Page 6 of Trick or Treat

He remembered meeting her at a Sons of Redemption MC party while he was home on leave. He’d been to several parties during his trips home over the years thanks to his best friend, Jackson West. Jackson grew up in the MC and immediately after graduation prospected for the club. It’s all he’d ever wanted and now he was a fully patched member. He was always trying to talk Trick into prospecting for the MC once he was finished with his time with Uncle Sam. Knowing he had only five months left, he had to admit he was leaning toward joining the motorcycle club. Their sense of brotherhood, loyalty and family spoke to him. It reminded him a lot of what he had with his fellow Marines. The thought of getting out and not having something similar to replace it with made him nervous. He’d done two tours and had seen and done things he never thought he would. Things were no longer black or white. Right and wrong were open to interpretation given the circumstances.

This time, like all the other times, Trick was staying with Jackson at his house while he was here. He could have stayed with his parents, but after being on his own, the thought of staying at home wasn’t as appealing. Although he didn’t stay with them when he was in town, he always made sure to spend plenty of time with them.

As Trick’s gaze slid over the crowded room, his eye caught on a woman with midnight black hair and enough curves to make things interesting. As he watched her in profile, she laughed at something someone said and shook her head. The longer he watched her the more he could tell she wasn’t the type that usually visited the Sons parties. She laughed and drank and appeared to be having a good time, but he imagined if she could leave, she’d do it. She was standing near one of the pool tables with two other women. One looked similar to her, but not nearly as pretty. A sister or a cousin if he had to guess.

She leaned over and said something in one of the women’s ear, who then pointed toward the hall. His guess was she was looking for the bathroom. She weaved her way through the crowd, several guys hitting on her along the way. Her smile was polite, but it didn’t reach her eyes.

“Go talk to her. Maybe you’ll get lucky. No one else has.” Jackson nudged his shoulder with his own.

“Naw. She’s shooting everyone down. Why would I be any different?” Trick’s focus was on the hallway hoping to get another glimpse of the dark-haired beauty.

“Pussy.” Jackson taunted him.

Trick knew Jackson was messing with him, but then he thought, what the hell? “Fine. If my pride gets hit it’s your fault.”

Moving to the mouth of the hall, he waited until he saw her coming out of the restroom before he took off in her direction. Her head was down and didn’t see him coming so when he accidentally-on-purpose ran into her, he almost knocked her down. Luckily, he grabbed her by her upper arms to keep her from stumbling backward and landing on her ass.

“Sorry! Sorry!” Trick waited until she was steady on her feet before he let her go. “I didn’t mean to knock you on your ass.”

Flustered, she looked up and replied, “It’s okay. I’m good.” His breath caught in his chest. Her eyes were such a shocking blue, he almost bet that they glowed. No way they could be real. While he’d been struck dumb, she’d stepped to the side and started to walk away. Probably out of his life forever, if he didn’t do something quick. “I lied,” he blurted desperately.

Slowly turning, she frowned in confusion. “What?”

Trick shoved his hands in his pockets. “I lied when I said I was sorry. I’m not.” He shrugged his shoulders. “I just had to see for myself.”

“See for yourself what?” She took a couple hesitant steps toward him. He’d gotten her attention.

“If your eyes were as pretty up close as they are across the room.” Yes, he was lying. He hadn’t really seen her eyes until he’d all but knocked her over, but he’d try just about anything to get her to stop and talk to him for just a little while. He took two steps closer to her. Back here in the hall it was quieter, but they still had to speak up to be heard. He could tell she didn’t know whether to believe him or not by the tentative way she addressed him. He counted it a win that she didn’t roll her eyes and tell him to fuck off yet.

She pushed a loose strand of the silkiest hair he’d ever seen behind her ear. He was dying to touch it and find out if it was really that soft.

“And?”

“They’re prettier up close.” His attention shifted from one eye to the other. “They damn near glow. I’m guessing contacts?”

“No. All me.” She crossed her arms under her tits, inadvertently showcasing them nicely. If she were anything like the usual women, he’d think the move was practiced to lure his eyes downward.

“No fucking way,” he laughed in surprise.

Instead of taking offense, she smiled and nodded her head. “Yeah. All me. Got them from my dad.”

There was a moment of silence between them as they continued to take each other in. Someone stumbled out of a door down the hall behind them. He looked over his shoulder to see if was one of the club brothers, closely followed by a blonde woman.

He turned back to the beautiful woman. “What’s your name?”

“Michelle.”

“I’m Trick. Well, Patrick, but everyone calls me Trick.” He extended his hand, holding his breath until she took it and shook it.

“Nice to meet you, Trick.” She let go of his hand and glanced behind her. “I guess I need to get back.” She hitched a thumb over her shoulder.

“Want to get a drink and sit outside?”

“Um. Sure. Sounds good.”

Trick took her by the hand and led her to the bar, got them both drinks, then found their way outside. There were people out here, too, hanging around a bonfire or sitting at one of the picnic tables. He steered her toward a dark corner where he spotted two empty lawn chairs. They took a seat, drank their beer and took turns asking questions about each other.

Michelle was nineteen, was here with her sister, Patty, and her favorite color was neon green.

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