Tommy: A Bad Boy Motorcycle Romance (3 page)

I hopped in the car and turned the ignition. Then I slowly pulled away from the house and out of the neighborhood.

“Okay...” I said. “Where should I go?”

When I got to the highway, I had two choices. I could drive north, toward Las Angeles, or I could go south and find some local area where maybe I could get a drink and dance for a while.

Being that I didn’t want to be out all night and I figured that Janette would probably want to show me around Las Angeles some time during my stay, I decided to go south and find a local place to get a quick drink.

I had no idea how that one simple decision was going to change my life forever.

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W
ith my sister’s neighborhood miles behind me, I finally decided to try an exit off of the highway. The area nearby had some lights coming from the buildings and I figured that there had to be a bar or a club or something where I could get a drink and maybe meet some locals.

As I turned off of the highway and onto the main street, I realized that I had pulled into a tiny little town all its own. There were buildings on either side of the street, but nothing taller than two stories. The area looked a little bit run down and unmaintained, but I didn’t let that scare me. I was a small-town girl and I was used to places that looked a little bit unkempt.

As I drove, I looked around to try to find a sign or something that would tell me the name of the town that I was in. I didn’t see one, though, and I had to assume that maybe it wasn’t even really considered an official city. For all I knew, it was just a little group of buildings that resembled some sort of tiny downtown area.

Either way, it felt like a place that should have a bar. So I kept my eyes peeled as I drove down the quiet street. Most of the businesses were closed, since it was late at night, but as I made my way toward the end of the block, I saw lights coming from one of the buildings on the corner.

I rolled my windows down and immediately I could hear music coming. My eyes lit up with excitement and a smile crossed my face.

“Sounds like something is going on in there,” I said.

As I got closer, I noticed the neon lights on the outside of the building.

The Rooster...

“Hmm, that’s an interesting name for a bar,” I said. “Sounds like it could be fun.”

The parking at the front of the building was full, so I drove around back. My jaw dropped when I turned the corner. The entire parking lot in the back of the building was filled with motorcycles, lined up perfectly next to each other, and taking up every bit of concrete available.

“Wow...” I said. “What’s going on here?”

I hadn’t seen that many bikes in my entire life and as I continued driving, I noticed that there were even more parked along the street behind the building.

Should I just go home?

Right when I thought about turning around and heading back to my sister’s, I noticed a parking spot along the street between two different groups of motorcycles.

“That’s got to be a sign,” I said, as I pulled into the parking spot.

Once parked, I looked into the rearview mirror and made sure that my hair and makeup looked good. Then I took a deep breath, trying to calm the butterflies that were in my stomach. It was the first time I had ever gone out on my own and I began to feel surprisingly nervous.

“I’ll just get one drink,” I said to myself. “I mean, I drove all the way out here. It would be stupid to not just go inside and check it out.”

After giving myself the little pep talk, I grabbed my purse and stepped out of the car. I started walking toward the building and I was amazed at how loud the music was that was coming from inside.

I felt my heart begin to beat through my chest as I approached the front door. After taking a long breath, I grabbed the handle and pulled the door open. Immediately, a wall of sound coming from the band in the corner hit my eardrums. It gave me a burst of energy as I stepped inside.

Oh, my gosh. This place is crazy.

The entire building was packed with people, most of them wearing just jeans and t-shirts. I immediately felt overdressed compared to most everybody there.

I took a few seconds to look around and soak it all in. There was a four-piece band in the corner, playing a country song that sounded somewhat familiar. It was a catchy tune and immediately, I found myself tapping my foot to it. In front of the band was a small dance floor, where a few couples were dancing with each other. Along one wall was a long bar, that was packed with people ordering drinks.

A feeling of relief swept over me.

This place isn’t so scary.

That thought was interrupted, though, when I noticed a huge group of biker-looking men standing at the opposite end of the bar. There must have been at least thirty of them, all dressed in black vests that were covered in badges.

Whoa...who are they?

They all looked tough, with their huge muscles bulging out from underneath their vests. They weren’t your typical bikers, though, with the giant beer guts and un-trimmed beards. They looked dangerous and powerful, not lazy.

A feeling of anxiety shot through me and for a second, I even considered leaving again. Something about the bikers gave me a strange feeling. It didn’t seem like they were there to have fun, like the rest of the people there.

Don’t be a chicken, Chelsea. Just have some fun like everyone else. Those men are probably harmless. Plus, you’re a grown woman. I think you can handle yourself.

I decided to go grab a quick drink to calm my nerves. I figured that a little bit of liquid courage couldn’t hurt anything. I made my way through the crowd and stepped up to the bar, trying to squeeze my way in. Luckily, the bartender noticed me immediately.

He smiled when he saw me and I watched as he gave me a quick once over, looking at my breasts that were pouring out of my dress.

“What’ll it be?” he asked.

I shouted over the music, “Can I have a vodka tonic, please?”

He nodded and then began pouring me the drink. I turned my back to the bar for a second and looked around again. The dance floor in the corner looked like a lot of fun and I immediately felt the urge to go dance.

“Here’s your drink, lady,” the bartender said.

I turned around and handed him some cash. Then I grabbed the drink and started making my way to the opposite side of the room, where the band and dance floor were.

As soon as I got there, I noticed several people look over at me. I smiled awkwardly and luckily, they smiled back. I took a sip from my drink and then started to feel the music.

It seemed like they were only playing country, but I didn’t mind. It was a country bar filled with country people. It would have been weird if they had been playing anything else.

I started tapping my foot to the music and then pretty soon, I was swinging my hips. It wasn’t long before I felt a hand on my shoulder.

“Can I have this dance?” a voice said, from behind me.

I turned around to see an awkward-looking man, who was a bit shorter than myself. He was wearing glasses and a blue flannel shirt. He reminded me a little bit of Justin, if Justin were shorter.

“Um, sure,” I said.

He held out his hand and I took it. We started dancing to the music and he swung me around playfully. I couldn’t help but to chuckle. Even though I wasn’t attracted to him in the least, it still felt nice to be flirted with.

As we danced, I glanced over to the corner of the building where the bikers were still hanging out. There was something about their presence that continued to draw my attention to them.

I decided to ask the guy that I was dancing with if he knew anything about them.

“Hey, do you know those guys?” I asked, shouting over the music.

Then I nodded in the direction of the men. His face went from a look of joy to a look of concern, as soon as the words escaped my lips.

“Yeah, everybody knows them,” he said. “They call themselves The Siblings Of Freedom. They have divisions all over the country, but this particular division in California is known to be especially dangerous. Everybody is afraid of them...even some of the cops.”

My jaw dropped. I was hanging out in a bar with some of the most dangerous men in the state. Immediately, I glanced back at the group of men. This time, though, one of them looked up and locked eyes with me. I gave him a half smile and then looked away, completely intimidated by him.

“So, are we done dancing then?” the man in front of me asked.

I had been so enthralled by the bikers that I had stopped dancing completely and I was just standing there in the middle of the dance floor.

“Yeah,” I said. “I think I’m going to take a break from dancing for a bit.”

A confused and defeated look crossed the man’s face and then he turned around and disappeared into the crowd. I couldn’t help but to bring my gaze back to the biker who had spotted me. When I did, I noticed that his eyes were still locked onto me. I smiled again and tried not to look away this time. It was hard to tell because he was so far away, but I could have sworn that I saw a little smirk cross his lips.

He may be dangerous, but he’s kind of cute.

The man had short brown hair and bright blue eyes that cut through the bar like lasers. His square jaw line and the stubble on his face made him look masculine and powerful. Immediately, a moist heat presented itself in my crotch.

Chelsea, what in the fuck is you doing? You shouldn’t even be looking at that guy. Not only are you not single, but also he could be a murderer for all you know.

I began to sway to the music once again, in an effort to not look like some weirdo standing in the dance floor by myself. Then I looked down at my drink and stirred it with the straw. After taking a long sip, I looked back up. The biker who had locked eyes with me was gone.

I quickly glanced around the bar, but didn’t see him.

I should just finish this drink and go.

The whole situation was making me feel a little uncomfortable, especially after finding out just how dangerous these men were. I quickly sipped down the drink and set it on a table nearby and then pushed through the crowd toward the front door.

As soon as I stepped outside, I felt a strong hand grab my wrist. It startled me and caused me to squeal out loudly. I quickly glanced over to see the man who had been staring me down at the bar.

He stood much taller than I did and his blue eyes seemed to shine even more brightly now that I was close to him. A devilish smirk crossed his lips as he looked me up and down, giving me a slow and deliberate once over.

“What are you doing?” I asked, trying to pull my wrist away.

It was completely useless, though. His grip was far too strong. He stood silently in front of me, smiling at me as I tried to get away.

“Who are you?” I shouted, my voice getting louder.

I glanced around, but there was nobody outside. I was alone with this stranger and I had no idea what to do.

Finally, though, he spoke up.

“Come with me,” he commanded.

Then he began walking quickly toward the back of the building, still gripping my wrist firmly. I did my best to keep up, but I was tripping over my own feet the entire time.

“What’s going on?” I asked. “Please, just let me go.”

My heart began to beat through my chest as a huge wave of anxiety coursed through me.

Where is he taking me?

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T
he stranger didn’t slow his pace down one bit, though, despite my struggling. I looked up at his back, noticing the large emblem of a skull that was sewn to his leather vest. Underneath, it read “The Siblings Of Freedom.”

Instantly, I felt my stomach drop. The awkward little man who I had danced with earlier wasn’t joking when he had told me that these men were dangerous. Clearly, they weren’t afraid of taking whatever they wanted,
whenever
they wanted.

“Sir, what are you doing? Where are you taking me?” I asked, my voice getting louder with each word.

We finally got to the back of the building and he let my wrist go. I was relieved, but only for a moment. He immediately grabbed me by my waist with one arm and put me on the back of a motorcycle.

“We’re going for a ride,” he said.

Then before I even had a chance to respond, he hopped on the bike and started it up. It let out a deafening roar and then the seat began to vibrate between my legs. I started to climb off, but he quickly put it in gear and tore out of the parking lot.

Shit.

I had no choice but to hang onto him. If I didn’t, I would have fallen right off the back.

In an instant, we were out of the parking lot and turning onto the street. I glanced over to see my car, which was parked nearby.

I shouldn’t have come here...

We blew past my car and accelerated down the road. It was less than a minute before we hit the highway. My hands were shaking as we sped along. Not only was it my first time ever riding a motorcycle, but it was also my first time doing almost a hundred miles an hour on the highway.

“Please slow down,” I screamed, my voice drowned out by the sound of the wind.

He looked over his shoulder and smiled.

“Don’t worry,” he said. “You’re safe with me.”

Somehow, his words actually seemed truthful and I felt a tiny bit of relief because of them.

I guess if speeding down the highway in the middle of the night with a stranger is something you consider safe...

We were only on the highway for a few minutes before he pulled off at an exit. My sister’s house was now miles behind us and I had no clue where we were.

“Sir, if it’s money you want, I have some,” I said, thinking about the five blank checks that were in my purse.

The man turned down a street and then into an alleyway, pulling the motorcycle into a garage.

“I don’t want your money,” he said. “Now come inside.”

He closed the garage door and then held out his hand, helping me off of the bike.

“Well, what do you want then?” I asked, with desperation in my voice.

The man firmly held my hand and led me into the house. It was dark, so I couldn’t see the outside, but once we stepped through the door, I was impressed by how nice the interior was.