CHAPTER NINE
Brick
I exit the downtown bar my brothers dragged me into, more than ready to escape the crowd. After sucking down a couple of beers and winning two hundred dollars playing pool, I need fresh air and the open road. Shreveport is a tolerable place for the most part. It’s a strange mixture of old and new, plantation mansions nestled between high rises. The best place is along the riverfront, where the city has invested in refurbishing the parks. I’ve always had an affinity for water—ocean or rivers, doesn’t matter.
That’s where I’ll ride tonight…
A woman catches my attention across the street. She’s wearing a silky black dress with cowboy boots. My gaze wanders up her body, catching her profile and hair—that fiery red hair. Better than hitting a jackpot at one of the casinos, I watch Starlet as she stops to talk to a group of admirers. Not sure if she’s on a date or just being friendly, not that I’m the jealous type. I’d be a liar if I said it wouldn’t bother me if she left with one of those assholes ogling her like a piece of meat.
There’s another woman with her, and I’m hoping she’s out with her. I reach inside my vest pocket and pull out a cigarette, light it, and take a deep drag. One of the assholes grabs Starlet’s hand, but she shakes him off. Judging by her reaction, he’s a stranger. He tries to touch her again, but this time, the other woman steps between them.
Finally, the men leave. Starlet and her friend talk animatedly for a couple of minutes, and then part ways. I wait until the other woman disappears around the corner of the restaurant, then cross the street to intercept Starlet.
It’s been a week since I’ve slept with her, her scent and taste still fresh on my mind. And that ass… It sways hypnotically as I fall in step behind her, giving her some room so I don’t startle her. I’m not a stalker, but I’ll go after what I want. And my body is already screaming for another chance with Starlet Vega.
We turn left at the next block and she stops abruptly. So do I.
“Go away, Charlie,” she says without turning around. “I already told you I’m unavailable.”
I smile at her words, wondering why. Did I have something to do with that?
“You have a funny way of showing it,” I say.
She whips around, her eyes keenly focused on my face.
A moment of shock and awe passes between us, our gazes locked.
“Nice to see you again, baby,” I say, stepping closer.
“Go away,” she says.
“What kind of a happy reunion greeting is that?” I ask. “Didn’t you miss me, Starlet?”
“Starlet?” she asks, eyeing me like I’m crazy. “Who’s Starlet?”
I take another drag off my cigarette, then throw it in the nearby ash tray provided by the bar we’re standing outside of. “No games,” I growl, wondering why she’s fucking with me.
She retreats a few steps. “If you don’t leave me alone, I’ll scream.”
I cross my arms over my chest, intrigued by her threat. It wouldn’t be the first time a woman screamed at me, or the last. “Never thought we’d run into each other so soon.”
“I think you have me confused with another woman,” she whispers. “My name isn’t Starlet, and I’ve never seen you before.”
How can she stand there and bold-face lie? All of my suspicions are confirmed. She’s definitely on the run. “That isn’t going to work, sweetheart. If you need help…”
“No,” she cuts me off. “J-just stay away, okay?” her tone softens. “No strings, remember?”
For the first time in my life a woman has left me speechless—desperate to know more about her. I don’t like games, but suddenly I’m ready to play whatever shitty game this is. “You don’t need to run away.” I reach for her hand, but Starlet panics and backs away, her gaze zigzagging in every direction.
“Forget about me.”
Can’t do it. “I can help you.”
“No, you can’t.”
Before I can respond, she rushes across the street and hails a cab, waving both of her arms wildly. The vehicle screeches to a halt in front of her and she jumps in the back.
Son of a bitch.
I don’t waste any time. I rush to my bike and follow in the general direction of where the cab went. There’s not a lot of traffic right now, most of the people are already in the restaurants and bars, eating and getting shit faced. There’s two cabs ahead of me. The downtown lights make it easy to see through the back window of the cab. Her red hair is like a beacon of light and I back off, falling behind a couple of cars so she won’t see me and panic.
Traffic gets thicker as we leave the downtown area, but I don’t lose sight of her. Fifteen minutes later, the taxi turns into a driveway. I park across the street and wait until Starlet climbs out, pays her fare, and enters the building.
“Should have just told me to fuck off, baby,” I say out loud. “If it’s cat and mouse you want, I’m willing to chase you.”
I ride around the block, taking in the details of the front of the building she went into. It’s a boutique of some sort. Closed until tomorrow at nine. Still reeling from her denial, I round the block again, just in time to see an SUV park in the driveway. The woman I saw her with outside the restaurant gets out of the vehicle and disappears inside. So, she has family or friends here. I’m glad of it, because I felt Starlet’s fear, saw the pain in her beautiful green eyes.
There’s nothing else I can do tonight, short of banging on the front door and confronting her. Not my style. I’ll give her time to cool off. I reluctantly drive away—my cock aching for some attention from Starlet. If I had half a brain, I’d take advantage of the instant pussy available at the clubhouse. Kitty would be a worthy substitute for Starlet if I were that kind of man. I’m not. Not yet.
* * *
Starlet
“Is he gone?” I’m definitely in panic mode and peek out of the window again.
“Who is he, Starlet?” Juanita sets her purse and keys on the dining room table.
“Just a casual distraction.”
My best friend snorts and stares at me, waiting for a real explanation. “Casual distractions look like Charlie, not that man. And they don’t ride Harleys.”
I didn’t have the heart to tell Juanita the whole truth the day she picked me up at the bus stop. How could I admit that I let myself get seduced by another biker—the kind of asshole I ran away from. Different patch, same trouble. “His name is Brick.”
“Jesus Christ, Starlet.” Juanita plops down on one of the chairs. “Who is he?”
“An enforcer for the Iron Norsemen.”
Her eyes darken. “Where did you meet him?”
“I-I…” Tears burn my eyes as I hug my center, embarrassed by my circumstances. Juanita’s home was supposed to be a sanctuary for me, a safe haven from any one percenters. I’ve violated her trust by not telling her about Brick before. She has a past, too. Her fears are as palpable as mine. If her ex old man ever wanted her back… “I met him the night I fled the compound,” I confess. “I rented a car and ran off the road in the middle of that storm. Brick rescued me. And…”
“You ended up in a hotel room?”
I avoid her stare, ashamed to even look at her. “Yeah.”
“Did you get on his bike, Starlet?”
“I had no choice. We were stuck under an overpass. I couldn’t exactly stay there all night. The thunder and lightning—the torrential rain.”
She shakes her head and sighs. “You know what it means if you accept a ride from a brother…”
“Technically,” I say.
“There’s no exceptions,” she reminds me. “If he wants to claim you, you’d have a hard time denying his right. Especially if he finds out about your past.”
Tears slide down my cheeks. “I’m so sorry, Juanita. I’ll pack my things…”
“No,” she says. “We’ll face this together. The Iron Norsemen and Devil’s Crusaders are the same, Starlet—outlaw clubs.”
“I know.”
“Do you like him?”
I can’t withhold anything from her again. “Yeah. A lot, actually. But I can’t go there again. I won’t.”
“Hopefully he’s just curious.”
“I acted like I didn’t know him, Juanita.”
“What?”
“He just wanted to talk, I think. We met on the street by chance. Instead of saying hello, I blew him off in the worst way. Acted like I’ve never seen him before. And when he said my name…” I close my eyes and recall his confused expression. “I ran into the middle of the street and hailed a cab.”
She shakes her head. “Why?”
“I panicked. I don’t want to get involved with another brother. And I sure as hell don’t want anyone like him to know where I live. Pretty sure the Devil’s Crusaders are going to put a bounty on my head—if they haven’t already. That’s reason enough for Brick to come sniffing around here.”
“I wouldn’t jump to conclusions like that yet. The Iron Norsemen aren’t saints, but they have a better reputation than most clubs. They have morals, if that’s even possible. As far as worrying about him finding out where you live, well, no need to be concerned now. He knows. And maybe he just wants to see you again, to make sure you’re okay.”
“Maybe,” I admit, remembering a couple of Devil’s Crusaders from the past that were kind to me after Sammy beat the shit out of me. But compassion can only go so far. Once money and loyalty to the club come into play, a brother will put his patch first. That’s just the way it is. “Sorry,” I say again, realizing it’s too little too late.