Handsome Bikers and Secret Babies Romance

Chapter 5

“Thanks.”

“No problem.” The conversation came to a stalemate as we both focused on eating, and I watched Roy out of the corner of my eye. He still looked troubled, and he took two bites of his wrap before speaking up again- after swallowing. “Let’s go for a ride when you get out, yeah? No offence- I like your little girl gang, but it’s like having three extra third wheels.”

“Oh- okay.” Guilt clawed at my throat, and I blushed bright when Roy captured my gaze. Taking another bite to avoid the topic, I flexed my toes against the mat, but he didn’t seem to care as he opened his mouth.

“Cat- baby… you need to learn to say ‘no’. Your cousin- Jay- those girls… even if they don’t mean to, they f*****g guilt trip the s**t out of you, you realize that, right? It’s not your job to give two f***s if those girls want to hang out with you when you don’t want to hang out with them. Who gives a s**t if you going 70 in a 65 makes them uncomfortable? They can just go home.”

“Why do you bring stuff up when I clearly don’t want to talk about it?” Annoyance sharpened my tone, and Roy grimaced as darkness invaded his expression. “It’s not as easy as telling them ‘no’…”

“I’m not trying to make you upset, Cat. I just… I can’t get why you give in so easily. Every other part of you is spitfire except when you’re around people you consider friends. But- here’s the thing… when was the last time your friends did something you wanted to do- when did they even ask you what you wanted to do instead of just assuming you wanted to do what they were doing?” Truth and cautious worry tinted Roy’s tone, and I tore my gaze off him to stare at the floor visible between my thighs. “Baby, those kinds of people aren’t friends.”

“It’s a hallmark of an abusive relationship to distance me friend my friends.” The declaration flew from my mouth before I could stop it, and my head whipped up just as Roy tensed. His expression closed like a stone door, and I opened my mouth only to expel air. Nostrils flaring as he exhaled loudly, hotly, he dumped his near untouched wrap back into the paper bag to push himself roughly to his feet.

“It’s a good thing we’re not in a relationship, then. Forget about the ride.” Turning on his heel to storm off, Roy slammed his bag in the trash can by the door and knocked the bin over with a clatter. Flinching at the sound that cut through his echoing, nasty words in my ear, I reached my free hand out as he opened the door, stepped through, and closed it in one, sharp jerk.

My mind raced frantically- too fast to work properly and compel my body to run after Roy. He was right; we weren’t in a relationship. We just had s*x- and he took me out to dinner the other night- and he brought me lunch today. He’d come by the bar and mingle if I wanted to drop by.

But he was right about something else, too… the other girls in the gang didn’t care about anything I wanted to do- not enough to ask. If I was going somewhere, they’d latch on, and I’d end up somewhere entirely different. I’d never get to where I wanted to go. I’d spend all that gas and time, and then I’d have to make a whole other trip to do what I originally wanted to do.

Chapter Six: Roy

“Devon, man- what’s up?” Sitting back in my saddle, I flipped up the vizor of my helmet as Devon’s voice crackled through the speaker in my head gear. For just a second- a tiny blip in time- I was distracted by what Cathleen had said to me as I focused on the real reason I was here.

“Yeah, listen… I just got word that that guy from the news was spotted heading into an apartment on the west side of town. You get there, yet?” Stiffening even as I shook my head, I revved the engine of my bike to take off past the stop sign I’d abided by. The smooth concrete beneath me thundered under the power of my ride, and I managed to get to cruising speed before Devon continued. “You want some backup or something?”

“No, thanks- I doubt he’ll still be there. The heat’s still on, so…” The familiar rip of a throttle sounded behind me, and I trailed off to twist in my saddle. Surprise shot through me as Cat tore past me, easily going twice my speed. My cruiser was no match for her sports bike, but I jerked the gas automatically as my attention was stolen from my call. “I gotta go, Devon- but thanks. I’ll let you know what happens.”

“Later, then.” A click signaled the end of the call, and I poured every cell in my brain to following Cat. If she’d noticed me as she swerved past me, she hadn’t looked back, and the cuffs of my jeans flapped lightly from the sharp wind. Pushing 80mph just to get her in my sights again, I grimaced at the tense set in her shoulders and ramrod straight back. Even riding, doing 100mph on the rural, straight road, I could tell that she was a woman on a mission.

But, maybe- just maybe- she zoomed past me on purpose… not that she knew where’d I’d be considering she hadn’t texted me in two days.

“Where you goin’?” Mumbling to myself as Cathleen took a hard turn down a long driveway, my question drowned out by the screech of burning rubber. Her speed didn’t let up, body leaning into the turn before leveling out again, and I couldn’t help but admire her absolute control over the bike. Sailing down the driveway just as I turned in, she finally began to slow as a huge house came looming out of the line of oak trees shielding the way.

Cat disappeared into the house before I’d even parked next to her, and I sat back heavily in my saddle with my feet planted firmly on the pavement. Even a dozen meters from the open front door, I could hear her screaming, and anxiety tightened my abdomen as I held my breath to listen.

“-f you ever ask me for money again, I’m cutting you out of my life, Winona!” Slipping my helmet off, I shook my head as Cat’s angry shouting was chased by her even angrier stomps, and who I guessed was her cousin rushed close behind her. When she caught sight of me, Cat paused, but the fire in her eyes only burned brighter before she whirled around. Winona almost banged right into her, but Cat jammed her finger into her cousin’s chest to physically push her back.

“I can’t believe you- crying about how Jack wants this or Elli wants that- or you want to take them out for ice cream… when you only wanted to buy stuff on your stupid mobile game! What the f**k! You didn’t want to spend your own money, so you ask me? For a game? Do you even have the capacity to realize how shitty I felt when I told you ‘no’ after your sob stories about your kids? And you f*****g- f**k- you-…”

“It’s not like that, Cat-“ Surprise hit me like a brick to the face, and my brows rose high as my chest tightened to expel a hard scoff. Cat tensed, fists shaking when Winona faltered, and I frowned deeply as I kicked down the stand to climb off my bike. If Cat punched Winona, she’d get arrested- I wouldn’t lie to the police if they were called.

But Cat, as she frequently seemed to do, surprised me once again by simply stomping her heeled boot against the pavement. Pride wiggled between my fully lungs, and I crossed my arms over my chest as my frown dulled some.

“You know what- f**k you, Winona- f**k you, and f**k you. You leave me the Hell alone from now on, or I swear- I’ll beat the s**t out of you. Don’t call me- don’t text me- don’t glance at me if you see me on the street. Congratulations- your kids just lost an aunt because you’re a selfish f*****g pig.” Shivering from the force of her anger, Cat whirled around jerkily so her cousin wouldn’t see the tears of betrayal that spilled down her cheeks. If this was a cartoon, the asphalt would’ve melted under her heavy steps, and her anger swirled around her like a tangible thing. She held herself tall, chin jutting out and thick lips parting to take a shuddering breath while dense droplets clung to her eyelashes.

But no matter how much she looked every part the avenging goddess, Cat was hurting- bad.

Cathleen blinked hard before actually noticing me, and I made a break for her bike when she tried to get near it. Her nasty glare burned through my retinas, but I reached to grab her wrist and pry her keys from her palm. Deep indents of the key ridges cut into her soft skin, and relief surged through my veins when she didn’t resist. The jingle of the chain muffled as I stuffed it in my jean pocket, and she held my hand so tightly that her nails bit into the thin flesh between my knuckles.

“You wanna talk about it, Cat?” Murmuring softly, I didn’t have to move a single muscle before Cat leaned to rest her forehead against the front of my jacket. “What happened, baby?”

“I don’t know- I don’t know-“ Shaking her head to grind her skin against the zipper of my leathers, Cat’s harsh sniffle chased her words as they broke. Carefully wrapping my arms around her, I sighed as her familiar, soft smallness released the tension in my muscles. Over her head, I caught sight of her cousin just watching us- forgotten- with the most stupidly indignant look on her face. f*****g b***h.

“I want to bring you somewhere, baby.” Acting on a whim, I twisted to snatch her helmet from her saddle, and she glanced up at me from under thick lashes. “Come on. We’ll come back for your bike, and- if it’s not exactly the same as we left, I’ll arrest your cousin.”

Speaking out louder so that Winona could hear me, I glared openly at her as she turned beet red. Rolling my eyes, I scoffed lightly against Cat’s crown before turning on my heel.

“Where are we going?” Guiding Cathleen the few feet to my motorcycle, I worked her helmet onto her head as she posed her question. She sounded so tired and annoyed, but her rasping tone was layered with guilt, as well. Shaking my head as she flipped up the vizor, I kept my lips tightly together while I swung my leg over the seat to put my own headgear on.

Cat’s softness pressed against my back, her slight weight caused my bike to jostle as she settled behind me. Jerking the throttle, I pushed off to sail down the driveway in content, reminisce silence. My mind wandered to the last time we’d been together, but I couldn’t find it in me to keep being pissed at her.

No one wanted to acknowledge that her friends were using her and all around shitty. It wasn’t easy to hear that kind of thing from someone she’d only known a week.

“Roy- I’m sorry.” Soft and wobbling, Cat’s voice filtered through the headset in my helmet, and I took one palm off the handlebar to hold her hand. Anchored to my abdomen, her locked fingers tightened as they twitched with the desire to curl into fists. “I didn’t mean what I said- I just… it just came out. I thought about it, and you’re right- they are bad friends. I don’t even actually like them. I kind of don’t like any of them except for Erica…”