Hard Rider

“Of course, officer.” Grizz responded.

A paramedic arrived and was checking me over when Grizz finally strolled back over to see how I was doing. I was surpised… I’d half expected them to arrest Grizz and work things out at the station. I waved the paramedic away and gave us a minute of privacy.

“What’s going on, are they letting us go?” I whispered, glancing over Grizz’s shoulder and seeing Mark still sitting quietly in the back of a patrol car.

“I have a friend in high places when it comes to the police out here,” Grizz replied, smiling. “They’re letting me walk, which is more than I can say for the Bayou Boys.”

“But what about the guns, and the motel Mark shot up?”

“Like I said, it’s taken care of…”

“You’re just full of surprises, Grizz.”

It wasn’t long before one of the cops was escorting the two of us to an after-hours walk-in clinic, where Grizz sat patiently – still barefoot and shirtless, minus the leather jacket – while I was examined.

When I was given the all clear and gave my final statements to Macready, I thanked him for his time and took Grizz’s arm.

“Long night,” he told me.

“Yeah,” I agreed, just happy to be done with the whole thing. “I think that’s a more than enough excitement for this chick.”

Grizz’s expression stayed quiet.

I thought aloud. “Your club back in El Paso, the Devil’s Dragons… Is it like this all the time?”

When he merely cocked an eyebrow, I continued: “Does danger just always follow you guys, wherever you go?”

“Feels like it sometimes,” he answered.

“So, you’re saying that I should get used to this sort of thing?”

“You don’t have to come with me, now that the Bayou Boys are taken care of,” he paused us near the bike. “They’re all gone. None of them to bother you anymore.”

I snapped defensively. “You’re gonna tell me something like that after everything we’ve been through? Grizz, what are you trying to say?”

He was grappling with something inside that hard, burly body of his. “You’re safe now, Kate. It’s all over. Nothing to say that you have to follow me into this life if you don’t want it.”

“What else should I do, then?” I pulled my arm free, putting my hands on my hips. “Live out here in Louisiana while you run back to the desert? Be a waitress at some lame overnight pit-stop?”

“I got the club a seat at the table, Kate. I’m bringing the Devil’s Dragons to New Orleans,” Grizz replied.

“You’re sending me mixed signals here.”

Grizz was obviously uncomfortable. He placed a hand on the seat of the biker and turned my way. Uneasiness was plainly written all over his face.

“I love you, Kate. I want you in my life more than anything. But coming with me… it could get rough. A whole lot rougher than what you’ve already experienced in these last few days. The Devil’s Dragons have made enemies. I want you, but I need you to understand what you would be agreeing to if you joined me…”

I stepped forward and planted my lips on his, silencing his worries. I felt his large, powerful body relax against mine.

“I love you too.”

He smiled the biggest I’ve ever seen him smile, even when we’d shared those words so many years ago. After everything we’d been through these last few days, there was a lot more weight to them.

“None of that scares me, Grizz. I’m a big girl, and I know what I’m getting myself into… I’m in this for the long haul, and you’re not gonna get rid of me.”

Relief visibly crossed his face.

“Very glad to hear this,” he whispered.

“Good,” I smiled. “So, first thing’s first, we need to sleep this goddamn night off.”

“Agreed.”

“But after we get back, after I’ve met these Devil’s Dragons of yours… how long are we gonna be there?”

“Soon as they’re ready, we ride back with them,” Grizz replied, before quickly adding: “probably take a month, maybe two.”

“Good,” I nodded, crossing my arms. “I think that New Orleans could certainly use the excitement.”

“Excitement’s one word for it.”

“Yeah?” I chuckled. “Alright, funny guy, what word would you choose for it, then?”

Grizz thought on that for a moment.

“Trouble,” he replied with a wink.

Grizz

Hunter Hargreaves smiled from the stoop of the Devil’s Dragons bar as I parked my motorcycle and lifted Kate up off the seat. The bike groaned wearily as the ignition died. I understood the feeling.

My leader beamed with pride.

“Welcome home, Grizz.”

“Not home anymore,” I replied.

His eyebrow lifted. “So you pulled it off then?”

I shook his hand, letting him pull me into a solid hug. As we separated, I nodded. “New Orleans will treat us well for years to come. We have turf, connections, and I took care of a little competition.”

“I knew you could do it,” he grinned, turning to face my woman. “And who is this lovely young lady you’ve brought back with you?”

“Souvenir,” I chuckled.

Kate punched me in the arm while Hunter’s smile widened. “My name’s Kate. Grizz and I go way back.”

“Well Kate, any girl who can drag a sense of humor out of this hard-ass will always be a friend of mine,” Hunter laughed. “Listen, you two have had a long ride. Come in, rest up, and fill us in tomorrow morning.”

“Doesn’t have to wait,” I replied.

He met my gaze with more authority than I expected. “Take the night off, Grizz. That’s an order. Get your lady here settled in, and relax.”

“Fine. Business tomorrow,” I conceded, raising my palms up.

“Good. Now that that’s settled,” Hunter turned, holding the front door to the bar open, “Now take a damn load off!”

“Sounds good to me!” Kate piped up.

I stepped forward into the bar, unsure of what to expect. The entire Devil’s Dragons club was assembled, playing pool and kicking back beers when Victor glanced over and hushed the biker next to him.

Quiet fell over the entire club.

“Grizz just informed me,” Hunter spoke up, stepping in behind us and letting the door fall shut, “that he has succeeded in his mission.”

He came out in front and beamed with pride. “Boys… we’re going to New Orleans.”

Every beer in every hand rose up high as a cheer boomed across our headquarters. Disgruntled at the spotlight, I almost shrunk back a step, but Kate’s hand slipped into mine.

That’s right, I realized.

I’m not alone anymore…

Hunter clasped me firmly on the shoulder, turning to Kate. “You’re not pregnant, are you?”

I almost laughed when she looked offended. “What? No!”

“Good,” he winked. “Drinks are on the club tonight. Already got more than enough of that around here anyway. Last thing I need is a second pregnant woman in the club…”

“Wanna try that one again, sweetheart?”

Sarah’s voice called out from

behind the corner. Hunter’s now heavily pregnant fiancé walked out to join the festivities, hand on the small of her back. She’d been growing her hair out, and it almost reached her shoulders now.

“You know I didn’t mean it, babe,” he grinned sheepishly.

“Yeah, yeah,” she scrunched up her face in mock irritation before turning to Kate. “Bikers. Bunch of assholes, these guys. But a heart of gold in every last one of ‘em here…”

I introduced Sarah to Kate, and while they were chatting, I pulled Hunter aside.

“What’s up, Grizz?”

“Brushed up with some old friends of the Dragons in Louisiana,” I grunted. “They had a bone to pick with the club. Have you ever done business out there?”

“El Paso’s the furthest east we’ve come out,” Hunter told me. “And Talon hasn’t stepped foot even this far from Los Angeles. What’s the name?”

“Call themselves the Bayou Boys. They’re a disgrace to motorcycle clubs everywhere. Or were…”

“Name doesn’t ring a bell. Did you catch a name of their leader?”

“Kate named a guy. Gridlock.”

“Gridlock?” He shook his head. “No idea.”

“That’s frustrating,” I growled. “The amount of trouble those fuckers gave me, and I’ll never know what the hell we did to piss their leader off like that.”

“Our club began the Outlaws, Grizz,” Hunter threw an arm around me. “We’re bound to step on some toes here and there. You remember all the death threats I was getting for a while there…”

“Yeah. Had to ride out into the desert and knock some heads,” I remembered. “Put the fear of God into some of them.”

“Good times,” Hunter smiled with a hint of mischief. “And that’s just the ones we were aware of. Aw hell, Grizz, we probably brushed up against dozens of thugs and clubs out for our heads, and never knew it.”

“One of life’s great unsolved mysteries, then,” I concluded with disappointment.

“You know, I’m surprised that we haven’t caught any serious heat for the fuckers we’ve been up against these last few months… we’ve been lucky to fly under the radar with all this shit.”

“Funny story about that…” I started to reply, before Kate suddenly grabbed me by the arm and started tugging me away.