Claiming the Knights (10 page)

             
“Raw, this is Joel, your middle from Washington,” Scooter said.

             
“Hey.” Raw said, giving Joel a quick nod.

             
Joel took note of the piercings on his lower lip, and the spikes that curved down over his chin. He had a shaved head and was tall and built, with his muscles showing through his t-shirt. It was obvious that Raw took care of himself.

             
“So what do you guys need from me at this point?” Joel asked. He stayed seated, with his half finished lunch on the arm of the chair.

             
“You’re gonna call your guy in Seattle and see how he's doin'. See if he’s up for a fuckin' hit. You’re gonna sick him on Raw here. Just when he gets close, he’s gonna get hit,” Drifter instructed Joel, and threw him a phone.

             
“What? Right now?” Joel asked, getting nervous about his own mortality.

             
“Yeah! Right fuckin' now! You got a problem with that?” Scooter yelled. “You got a problem helpin' us make this right?”

             
“No not at all. Sorry, just don't know his number.”

             
Drifter reached in the duffle bag he was carrying and he threw a leather bound book at Joel. “Pretty sure this has all you need.”

             
It was Joel's contact book. Everything was in code, but the guys figured out that’s what it was pretty quick, upon searching his place. They seemed to have everything that was pertinent to the whole deal in that damn duffle bag.

             
“Go ahead, make the call. We are gonna sit in on it,” Drifter said, encouraging Joel to start.

             
“He is going to expect an email soon. I will need it to be emailed to my laptop, and then to him.” He said, hoping to stall again.

             
“It's already been done. Make the fuckin' call,” Dean said in a threatening tone.

             
Joel made the call. To the best they could tell, there was no bullshit being exchanged. Joel asked the guy how he was doing, if he was up for a hit, and that he would send the info soon. Joel hung up and handed the phone, and book, back to Drifter.

             
Raw started towards the door. “Better get shit lined out for Seattle trip. Got options of ladies to stay with. Chat with you brother's later.” He headed a few doors down, to his temporary room.

             
The mock hit was to go down in two days. Raw was going to be in the line of fire, but would turn things around quickly, and take the fucker down. He liked to be alone for a bit beforehand. He made a call to some friends up that way, and then headed to the bar.              

             
“What can I get for ya stranger?” Anne asked him. She knew he was there dealing with some club business and he was to be treated as an equal, while he was there. The other men had all headed their separate ways, so it was just the two of them in the room, at the time.

             
“Just cold beer Bella,” he told her. “Name is Raw. I ride alone, I’m here to help out your men.” He grabbed the bottle she slid to him, and took a long drink.

             
“Nice to meet you Raw. Interesting name. I am Anne, pretty much the house mom, or hired help,” she said, reaching for a hand shake.

             
In Raw fashion, he gently pulled her hand to his lips, and kissed it. “Nice to meet you too. You don't have a man?” he asked, after letting her take her hand back.

             
“Nope, I'm a free agent,” she told him.

             
Just then, Dean appeared from the hallway. He looked at the both of them, and walked out of the club. He had heard what she said, but he didn't have a pot to piss in. He had fucked up bad and it looked like he had lost her. He shook it off, and kept walking towards his bike, feelin' like an asshole.

             
Back in the club, Raw continued with conversation.

             
“Do you know any Tarot readers or Psychic's in de area? I like to get reading and I need one soon.” His accent and broken English were easy for her to follow.

             
“Well my daughter reads cards, but I don't like her to come around here. I keep her away,” Anne said. “Maybe you could meet her at a coffee shop, or a public place,” she suggested. She trusted the club for herself, but Raven didn't need to get caught up in all this bullshit. She did everything in her power to keep her girl far away from this.

             
“Sure, I will meet her. Tell her I pay her double for short notice if she do it today,” he told Anne, as she text out her message to Raven.

              An hour later, Raw was sitting in a small coffee shop, waiting for a girl named Raven to read his cards for him. He liked to get a reading before a hit, so he knew what to expect. It was his way of being aware of any extra's that may come about, and to watch out for.

             
He had ordered some tea, and found a secluded corner to get a bit of privacy. Ten minutes went by and he was starting to think she may not show. He kept looking at the door at the front of the shop.               Just as he was about to turn and look one more time, he heard her voice. “You must be Raw.” He turned in the opposite direction from the front door, and saw her. Behind her, he made note of the side entrance. He was usually much more observant, and chastised himself for being so careless.

             
“Si, I am Raw.” He took the hand that she offered, and kissed it. She was beautiful with blonde wavy hair, blue eyes, and a nice curvy figure. He let go of her hand. “I see why your momma keeps you from club,” he said, smiling at her.

             
She blushed, and took the seat across from him. She reached into her shoulder bag, pulling out a pouch, and then pulled the cards from the pouch.

             
“Thank you, I think,” she said to him, trying to control her heated face. She just kept staring. He was amazing to look at. He wore a plain white t-shirt with jeans. There was a leather jacket over the chair he was sitting in, but the patches didn't match the Northwest Knights. It all seemed to be in Italian or something. His well built chest and arms were apparent through his t-shirt. His head was shaved completely, both ears were pierced, and he had piercings below his bottom lip with spikes that curved like fangs, over his chin. She was intrigued.

             
“You think correctly, Bella Raven,” he said to her. “Let’s read cards and see where they take me on my journey.”

             
Raven started shuffling the cards. She put the deck in front of him, and told him to cut the cards, while concentrating on his question, if he had one.

             
She started laying the cards out on the table at an angle they could both see. As she went through the meaning and placement of each card, she made some relevant observations about his preference to be alone, and his dangerous job. She knew this since he was affiliated with the club somehow, and she didn't need to ask any questions. Her mom had taught her that it was better not to know details… do your job, and move on.

             
Raw remained silent while she explained the lesson and challenges and some interesting influences that always seemed to be distracting to him... The Lover's card.

             
Through the reading he was so quiet and she kept looking at him, to make sure he was still listening. Usually the person she read did some acknowledging and questioning. His silence was making her a bit nervous, but she kept going. Each time she looked at him, he would meet her blue eyes and smile.

             
When she was done, he took a small notebook out of his jacket pocket and wrote a few things down, and then he asked for her number, in case he came back this way for another reading.

             
She was hesitant to give it to him, for obvious reasons, but she found herself blurting it out. Even though there was an air of danger around him, she felt safe. Like just in this short meeting, he would kill to keep her safe. It was an odd feeling. She knew if her mother caught wind of this, she would come unglued.

             
“Could we keep this under wraps?” Raven asked him. “My mom would flip if she knew you had my number.”

             
“Si, my lips are sealed.” He winked at her, and then pretended to twist a lock next to his lips.

             
“Well, I better get going. My bus gets here in a few minutes,” she said, gathering her cards. “Perfect timing really.”

             
Raw stood and took out his wallet. He placed a hundred dollar bill on the table in front of her. “I thank you for your time Bella Raven.”

             
“No, that is way too much. I charge twenty,” she said, trying to hand him the bill back.

             
“No, you keep. You helped me so much on short notice.” He waved it away as he put his jacket on, and grabbed a helmet from the chair next to him.

             
“You need ride, I take you where you need to go,” he said, hoping he could get that close to her. With a name like Raven, he expected black hair. The blonde was interesting to him.

             
“I can take the bus. That would really throw my mom over the edge.” She laughed, thinking about her mom flipping out about her being on the back of a bike. “I better stick with the bus, but thank you so much. I appreciate the offer.”

             
He zipped his jacket up about half way. “You are not a baby Raven, you are a woman. But if you let your momma make rules, then I will call you next time.”

             
She was so torn. There was a clear attraction to this man before her. He was all charm and regardless of his passive attitude, she felt as though he was twisting her arm. They both stood, looking at each other for a few moments, before she caved.

             
“Ok, you can take me home, but if my mom's car is in the driveway, you have to take me down the block and drop me off,” she said, making some rules of her own. Feeling independent, she smiled, but she was pulled out of her thoughts, when he grabbed her hand, and started towards the door. Startled, she squeaked a bit as he pulled her through the front door, and into the daylight.

             
When they got to his bike, he opened one of the compartments and pulled out a helmet. He put it on her and adjusted it, before clipping it. He told her to put her purse in the compartment.

             
Within minutes, they were out on the open road. She had been on a few bikes, so she knew how to lean with the driver. She had her arms wrapped tightly around his torso, and her head was turned sideways and up against his leather jacket, keeping her face out of the wind. After each turn, he would pat her hands that were clasped over his belly, as if to say good job. She loved how safe and exciting the whole experience was. As they turned towards her house, she realized that she didn't have to tell him where she lived. She wasn't about to ask.

             
As they approached the street, he slowed and they both saw the car in the driveway.

             
“Let me off here, I guess,” she said, and she let go of his body.

             
He had other plans. The bike lurched forward and she grabbed around him once more.

             
“What are you doing? Where are you going?” she yelled over the motor.

             
“Just for a little ride,” he said, turning his head sideways. “You up for that Bella?”

             
Before she could think, she blurted out, “Yeah.” And they were off.

             
As they made their way out of the congested city streets and into the country, she couldn't help think how stupid she was being. She knew this man was dangerous, and yet here she was with him. He could take her and do whatever he wanted with her, and she still stayed on the bike at every stop sign, and slow turn. What the fuck.

             
After about a half hour he took her back to the block, down from her house, and stopped the bike. She got off and he did too.

             
“Thanks again for reading, and nice ride,” he said to her. He reached for her hand, grasped it, and once again, brought it to his mouth and kissed it. “I respect you Bella Raven, but you are attracting me and I want to kiss you.” He then kissed each finger.

             
He let her hand drop and she stepped towards him. She wasn't brave enough to say yes, but she thought the physical gesture would speak for her.

             
Her heart raced as he reached for her face, but then instead of going for a kiss, he snapped the clip on the helmet, and took it off. Her breath hitched as she tried to compose herself. Opening the compartment on his bike, he pulled out her purse, and replaced the helmet.