Brick: Motorcycle Club Romance (Dragon Runners Book 5) Read online

  “Order up, Betsey! Get this damn cheeseburger plate out to that fool before he causes any more trouble.”

  The bellow from Moses, the owner and fry cook, got her moving. She was sure Deuce would stiff her on the tip, but she would survive.

  The night took forever, but at last the doors closed, and she and Moses could clean up and go home.

  “You gonna be awright walkin’?”

  Betsey smiled at the older man’s question, the same one he asked every night she worked late, and she repeated the same answer she always gave him. “No one is gonna mess with a minister’s daughter. Too afraid of hellfire and damnation rainin’ down on ’em. I’ll be jus’ fine. You get on home.”

  Moses grunted something about teenage girls before handing her a folded piece of paper. “Jus’ wanted to give you somethin’ nice to say I ’preciate you comin’ to work tonight ’stead of playin’ ’round with your friends. Been around a long time, an’ you’re one of the few people who treat me with respect and do right by me. I reckon you got plans with your life, but you always gotta place here.”

  Betsey opened the piece of paper, read the crudely drawn word congradoolashuns and pulled out a ten-dollar bill. Her smile deepened, and she hugged the old man. “Thank you, Moses. I love you so much.”

  The man harrumphed. “Don’t get all mushy, girl. You still gotta clean out the fryer an’ mop ’fore you can go home.”

  Betsey grinned the entire time she pushed the wet bundle of strings across the tiled floor. Ten dollars was a lot of money, and since her father had already taken her tips, this windfall was hers. She finished up and got ready to go home. Moses locked the door and left, walking back through a path in the wood that led to his trailer.

  Betsey dumped the mop bucket behind the diner and set it upside down next to the back door. She arched her back, stretching the tight muscles and hearing the cracks as her spine relaxed. The job was hard physically, but she was used to long hours of being on her feet with constant work. Stars winked in the clear night sky, and she raised her hands over her head, pretending to reach for them. It was her favorite fantasy that someday, she could pull one down and keep it in her pocket. A light laugh fell from her lips as the next thought featured her father holding his hand out for her to give it to him.

  A low rumble in the distance caught her ear. The noise got louder as the vehicle came closer, and a single beam of light cut through the darkness. Fear clenched up her stomach as the outline of a large black bike and rider appeared around the corner. She froze in the bright light of the headlamp.

  The rider shut off the engine and pulled off a shallow helmet.

  “Hey, Betsey.”

  Her relief was tangible when she realized it was Brick straddling the massive machine.

  “Lord have mercy, Brick, you scared me some. No one comes to the diner this late. You know it’s already closed.”

  Brick fingered the straps on the helmet and kept his eyes down. “Sorry ’bout that. I didn’t mean to.”

  Crickets filled the silence with their twittering sounds. Betsey stood awkwardly, wondering what to say or do. She’d never been on a date or even talked much with boys in school. The kiss Brick gifted her earlier was the first one she’d ever had, and it was still on her mind. She didn’t know what to do. Suspense floated in the air.

  Brick cleared his throat. “Thought I’d come by and give you a ride home. That is, if you want it.”

  She blinked. Ride with him? “I’ve never ridden a motorcycle before. I don’t know how.”

  He smiled at her, and her heart tripped into a higher gear. “Ain’t hard, sweetheart. You sit here and put your feet on these pegs and hold tight. ’S all there is to it. I’ll do the rest. What do you say?”

  She looked at the place on the bike he pointed out and took a big breath. “I dunno ’bout this.”

  “It’s up to you. I ain’t gonna push you to do somethin’ you’re scared of doin’, and I can promise you, I’ll keep you safe. You ain’t got nothin’ to worry ’bout with me.”

  His eyes met hers, and she heard the sincerity in his voice. “Okay. What do I need to do?”

  He grinned and waved her closer. “I only got one helmet right now. You wear it, and I’ll get me another one as soon as I can.”

  “You sure? I don’t want you to get in trouble.”

  “Don’t worry ’bout me none. I’ll be extra careful since I got something I care about on my bike.”

  Betsey flushed at his words as she approached the massive bike. He placed the helmet on her head and fastened the straps underneath her chin. His fingers lingered over her jaw, and his light caress seared into her skin. “You should drop me off just before the church. I don’t know how my daddy would feel if he saw me come home ridin’ on a motorcycle.”

  “Whatever you need, baby.”

  He turned around and pulled the bike upright. “Can you get on okay?”

  Betsey looked at the back of his head as she hiked up the tight skirt to allow her legs room to move. “Yeah, just don’t turn around. I’ll get settled in a minute.”

  She placed a foot on the peg and raised the other one just high enough to throw over the seat. With her skirt wrapped high on her thighs, only her underwear and Brick’s jeans remained between them. Her heart tripled its speed when she intimately felt his movements as he readied the bike to ride. The engine started with a muted roar, and vibrations rose from the seat between her legs. Fear and anticipation filled her mouth with saliva at the sensation. Brick pulled her arms around his waist, and the warmth from his back seeped into her body. She should have been scared to be so close to a man, but all she perceived was a sense of rightness.

  The bike took off, and the movement sent jolts of lightning through to her toes. Brick kept his word and didn’t drive fast, but the wind was still cold against her bare skin. She snuggled against his body and placed her head on the back of his shoulder. His muscles worked as he switched gears, and when he made a turn, she leaned into it with him. Betsey closed her eyes and simply enjoyed. Her cheek was sore from the blow her father had delivered earlier, but she tried to put it out of her mind and focus on all the wonderful new experiences she’d had tonight. Her first kiss, an extra ten dollars she could keep, and best of all, a motorcycle ride under the sparkling stars with the man she had been dreaming about for so long.

  All too soon the trip ended, and Brick pulled over to the side of the road near the church parking lot. Betsey managed to get off the bike with numb, shaky legs and pull her skirt down before Brick turned to look at her. “You did great, baby. How did you like it?”

  She smiled at him. “I liked it just fine. Maybe we can do it again sometime?”

  Brick grinned at her and gestured her head back. She lifted her chin, and he unstrapped the helmet. “Whenever I can, sweetheart, I’ll come by the diner and give you a ride home. You good with that?”

  “Yeah, I’m good with that.”

  He placed his hand at her neck and pulled her to him. His mouth covered hers in a sweet, gentle kiss. He took his time, touching the tip of his tongue to hers and drawing it out to play. She loved that he rushed nothing and let her explore at her own pace, touching and tasting, learning what she liked and wanted. It was heady, and her brain was filled with all things Brick. When he ended the kiss, both of them were breathing hard, and he pressed his forehead against hers. She thought he might say something, but he only stood still as if fighting for control.

  “I’ll come by again tomorrow night, but the one after, I’ll be busy. You gonna be okay?”

  “Yeah, I’ll be fine.” She was amazed how calm her voice sounded when her insides flipped around.

  They stood there a minute more. It seemed he didn’t really want to let her go and had something to say, but at last he released her and stepped back. “Go on to the house, baby. I’ll see you tomorrow night.”

  Betsey smiled at him and carefully picked her way on the path behind the church to the rectory. Only when she
lost sight of him did he start his bike and drive off. Giddiness filled her, and she pinched her arm to make sure she was awake. Only twenty-four hours until she could see him again.

  Three

  A few months later…

  Brick’s black Harley pulled up to the diner’s gravel parking lot. The rumbling engine was drowned out by the heavy growl of Walrus’s Fatboy. Both men had been on a delivery run for the day and all had gone according to plan, but tensions were high in the club. Deuce and Ratchet had panicked and pitched two packs of cocaine over the side of the mountain during a police chase a week ago. The Tail almost claimed another victim when Ratchet’s bike wiped out on a tight curve. A deputy took him to the hospital, and now Ratchet sat in the local jail, his leg in a cast. The sheriff had enough charges to hold him, but Brick made sure there was no drug evidence left at the scene added to the mix. He and Deuce had spent that night searching the thick undergrowth at the base of the cliff for the missing backpacks full of drugs before any of the deputies could find them. One plastic bag had ruptured, but the rest were intact. Jesse and Blackjack argued hard at the club’s cabin and nearly came to blows over the fuckup.

  Walrus dismounted with a grunt. He was one of the oldest members of the club and earned his moniker from the long drooping mustache that obscured his mouth. “Thought this place was a teenager hangout. Food any good?”

  Brick leaned his bike over on the kickstand, stretched his sore shoulders, and scratched at his thick beard and sideburns. The run had been a long seven hours without a break. “If you like your burgers with a side of grease, yeah, it’s good.”

  Walrus grunted. “Not much into eatin’ out these days, but I’m too damn tired for anything else.” The man lifted his arms in the air and arched, making his back sound like a pan of Jiffy Pop popcorn being toasted on a stovetop. “Fuck it, I’m too damn old for this shit.”

  Brick agreed in silence. They entered the diner and were greeted by a blast of country music from the jukebox. Twilight was barely peeking over the horizon and the place was already packed. Walrus didn’t wait to be seated; he ambled over to the only open booth and heaved his bulk into it. Brick shook his head and followed. He had been working a lot with the big man recently. The older man spent most of his days at the garage and his nights either at the clubhouse or somewhere in solitude. Brick realized Walrus still mourned the loss of his only child and was a lonely old man.

  Walrus plucked a plastic-covered menu from behind the napkin holder and flipped it open. He pulled out his cigarettes at the same time.

  “I’m sorry, sir, but you can’t smoke in this section.”

  The soft female voice sent a thrill down Brick’s spine, and he didn’t need to look up to see who it was. Betsey stood next to the table in her pink uniform, order pad ready to go. He smiled big and leaned back, capturing her attention. “Hey, Betsey. You doin’ okay?”

  A blush raced over her face, but she met his gaze head-on. He liked that. A lot.

  Brick had started coming by the diner as often as he could. A few times, he showed up at closing to steal a few kisses and give Betsey a ride back to her house on the back of his bike. She didn’t know what that meant, but someday Brick would tell her.

  “I’m jus’ fine, Brick.”

  “You closin’ tonight?”

  “Yeah. Should be done cleanin’ ’round eleven.”

  “I’ll come by later.”

  Her blush deepened. Brick guessed she was thinking about the upcoming kisses. “You know what you want to order?”

  Brick looked over at Walrus. He was staring at Betsey with an open mouth and a strange expression on his face. He had gone pale and his eyes were wide. “Ah, just bring us a couple cheeseburger platters with fries and Cokes.”

  He watched her retreat before turning to the man sitting across from him. “Fuck, man, you gonna have a heart attack? We can move over to the smoking section if you need it that bad.”

  Walrus shook himself. “I’m fine. I’ll go outside an’ smoke if I need it. Pretty girl. What’s her name? Betsey?”

  “Yeah. Preacher’s daughter over at the Methodist church, and she’s too damn young for you. She graduated same time as me. Why? You know her?”

  Walrus shook his head and put the menu back into the holder. “Nope. Never seen her before.”

  He drummed his fingers on the top of the gold-speckled Formica. Brick thought it was either to fill the void or to stave off the need for a smoke.

  “You did good today. Steady ride. No horsin' around and no complaints.”

  “Thanks.”

  “Jesse say when you get your full patch?”

  Brick sighed and put his elbows on the table. “Not yet. It took Deuce a year before they patched him. I 'spect it’ll take longer for me, being as Jesse’s my father. He’s been tougher on me than the other prospects, an’ I’m sure it’s because he don’t want no one to think he’s givin’ me special treatment.”

  Walrus grunted and pulled at his mustache. “Huh. Far’s I can tell, don’t matter who your daddy is. You’ve been working hard an’ staying straight for the club a long time. Fixin' Deuce’s fuckup was somethin’ you didn’t have to do, but you did. If he an’ Ratchet hadn’t been playin' games on the Tail, there never woulda been a problem.”

  “I didn’t do it for Deuce. I did it for Ratchet. He was the one who got hurt an’ sat in that jail still hurtin’ an keepin’ his mouth shut for the rest of us. I can’t call myself his brother unless I’m willin’ to take his back. If that means crawling around through vines all night, so be it.”

  “Deuce is gonna get someone killed. Takes too many chances. Jesse shoulda never patched him so quick.”

  Brick tensed up. This was the first time he had heard a senior member say anything negative about another. Walrus must trust me. Why else would he say somethin’ ’bout my father? Keeping secrets was not the code Brick thought the club should live by, but he planned on keeping the older man’s confidence.

  He chose his words carefully. “Jesse and Blackjack have been fightin’ a lot. I figured it was more than just Deuce.”

  Walrus sighed. “Yeah, them two get into it every day over something. It’s gonna boil over soon, an’ God help us when it does. I said I’m too old for this shit, an’ I meant it. We need us some strong new blood to get in there an’ get this club right, else we ain’t gonna be around much longer. You’re a smart man, and I can see you takin’ us where we need to go. You follow what I’m sayin’?”

  The intensity of Walrus’s eyes bored through Brick. It was as if the world had landed on his shoulders and was asking if he could hold it up. “I follow you.”

  “Here ya go. You boys want any ketchup or hot sauce?” Betsey plunked two plates in front of them along with two red plastic cups.

  Brick picked up a fry and popped it in his mouth. “I’m good, sweetheart.”

  She smiled and turned away. Brick reached out to grab her wrist. He lifted her hand and lightly kissed the back. Dishwashing soap was her perfume for the night, but he didn’t mind. “I’ll see you later, baby.”

  She turned beet red and rushed away.

  “You sweet on her?” Walrus had doused his plate in ketchup and had an impressive amount already smeared on his bushy mustache.

  Brick picked up his burger, and a few drops of grease landed on the plate. “If I ever do it, that's the woman I'll marry.”

  Four

  Three years later…

  “Fuckin’ asshole! I’m gonna rip his goddamn head off and shit down his neck!”

  “You touch my boy, I’ll kill you!”

  “Your boy done smoked up half the fuckin’ grass he was supposed to take to Pennsylvania last week. I got the Iron City Knights MC breathin’ down my neck sayin’ we got till Friday to come up with the shipment or the money, plus interest. Ain’t no way I want a war with them. You got that kinda money, Blackjack? You been savin’ it for when your asswipe son fucks up?”

  Brick tipped back his beer
and took a long swallow while Jesse and Blackjack yelled at each other. Deuce was nowhere to be found, which at least saved his face from the pounding Jesse was ready to give him. Brick couldn’t quite comprehend the stupidity of his club brother. Did he really think he wouldn’t get caught?

  The past few years had flown by fast and had seen a lot of changes, both good and bad. Brick was now a full-fledged member of the Dragon Runners MC and proudly wore his patch as he cruised the mountain roads. Taz had also received his patch. On the night of his induction, he got down on one knee and proposed to Tambre. She now wore Taz’s patch and his ring, a baby on her hip, and had another one on the way. Taz had bought a house just outside the town limits for his budding family. Brick still lived in the same house with his father and Isaac, not really seeing any point in moving out since he spent very little time there.

  Tonight, he definitely would go home as soon as he could leave.

  Brick caught Walrus’s eye, and the two men shared a look. Walrus had become more and more disgusted with the direction the club was going and had no problem talking to Brick about it when they made their runs. They partnered exclusively with each other now, and Brick appreciated that Walrus trusted him to keep his words safe.

  “Deuce didn’t take half the shit, and he didn’t smoke it all either. He sold it. He got a girl knocked up and needed money.” Blackjack’s begrudging admission brought another level of anger from Jesse.

  “He sold it? Motherfucker! I’m takin’ his goddamn patch.”

  “You can’t take shit! I’m one of the original club founders too.”

  Jesse pitched a beer bottle at the wall in his rage. Scottie ducked as it came close to his head. The glass shattered, and the dregs of the beer inside spewed out to foam on the floor.

  “What the fuck, man?” Scottie loved all things sci-fi and was a major fan of Star Trek. His son, Mothman, and daughter, Uhura, were named after his favorite characters. “Y’all need to calm down. This shit’s gettin’ way outta hand.”