Zane

Two Months Later…

 

My bike hummed beneath me, winding through the forest like a grumbling bear. I was a predator, just the same as the animals that lurked in the shadows. I hadn’t been leashed. I hadn’t been tamed. And I sure as fuck hadn’t been captured. Being a predator in love didn’t make me any less dangerous. If anything, it made me more dangerous—dangerous to anyone who might even think about trying to hurt Sasha.

 

But that wasn’t a problem for me today. And it hadn't been for weeks. Not since we’d moved out to Oregon. It was a lot like Louisiana, except it was rainy and cold and not full of bogs and rednecks.

 

So nothing like Louisiana, really.

 

I liked it, though. I’d been to Oregon before, but had never really explored the forests. Now I got to explore lots, considering our cabin was way out in the trees. We had a few acres just outside of Portland. It wasn’t close to the water, but there was a hell of a fucking view of the mountains on clear days.

 

It was a clear day today, but I was too deep in the woods to see anything other than shadows and bark. It was cool here, too, which was a blessing since the summer heat was scorching today. Having lived in New Orleans, I was used to broiling during the summer time. I liked that here, at least, I could go off on a ride through the trees when I needed to cool off a little. That, and there were tons of lakes around. And none of them had gators in them.

 

But today wasn’t a day for swimming. I was meeting Niles and Grant just outside of town, having not seen them since we moved. They’d picked some shitty biker bar that Grant was familiar with. I would have preferred to meet in Portland, but the drive was nice anyway.

 

I wound out onto the highway, and a few miles later turned off toward a mangy looking wooden shack with a neon sign overtop. I think it was supposed to say Greg’s Bar, but the sign was missing the first G and the last R.

 

Whatever. I wouldn’t be here for long. And maybe it would be nice to have a taste of the life I’d given up. I didn’t know if I could handle much more than a taste though. Hell, I loved every second of my quiet life with Sasha and her mom. I wouldn’t give that up for anything.

 

I parked outside and saw Grant and Niles’s bikes already pulled up. Oregon was a long way from Louisiana, especially in this heat. They hadn’t come for me, though. They were heading up to Canada, probably to do something illegal, and thought they’d drop in and say hi on the way. I appreciated the sentiment. I’d missed them. Maybe not as much as a guy should miss two of his only friends, but enough.

 

The door creaked in anguish as I pushed it open and stepped into the dark, gloomy interior. At least this place had air conditioning. And I welcomed the dark, considering it helped hold the chill.

 

“There he is!” announced a gruff voice from the corner.

 

My eyes shot over to where Grant had just called me over, raising his beer in the air with pride.

 

I smiled and walked over, sliding into the seat across from them. They’d sat on the same side of the table like an old married couple. It was cute.

 

“How you been, Boss?” Niles asked.

 

I looked at the younger man and smirked. “You know that I’m not your boss anymore. You don’t have to call me that.” After a second, I added, “Actually, you never did.”

 

He shrugged. “I dunno. I kind of like it.”

 

I laughed. “Well, kind of like it with your new boss. How is Barry?”

 

Barry was a close friend of my dad’s who had stayed quiet and behind the scenes essentially the whole time I led the club. He hadn’t wanted me in charge for a second but had respected my father’s wishes enough not to challenge me. I didn’t doubt that he’d be the first to take the reins if there had been some sort of internal uprising against me, though. Niles and Grant were tough, but they weren’t smart like Barry. The club was in good hands.

 

Well, it was in hands other than mine. Which was good. And my dad was happy, which was also good. Barry could run the club into the ground, for all I cared. My only loyalty in the club was to the men I’d fought beside in brawls like the one at the billiards hall. If the rest of them wanted to start running guns up to Canada? Let them try. No skin off my back.

 

“So what’s new with you two?” I asked. “How are the bon temps rolling back in the swampy state?”

 

Grant laughed. “Well, you know. Same old, same old. Not much we can tell you that you don’t already know.”

 

I doubted that, but I didn’t particularly care to hear about all the illicit activities the club was getting up to. Barry had bought my share of the shop from me, fair and square. He and my dad owned Industrial Tattoo now, and the club that came with it.
“Did you do the thing I asked you to?” I asked Niles.

 

He nodded solemnly. “I checked on her. Half expected her to throw a plate at my head when she saw me, but she’s doing better now.”

 

After Asa had left the mental health center, I’d lost contact with her. When he’d told me he was coming out, I’d asked Niles to check in and see how she was doing.

 

“She took some finding,” Niles continued. “She’s staying far away from the club. I think she has a boyfriend.”

 

I chuckled. “I asked you to see how she was, Niles. Not stalk her.”

 

He put his hands up in defense. “Hey, a man can’t help what he discovers.”

 

I caught the eye of the waitress across the room, who was leaning against the bartop, pouring salt into shakers. I don’t think she saw me coming in, as she perked up immediately and came over to me with a menu. “Can I get you anything to drink?” she asked.

 

I waved off the menu. “I’m just getting a beer, please. Whatever you have on tap.”

 

She nodded, then turned and flounced off, her blond curls springing with each step she took. When I turned back to Niles and Grant, they were both staring at her. I rolled my eyes. “Maybe you should be more concerned about who you’re dating, not Asa.”

 

Niles exhaled through his teeth, returning his gaze back to me. “That’s cold.”

 

I laughed. “That’s life. You look like a hungry dog who just spotted a juicy bone. Have a little shame, kid.”

 

His answer was preceded by a lopsided grin. “I am a hungry dog. And she is a juicy bone.” He turned to Grant. “Do we have to head up into Washington tonight? Or could we stay here for a bit.”

 

Grant socked him on the arm. “Don’t be an idiot. We’ve got to go.”

 

Niles looked thoroughly chastened for about three seconds until the waitress came back over with my beer. Then he did his best—I assume—to look dark and mysterious. She wasn’t buying it. I doubted anyone bought his brand these days.

 

“Anything else for you while I’m here?” she asked.

 

“We’re good,” I answered. After she had walked away, I turned to Niles and said, “See if you can find somewhere playing eighties hits on your way up. You’ll have better luck there.”

 

He ran a hand through his bleached hair, tousling it. He’d obviously just re-bleached it, as it was completely white with no brown showing through at his roots.

 

“This look has gotten me tons of pussy,” he defended. “Chicks dig the Billy Idol look.”

 

Grant and I both laughed. Oh, I missed them. Even if the conversation could occasionally dip into such ridiculous territory.

 

“Well, for what it’s worth, I think Asa’s new boyfriend is more handsome than you,” Niles declared, crossing his arms over his chest and adopting a sour expression.

 

I sipped my beer and laughed bemusedly. “Who says shit like that? Handsome? Why would I care if Asa’s boyfriend is handsome?”

 

Grant chuckled again. “He’s lying. Nobody’s more handsome than you, Zane.”

 

I took another sip of my beer, snorting. “You two have been spending too much time together. I recommend finding other people to hang out with.” I pointed a finger at Niles. “And stop stalking Asa.”
“You told me to see how she was doing!”

 

I rolled my eyes. “I don’t need to know what size boots her boyfriend wears. I just wanted to see if she was still on the straight and narrow.”

 

Niles shrugged. “I didn’t see his feet. I just saw them walking out to his car together. He looks real clean cut. All the same, I waited to talk to her until after he’d left.”

 

“What he’s saying is he waited in the bushes for the man to leave so he could get her alone,” interjected Grant, a mischievous glint in his eye.

 

“Hey!” Niles roared his disapproval. “That is not how it went down!” Grumpily, he brought his glass to his lips, before mumbling, “Except I guess that’s kinda how it went down.”

 

“Don’t worry, Niles,” I said. “I don’t think you’re a creep.”
Before I could ask him anything else, our waitress came back over with two plates. She put identical burgers and fries down in front of both my companions. “Can I get you anything else?”
They shook their heads. They must have been hungry since neither even bothered to look at her as she left. They both dived into their meals, practically headfirst.

 

“What? Is Barry not feeding you?” I joked.

 

Niles glared at me with a mouthful of beef. Then he took another.

 

I waited for them to finish scarfing down their food, eyes glancing around the room to see what else was around in the way of entertainment. The bar had a couple of other patrons in it who were wearing vests with designs from what I assumed were local clubs. They didn’t seem too bothered by our presence. I wasn’t wearing a vest, though. Maybe there had been tension when Grant and Niles first walked in.

 

It was strange to think how that had been my life not long ago. I still did not miss it. Even now, catching up with old friends, I would rather have been with Sasha, maybe sliding up between those silken thighs to have a meal of my own. But she wasn’t at home now anyway. She was busy checking out the campus of Portland University, where she’d be starting her doctorate in the fall. I had offered to go with her, but she said she needed to get the feel of it by herself. Whatever that meant. She and I had very different views on university. I couldn’t imagine still being in school, but she loved it. After she graduates, I bet that she will happily become a professor. One who wasn’t a giant asshole like her advisor had been.

 

Some twangy country song was playing overhead. Nobody else in the bar showed any signs of hearing it, their bodies stiff and sullen wherever they sat. What a depressing place to be. I pictured going back home to my girl in just a couple hours, seeing our land stretch before me as I parked my bike in the garage. If she were home before me, she’d either be cooking our out back gardening. She’d complained about having a late start in the growing season, but for all intents and purposes, she seemed to be doing just fine. She’d served a salad last night with some tomatoes she’d grown, and it had been delicious.
The quiet life, it seemed, suited both of us.

 

“How’s her mom?” Grant’s question brought my awareness back to my table and the men in front of me. “She was sick, right? Did she make it?”

 

Trust Grant to be blunt as fuck.

 

“Yes,” I said. “She’s healthy as a horse. The treatment took a little time to recover from, but she’s happy and healthy. She lives with us, actually.”

 

“No shit?” Niles’s eyebrow shot up. “What’s that like?”

 

I shrugged. “She’s Sasha’s mom, and she’s like family to me too. I like having her around.” Though when we have kids, Sasha and I are going to have to get our own place. I figured, since her mom loves the cottage, we’d gift it to her and get something a little closer to town and all the schools.

 

“And how’s Sasha?” Niles asked.

 

I knew he had a soft spot for her. I thought it was adorable.

 

“Sasha’s good. She’s excited about the wedding, but I think she might be more excited about getting her Ph.D.” I chuckled. “Women, right?”

 

Niles gave me a quizzical look. “I can’t say I know any women like that.” He stuck a fry in his mouth and chewed. “But then again, you’ve got a special one, haven’t you?”

 

“I certainly do.” I smirked at the thought of all the ways I had her. In particular, all the ways I had had her last night.

 

I had reached the end of my beer before Niles and Grant did. I think Niles was stalling in the hopes that the pretty waitress would succumb to his smoldering gaze and offer herself to him before he left. He was going to have to wait a long time for that.

 

“It’s not quite the same without you,” Niles admitted, cleaning up the last fry from his plate. They’d both cleaned up exceptionally well. “Barry’s great and all, but he’s not you.”

 

I snorted. “I did a horrible job,” I said. “The guys hated me.”

 

“We just miss you, is what he’s trying to say,” Grant offered. “But he doesn’t want to come outright and say it because he thinks it’ll make him look stupid.” He chuckled. “Which is ironic considering how he does his hair.”

 

“I’m surprised you know what ironic means,” growled Niles.

 

I laughed. “I miss you two idiots as well. You’re coming for the wedding, right?”
They both grinned. “Of course!” Grant chimed.

 

“Wouldn’t miss it for the world,” Niles added.

 

I slapped a couple of twenties down on the table. “That should cover the bill, I think,” I said. “Thanks for meeting up with me.”

 

They rose with me. “Thank you for meeting us,” Grant said.

 

I cuffed him on the arm. “Don’t let Niles get into any trouble up north,” I said. “You know how ruthless those mounties can be.”
He smirked. “I’ll do my best.”

 

We peeled off in opposite directions outside of the bar. I’d never been the poetic type, but I could spot a good bit of symbolism when I saw it. I knew what they must think of me, of us. They probably thought I would come to regret my decision. How could a guy like me ever be happy with such a simple life? But what they didn’t know was that I’d been born into danger. Sure, I’d fucked and fought and loved every second of it most of the time, but I’d always been waiting for something more. I’d always been waiting for her.

 

If it were just an adrenaline rush they thought I would miss, they’d obviously never been between Sasha’ silken thighs. And they never fucking would be. Point being, there was enough electricity there to light up the whole French Quarter.

 

I cruised back off the highway and into the woods again, letting the cool shadows swallow me up like I was one of their own. The trees were a blur alongside me, but if I looked deep enough, I could see them standing like crowded sentinels, keeping watch over the quiet forest floor. The wind changed; no longer was the pervading scent in my nostrils asphalt and exhaust. I smelled pine, earth, and something sweet on the breeze that I doubt existed anywhere else in the world. I wouldn’t miss the open road. I didn’t envy Niles and Grant, heading up there on the I5 on the long stretch to Canada. I was heading home.

 

I got my own shot of adrenaline as I banked around a corner. It wasn’t because of my speed or the angle my body took as I turned—I was too good of a driver to let something like that bother me. It was because I realized where else I’d be getting adrenaline soon—from being a father.