Blood & Bones: Ozzy by Jeanne St. James

Chapter Nine

Shay didn’t needa knock on her motel room door to know when Ozzy was outside to pick her up for their “date.” She could hear the deep rumble of his bike when he pulled up out front.

That sound from her past instantly gave her goosebumps.

While it wasn’t actually a date, she liked to imagine it was, since it had been a while since she’d been on a real one.

Dinner and a motorcycle ride could be considered one, right?

It had been a year since her divorce and ever since the moment she found out her husband decided to move on to his next wife, she hadn’t had the desire to go out and meet anyone new. Truthfully, dating was exhausting.

Usually, for her, it was awkward and ended up being a complete failure.

Marriage itself could be exhausting, too. Especially with a man who easily became bored with everything, including his wives. His newest was wife number three.

She had no doubt the latest wouldn’t be the last.

Shay realized too late that Darren enjoyed the excitement of the chase and then the honeymoon stage of marriage but once things settled and life became routine, he was on the hunt for something—or someone—new.

Shay hadn’t been exciting or new. But she had been loyal and also willing to do whatever was needed to keep their marriage together.

Darren was not.

What Darren was, was an asshole who crushed Shay’s heart.

He made her feel like she was nothing, completely invisible, just like when she was younger.

Once she noticed their relationship was breaking down, she asked if he’d go to couples counseling with her. He agreed, she made the appointment and then ended up sitting on the damn couch staring at the counselor by herself.

For one whole expensive hour.

When she went home, his closets had been emptied out and all his personal stuff gone.

Just like that.

Yep, a complete asshole.

After that she blocked his number, hired an attorney and the rest—and her marriage—was history.

Luckily, they never got around to having children. But then, he already had two with his first wife and had been paying a pretty penny in child support. Maybe it was one reason he kept putting off the discussion of children with her. She should’ve known. It should’ve been a red flag.

He probably wanted to avoid any more of his salary being garnished in the future.

But now she was glad she didn’t have any children who would be tied to that man. Even though he’d made excuse after excuse on why he “couldn’t” see his children, Shay realized he’d gotten bored with them, too.

Asshole.

Before the ink was actually dry on their divorce papers, the jerk was signing a new marriage certificate with a woman who was ten years younger than Shay.

Thank goodness tonight it wasn’t Darren waiting outside her door.

Yesterday—especially last night at the bar—Ozzy had been easy to talk to and didn’t seem to be any kind of creeper.

But looking back at Darren, maybe she wasn’t the best judge of character.

Even so, it was only dinner and a motorcycle ride. Surprisingly, she looked forward to spending more time with the biker before she hit the road in the morning.

She took a quick last glance at herself in the mirror hanging over the desk and tucked a few stray dark strands back into her French braid, even though she knew the second they took off the wind would rip them right back out and mess up her tightly plaited hair.

She had pulled on a cream sleeveless blouse that showed just enough cleavage but not too much, a pair of clean jeans and tucked her feet back into the boots she had worn last night and earlier today on her hike.

The outfit wasn’t sexy but she wasn’t out to impress the biker. Was she?

No.

She had no reason to.

She ran an anxious hand down the front of her blouse, anyway, pulled her shoulders back, lifted up her chin and opened the motel room door.

Ozzy had backed his bike into the empty spot next to her Lexus and had something in his lap. He gave her a grin that shot bolts of lightning to the parts of her body that no one but her and her doctor had touched in the last year. Or so.

He held the item out to her. “Borrowed a brain bucket if you wanna wear one.”

Wow. That was really sweet of him and very unexpected.

“Wind-whipped hair and dealing with knots afterward, or helmet head?” She pressed a finger to her bottom lip and raised her eyes to the late afternoon sky. “Hmm.”

The helmet he offered her had a full face shield so it would keep the bugs off her face, too, but it would also make communicating with him while on the bike more difficult.

It would be reckless of her not to wear it…

Or she could live her life to the fullest and feel the wind on her face and be able to press her cheek to his back as she hung on tight. Her father’s Harley had a backrest and she only ever loosely held onto him since she preferred to lean back and keep her eyes on the passing landscape.

During the time she spent on the back of his bike, all her troubles would seem to simply disintegrate. Sometimes she’d even get lost in her own little fantasy world. While her father’s goal when they went for a ride was to always find a new route so Shay could see new things. To expand Shay’s world a little more each time.

A soft smile curled her lips at the memory and she realized her eyes had shut as she relived it.

“You okay?”

Ozzy’s deep voice did the same thing to her as his grin.

She ignored the helmet, walked right up to him, grabbed his face with both hands and planted her mouth on his, giving him a solid, but closed-mouth kiss. When she pulled away, she whispered, “Thank you.”

He was frowning when she stepped back and confusion filled his beautiful gray eyes. “For what?”

“For taking me back to some of my fondest memories.”

“Didn’t even leave the motel yet.”

“It doesn’t matter. Instead of me reliving all the bad memories of my youth this weekend, you’ve obliterated them with the good ones.”

“With your pop?”

She nodded and took the helmet from his fingers. “I won’t be needing this but I appreciate the offer.”

She took the few steps to the office next door, and quickly put it inside where it would be safe, giving a wave to the young woman named Josie working behind the desk.

“Have a great night!” Josie called out, a sly smile on her face. She’d been the one to let Shay know what time to be ready for dinner with Ozzy.

Shay shot the woman a big smile of her own over her shoulder. “I plan on it.”

When she stepped back out in the August heat and humidity, Ozzy immediately started his “sled” again and when she stepped closer, he held out his hand to assist her in mounting behind him.

As soon as she settled in and with his gruff order to, “Hold on tight,” he twisted the throttle and they shot out of the lot and onto Main Street.

The ride was short to Dino’s Diner since it was only a few blocks away and closer to the center of town. Once they got there, he backed his bike into a spot that held two other motorcycles.

Her father used to do the same thing. Instead of taking a whole parking spot up with only one motorcycle, most riders tended to share the space. But the other two Kawasakis Ozzy parked next to didn’t hold a candle to his beautiful Harley.

There was no comparison at all. The lines of his all-black Sportster were as sexy as the man who owned it.

He helped her back off the bike and when he did so, his hand slid slowly from hers, his fingers dragging along the inside of her palm and down to her fingertips before separating. More goosebumps broke out over her heated skin at that sensual touch. His gray eyes tipped down to the two very noticeable goosebumps trying to poke through her linen blouse.

One side of his mouth pulled up and he slowly raised his eyes to hers.

She lifted one shoulder in a half shrug.

He snorted and dismounted, then placed his broad hand on her lower back as he steered her inside the busy diner.

On a Sunday night in the middle of summer, the place was packed solid. The hostess bypassed the rest of the people already waiting by the entrance and approached them. “Hey, Oz, surprised to see you back here so soon.”

“Much better company this time,” he said with a wink.

The hostess, whose name tag said Ellen, winked back at him and gave him a grin. “Lucky girl.” She grabbed two menus and tipped her head toward the rear of the dinner. “We’re full but I’ll find a spot for you two.”

Shay lifted her eyebrows at Ozzy at them skipping the line. He ignored her reaction and with his hand still planted on the small of her back, guided her while they followed the older woman with short, almost-white hair.

They skirted full tables, the packed counter and bypassed booths along the outer edges of the diner that had been a part of Manning Grove as long as Shay could remember. The hostess was heading toward a folding accordion door at the back. The door was partially open and whatever space was behind it was dark.

Were they going to get to eat in a private room?

A high-pitched, very loud “Yooooo hooooo!” had Ozzy groaning under his breath, and Shay glanced up at him to see his head turned toward a booth at one end of the diner.

The man frantically waving them over was thin, blond and, even seated, appeared tall. The dark-haired man sitting across from him seemed not as tall, but much more solid and broad. When he turned his light blue eyes toward Ozzy and her, she saw they were as stunning as Ozzy’s.

“Fuck,” Ozzy muttered.

She wondered if his reaction was caused by the very obviously gay man sitting at the table or if it was the dark-haired man wearing a police uniform sitting across from him.

Ellen paused their little parade and turned to Ozzy. “I’ll set you two up in the back where you guys normally sit and get Gidget to bring you water and a Coke.”

“Sprite for me, please,” Shay called out as she found herself being steered over to that booth.

Once Ellen gave her a nod and continued on her trek towards the back, Shay turned her attention to the three men.

“Teddy,” Oz greeted with a chin lift.

“Well, hellooooo, handsome. Been a while since you sat your tush in my chair, you naughty boy. Why are you ignoring me?” The man named Teddy pouted.

“Ain’t ignorin’ you.” He drew his fingers down his beard. “Thought I’ve been doin’ a good job.”

Teddy eyed up Ozzy’s face. “Meh. Not too shabby, but I can make it better.”

“Oz,” the cop greeted in a deep, rumbling voice.

Ozzy’s eyes didn’t even flick to the police officer, instead he kept them on Teddy but Shay didn’t miss the muscles tighten in his jaw.

Teddy curved a hand around the side of his mouth and in a loud stage whisper, said, “You leather-wearing gorillas give my man a complex. He thinks you don’t like him.” Before Ozzy could respond, Teddy turned his emerald green eyes toward Shay. “Now, who is this gorgeous gal, handsome? And where have you been hiding her?”

Ozzy tipped his head toward her. “Name’s Shay.”

“Well, hello, Shay! What a great name!” Teddy jutted out his hand and when Shay took it, he curled both of his around hers instead of shaking it, and introduced himself. “Theodore David Bryson, owner of the best salon in Manning Grove called Manes on Main. But all my lovers call me Teddy.” He wiggled his eyebrows at Ozzy and shot him a bright smile.

The cop choked on a mouthful of food. After clearing his throat, he said, “Just to be clear, he only has one lover.”

“Ah, yes. And he’s a good one.” Teddy winked. “I think I’ll keep him. Aaaaanyhooo, Shay,” he flipped a long-fingered hand across the table, “this is my very hot, very handsome, very hun—”

“Teddy,” the cop growled in warning.

Teddy rolled his eyes. “I was going to say hungry. Well, anyway, you get the picture. This is my hubby Adam.”

Adam jutted his hand out toward Shay. “I’m Adam Bryson—“

“Pig,” Ozzy grumbled under his breath as she shook it.

Without even skipping a beat, Teddy quickly continued, “We’re just trying to squeeze in some date nights before our little munchkin comes storming out of our surrogate’s hoo-hah to take on the world.”

“Munchkin?” Ozzy asked.

“Oh yes! Didn’t Jet tell you all that we’re pregnant and she’s going to be an auntie? Adam and I are gonna be poppas!” He did a finger snap with both hands. “Fabulous ones, no doubt.”

“Congratulations!” Shay said. “I’m sure you’re thrilled.”

“Nervous. Thrilled. Already having sympathy contractions.”

Adam turned his head toward Shay, sighed and shook it slightly.

“Even putting on a few extra pregnancy pounds,” Teddy said, patting his flat belly. “So, anyway, welcome to Manning Grove!”

“She’s just visitin’.”

Teddy’s very animated face fell. “Oh. Well, that’s a damn shame. I’m dying to dive my fingers into that head of hair.” He leaned closer to Shay. “I might’ve mentioned this already… I own Manes on Main just a few doors down from here. My salon is the only place to go to get your hair done right in this one-horse town.”

“Don’t believe him,” Adam said with his fork halfway to his lips. “This isn’t a one-horse town, there’s actually about a dozen. He tends to exaggerate.”

Teddy waved his hand around, dismissing his husband’s comment.

Shay swallowed a giggle. “I remember when it used to be a one-traffic-light town. I grew up around here.”

“You did?” Teddy’s green eyes went wide, then narrowed on her as he checked her out from head to toe. “Why don’t I know you?”

She shrugged. “I left immediately after graduation.”

“Oh, girl, I know that song and dance. So did I. I couldn’t wait to escape this—”

Adam cleared his throat sharply. “I work for this town and you have a lot of clients who live here. Let’s keep our voices down if you’re going to insult it.”

Teddy rolled his eyes again. “Well, anyway… It’s much better now than it used to be.”

It sounded like Teddy enjoyed growing up in Manning Grove as much as she had. “Did you graduate from Manning Grove High?”

“Not fast enough.”

Shay rolled her lips under at his response before saying, “Girl, same.”

Teddy’s eyebrow shot up for a brief second, then he bounced in his seat and clapped his hands. “Oh, I like you already. No wonder this handsome hunk of man-meat is taking you out on a date.”

“Ain’t a date.”

“It’s not a date,” she said at the same time as Ozzy.

Teddy tucked his chin into his neck and gave them both a look. “Uh huh.”

Adam’s portable radio sitting on the table next to his plate squawked with a call. He tipped his head to listen to it, then reached over to turn it down and continued eating.

Shay had to assume the call wasn’t for him or wasn’t important enough to interrupt his dinner break.

During the conversation, Ozzy’s hand slipped from the small of her back to her right hip. His fingers tensed and dug into it during the radio chatter.

She wondered why he wasn’t dragging her away from the table and to their own. If he didn’t like the cop, why didn’t he end the conversation and leave?

His next comment to Teddy gave her an inkling why. “Maybe you knew her parents since you grew up around here, too.”

She didn’t remember Teddy. He seemed to be a few years older than her and he would be hard to forget. Unless, when he was younger, he hid who he was and packed his true personality down tight. Back then, she wouldn’t be surprised if he had.

“What were your parents’ names?”

“My father was Marshall Graham,” Shay answered the salon owner.

Teddy shook his head. “I don’t remember anyone by that name but like I said, I left right out of high school and didn’t come back to open my salon until years later. Once I realized the grass is still brown and weedy on the other side of the closet, too.”

“Maybe you remember her mom from around town.” Ozzy turned toward her. “What was her name?”

Shay blinked, not expecting that question since she was curious about her father, not her mother. “Naomi Graham. Well, Stewart was her maiden name.”

Teddy pursed his lips and tapped his chin with a finger. “Stewart. Stewart. No, doesn’t sound familiar. Do you have any older siblings I might’ve gone to school with? You look a little younger than moi.”

“No, I’m an only child.”

“Why did you come back to town?”

“My class reunion was last night.”

Teddy’s mouth dropped open. “Girrrrrl, you went to your reunion? I can’t burn those invites fast enough.”

“Which is why he had to replace his laptop last time. The invites come via email.” Adam said dryly, then lifted another forkful of food toward his mouth. “Next time print the email first before burning the invite.”

She smothered a laugh. “I should have burned that invite.” But then she wouldn’t have met Ozzy.

“Well, I’m sorry I don’t remember you, but if you decide to stay, I’d love to get your tush in my salon chair, too. All the Fury ladies use my services. They refuse to go anywhere else. Just ask them. Even some of the guys sneak in, too, though they won’t admit it. Plus, you can’t find anywhere better in town for the juiciest gossip. If it’s happening in the Grove, I know about it.” He snapped his fingers twice and followed it up with a seated butt wiggle and a single clap.

“And he’ll give you his very thorough commentary about all that gossip, too,” Adam added, then lifted his water glass to his mouth.

Teddy squeaked. “You love it when I bring home all the news.”

“Only because you rattling it off at night is the perfect way to put me to sleep.”

Teddy slapped a hand to his chest and gasped in feigned shock. Adam gave his husband a quick wink, causing a bright smile to break out over the salon owner’s face.

Shay caught herself also smiling at their relationship, but as soon as she did, she automatically went to hide it by dipping her head.

She mentally groaned and forced her chin back up, instead.

Ozzy’s fingers flexed on her hip when she did so. “Gotta go.”

“Toodles, big boy. I expect to see you soon.” Teddy did a finger wave that made Shay smother another laugh.

In that short amount of time, she already liked the man and would love to have someone fun like him call her a friend. Her “tush” would definitely be planted in his chair if she lived in Manning Grove.

“You two have a good night,” Adam’s deep voice said as Ozzy used his grip on her hip to turn her toward the back of the diner.

“The same to you. Nice meeting you both,” she said over her shoulder as Ozzy grunted and steered her to the back of the diner and through the brown plastic accordion door.

She was right. It was a private room that must be used for larger groups, parties or meetings. But only two place settings and full water glasses sat on the long stretch of tables pushed together.

“The server won’t forget about us back here?”

“Nope. Club spends a fuckton of scratch here and we tip real good, too. So, they love to serve us. Ain’t gonna forget us.”

When she went to pull out her chair in front of one of the place settings, he was there doing it for her. After she settled in the seat, he helped push the chair back in, then took the seat across from her.

She ignored the menu lying on her placemat and simply stared at him across the table.

“What?” he grunted.

“I didn’t expect you to pull out my chair.”

“Can be a rude motherfucker when I need to be. You haven’t given me a reason to be.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” she said and rolled her lips under in amusement. Then she sobered, “Like how rude you were to Adam?”

“Pig,” he grunted, like that explained everything.

“Yes, you said that… Right in front of him, too.” Luckily the cop didn’t take offense. He was probably used to it. Her father never liked police officers, either, for some reason, but she never heard him call them a derogatory term.

Ozzy’s broad shoulders lifted and fell. He jerked his chin at her ignored menu. “Figure out what you want. Soon as we’re done eatin’, we’ll hit the road. Hope to fuck it’ll be a bit cooler out there. Had to peel my nut sac free from my thigh after the club run.”

Shay winced. “Club run?”

“When my brotherhood all gets together and rides.”

That sounded like fun and she was sure a huge group of bikers riding in formation was a sight to be seen. “I sweated a ton hiking today. But the view was still worth it, even if it was a bit hazy out there.”

“You do that often?”

“Hike?” She shook her head. “No. I tried to think of things I could do in town to make the long drive worth it.”

“Yeah, reunion wasn’t it.”

“No,” she murmured. “It wasn’t.” But meeting you was, whispered through her head. She kept that to herself and asked, “You’ll have to tell me more about this club run, but first… Do they still make loaded fries here?”

“Yeah.”

She smiled, not hiding it from him.

He returned the smile, making her melt. “Really fuckin’ good Angus burgers, too.”

She sat back. “Well, then, I don’t even need to look at the menu. I know what I’m getting.”

He stared at her for a few moments before saying, “Like a woman who ain’t afraid to eat a greasy burger and loaded fries.”

“I burned a lot of calories today.” She hoped to burn a lot of calories tonight, too, by hiking up his body. But she also kept that to herself.

She was glad she did because Gidget the waitress came out of nowhere, making her jump.

The server flirted with Ozzy as she took their order and then disappeared. Once Shay was done watching her walk back into the main diner, she returned her gaze to the man across from her. “She likes you.”

For whatever reason, he ignored that. “Got good news.”

“What? Did you get a chance to talk to Dutch? Did he know my father?”

“No. Didn’t remember his name.”

She tried her best to hide her disappointment.

“Got you a meet with my prez.”

“Your prez?”

“Blood Fury president. About the website thing.”

She shook her head confused.

“You wanted me to give your card to the motel’s owner. I did. Club owns the motel.”

“An MC owns a business?” Was that typical? She couldn’t imagine it was, but she didn’t know much about motorcycle clubs.

“Yeah. A few businesses. Could be good for you.”

“Wait… Your president is interested in me building the websites for them?” Was she hearing him correctly? “For the motel and your other businesses, too?”

“Possibly. Gotta impress him first.”

“I can show him what I can do, show him examples of websites I’ve designed. This is great!”

Holy smokes, that was such good news. She was close to finishing up the current one she was working on and could use more on her schedule. The few small graphic design jobs she had currently wouldn’t pay her outrageously high Boston rent on her tiny apartment. She really should think about moving somewhere more affordable since she no longer had anything holding her in that area.

She moved there to be with Darren. Another mistake she made.

“But that means you gotta stay another night.”

“When does he want to meet me?”

“Tomorrow. Not sure what time yet. Thinkin’ later in the day, so you might need to stay two more nights.”

“I have nothing pressing waiting for me at home.” Absolutely nothing and nobody waiting for her at all. Except for a couple of already half-dead plants. “And I have my laptop with me to do some work until our meeting. This is wonderful!”

He stroked his bearded chin.

“Thank you.”

“Can thank me later.”

She sat back in her chair. “Wait. Is this some sort of pay to play deal?” Had this all been some sort of sexual set-up? Some sort of quid pro quo?

“Don’t gotta pay to play with me.”

“That’s not what I meant.”

“Know what you meant. Ain’t like that,” he assured her. “If Trip didn’t wanna meet you, I wouldn’t be able to force him into it. And you don’t owe me shit for that. Did it ‘cause it’s smart for the club. Also wanted to do this for you. Think of it as the other way ‘round. Payback for you lettin’ me spend time with you.”

“I never would’ve thought bikers could be so sweet,” she teased.

He snorted but his expression clearly said that he was far from sweet and not to underestimate him.

Message received.

He made the meeting happen because he wanted it to, not because he needed to.

“Is Trip your president?”

“Yeah.”

“Is that his road name or real name?”

“Far as I know, it’s his real one. Only name I ever heard him called since he was a kid.”

“You knew him as a kid?”

“His pop was the former president when I joined the Fury.”

“Maybe he knows my father?”

“Already asked him. Stella, his ol’ lady, too.”

“Oh, yes, you said last night her father owned Crazy Pete’s.”

“Yeah. She don’t remember him, either.”

“It’s sounding more and more like he didn’t have any connection to your club. Or,” her eyes dropped to his patch, “the Originals, I should say, right? Same name but different club?”

“Shit’s much better this time around.”

That comment made her wonder how bad the original club had been. Had they been into some violent and illegal activities? Was that why her father had warned her to stay away from them when she saw any of them?

She did remember town residents scattering when one would come riding into town. The town seemed to freeze in fear as soon as they heard the rumble of their motorcycles.

So far, no one had acted like that to Ozzy, that she’d noticed. Even last night with him claiming the pool table at the bar, the men seemed to respect him more than fear him. Unless they crossed him.

“It still would be nice to know what happened to him.” To get an answer to that decades-long question.

“Might be better not to know.”

“Why would you say that?”

“A man usually don’t just up and disappear like that. Not one that loves his family.”

He definitely loved his family. “So, you think it was foul play?”

“You don’t?”

“I don’t know. Whatever happened to him, I only hope he didn’t suffer.”

She always wondered if he’d been mistaken for someone else because she couldn’t imagine her father had enemies. Unlike Shay, her father was very outgoing. But it could’ve been that he wrecked his bike down a ravine or over a cliff in some remote area—since there were plenty of those in upstate Pennsylvania—and no one ever found him or his Harley. Over the years, she always expected a phone call from her mother telling her his body and his bike was finally found by a hiker or… someone. Anyone. People explored remote areas all the time. And then there were helicopters and small planes and…

So, how does a man simply disappear without a trace? Her parents weren’t having marriage or financial problems, he seemed happy and satisfied with his life and his job…

None of it made sense.

And she needed to make sense of it all. She always had, always would. She had even called Manning Grove PD after her mother died to give them her contact information in case they ever got any leads or answers.

They said they would update her if anything came up, but she never got a single call. Maybe she should’ve mentioned that to Adam Bryson.

Or maybe she’d stop down at the PD before she headed home to Boston. If only to remind them to never close his case until they had answers. Until she had answers.

The case might have gone cold to them, but it would never be cold to her.

But tonight wasn’t about her father, it was about Ozzy. He was alive and well and looking deliciously alpha-male sitting across from her.

He’d probably been reading every expression on her face while she had gotten lost in her thoughts.

She needed to come back to the present. To be present for him.

Anything else would be rude.

“Sorry, I know I keep asking about my father, but what about your family? Are they local?”

He hesitated, sucked his teeth and finally said flatly, “They’re dead.”

“I’m sorry.”

“No reason for you to be sorry. Pop died in prison. My mother just…”

“Just?” she prodded.

“Died.”

She reached out and grabbed the hand he had resting on the table. She gave it a squeeze. “Oh, I’m sorry. I know how hard it is to lose both parents. Both recently?”

He stared at her hand over his with his expression closed. “No. Long time ago. When I was a kid.”

“Oh no! Did family take you in?”

He lifted his gray eyes to hers. “A family took me in for a little while.”

Him saying “a family” instead of saying his grandparents or godparents or being more specific made her think he didn’t want to talk about it.

But he added, “’Til I was old enough to be on my own.”

“Well, it’s good that you didn’t land in the foster care system—”

His hand tensed under hers and he cut her off with, “Yeah, anyway, club’s the closest thing I got to family now.”

They were interrupted when Gidget brought out their hamburgers and loaded fries.

Her eyes went wide at the portions and Ozzy barked out a laugh at her expression, lightening the mood.

His laugh drew a smile from her. “After today’s hike, and with the soothing vibrations of your bike and a full belly, I might need to be strapped to you so I don’t fall off when I’m lulled to sleep.”

“Promise, you ain’t gonna fall asleep and ain’t gonna fall off. Gonna make sure of it.”

While his words sounded promising, it was the heated look in his eyes that made her believe him.

And she looked forward to discovering his method.