Piston by Andi Rhodes

Chapter Sixteen

_{The dark is necessary. And there are times I crave it.}

Piston

“Do you want me to cover for you tonight?”

I take a hit of the joint Riker hands me and shake my head. “Nah. I’m still going.”

A smile tugs at my lips. Holland is sitting near the bonfire with Charlie, Riley, and Widow. It took less than ten minutes for the ol’ ladies to take Holland under their wings and whisk her away from me. I wanted to hold onto her but I also wanted to see how she’d do in my world. So far, she’s killing it.

“You gonna take her home first or what?”

Without taking my eyes off Holland, I hand the joint back to Riker. “Don’t know.”

The firelight kisses her skin and suddenly I’m aware of what it feels like to be jealous of an inanimate object. I’ve felt more jealousy today than I can ever remember feeling before. In fact, until Holland, I would have said I was incapable of it. I’ve never cared about anyone enough to feel the green monster. Today, I’ve felt it in spades.

“You better figure it out because we’re gonna have to ride soon.”

I wave Riker away. “Yeah, I know.”

I don’t want the day to end. I don’t want to take her home. Holland has successfully woven herself into the fabric of my entire being. She’s asked questions and gotten answers, just like I knew she would. She’ll go home tonight with a deeper understanding of MC life, even if it is a sugarcoated, rose-colored glasses kind of understanding.

She needs to understand the dark side too.

I push off the picnic table and stride toward her. Within seconds, she turns to look in my direction. I know the instant she sees me because her smile outshines the flames. Before I reach her, my path is blocked by a Bangin’ Betty. Holland’s smile falls and is replaced by a scowl.

Merry-go-round flattens her palm against my chest. “You up for a quickie? I think that bitch and Pony are done so there’s a free room.”

‘That bitch’ is Janessa. Pony quickly set his sights on her and they’ve been behind closed doors for several hours now. Which is also why I agreed to take Holland home. She wants to leave her car for Janessa so her friend has a way home in the morning. Pony isn’t the chivalrous type and I’m not going to leave my girl’s best friend stranded once she realizes what she’s gotten herself into.

“You need to get your hand off of me,” I warn.

“Aw, baby, I need to get my hands all over you,” she purrs.

She curls her fingers into my pecs for a moment before running her hands down to the top of my jeans. I grip her wrists and push them away before she can work the button open.

“Merry, you were fun for a while, but this isn’t going to happen.”

“Why not?” she pouts as she tries to free her hands from my grasp.

“It doesn’t fucking matter why,” I snap, annoyed that she’s pushing me. “If you want to continue to hang around, you’ll do as you’re told. And right now, I’m telling you to back the fuck off.”

She takes a step back and in what I’ll later recognize as a gross error in judgement, I let her go. I look over her shoulder and see Holland standing, stiff as a board. She’s watching every single move I make. I wish she could hear what I’ve said because actions without words can be misinterpreted way too easily.

Something hits me in the face and I catch it before it falls to the ground. The purple tank top that Merry-go-round was wearing now rests in my hand, and my muscles tense. My jaw hardens and before I know what’s happening, she has my empty hand in hers and is holding it to her tits.

“C’mon, baby, I know these make you hard.”

I’m so shocked by her action that I’m unaware of my hand sliding down her body to the top of her skirt.

“And if the tits don’t work, my wet cunt will.”

As if in slow motion, Merry-go-round’s body flies backward and she screams. I blink several times, convinced I’m seeing things because there’s Holland, standing over the Bangin’ Betty like some sort of avenging angel. Or pissed off demon… depends on how you look at it. Charlie and Riley are holding Merry down and a crowd begins to form around us.

“The only wet cunt that’s gonna make Piston hard is mine,” Holland snarls.

“You stupid bitch!” Merry shouts. “He was mine fir—”

Her head flies to the side as Riley lands a right hook. Charlie grabs a fistful of hair and forces Merry’s face back so she’s forced to look at Holland.

“You know you could put an end to this, right P?”

I glance to my right and see Joker standing there with his arms crossed over his chest and a grin on his face. Fender is standing next to him but there isn’t as much humor in his expression.

“I know.”

“Maybe you should,” Fender suggests.

“Maybe.” I shrug. “But ya gotta admit, it’s fucking hot.”

“Hot or not, there’s still kids here,” Fender snaps. “Get your woman under control.”

“Ah, I hate to break it to you, Prez, but my girl isn’t the one throwing punches.”

Joker laughs but quickly sobers when Fender’s glare cuts to him. They stare each other down for a minute before Fender steps away and goes to stand closer to the ladies.

“Break it up,” he commands. Charlie gives him a look that screams ‘we’ll be fighting about this later’ but she lets go of Merry. Fender turns to Riley. “Now.”

Riley looks over her shoulder at Joker and when he shrugs, she stands as well. Merry-go-round tries to scramble to her feet, but Fender bends and wraps his hand around her throat.

“I don’t ever want to see your face here again,” he snarls. “If I do, it won’t be ol’ ladies doling out the fucking punishment.” Merry nods frantically and claws at the hand on her throat. “Tell me you understand, and I’ll let go.”

“I understand,” she croaks out.

Fender shoves her away and stands to his full height. Merry doesn’t have a chance to scramble away before she’s hoisted off the ground by Trainwreck and another prospect and dragged away.

Fender slowly turns around and stalks toward Holland. Her gaze darts to me and back again. I take a step and put myself between them and brace for Fender’s wrath.

“Move,” he commands.

“Not gonna happen.” I stand my ground. “I’ll handle Holland and you handle your own shit.”

“Are you defying an order?”

As the VP of the Soulless Kings, this is one of the worst offenses I can commit. I know it, Fender knows it, and everyone else surrounding us knows it. Still, I stand firm.

A small hand rests on my bicep and I see Holland step around me out of the corner of my eye.

“Piston, don’t,” she says, her voice level. “Don’t do something you’ll regret.”

“Listen to her, brother,” Fender urges.

“Can’t do that and you know it.” I cross my arms. “If the roles were reversed, would you stand between me and Charlie?”

“Damn right I would.”

“Then you can understand my position. Say whatever it is you have to say to her, but take another step toward her and you’ll be on the ground.”

“Piston, pl—”

Fender holds a hand up to silence Holland. When her mouth closes, he lifts his foot to take a step and then thinks better of it and remains where he’s at. His attention is solely on Holland.

“I’m trying really hard not to be insulted by the fact that my best friend seems to have completely forgotten who I am. He’s fucked up over you and that helps because I’ve been there. But, and this is big so I need you to really hear me.”

Hollands nods. “I’m listening.”

Fender’s scowl flips and he grins. “You’ll do, Holland. You’ll do nicely.”

A breath I didn’t know I was holding rushes past my lips and the tension in my muscles eases.

“Thanks,” Holland quips.

“I’m still not crazy about this whole you being a reporter thing, but for some reason, I trust you.” Fender finally returns his attention to me. “Now, you’ve got some business to handle. Take your girl home and get to it.”

With that, he turns to Charlie and wraps his arm around her shoulders. Together, they disappear through the gathered crowd. I shift to face Holland.

“Piston, I’m so—”

I yank her to me and slam my lips against hers. The kiss is hard, fevered, too damn short. When we break apart, her cheeks are flushed and her lips are swollen. She slowly opens her eyes and smiles.

“What was that for?”

“Do I need a reason?”

She shakes her head and I throw an arm around her and urge her toward the front of the clubhouse where my Harley is parked.

“C’mon, I’ll get you home.”

Holland walks with me in silence, but when we get to my bike, she turns her curious gaze on me.

“What are you getting into tonight?”

I narrow my eyes at her. “You know I can’t tell you that.”

“That’s not exactly true, is it?” she counters. “What about our deal?”

I heave a sigh. Holland has been great and not pushed for information. I should have known it was too good to be true.

“It’s a drug run. I’ve got some newbies to test out tonight. We’ve… lost a large number of runners recently and they need to be replaced.”

“Can I come?”

My gut reaction is to shout ‘fuck no’ and force the conversation in another direction, but there’s something about the hopeful look in her eyes that stops me. There is no place for ol’ ladies or girlfriends on a drug run.

“Why do you want to go?” I ask.

“Because Piston, I want to know what it is you do. I’ve seen glimpses into your world, but I know you’re holding a lot back too.”

“I’m not holding it back because I want to hide it from you. I’m holding it back because that’s how club life works.”

Holland tilts her head. “Is that the only reason?”

Joker, Riker, and Greaser choose that moment to walk by. They’re all going on the run tonight, too. I nod at them and they wisely say nothing as they climb on their bikes and ride away. They know I won’t be too far behind them.

“Piston?” Holland prods. “Is that the only reason? Because of club rules?”

“No,” I snap. “It’s not the only reason. I’m…” I heave a sigh. “I’m afraid to let you see that side of me. I like you, Holland, and yeah, I’m basically a good guy. But a lot of times, the dark is necessary. And there are times I crave it. I don’t want to scare you away.”

Holland steps closer to me and rests her hand on my chest. “Piston, if this—whatever this is forming between us—is going to work, I need to know all of you. The good, the bad, and the ugly. That’s how relationships work. Besides, if I can’t handle every part of you, do you really want to be with me?”

She has a point. I’m not crazy about her choice of timing in making that point, but what do I know? I’ve never been in a serious relationship. Shit, I don’t even know that I am now. But I want to be. More than anything. With her… only her.

“Fine,” I relent. “You can come. But you do exactly as you’re told.” She leaps up and I catch her easily.

“Thank you.”

“Holland, I’m serious. You have to listen to me. I don’t want you to get hurt. I don’t expect trouble, but that’s the thing. We have to always be prepared for the unexpected.”

“Got it.”

“And this is off the record.” She opens her mouth to argue but wisely closes it at my stern look. “This is for you, not a story. You have to promise me, Holland. Off the record.”

“Okay,” she agrees. “Off the record.”

I set her on her feet and urge her toward the Harley. Before she can throw her leg over the seat, I smack her ass. She throws a saucy look over her shoulder and grins.

“You’re gonna be the death of me, you know that, right?”

“Or I’m gonna prove to be the one thing that makes life worth living.”