TANNER Read online

  Fuck Tom… Tom who?

  She laughed and realized that, already, she was much more relaxed. When she stepped out of the shower, she felt reborn and as she put on her moisturizer and make-up, a new, more sparkling version of herself stared back from the mirror.

  “That’s more like it,” she said. “Tiredness gone, you’re now officially ready to face the day.”

  She opened the bathroom door slowly and looked around for Kirsten but could see fast that she was no longer in their motel room.

  “Kirsten?” she called as she wrapped her hair in a towel high up on top of her head and grabbed her jeans from the chair by the vanity. She slipped them on quickly and pulled a black vest on over her chest and raced toward the door.

  When she opened it, the bright light of the sun blared in to meet her and she found herself squinting, totally unprepared for the harsh light of the desert that was bouncing off the sandy ground.

  She scanned around, from one side of the parking lot to the next and caught sight of her standing by the car with the owner of the motel. The hood was up and they were both peering inside, looking at something.

  “Oh, now what…” Jo said as she felt her stomach flip. If anything was wrong with the car, it was certain to send Kirsten over the edge.

  “Hey,” Jo called as she jogged over to meet them. “What are you doing?”

  Kirsten looked up at her and she could instantly tell it wasn’t good news.

  “The car’s fucked,” Kirsten said with a dramatic eye roll. “I came out here to pull it up in front of our room so we could load all of our things back in, but it wouldn’t start.”

  “Well, what’s wrong with it?” Jo asked as she looked over the shoulders and peered into the inner workings of the convertible. Even though she had no clue why, she would never be able to understand what the hell she was even staring at.

  “I have no idea,” Kirsten yawned.

  “Cars ain’t my strong point neither,” the motel owner said with a laugh. He was a small, old man with skinny arms and legs that looked as if they were about to break. “But I can point you in the right direction. There’s a ton of guys around here who are great with any sort of vehicle. I’ll call them for you.”

  He turned around and hobbled slowly back to his office. Jo watched him leave but she could feel the burning stare of Kirsten working its way under her skin.

  “Why are you looking at me like that?” she asked as she crossed her arms over her chest.

  “Well, it looks as if you’re going to get your wish,” Kirsten said. “We’re going to have to stay here, after all.”

  She slammed the hood of the car down and scowled.

  “I should have known I would get the blame, even though I was inside when this happened… Jeez, Kirsten.”

  The girls pouted and kicked at the ground, both of them feeling the tension but neither of them willing to break it first. Finally, when she couldn’t take it anymore, Jo turned and headed back inside. The sun was already blisteringly hot and she wanted to finish drying her hair and making sure she was all packed to leave, just in case the car miraculously recovered. Even she couldn’t be bother to fight Kirsten anymore when she was in this kind of mood. It wasn’t worth the hassle. She would go along with whatever she wanted and be dragged to another dull, boring city where they had zero chance of meeting anyone of substance or value.

  She slammed her backpack down on the bed and pulled out her hairdryer. As she stood looking into the mirror and blew the warm hair through her long, golden tresses, she thought about what she had lost, and how far she had already come since Tom had screwed over her life. She already felt stronger, and her heart was open to something big and significant. And for some reason, she had the feeling that maybe she could find it while she and Kirsten were on their travels.

  Half of the battle is being open and allowing yourself to fall, she had told herself. And now you know you’re ready for that, you’re well on your way.

  “He’s called the garage and some of the guys are coming to check the car out,” Kirsten said as she leaned in the doorway and looked in at Jo sheepishly. “I’m sorry I had a go at you out there. I just was looking forward to heading back out on the open road and seeing where we ended up next.”

  Jo turned off the dryer and ran a comb through her hair.

  “Well, another day here isn’t going to do us any harm, is it?” she asked. “Let’s see what they have to say, we may even get it fixed right here and now.”

  Kirsten nodded, “I guess so.”

  The girls smiled at each other, and in the same moment, they heard a roar outside in the parking lot as a huge pick-up truck pulled in and up alongside their convertible.

  “Looks like this might be them,” Jo said as she took one final look at herself in the mirror and smiled at how fabulous she looked after such little effort. Her skin was dewy and radiant and she oozed sex appeal.

  She was back.

  She stepped out into the sun and began to walk toward the truck. It was big, heaving, spewing out a thick plume of smoke and the sounds of dark rock music came blaring out from within. With each step closer, the more the ground vibrated, and Jo was taken right back to how it had felt the previous night when they had been driving through the desert and the bikes had gained on them. They were being hunted through the dark by wicked men on metal steads. Her heart fluttered.

  The driver’s door to the truck creaked and began to open and then not long after, so did the passenger’s side door. The girls stopped and waited for the men to step out into the sun. But when they did, nothing could prepare Jo for what she saw.

  They were both tall, muscular, beastly men. Their silhouettes were made even stronger by the bright sun that shone behind them. Jo felt stopped in her tracks, as if she couldn’t move for awe. Their arms and shoulders were so wide, so manly and strong. And their skin was perfectly tanned, covered in tattoos and oil, and showing out of the arms of their vests in the sexiest of ways.

  She swallowed.

  Could something that looked so good actually even be human?

  As the men stepped closer to them, Jo managed to take her eyes off their perfectly sculpted bodies and let them travel up to their faces. And she wasn’t disappointed there either. Both of them were incredibly good looking, with sharp jawlines, gritty stubble, all rugged and raw. But one of them, in particular, the one who had been driving, had the most amazing eyes she had ever seen. They pierced through her the second she looked into them and she felt something inside of her click.

  Wow… she thought. He is incredible…

  A smirk flitted across his face before it cracked into a huge smile and then a laugh. His eyes were glistening and there was a distinct look of familiarity emanating from him, and one of recognition. He took a step closer and was looking right at her. He was looking into her soul.

  “Well,” he said with a deep, sexy, animalistic voice. “I don’t believe it.”

  Jo and Kirsten looked at one another in confusion, and then back to the two men.

  “What?” Jo asked with a smile. She felt as if she was burning up underneath her skin and she could tell she was blushing. He was so hot he was making her tremble.

  “It’s you,” he said again, his eyes flashing.

  Jo couldn’t help but smile more. He had her right there and she was completely lost for words. She opened her mouth to speak but instantly closed it again. He smiled again and nodded his head knowingly.

  “Last night,” he finally spoke. “You were the wild girl driving through the desert…”

  Jo looked at him and she could see something inside of him. Something that said, and I really want to know more… But she didn’t know who the hell this guy was. She didn’t think she had ever seen him before in her life and yet, he seemed to know her.

  “Maybe,” Jo said coyly. “But when…?”

  The guy laughed and rubbed his chin, he took another step closer.

  “We drove around you; it was pretty late.
Maybe nearly three in the morning. You wouldn’t have been able to make us out underneath all of our gear,” His eyes were glinting wickedly and Jo felt something stir inside her too.

  “Oh,” she managed to gasp. “Were you…?” She couldn’t find the words.

  “We were on the bikes,” he said it for her.

  Jo felt the heat rising even higher within her. After all she had thought after seeing them, after all they had made her feel, now one of them was standing right in front of her. And he was fucking gorgeous.

  He took another step closer and held out his hand.

  “I’m Tanner,” he said.

  Jo swallowed and slipped her hand into his. When he gripped it, she felt what she had been yearning for. Big, manly, rough hands that could both hurt her and make her feel exquisite pleasure. They shook and she trembled again.

  “I’m Jo,” she whispered. “It’s nice to meet you.”

  Tanner smiled and held onto her hand for a little longer than necessary, and it only made the hairs on the back of her neck tingle even more. Their eyes had barely left each other’s from the moment he had stepped out of the truck, and as she continued to find herself sucked into them, she felt the rest of the world fall away.

  “I’m Kirsten,” she interrupted and shoved her hand in between them.

  When Jo looked up she could see how flirty and keen she was being and it made her blood boil. Tanner smiled and nodded in a friendly manner, but nothing in the way he had been with Jo.

  “And I’m Steel,” the other guy said as he stepped forward. “Now, what can we help you with?”

  Steel looked tired and impatient, but Tanner guided the girls over to the car and popped the hood.

  As he bent over and looked inside, Jo let her eyes take in every inch of him. He was well over six foot, and his shoulders were so wide and muscular it was clear he had to work out at least twice a day. She bit her lip and tried not to grin. Down his arms, she could see the workings of tattoos and what looked like fire shooting across his bulging bicep. His hair was sandy and shaggy, but his look was hot and dangerous. He wore silver skull rings across his knuckles and had a cigarette tucked behind his ear. From the way his jeans were slung so low, she could even make out the top of his butt and see the rock hard definition beneath the denim. It made her have to clench her legs together. This man had the body of a god.

  “Well, it doesn’t look too good,” he said as he turned back to meet Jo’s eye. “I think we’ll have to take it back to our garage.”

  “Well, what’s wrong with it?” Kirsten asked snottily.

  “We won’t know for sure until we can look at it properly,” he said. “But it won’t be ready for a couple of days. I think I’m going to need to order in a part. It’s your fuel tank.”

  The girls looked at each other and Jo shrugged.

  “You could tell me anything and I wouldn’t have a clue,” she admitted with a giggle.

  “Well, don’t worry,” he said sincerely. “I won’t be making anything up or adding on any unnecessary extras.”

  Jo smiled. And he slammed the hood back down.

  “Are you girls just passing through?” Tanner asked as he met her eyes again.

  “Yes,” Kirsten said before Jo had a chance to speak. “And we want to be out of here as quickly as possible.”

  He dropped his gaze and looked disappointed.

  “Okay girls, well, our guys will do their best,” he nodded and turned on his heel.

  Jo wanted to scream at Kirsten but had to keep her cool. She didn’t want him to walk away from her and think she hated his hometown and couldn’t wait to get away.

  “Tanner,” she said as she followed him. “I was wondering if you could tell us where is good to hang out around here… I mean we’re totally lost, you know?”

  He smiled and took a step toward her, their bodies so close they were almost touching.

  “Now that, I can do,” he whispered.

  He looked over her shoulder and eyeballed Kirsten and then his eyes met Jo’s again.

  “I’ll be at The Bleeding Bullet tonight, if you fancy a drink…” he said, leaving it open ended. “It’d be good to see you there.”

  Jo felt an explosion in her chest. One full of excitement and hope.

  “Sure,” she said. “I’ll try and be there.”

  “Ask around, someone will let you know how to find us,” he said with a wry smile and then he turned and headed back to the truck.

  He climbed in the front seat and started the engine as Steel hauled the massive thick chain onto the convertible to tow it away. Tanner revved the engine, and as they began to pull out of the parking lot, he beeped the horn and waved at her before giving her a solitary wink.

  Her heart fluttered.

  Wow, she thought. Now that’s what you call a man.

  She watched them disappear into the distance and felt as if she was on top of the world. She was so excited she could have squealed with delight.

  Without even realizing, this was exactly what she had been looking for.

  For Jo, it looked as if her adventure was finally beginning.

  4.

  As the motel became more and more distant behind him, Tanner adjusted the rearview mirror and couldn’t help but grin. It had been a nice surprise, running into her again.

  His mind wandered as he drove back out toward the center of town and thought of how he had been taken off guard by her. She was completely intoxicating, a raw beauty. One that he knew he wouldn’t be able to forget. And he didn’t intend on forgetting.

  “What was all that about back there?” Steel asked, breaking the silence. “Who was the chick?”

  He paused and then, “We rode past them last night on the way back from Ironhill,” Tanner said.

  Steel nodded but Tanner could tell he hadn’t seen them. Because if he had, he would have had something to say about it.

  “The blonde,” Steel commented. “She caught your eye?”

  “Something like that,” Tanner said as he reached down for his cigarettes and clamped one between his teeth. He lit it with a sharp flick of his silver lighter and exhaled a long plume of smoke.

  “About time,” Steel said. “I was starting to think you’d lost interest in the fairer sex.”

  Tanner snorted with laughter.

  “I’ve just lost interest in the bimbo airheads that hang around The Bullet,” he said. “Good for a lay, but not good for the soul.”

  Steel nodded in agreement. And Tanner had the distinct feeling many of The Forsaken probably felt exactly the same. Deep down, they were all on the lookout for good women. Women they could settle down with, women they could make their wives and start a family with. Even though they all had their brotherhood, it was only natural to always be on the hunt for that other half. That significant other. And now, a lot of the younger members of the club were hitting the age where it was coming to the forefront of their minds.

  “There’s something about her,” Tanner found himself saying. “I don’t know what it is, but she pulls me in. I thought it last night just from one look. I’ve never had that before, have you, man?”

  Steel breathed out and shook his head.

  “No, I haven’t,” he said. “But if I did, I’d make sure it didn’t get away.”

  Tanner looked at Steel and they both grinned.

  “I like a challenge,” Tanner said as he sucked on his smoke again. “I told her about The Bullet. Hopefully, she’ll show later on.”

  Steel nodded his head and slapped his compadre on the arm.

  “Tonight could be the night,” he teased.

  Tanner wiggled his eyebrows and laughed.

  “We’ll see…” he said as he turned the truck onto Main Street and headed out to the other side of town.

  Slate Springs was a town of two halves, and the bikers ruled all. For a small community in the middle of the desert, it certainly had its fair share of secrets, scandal and dodgy characters, but it was home. Tanner had grown up
there and had always known about The Forsaken Riders. He had watched his old man and his brotherhood rein over the club in the 80’s and 90’s and now it was his turn. As he had grown up, he had always wanted to be a part of what, to him, seemed to be the only way of life. He, King, and Steel had grown up side by side and with them being the sons of bikers’, the transition into The Forsaken had been inevitable. For them, they knew nothing else.

  For that reason, Slate Springs wasn’t just home. It was business. They took care of their town and they owned and presided over many of its buildings and interests. The residents of the town that weren’t on the inside didn’t know the half of it. They had no clue that much of the buildings along Main Street and all out into the darker parts of town were controlled by the outlaws. Whether it was innocence or just plain ignorance, Tanner was never exactly sure. But he didn’t mind as long as they were never challenged.

  The cops had always been a thorn in their side, but they had found a way to co-exist. As the years had passed, the law had become less and less concerned with what the bikers were up to and more interested in how it could potentially benefit the town. Not that they would ever give any of their game away. The rise of a rivalry had been an unwelcomed curve ball, but it was always going to happen. The close proximity of two very different motorcycle clubs was always going to spell animosity, and with the tensions rising in recent months, Tanner was very much aware of how the future for them all may very suddenly change.

  He pulled into the parking lot of the old garage and turned off the ignition. He would leave the car there with some of the old boys and let them do their magic. He had no idea how long it would take for it to be fixed, he wasn’t so much of a mechanic himself, but he secretly hoped that it would be a few days at least. He had his sights on that girl.