Page 5 of Property of Baffle
“Are you okay?”he asked.His dark eyes scanned me up and down as if looking for more injuries.The smile he wore moments before dropped as he took in my busted lip.The distance between us was lost as he took a step closer and held his hand out as if to touch that tender spot.
“I’m good,” I offered quickly as my body leaned back away from him.“Thank you again for helping me last night.”
“You should never have to thank someone for kicking a rapist’s ass.He deserved worse and your choice always matters.”Something in the way his eyes blanked and his body shivered led me to believe he had a more visceral reaction to the act than most people would.It didn’t really matter if there was a story behind the way he reacted.This man was a stranger who I would probably never see again.
I shrugged and the movement allowed the strap on my shoulder to slide down my upper arm.“Like I said, I’m good now.”I quickly pushed the strap back up and then dropped my arm to my side so he wouldn’t see how badly my hand shook.
The man tipped his head back toward the hallway where I’d left Elena.“Didn’t seem that way back there.”
“Are you following me?”I snapped.
The question was somewhat rhetorical considering I had the sudden need to be anywhere else but there.I scanned for the nearest exit or security guard, but saw neither within a decent proximity.I had felt safe with this man before.I had allowed him to walk me to my hotel room the night before to be sure I got there without Johnny “Slicer” Culver coming back for more.
“I was taking a piss,” the man said as he raised his hands at his sides in a movement that said he meant me no harm.“I caught the tail end of your conversation with your friend.”
“Former friend,” I corrected without thinking.
“Gotta say, seems like that’s for the best.”
“Yeah, well, doesn’t make it any less painful when you lose a friend.”
“You have anyone else here you can trust?”
My shoulders slumped in defeat the minute the true impact of his question hit me.I didn’t.Worse, I had ridden to Vegas with my former best friend, so I wasn’t sure how I would manage to get back home.Elena was also technically still my roommate.So, I had the added worry about what state I would find my things in after I figured out how to get there.I remembered that there was a question that needed an answer and shook my head as I wished for a miracle to save me from my former best friend’s bad decisions.
“Come on, my club brother is here for his bachelor party before he marries his amazing woman.How about I introduce you to her before I head out so you have someone around to lean on and help take your mind off everything?”
“Not sure I’m up for making new friends just yet.”
“Okay then.How about you come hang out with me then?You know I have a mean right hook and I’m not afraid to use it if anyone gives you trouble.I will keep you safe -as if my life depended on it- and I already know your particular brand of drama, so I won’t be surprised when you cry into your beer later.”
I couldn’t help the little peel of laughter that he’d inadvertently drawn from me.His smile returned until I winced and held my hand up to the wound on my lip that split open again as I laughed.
“Dammit,” I cursed at the same time liquid oozed from the wound.
“Sorry about that.Let’s get you some ice.”
“I don’t even know your name.”It was a weak protest, or maybe a way to justify myself when I inevitably followed the strange man.Oddly, though, I felt comforted by his presence.
“Baffle,” he said and then winced and shook that off.“Patrick.”
“Which is it?”I teased.
“Both, but you can call me Patrick or Rick.”
“Rick, not Pat?”I questioned as he guided us over to a table in the corner and handed me a cocktail napkin.I used it to dab at the spot on my lip that still oozed a bit of plasma.
His shoulders bounced as he answered.“Pat was my grandfather.Going by Rick gave me my own identity until I earned my road name.”
“Road name?”I questioned as my eyes ran back down his body and took in the fact that he wore the same style clothes as the biker trash Elena’s fiancé hung around.
“Don’t look so worried.We’re not all that bad - bikers that is.”I nodded, though his answer only made me more nervous.“I’m the Vice President of the Kings of Anarchy MC’s New Mexico Chapter.”
“Kings of Anarchy?”I questioned while trying to remember the name of the club that Johnny wanted to be a part of so badly.
“Yeah, you heard of us?”
I shook my head.“I don’t think so, but I live in Arizona.”
