Merciless Ride (29 page)

She climbs off, and I can’t help pulling her in close to me. She is straddling my leg as I sit on my bike in front of the place that brought her pain.
 

Bringing my hands behind her neck, I squeeze and bring her forehead against mine. “We can leave. Go for a ride. Baby, you don’t have to—”
 

“Shut up, kiss me, and then let’s go congratulate your brother,” she whispers.
 

Kissing her, I get lost in us, forgetting everything until the whistles sound around us. Pulling away, I run my thumb over her bottom lip.
 

“I love you, Tessie,” I breathe out, needing her to know, needing her to hear me say the words before she walks back inside this place.
 

She smiles at me, her eyes dancing with love, security, and life. She is okay. She is strength in a small package. She is perseverance. No matter what is thrown at her, she will fight through it. That is my ol’ lady.
 

“I love you, Andy,” she whispers back to me as I climb off my bike.
 

I squeeze her clammy, shaking hand as we cross the threshold. Getting her to the bar, I nod to Corinne to come over. I sit on the stool, positioning Tessie between my legs with her back to my chest.
 

“Inhale, baby. Blow out the breath. This is your family. Every patched brother in here will die for you before we allow harm to come to you. I’m sorry, baby; so sorry for what happened to you. I’m with you now, and he’s gone. You are a survivor. You fought to live, and you won, baby. You won for you. You won for your mom. You won for Axel. And, baby, you won for me. Breathe, Tessie, and tonight, live for everything you have overcome.”
 

She relaxes into me and the shaking stops. Kissing her neck, I keep my arms wrapped around her as she talks briefly to Corinne about work and life.
 

Taking a pull off the beer Corinne sat in front of me, I relax for the first time tonight. Across the room, I see Boomer and give him a chin lift. I am not moving and dragging her deeper into this bar, which would be closer to the room. He makes his way over with Pamela hanging off one shoulder like an extra appendage.
 

“Hey, brother,” I greet my long-time friend.
 

“So, you made it for real, then? She’s your ol’ lady more than just as words now?” Boomer questions, not holding anything back.
 

“It’s always been more than just words,” I admit, also holding nothing back.
 

“Good for you. There isn’t another man more deserving of happiness than you,” Boomer says before squeezing Pamela’s ass as she sucks on his neck, most likely marking my brother.
 

My phone vibrates in my pocket. Sliding off the bar stool, I take Tessie by the hand and guide her outside so I can take the call.
 

“Jenkins,” I answer, not recognizing the number.
 

“Shooter, it’s Young. How’s the weather? Is it hot?” My old teammate, Lucas Young, replies, letting me know he needs to make sure I have some privacy. He fell off the grid a few years back and none of us have heard from him. The last update was that he took a contracted team job. I am curious as to why he would contact me now.
 

“I’m warm at the moment. What’s happenin’, stranger?” I reply, letting him know my answers will be limited, yet I can listen.
 

“Need a contact for a motorcycle club in South Florida. A trustworthy, walk both sides of the line type of contact.”
 

“Hammer,” I answer simply. Hammer will either help him or find someone who can.
 

“Roger.” With that one word, the call is disconnected.
 

Good to know he is alive. We all have our own paths to follow.
 

Looking at my ol’ lady, I know what I need to do.
 

“Take a ride with me, baby?” I ask, not wanting to take her back in the bar.
 

 

Ride With Me
 

 

Mercy found it in her tonight to make that phone call come just as I was beginning to feel the walls close in on me. Stepping outside, I breathe in the fresh, outside air.
 

I faced the place that took so much from me. I don’t know that I will ever go back to work here, but at least when the situation arises that I need to be here, I know I can make it inside. Shooter gives me comfort and courage when I can’t find it on my own.
 

Once he finishes his call, Shooter is ready to go, thank goodness. We ride through the old country roads, just being together. When he pulls off on some random spot on Miller’s Hill Road, my anxiety builds.
 

While I climb off the bike, he merely sits there, taking his helmet off. Following suit, I take mine off as well. Leaning over, he sets his on the ground by my feet before laying mine beside it. Taking my hand, he then pulls me to him. He pats his lap, signaling me to straddle the bike backwards and sit on his lap and the gas tank. It’s a good thing I am in jeans tonight, the engine gets hot and a motorcycle is not an easy thing to climb on.
 

Nervously, I tuck my hair behind my ears as Shooter remains quiet, looking at me as if he is looking into my soul. He reaches up and runs his thumb along my bottom lip.
 

“This is the spot where you captured a piece of me. This is the spot where your car broke down. Our ride is one that’s been on the path less traveled. Our journey is one of two broken souls fighting to push on. Our love is one that rises above and overcomes all challenges. This is the spot where I give you all of me for eternity. This is the spot where I hope like hell you agree to take my last name. I love you, Tessie Marie Harlow. Marry me?” He reaches behind him into the saddlebag on my left, pulling out a small black box. Opening it, there is a pearl ring with two ruby accents sitting in front of me. “The pearl is for the grace you carry yourself with. The two rubies are for Axel and your mom. Baby, I know I’m not just committing to you, but to them as well.”
 

“Yes, Andy, yes,” I say before slamming my mouth down on his.
 

Breaking away from our kiss, I look over Shooter’s shoulder. The road behind me is broken with loose gravel. It is in a remote area full of nothingness. The path in which it leads to is full of uncertainty. This road that has been the path of my life has been full of trials, pain, and endurance. My ride has been surviving from one hit to the next without feeling, just going on until the next thing comes. Like the road I stare at, it is behind me when I leave here tonight.
 

In Shooter’s arms, I don’t need to know the road ahead of me. In his arms, I know I am on solid pavement. At times we may find the road gets bumpy, but in his arms, I am safe. In his arms, I am complete. In his arms, I am confident in my future. In his arms, I am alive and I am loved.
 

 

Ruthless is packed tonight as everyone celebrates Boomer patching in. Going behind the bar, I smack Corinne’s ass as I reach down and grab a bottle of Kentucky Whiskey. She turns around to me, and I wrap my hand around the back of her head, pulling her in for a sloppy kiss.
 

She relaxes under me, letting me know I could take her to the stockroom right now and fuck her. The stockroom…
 

Jerking away from Corinne, I back away quickly. I can’t do this anymore.
 

Uncapping the bottle, I take a swig, letting the burn permeate all the way down. Tessie was here earlier. I didn’t get a chance to check on her before Shooter was leaving with her. He is everything she needs and deserves. Taking another gulp, I crave the numbness I plan to find at the bottom of this bottle.
 

Tessie is the strongest broad I have ever known. Shooter bought the ring, and I hope he proposes soon. She deserves her happily ever after, white picket fence, prince charming shit. I did her wrong for way too long.
 

Axel is the best thing to come out of all of this. He teaches me so much about myself. I have to be better and do better for him. There is more to my life now than booze, brothers, broads, and bikes. I am a dad. I have a real impact on someone’s life.
 

Caroline is here tonight with Doll. She is once again over dressed, but I have come to learn that is her style. She has no clue about the sick fuck she is dealing with at work. She was uncomfortable and asked Doll for Tripp to look into it. Tripp looking into it equals telling me.
 

If she would be a little nicer to me and actually fucking listen to me when I say he is dangerous, this would be much easier. She keeps saying she has it under control. Why don’t women ever listen to their intuition? She was bothered enough to call Doll in the first place, but now she is refusing help.
 

Another drink, more burn, but not enough to distract me from the thousand thoughts running through my head. I failed Tessie. I left her that night and he got to her.
 

Caroline may find me beneath her fancy lifestyle. Hell, she may hate me. However, I won’t make the same mistake twice. I won’t fail her. I will lay down my life before anything happens to her.
 

She walks over to me with Doll, taking me out of my thoughts.
 

“Thought you were out of town?” Caroline questions.
 

I drove through the night to get back here, not only for Boomer’s party, but to check on Caroline. The information on this guy we got back has me on edge. She is here, safe tonight, so I can relax for the moment.
 

The alcohol buzzing through my system, I tease her. “It was a long ride. A ride that brought me right here to you, Lux.”
 

~The End~
 

Until The Next Ride…
 

The Desert Ghosts MC, Thorn, Preacher, and Shep are used with permission from Author Theresa Marguerite Hewitt. Look for Ricochet, book one of her new series coming soon.
 

The Savage Outlaws MC, Bowie, Tin Man, Lock, and Shay are used with permission from Author Emily Minton. Be on the lookout for Beautiful Outlaw, book one of her new series coming November 2014.
 

Lucas Young used with permission from author Jessie Lane. Meet Lucas Young and team in Secret Maneuvers available now through all major retailers. Be on the lookout for more Ice, Hammer, and Young in Stripping Her Defenses coming November 4, 2014.
 

The Regulators MC series co-written by Chelsea Camaron and Jessie Lane will be coming to you December 2014 in the first book titled Ice.