BAD BOY ROMANCE: DIESEL: Contemporary Bad Boy Biker MC Romance (Box Set) (New Adult Sports Romance Short Stories Boxset) (73 page)

Chapter 1

              Adrien wandered the cabin aimlessly, his amber eyed glazed and not seeing anything but bittersweet memories. Over there in the corner is where they had sat, Morgan pulled into his lap, laughing as she tried to catch a stray beam of sunlight that had fluttered through the aged glass window. He had kissed her then, and he could still feel that kiss, haunting him. He could feel every kiss, every touch, like ghosts.

              His heart broke all over again as he pictured her, pictured both of them, so happy. Adrien felt like he would never laugh again. He could so clearly see the fear and anger on her face when she’d found out the truth about him. About what he was. About what he had done, mating her without her knowledge. He’d known it was a foolish thing to do, had known it since that very first night but he couldn’t go back and change things. And he wouldn’t even if he could, a small voice whispered. Because despite everything, he still loved her. He loved her more than he had ever loved anything in his entire life and now that he had been with her, he couldn’t imagine living his life without her. Without his mate.

              He paced around the cabin, trying to block out the memories that kept coming at him but he couldn’t keep them at bay, it was just too much for him to fight. Every image of her, ever remembered moment cut like a knife until he had to turn away, fleeing upstairs. Adrien didn’t even stop to look in the bedroom they had shared, but instead continued all the way down to the small study at the end of the hallway.

              For the first time in long time, Adrien wished he had his father there so he could ask for his advice. So he could ask him what he should do. He had never imagined things getting so complicated and he just didn’t know how to untangle the mess that he had made of the entire situation. Adrien slammed his hands down on the desk, reveling in the feel of the shock wave of pain that echoed up through his arms. He couldn’t believe he had screwed things up so badly with Morgan, just when it was going so great between them. He had been about to reveal everything to her, the truth about his secret animal half, introduce that part of himself to her because he had been so sure she would accept him no matter what. Even if he did occasionally have a little more fur than normal.

              Adrien shook his head. What a joke. The whole thing had been a joke, and now, he felt like he was just the punchline. He slammed the desk again, looking over as something rattled off the edge to land with a cracking noise on the hard wood floors. He leaned over to pick the object up, turning over the picture frame with a sharp inhale. It was the same photo that Morgan had brought him on that first day, the one with his father Dominic, looking as stern and serious as ever and him, just barely five years old in the picture.

              He traced the old image, wondering at the emotion that swept over him. It had been years since he’d missed his father, convincing himself that he hadn’t needed anyone anyways, but knowing even still that it wasn’t true. His father’s gold eyes, so much like his own stared back at him as if to tell him not to give up, not to give in no matter how dark things seemed.

              Adrien shook his head. It was only a flight of fancy. His father had barely taken the time to speak more than two words to him as a child, always so wrapped up in his responsibilities to the tribe that always seemed to take precedent over those he had to his own son.

              He threw the picture frame back on the top of the wooden desk, noticing the broken glass towards the bottom. With a sigh, he turned away. It was so much a symbol of his own life, his own failings. Adrien’s gaze swept the massive bookcase that lined the wall, his saddened gaze glazing past the brightly colored bindings, some leather, some fabric, but all looked old. Older than he was, even.

              Unbidden, the long ago memories rose like ghosts all around him as he stood, surrounded by the remnants of a past life. A life that didn’t belong to him, had never really belonged to him. Against his will, he remembered that tragic night so long ago. Coming home from yet another dinner spent at the Fisher’s house because his father had been too busy to take care of him. By that point he had been almost seventeen and had convinced himself that it didn’t matter. That he didn’t need his father anyways because he was an adult. Hah.

              Adrien shook his head, remembering not only the heartbreaking events of that day but also how unbelievably naive he had been. He had grown up believing his father was a mountain of a man, unstoppable. An impenetrable fortress. He had learned differently that night.

              The image was burned in the recesses of his memory, where he couldn’t exorcise it no matter how hard he tried. His father’s lifeless body, laying motionless in front of the house that had once been his home. The mob of people surrounding him. They had been angry because his father had demanded change, and they had turned on the son before Adrien had even had a chance to realize what was happening. He hadn’t even had a chance to say goodbye.

              He looked up, blinking his eyes hard against the sting of moisture that threatened there. Adrien looked everywhere, anywhere but at the terrible memories playing through his mind. He pictured Morgan then, hoping to ease the pain slicing through him but instead it just grew sharper, stabbing even deeper. What was he going do? How in the hell was he going to fix this? Because there was no question in his thoughts. He had to fix it. He couldn’t live without Morgan, without his mate. It was as if a piece of himself was missing and he would never be whole again without her.

              He was about to turn to leave when something caught his eye. A small book, bound in worn brown leather that looked well used and well loved. It pulled at some distant memory, drawing him closer and before he realized what he was doing Adrien had walked to the book shelf and pulled the tiny book into his hands.

              The binding was soft and cracked as if bent open time and time again. He felt a thrill of something shoot through him as he opened the cover to find not a book, but a journal. He traced his father’s scrawled handwriting with a trembling finger as he flipped through the crowded, ink stained pages. It was his father’s journal, something remembered from the depths of his past. Dominic’s nightly routine had been to scribble in the thing while Adrien played on the floor in front of the giant stone fireplace. If he closed his eyes he could almost hear the scratching of the pen against the textured surface of the yellowed paper.

              On a whim he opened up to a section in the middle and his breath stalled in his lungs as he read the words written over twenty years ago.

              …
He is so much more like you than he is me, and I’m grateful for that. Everyday I can see you in him, in his kindness, his sense of fairness and justice, he’s strong like you. You always knew how to find the best in people, how to compromise. Not exactly my strong suit…

Adrian gasped as he realized what he was reading. His father had been writing letters to his mother, dead since he was just a baby. And he was writing about his son. Dominic was writing about him.

…
I wish I knew how to tell him how proud I am of him, of the man he is becoming. We grow farther and farther apart and I don’t know what to do about it. It seems like everything I do is wrong, and now with the council growing restless and these incidences occurring with more frequency, I’m not sure what will happen.

He closed the book as his father’s words continued on about the politics of being tribe leader, but his earlier statement flashed bright in front of his eyes over and over.
I wish I knew how to tell him how proud I am of him, of the man he is becoming.
Words his father had never spoken aloud, at least, not that he could ever remember and Adrien was pretty sure he would have remembered something that momentous.

Adrien cradled the journal in his hands, his resolve firming, his father’s words giving him strength as he slowly walked out of the study. He paused, giving it one last look before walking down the stairs, dialing his cell phone as he went. Adrien looked down at the journal still clutched in his hand, feeling a connection to his father that he hadn’t felt in…well, he couldn’t even remember how long to be perfectly honest. As he walked outside he turned to lock up behind him. He had a feeling he wouldn’t be back to the cabin in some time. He glanced around the empty parking space, reminded once again of Morgan’s expression as she drove away in his jeep.

“Hey, what’s up?” the voice on the other end finally answered.

“Grant, it’s Adrien. I’m going to need a ride.”

              Harris could have squealed in delight as he threw himself back against the sturdy throne, reclining arrogantly with his boots propped up across one arm.

              “What are you so happy about, father?” Sera swept into the room, her face carrying a discontented sulk that was her normal expression but Harris barely noticed her as he replayed his masterful manipulation over and over again in his head.

              “I am happy, daughter, because I have solved our problems.” He did chuckle this time, the noise grating and nasal.

              “What? You mean we’re moving out of this dump and into the palace you keep promising me?” His eyes narrowed on his daughter. He hated that she was ruining his good mood.

              “No, Sera. But I did just guarantee you the perfect mate.” Her vapid eyes lit with malice and greed.

              “Adrien? You finally convinced him?”

              “Please,” Harris snorted, “I can’t do everything myself. But I did get rid of that pesky little human for you. She shouldn’t be a problem for us anymore.”

              Father and daughter both shared identically vile grins before Sera laughed, clapping her hands in glee

              “Oh, father, that is good news.”

              “Now it’s up to you. Go find Adrien. He’s heartbroken and wounded,” Harris grin widened even farther, “He should be easy prey for you, Sera.”

              “Don’t worry. He’ll be mine before the end of the month.”

              “Make it sooner, the clan is getting restless.” Harris shifted, uncomfortable at the reminder of his fragile hold on the tribe. Sera nodded, still grinning maliciously as she skipped from the room.

              Everything was finally going to plan. He just needed to get his hands a little dirty, that was all. And that had never been a problem for him. Harris smiled at the warm memories, but then another recollection rose, of a small, brown leather journal that held too many of his own secrets and enough evidence to incriminate him, or at least throw suspicion on him for a crime more than a decade gone.

              Harris shivered as he thought of it. Maybe he would just have to arrange for another sweep of Adrien’s apartment. He needed to get his hands on that damned journal. Before someone else did.

Chapter 2

              Adrien wiped down the bar top with the white cloth, losing himself in the mindless task, his thoughts miles away on one stubborn, gorgeous green eyed vixen who refused to take his calls, or his emails, or the flowers he’d sent. Nothing. Nothing he did seemed to get through to her. He knew if he could just talk to her face to face, just once, then he could explain everything, make her see that he wasn’t the monster Harris had made him out to be.

              The heartbreak inside him warred with the budding excitement of finally being behind the bar again. He had returned, thanks to Grant who had to sit through the entire four hour car ride of Adrien moping about how much he already missed Morgan. Every word he’d said had been true, but even his best friend had had to cut him off at one point, telling him that he breaking Grant’s heart and he needed to shut up about it for a little while.

              Adrien picked up the half empty bottle of simple syrup, refilling it as he eased into the same old routines that had got him through every other problem and trouble in his life. He knew this wasn’t the same, but even still, the simple repetitive motions relaxed him a little. He wondered briefly if she would come in that night. She must have found out that the bar was reopening, he had signs posted all over town and had even hired some college kids home for the summer to go out handing promotional flyers.

              He looked around the renovated bar. It was finally up to date and exactly what he had pictured in his head for all of those years. It looked fantastic, and he was going to make sure that every seat was filled that night, and every night for as long as he could. He really did owe it to the place. Because if not for the bar, he never would have met Morgan, would never have asked her to be his pretend fiancé, would never have found his mate.

              The bell above the door jingled and his heart skipped a beat, hoping it was her, that it was Morgan, but the feeling slowly dissipated, morphing into an emotion much less kind as he recognized Sera, Harris’ self-centered daughter. She stopped a step inside the bar, looking at everything with an upturned nose and an expression of disgust until she realized he was looking at her. It melted into a saccharine sweet smile that had him hiding a grimace as she sauntered up to the bar. Great. He really didn’t need this right now.

              “What do you want, Sera?” She sniffed at him, giving him what he imagined was supposed to be a coy smile but really just looked like a shark with a mouth full of teeth.

              “Now, is that any way to treat a paying customer, sweetheart?” she slid a twenty dollar bill across the table, still shooting that toothy grin at him and he just shook his head, taking the money.

              “What do you want?” He asked again, barely moderating his tone and she just giggled, high pitched and nasal.

              “I’ll take…sex on the beach.” She said the words breathlessly and he barely held back the laugh at her sad attempt at seduction. Adrien quickly made the cocktail, desperately trying not to make eye contact, and slid it over to her with the remainder of her change. He could her open her mouth and he sighed in relief when another group of customer walked in, cutting off whatever ridiculous remark she had been about to make.

              “Adrien, you should know–.”

              “Sorry, Sera. Duty calls.” He said the words, not sorry at all as he walked around the bar to take their orders. He ignored her and her pout altogether as the bar continued to fill. Adrien lost himself to the work he loved as more and more customers filled the bar. He grinned in delight, almost forgetting for a moment the whole left when Morgan had run away from him, but not quite. There was no doubt that the re-opening was a success. He just wished he could share it with her. 

              Sera was still sitting gingerly on a bar stool in the front, studiously ignoring her surroundings and looking around with a disgusted expression at everything. He just shook his head. It was suddenly obvious to him. Harris wasn’t going to be content with just coming between him and Morgan. Anger simmered in him at the thought. As if Harris hadn’t already done enough damage, now he was sending his daughter here, using her like a pawn in whatever sick game he was playing.

              He turned away, determined to ignore her and the sinking feeling in his gut as yet another crowd of bar hoppers walked in, the tiny bell ringing out their entrance. He smiled and continued to work, thinking all the while that he was going to have to find another bar tender if things kept up this way.

An hour later, Adrien had almost forgotten about Sera completely as he shot from table to table with a tray full of drinks when she was suddenly in front of him.              

              “What the hell?” He demanded, just barely halting before he spilled the remaining drinks on a nearby table.

              “I’m tired of you ignoring me, sweetheart.” Adrien grit his teeth at her words.

              “I am not your sweetheart. I am not your anything, for that matter.” He tried to walk around her but she side stepped in front of him, blocking his path.

              “Really, Sera, I don’t have time for this.”

              “Listen, Adrien. I don’t go after just anyone,” She said, as if her hounding him was some sort of honor. “In fact, you should consider yourself lucky that you caught my eye. You’re a little rough around the edges, but once we move into the palace, all that will change.”

              “Wait a minute, palace? What are you talking about?” He shook his head, forestalling her as his temper began to get the better of him, “You know what, it doesn’t matter. I don’t care. I will never care. Do you know why? Because I’m mated, Sera. I’m mated to Morgan and I could never be with anyone else, palace or no palace, because my heart doesn’t belong to be anymore. It belongs to her, and it will for the rest of her life.”

              Sera stared at him for a long moment with narrowed eyes after he finished his speech, spoken low enough that no one else in the loud, crowded bar could hear. Her face took on the petulant look of a child not used to being told no and she huffed out a breath as she turned towards the door, her cocktail still untouched at the bar.

              “I’ll be back, Adrien. I’ll be back, and then you’ll see.”

              “Don’t waste your time. And you can tell daddy dearest that he can just stay the hell away from me and my bar.” Sera glared at him again before pushing the door open and disappearing into the warm night outside.