Born to Ride_A Clubhouse Collection

chapter Ten

Talon and I walked Maya to school. We walked Maya—my daughter—to school. As in together. Both of us walking with Maya, to school. Like a real-life couple. It felt amazing. He held my hand; Maya held his other hand, and as we walked, we talked. More like Maya talked to Talon, and I walked along while trying not to bawl my eyes out, trip, or sing, “The hills are alive with the sound of music.”

Once we got back to my place, he announced, “Kitten, I gotta take off for a while. Blue’s coming over, but I’ll be back later before you hav’ta get Maya from school. I’m gonna bring some of m’shit with me to keep here; saves me traveling home every day.”

I gulped. This was serious stuff; still, I couldn’t stop from saying, “Talon you live right next door; it’s not that hard.”

He laughed. “Babe, I don’t live there. I sometimes crash there when I’ve had too much. I live out on some land in Buninyong.” He kissed me before I had a chance to have a thought.

I went to my tippy toes and tightly wrapped my arms around his neck. He growled deep, sending a shiver to my fandola. I loved it when he did that. Our tongues did the tango with an expertise of practiced partners.

“Ah, don’t mind us.”

I moved my head back enough to look over Talon’s shoulder, and while panting, I saw Julian and Mattie standing in the kitchen doorway. I wanted to hiss and yell at them to flock off. But I was also grateful they turned up, or I’d be turning myself inside out to claw my way into Talon’s pants.

“F*ck it. One day, kitten. One day, I’ll have you, and then you won’t be glad to be interrupted.”

I looked into his amused crinkled eyes. “Well, I wasn’t totally happy about it.”

“I agree,” Julian said. “She was giving us laser eyes.”

“That’s good to know.” He smiled down at me, kissed my forehead, and moved off to the front door. “I’ll pick up some takeout for dinner after I get Cody from his mother,” he said over his shoulder.

“No need, Thor. Mattie and I are going shopping; we’ll have enough to feed an army.”

I raised my hand to get his attention. “Oh, um, what’s Cody’s favourite meal to eat?”

Talon’s warm eyes turned to me. “Any kinda roast, kitten. Just like his dad.”

I looked over to Mattie and said, “Can you get me a leg of lamb?”

“Sure thing.” He smiled.

“He’ll love it, babe,” Talon said. “I’ll catcha later.”

Five seconds after Talon left, Blue walked in. Maybe I should lock that door one day, but now it seemed to be the traffic way for hot bikers.

“Hey, baby.” Blue grinned and walked—no, more like stalked— over to me, and ran the back of his hand down the side of my cheek. My eyes widened as he nodded over my shoulder to Julian and Mattie.

“Alrighty, we’re off down the street, hun,” Julian said. “If you think of anything else, text me, baby.” He raised his eyebrows up and down. Then he coughed under his breath, “Slut.”

I gave him an eye roll. “Uh, wait. Um...” I turned to Blue. “Shouldn’t we walk with them, to keep them covered?”

“Everything is set, baby. As soon as someone steps out of this house, another is upon them.”

Wow. Talon wasn’t taking any chances.

“We’re going in Julian’s car,” Mattie said.

“Don’t stress; you’ll be covered,” Blue said.

“Okay. Uh, guys, I’ll see you soon.” In other words, do not leave me alone long with Blue. Because seriously, what the heck was that about? Sure Blue had flirted before, but he’d never made contact with me.

After the front door closed, I gulped. Now I was in a house alone with yet another hot biker, but he wasn’t the one who was going to get the green-means-go sign into my panties.

“Blue—”

“No. Don’t say anything. I just want you to know, before and IF you and Talon take this further, I want my chance. I need you to know that Talon wasn’t the only one watching you. What makes me different is that while I was watching, I wasn’t doing anyone else. I think you’re incredible, Zara. I want you in every way.” He lay a kiss on my cheek and went over to the couch, sat down, and turned on the television.

Oh. My. God. What in the hell was that? No way, no flipping way. Blue wanted me. In every way.

Wait. What did he mean by while he was watching me, he wasn’t doing anyone else? Did that mean Talon had?

Oh, who was I kidding? Of course he was. I witnessed myself his whoring-ness.

I shook my head to clear it. I didn’t have time for this; I had enough on my mind. If I let that get to me, I’d be sitting in a corner rocking back and forth, sucking my thumb.

“I’m going to clean. Yeah, cleaning is good.”

Blue looked around the house. “Everything seems clean to me, baby.”

“No, no it isn’t.” I walked over to the couch and pointed to the carpet. “Look, can you see the crumbs?”

He leaned over, smiled, and said, “Nope.”

“They’re there.” I got to my hands and knees, shoving my head down nearly into the carpet. “See there? It’s really crummy.”

Blue laughed. “Sure, baby. Clean away.”

I got up, harrumphed, and added, “I have to dust first.”

By mid-afternoon, I had dusted, cleaned the bathrooms, bedrooms, and vacuumed. Now, I was in the kitchen making Blue and myself a sandwich for a late lunch. I felt kind of bad I hadn’t offered him anything before this time, so to make it up, he was not only getting two sandwiches, but a piece of chocolate mud cake, a coffee, and a soft drink. I placed them all on a tray and took them into the lounge where his behind was still planted on the couch, now laughing at Judge Judy on TV.

“Wow, baby. Maybe I should have confessed my devotion for you a long time ago if this is what I’m going to get.”

I blushed and stuttered, “U-uh, no. I mean, I’m sorry for not...for being busy all morning and forgetting lunch. Um, no devotion needed here.” I nodded and went back into the kitchen where my own lunch was waiting to be consumed.

I’d just sat down at the table when the phone rang. “Hello?” I answered.

“Why the frig have you not called me yet?” Deanna quietly hissed into the phone.

“Why would I call you at work?”

“Your brother and his partner popped in for a visit. They laughed at me, ‘cause I was as sweet as pie, no matter what I did; but then they informed me that Blue was all up in your face this morning. What happened?”

“Um, I can’t really talk right now.”

“The f*ck you can’t...oh, I am so sorry, but I do not believe that is an option for you.” I laughed. Someone must have walked into the library to cause Deanna to change her tune like that. On another hiss she added, “Unless you want me to tell Maya about that time we smoked a joint when she was a baby and you ended up laughing so hard you cried ‘cause you thought you had an ugly ape baby, you had better start talking.”

That was a bit uncalled for. Not every baby was cute, and it just happened that Maya was one of them; didn’t mean I loved her less.

“Jeesh, alright. Hang on a sec’.” Taking my plate with me, I got up, walked out to the lounge where Blue gave me a knowing smirk. “Uh, I gotta take this. Be back.” And I quickly headed down the hall to my bedroom. “You ready?” I asked into the phone after sitting down near the pillows on my bed.

“What do you think? Hurry it up, woman, before I get a customer.”

“Okay, the quick low down. Blue came in, walked up to me, ran his hand down my cheek, and said ‘morning, baby.’ Mattie and Julian left. Then—oh my God, Deanna. Then he confessed that Talon wasn’t the only one watching me for two years. So had he. And he wants me in every way.”

“Holy David Hasslehoff,” Deanna yelled. “Sorry, sorry.” I knew she was apologizing to people at the library. “Heck, Zee. What are you going to do?” she whispered.

“Nothing.”

“What do you mean nothing?”

“Deanna, hun, he isn’t the one who gets my heart and loins racing when he walks into a room. Sure he is great looking, but...my-my heart already knows who it wants. Even if that guy can be a bossy, alpha-male ass sometimes. He’s all of those things, and mine.”

Silence on the other end. That was never good coming from Deanna.

“Deanna?”

“That’s good, Zee. I’m glad for you. Look I gotta go. See ya later, loser.” She sounded deflated, or her boss had just caught her on the phone once again.

“Yeah, okay, I’ll see you later.” When we’d have a serious talk.

After we’d hung up, I dropped the phone to the bed; a second later it rang again. I answered it with a chirpy, “Hello.”

Nothing but air on the other head.

“Hello?” I said again.

Zilch reply.

“Look if this is one of those heavy breathing idiots, go out and get a job.”

Still nothing.

My bedroom door was flung open, Talon stood there breathing hard. Two steps and he had the phone out of my hand and ended the call.

“Hey!” I glared.

“Kitten.” He closed his eyes and breathed deep. Upon opening them, he pulled me from the bed and wrapped his arms around me. Then whispered, “It was him.”

I froze. Somehow, I knew who he meant and it certainly wasn’t a random pervert.

“No.” I shook my head against his chest.

“I asked Violet to hook me up,” he said, still whispering. “We have your lines covered; you call out, we know who you’re calling. We can hear the conversation. Anyone who calls in and says nothing, we trace their number. He had the balls to use his own phone.”

“Talon,” I whispered.

“He won’t get to you. I promise.”

He was telling the truth, but I was still scared outta my brain.

“Let it roll on off you, kitten. Don’t let him win.”

Again, all I could do was nod.

“What’s goin’ on?” A concerned Blue asked from the doorway.

“Nothin’ to concern you, brother,” Talon growled. He turned us both so we were facing Blue.

“I think it does, brother. I’m here to help aren’t I?”

“I think you’re f*ckin’ here for other reasons, like hittin’ on my woman.”

My eyes widened. Blue looked to me. Did he think I said something?

“I-I never...”

“It’s all right, baby.” He smiled at me and turned a glare on Talon. “The phone call, right?” he asked.

Oh, crap’ola. Talon’s words came rushing back to me. We have your lines covered. He had heard everything I’d said to Deanna.

“Yes,” Talon snapped through clenched teeth. “But something you didn’t hear, and that Zara would never share, ‘cause she wouldn’t wanna hurt you, was that you aren’t the one that makes her heart race when you walk into a room. She already knows who she wants, and it ain’t f*ckin’ you.”

“Talon.” I gasped. Because he was right, I never would have told Blue that.

“What, babe? At least I didn’t mention anything about your loins.” He chuckled. I buried my head in my hands and cringed.

“Well, congratu-f*ckin-lations.”

I stood straight, my hand reached out to Blue. “Blue—”

“It’s all right, sweetheart.”

“No, it ain’t. Brothers don’t do that shit to each other. A brother never goes after what’s already another brother's. You knew I’d claimed Zara. What the f*ck?”

“Come on, Talon. Look at her; she’s one sweet piece in every way. Most bitches around our area only want one thing, a cock to lay on and get off. I’m sick of that crap. I want more, and I saw that in Zara. I knew I was too late; I could see it in her eyes the way she looks at you. But you can’t hate me too much for trying.”

“We’ll f*ckin’ see. Right now, we got other stuff to deal with. Get back to the compound. I’m takin’ my woman to get her kid.”

“I get it, Talon, loud and clear.”

“Blue—”

“Don’t stress, baby. S’all good.”

I nodded, looked to the floor, and without thinking, but feeling, I quietly said, “One day someone will come along, Blue, and you’ll know she’s it. She’ll do something that will blow your mind, and then she’ll be stuck there; and not a minute will go by that you won’t think about her. But that isn’t me, and I’m sorry.”

“F*ck,” he hissed. “See what I’m talkin’ ‘bout, brother? She’s got class, balls—especially to stand up to you, and sweetness. A total package.”

“I know that, brother,” Talon said. “Why’d you think I stopped stuffin’ around and grabbed her while I could? I’m just lucky enough she’s willin’ to grab me back.”

I pulled my lips between my teeth so I wouldn’t cry. This was a wonderful moment in my life.

It wouldn’t be until much later that I remembered about the phone call.