Cocky Biker: A Stand Alone MC Romance Novel (Cocker Brothers of Atlanta Book 2) (13 page)

I
’m uh
…I can’t even…think.

Jett shows me that the left handle is the clutch, the right is the gas. The brakes are on both, they just have to be pulled, one for the front tire, the other for the rear.

“This lever is how you shift,” he instructs me as he points to the small foot peddle right in front of the one my left foot rests on. “You ever drive a stick?”

I stare at him for a second. “Uh…yes.”

“You lying?”

“No,” I whisper, shaking my head a little.

Those things he just said are ringing. But I don’t want to drop Tonk’s bike after I lied to his face. And I don’t want to die.

Well, maybe I do a little.

After what Jett Cocker just slapped into my core, I am overwhelmed and scared shitless. Seeing a mirror up this close to your psyche isn’t fun.

“Okay, so you know how you use a clutch in that? It’s the same here.”

I nod, trying to focus. “So I hold the clutch down and then pump the pedal to shift.”

“Yeah, and to switch up gears, put your foot under it and push up, one at a time. It’s a heavy pedal – this is a Harley so everything is heavy and powerful – you won’t be able to upshift easily anyway. But just be careful. We’ll take it nice and slow.”

“How long is the drive?”

Did I really just
squeak?

Running my hands over the part of my hair that’s growing back, I look at him and try to act like I’m calm.

I’m anything but calm.

And he knows. This man knows me way better than I do.

Thinking for a second, he glances away. I watch his brain computing the distance. “About twelve hours. We’ll have to stop and sleep.”

“No, I can make it,” I quickly say.

He regards me with impatience and crosses his arms. “The Ciphers can make it because we’re conditioned to, but you my dear ain’t gonna fuckin’ make that drive without exhaustion. And I’m not risking your life because you’re scared of sleeping with me again and admitting how you feel.”

“Jesus Jett. You’re so smart, aren’t you?”

He nods. “Cocky, too. And you can take that sarcasm and shove it, Kitten. I’m not a fan.”

I shout, “God!” as he walks to his bike and opens his saddlebag again with his back to me. “You are infuriating!”

“We’ve got somethin’ in common,” he mutters, then tosses me a sweater. “Put this on under your jacket.” He buckles up the bag again and gets on his bike, putting on his riding glasses and helmet.

I’m so pissed off – mostly at myself and partly at him for being psychic or something – that I don’t feel afraid as I mount Tonk’s bike, and tear my jacket off. Pulling the sweater over my head, Jett and I exchange a heated, angry look.

“Tonk’s glasses are in that bag.” I reach in and grab them. The bag’s empty beside his second helmet and two pair of these things. We put everything in the hotel room.

Jett’s watching me to see if I’m going to start this beast up right, and so when the engine roars to life, I hold his eyes as a challenge.

“Good enough for you?”

Under his breath, he growls, “Bitch.”

“That’s right. I’m a bitch.”

“Forgot to tell you one thing,” he smirks. “Actually, two.”

“What?”

“Neutral is in between the gears, a half pull up on the pedal. Try it.”

I test it and nod as the bike’s gear sets. I can feel the difference. It’s not pulling at me like a wild stallion waiting for the fence to be raised.

“What’s the second thing?”

“Bitches are the best in bed.” He grins and revs his engine.

“I hate you,” I call over the rumble, but I’m stifling a smile.

“I hate you, too, baby. Now go.”

Holy hell. I mean WOW. Why I’ve never done this before today, I’ll never know. As the engine gets louder I shift up. The hog settles into a quiet roar until it’s time to do that again.

Jett calls over the rumble, riding by my side, “Since no one’s out here, slow down then stop!”

“Right here?”

He nods. We’re in the middle of a two-lane road, but this town’s population and that it’s a desert, means it could be an hour before anyone drives up.

I slow the bike and shift down, concentrating on gripping and releasing the clutch beforehand, every time. As my boots hit the pavement, Jett smiles. “You’re made for this, baby. Let’s do it a few more times, then we’ll take off.”

“Okay,” I nod, gripping tightly. When we’re both satisfied I’m ready – and I mean really ready, not just so furious I think I’m omnipotent – we pull out and ride side by side to I-10 East.

Miles blur under my wheels and my hair blows behind me into knots but I couldn’t care less about that.

This feeling is as close to flying as I’ve ever experienced. All the fear and anger I felt, sheds.

I start laughing like a crazy person.

Jett howls next to me, lets out a whoop and starts laughing, too. “It’s a hell of a high, ain’t it?!” he shouts over the wind.

“YES!”

After a few amazing moments, I cry out a sound of pure freedom. Without missing a beat, Jett joins in.

I’ve never felt so alive.

Matias is gone.

The whole world is open to me now.

I’ve been released.

No more vengeance.

It’s over.

I am free.

T
he trip
on the way to South Vacherie was very light and fun for me. I let it be what it was because I wanted to savor the moments while I had them.

Jett and I stopped for food in San Antonio at Rosario’s, a Mexican restaurant on a quaint Texas corner.

Because of the ride, the vibe was light and easy. We stuck to casual conversation. He asked if I ever got to the movies, I told him that I rarely did. He was the same.

He told me about the Ciphers and how they found him, his manner laid back as he explained, “I was a boxer. Yeah. It was fun. But you have managers. They book you fights. They tell you where to go, what to do. That’s not my style. And I wasn’t about to book the fights myself – felt uninteresting to me. A waste of my time.”

He scooped salsa with a tortilla chip and chewed for a second, then continued.

“One night I was comin’ home from a fight — my last fight, though I didn’t know it at the time. I’d won. Feelin’ good. And I heard this sound that rocked me. A woman was being attacked after the game. Two guys.”

At my expression, he nodded.

“Yeah. Brutal. I heard the struggle before I saw anything, but when you hear something like that, you know what it is.”

He smiled as if something good was coming, and leaned forward.

“Then I heard this fuckin’ commotion like you wouldn’t believe. Sounded like an explosion of fists and broken jaws. I was already runnin’ over to help and when I turned the corner to the alley, there were the Ciphers kickin’ the shit out of these two drunk guys. The girl was on the floor, staring at the chaos, stunned.”

Jett did an impression of her face, making his eyes really big like he’s seeing Godzilla looming above our table.

“I saw the Ciphers had the guys handled so I ran to the woman and helped her cover herself. She wrapped her arms around me and started cryin’ while I told her it was gonna be alright.”

“Where was this, Jett?” I asked him.

“Atlanta. Where my family is.” He leaned back and stared off for a minute, maybe picturing them. Grabbing another chip, he grinned.

“I asked the Ciphers what their deal was. They told me. I’ve never looked back.”

We stayed the night in Schulenburg, Texas because Jett said he prefers smaller towns. “Nicer people.”

He got us two rooms at the Best Western Plus, Schulenburg Inn & Suites. It was nice, but the Maverick was cooler. The new place was more cold and professional. More for business people I guess? Which is not me or Jett, not at all.

As we went to our floor, with two separate keys in our hands, Jett said, “Goodnight, Sunshine.”

I got the message his body language sent. He wasn’t going to try to stay in my room, and I shouldn’t try to stay in his.

This was the beginning of the end. Jett was putting distance between his heart and mine. I felt it in how casually friendly he was at dinner, and how little he touched me. It was like he was my brother or something…not that I’d ever had one. But he did. And I bet he treated them like that.

I couldn’t sleep for a long time in that place last night. Couldn’t stop my head from racing around the loss I was about to feel. Hell, I was feeling it already, just in the difference in how he was treating me.

I must have stared out the window at the stars for more than two hours.

He’ll be your friend, Luna.

If you need him, he’s the type of man you can call on.

Take comfort in that.

It’s better than you’ve ever had.

Those words helped me close my eyes finally.

We’re riding now, and miraculously the same feeling of freedom is in my veins. This rush is a temporary elixir to any kind of pain. It calms my soul, and looking over at Jett, I know he’s just given me another gift. I needed this.

South Vacherie, Louisiana, what kind of a place are you? Why’d they pick you?

As we turn off the road onto a winding, oak tree lined driveway, Jett leads the way. A white plantation comes into view through the fog, one reminiscent of Tara in Gone With The Wind.

My questions are answered. It’s beautiful, even with the need for paint. It looks like they left it looking a little haunted on purpose to honor the South’s past.

Our engines rumble to a stop and through the fog-refracted lights on the porch I see the Tasmanian Devil called Honey Badger swing open the front door and whistle through his fingers, before shouting, “’BOUT TIME!!!”

Between majestic columns, he runs out and jogs down the steps to grab Jett as soon as he dismounts the bike. They give each other a big man-hug, smacking each other backs with grins on their faces.

“Been too long, buddy,” Jett says with feeling.

I don’t know which one’s which of the other two guys who were at the motel that day I met Jett, but they appear next, with women who smile from the porch eyeing me.

Honey Badger’s name is too hard to forget with the stories Jett told me about what happened, and how he protected me from jail, I have a genuine smile for him when he walks over to greet me.

“Lookin’ better, girl! You were a fuckin’ mess last time I saw you.”

Laughing I nod, and he shakes my hand.

“I’m Scratch,” the salt & pepper haired man says, walking with his hand out, too.

“Hey, what about me?” Jett calls to his back.

“I gotta see this miracle girl for myself,” he calls out with fake anger. The frown disappears in a big smile as he shakes my hand. “We thought you were dead for sure.”

“So I’ve heard,” I smile, glancing to Jett. “Nice to meet you, Scratch.”

“Fuse,” the one who looks like The Hound says, shaking his head, just as surprised as the others to see me upright. “How was the ride?”

“Fucking incredible,” I admit.

“I bet!” He turns to Jett. “How’d you get Tonk to agree to THAT?!!”

Jett crosses his arms and grins. “It was his idea.”

“Fuckin’ liar,” Fuse mutters, turning to point to the enormous house. “That’s my old lady, Melodi.” The blonde woman gives a little wave. She’s mid-thirties and from the look on her face, hard to crack. Fuse turns to me and says under his breath, “She’ll warm up to you in time.”

My lips part, but I stop myself from correcting him. It doesn’t feel right to dampen the happy reunion with the news I’m not staying.

A black man with the same leather and patches they all have, strolls out wiping his hands. “Jett! Fuck, it’s been a long time, buddy.”

“You cookin’?” Jett asks as he embraces the man.

“Jambalaya. You ready to have your stomach burned out?”

Jett laughs. “Hell yes. This is Luna.”

The man turns to me with his hand out. I find it interesting that none of them are hugging me. I have a feeling it’s an unspoken code among them: don’t touch other Cipher’s women. The politeness of the handshakes makes me suspect that is what’s going on.

“Nice to meet you…” I trail off so he can fill in his name.

“Throb,” he says with complete seriousness. All the men crack up. He breaks into a grin, dark skin pierced by brilliantly white, straight teeth. And boy, he’s got a mouthful of them. “Nah, I’m kiddin’ ya. I’m Scythe.” He steps back to check out Tonk’s Harley. “How’s a little girl like you handle this ride.”

“You’re only calling me little because you’re a giant,” I dryly throw back.

Jett tells them all, and pretty loudly, “She handled that thing like she was born to ride. No more backseat for you, Sunshine.” Then he lowers his voice with a wicked smile. “We told Tonk she knew how, but…she didn’t.”

They all start shaking their heads, grinning like that’s the worst thing we could have done. Even the women on the porch smile. A little boy runs out and flies down the steps. He jumps at Jett and is caught midair, brought into a hug. “Hey fucker! How ya been?”

Melodi calls down, “Jett Cocker, don’t you swear like that at my Taylor, you sonofabitch!”

“Why were you gone so long?” Taylor asks Jett as he gets set back onto the asphalt.

“This was a lot longer than normal, huh Tay?” The little boy nods and Jett musses up his hair, jerking his chin toward the house and locking eyes with me. “Hungry?”

Everyone heads in, the bikes left behind. I glance back to Tonk’s hog, thinking of what Jett said about my needing one. This feeling in my chest says he’s right.

“
S
he stickin’ to it
?” Scratch asks me as we walk out after dinner to put the Harleys away. We’re not worried about theft. No one around would dare fuck with us. But wear and tear from weather isn’t necessary when you’ve got a garage like ours.

“Yeah,” I mutter, the smile I’ve been faking, gone now that she’s not around. “Can’t tame a feral animal, Scratch. You just get cut.”

Over the dull sound of rolling wheels as we walk the bikes around the side of the plantation, I can hear Melodi, Hannah and Mona chatting in the sitting room upstairs. Scratch looks up to their silhouettes through the gauzy curtains, too. He chuckles.

“What?” I ask him.

“She sure doesn’t fit in with them.” He shoots me a look to see if I agree.

“She wouldn’t stay here,” I argue, irritated.

“What dya mean?”

“If she stayed with me, she’d be with me. She’s one of us. She would hold her weight out there on the road.”

He frowns, the idea of a woman-Cipher foreign. We put the bikes next to the others and he still hasn’t said a word about my belief. But I don’t give a crap what he thinks. I know Sunshine. I know I’m right.

But it doesn’t matter.

She’s leaving in the morning.

“Your mother called.”

I step back like I’ve been hit. “What? Who is it? Who’s hurt?!”

He grabs my arm. “No, nothin’ like that. She wanted me to make you come to the wedding.”

Relieved, I chuckle and rub my jaw. “Does she think I’m still six? What the fuck, Ma?”

“Melodi talked to her since I was out. Nancy told her your dad doesn’t want you there—”

“—No shock there.”

“—but your family does. She thinks I have more pull over you than she does now.”

This hits me hard. “I’ll call her.”

“It’s two weeks away.”

“I know! I know,” I grate. “I know when my own brother’s wedding is. I’ll go. My mind’s been occupied.”

The truth is it’s a good thing. This couldn’t have come at a better time. I need to see them as much as they need to see me. It’s been too long and gettin’ over Sunshine is gonna be a fuckin’ bitch. Jaxson and I need to have some beers. I want to thank Justin in person for helping us find Matias. Can’t wait to tell him about Carmen and Tonk. Tell him he’s a matchmaker. Jason can razz him for days over that one, because Justin is anything but romantic.

And Jake…gotta see him on the most important day of his life.

Just wish Jeremy could be there, too.

Scratch is about to close the garage. It’s a manual door from the olden days, the kind with a padlock, so he’s pulling on it, his eyes miles away. He always looks like that when we’re here. He’s our V.P. He gets the calls. He runs this house. Our President is in Montana – stays there most of the time now that he’s old. I don’t think twice about it. I’m just waitin.’ So when Scratch throws the door back up and strolls into the garage with purpose, I just think he forgot somethin’ inside.

“Jett, what the fuck you doin’ out there? Get in here. I got something for you to see.”

Uncrossing my arms I walk over to where he lifts a tarp off a 1966 Triumph Bonneville T120R. Whistling at it, I nod. “That’s a nice ride.”

“Yeah, bought it for Laura.” He gravely meets my eyes. “She never saw it. Fuckin’ bitch.” He turns back to gaze at the bike. “It’s too small for the men. Why don’t you give it Sunshine?”

I blink in shock. “Scratch…”

“It’s just sittin’ here. What’s that girl got? Nothin.’ You say she can ride? Let her.”

“So she can ride out of here,” I mutter on a long exhale.

We stare at it. He waits for me to think a minute before he side-eyeballs me. “Set it free.”

“Yeah…but it’s not comin’ back to me. Kinda hard to let go when you know that.”

“Don’t I know it,” he says on a long exhale.

* * *

U
pstairs I search
for Luna but can’t find her.

“That girl’s stuck up,” Melodi tells me from her doorway.

“She’s just quiet, Mel. You’re the one who’s stuck up.”

“Thanks a lot!”

“Call ‘em as I see ‘em.” I continue the search until I find Luna in the backyard staring out at fog so thick you can’t see when the lawn ends. “Hey.”

Luna whispers, “I love the moss on the oak trees.”

Walking up to her, I take in the view. “We get a lot of water here.”

“How long has this property belonged to your club?”

“Way back. And during the days of slavery, the owner worked with the old Underground Railroad.” Off Luna’s curious look, I explain, “They smuggled slaves to the North for their freedom.”

“Wow,” she breathes. “Brave!”

“A lot of people died.”

“I’m sure.”

I can’t believe I have to say goodbye to her in the morning. I’m still deep down hoping she changes her mind.

“I’ve got something to show you.”

Luna looks at me from the corners of her beautiful eyes. “What?”

I just smile and start walking. The sound of her boots in the grass follows soon after. I told Scratch to leave the garage unlocked.

Upon sight of all the Harleys lined up with style, Luna sharply breathes in.

“Amazing, right?” I tap my baby as I pass her for the Triumph.

Luna follows me and slows down to take in the white and black classic. “Wow,” she whispers, running her fingers over the smooth seat.

“It’s yours.”

Her hand freezes. “What?” She looks at me with a look I don’t understand.

At least, not yet.

“Jett, I said I can’t stay…”

“How are you going to leave? On foot?”

Fuck, it hurt to say that. Inhaling I stare back at her as she tries to understand what I’m tellin’ her.

“You’re giving me this not as a bribe but as a gift?”

Oh fuckin’ hell.

That’s what that look was.

Pissed off, I growl, “I don’t need to bribe women, Sunshine. You got that?” Turning on my heels I head out.

“Jett!” she shouts at my back.

Throwing my hand in the air I flip her off.

“JETT!” She runs up and grabs my arm. “Stop! STOP IT!”

Tugging her off me I jab my finger in the air. “You don’t want to be with me? I get it. You don’t have to treat me like fuckin’ dogshit. Jesus, woman! I’m a pretty smart motherfucker. I got the message. Did I fuckin’ touch you last night? NO. I STAYED IN MY ROOM. I invite you into my home, give you one of the coolest rides on the road so you don’t have to hitch, and what do you do? You stab me in my heart one last time. I’m done. I’m fuckin’ done. Why don’t you leave now!”

Her deep brown beauties fill up and she covers her mouth with her hands.

I feel eyes on us and cut a glance upstairs to find the women watchin’ us from the window.

“THIS AIN’T A FUCKIN’ SHOW!”

The curtains fly shut.

Digging into my jeans for the keys, I throw them to Luna. “It runs well. New tires. Scratch has O.C.D. when it comes to bikes. Gassed up and everything.”

“Jett, I…” She shakes her head and runs her hands through her hair, rubbing the shaved part a little longer like she’s remembering what I’ve done.

I wish I’d never met her.

“Bye Sunshine. Take care.”

* * *

I
’m standing
at one of the front windows, bracing myself with my hand on the windowpane as I stare out through the gauze. I don’t want to chance her catchin’ me watchin’ like this.

It’s some time before I see her. While I wait I picture her unloading her things from Tonk’s bike and transferring them to the Triumph. Was she cryin’ when she did it?

There’s the sound of that sweet engine.

Any second and she’ll be drivin’ off.

Fuck. This. Shit.

There she is.

I didn’t tell her she could take my extra helmet, but there she goes riding off with it, her hair braided like she learned to do before we hit San Antonio. The knots were somethin’ else, even though she said she didn’t care.

The bike suits her size. None of us guys would have wanted it. Scratch earned my respect with this move.

Again.

I guess I owe him.

Heavy boots walk up behind me and I glance over as Honey Badger hits my back, trying to lend me comfort. “Sorry, man.”

“Scratch…” I choke, unable to finish my sentence.

Honey says, “He told me what he did,” his voice low and somber.

We watch the taillight disappear into the fog.

The lump in my throat grows edges.

I just shake my head real slow like.

“Fuuuuhhhhck this.”