Page 12 of A Biker for Noelle
“Yes,” he says without missing a beat. “Especially when I hear you talkin’ nonsense.”
I gasp. “I am not talkin’ nonsense, Eazy. Just stating facts.” I take a deep breath to try to calm my temper. “Look, I appreciate everything you are doing for Zack and me tonight, and I’m grateful you didn’t call the cops, but I’d also understand if you decided to fire me.”
“Fire you?” Eazy interrupts. “Jesus Christ, woman, why the hell would I fire you?”
I look down at my lap and shrug.
“I see I got my work cut out for me, workin’ some of the bullshit out of your head,” he mutters.
“What?”
“Nothin’, baby.” He shakes his head. “I ain’t firin’ you.”
“Oh.” That is all I can say.
Then he adds, “And you ain’t leavin’.”
Stunned, I stare at the side of Eazy’s face, his expression giving nothing away.What in the world just happened?Confused, I look at Zack and see him grinning from ear to ear. I narrow my eyes and mouth,What?
My brother giggles and shakes his head before looking out the window. Something weird happened that I haven’t quite made heads or tales of. But my brother has never been this comfortable around men. Growing up with an abusive drunk for a father has made Zack wary and destroyed his trust in most people. But not Eazy. Not even when he is cussing up a storm or barking his displeasure at whatever has come out of my mouth. Then it dawns on me, and it’s all I can do to hold back tears. For the first time, my brother likes a man and feels safe. And if I’m being honest, so do I.
Fifteen minutes later, Eazy steers the truck down a narrow gravel road, and soon the streetlights disappear. The only thing cutting through the pitch-black forest are the headlights. This is about when I should regret getting into a vehicle with a stranger who could lead me into the abyss of the unknown. If this were a movie, I’d yell at the screen, telling the girl she was stupid for trusting a stranger. But I’m not doing any of those things because, at this moment, all I can think about is how close I am to Eazy and how every single time we hit a bump, my thigh brushes against his or his arm grazes mine, making me hyper-aware of the effect the man is having on me. And if that isn’t bad enough, his scent is everywhere. He smells of pine, laundry detergent, a hint of whiskey, and cigarettes. You’dthink the smells combined would be awful, but to me, they are intoxicating.
“Wow!” Zack exclaims, pulling me out of the haze. “Is this where you live?”
I peer out the windshield to see what Zack is talking about, and the sight ahead makes me gasp. About fifty yards away stands a massive two-story building—a barndominium, which is a rustic mixture of a barn and farmhouse-style structure. I’ve heard about them before but never seen one in person. This one is black metal with wood trim. In front of the house is a paved driveway with several motorcycles and various cars parked. Off to the side is a four-door garage. Eazy parks in front of one of the garage doors. Seconds later, it opens, and he eases his truck inside.
“This is the clubhouse. I have my own house but crash here during the week.”
“Clubhouse?” Zack asks.
Eazy jerks his chin. “It belongs to the Devil’s Punishers.”
My brother looks at Eazy with fascination. “You’re in a motorcycle club?”
“I am.” Eazy nods. “I’m their president.”
“This is so cool!” Zack shoves the door open and hops out of the truck.
I look at Eazy and grin. “So you know, he’s going to bombard you with questions now.” My smile drops. “Let me know if he gets to be too much. He’s curious and can be a lot.” I look over at Zack, who is busy nosing around the garage. “Just…” I pause, letting my protective instinct kick in. Zack has always been an inquisitive kid. He loves to learn and asks many questions about things that interest him. Zack’s dad despised that side of him. He hated the constant questions and Zack’s curious nature. His father believed children should be seen and not heard. I can tellEazy and the club have their gears turning. “Just don’t be mean to him,” I finish.
A firm grip around my bicep draws my attention away from Zack. I’m met with stormy hazel eyes when I turn toward Eazy, still sitting behind the truck’s wheel. “The only way I’d handle you or your brother is with care, baby. You have my word.” Eazy and I stare at each other for a beat, and I can’t explain it, but I know without a doubt he means every word he’s just said.
“Come on. Let’s get you two inside so you can get some rest.”
I go to open my mouth, but Eazy shakes his head. “Tonight, you and your brother have a safe, warm place to lay your heads. You answer all my questions tomorrow, and we figure out the rest.”
Too exhausted to argue, I nod.
Satisfied with my response, Eazy grabs my hand and coaxes me to climb out of the truck through the driver’s side behind him. “Let’s get you and your sister inside, little man,” Eazy calls out to Zack, who is checking out a partially assembled motorcycle. “I’ll bring you out here tomorrow and show you around, okay?”
Zack grins and nods. “Okay!”
Eazy leads us inside through the garage, and the first room we enter is the kitchen, which opens into an ample living space. On one side of the room, I spot a bar area where two men are sitting on stools. One of the men has a scantily dressed woman sitting on his lap. And over by the pool table, dressed much the same way, is another woman hanging all over a guy playing pool. I pull Zack into my side to shield his young eyes. All eyes cut to us as we walk in.
“What’s up, Prez?” a guy sitting at the bar calls out.
“Get them the fuck out of here,” Eazy barks, and I watch as the two men nod and quickly usher the women out the door without so much as a peep, leaving us alone.
