He locks the door and hand in hand, we walk over to the car. Once we’re seated, he reaches over and strokes the bracelet he gave me last night. A small smile covers his handsome face and I start the car.
From now on, I’ll never take it off.
I can still feel him between my legs like a physical reminder of our time spent together all the way back to the diner. If I could get away with driving slower, I would. His hand rests on my thigh and I’m dreading when he’s gone.
Leo
The wind beats against my face as I ride back to the club. India’s touch is all over me and the wind is taking it away from me. Her hands travelled over every inch of my body, taking her time to set me on fire where her nails scraped over the planes on my chest, down and over the muscles in my arms, everywhere.
I thought our kiss changed us last night, but I was wrong. This afternoon was the turning point in our friendship. There’s no going back after today, not after she gave herself to me. I was not expecting her to be a virgin, I lost my virginity when I was fifteen and I haven’t given it a second thought since. It meant nothing to me, only that I had finally done it and I moved on, looking for my next conquest. JJ and Sparky are working on their bikes when I ride through the gates and I park up beside them. I climb off my bike and admire my pride and joy. I spent nearly every Saturday for a year with my dad fixing her up when I was seventeen.
“Your dad is looking for you,” Sparky tells me cutting into my thoughts.
“Where is he?” I ask, looking around and not seeing him.
“In the bar,” he says, and then to JJ, “Pass me the wrench.”
I leave them to it and head inside, thankful to be out of the sun. It’s too hot today and memories of India make me hot enough.
Dad is sat with Slade, Ricky and the twins. Every time I see them now, I expect them to be wearing the prospects patch.
“I heard you were looking for me,” I say, pulling out a chair at their table.
He’s looking a lot better this week. He isn’t hiding his pain as much as he was last week and he’s moving with a lot more grace.
“Where have you been all day?”
I focus on my dad and ignore Slade.
“I went for a ride,” I shrug.
“All day?”
“Yeah.”
What is this? Everyone is watching like I’m in trouble.
“How? I mean, your bike has been parked outside the diner all afternoon and you were nowhere to be seen.”
Again, I avoid eye contact with Slade, a couple of hours ago, I was taking his daughter’s virginity.
“What’s with the third degree? I went out and now I’m back.”
“Sounds like someone is on the defensive,” Slade snorts, smirking.
I was on your daughter, I think to myself, that would wipe the smirk clean off his face if I said it out loud.
“I can’t remember the last time I had to check in when I went out, didn’t know I had to start again now.”
Guilt hits me like I’ve been shot with a bullet too.
“You don’t, but the way you’re acting has me suspicious and if you haven’t forgotten, someone tried to fucking kill me. It’s not wise for any of us to be out and disappearing alone.”
His gaze bores into me and the weight of his stare has me pushing out of my chair. I’ve rarely lied to my dad, and when I have it’s been over petty shit when I was a teenager. However, he doesn’t need to know what I’ve been up to this afternoon. I head for the door before he can push further for answers and walk back outside into the heat. JJ jogs across and catches me up.
“So? Where have you really been all day?” he asks.
“You really want to know?”
“Yeah, spill it, Jackson.”
I nod to the picnic table at the furthest end of the clubhouse and where no one is in ear shot of our conversation.
“I was at the cabin with India.”
“Doing what?” he drools out slowly, frowning.
“None of your fucking business.”
For the first time in my life, I don’t want to share details of spending time with a girl. JJ and I normally share everything, no detail too little or personal to exchange. But, with India, it was too intimate, and I want to keep it to myself. I don’t want him mocking her in any way.
“I knew you were up to no good last night, taking her off around the back and out of sight of her daddy. Slade’s gonna want your blood.”
“Slade’s not going to find out,” I warn him. There’s no reason for him to know anything.
“I hope you know what you’re doing, messing around this close to home for a bit of fun is dangerous,” he says, shaking his head disapprovingly.
“It’s not like that.”
He bursts out laughing, “It’s always like that with you.”
This makes my blood pump angrily, I shove him back and he doesn’t find it funny any longer.
“Hey, man. Back the fuck up.”
I breathe through the anger building within me and put some distance between us. If I don’t understand what’s going on, how can I explain it to him?
“Sorry, brother.”
“It’s okay,” he says, “What the hell happened today?”
“Something…”
I stop myself from talking any further and shut my mouth.
There aren’t any words I can find that explains how my life has changed. A switch has been flipped and I can’t switch it back. After she gave me the one thing she can never get back, the one thing no one else will ever have, I don’t want to. I want more of her.
“Something?” he repeats, “You’re a man of many words tonight.”
I pull out my smokes and offer him one. Maybe if he’s got a cigarette between his lips, he won’t be able to keep asking questions I know I won’t answer.
“I need you to do something for me tomorrow. India’s going off to college and I want to spend as much time with her as I can over the summer. If anyone asks, I’ve met a girl in town, and I’ve took her out for the day.”
That should keep my dad off my back, and anyone else who may notice.
“Seriously, what the fuck happened last night? You’ve got it bad.”
Again, I’m not answering him.
“Will you do it?”
“Sure, I will, just be careful,” he warns me.
He lights his cigarette and jerks his chin over my shoulder, I turn around and sure enough, my dad is searching for me.
“I’m going home, you coming with? Your mom would like to see you sometime this week,” he calls over sarcastically.
“Sure.” I could do with some of mom’s home cooking.
I look back to JJ and warn him, “Don’t tell anyone about me and India.”
With his cigarette hanging from his mouth, he holds his hands up and gives me his cockiest grin.
“Your secret is safe with me.”
It better be.
We walk over to our fathers and I climb back on my bike and wait for dad to finish speaking with Sparky.
It was these two who gave me the sex talk when I was thirteen and I can still feel the burn in my cheeks as I listened to each of them try to embarrass me. When they asked if I had any questions at the end of their little speech, I said, hell no, and hightailed it out of the room. I can still hear them roaring with laughter to this day.
Dad climbs on his bike and together, we bring our glorious machines to life and ride out. He grimaces as he moves but he pushes on. When we’re not riding with the club, and it’s only dad and I and no one else on the road, we ride side by side. He’s my president, but when we’re on the road like this, he’s just my dad. He looks over at me and smiles a shit eating grin, revving his throttle, he rides off in front until I thrash mine and catch him up.
We race all the way home and slow down when we see Luca stomping out of the house with mom quick on his tail, yelling at him to get back inside. She stands on the porch with her hands on her hips and a dis
h cloth hanging from her hand. She doesn’t get this angry unless my kid brother has been suspended, and as it’s the last day of school before summer break, I don’t think he’s been fighting again.
“What’s going on now?” Dad demands to know, kicking his bike on its stand.
“Thank god you’re home, ask your son how his last day went,” mom rants.
Trouble and Luca are like magnets, they can be separated but when one is close by to the other, it’s kicks off and it’s hard to pull them apart again.
He goes to walk off towards to the back of the house but one word from dad and he stops.
“Get in the fuckin’ house and tell me what you’ve done this time,” he growls.
Luca keeps his back to us and goes inside. Mom gives me a quick hug before we all follow him into the house. Once we’re all in the kitchen, Luca turns to face dad and his lip is split and he’s got a purple shiner around his eye.
Another fight. I sit at the table while dad walks over to him and grips his chin to get a better look at his wounds.
“You can’t have been suspended, it’s the last day,” dad grumbles.
“Oh, this is a record for him. He’s suspended the first week he goes back, he’s on his last warning,” mom snaps.
This makes it his tenth suspension. Between mom and dad, they’ve always managed to avoid his expulsion, but I don’t see how many more trips from dad he’s going to last before he’s kicked out.
“Who started it?”
Luca keeps his mouth shut and tries to look away, dad tightens his grip and forces him to look at him.
“Answer me, son, or I swear I’ll ride all over town until I find the other kid.”
“I did,” he finally admits.
“What have I told you? We only fight if we have to defend ourselves.”
He lets go of him and sits at the table, kicking out a chair for Luca to join him.
We’ve both had this talk from dad many times over the years, but Luca is beating my record by far.
“Tell me what happened.”
He looks to mom, but she shakes her head and leans against the counter top.
“You can tell him yourself,” she says.
It goes quiet until dad slams his fist on the table.
“Talk, Luca,” he yells, making him jump.
“I was leaving school and I saw something I didn’t like so I broke Mr. Lancaster’s nose.”
“You broke a teacher’s nose?” I ask myself, not sure if I’m proud of my kid brother or not.
He’s always had a hot temper on him and he’s forever getting into fights, but this tops them all.
“He’s not a teacher,” mom murmurs.
“Who the fuck is he then? Are you telling me a grown man marked your face?”
Dad is getting angrier, and he’s fighting to stay in control.
“He’s Sara’s dad,” Luca finally explains.
“Babe, please explain before I lose my shit,” Dad growls.
“Sara is Luca’s friend, he saw her dad being rough with her, he threw her in the car or something after school. Luca went to see if she was okay when he was told by her dad to, fuck off. That’s when your son punched him and broke his nose. They fought until a teacher intervened.”
That must be the girl who I caught him with at the club. The girl who he told dad was the town whore and was just a bit of fun. Her dad must be the reason why he’s been working out. Luca gets some life in him and sits forward, inching closer to dad.
“He hits her, he isn’t just rough with her,” he starts to shout, “No one believes her because he manipulates everyone into believing she does it to herself for attention.”
“Calm down, son.”
“I’m the only one who believes her, I’m sorry I got into a fight, but I wanted him to see she has someone who can fight back for her.”
Dad calms down and a dark grin creeps along his mouth.
“You broke a grown man’s nose defending your girlfriend…”
“She’s not my girlfriend, she’s just my friend,” Luca growls, cutting him off.
“Still, I’m proud of you.”
“Proud?” mom shrieks, “He can’t afford to keep getting into fights, Cas. He should’ve come to us.”
“Fine,” Dad sighs, “No more fighting and I’ll make sure he doesn’t hurt your friend again. If I hear you’ve been in one more fight, I’ll have you cleaning the shitters at the club for a month, you hear me?”
Luca nods and dad stands, looking over to me. I have a feeling I’m not getting dinner any time soon.
“On your feet, Leo. We’re going for a ride.”
I stand and dig my keys out of my pocket. Mom blocks the door and dad steps in front of her.
“Just remember there is a fifteen-year-old girl there before you go in guns blazing,” she says.
Dad leans in and kisses her, and then deftly moves around her. She’s quick to block his way again.
“I’m not an idiot, babe. But, he’s going to pay for putting hands on our boy.”
A smile replaces her frown and she steps back.
“Make it hurt,” she demands. Mom can be kickass sometimes, especially when it comes to me and Luca.
“You know I will,” dad smirks and leans forward and kisses her again.
I look to Luca and we both roll our eyes. This isn’t the first time we’ve seen our parents kissing. They’ve been together forever, and they aren’t afraid to show everyone how much they still love each other.
“Let’s go, old man,” I grunt, or we’ll never leave.
India
If I tried to keep count of all the times someone knocked on our door at a late hour, I would’ve had to write them down, and I would have probably run out of paper. Usually it’s Cas or Sparky who need something from dad. One time, it was Pope and he was covered in blood. Mom ushered me upstairs as fast as she could, hoping I wouldn’t see but I did. I still don’t know what happened to this day, but he’s always freaked me out. He’s too serious and his eyes darken too much when he gets angry.
It’s not until I hear Leo’s voice that I jump out of bed and creep along the hall to see if I can hear who else is here and what they want. Leo has never shown up here on his own before.
“I can’t have her at my house for obvious reasons.”
That was Cas’s voice.
I creep halfway down the stairs and I’m faced with Leo’s back as he leans his shoulder against the doorframe.
My blood rushes at the sight of him and I feel lightheaded. This is so strange. To go from someone I know, to someone I can’t get enough of, it’s exhausting to keep up with him.
I’ve spent the last few hours replaying our afternoon together, and now he’s here, in my home, it’s like we’ve never been apart. I can still feel his fingers skimming over my stomach, his tongue grazing over my breasts, I can feel it all.
He senses someone behind him, and I walk down the rest of the stairs as he looks over his shoulder. He flashes me a quick smile and covers it with his usual stoic manner when he turns back around.
I stand by his side in the doorway, and it brings us closer than we’d normally be. I spot a girl sitting on the corner armchair and I vaguely recognise her from hanging around with Luca.
She’s clutching her bag to her chest like a lifeline and is shaking in fear. She doesn’t make eye contact with anyone and finds the carpet more interesting to look at.
“This is Sara, she’s staying here tonight,” Dad says, looking up and seeing me in the room.
“Sure, you’re Luca’s friend, right?” I ask, and it seems to settle her down.
She nods, and I feel bad for her. She isn’t normally this jittery around Luca. I wonder what has happened.
There’s another knock at the door and Leo goes to answer it as no one else moves. Who ever it is, is expected.
Luca barrels through the door first and Alannah follows him in. I step to the side just in time as he barely acknowledges me as he rus
hes by. He goes straight to Sara and she immediately looks more comfortable. He has her in his arms in no time, and she clings to him, forgetting her bag is between them.
She cries into him, and no one in the room can look away from them. Alannah watches on with intrigue and Cas watches with a deep frown pulling his eyebrows very close together.
Luca strokes her hair soothingly and her cries start to subside. He’s calming for her, it almost feels like we’re intruding on something private no one should know about.
“It’s okay, I got you. I swear it,” he whispers to her.
A brief fire burns against my hand, and it takes a moment to recognise Leo brushed his hand against mine. I dare to look at him for a few seconds longer than normal, and I can’t hide the corner grin my mouth is trying to hide.
“She should come home with us,” Luca tells Cas and we turn back to the conversation in hand.
“That’s not a good idea, she has India here, she’ll be safe until we…”
“She doesn’t know India,” he argues, and something I haven’t seen before burns in his eyes. I’m not the only one who notices, his parents and my dad all look on and wonder what the hell is between them.
Sara puts her hand on his arm and the burn instantly fizzles out. He takes a deep breath and smiles down at her.
“I’ll be fine, Luc,” she tells him, speaking for the first time since I came down.
“You don’t know her, you should be with me.”
“I’m sure your dad wouldn’t have brought me here if I wasn’t going to be safe.”
My eyes flick to Cas and I can’t work out what’s going through his head as he watches his teenage son try to protect this girl.
I don’t know what her story is, but it can’t be good if she’s here.
“India, go and make up Zach’s old room for Sara.”
Without eyes on them, Luca and Sara begin whispering between themselves.
“I’ll need your help, mom keeps the sheets on the top shelf,” I say to Leo, finding the perfect excuse to get him alone.
My body is remembering everything he did to me this afternoon, it thrums the closer he follows me up the stairs and it pulses as I watch the muscles in his arms strain as he reaches to the top of the cupboard.