A Biker’s Love

Chapter 1

Rachel’s POV.

Ugh! I hate summer!

I wiped the sweat dripping from my forehead like rain drops as I waited impatiently for my train to be called up.

I thought of how my life was going to change in a few hours. New town─not really new but I had not set foot there since after my elementary school.

My dad never failed to ring it in my ears on our frequent unending call sessions on how Shadow creek had changed so much over the years but I still always pictured that cowboy, yee-haw feel, the boots, the beer, the bandannas, and all cowboy thing-nies. Oh! And the Sexy, hairy men. Not that I like hairy men.

I was yanked out of my brief reverie and back to reality when my train was called up. I got up hastily from the side benches, dragging my suitcases with me to the right train. I got on when the door opened along with a few other passengers, I looked on the wooden doors for the carriage number that matched the number on my train ticket. I went in and was faced with a boy who looked no older than twenty with dirty blonde hair and undersized clothes and a girl who looked younger than him with shiny black hair and fancy clothes in close contact with each other. They looked like they were about to make a baby as they already occupied one part of the carriage. They jumped apart, looking all ruffled and shy and the girl whispered a timid ‘hi’ before a very awkward silence filled the space.

I cleared my throat and took the seat opposite the couple after putting my bag in the overhead compartment. I brought out the book I already started reading, flipping through the pages to the one I already bookmarked and continued reading zoning out all sounds.

Reading novels─ especially romance books─ was like my escape from reality. They made me fantasize about things like the hopeless romantic that I was who wished for a prince charming, or in my case, a handsome cowboy to sweep me off my feet into intense passion but who was I kidding.

Four hours, forty-five minutes, and twenty seconds later, we finally got to Shadow creek train station. Yeah, I had kept time; not with my head though─ with a stopwatch. I marked the page I was at with a paper card returning it to my carry-on bag. I retrieved my suitcases from the compartment before getting off.

I spotted my dad at the side in his worn out jeans, faded shirt and his really old cowboy hat waving frantically at me with a wide smile spread across his slightly wrinkled face. My dad was a hardcore cowboy and he used to win all bull competitions back in the day before he became the sheriff of the town.

"Hey dad." I said to him, a wide smile stretching my lips. He kissed me on the cheek, taking both my suitcases before leading me to his car. He got into the drivers side after putting my suitcases in the trunk of his car while I climbed into the passengers seat.

I tuned the radio channels but only country music blasted from the speakers. Well welcome home Rachel.

"So dad how've you been holding up?" I asked, taking a quick glance at him.

"I've been better honey. I'm just glad that you're home for good now. This change really makes me happy." he replied and I couldn't help but feel happy that my dad was happy. My mind often wondered to how he was after the death of my mom. He was in a really dark place for two years after my mom died three years ago. I was in my first year of college so I couldn't move home to be with him but I promised to return immediately after college. It was a really huge decision for me to make. I had to reset all the plans I had made for my life and my future but I was willing to do anything to keep my dad happy.

My dad branched off the highway to the dirt path that led to our family house. We drove for a few minutes before our big ol' family house came into view. I smiled fondly as a few happy memories flooded my mind.

My grandparents first built this house and my parents lived here after they got married. They didn't renovate it till my grandparents died because my old pals didn't want anything changed, moved, or thrown out while they were still alive. We still kept some of the things they really loved though.

I remember running in the field with my papa and planting flowers with my nana. My papa also taught me to play the piano when I was six and we still have the big old white piano in the living room which must have turned brown from dust. My nana used to bake the best banana bread ever which she taught me how to bake. I missed them a whole lot and I often reminisced the good memories I shared with them but I knew they were somewhere peaceful, the same place my mom was.

I got out of the car and made my way to the front of the house. I climbed the three steps to the porch and opened the door with the key I collected from my dad.

I smiled at the same old interior design. Nothing new. I checked out the kitchen, living room, guest room and all other rooms before going up to my room. I looked round the green and white painted space that was my room. The walls were bare of posters and just a single painted picture of my dad during one of his bull competitions was hung on the wall. My parents thought it weird that I didn’t fancy pink things and instead requested for my room to be painted green and white. My room looked neat and tidy and my bed was well laid and surprisingly, free of dust. In fact everything in my room looked dust free.

My dad knocked on the slightly open door and I motioned him in with a wave of my hand.

“Where do you want these?” he motioned to the bags in his hands.

“Oh those could go over there. I’d sort them out later.” I pointed to the empty corner and he set them down.

"I know you're tired from the travel so you can take a nap. I'll just check in at work to see how they're doing. I’ll be back in a few hours. There's ham sandwich in the fridge in case you get hungry."

"Thanks dad." I said to him and he smiled.

"You're welcome. Love you honey. See you later. Call me if you need anything."

"Alright. Thanks dad." I said again and his forehead creased in confusion.

"For?"

"Cleaning my room." he laughed and shrugged it off tagging it as no big deal before leaving the house.

The echo of the bang of the front door signified his departure and I set to work on arranging my clothes in the drawers and putting away my toiletries. It took me about an hour after which I was exhausted. I took a quick shower and went down to the kitchen for the sandwich and some juice before retiring to the living room.

I grabbed the remote and switched channels on the TV before finding a series, I didn't even get to finish one episode before I was out like a bulb.

Drew’s POV.

"Just give me my f*****g money or else I'm gonna feed your rotten testicles to my dogs and I tell you, it wouldn't be a pretty sight." Bear threatened the debtor whose face was as white as sheet.

I cackled at the man's horrified expression which I found really unamusing. I bet he was close to peeing in his baggy worn-out pants. He looked really ragged and dirty. He had no shirt on, just a hat and really torn dirty old jeans. He had on a shoe with its front wide open like a shark ready to prey on an unsuspecting fish.

"That's enough Bear. A dead man can't pay us our money." I said to my third-in-command pushing myself off the wall and stalking towards the man like a predator to its prey. The man began to shake like a worm that had salt on its skin. Pathetic. My eyes drifted downward to the soiled patch on his jeans at his crotch area. And the dude peed folks!

"It's alright man. I ain't no wild dog. I'm an omnivore." I said to him slowly in his ear. I could feel the thick uncoated fear emanating from his soul as he let out small whimpers like a cat whining in pain.

"But I get really fussy when things don't go as planned. So if you don't want my cranky shitty attitude on you, then pay me my damn money! You're late by just a week so that's tolerable but a day more and I'll just have to give Dawg what he wants." I smiled at the devilish grin on Dawg's face at the mention of his name.

And with that I tipped my hat to the dirty addicted farmer and walked the few feet to where I had tied my horse, Cox.

I never resort to torture or threats but I hate dealing with drug addicts who owed me money. They were the worst. They never work─ at least this one does─ so if they weren’t threatened, they wouldn't pay up what they owe. I didn't care how he got my money, all I needed was the damn money. I really need to stop lending money to crack heads. They stress me the f**k out.

I got on my horse alongside my two brothers and we all rode back to my house in Raven hill. I stayed there on days when I had business which was often. Raven hill was really close to shadow creek. The house used to be an inn and it was in a really bad shape when I bought it but I saw a lot of potential in it.

I hired Dawg's cousin who owned a construction company in shadow creek and with his help and a lot of money the inn was transformed into a breathtaking house. It had 15 rooms, a kitchen, a big pantry, a wine cellar, a living room, large dining room, a bar area, a party room, a game room, Servants quarters, a stable, a small lake and a large field. It was that big. My family also hosted some big events at this house whenever they wanted. Also, there were capable hands to help keep the place in order when I was away. There were five servants including Martha the head housekeeper. She was a middle aged single mother who I really trusted to keep the house in order when I was in shadow creek. There were three stable men, one gardener and one farmer.

The hostlers met us at the door taking the horses to be cared for. The three of us made our way into the house and headed straight for the bar.

We took a few shots of hard liquor in silence appreciating the welcomed burn on our throats before retiring to our rooms for the night. My phone started ringing as my eyes closed. I picked it up from the side table and looked at the caller ID. Wolfe.

"Hey Boss, What's up?" Wolfe greeted.

"Was about to sleep when you decided it’s the best f*****g time to call me." I replied irritated and I heard him wince. Everyone knew how much I loved my sleep.

"Sorry Boss. It’s just something came up and you told me to always report new situations to you even if you were outta town." True though.

"Well, start talking."

"A young lady moved into town this morning. Haven't investigated who she is but my boys are on it and I'll let you know when I get the information." Hmmm... That's weird. People hardly ever move into shadow creek so she must be related to one of the towners so it's not that big a deal.

"It's alright Wolfe. Just investigate and give me the report when I get back to town."

"Okay cool. Goodnight boss." Then the line went dead. I let out a tired frustrated sigh. I was then left with the battle of going to sleep. Once my sleep was disturbed, I found it really difficult to go back to bed.

I laid on the bed staring at the ceiling wondering who the new lady was, who she may be related to, what she looked like, her age; then it got dirty in my head, her bra size, ass size... till I fell asleep.

****************

"Morning boss." Dawg and Bear said to me from where they were sipping black coffee at the breakfast bar as I stepped into the kitchen.

Wolfe and I had been friends ever since we were born then we became best friends and now brothers. I had asked him so many times to refrain from calling me boss but he insisted that since all the town bikers had animal nicknames and I said I didn't want one he would call me boss and it was fitting since I was the leader of the bikers gang. And since then, all the bikers called me Boss.

"Morning guys." I replied with a light yawn. "What's the ti...” But my question was cut short when my eyes drifted up to the quaint giant clock on the wall.

"f**k! Is that the actual time or this clock has eventually died?" I asked no one in particular and Dawg and Bear burst into laughter.

"Yes boss. We actually thought you had died since you weren't up by seven." Bear grinned and I smacked him upside the head.

"That wasn't funny, at all." I scoffed. Dawg snickered as Bear rubbed the back of his head where I had hit him with a childish pout on his face. I couldn't believe I slept till noon but there was no need to dwell on the past when I could still get some s**t done.

I took my seat on one of the kitchen stools as Martha the head housekeeper handed me my usual cup of hot sweetness. I thanked her and she smiled in acknowledgement.

"So what do we have to do today?" I asked the boys after taking a sip of my milky coffee.

Bear rambled off on the other debtors we had to pay unannounced visits and I just sat there attentively while Dawg grinned cockily cracking his knuckles. He was always ready for a fight.

After our breakfast of scrambled eggs, bacon and toast, we rode out on our horses for the day’s events.

We visited a few houses. Threats left in some by bear. Dawg finally got what he wanted at one of the houses when one debtor tried to play smart by escaping through the back of his house. Unfortunately for him, Dawg was waiting to receive him with open arms. Let's just say Dawg brought him back with a swollen eye, a bloody crooked nose and a badly broken arm. Some other debtors actually had our money ready which I was grateful for.

This routine went on for a whole week—collecting money, threatening people, few more broken noses before it was time to return to shadow creek. I was happy to be going home. I missed my brothers but I missed my town more. I missed the air in shadow creek, the green, the people, and the bikers. I missed every single thing about my town.

There were times I thought of where I am and where I used to be. I thought of my dad. I missed him even though I despised and hated him for all the atrocities he committed. He really almost ruined our lives. But I took full responsibility of myself and my brothers after he was arrested for various counts of fraud and rape which we didn't even know about. Apparently he'd been a pedophile for years even before he had my brothers and I. Thankfully, the town didn't condemn us or compare us to our father but instead accepted us for who we were.