Chapter Two
“Scar, come on, seriously. You never go out,” Kat whined a week later trying her best for the hundredth time to get me to accompany her to our coworker’s birthday party. I rolled my eyes at her and turned my attention back to my movie. “Ok you know what, consider this an intervention,” she said firmly, snapping the TV off and standing in front of it with her hands on her hips.
“Hey!” I protested.
“No, seriously Scarlet. This is ridiculous. All you do is work, read, and workout. You’re heartbreakingly gorgeous, your young, and you need to live,” she said forcefully. “I’m not saying you need to come out just to meet some guy, but come out just to be out,” she insisted. “It’ll be fun, remember fun?” she pressed.
I sighed, reluctant to admit that she was right. I knew I probably guarded myself too closely, that I should get out more. The only socializing I really did was when we had people over, or when we had drinks with coworkers at the bar after our shifts. But I liked feeling in control and safe, something that could only be attained by keeping my world relatively small. It had felt big and harsh enough for the first eighteen years.
“Please?” she pleaded one last time.
“Fine,” I replied, and surprised us both.
“Really? Ok great!” she exclaimed jumping up and down. “This will be so much fun!”
Kat was clearly enjoying getting ready together. I felt somewhat reluctant. I’d guarded myself so closely for the last eight years. I hadn’t changed my name or anything as extreme as that, but I’d tried hard to stay under the radar. Rationally, every time she successfully dragged me out, I knew that one night out wouldn’t change anything, but it made me feel oddly vulnerable. I forced myself to shake it off and to enjoy a night out with my best friend.
Kat decided on skinny jeans and a figure hugging tank top that complimented her slender frame. She kept her eye makeup relatively simple, but chose bright red lipstick that offset her raven hair, which was cut short for the summer. She had beautiful blue eyes that complemented her dark hair and pale, porcelain skin. She was a complete and total knockout.
My figure was much curvier than hers, with my large breasts and an ass that only frequent exercise could tame. I was tall for a girl and I worked out often, so I always looked slender, but I was no stick figure that was for sure. I chose a lightweight summer dress that hugged my hips and showed some leg. It had a modest neckline with an open back, which made it sexier than the average summer dress. I paired it with my platform sandals and left my long hair down and naturally wavy. I did a smoky eye, which made my green, almond-shaped eyes pop, but I went with a nude lip gloss so I didn’t look too overdone. All in all, I thought we both looked pretty fantastic.
We hopped in a cab and were soon headed downtown to our coworker’s birthday party at some bar I’d unsurprisingly never heard of. The place was packed when we arrived, and Kat automatically took my hand and pulled me toward the bar to order drinks.
I was pleased to find that it wasn’t even an hour into the party and I was having fun. The music was good and several of our other coworkers were there. Everyone was so excited that I showed up. It made me realize how much I needed to get out more. Connie, the birthday girl, had greeted us enthusiastically. Connie was upbeat and always seemed to be in a good mood. I often thought that I should have some of whatever she was having to make her so seemingly high on life. She soon introduced me to her boyfriend, Wes, who I had seen in the brewery a few times but hadn’t met formally. They were an interesting match. Connie looked like your typical California girl with her blond hair and tanned skin, while Wes was dark skinned and somewhat menacing with his large frame and shaved head.
Wes seemed nice enough, though he was clearly guarded. He watched Connie with a kind of intensity that I envied. He obviously cared deeply for her and was protective in a way that I found to be sweet instead of suffocating. I hadn’t thought about my own love life in so long, and I suddenly realized that I was lonely. Aside from a casual date here and there, I hadn’t had a serious boyfriend since I’d left home. I missed the intimacy of it, the comfort. I was shocked and even a bit disgusted that I could think back to my time with Jake with any type of yearning given the way things had ended.
My thoughts shifted to Cole as they had often done in the past week, and I thought of the note I’d kept in my purse. I hadn’t thrown it out despite considering it often. I had to admit that I’d had more than one fantasy about him since we met. I shook my head to dispel the current direction of my thoughts, and I excused myself from the table to go get another drink.
“Can I buy you a drink?” a guy said with a smile as I walked up to the bar. He was far too preppy for my taste, but handsome in his own way. He also looked like he’d had one too many drinks.
“No thanks,” I said as I shook my head politely.
“Just one drink,” he pleaded, trying to lay the charm on, but immediately turned me off in the process. “You’re the most beautiful girl in the room,” he murmured, his hand drifting to my bare back. I stepped back immediately, planning to head back to my friends, but his hand clamped firmly on my arm. “Hey, where are you goin'?” he asked, his eyes traveling down my figure.
“If you want to keep that hand, you better remove it in two fucking seconds,” a voice growled angrily behind me. My heart leapt at the familiarity of it, and I inwardly scolded myself for the involuntary flutter that fled through my entire body. What was he doing here? How long had he been standing there?
The guy at the bar looked slightly taken aback, but he quickly removed his hand. “Sorry, just a bit of harmless fun,” he explained casually.
I narrowed my eyes at him before turning to face the formidable frame of Cole, who was still glaring angrily at preppy guy.
“What are you doing?” I asked nervously. I was completely befuddled at seeing him.
Instead of answering, he shocked me by putting an arm around me and leading me toward the other end of the bar as though he’d done it a thousand times. I couldn’t pretend that I didn’t enjoy that short walk pressed against his firm body. And I may have leaned in to take a sniff of him, just a small one. He smelled amazing, of course.
“New Castle,” he ordered from the bartender who’d come over within moments of seeing Cole standing there. I carefully edged out from under his arm, despite wanting very much to stay right there.
“And for you?” the bartender asked me. Cole looked down at me expectantly. He still looked angry and I thought it best not to argue with him.
“Gin and tonic please,” I requested. I let Cole pay for my drink, still too flabbergasted to argue.
“I assume you got my note,” his deep voice rumbled before taking a deep swallow of his beer. God his mouth was beautiful.
I nodded.
He looked at me expectantly, his eyes fierce.
“It’s not personal,” I assured him, feeling flustered by his nearness and his intense stare. The man did not mince words that was for sure. He looked gorgeous in dark blue jeans and a dark blue henley that made his eyes pop. Tattoos ran up and down both arms, complementing the muscle that flexed as he moved. He searched my expression in that way of his that made me feel like he could see right through me, and I was forced to look away.
“Where’s the rest of your dress?” he demanded, the change in the conversation throwing me for a loop.
“Excuse me?” I demanded in return, any trace of feeling flustered disappearing.
“You heard me,” he replied as we stared at each other, the electricity zapping between us.
“Thanks for the drink, goodnight Cole,” I bit out, and turned on my heel to stomp away. I didn’t get one foot before his hand gripped my arm and spun me around to face him.
“Didn’t say you don’t look hotter than hell baby, but it’s gonna make for an exhausting night for me if I have to wade in every time some mother fucker looks at you the wrong way,” he informed me.
I stared at him in utter bafflement for a minute before I collected myself. Seriously the nerve of this guy!
“I’m sorry, I must have missed something,” I said sarcastically. “The last I checked, I was perfectly capable of taking care of myself. There’s no position currently open for ‘Scarlet’s savior,’” I said as I put my hand to my chest dramatically. “The whole damsel in distress thing isn’t really my bag, so clearly you’ve got the wrong girl,” I added, as I took a sip of my drink and forced myself not to look away from his now thunderous expression.
“Scar! There you are,” Kat’s voice sounded from behind me. She stopped short after observing my stare down with Cole, the energy still crackling between us. I turned to her, grateful for the distraction. Her expression was almost comical as she took Cole in, her mouth practically agape.
“Cole, this is Kat,” I introduced begrudgingly. “My best friend and roommate,” I added.
“Nice to meet you,” he replied shaking her hand, barely sparing her a glance before his eyes returned to mine.
She grinned and I knew she’d made the connection of who he was. She’d be gloating later that she had forced me to come out tonight. “Do you want to join us?” she offered. I narrowed my eyes at her. She was so in for it.
“Love to,” he smirked with a devilish gleam in his eye. Clearly his mood had lifted while mine was still far from light. I rolled my eyes as he followed us back to the table. Wes and his buddies all turned to greet Cole with clear familiarity.
I narrowed my eyes at him again as he laughed and said, “It’s a small world, sweetheart.”
“You know Wes and Connie?” I asked, surprised.
“Wes and I go way back. That’s why I’m here tonight, to hang with him,” he said. “Not filling any job openings tonight,” he added in my ear with a grin. His proximity sent a thrill through me, which served to only sour my mood. I was determined not to fall for this guy’s routine. And, it was just that, a routine--one I was sure he’d done a thousand times. Once he’d overcome the challenge I presented, I would be history, and I had no interest in being a part of that.
“Hmph,” I muttered. I sat back in my old seat with Kat and Connie to my right, and he took a place at my left where he leaned over to talk to his friends in that deep voice of his. Kat nudged me from the side and I could tell she was grinning from ear to ear without even looking at her.
“He’s freaking hot, Scar,” she whispered a bit too loudly in my ear. She’d had a few too many cocktails.
I refused to respond to her, all too aware that Cole’s conversation had ended and he was probably listening. He threw his arm over the chair I sat in, and I realized he was staking a claim in typical biker fashion. Much to my dismay, I found myself a bit turned on by the gesture. There was no denying the sexual energy that passed between us no matter how hard I tried to ignore it. I needed to get away from him soon before I ended up doing something I really regretted, like tackling him. The man infuriated me, but I had never been so attracted to someone in my life. Just the press of his outer thigh against mine underneath the table was making it hard for me to concentrate.
He didn’t force small talk on me, but instead kept close to me as we each talked with our friends. Connie and I kept ourselves entertained by trying to find suitable guys for Kat, but the pickings were somewhat limited.
“What are you girls giggling about so much over there?” Cole’s deep voice rumbled next to my ear, making my heart gallop in my chest.
“Trying to find a guy for Kat,” I answered honestly. “So far, not much to choose from,” I added while drinking the dredges of my cocktail.
“Need another?” he asked, eyeing my empty glass.
“I can get it,” I replied firmly.
“You can say whatever you like about it, but I think my limit for keeping assholes at bay has already been met for the evening darlin’. And with you in that dress, you walk up to the bar and I’m sure that preppy asshole won’t be alone. So how about you let me get it and save us both the hassle?” he persuaded, his arm still wrapped around my chair as his fingers began tracing my shoulder in a way that made me want to scream...and not with fear.
“Listen, I appreciate the…whatever you’re trying to do,” I sighed with a wave of my hand.
His brows rose in amusement as he watched me, his face mere inches from mine.
“But your efforts are lost on me. You should find some other girl whose going to go home with you, because I’m not,” I said firmly, gesturing around the room to all of the potential one-night stands at his fingertips.
“Are you always this much of a pain in the ass?” he demanded, his eyes incredulous.
“Just trying to save you some time,” I replied.
“Another gin and tonic?” he asked as though I hadn’t spoken.
“Suit yourself,” I shrugged, before nodding that he had my drink right. He squeezed the back of my neck briefly before he stood up to head to the bar. The gesture stoked the fire I already had simmering for him. It was possessive and yet reassuring. I liked it a lot. I tried not to watch his ass as he walked away, but those Levis fit him entirely too well for me not to.
“How do you know Cole?” Connie asked excitedly, taking the opportunity to get the scoop, and forcing me to swallow the saliva in my mouth and tear my eyes from his ass.
I shrugged, a bit embarrassed that I’d been caught ogling him. “I don’t really, he was at my mechanic shop last week and he ended up giving me a ride home. Now he’s here.” I shrugged.
“Something tells me he intends to get to know you a lot better,” she replied.
I wrinkled my nose. “I don’t date bikers,” I uttered quickly.
“Honey, I don’t care if he’s a freaking alien from outer space. If Cole Jackson takes a shine to you, you go with it. And that’s coming from someone who’s madly in love with her boyfriend,” she said with a grin.
Despite my reservations, I really wanted to know more. “What’s he like?” I couldn’t help but ask, my curiosity overwhelming me.
“I don’t know him well,” she answered truthfully. “Just hung around him a few times at the club and out and about with Wes. But he keeps to himself a lot. He’s always been polite to me, but he’s clearly not someone you fuck with,” she said, telling me something I already knew.
“Yeah, and how many women have you seen him go home with?” I asked dryly, already knowing the answer to that as well.
“A few,” she admitted. “But I have yet to see him stake a claim the way he’s doing with you tonight,” she added.
“Yeah that’s only because I’m not dropping my panties for him just because he throws me a smile,” I replied knowingly. “He just likes the chase.”
I’d grown up watching men like Cole, beautiful and powerful men who valued their bikes more than the women on their arms. Because of who my father was, they’d stayed clear for the most part, but I’d watched them go through women like water. It had always baffled me how the women hung around the club just hoping for more, ready to be used at a moment’s notice. That had never been for me, and being my father’s daughter, he would have killed anyone who tried anyway. My father had been overprotective (to say the least), and at times it had driven me crazy. Now I just missed his guidance and protection. I missed everything about him, every day.
Kat snorted, speaking for the first time and snapped me back out of my thoughts. “Or it could be that your devastatingly gorgeous and smart and he knows he’s met his match.”
“You’re biased,” I pointed out dryly, as Cole returned with my drink ending any further discussion.
“Thanks,” I said, as he handed me my drink and reclaimed his seat next to me.
“Don’t mention it,” he replied easily.
“Anyone try to feel you up?” I teased, taking a sip. As long as he knew where I stood I might as well have a little fun.
He chuckled. “Only one person in here I’d let do that. Anyone else would lose a limb,” he replied, looking at me with a twinkle in his eye.
I blushed and turned my attention back to the bar at large, which was now packed beyond anything I’d ever seen.
“Is it always like this?” I found myself asking him.
“What? This busy?”
I nodded.
He shrugged. “I don’t come here a lot, I take it you don’t either, but I’d say this isn’t all that unusual.”
I simply nodded watching the crowd, feeling slightly annoyed with all the people.
“This wouldn’t be your choice of venue?” he asked while leaning into me, his arm draped over my chair.
I shook my head. “Actually, I don’t go out much,” I admitted before immediately wishing I hadn’t said that.
“Why’s that?”
I pondered his question, unsure how to answer him.
“It’s a simple question sweetheart,” he added when I hesitated.
“You can’t ask the question and then define what a simple answer is,” I replied feeling slightly affronted.
He shocked me by taking my chin and gently turning my face so I was looking at him. He looked at me with such tenderness that it made my stomach pitch. “Fair enough,” he murmured moving to squeeze the back of my neck again with his large hand. His touch, yet again, sent spikes of pleasure through me.
“This place is way too crowded,” Connie complained loudly over the music. “Let’s go somewhere else.”
This was a perfect opportunity for me to make my escape. If I sat next to Cole any longer, and God forbid, in a more intimate environment, I was done for. There were too many elements from my past that reminded me to stay away from him. “Connie, I think I may actually head home,” I told her over the noise as I felt Cole stiffen at my side.
“What! No you can’t,” she complained. “It’s too much fun getting to hang out with you, for once,” she emphasized with a raised brow.
“How about I promise to come out more often?” I bargained with a smile.
She pouted for a moment before shrugging. “Fine. But I’m holding you to that,” she warned before hugging me good-bye.
Kat turned to me and we exchanged a look. She was gauging her chances of convincing me to stay, and I was silently telling her that it wasn’t going to happen. She nodded simply and sighed.
“See you at home,” I said.
“Thanks again for the drink. And for defending my honor, warranted or not,” I said to Cole, and smiled slightly as I gathered my purse.
“You can thank me when I’ve dropped you off in front of your place,” his voice rumbled.
I looked up at him with wide eyes. “What? No, I’m just calling a cab. You stay and hang out with your friends,” I argued, my anxiety rising as I realized that he wasn’t going to go away as easily as I’d hoped.
Instead of answering me, he turned to his friends and started issuing farewells. There were many handshakes and rough man hugs before he turned to me expectantly, gesturing that I could lead the way. Great, now I had no way of getting out of this, and everyone would now think we were going home together. I groaned under my breath, but I started to make my way through the crowd, waving to Connie and Kat who looked beyond thrilled about the situation. I rolled my eyes at them. I felt a warm, large hand press on my bare back, guiding me protectively through the masses of drunken people.
“Are you okay to drive?” I asked, thinking of it for the first time as we got out into the fresh air and much quieter street.
“Wouldn’t offer to drive you if I wasn’t,” he answered simply, shrugging on his leather jacket.
“Okay,” I murmured as I followed him to his bike.
“You don’t have a jacket?” he asked reproachfully.
“Ending the night on a Harley Sportster wasn’t really part of my plan,” I answered dryly.
He looked at me for a moment before shrugging. “Fair enough,” he said, and he smiled as he handed me his spare helmet. “You know your Harleys, huh?” he asked as I climbed up behind him carefully, trying to keep my dress in place.
“You could say that,” I muttered simply.
He gave me a look as though he wanted to pry, but thought better of it and instead started the bike up.
We roared off toward my house and I had to admit that, yet again, I loved being on his bike. It felt exhilarating yet safe--dual emotions seemed to be commonplace in his company.
When we pulled up to my building, I immediately stiffened and sucked in my breath. Our front door was slightly ajar, certainly not the way we’d left it.
Cole turned off the bike as I stayed glued to the seat, fear percolating through my system.
When I hadn’t moved he shifted slightly to look at me. “What is it?” he asked, his eyes following my widened gaze.
“Our door…it’s open,” I breathed, pointing to our front door.
“What the fuck?” he rumbled, swinging off the bike and stalking toward the building before I could stop him. “Stay there,” he ordered over his shoulder. Not something he had to tell me twice. My mind whirled with the possibilities. Was it just a random break in or something more? All of a sudden the gin and tonics weren’t sitting so well in my stomach as I wondered if my past had suddenly become my present. I hadn’t seen or heard from anyone in my old life since I’d left, but I’d always watched my back in fear that my past would come looming up to haunt me.
It felt like hours, but it was probably only minutes before Cole was walking back toward the bike.
“Whoever got in there is gone now,” he confirmed once he reached me, and I climbed off the bike feeling slightly shaky on my feet. “Granted, I haven’t seen your place before, but everything looks orderly,” he added.
I simply nodded looking over at my door.
“You gonna call the cops?” he asked.
I thought about that for a second before I shook my head. I tried to fly under the radar, so I didn’t need a police report circulating. Someone from Dad’s old crew might get wind of it, get worried, and decide it was time to check in despite my making it clear when I left that such a visit would not be welcomed.
“Thank you for driving me home and for checking things out,” I said quietly while taking the helmet off. “I’ll handle it from here,” I told him, trying my best to sound confident when I felt anything but.
“Darlin’, you would force a saint to lose patience, get back on the bike,” he insisted.
“What? And go home with you? No way,” I demanded as I shook my head.
“It’s either that or I’m coming in there with you,” he answered simply with a chin lift toward my place. We regarded each other for a few moments before he softened his approach. “Look, it’s true I want in there,” he said, his eyes assessing me provocatively as my eyes widened in turn. “You got something that I want a lot more of. But even if I didn’t, I sure as fuck wouldn’t let you walk in there by yourself and spend the night alone. I promise to keep my hands to myself, alright?” he asked. I was still stuck on his “wanting in there” comment, and it took me a minute to pull myself together. “Alright?” he asked again.
“Okay,” I answered him, softly climbing back on the bike. The truth was, I couldn’t fathom walking into that dark apartment by myself and being able to sleep a wink, so I decided to put my arms around Cole instead. It wasn’t a hard decision when it came down to it.
It was a short drive before we pulled up to a simple, single story house just on the outskirts of town. We pulled into the garage next to what I assumed was his black F-150 truck. Clearly he did well for himself.
Despite my current frazzled state, I took a minute to look around. We’d walked in through the garage straight into a large, open kitchen with wood counter tops and a beautiful island that looked like it had been custom made. His appliances were stainless steel, but nothing too flashy. The kitchen opened up to a large living room with hardwood floors and high beamed ceilings. It was furnished relatively simply with black leather couches, a coffee table, and a huge TV and entertainment system. A hallway to the left looked like it led to the rest of the house.
“I have to call Kat,” I told him as soon as I’d put my purse down on his sofa.
He nodded while heading off to the fridge, and I soon found myself holding a cold, much welcomed beer as I let the phone ring. She didn’t answer, which didn’t surprise me, so I left her a message and followed it with a text letting her know briefly what happened and that she should sleep elsewhere tonight. I felt immediate guilt, hoping like hell it wasn’t me who caused this situation and that it was just random bad luck.
Cole flopped down next to me on the couch and crossed his legs at the ankle on the coffee table and flipped on the TV. I suddenly wished I was wearing more clothing and shivered slightly in the forced air of his place.
“Cold?” he asked quietly.
I nodded and he got up and handed me a Harley Davidson hoodie that I gratefully put on over my dress. It was huge on me, but it made me feel moderately more at ease.
“Thanks,” I sighed, sitting back on the couch and propping my now bare feet on the edge of his table. He put an arm around me and pulled me into his side, surprising me.
“Just relax,” his voice rumbled when I protested slightly. I had to admit it was comforting to be close to him, and breathing in the smell of him wasn’t half bad either. So I allowed myself to sink further into him and zoned out on the mindless home improvement show he’d put on.
Before I knew it, I was being gently lifted and carried. “Hmm?” I muttered.
“Just putting you to bed sleepy girl,” his low voice answered me. I didn’t have the energy to protest or to wonder where I was sleeping. The night’s events had completely worn me out. The last thing I knew, I was being tucked into a warm, soft bed and I fell into oblivion.