Wild Ride (Wind Dragons MC #4.5)(2)
Rake, on the other hand, hates me with a passion. Probably rightly so, considering we used to be enemies. The Wild Men and the Wind Dragons have always had bad blood, but it was brought to a head when one of the Wind Dragons’ women, Mary, was killed by a Wild Man who broke into their compound. It turns out Mary meant something special to everyone, especially Arrow. When my stepdad died and I became president of the Wild Men, I wanted things to change. I’ve tried to close the gap between the two clubs, and have made progress, considering we don’t try to kill each other on sight anymore.
But like everything, it’s one step forward and two steps back with them. And I can admit that it’s probably my fault Rake still hates me. There was the incident when I invited Anna, a WD old lady, and her friend Bailey to my birthday party at the clubhouse. In fact, I may have guilted her into coming, which was stupid on my part. I should’ve known better. Oh, and did I mention that I also kissed Bailey, who’s now Rake’s old lady and Tia’s best friend? Tia, the woman I can’t stop staring at.
If I’m being honest, the reason I kissed Bailey was to stop Rake from being an idiot, to push him into stepping up and claiming her. Of course I got something out of it—a kiss from an attractive woman—but really I was just enjoying getting Rake worked up. Getting under his skin.
I tend to do things like that. My cousin Shayla always tells me that I like to push people just to see how far I’m able to do it. I test people. I like to see if I can manipulate them into doing what I want without asking them for it directly.
It’s not one of my finer qualities. I’m trying to work on it.
I down the last mouthful of my drink, then slide the empty glass along the bar. When I see Tia glance over at me, her eyes widening, I know that I need to leave before she comes to talk to me.
Then why the f*ck aren’t my feet moving? Nothing good can come from us speaking. Why dangle something in front of me that I know I can’t have? Waste of time. The memory of us kissing flashes through my mind, making me grit my teeth. Yeah, she is f*ckin’ tempting, but she isn’t for me. I know she’s very friendly, not the type to snub someone she knows. At least that’s what Anna has told me about her, that she isn’t a shy woman—she’s more of the takes-whatever-she-wants type. So she won’t sit across the room and give me her best sex eyes, waiting for me to approach her like some women I know. She’s a fighter. I can already tell that about her, and I like it.
To be honest, I like her more than I should, and now isn’t the time for me to get tangled up with a woman, especially one with ties to Rake and the WDMC. She also has a kid, and what the f*ck do I know about being a father?
No, I’m not as good a man as Rake—who slipped right into the role of father to Bailey’s daughter, Cara—and I know that, so there’s no point in pretending. Anna told me how amazing he’s been, and how he took to fatherhood almost naturally. I also have a shitload of things going on in my life, especially with my club, and a woman to take care of is not what I need right now.
I wait a few more moments before I force myself to throw some money on the bar and head home. I make my way to the exit, not making eye contact with anyone, and definitely not looking in Tia’s direction. I’m at my bike when I hear her voice.
“Not even a wave hello?” she says in a tone that’s a mixture of dry and amused.
I turn around to face her and flash her a smile I’ve perfected over the years, one that oozes charm and confidence. “Got somewhere to be.”
“Don’t we all,” she murmurs, coming to stand in front of me. She’s a tiny thing. Petite. With her oval-shaped face, light blond hair, and wide blue eyes, she has an ethereal look to her, like an angel. When you take a deeper look into her eyes, though, they’re sharp and knowing, more like the devil’s. I also happen to know that she cusses like a sailor, those sweet lips saying anything and everything.
“How’ve you been, Tia?” I ask her, knowing that she isn’t going to let me leave without some small talk at least.
“Fine,” she says, narrowing her eyes a little. “How have you been, Talon? It’s been a while since I last saw you.”
It hasn’t been that long. The last time I saw her was when I ran into her and Bailey while they were out drinking one night. I stayed, just to make sure they got home safely—or at least that’s what I tell myself.
“Been busy,” I reply, which is an understatement. I have so much going on right now that the stress is going to eat me alive. And it’s not like Tia and I hang around the same people. Sure, she has ties to the Wind Dragons through Bailey, but the only person I see on a regular basis is Anna, and I haven’t even seen much of her lately. I don’t have many fans in the WDMC, especially after my birthday. But my cousin Shayla couldn’t be there, and Anna is the only other person I have who is like family to me, besides my club brothers.
“Who are you here with?” I ask her, surprised that the woman I saw her in the bar with wasn’t Bailey, or any other woman I’ve seen before.
“Friend from work,” she replies, shifting her handbag up on her shoulder. “Bailey’s watching Rhett for me, said I deserved a break.” She smirks, her eyes smiling. “Practically pushed me out the door. Apparently ‘a break’ is code for a drink. So here I am, being social.”