13. Thirteen

Chase

It’s the weekend, and I don’t have to work tonight. My brother Carson finally agreed to meet me and our uncle at the Wild Riders club tonight. I forgot to let Val know as I’ve been working nights, so I shoot her a last-minute text as I leave the offices of Knight Security.

I glance down at Val’s answering text. “I’ll try to look like I belong in a biker club. Where can I buy biker babe outfits?” With a couple of cute emojis.

I smile in anticipation. I wonder how she thinks a biker babe would dress?

After I get home and take a hot shower, I get dressed in jeans and a blue T-shirt and throw on my Harley leather jacket. I pull on some black biker boots and then check the time.

Val said she would get ready in her apartment. She’s supposed to meet me here in the next fifteen minutes. I saw her car outside when I pulled up, so she should be here soon. That should get us to the club right on time.

I hear the door open and I turn to greet Val.

“Holy shit, you look hot!”

She’s dressed in black jeans and a black leather vest with a fringe down the front. She looks like a vision, and my body instantly hardens.

“I like your reaction!”

I take her in my arms and kiss her soundly. When I finally let her go, her dark bedroom eyes have that dreamy look she gets.

“What did you do with your eyes?”

“It’s called a smokey eye look. Do you like it?”

“I freaking love it! Like I said, you look hot.”

“What do you think of my boots?”

“Boots? You’re wearing boots?”

I hear her tinkle of laughter as she puts her hands on my chest and softly pushes away from me. She then steps back and gestures to her feet. I force my eyes down to her footwear and blink. She has on black boots that lace up the front and end right below her knees.

“Even your boots look sexy, Val. You’re a turn-on.”

My eyes slowly make their way back up her lush curves until I see her smiling eyes and dimples.

“Chase, you are so good for my ego.”

“I just call ’em like I see ’em, Babe.”

I take her back into my arms, and this time, my hands land on her backside, and I grab her ass and pull her against me so she can see that I’m not lying.

I groan as she rubs herself enticingly against me.

“You know, I think it’s cruel for you to dress like that when I haven’t had you in my bed in almost a week.”

“You’re the one who’s had to work nights.”

“Yeah, and I told Carson today that I’m going to re-work my schedule. I don’t like us working such different shift times.”

“I’m sorry, I can typically work from home, but with all the issues we’ve been having with the software, I’ve had to go into the office.”

“I know. I just want you in my bed.” I lean down and nuzzle under her ear as I whisper, “We should be able to leave early tonight.”

I feel her shiver at my words. I give her one more swift kiss, and then I reluctantly turn her toward the door.

“Do you have a jacket?”

“Yes.” She grabs it and a small black purse with a long strap and walks ahead of me to the door.

“I’d cancel, but then Carson might never reschedule. He’s always busy. He works too hard as it is.”

When I get to my bike, I hand her a helmet. I get on first, and then Val climbs on behind me. She feels good against my back. I rev the engine and head toward the road. Soon, we’re roaring down the highway toward the Wild Riders club.

When we get there, I pull up to the front and wave at the regulars who like to ‘shoot the shit’ as they call it out front and watch everybody who comes in and out of the bar.

“Hey there, Chaser. Heard you got hitched. Is this your old lady?”

“Now we know why you haven’t been around, Boy.”

I put my hand possessively around Val’s waist and then turn toward the small group of men.

“This is my wife, Val Knight. Val, we call everybody by their bike names around here. Kind of like a nickname. This is Rider, Chief, and Hawk.”

Val gives a friendly wave, and then I walk her to the door of the club. I keep my arm around Val as we enter, and I look around for Carson and my uncle. I spot them at a booth. I wave to Spitfire, the bartender, and vice president of the club behind the bar, and then walk over to join my family members.

Sam gets up as we approach and walks over to join Carson on his side. Val slides into the booth, and then I sit down beside her.

My uncle comments, “I was just telling Mask how good it was to see his face around here. It’s been a while.”

Carson admits, “It felt good to be back on my bike. It’s just been hellishly busy at the office these last few months.”

“Yeah, I know. What with Carter gone and Chaser here getting hitched, I’m sure you’ve been busy.”

“Hey, I’m still working my regular hours. That’s going to change soon, though,” I interject.

“I thought you’d be wanting to change your hours. Who are you going to ask to take your place?”

“I thought maybe Hawkins. He did a damn fine job while I was away for training. He even mentioned he enjoyed working nights.”

“Hawkins is a good man. I think that’s a great idea.”

Spitfire comes out from behind the bar and asks, “Came over to meet the missus.”

“Val, this is Spitfire. You can normally find him tending the bar here.”

“Nice to meet you, Val. Can I get you something to drink?”

“I’ll take whatever you have on tap.”

“Make that two. You know what I like, Spitfire. Thanks.”

The older man shakes Val’s hand and then goes to fill our order.

Val looks at Carson, “Mask, is that what you named your bike?”

I answer for Carson, “It’s short for Masquerade, and he refuses to tell us the story behind the name.”

“A guy has to have some secrets. Chaser here just added an ‘R’ and named his bike Chaser. Not very original.”

“But it works. I wanted to name it Knight Rider, but it’s a bike, not a car, and besides, Rider was already taken.”

“So Val, when you get a bike, what will you name it?”

“Oh, I’m not getting a bike. I’m perfectly content to ride and not drive a motorcycle.”

Sam shakes his head at Val’s comment. He laughs and says, “That’s what they all say. We’ll see how long it takes before Chaser has you driving instead of riding.”

“Sam, um— Shadow, I already told you. It’s not gonna happen.”