Ashes Chapter 6

I couldn't recall the last time I'd been this nervous. Unlike my date with Bella, which was dinner, this time, I decided to think out of the box. Not to throw shade on Bella, but she'd never caused a tenth of the nerves that Micaela did. I thought about things Micaela had expressed interest in during the short time I'd known her. There were many, but I knew she was a foodie and loved to eat and cook. She was into those cooking shows on television.

Running with that idea, I searched for a way to tie our date into her foodie side without just bringing her to the trailer and us cooking a meal there. After some digging, I came across a class that was being held a town over. It combined teaching you how to make homemade pasta and a mini wine-tasting class into one. Pleading to God that I wasn't making a colossal mistake, I got us spots in the class. I knew she loved Italian food. If nothing else, assuming we made something edible, she'd get a meal out of it and enjoy some wine.

I got off work an hour early to get home and clean up, and then we'd have time to head to the class. The drive was about a half hour away. She told me she'd come meet me at my trailer. It was less likely we'd be seen and raise questions. We weren't sure how long we'd be able to keep what was happening on the down low, but we were trying.

I was waiting outside for her when I got a text from Vicious. It was sent to me and Dragon. I opened it, wondering what was up.

Vicious: Ash, know you have your date tonight. When you're back, the three of us need to have a quick chat. It's important. If I'm not in the clubhouse, come to my place. Thanks.

Before I got done reading it, Dragon had already replied.

Dragon: Is something wrong? Should we meet before?

Me: I can't meet now. Micaela will be here any minute. Afterward, unless it's an emergency.

Vicious: It's not an emergency, but it's important.

Me: TTYL

Dragon: Later, then.

I briefly wondered what that was all about, but I forgot it as soon as I saw her coming around the clubhouse. She was dressed in a one-piece number that had shorts on the bottom half. Her hair was up in one of those messy yet sexy buns on the top of her head. She seemed to be glowing. She was a few inches taller because of the pair of sandals she was wearing. I'd told her to dress in whatever was most comfortable for her. When she got to me, it was all I could do not to kiss her. She gave me a hesitant smile as she glanced around. I think she wanted to hug me but was worried someone would see us.

In preparation for tonight, I'd gotten out my car. I usually didn't drive it unless it was icy or cold in the winter or we got torrential rain. It was a Camaro, and it had been my dream car for a long time before I actually bought one. It was a dark blue, and it, along with my bike, were my two prized possessions. I had it parked outside my trailer. I walked over to meet her. She took my arm, so I was able to be close to her and provide balance on the uneven ground to the car. Opening her door, I assisted her inside. I hurried to my side once her door was closed so we could get going. I removed my cut and hung it over the seat before getting in.

"So, where are you whisking me off to? Or should I not ask again?" She grinned. Before, when she had asked, I told her mum was the word.

"I won't say where we're headed, but I can tell you it's in a nearby town. It shouldn't take more than a half hour to get there. How was your day? Did you do anything fun or just relax?"

"Well, I spent a bit of time with Shain before she and my brother went somewhere. I told them I wanted to hang out at the house. While they were gone, I did some sleuthing online."

"What kind of sleuthing?"

"You guys mentioned last night that if things were to develop between one of you and me, there was always the option to move here. I know Daredevil would love it. So I went online to see how many professional photographers are within a fifty-mile radius of here."

Hearing she was taking steps to seriously consider the possibility made my heart skip a beat. I wanted to crow my happiness, but I kept it under wraps. There was no need to scare her to death. Instead, I asked her calmly, "Did you discover anything good?"

She looked mischievous. "I don't know if I should tell you," she said.

"Just so you know, it might just get you into trouble if you don't," I warned her. I didn't go into more detail because we were too new to each other for her to find out about my dominant side.

"Mmm, sounds intriguing. I'll have to have you explain that another time. Lucky for you, I feel like sharing. It seems that while people are advertising that they're professional, most don't have a formal photography education like me or an actual studio. They work from their homes. For the couple who do, I'll be honest, their websites and their customer ratings aren't the best. After I was done with those, I checked what kind of commercial space was available in town for rent and what the cost was." She paused after dropping this on me.

"I have to say, I like that you're taking such a step already."

"Don't get too excited. It doesn't mean I plan to move here. There's a lot to consider, and one of the biggest is if any of you and I click in a significant way, Ashes. I don't want you to assume anything. I'm a planner, and I like to have all the facts. That's a big thing you need to know about me," she warned.

"Noted. I'll keep it in check, but I still like that you're doing it. What did you find for the rental space and costs?"

"There were some places. I need to know which parts of town are better than others. Every town has the areas you should avoid. I'll have to rely on you guys to help with that. Some were way pricier than others, and I wondered if the reason was the neighborhoods. There were several spots. If I relocated here, the location would have to be one I could secure due to the expensive cameras and equipment I have. Some buildings don't have security systems, which means negotiating with the landlord, which typically increases costs on my end. There's definitely potential for the business here."

"We can help with which areas to avoid. As for security, we have Fang and Trident, who do that kind of work. They'll be able to set you up if the space doesn't have it, and there won't be an added cost. It's supposed to be the landlord's responsibility to do that." I didn't tell her that if the landlord didn't, we'd either do it ourselves or make sure they did it at no cost to her.

"If the time comes, and I hope it does, we can go with you to see them," I added.

"Good. I'd love feedback."

"You'll probably have more than you want. Did you tell your brother that you're considering a move?"

"I didn't, but he did mention he and Shain would love it. I guess Mamá and Pápa are more than toying with the idea. Of course, Pápa would have to make sure my other brothers were good to run his construction company. I don't think they'll have an issue. They always knew one day he'd retire, and it would be up to them to take over. If none of them wanted to do construction anymore, then the company would be sold off."

"He's lucky he has sons to take it over. It must be hard for them to have all of you in Florida and Daredevil here."

"It is. We all miss him, but he's always the one who has been far away since the day he went off to boot camp. He wasn't content to stay home and work for Pápa . My parents wanted him close, but they knew he was wired differently than Diego, Marco, and Renzo. I'm more like Daredevil than the others. While I love my family, I've always been willing to move if the circumstances were right. Now, that's enough about me. I want you to tell me how your day was at work. Anything exciting?"

I let the topic drop for now, but I'd revisit it soon with her. I told her what a typical day was like for me. I loved the work I did, but it wasn't filled with lots of foot traffic, surprises, or exciting moments.

"How did you learn to weld? Was it something you always knew how to do, or did you learn it in the military?"

"I didn't have a clue about how to do it until I went into the Army. It was one of many skills I learned, but it was one of the ones I enjoyed doing the most."

"Okay, so now I know you were in the Army. What was your MOS?"

It was nice to speak to someone who knew at least a little about the military. Most people would have no clue MOS stood for military occupational specialties, aka your job. "I was a combat engineer or what some call a sapper or pioneer. We supported the forces on the ground by helping our troops to be mobile while impeding the enemy."

"How did you do those two things?"

"Are you sure you wanna know? It's not exciting for most to hear."

"I wouldn't have asked if I didn't want to know, Ashes."

"Alright, I'll tell you, but first, I want you to do something for me."

"Sure, hit me."

"I know because of your brother that you know the significance of road names and how most people don't use our legal names unless it's outside officials or in legal capacities. I know we're still figuring out if there could be an us, but when we're alone, would you call me by my real name?"

I saw I had taken her by surprise, but she didn't hesitate to answer. "I would love to, as long as you're sure."

"I'm more than sure. Hello, Micaela Torres. It's more than a pleasure to meet you. I'm Scott Hart," I told her with a wink.

She laughed, then patted my arm. "It's wonderful to meet you, Scott. Now, tell me what you did as a pioneer. I like that name better than sapper."

"Me too. In a nutshell, we built things like fortifications, roads, and fighting positions. We use explosives to bring down structures and clear minefields. We construct bunkers, breach trenches, and other obstacles like making tank traps and fortifications. If a bridge or road needs to be built or demolished, or a route cleared or reconnaissance done, we do it. Clearing and placing landmines are part of our job, too. Think of pioneers as the ones who make or destroy just about anything."

"Wow, you had a lot of responsibilities, and I can see why you'd have to have a ton of skills to do all those. It must've taken a long time to learn how to do everything."

I explained a bit about the training after we got out of boot camp. By the time I was done, we had arrived at our destination. Talking had kept my mind off my nerves over tonight, but they were back in full force. She studied the building curiously. The sign read Perfect Palate , which didn't give a whole lot away, in my opinion, as to what was inside. She gave me a quizzical glance.

"Will you tell me now?"

"I guess I should in case you hate the idea. I wanted to do something more than take you out to eat. This will allow us to have dinner while we learn and, God willing, have fun. This is one of those places where you learn to make homemade pasta while learning about wines, then eat your creations and try a few wines if you want. You said you love Italian food and cooking, and you watch those cooking shows, so I hoped this would be something you'd fancy. If it's not, tell me, and we can go somewhere else."

Her mouth dropped open, then she clapped her hands together and squealed. She was practically bouncing in her seat. "Oh my God, I love it! I can't believe you remembered those things and then went to all the trouble to find a place like this. But are you sure you'll get enjoyment out of this? I want you to have a good time as well." Her smile dimmed a smidge.

"I wouldn't have done it if I thought I wouldn't like it. I'm not a gourmet chef, but I do like to cook and love pasta. While wine isn't my typical go-to drink, I've had some and found a few I thought were good. I wouldn't mind learning more so I'm able to pick out better ones. I heard you talking to Londyn about one you prefer."

"Well, then let's go. I want to not only learn but also eat. I'm starving."

As we walked inside, I grinned. She was hanging onto my arm, and I felt like a king. I wasn't sure what I expected. In the back of my mind, I think it was that I'd be the only guy in here or one of a few. Also, I had no idea how many people would be here tonight. Their website said classes were no bigger than twenty workstations, and they didn't allow more than two people per station.

It was still about fifteen or so minutes before the class was to start, but almost every single work area was occupied. Damn, I guess this kind of event was way more popular than I imagined. An older woman was standing close to the entry. She smiled and came over to us.

"Hello, good evening, I'm Carole. I'll be one of your instructors this evening. The other is Hutch. You'll meet him later. Who might you be?"

"Hello, Carole, I'm Ashes, and this is Micaela. We're looking forward to this evening. So glad you had room for us."

She was eyeing my cut and the way I was dressed. Since it was a casual setting, I was dressed in my typical biker clothes, although I made sure my boots were clean and I had on a newer shirt and jeans. My cut went with me everywhere. My swift scan of the room as we entered showed me no one was dressed too fancy.

"It's nice to meet you both. Pick one of the open workstations. We're waiting for a couple more people, and then we can get started."

Nodding our thanks, I took Micaela toward the one closest to the front. I might've preferred to be in the back, but I knew she would want to be front and center. I was here to ensure she had a wonderful time and would go out with me again. As we took our spot, I noticed we were the center of attention. There were nervous, shy, fearful, and a couple of scornful faces. I had no doubt it was due to my cut. As long as they held back from ruining the night for Micaela, I could ignore the scornful ones. The others I hoped would relax after they saw I wasn't a danger to them.

There was an open area underneath the worktable. She slipped her purse in there. We barely got settled before a woman came in. After she was greeted, she went to one of the two remaining tables. It was a full house tonight. I wondered if it was like this every time they had a class. If it was, they were making bank. The cost wasn't cheap, and they did these five nights a week.

I checked out the room, not only because I was curious but also to assess for threats, familiarize myself with the exits, and see who was in there with us. There were more men than I expected. Most were with a woman, but there were a couple, either alone or with another man. Gazes shifted away from mine, but not all. I nodded at those who didn't. Micaela was checking out the room with me.

Just before the allotted start time, one more couple, a man and a woman, came in. I knew as soon as I saw the guy that he wanted to be anywhere but here, and he was pissed. I wondered if she sprang it on him at the last second like I did Micaela. Only in my case, she was happy about it. They took the final open spot, which was directly behind us.

Carole got up front, did a short spiel about the class, and told us what we were making. We'd make our homemade red sauce along with the pasta, although she said it was even better if you made the sauce over hours at a slow simmer. Fresh-baked bread was provided since there wasn't enough time to make it.

As her introduction came to an end, a man came in from a back room. He was younger than Carole, who I estimated to be in her fifties. He appeared closer to my age. He was tall and fit and walked with confidence to join her. She introduced him as Hutch. He'd be talking about the wine selecting and tasting process as we made our pasta, he informed us, so we'd be able to then try some with dinner.

As we got started, I made sure to pay attention and not leave it all to Micaela to do. I cooked more than half the time because eating out got old. There were various pasta-making attachments and tools at our stations. Carole explained what each was and the ones she thought were essential versus nice to have but not critical. Some were to make different shapes of pasta.

I was teasing Micaela about the shopping we'd have to do after this when I heard the guy behind us swearing.

"This is fucking stupid, Sandy. Why would you think this is fun? I want to go where they make and cook our goddamn food, not come here to waste my time watching you do it. If I wanted that, we could've stayed home, and you could've cooked, not that you can do that worth shit. How much is this costing? If you wanna try to learn not to make everything taste like crap, do it on your own."

The scorn in his tone, as well as his words, immediately ticked me off. If I'd been alone, I would've turned and smashed him in the mouth. He was lucky Micaela was with me. I didn't want anything to ruin our night, so I kept my cool. I had no idea if Sandy was his girlfriend or wife, but if she was either, she needed to dump his sad ass and find a good man. This joker wasn't one and never would be. He was loud, and the majority of the class heard him. Their nervous titters and whispers got louder right after he spoke.

I happened to be looking at my gorgeous date when he did. Her mouth tightened, and she rolled her eyes at me. As the class progressed and we carefully followed Carole step-by-step, my enjoyment grew with what we were doing. It would've been perfect if it wasn't for the jackass behind us. I thought maybe Hutch would say something to him, but he acted as if he didn't hear him. I wasn't sure why. If anyone should put a stop to it, it should be him. It wasn't like he was a lightweight compared to the guy. He was one of the instructors. Therefore, he could eject people, I would think.

The third time Mr. Obnoxious got loud and berated the woman, I could hear the tears in her voice as she softly begged him to stop. As much as I didn't want to spoil our night together, I had to say something. As I was turning to confront him, Micaela beat me to it. Her hands came to rest on her hips, and her scowl was fierce.

"Listen, the rest of us came here to have an enjoyable time and learn. You're destroying that with your obnoxious, belittling behavior. If you can't shut up, why don't you leave? And honey, I'd get as far away from his ass as possible. There's no way the sex or money is good enough to put up with his shit. You can do so much better."

Her sassiness not only made me smile but also made me want to kiss the hell out of her. There was fire in her, and I knew I needed that in the woman I ended up with. My smile was wiped away, though, when he turned his beady gaze on her and verbally attacked my woman.

"Why don't you shut your fucking mouth? You think because you have some wanna-be biker standing next to you that he scares me or can protect your ass? He doesn't and can't. Buddy, bring your bitch to heel before I do. She needs to learn a woman's place—in the kitchen or on her back with her trap shut."

Rage filled me within seconds. As I took my first step toward him, a hissing dynamo passed me.

"I don't need him to scare you or protect me from the likes of you, jackass. I can do it myself. He doesn't have little dick syndrome, so he doesn't feel the need to diminish me. You're taking your insecurities out on a woman who's too damn good for you. But in your case, even a damn mangy dog is too good. An attitude adjustment is what you desperately need. I know my place, and it's more than in the kitchen or on my back."

As she told him off, his face grew redder and redder with anger. His fists were clenched, and I knew he was about to blow. As much as I enjoyed her standing up for herself and the other woman, there was no goddamn way I'd let her be hurt.

"Shut that fucking whore up!" he snarled at me.

"Make me," she snapped back, thrusting out her chin.

"Babe," I cautioned softly.

"I'm watching him," she responded just as softly. She never glanced away from him.

"Hey, I think everyone should calm down," Hutch said from several feet away. He seemed super skittish and concerned. I wasn't sure if it was about the disruption or if he was afraid to say anything.

"He needs to go. I don't know how you couldn't hear what he's been saying to this poor woman. It's terrible," Micaela insisted.

Sandy was bawling at this point. Before I was able to get to her, the guy whom I'd heard her call Tav lashed out and backhanded her in the face. She cried out as she fell back on her ass. I lunged over the table and grabbed him by his shirt before yanking his ass over it to my side of the table. Micaela hurried over to Sandy. I gave the no-good piece of filth a hard shake.

"You don't lay your hands on a woman. How about we see how you like it if someone backhands you in the face?" As I asked him this, I let go. I couldn't be seen as the one to throw the first punch, although I guess hauling him over the table might be construed as that.

He took a swing at me, just as I knew he would. I ducked it easily, and then I backhanded him the same way he had Sandy. It might not seem like I did it hard to an observer, but I did. And it just so happened I had on one of my rings. It had the Ares's logo on it. His head whipped ninety degrees, and a cut marred his cheek. I got satisfaction out of marking him.

The noise was deafening as the others began talking, protesting, or crying. Hutch was sputtering and trying to be heard. I knew he was attempting to make us stop, but it was too late for him to accomplish that. He should've stepped the fuck up sooner. With as many men in the room, you'd think that more than just Micaela and I would stick up for poor Sandy. If I'd placed a bet one would, I would've lost my money. They all cowered against the walls. Pussies. My girl had more balls than all of them combined.

Tav came at me again. Not bothering to smack him again, I did something worse. I treated him as if he were nothing more than an annoyance, a pesky fly. I sidestepped him at the last second, and he barreled into our workstation. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Micaela had helped Sandy to her feet and moved her a distance away. Carole was hovering and handed the poor thing an ice pack for her cheek.

Quickly, I latched onto his arms, yanked them behind his back, and then jerked them high, putting pressure on them and making him feel pain. He cried out. I kept him pressed down on the table. He was spitting mad and swearing a blue streak. The whole class had come to a grinding halt, which was the last thing I wanted. I leaned over him and put my mouth close to his ear.

"You have two options. You can settle down and leave so the rest of us can get on with the class. The other option is you can keep acting like a fool, and I'll take you outside where we can talk. The first gets you no more than a cut cheek. The last one may see you spending time in the hospital. It's your choice. What's it to be?"

"You can't threaten me! I'll have you arrested, you piece of biker trash. You and your biker whore can go to hell," he snarled.

I guessed he wasn't gonna take the easy way even before I gave it to him. Also, I knew I had to move fast. Without a doubt, someone in this bunch had already called the cops. I had no idea how long it would take them to get here. This wasn't Tenillo, so I didn't have an in with the department. They'd likely throw my ass in a cell and let him walk. I hated the thought and the fact it ruined our date.

Micaela slid over to stand next to me. She was glaring at Tav. Softly, she spoke to me. "The cops are on their way. Those idiots called them. If you're gonna beat him smart because, let's face it, you can't make him more stupid, then get it done. I'll stay here and run interference as long as I can. Sandy said he's a guy she's been dating for almost a year. This isn't the first time he's humiliated or hit her. They live together, but she can go to her mother's. I told her she couldn't go with him. He'll kill her."

"Probably. Why don't you get her to call someone to come get her? I'll take the trash out. I'm sorry, babe, but you're gonna have to call Dragon or Vicious to come get you. I'm spending the night in jail, no doubt."

"Like hell you are. You do your thing and let me do mine," she said as she winked.

I had no idea what she was talking about but decided to ask later. Tugging Tav's upper body off the table, I grabbed the back of his neck while keeping his wrists together and pushed high between his shoulder blades. I pushed him toward the entrance. I was somewhat taken aback when Carole ran ahead and held the door open. She gave me a tentative smile.

"Thank you," she said.

"You're welcome. Sorry to disrupt the class, though. I was enjoying it."

"I'm glad you stopped him. He was so out of line. That poor girl. You can come back for a makeup class, free of charge."

"I can't do that. Your boss won't like you giving away money."

"Lucky for you, I own the place then, isn't it?" Her smile grew bigger. Grinning back, I nodded and then took him outside. I marched him behind the building. It was late, and most stores around us were closed. I let go of him and shoved him away simultaneously to put distance between us.

He reacted the way I knew he would. He came careening toward me. His fists were raised. Now, in a lot of cases, guys his size rely on their muscle mass during a fight. In those instances, they win not due to superior skill but by pure might. He was slightly bigger than me, but unfortunately for him, his size wouldn't help him. I picked up by the way he moved that he was no real fighter.

On the other hand, I knew how to fight. The regular matches my brothers and I had in the ring at the compound helped hone the ones I'd picked up in the Army. I wasn't undefeatable, but he wouldn't be the one to do it. He was bellowing as he charged me. I let him come and kept my body relaxed and my arms at my sides. When he was close to me, my fists came up, and I gave him a one-two combo. The first blow landed in his stomach, and the second on his jaw. His head flew back, and he stumbled back a couple of steps.

He blinked, and I noted what an eye-opener it was for him. He hadn't expected it. I stayed where I was. There was no need to go after him. He'd keep coming to me. Men like him didn't learn, no matter how many times they did something that didn't work. I was right. After recovering, he charged me again. This time, he was watching my fists, so when he got close enough, I used my foot and lashed out, landing a front kick to his knee. His body buckled, and he went down hard on both knees.

"Fight like a man, cocksucker," he roared at me.

"I am. I can't help you have no clue how to fight and are a pussy."

He didn't bother to rise to his full height. Instead, he came up to his feet, then while still bent over, he rushed me with his head down, making a noise like a bull. Rolling my eyes, I waited again, and this time, I raised my knee and drove it into his face as I grabbed the back of his head and shoved it down. The crunch was loud. He screamed in pain and dropped on his ass. He was clutching his face as he continued to holler. I stood there and let him. As he began to quiet, I informed him of a few details.

"Tonight was my first date with that beautiful woman in there. This was supposed to be fun. She was so excited when she found out what we were doing. She loves to cook. Do you have any idea how pissed off I am that it was wrecked by a loudmouth, obnoxious piece of shit like you? Do you? I'll tell you. I'm so fucking angry that when the cops come and they haul us both in, I'll spend my time working out how I'm making you pay when I get out. You won't know when or where, but I'll come calling, and when I do, you'll get what I promised you. A stay in the hospital."

"If you do, I'll just tell the cops and have your ass put back in jail."

"No, you won't."

"Why not?"

"One of two reasons. One, I'll make sure you can't tell them. I'll take your tongue, and before you say, you'll write it out, not if you have no fingers. Cut those bitches off, and there goes that option. That's what I'll do if you only tick me off some."

"What if it's more?" he mumbled before gagging. I had no doubt blood was pouring down his throat from his broken nose.

"If you make me lose my temper, I'll make that seem like child's play. The torture will be ten times worse, last ten times longer, and in the end, you'll never be seen or heard from again. This is Texas. There's a lot of space and places one can just go poof."

Finally, it started to sink in. He was understanding he'd fucked with the wrong man. Would I truly do those things? Sure, if he harmed my club, those we loved, or someone innocent. Would I hurt him for destroying my date with Micaela? No, I wouldn't, but he didn't know that. Wanting to capitalize on his growing fear, I added one more thing.

"If you ever go near Sandy, contact her in any way, or mess with her friends or family, she'll call me. My club and I will come hunting, Tav, and ensure you can never do it again. Understand?"

He was still on his ass. He nodded his head vigorously. The wail of sirens caught my ear. Great, here comes the po-po. It had been a while since I'd been in a cell. It wasn't something I ever wanted to repeat, but I probably didn't have a choice.