Beauty & The Biker

“I employ a full time housekeeper. I normally wouldn’t take on someone so young and inexperienced, but I like your dad, he’s a good man. My mother was fond of your grandma Iris; I was sad to hear of her passing. She was a wonderful woman.”

I can’t remember my grandmother, she passed away when I was a child in an accident, but it makes me feel good to know that he has fond memories of her.

The crunching of metal screeches in my ear, I look around but it’s only Tristian and me standing here. And apparently he didn’t he

ar the crashing noise.

“I want to be your friend Isa,” he says shocking me further.

“Okay,” I agree in a hushed tone. The closeness of his face to mine is throwing me off and making me forget what a jerk he has been to me. I only think of the way he made me feel moments ago in the hospital parking lot.

I can feel his breath on my cheek as he speaks.

“I’ll be in touch soon Isa,” he rolls the A on his tongue; the way he says it is sexual. I lean further into him, not wanting this to end but afraid of what will happen if it doesn’t.

“Goodnight, Tristian,” I say softly before rushing inside. The way his eyes seemed to soften briefly when he spoke of our families made him seem almost normal. And my desire to kiss him goodnight took me off guard. I had to get away from him. He was too close, smelling too good, and his lips, I want to taste them. I should be scared of him and want nothing to do with him, but I can’t stop this infatuation. He sings a song that only my body can hear.

I bury my head in my hands as my hair blankets my shoulders. What am I doing? A tear rolls down my cheek, but it’s not from being sad. Morbidly, for the first time in a long time, I feel happy.

I must be crazy or sick. My father nearly dies and I enter into a deal with a notorious biker, and I am beaming, grinning from ear to ear.

I busy myself cleaning up the counter and straightening the books lining the shelves once I am sure he has driven off.

As I clean, I keep seeing Tristian’s face and his softened eyes. I want to see him again, sooner than I should desire, but I have had a glimpse of his kinder side and I need more.

I don’t know what to make of my attraction to him. I look for more small tasks to busy my mind but none of them distract my thoughts from the way he made me feel in the parking lot at the hospital.

I spin around in the small clearing behind the counter and wrap my arms around my chest, remembering wrapping them around Tristian as we drove into the night. Oddly it felt like home—it felt so right.

I should be thinking of ways to take care of my Papi, but I can’t think of anything other than that dangerous man, so I close the store and walk to the bank to drive our family car home.

Chapter 4

ISABELLA

After a sleepless night of worrying about my father and thinking about the job I bargained for, I am having to deal with my sister, Ariala, turning up for once, and deciding that I should have called her last night. Like I could have reached her. It takes Papi nearly five attempts to get her to answer most days.

She has been here a few hours and already chaos has ensued.

The house is a mess; she has dragged her laundry in to get washed. Probably expecting me to do it for her like I always do. She can’t be bothered to care about anything besides her next good time.

I used to get so mad and complain, but yelling at her does no good. She only cares about herself. Ariala is the single most self-centered person on the planet.

“And you would have come rushing to be there right?” I scoff. She has some nerve. When Mama was at her worst Ariala took off. I was the one who was by our mother’s side making sure she was taken care of. I didn’t mind it but some help and support from Ari would have been nice. That’s okay though, she can make up for it now.

“You don’t give a shit about me Isabella. You are such a spoiled little crybaby. Whenever you get your feelings hurt or something doesn’t go your way you go running to Papa, oh wait Papi, because you are still such a child. Grow up and get over yourself!”

“Well don’t worry you are going to have to step up and play your part in this family for once, instead of running off with whatever loser buys you a beer. I took a job offer and after our father is settled he will need you to look after him.” She stills at that bit of information. Just as I thought, she doesn’t really care. She just wants to pretend she cares to make herself feel better.

Elsabeth comes barging into the kitchen from her house next door. “Why didn’t you call me? You are so selfish, always wanting Papa all to yourself Isa.” she sneers, pointing her finger at me. She flips her long, dark hair over her shoulder and turns to Ariala. “And where have you been the past three days?”

“Out.” Ariala rolls her eyes and goes to the fridge to plunder for food. Food that she never helps pay for.

“I’m talking to you!” Elsabeth snaps her fingers in her direction.

“Well this is great, but I need to pick Papi up in an hour. While you two have fun deciding who the biggest witch is, I am going to take a shower.” I leave them to tear each other’s heads off. If they are fighting each other it means they are off my back. I don’t know how to tell them—Papi included that I am moving to the Vandacamp Mansion.

I still haven’t come to terms with it myself. “You’ll be living with me,” he said. Who does he think he is?