Beauty & The Biker (4 page)

“Say your goodbye and I’ll drive you home.”

“My sister is coming,” I lie.

“Liar, you are testing my patience.” He steps into my personal space, sucking up all of my air, challenging me.

What’s with him?

“What’s your deal? You think everyone is just going to do whatever you want because you try to come off as some big, tough, hotshot.” I stick my finger in his chest, poking his leather and he grabs it, bending it to the point I feel it is going to snap in two.

“Don’t try to play games with me, Isa, you’ll lose.”  He drops my finger and I sigh in relief with the release. The way Isa rolled off his tongue was intimate and entirely too personal for comfort.

I am still standing and rubbing my sore digit as he storms down the hall and out the doors, leaving me confused, because I want him to turn around and come back to me. I don’t even understand why, and when he disappears I still watch for him to return.

My father calls my name hoarsely, so I go back in and confront him about the money he owes. I’m irritated and worried.

“What did Tristian Vandacamp want with you?”

“Nothing much,” he deadpans staring past me at the curtain.

“Don’t lie to me Papi. How bad is it?”

He scrubs his weathered hands over his tired eyes and sighs. “It’s bad Mi hija.  I accepted a loan from the Vandacamp family. I have dealt with his father in the past and was always able to pay on time with interest, but paying your Mama’s medical bills after we spent so much on the business nearly bankrupted us on top of your sister’s wedding. The bank can’t give me any more money. My credit is shot. I don’t know what to do.”

“It will work out Papi. You need to focus on being healthy. You have three days. Right?” I grab his hands and squeeze them tight assuring him.  “I am sure Tristian will see reason.”

“I want you to stay away from him. Promise me Isa, you’ll let me deal with this. He isn’t a man you need to be associated with.”

“But he was good enough for you to borrow money from?” I know that was low but it slipped out before I could take it back. Why I feel the urge to defend Tristian after his behavior, I don’t know, but I want to for some strange reason.

“Isa,” my father stresses my name warning me this isn’t up for discussion right now and I guess this isn’t the appropriate place.

“Yeah, sure Papi,” I concede though this isn’t the end of the conversation. I drop it only because I don’t want to add to his stress. It’s the last thing he needs from me right now.

The nurse comes in to take his vitals and move him to a private room for the night. There is nothing more I can do and no reason to scare my sisters. I will call them once Papi is home and resting.

“Go home Isa, I’ll see you back here in the morning.”

I peck his sun kissed cheek and leave knowing he will be all right for at least tonight. When I get outside the building, it is well past ten and the sky has darkened to night. I am debating on walking along the bicycle trail back to the store or trying to phone Ariala for a lift, when I see him—Tristian, waiting in the parking lot.

My anger at him for stressing my father at a time such as this returns full steam at the sight of him. He’s leaning next to his bike smoking a cigarette, appearing like a villain intent on stealing my virtue. Maybe that would appeal to him—my virginity.

I march straight over to him and offer what is only mine to give.

“If you’ll leave my father alone, you can have me.” I don’t know if it is bravery or stupidity but the offer is out there. My palms are slick with sweat and I can feel my embarrassment creeping down my neck and spreading across my chest.

“No offense princess, but I have plenty of women who will fuck me for free. I don’t pay for pussy and you don’t strike me as a good time,” he declines, wounding my pride.

I don’t know why his turning me down angers me but it does. However, I recover quickly from his blow. “You think I want to screw you? I meant I will come work for you to pay off my father’s debt,” I cover my wounded pride with a new offer.

He looks me over like a piece of meat or prized heifer. He grabs the waist of my dress and pulls it tight to my body assessing my form. “Too skinny to dance in my club, too young too.” He shoots a look over my shoulder at my butt.  “Can you cook?”

“Yes,” I answer and this time without any attitude. I need him to accept my offer.

“Tell you what, my housekeeper retired a few weeks ago, she had always worked for my father, he took good care of her in his Will so she took off.  You can start after your father has been discharged. I will expect you to come ready to work. I don’t give any free rides.”

How can he speak so calmly of his father’s passing when it was so recent?  I’d be devastated.

“You have a deal.” I hold my hand out for him to shake.

When he takes my offered hand, I expect his skin to feel as cold as his personality but he is surprisingly warm and gentle in our exchange. He pulls me in close and sniffs my hair. “You smell pure, like you fell from heaven.”

His lips linger at my ear, his breath teasing against my skin.  I should pull away but I can’t. I like the way his being so close makes me feel. Soft, velvety lips brush the shell of my ear and I moan aloud.

“I like the sound you just made. I look forward to hearing it often Isa,” he warns and his tongue trails down the curve of my neck to my collarbone. His rough hand shoves the neckline of my dress off my shoulder and his teeth graze my clavicle.

I feel breathless and unable to tell him to stop. I don’t want him to. Warmth pools in my belly and spreads further down my body to my most delicate of spots.

Grabbing my hair, he tugs the strands gathered in his hold. “I look forward to working with you.”

I can’t reply, my head bobs offering the only response I can give right now. He loosens his hold on my hair and kisses my cheek.

“Get on. Told you I’d drive you home.”

And drive me wild.

Finding my voice, I agree, but ask him to drop me at the store.

The ride goes by entirely too fast. I can’t stop imagining him pushing me further out of my comfort zone. And taking what I first offered.

When he drops me off at the store, unexpectedly he cuts his engine and escorts me to the door. “One last thing, you’ll be moving in with me.”

“Um, wait...what?” I ask confused. I assumed I would be going by his house a few days a week to straighten up.

“I employ a full time housekeeper. I normally wouldn’t take on someone so young and inexperienced, but I like your dad, he’s a good man. My mother was fond of your grandma Iris; I was sad to hear of her passing. She was a wonderful woman.”

I can’t remember my grandmother, she passed away when I was a child in an accident, but it makes me feel good to know that he has fond memories of her.

The crunching of metal screeches in my ear, I look around but it’s only Tristian and me standing here. And apparently he didn’t hear the crashing noise.

“I want to be your friend Isa,” he says shocking me further.

“Okay,” I agree in a hushed tone. The closeness of his face to mine is throwing me off and making me forget what a jerk he has been to me. I only think of the way he made me feel moments ago in the hospital parking lot.

I can feel his breath on my cheek as he speaks.

“I’ll be in touch soon Isa,” he rolls the A on his tongue; the way he says it is sexual. I lean further into him, not wanting this to end but afraid of what will happen if it doesn’t.

“Goodnight, Tristian,” I say softly before rushing inside. The way his eyes seemed to soften briefly when he spoke of our families made him seem almost normal. And my desire to kiss him goodnight took me off guard. I had to get away from him. He was too close, smelling too good, and his lips, I want to taste them. I should be scared of him and want nothing to do with him, but I can’t stop this infatuation. He sings a song that only my body can hear.

I bury my head in my hands as my hair blankets my shoulders. What am I doing? A tear rolls down my cheek, but it’s not from being sad. Morbidly, for the first time in a long time, I feel happy.

I must be crazy or sick. My father nearly dies and I enter into a deal with a notorious biker, and I am beaming, grinning from ear to ear.

I busy myself cleaning up the counter and straightening the books lining the shelves once I am sure he has driven off.

As I clean, I keep seeing Tristian’s face and his softened eyes. I want to see him again, sooner than I should desire, but I have had a glimpse of his kinder side and I need more.

I don’t know what to make of my attraction to him. I look for more small tasks to busy my mind but none of them distract my thoughts from the way he made me feel in the parking lot at the hospital.

I spin around in the small clearing behind the counter and wrap my arms around my chest, remembering wrapping them around Tristian as we drove into the night. Oddly it felt like home—it felt so right.

I should be thinking of ways to take care of my Papi, but I can’t think of anything other than that dangerous man, so I close the store and walk to the bank to drive our family car home.

Chapter 4

Isabella

After a sleepless night of worrying about my father and thinking about the job I bargained for, I am having to deal with my sister, Ariala, turning up for once, and deciding that I should have called her last night.
Like I could have reached her.
It takes Papi nearly five attempts to get her to answer most days.

She has been here a few hours and already chaos has ensued.

The house is a mess; she has dragged her laundry in to get washed. Probably expecting me to do it for her like I always do. She can’t be bothered to care about anything besides her next good time.

I used to get so mad and complain, but yelling at her does no good. She only cares about herself. Ariala is the single most self-centered person on the planet.

“And you would have come rushing to be there right?” I scoff. She has some nerve. When Mama was at her worst Ariala took off. I was the one who was by our mother’s side making sure she was taken care of.  I didn’t mind it but some help and support from Ari would have been nice.  That’s okay though, she can make up for it now.

“You don’t give a shit about me Isabella. You are such a spoiled little crybaby. Whenever you get your feelings hurt or something doesn’t go your way you go running to Papa, oh wait Papi, because you are still such a child. Grow up and get over yourself!”

“Well don’t worry you are going to have to step up and play your part in this family for once, instead of running off with whatever loser buys you a beer. I took a job offer and after our father is settled he will need you to look after him.”  She stills at that bit of information. Just as I thought, she doesn’t really care. She just wants to pretend she cares to make herself feel better.

Elsabeth comes barging into the kitchen from her house next door. “Why didn’t you call me? You are so selfish, always wanting Papa all to yourself Isa.” she sneers, pointing her finger at me. She flips her long, dark hair over her shoulder and turns to Ariala. “And where have you been the past three days?”

“Out.” Ariala rolls her eyes and goes to the fridge to plunder for food. Food that she never helps pay for.

“I’m talking to you!” Elsabeth snaps her fingers in her direction.

“Well this is great, but I need to pick Papi up in an hour. While you two have fun deciding who the biggest witch is, I am going to take a shower.”  I leave them to tear each other’s heads off. If they are fighting each other it means they are off my back. I don’t know how to tell them—Papi included that I am moving to the Vandacamp Mansion.

I still haven’t come to terms with it myself. “You’ll be living with me,” he said. Who does he think he is?

A badass biker that gets what he wants. That’s who.

When I get out of the shower Elsabeth has gone and Ariala is lying on the couch eating us out of house and home, watching craptastic reality TV.

“Is Papa going to be okay, Isa?”  She actually seems genuinely concerned for once.

“I hope so. He is going to need you Ari. I won’t be here to pick up your slack.”

“So you keep telling me. I’ll light a candle for him.” And there she is folks, my twat of a sister.

I go into the kitchen and stick my hand in the cookie jar in search of gas money. Great, five bucks. Perfect.  I smack my hand against the counter.

“I’ll be back to drop Papi off then I am going into the store after, so you had better be here when I get back. He doesn’t need to be lifting or doing anything. You’ll need to be here to make sure he eats.”

If she isn’t I don’t know what I’ll do when I get a hold of her.

“Do you have a few dollars? I need to put gas in the car.”

Saying nothing, she digs through her purse and reaches me a ten. She usually pretends to be broke.

“What’s this job?”

Thinking quickly, I come up with a lie. “I was going to wait for Papi, but I got a job as a live in nanny. The position fell into my lap at the hospital and I have to start immediately.”

“Well that’s just great Isa. Do you ever think of anyone else other than yourself? I have a job too ya know.”
Sure she does.

“Okay Ariala, I am so sorry that I am growing up and doing something for myself. Excuse me for wanting a life other than waiting for you to get your act together so Papi doesn’t go into an early grave with the stress you bring in on him.”

I don’t need this right now.

“Whatever Isa, just go pick up Papa.”

Slamming the door, I tune her out and drive to the hospital.

I don’t know what to say to Papi about my moving out for a while. Turning up the radio, I try to block everything out and just drive.

I decide it will be better if I don’t tell my Papi the truth of where I am going. He’d never allow it but he needs this from me.

My father has made sure I have always been taken care of. It’s my time to do the same for him.

My father made a deal with the devil and it is up to me to pay his dues.

**

“I need to go into work Isa. I’m not a child, I am a grown man. I don’t need to sit at home twiddling my thumbs.”  Papi is so stubborn. The doctor told him to stay away from the bookstore for the next week.

“I know you are worried about paying Tristian, Papi, but you don’t have to worry about him,” I tell him as I pull into our driveway.

“What do you mean, what have you done Isa?” he wheezes, his cheeks reddened in anger.

“Please, calm down, nothing bad. I made a business deal with him. I found a job out of town working as a live in nanny. I’ve been wanting to tell you about it but wasn’t sure how you would feel. But anyway, more importantly, he has agreed to let me make payments to him weekly no matter how long it takes,” I lie smoothly.

“Mi hija, he is a dangerous man. You shouldn’t have done that. You will never be able to work that kind of debt off.”

“I will be fine, as long as he is seeing some green he will let us be,” I try to assure him but fail miserably.

His face is red and he looks ready to spit nails at me. “I won’t stand for it Isabella!” He shouts at me before slamming the door forcefully and going inside the house.

I follow him inside seeing him going for his shotgun in the hall closet.

“What are you doing?” Ariala shouts as he starts loading. “Has he lost his mind too?” She looks to me for an explanation for his outburst of anger. Our father has always been quiet and reserved. He rarely raises his voice and never a hand to any of us.

I shake my head at her. “Papi, listen to me. I am an adult and free to make my own choices. I will do it with or without your blessing, but I would rather have it,” I plead.

He looks so angry with me I can’t bear it. I knew he would be, but I didn’t expect it to hurt so badly. I’ve never disappointed him. I’ve always been his perfect girl.

“Not if I kill him first,” he states menacingly.

My heart drops to my feet out of fear of never seeing Tristian again. I should be more concerned with my father’s wellbeing, but I’m stuck on the enemy.

“You need to calm down it isn’t good for you to be so upset.  You can’t kill him, you won’t.”

“Won’t I,” he challenges.

“No, you won’t. Because I am asking you not to. Papi please, you know this isn’t the way Mama would want you to handle this. You told me you liked the Vandacamp family.”

“Isa,” he warns but I can see that he is already softening and coming to terms with my decision. “There are things you don’t know and could never understand. I don’t like you getting near him.”

“There is a good man somewhere inside him underneath his appearance,” I say defending a man I don’t even know, but I refuse to believe I am wrong about him. There
is
good in Tristian and I
will
find it.  Ariala is silent and Papi is thinking hard. “Take care of him Ariala. I am going to see if Elsabeth can run me into town. The car is still low on gas, so only use it if you absolutely have to.” She nods with wide eyes and the urge to ask me so many questions but she won’t. We aren’t close in that way anymore.  None of us are. Not since Mama, maybe even before when my grandmother died, I can’t remember those days though. I only remember the despair we all felt after Mama passed.

Papi falls into his favorite chair with his head in his hands. “This isn’t the way it’s supposed to be.”

I crouch in front of him taking his hands and lifting his face. “Please Papi, I am doing this because I love you and Mama would want me to do everything in my power to help our family. When she died I promised her I would look after all of you. Let me do this.”

“You are so stubborn Isa, just like your grandma, Iris. You won’t change your mind will you?” He knows I won’t back down.

“No Papi, I won’t.”

“Well, tell me about this job,” he concedes accepting my decision finally, even if he don’t agree, he understands why.

“This evening, I need to get into town.”

He nods and Ariala offers to fix him lunch.

I haven’t thought any further on my lie. I need to think of something good, before he sees through my web of deceit.

When I go over to Elsabeth’s she is getting ready to leave. I wave, signaling for her attention. “Can you drop me at the store?”

“Yeah, I am meeting Felix for lunch, and besides it’s on the way.”

“Thanks sis.” 

She doesn’t even attempt to make conversation. She hasn’t even asked one question about our father’s health.

Her silence tugs at my heart. We used to talk about everything. She would gush about Felix to Ari and me when she would come home from their dates. And we would lay in the bed and giggle when she would tell us about each new step they would take in their relationship.

I decide I had better tell her that I am moving out for the time being so she can watch over Papi. I know I won’t be able to count on Ariala to do it. When I tell Elsa I made a deal with Tristian, feeding her the same bull I told Papi she freaks out on me.

“Are you on drugs? Why else would you agree to something so stupid? He will take advantage of you.  Isa he is dangerous. Felix warned Papa against the loan. He wouldn’t listen. Said the Vandacamps were a family friend. But Mama hadn’t spoken to them in years…since after…”

I cut her off before she can finish. “You think I don’t know that. He won’t hurt me Elsa, you don’t know him.”

“Oh and suddenly you do?” She shakes her head as she pulls up to the back of the store. “You are so clueless Isa.”

“You know Papi can’t pay him. Do you and Felix have the money to pay?”

She looks away from me, knowing I have to do this.

“Whatever, but be careful. There are things...” She stops talking taking my hand, changing her mind about what she was going to say. “Never mind, not important. I’ll cook you a meal or something before you go. We can make it a family thing since Ari is home. If I get some extra money, I can try to help you pay the debt.” At least she is offering although I know it won’t happen. Felix don’t make that kind of money and they have a baby on the way.

“Sounds good, I’d like that.”

Elsabeth isn’t happy about my choice but at least she understands why I am doing it. Our father won’t be able to pay Tristian back, especially not in three days’ time.

I say goodbye and open the store late. Not that it matters. I am afraid we will have to close the doors permanently before long and Tristian’s debt won’t even matter then, we’ll have nothing anyway.

The hours spent at the store are quiet and slow. Time seems to be crawling at a snail’s pace. I have cleaned every inch of the building and gone over all the paperwork. My goal is to leave the store in the best shape I can. Elsabeth won’t step foot in here, she says it reminds her of Mama too much. Ariala basically says the same but they are going to have to suck it up. I’ve had to.

The picture of Vandacamp mansion in the last edition of our monthly paper is staring at me from the counter top.

I keep trying to imagine what it will be like to live in the Vandacamp place and I can’t picture it. I’ve only ever known the comfort and safety of home. What will living there with Tristian be like...do other people live there, or is it only going to be the two of us? I have so many questions and I doubt Tristian will answer any of them, even if I can muster the nerve to ask them.

I am about to close up for the day and phone Felix to see if he can pick me up on his way home when a sight that is becoming all too familiar turns up at the door. Tristian.

“Back so soon. You can’t seem to stay away can you?” I tease attempting to lighten the tension between us. He seems harder than he did when we parted last night. I didn’t think that was possible but his eyes seem darker than before.

“You ready to go?” He runs his hand over his brain tattooed skull.

“Go where?” I ask already knowing the answer. My stomach drops.

“It’s time. Your father is home and resting. I will provide you with anything you’ll need don’t worry about bringing your own things. I take very good care of my employees.”

An uneasy feeling settles into my bones, but I smile weakly. I have the oddest sensation that everything is about to change. Whether it is for the better or not, I am unsure. What I do know is I have no other choice and I find myself wanting to un-ink the man hiding behind the tattoos.