“When do you want to see me?”
“How about dinner tonight?” A soft smile crept over her face as she said, “I can order Chinese, and we can watch a movie with the boys.”
“Sounds good.” I stepped back over to the bed and leaned down and gave her another kiss on the forehead. “I’ll see you tonight.”
I wasn’t a man who’d ever believed in happy endings or any of that bullshit. Happy wasn’t something I ever thought I could be—not in this lifetime, but as I left Frankie’s place that morning, I found myself wondering if I might’ve been wrong. It was certainly looking that way. This thing with me and Frankie was just getting started. I had no idea how it’d go, but I was looking forward to finding out.
Chapter 18
Frankie
I don’t know what I was thinking when I agreed to go with Roman on a memorial ride with his brothers. I’ll admit I was tempted to turn him down. I’d never even been on a motorcycle before, and on top of that, I’d only met a couple of his brothers. While they seemed okay, I was a little terrified of making a complete fool of myself in front of all the Sinners and their ol’ ladies. However, hearing the pain in his voice when he talked about his fallen brother and how the ride was their way of paying tribute to his life made it impossible for me to refuse.
He came to the house a little early so he could run through some of the basics of riding. I was still feeling a little out of my comfort zone after we made the short ride over to his clubhouse and eased in behind a large group of bikers. Even with all the side glances and snickers from his brothers, Roman was all business as he made his way to the middle of the pack. I didn’t say a word. I simply smiled and held on to Roman’s sides for dear life, trying not to act like I was totally freaking out—which I was. There were just so many of them, and they were all wearing their club jackets and dark sunglasses which made each of them look ominous. It was overwhelming, but at the same time, it was so very cool. We were surrounded by all these big motorcycles, each with their own style and colors, and I could feel the thunderous roar of their engines vibrating through my chest. Every time we passed a car or someone walking on the street, they’d all stop and stare at us with a look of fear and intrigue.
When we came up to a red light, Roman glanced back over his shoulder and asked, “You doing okay back there?”
“Yeah, I’m good.” I ran my hand across his back. “What about you? You doing okay?”
“Doing just fine.” He reached down and gave my thigh a gentle squeeze. “Like having you on the back of my bike.”
“I like being on the back of your bike.”
“Well, aren’t you two just the cutest fucking thing,” the guy next to us teased.
“Mind ya business, Country!”
“Now, we both know that shit ain’t gonna happen.” Country chuckled as he said, “Not when my boy Widow is over there acting all sweet.”
Before Roman could respond, the light turned green, and we took off. I thought that would be the end of it, but Country wasn’t ready to give it up. He eased up beside us and slid his glasses down his nose, pretending to check me out. When we slowed at the next light, Roman inched his bike closer to Country, then said, “I know you’re still on the mend, but that doesn’t mean I won’t kick your ass.”
“Alright, alright,” Country threw up his hands in surrender with a chuckle. “You win.”
I wasn’t exactly sure where we were going until the group started towards the State Park at Oak Hill. I’d been there many times. I loved hiking the trails at Radnor Lake. With its scenic route around the lake and all the different picnic areas, it was the perfect place for a last ride. When we got up by the lake, the guys pulled in to one of the rest stops. Everyone was somber and quiet as they got off their bikes. Without saying a word, Roman took hold of my hand and we followed the others to the water. Once we were all gathered around, one of the older men stepped out in front of the group. He was tall and muscular with a fierce expression, and like many of the others, he was covered in various tattoos.
As he held up the urn of ashes, he said, “Badger. We wanted to take this moment to thank you for your dedication to the club. You would’ve made a hell of a brother.”