The Biker's Fate Chapter 137

Darien

ON A BUSY Friday morning almost three months later, I rushed into the locker room at work where I slipped out of my scrubs with a shudder and stepped into the bathroom. I needed to shower first, then I'd take care of the vomit-covered protective wear. Ugh. So gross. One of the residents was close to the end of his life and wasn't keeping down any food. We still tried, but unfortunately, it didn't work.

I sighed as the hot water covered me. I really hoped my book would become a bestseller so I could justify quitting. I liked my job just fine, but I'd rather write, and if it meant writing smut, I was so okay with that. Especially since I'd gotten my first royalty check for two hundred, sixty-two dollars and four cents... my monthly total. It was a bummer, because it wasn't enough to quit, but even so, people were buying the book, so I couldn't complain.

Saturday afternoon, I took Barney down to the little shopping center near our apartment. Outside of my job, it was my first venture past my front door in a week. Considering I'd been so tired from work, I'd barely had the energy to walk Barney to the communal yard and back upstairs.

One of the things I loved most about Portland was its super dog-friendly attitude, so Barney was typically welcome most places. This particular day, however, I just wanted to sit at one of the outdoor tables with a strong cup of coffee and use my Kindle as a cover to people watch.

As I set my coffee on an open table and took a seat, securing Barney to my chair, I pulled my Kindle out of my bag just as a familiar face came running towards me. My heart raced as Mack caught sight of me and his mouth spread into a slow smile. He was in shorts and a tight, white T-shirt, and even in work-out clothes, he was beautiful. He slowed to a walk and I took a deep breath as he closed the distance between us.

"Hey, Darien."

"Hi," I replied. He'd remembered my name again and it made my heart race. "Out for a run?"

Yes, Dork Darien, of course he's out for a run. Obvious much?

"Yeah. Havin' coffee?"

I blushed and nodded. "Do you live around here?"

He knelt down and captivated my dog with behind the ear scratches. Barney's favorite. "Yeah. About six blocks north."

"Oh, that's close to me," I said.

He smiled again.

I cocked my head. "Do you want to join me?"

"Sure. I've got a few minutes." He rose to his feet and took the chair across from me. "Any more work injuries?"

"Huh?"

"The bruise on your leg."

"Oh." My hand went instinctively to my thigh. "No. I've been injury free for a couple of weeks now."

He frowned.

"What about you?" I continued.

"Not in the habit of gettin' work injuries, babe."

"Yeah, you let your bouncers do the dirty work," I grumbled ungraciously.

Mack studied me. "Train's been dealt with, Darien."

"I'm sorry?"

"Look, babe, he was doin' his job, so I won't apologize for him protecting club patrons, but the other shit he said to you...?" His face grew hard.

"Yes?" I prompted.

"Well, he's been dealt with. Chalk it up to a recruit who got a little eager about doin' a good job."

"Am I really never allowed to come back?"

Mack sighed. "You want it that bad, Darien?"

"Well, no. Not life or death bad." I shrugged. "But it was fun."

"Give me your phone."

I narrowed my eyes in suspicion. "Why?"

"You wanna come some weekend, you come when I'm there."

"You're not there every weekend?"

"No."

"Why do you have to be there, then?" I challenged.

"Someone has to keep an eye on you."

"Stalker much?"

He raised an eyebrow. "You can try and come another time, Darien."

"But I won't get in," I deduced.

He held out his hand. "Give me your phone."

I fished it out of my bag and handed it to him, leaning my chin in the palm of my hand. "How did you get so bossy?" I wondered aloud.

He smiled and handed the phone back to me. "Lots of practice."

"Yeah, I'm guessing that." I chuckled. "Dani said her husband was part of a motorcycle gang. Are you as well?"

"Holy shit, Darien." Mack dropped his head back and laughed. "Motorcycle gang?"

I slumped in my chair, feeling very self-conscious. "That's not the right term?"

"No, babe. We got a club. Dogs of Fire."

"Is it like Sons of Anarchy?"

"The motorcycles, yeah. But we're not part of the one percent, which means our club and businesses are clean... mostly."

I sighed in disappointment. "So no Jax Teller."

Mack smirked. "You know he's not a real guy, right?"

"When I'm awake, yes, but at night in my dreams... now, that's another story."

"You're fuckin' funny, Darien."

I smiled. "What about you?"

"I've been known to be funny," he retorted.

I giggled. "What do you dream about?"

He leaned forward. "You."

I let out a rather inelegant snort. "Wow, you're good. No wonder Pauley says you're a who—"

"A what?"

"Nothing, never mind," I said. Calling him a man-whore was not only vicious gossip, it wasn't nice, and I was better than that.

"Well, this has been fun," he said, and stood.

"Wait, I'm sorry. I don't know you. Neither does my sister, really, and her view towards good-looking men is a little askew."

He smiled and bent down to pet Barney again. "You want into Blush, Darien, you let me know."

And then he was gone.

I internally groaned. God, I was not only a dork, I was kind of a bitch. I grabbed my stuff, unhooked Barney, and headed back home... then I obsessed. After about an hour of contemplation, followed by massive spiraling, I showered, dressed in my best pair of jeans, ankle boots, and off the shoulder cutesy sweater. I pulled my hair into what I hoped would be a sexy ponytail, not a 'crap, I don't have time to wash and dry my hair' ponytail, spritzed a little perfume on, and grabbed my purse. I had precious little time to do what I needed to do, but I was going to give it my best shot.

Mack

I arrived home and tossed my keys on the counter before heading to the shower. I'd done a shit job of getting my pixie out of my head and I was pissed at myself. But then she appears right in front of me, as if to taunt me? I realized I was now officially fucked.

I stripped down and stepped under the cool water, wondering what Pauley would have told Darien. Right about now, I wished I'd been a little less happy to give my body to a few of the women I'd "enjoyed," but that wasn't something I could change.

God damn it, Darien was just as gorgeous as I remembered. Probably more. I picked up on her inability to lie, but thought her need to not make me feel bad was kind of sweet. I was gonna need to figure out what to do about her, because now that I'd seen her again, I wasn't prepared to let her slip through my fingers. I'd get the shit with Blush sorted, make sure it didn't touch her, then she was mine.

I smiled to myself as I turned off the shower and dried off. She didn't stand a chance.