs out of his jacket pocket.

"I know how much you like these, so…"

My cheeks burned red. I wanted to throw the stupid box at him, but I was actually too thirsty to refuse. I angrily jabbed the straw into the tiny hole.

"You can't fool me, you know," I said. "This isn't the way home."

"Yep, you are
correct
," He said.
 

Asher shoved his hands in his pockets and leaned back. As if it was the most natural thing in the world to drive your girlfriend off to a mystery destination without her knowledge.

"So where are you taking me?"
 

"That," he said, "is a secret."

Asher climbed back into the seat of his bike and patted the space behind him.

"Come on," he said.

I stood there, my arms crossed over my chest. I planted my legs in a wide stance and pressed my lips together into a thin line.

Asher patted the seat again.

"Don't make me come and get you," he said. "You can come of your own free will or I can
take
you. You choose."

I looked at him for a while. Was he joking? The way his eyes met mine told me he wasn't.

I kicked the dirt in front of me. "Fine," I said. "But this better be good."

Asher brought his bike to life and it rumbled underneath us.

"Don't worry, it will be," he said before driving off.

It was hours before we got there, but Asher was right. It
was
good.

First, there was the breeze. It came in under the dark sky, wrapping me in its salty smell. It took a while before I could see where it was coming from. At first it was just a glimpse. A bit of the moon reflected through the trees. And then I saw it.

We turned a corner and the whole view opened up to me. Instead of the endless path of asphalt I was used to seeing, there was a wide swath of ocean. It literally took my breath away.

The waves rolled into the sand gently, reflecting the pale light of the moon back up into the sky.I could taste the salt air on my tongue, and the roar of the ocean filled my ears. Already, I wanted to jump off the bike and into the water. If only I had brought my bathing suit.
 

The shore was dotted with only a few flaming torches. Otherwise, the beach looked completely deserted. Were we all alone?

The road ended just before the beach, and Asher parked his bike. As he did, I tore off my shoes and ran into the sand. It was cool and wet, sticking to the soles of my feet.

Asher laughed at me.

"So," he said. "Was it a good secret?"

I turned around and ran back towards him. We collided and I wrapped my arms around his neck, almost knocking Asher backward.

"It is! The best!" I said.

"I thought it would be nice for us to be alone for once. Away from the guys."

"It is perfect."

Then Asher took my hand. He led me further down the beach.

"Come on, there's more," he said.

 
We kept going until we reached a small hut. It wasn't fancy, like at a resort or anything, but my heart swelled when I saw it. He had even sprinkled rose petals on the sand, leading up to the hut's doorway.
 

No, it wasn't fancy, but it was just right for me.

"What do you think?" Asher asked.

"What do
I
think?"

I threw my arms around Asher's neck again and covered his lips with mine. At first, it was just a kiss. I was happy just to be there. I was happy just to have Asher near me.

Then it became something else.

Asher pressed his lips back against mine, hard enough to bruise. I moaned against him. Heat grew in my body, making Asher's touch burn my skin. I knew what I wanted, and it was much more than a kiss. My hands roamed under his shirt, touching the hard muscle underneath.

That's when Asher pulled my head back, grabbing my hair in his hand. I gasped, but it felt good. I wanted more of him like this, rough, hard,
dangerous
.

Asher's lips covered my skin. He moved from my lips down my neck. His hand slipped under my shirt and felt my hard nipples through the fabric of my bra.
 

We were out in the open. Anyone could have just walked by and seen us, but I didn't care. I just wanted more of Asher's touch.

I pulled at his shirt, lifting it over his head. Even in the moonlight I could see the outline of his scars. They raised up from his skin like the boundaries of a map. I wanted to erase them, smooth them away.

Asher had other plans. He took my shirt, ripping it off of me, and unhooked my bra. The next thing I felt was his hot mouth on my breast. Asher pressed me down into the sand as his tongue played with my nipple. The beach was cool against my hot skin, and the sand stuck to my body.

Every other time I was naked like this with anyone, my mind was working a mile a minute. But not this time. All I felt was need, want, desire. My body moved on its own.

I tugged on Asher's pants and he unbuttoned them. After I pulled them off he was naked, holding himself up over me with those strong tattooed arms.
 

Next it was my turn. Asher zipped down my jeans, but he didn't pull them all the way off. Instead he slid his hand down the front, under my panties, and into me. I groaned as his big fingers slipped inside. He thrusted them in and out, over and over again until I was squirming, begging underneath him.