Page 4

LOU

I woke up to the thundering sound of motorcycle pipes. The sun hadn't come up yet, but Ajax was gone. The time on my alarm clock was four-thirty am. I stretched, yawned, and smiled, remembering the sexually satisfying night.

Ajax was not the type of man I usually found attractive. He was the exact opposite. I knew he was a criminal and did terrible things, but I didn't care. The moment he walked into the diner, he drew me in.

I never had luck with men; some were abusive and turned downright mean. So when Ajax punched Erwin in the nose, it excited me. For once, a man came to my rescue. I knew I'd never see him again, and last night was just what it was, a one-night stand.

But Ajax was right – there was no way I would ever forget his name. My body was sore in all the right places, and I liked it. He made me feel desired and sexy, the way a woman like me needed to feel.

Ajax pulled into the diner parking lot and walked in. We only had a few customers for lunch, but everyone stared at him wide-eyed, like he would pull out a gun and rob the place. But he just walked over and sat down in the same booth he had done three nights before as Chelsea, the new waitress, came running in, disheveled.

Chelsea was a few years younger than me, had only been working for two weeks. It was rocky at first because she had a hard time spelling when taking orders, but she was a kind person.

"I'm sorry I'm late!" she said with an apologetic look.

“It's okay, Chelsea. We just opened, and there’s only the three tables I'm working," I said, sliding the new ticket across the counter to the kitchen.

Ned picked up the ticket. "One shit on a shingle, one hotcake, and a side of bacon coming up!"

Chelsea stuffed her purse underneath the diner bar and tied her apron on. "Lance had a gig last night at the Black Cat Nightclub. So I didn't get any sleep." Her eyes scanned the diner, stopping on Ajax. "Do you know him, Lou?"

Butterflies fluttered in my stomach when Ajax looked at me and smirked. I had to catch my breath, and Chelsea saw the blush creeping up my cheeks.

"Yes. He came in the other night during the rainstorm," I said, smoothing out the front of my apron, hoping my hair wasn't a frizzy mess.

Ajax’s eyes roamed down my body as I walked toward his table. I was still self-conscious about my limp, but the way Ajax looked at me had me smiling and standing straighter, bringing me back to the night he sexually dominated my body and gave me those mind-blowing orgasms.

"Surprise to see you here," I said when I reached his table.

He leaned back, anchoring his muscular tattooed arms on the back of the booth. "Wanted to check up on you. That douche-bag Erwin hasn't come back around, has he?"

He looked so damn cocky, and it was turning me on.

"No. You scared the shit out of him. Is that the only reason you came by?" I asked, hoping he'd want to make my bed squeak again.

He gestured with his finger to come closer.

I leaned down and planted my elbows on the table. "Yeah?"

"I wanna fuck you again."

My cheeks burned, and my stomach somersaulted. I looked around, hoping no one in the diner heard. "First, you have to take me for a ride on your motorcycle."

"Deal. What time do you get off work?"

"Today?"

He chuckled. "Yeah."

"Five."

When Ajax stood, he was so close I could feel the summer heat and smell the outdoors on his skin. "Good. It gives me a few hours to get some business done. We'll meet at your place."

I'm sure the business he had to do was with the motorcycle club he rode with, but I didn't dare ask.

I watched the clock as it moved slowly all afternoon, and I was both nervous and excited.

Finally we served our last customer for lunch and took a smoke break.

"He's in a bike gang, Lou,” Chelsea said, the worried look she had all afternoon now serious. “I've seen those Berzerkers at some of the nightclubs Lance's band plays in. They are totally warped and dangerous. I'm worried he's going to hurt you. Or worse!"

I took a drag off my cigarette and exhaled. "Erwin came in three nights ago and tried to attack me."

"No way!" Chelsea gasped.

"Way."

"What happened?"

"Ajax saved me — that's what happened. If he didn't show up, Erwin could have hurt me badly or worse."

"That's so gnarly!" Chelsea said, her eyes round as saucers.

I punched my card out at five pm sharp and sped home to change into a pair of jeans and sneakers. I did a quick makeover in front of the mirror and giggled, hoping Ajax would like the leopard print tank top that showed a bit too much of my cleavage. It would be the first time I was going to ride on a motorcycle!

By five-thirty, I began pacing my small living room, waiting for the sound of his motorcycle pipes. Ajax must have changed his mind.

Why would a man like him bother with a dull and frumpy-looking hag with a limp.

I felt stupid and desperate.

But then I heard the low rumble of motorcycle coming my way.

I inhaled a deep breath, let it out, slung the strap of my purse over my shoulder, then stepped outside onto the front patio. My nipples hardened at the sound as Ajax pulled up behind my car.

He looked like Satan himself, tempting me with wicked and depraved thoughts. When he turned the engine off, he climbed off the bike, took off his helmet, and walked up the steps to the front porch. He slid his shades down the bridge of his nose so his eyes could roam down my body.

He whistled slowly. "Damn woman, those nice tits are about to bust out of that tank."

I looked down, realizing he was right. "Do you want me to change?"

"No. You look really good, Lou. We're having a little party tonight at the clubhouse–"

"That's okay.” I crossed my arms over my chest.

At least he was nice enough to come by and tell me.

“I understand –"

"Don't cut me off, woman.” He pulled his shades off, then cupped my chin with his big hand. “I want you to come to the clubhouse party with me."

Ajax was standing so close, and I was so happy, I planted my lips on his. The kiss sent flutters to my belly as I wrapped my arms around his broad shoulders. His hands came to my waist, pulling me closer to his body.

Ajax would have boinked me on the front porch, so I ended the toe-curling kiss and pulled away.

"After the ride, then you can fuck me," I said in my best sultry voice.

He smirked and rubbed his palm down the bulge in the front of his jeans.

I locked the front door and followed Ajax to his bike. He unstrapped the bungee cord around the extra helmet on the back seat and handed it to me. I put it on my head along with a pair of shades I pulled from my purse.

Ajax stepped closer and snapped the helmet strap under my chin in place.

"Have you ridden on a bike before?"

"Never."

"You'll get the hang of it. When I get on, you step on that back footpeg, swing your leg over the back seat, and sit. It's that easy."

Ajax put his helmet back on, then climbed on his bike. Nervous because of my limp, I just stood there as he started it.

"What's wrong? Are you bailing on me?” He grabbed my hand, steadying me. “I promise I won't ride like a bat outta hell with you on the back."

"No, it's not that. I've got this damn limp."

"The worst thing is that you'll fall off. And that won't happen since you'll be holding onto me."

Taking a deep breath, I did as Ajax instructed and climbed on the bike. When I wrapped my arms around him, I felt I could do anything my heart desired.

I held on to Ajax and leaned with him as the bike took turns around curvy backroads. The world was a fast-moving blur, and the air pushing against us smelled like the grass and asphalt of a newly paved road.

We pulled into a parking lot full of motorcycles next to a big brick building in an industrial area beside the James River. Men were standing near the bikes, a few wearing vests with patches on them, some the same Berzerkers MC patch as Ajax. They stared at us when we climbed off his bike, and it was intimidating.

Ajax took our helmets, hanging them on each end of his handlebars, then reached out suddenly and snatched a handful of my hair at the nape of my neck, pulling gently. I gasped as he slammed his mouth over mine, shoving his tongue between my lips, devouring me like a primitive caveman.

When he ended the savage kiss, I inhaled quickly, grabbing the front of his vest. Suddenly dizzy, my knees buckled, but Ajax held onto me.

"I need to show my brothers that you're mine. I want you glued to my hip when we go in the clubhouse. If you wander off, another Berzerker can claim you, and I won't be able to do anything about it if they want to fuck you on one of the pool tables. Do you understand?"

"Mmhm," I replied, my tongue darting out, licking the taste of him off my lips.

He arched a brow. "You're in a whole lot of trouble when I get you back to your place, babe."

"That's what I've been hoping for since you showed up at the diner today."

Ajax chuckled and wrapped his arms around my shoulders as we walked into the clubhouse.

Loud heavy metal music was blaring from speakers and the inside was dimly lit, a few overhead bulbs hanging from the ceiling. Plumes of cigarette smoke and the sweet scent of weed hung in the air. Men with long hair, long beards, and arms covered in tattoos stood around. Some women wore patches on the back of their vests with the words Property Of on top and the name of a motorcycle club member on the bottom.

Property? Like a new shiny car?

We walked up to the bar, and Ajax asked a woman wearing a string bikini behind it for two cans of beer.

"My brother from another chapter!" roared a man, who walked up and gave Ajax a big bear hug and slapped his back. He was handsome with sand-colored hair and blue eyes. His long beard separated into three individual braids.

His arms were covered in tattoos and if he wasn't wearing a vest or had a full beard, he could've been on the cover of a GQ Magazine.

The patch on the front of his vest said, President , with another beneath it, Diezel .

“Who is this fine-ass fox you brought here, Ajax? Is she fair game?" Diezel asked.

"This is Lou, and she's with me tonight,” Ajax said. "Lou, this is Diezel, President of the Richmond Chapter."

I offered my hand to Diezel, but his eyes steered right to my cleavage.

He chuckled. "Handshakes are for dick-wads, darlin," he said, then snatched me around the waist, pulling me in for a hug.

That night I was introduced to a whole new world. This was a man's world; they were alphas, calling the shots in a motorcycle club. Some women were considered what Ajax called 'clubwhores' who were there strictly there for sex. The women with the Property Of patches on their vests were the Ole Ladies. They were highly respected and belonged to a specific club member, and no other member could have sex with her. An Ole Lady was protected by every member and was always safe when they were anywhere outside the clubhouse.

Ajax sat on an old, dusty couch, planting me on his lap. Other people sat with us talking about someone crashing their bike or someone's Ole Lady kicking a brother out of the house for finding him getting a blow job from a clubwhore. A joint was passed around, and I smoked it with Ajax, feeling a nice buzz that made me giggle, which I never did when I was straight. Ajax was feeling good, too, with his lazy half-smile as he watched me. Then my inhibitions went out the window as we made out on the couch in front of everyone.

He pulled down the front of my tank top and bra. And I gasped and giggled when Ajax lowered his head, sucking on my nipple. I closed my eyes and swayed my hips back and forth, feeling him get hard against my ass.

His lips released my nipple with a smack, and he growled. "I’m taking you back to your place and fucking your brains out.”