We were just outside of St. Augustine on Interstate 95, when a black Audi A8 streaked by us and Starla blurted, “There goes my man.”
Natasha leaned her head forward to see past me, and I turned to Starla to say, “Not the Transporter?”
Starla’s green eyes twinkled at me when she said, “Oh, yes. Jason Statham is my dream man. Bar none. It’s why Vamp’s so damn hot.”
Natasha said, “Well, I know I just met you, so I hate to tell you this, but you have to stand in line behind me and Mallory. Maybe my husband, Leon, too, he’s got a man-crush, though I didn’t tell you that.”
Starla shook her head vehemently. “Oh no. I can take all three of you when it comes my man Jason. Did you see him in The Bank Job?”
I tilted my head. “Of course we did. There is not a Statham flick we have not seen.”
I caught Vamp watching us in the rear view mirror. “Are you bitches seriously fighting about the damn Transporter?”
Natasha piped up, “Not fighting, exactly.”
I added, “More like bonding over one of my top-five celebrity men.”
Cal planted his left elbow into the center console and turned almost bodily to look back at me, saying, “Now this, I have to hear. So you got Jason Statham, who else?”
I looked at Natasha and she shook her head only to say, “Don’t look at me, Mallory. You made your own bed, now you got to lie in it.”
Vamp waggled his eyebrows at us in the rearview mirror. “Either of you can lie in my bed anytime, you know.”
Cal shot him a look. “Cut it out, bro. So, who else, Mallory? I won’t let this slide.”
I tilted my head back and looked at the ceiling of the truck. Then I looked at Cal and said, “Okay, there’s Alton Brown –”
I was interrupted by Vamp and Starla both asking, “Who the hell’s that?”
I continued, “Dave Navarro. The dude who plays Lucifer on the Fox TV show. And lastly, probably Benedict Cumberbatch.”
Natasha nudged my shoulder and then said, “If you couldn’t tell, Mallory’s got a thing for English accents or musicians. The Alton Brown thing is just her foodie self speaking.”
Starla gave me an assessing look. She grinned and said, “I never would have thought a strait-laced girl like you would give Dave Navarro a second thought. But, he’s definitely hot.”
Cal turned back toward the dash, and he and Vamp started talking sports. Natasha, Starla and I chatted about other hot celebrities and other girl stuff, like dealing with frizzy hair. Starla turned out to be pretty nice. I wasn’t sure why she wasn’t an old lady yet. She didn’t have the same sweet butt vibe like Trixie did, but it was only the second time I’d ever been around Starla.
When we exited the interstate, Vamp turned the truck west. Natasha and I exchanged confused looks, and Natasha asked, “I don’t mean to be a backseat driver, but—”
Vamp and Cal both said, “Then don’t.”
Undeterred, she continued, “If I’m not mistaken, the beach is the other way. Why are we going the wrong way? I thought all the action was at the beach?”
Vamp shot her a devilish look and said, “Baby, I make my own action anywhere I go.”
Cal couldn’t look directly at Natasha, so, looking at me, he said, “Us three are staying in a tricked-out RV bus that Blood borrowed from his father-in-law. Mallory and I are in the master, and there are two bunks. Natasha, you get your choice of top or lower bunk. Each bunk has its own AC pumped in, so you don’t have to worry about the top bunk being warmer or whatever. Starla, we got room for you if you want to bunk with Natasha. But, Riot camps at Cacklebery Campground which is in Samsula-Spruce Creek. It’s a little out of the way, but it isn’t some sleepy campground with bridge, bingo, and shuffleboard, and lights-out at 8:30 every night.”
Vamp chuckled, and then asked, “Yeah. Either of you two ride mechanical bulls?”
Natasha asked, “That isn’t a euphemism for your Harley?”
Starla giggled. “No. It’s a bona-fide mechanical bull. Lots of the chicks will be taking a shot at it. You two should try it.”
We were driving down the road, and a red Camaro was approaching. Over the top portion of the windshield white lettering read, “Venom Vixen.” The car honked at us repeatedly as it passed by. Starla rolled down her window and waved.
Natasha leaned forward to ask Starla, “Who was that?”
I asked, “Why did the car say ‘Venom Vixen’?”
Starla giggled, and then she said, “Oh, that was Trixie. Looked like she had Melissa with her, they must be off to Main Street.”
“Trixie drives a Venom Vixen, why am I not surprised?”
Starla looked at me, “No. Trixie is the ‘Venom Vixen’. She gets nearly any biker she sets her eyes on and she gives venom to any woman who tries to horn her way in on her action.”
Vamp seemed to give Starla a look in the rearview mirror, and then he said, “That’s not the only reason she’s the Venom Vixen, but you need to leave it alone.”
Natasha surprised me when she asked, “That the same Melissa that bitch-slapped my girl Thursday night?”
I looked at her sideways and blurted, “How the hell did you find out about that? I meant to bring it up at lunch yesterday, but I had plenty of other shit to talk to you about instead.”
Natasha grinned slyly. “Gavin likes to keep me informed. Besides, he couldn’t rehash it with the guys since they were all there. So, is that Melissa one and the same, or what?”
Cal groaned from the front seat, “Most damn likely.”
Natasha gave a chin lift and said, “Umm-hmmm.”
“I need to go work out,” I muttered on a sigh.
“Saw an LA Fitness an exit back or so,” Natasha mumbled.
* * * * *
Twenty minutes later, Vamp had dropped off me, Cal and Natasha at our campsite. Cal made short work of backing his bike out of the trailer, then Vamp and Starla left. The sound of growling motorcycles filled the air. It was so much general noise that it reminded me of the monotonous clatter of poker chips being shuffled between dexterous fingers inside a poker room. At first it was so much sound that it felt creepy, but then I found that I could settle in and let the sound soothe me or I could tune it out entirely. I was hoping the monotony of the rumbling bikes would become soothing.
Natasha and I took our bags inside the RV, which from the outside looked to be the same size as a Greyhound bus. I climbed up the steps to the inside of the bus and almost fell down on Natasha.
“Holy schnikes,” I gasped.
“What?” asked Natasha. Then she added, “Move your skinny ass, woman, so I can see what the fuss is about.”
I moved further into the living room of the bus, and then I heard Natasha say, “Hells to the bi-zells. This ain’t just any old RV now, is it?”
I sat down on a leather seat at the dining table before I fell down. Then I looked up at Natasha and said, “Nope. Not any ol’ RV at all. It’s beyond tricked-out. Christ! Is that a full-size refrigerator over there? Seriously?”
Natasha sashayed forward and pulled at one of the French doors, and then she turned to me and said, “Yep. Full-size fridge and it looks to be pretty well stocked. If your diet only consists of beer, eggs, milk, cheese, and, oh yeah, more types of beer.”
I giggled and moved further into the RV in search of the bedroom Cal and I would occupy. With such a grand kitchen and living room set-up, I figured the sleeping areas would be tight as could be. I moved through the kitchen and into a very narrow hallway. I saw a bathroom to my right and then I realized there was a twin bed to my left. A very small crawlspace allowed entry to the bed. There were rungs in the wood paneling allowing access to the top bunk. As I turned away from the bunks, I noticed a bedspread through the doorway ahead of me. I stepped through another narrow doorway and saw a full-sized king bed.
I muttered to myself, “Nuh-unh. Not a king. There’s no freakin’ way.”
I felt a presence behind me, and Cal rumbled in my ear, “Baby, don’t you know? Where there’s a will, there’s always a way. Now move it, so I can take a leak and then get my shit put up.”
I set my bags on top of the bed and moved to the right. It was a tight squeeze between the bed and the wall behind me. Cal threw a large black backpack on the bed and bee-lined it for a bathroom that was on the other side of the bed. I moved my bags down to the floor next to the bed, and sat down on it. A minute or so later, Cal stepped out of the bathroom. He rounded the bed, and then pulled a sliding pocket-door to close off the bedroom. Cal turned around and then pushed me back so I was laying flat on the bed.
He gave me a short but thorough kiss. He pulled away from me, grinning.
“Here’s the plan, Mallory. It’s almost eleven now. I’ll see if Volt wants to go work out and we’ll spend an hour at LA Fitness if that floats your boat. We’ll grab some lunch. Afterwards, your girl Natasha’s gonna have to self-entertain, because you and I are gonna ride The Loop on my bike. We’ll come back, get cleaned up if we need to, and then we’re going cook out here at the RV. After that a bunch of us are headed to the Cabbage Patch for the wrestling.”
I looked at Cal, “I have so many questions. Where to start? Seriously, the Cabbage Patch? And what wrestling? Like WWE?”
Cal chuckled. “I’ll let you find out when we get there.”
I pursed my lips for a moment, and then I asked, “Where is this Loop we ride?”
Cal’s grin lit up his whole face. “It is a dream ride, Mallory. Twenty-two miles in total with canopy oaks in some spots. I’ve been looking forward to taking you on that ride since we rode back from Mossfire after our first date. You’ll love it.”
I smiled at him, and said, “I’m sure I will. Something that puts that kind of sparkle in your eye has to be quite an experience.”
Cal quirked an eyebrow at me. “Who says you aren’t responsible for the sparkle in my eye, love?”
I snorted slightly and pushed on his massive shoulders. “Get off me. You’re getting mushy, and I don’t know what to do with that, love.”
Cal kissed me again, and then we heard the muffled sound of Jackie’s high voice. “Knock knock knock. I hear my two girls are here. Hey, Tasha! Where are‒ oh, I see. A closed door. Can’t they keep their hands off each other for five minutes? Sheesh.”
Cal stood up and groaned. I slid past him and opened the pocket door.
I leveled a look at Jackie. “Cal was telling me his plans for the day. So, you’re coming with us to LA Fitness?”
“Well, yes. I’ll have to go get my workout gear on, but what are we doing at the gym? Lifting weights like the guys?”
Natasha said, “No way. I found out there’s a kickboxing class in about thirty minutes from now. You’re coming with, Jackie. Mal and I can kick some invisible ass in kickboxing. It’s so much fun and such a good workout.”
I gave Jackie a smile. “She’s right. I’m gonna get changed. I’ll be ready in five minutes. Time to kick ass. God knows, I’ve got a fair amount of aggression right now.”
* * *
After we all worked out, we hit The Pig Stand for lunch. It was a low-frills barbeque joint where the food took center stage rather than the atmosphere, though what atmosphere they did have was all decidedly biker. Our order number had just been called, so Cal and Volt went to the counter to pick up our tray of smoked meaty goodness.
Jackie opened her mouth to say something but her expression changed and I felt a presence to my right. I looked up and saw Melissa and Trixie. Had we been anywhere but Daytona during Bike Week, I would have said they were dressed trashy, but under the circumstances they had a fair amount of company dressed similarly.
Melissa narrowed her eyes at me and sneered, “I hope you realize that nothing between us is settled, bitch. I always get what I want. You need to remember that. Not bad enough you’re trying to take my man, but now you’re trying to get chummy with Starla, too?”
Cal came behind her and set a tray of food in front of me and Natasha, not that we bothered looking away from Melissa.
Cal straightened, and tersely said, “I am not, nor have I ever been,‘your man’. Get gone. Now.”
Volt had rounded the other side of the table with another tray of food, and he leveled a firm gaze at Melissa.
Melissa suddenly said, “I haven’t touched her, and Cal ain’t declared her to be his Old Lady, so I haven’t done anything wrong here, Volt.”
Volt looked at me and then back to Melissa, and he said, “Make sure it stays that way. You know what we always say, if you don’t start any shit, there won’t be any shit. My brother told you to get gone. Now. Trixie, maybe you can talk some sense into Melissa.”
After the two of them left, we all dug into our food, but the silence and tension at the table was thick. I had been trying to tamp down a nagging feeling about Starla since the night I met her with Vamp. Melissa getting upset because I was being friendly with Starla during the trip to Daytona was more than I could handle. How was I supposed to trust a woman who could hang with two other women who clearly despised me for no good reason? Well, I suppose in Melissa’s mind, she had a good reason to not like me. I mean, Cal was quite a man. Plus, I could understand if you had it for him and mistakenly thought he felt the same, then you weren’t gonna go down without a fight. Trixie, though, she was a wild card. She seemed to have my best interests in mind by telling me that I was overdressed, but then she accused me of being a yuppie. Then again, I suppose that wasn’t entirely off the mark, in the literal sense of the slang word; I was, after all, a young urban professional.
I wasn’t sure this was the setting to bring this up, but I launched in anyway. “I don’t understand. I like Starla, but how can I trust her when she’s friends with Trixie and Melissa?”
Cal and Volt exchanged a look, and Jackie gave me a sympathetic smile.
Cal said, “Trixie’s actually good people.”
I gave Cal a disbelieving look, but he immediately said, “Hear me out. She’s just protective of the brothers. I didn’t want you exposed to the women on our first date for that very reason. I knew that some of them would take one look at you and pounce, pulling that twisted fucked-up mental shit bitches do to one another all the damn time. As it was, I barely had you locked in my room before Melissa was charging me and demanding explanations from me that she damn sure wasn’t entitled to. Trixie, on the other hand, would have taken the time to measure you up and decide if you were cut out for our life. At the time, it was too damn soon for that kind of exposure. Trixie’s a decent woman. She might not be anyone’s old lady, but sometimes I think that’s her own choice.”
I swallowed a bite of my beef brisket. The meat was tender and delicious, but the tension and topic of conversation was making it sit like a potential gut-bomb in my belly. I looked up and saw Volt’s assessing gaze on me.
After a beat, he said, “You can trust Trixie. And you can trust Starla, as long as you’re not making a move on Vamp. I’ve seen how you look at my brother here, so I know that isn’t an issue. Melissa has proven to be a loose cannon. Hopefully she gets her shit together, but don’t let her fuck with your head. Cal’s right, bitches are notorious for head-games. I’ll take a sucker punch any damn day of the week.”
Most of Volt’s words were reassuring, but it was ‘I’ve seen how you look at my brother’ which had me slightly nervous. Were my feelings written on my face that blatantly? I seriously needed to work on my poker face if that was the case. I put that thought on the back burner to ask Natasha about it later. The tension left over from Melissa and Trixie’s visit dissipated after Volt’s answer to me. Conversation flowed naturally and we managed to have a decent lunch.