Hard Ride (Men of Valor MC)

The biggest part is probably my heart. I’m already halfway in love with him, and remembering the feel of his lips on mine, it stays with me, firmly entrenched in my memory bank. Gage hasn’t once asked me to go anywhere, he hasn’t asked for my phone number, and he sure isn’t throwing me over his shoulder. So, for now, my dumb heart will stay firmly in its beating chest and not be given to Gage. If he really wants me like he states, well then, he’s going to have to work for it.

I’m cleaning up the tables, pushing chairs in, lost in my own little world when Mackenzie walks in. “Hey, Mack, what are you up to?”

“Nothing much. Figured I’d see what you’re doing this week. Feel like coming over and hanging out sometime?”

“She’s busy,” Gage objects, coming to stand behind me.

“No, I’m not.” I leer at him over my shoulder, giving him my best resting bitch face, so he knows I’m a sisters-before-misters type. “Sure, I’ll bring the snacks.”

“Sounds good. I have to get back to the hotel. Let me know what day works best for you, and we’ll make it work.” I nod my head, letting her know we’re good for a girls’ night, and then watch as she leaves. The bar is mostly empty, save for our one usual, Gage, and Rock.

“You have got a lot of fucking nerve. You don’t get to answer for me. You don’t get to be the alpha overbearing he-man who tells people what I’m doing and what I’m not. I am not your woman, I am not your property, and until that day comes, which is seeming like a less than likely possibility, butt the hell out!” I march away. I need a moment to gather myself. I’m an idiot for lashing out like that, because I’ve just shown Gage exactly how he makes me feel in a roundabout way.

I’m thankful that he doesn’t follow me back to the stockroom. I won’t be able to stay in here long, not with being the only bartender on right now. I picked up this shift, not really needing the money, but when someone needs the help and I can give them a hand, I do.

I sit down much like I did on the bar top—ass to my feet, in a squatted position, my arms crossed on my knees, and my forehead on them. I close my eyes, do a couple of breathing techniques for a couple of minutes, and then I stand up. There’s no crying over boys, not even if they’re really a grown man who lights my body up from the inside out.

“Sorry about that, Larry.” I walk back out. He was the only one here besides Gage and his friend when I left.

“Nothing doing, honey. I’ve known that boy since he was a toddler. If his mom were here, she’d box his ears. Give him hell, Nova.”

“Thanks. You want another?” I ask him, stewing on his words while keeping my eyes off the bar. Not that it matters. The loss of Gage’s presence is all around me.

“Yeah, one more. Then it’s time for these old bones to head home before the missus calls a search party.”

“Alright, coming right up.” No one else has arrived, and with Gage gone, it’s just Larry and me. I walk around the bar, clean up the mess that’s left behind, rolling my eyes the entire time. Two beers, that’s all they had, yet he left me a hundred-dollar bill and a note written on a napkin.

Nova,

I’m not giving up. You’ll see that soon enough.

Gage

I pick up the note, spin it around between my fingers. This must be an apology of some kind. I won’t forgive him this quickly, but at least he left a note. I fold the napkin he scrawled on, put it in my back pocket, and push this to the back of my head. I have work to do, and it’s not going to get done by itself.

3

Gage

“I fucked up,” I say into the phone, talking to my sister, Stella, the next day after seeing Nova.

“Dumber than dirt, I tell ya. What did you do now?” I can hear the girls in the background—two laughing, and I’m assuming it’s the oldest grumbling. I really need to make more time to take them off Stella’s hands. Our parents take them when they can, but the girls’ hectic schedules of extracurricular activities makes it hard.

“Whatever, like you’re the perfect princess,” I grunt. She’s younger by three years, a strong woman, that’s for damn sure. That doesn’t mean Stella won’t put me in my place.

“Let’s see, I’m married, have three children, am able to hold a job inside of the house, and take said children to any activities they need to attend. I think I’m pretty perfect.”