Biker's Regret: Reclaiming My Secret Mafia Heiress

Club Conversations

Riley

"Lynn, why must all my parts be out? Can I not just wear some fitted T-shirt and a pair of jeans?" I turn, looking at myself in her full-length mirror.

"Riley, because your body is too smoking hot to be hidden under jeans and a damned t-shirt. You will thank me later. I promise."

"I am so sure I will." I stick my tongue out at by best friend.

"Girl, damn it, I missed you." Lynn reaches down from behind me and wraps me in a big hug. The girl may be petite, but she is strong as hell. I am over playing dress up with her clothes for tonight at Aunt Norahs bar the Iron Lady.

"I missed you too, Lynn. I swear I did." I reached up, giving her an awkward hug as we faced the mirror. "Okay, let's get out of here before we get all emotional, and I need to fix my makeup."

About half an hour later, we made our way to the only hot spot in town. The Iron Lady, which happens to be a bar with a live band. A lot of two stepping and partying from what I recall.

Oh, did I mention the Iron Lady is going to be my new place of employment? My aunt Norah is the current owner. She literally has a metal weapon on her at all times in her bar. My aunt is one of a kind Iron Lady.

We park in front of the place. The cars have filled the entire lot. You can hear the live band playing from outside. People are laughing and singing outside as we pass them. Aunt Norah had a parking spot saved for us and now I see why.

"Wow. Is it always like this on the weekends?" I ask Lynn.

"Yep, the crowd has gotten larger with the increase of people moving here. Plus we get people from almost two towns over to come party in Beaumont. We are almost in a legal middle-sized town now!" Lynn tells me with pride.

"Wow. That is really awesome!" I ask, walking towards the front double red doors that are open.

A huge bouncer sits on a stool. His black T-shirt stretched to its limit over his large frame. His bald head reflects the overhead lights from the entrance.

"Hey Tony!" Lynn greets him and gives him a hug. The massive man becomes a teddy bear as he rises to greet her.

"Hey Lynn, good to see you again," he begins, then looks at me. "You must be Riley; I have heard a lot about you. Welcome back."

He waves my I.D. off as I place it back in my club purse.

"Thank you. It's nice to be back." I gave the parking lot another look around, and I notice over to the far right are a row of motorcycles. Yes, things have really changed since I was here before I left for college.

We walk into the bar where we see walls covered in pictures of the town from years ago. A lot of cowboy items are hung as well. I see a riding bull on the left side of the bar. On the right are some tables and behind them is a bar where I see Aunt Norah watching over things. Straight ahead I see the dance floor. People are doing some new dance routine that I have not learned yet.

"Come on! We have to get drinks!" Lynn pulls me through the crowd as we make our way to the bar.

"Hey Lynn! What can I get you?" A woman working the bar greets us. Giving me a warm nod as she yells over the music.

"Taz, this is Riley! Norah's niece and my bestie." She tells her with pride. I leaned over the counter to speak.

"Hey! Riley, nice to finally meet you. Someone has been talking you up more than Norah," Taz tells me as she gives me a smile. She has a short haircut that is buzz cut on the sides and a little wild. Blue tips reflect from her hair when the lighting system shines over her. "What can I get you, ladies?"

"Two whiskey and coke please," I asked, looking at my friend. "That is still our drink, right?"

"Hell yeah! Oh, can we also have a couple of shots as well? We are celebrating. Can you take a shot with us!" Lynn asked as I watched Taz look around assuming for my aunt.

"Well, since I am on the clock I can not, but if we come back tomorrow I am." She says stoically as my aunt is nearby. I laugh out loud as Norah magically appears.

"Hello lovey! Go ahead, Taz, just this once." Aunt Norah gives me a wink as she keeps walking down the bar mingling with guests.

"How the hell does she do that?" Lynn asks.

"She has been appearing like magic all my life," I tell them as Taz pours three shots and we throw them down quickly. I blanch at the taste, but it instantly warms me. Then Taz hands us our drinks she makes.

I look over behind the bar and see there is more room back there. I can see several pool tables set up. Over there I see a group of large tattooed men laughing and drinking. There are some women with them. They are wearing leather jackets, and I realize they are bikers.

I leaned over towards Lynn as we sipped our drink. "Hey Lynn, when did you guys get bikers?"

"Girl, that's just the ex-military guys. You know, uhm…" Then she gets silent.

"You don't know, do you?" Lynn leans over, looking at me.

"Know what?"

"Damn, you really did a total block on this town when you left outside of me. Well, I am glad I made the cut." She smiles, and I know she is trying to avoid telling me something.

"Say it." I give her a stare.

"Cannon. It's his biker gang." She leans in closer to me as we both peer over at the men.

"Fuck." I whispered, trying to see if he is over there.

"Looking for someone, Bird?" I hear his deep voice in my ear, and I know he saw where I was staring. He leans closer, looking in the direction we were looking.

"Are you looking for me?" He asks with a cockiness that I forgot how much I hated.

"Absolutely not." I turn to face him. He is so damn close that I can almost taste him. One hand pressed up against the bar. Blocking me in. "Don't call me that. I told you."

"Oh, come on, Birdie, that was the name I always had for you. You never complained back then."

"Well, a lot has changed since then. Nicknames are for people who are close. We are not that."

"We have been biblically closer than many though, Bird… sorry, I mean Riley." He says with a smirk on his face.

His damn chiseled face looks better than I remember. His hair is in waves combed to the back. His signature black baseball cap is on backward. He always wore those in high school. But now he is different. He is more mature. No more high school physique. He has muscles that are larger than I remember. His jeans are not tight at all, but you can tell he is in excellent shape. The Henley shirt he is wearing is nicely hugging his muscles and chest.

"Yeah, well, that was in the past. That will never happen again," I tell him as he takes a step closer.

"You sure about that? I seem to be picking up some signals. From you."

"As usual, you are way off and wrong. I want nothing to do with you. I am in town for a bit. So, while I am here, can we please agree to remain cordial and not get in each other's way?" I asked him, trying to put space between us.

"Not sure I can do that. You have been on my mind, and I learned to take every opportunity as it comes."

"Yeah, you would figure that out now, huh? I tell you your timing is always off."

"Riley, can I buy you a drink?" I watch as his eyes trace down the curves of this little party dress I am wearing.

"Nope, I am fine. I have a drink already…"

I am interrupted by a hand that reaches around Cannon's waist. I raise an eyebrow and peer around him. A blonde with a tight push-up tank top moves around.

I look up at Cannon with a look of not so much shock. Maybe disbelief that he has a woman and is standing this close to me right now.

"Cannon babe, did you get my drink? I am so thirsty." The blonde clings to him. Then her eyes meet mine. "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know you were talking to some woman."