I Dare You To Meet Me
Chapter 26

-How many times do I have to tell you to make it clear? But you and I have nothing pending. I say seriously but curl my toes.

F**k, after a morning and an afternoon as stressful as the one I’ve had, the idea of a f**k with several o*****s is very tempting.

And even more so if you get them from this black-eyed biker, right Tasha.

-You’re wrong princess, there are a lot of things we’re going to clear up right here and now. Hunter says with his thick voice and without waiting for an invitation he approaches me, I step back and he enters my room closing the door behind me with a soft click.

He reloads that body full of muscles and ink on this one and I stand there in the middle of my room, I feel strangely naked before the hungry eyes of this man and my heart beats in a hurry.

Damn it, why am I reacting like this, it’s not like it’s the first time I’ve been alone with him.

Tasha Control.

-Don’t you have anything more important to do? I blurt out but he doesn’t answer me, he just keeps looking at me with that desire-laden gaze. I must admit that I have been thinking about what he told me last night and I might believe him.

Besides I could hardly concentrate on the meeting with the architect when the taste of the biker’s lips kept coming to my mind.

-What are you doing? He finally asks and I take a quick glance at the desk where my notes and laptop are open. Balances and ideas from the bar in full view. I tense up as I imagine how my father sent him here to replace out about my supposed job.

I almost roll my eyes, biting my l*p in disappointment.

-None of your business. I say curtly and his gaze follows the same path as mine. But he doesn’t stay at the desk for long, he shakes his head and takes a couple of steps closer, I stay where I am, refusing to give him the satisfaction of pulling me back. Again.

-No, I mean me. Us. What are you doing? He says, and I frown, heat rushing to my core as I hear him say we.

-Us? There is no us, don’t get confused Hell. I say but even I hear my voice come out hoarse, the biker smiles a little and moves closer.

Close enough that now I have to raise my head to look him in the eye. And by the gods I almost lose myself in them, they’re so hot they look like two stones straight out of hell.

-Of course there is a beautiful us. There is an us since your eyes darkened with desire when you saw me watching you that afternoon at the bar. If I hadn’t known who you were, the night would have ended very differently for both of us. He comments and I swallow my breath, but I take a deep breath and muster my willpower.

-But I am who I am and I can’t change it, besides I would never have let you get that close, I told you I’m not interested in being with any biker. I let go and his head lowers until our noses almost touch.

I put my hands on his chest to push him away but he squeezes me in his arms.

-Liar,” he whispers against my lips and I’m struggling not to close my eyes and send it all to hell again, “I know you want my lips on yours again,” he says and pulls away from my face, but now his nose runs along the curve of my neck and a slight gasp escapes me- I know you feel the same electricity as I do when my fingers run over your skin- he leaves a small nibble on my collarbone and I make my hands fists on his playera- But I’m not going to touch you like that yet- he finishes by giving me a k**s on the corner of my lips and then he pulls away from my body.

I’m breathing heavily, feeling my body hot and shivering from the lack of his warmth. I blink several times to clear my head.

-I don’t do anything until one thing is clear to you Russian doll. And that is when I finally have you moaning under me, when my c**k is burying itself in that warm, wet place until it drives you crazy. When you lose your voice from how much you scream my name. It will be because you won’t be able to bear the thought of getting away from me. You’ll be so crazy about my a*s that you’ll beg me to take you to bed, or the couch, or the floor, or the wall, or whatever is at hand to relieve the tension in your beautiful p***y. He says and his words make my center moisten and my nipples squeeze annoyingly against my shirt.

Concentrate on what Tasha is saying.

Heeding my subconscious, I cross my arms and clear my throat as I look at him wryly.

-That won’t even happen in your dreams, biker, you were lucky this time but don’t even think you’ll ever get that close again.

-It’s a pity then, that I won’t be able to do this again.

He lets go and before I know it I have his lips on mine.

His mouth is warm, soft, wet, his teeth tug at my l*p and I m**n loudly. His tongue explores every inch of my being.

I am vaguely aware that he tastes b***d.

His hands move down to my buttocks and he squeezes them at will. My hands pull him in further.

He grunts something and increases the speed of the k**s, he gives me no respite, his teeth, his tongue, claim me. They punish me, biting and sucking my lips hard.

I feel the pressure of his e******n against my abdomen.

I am about to jump up to wrap my legs around his torso when he steps in front of me and lowers his hands from my a*s to the back of my thighs and lifts me up.

I don’t last long against his body as my back slams against the soft mattress. A small squeal escapes me in surprise but it doesn’t let me think long as Hunter’s hands bury themselves in my hair and pull it leaving my neck at his mercy.

His lips finally leave mine and move down my throat with rough, wet k****s and small bites.

M***s escape my mouth without being able to help it and I rotate my h**s as the discomfort increases.

The biker’s hands explore my body and soon replace their way under my T-shirt. He squeezes my breasts hard and plays with my nipples. I cry out loudly when I feel him sucking hard where they connect my neck and shoulder.

Then he plops off my skin and k****s me raw again. His hands stop torturing my breasts and pull away.

-So you have a reminder of what awaits you, beautiful.

He says over my lips as we gasp and I don’t understand what he’s saying.

He just pulls away from me leaving me like lava on my bed. I watch him stand up and comb his hair with his fingers. He straightens his clothes that I wrinkled and adjusts his pants.

-What the hell. I say stunned by the assault and annoyed by the interruption.

-See you around Tasha, try not to have wet dreams about me, pretty girl. He says and his body disappears through my door.

My breathing is heavy and my chest rises and falls in a rush. I close my eyes and try to calm the heat that runs through me.

-Stupid Hunter. I mumble through my teeth and then turn over and lie on my stomach. My head buries into a pillow and a scream of indignation comes out of me.

He raised his head and my eyes sparkle.

If that f*****g biker thinks he can come in here, say all those things to me, k**s me and make me horny and then just walk away, he’s got it bad.

Annoyed with myself for letting it get to that point I get up and look in my closet for one of the only dresses I have.

I get rid of my pajamas and slip it on, my stilettos that I lent America the other day give me height, I go to put on my makeup and fix my hair.

I do my makeup with deep black shadows. I line my eyes and put special care on my passion red lips. I make sure to put body gloss on my neck, neckline and shoulders. I don’t need blush as anger lights up my cheeks when I see the beginnings of a hickey near my throat.

I use concealer and as Sabrina taught me I cover it up.

I brush my hair vigorously and don’t give up until it shines natural.

I examine myself critically in the mirror, the dress really exposed a lot of skin, thin straps and a rather plunging sweetheart neckline, tight enough to make my breasts squeeze tightly and threaten to pop out. Clinging to my whole body and short to above my knees. An open slit exposed my entire right leg up to my upper thigh, and if I wasn’t careful, a little more. It was sequined black.

The glint in my green eyes and my breath only made me look more intimidating. I feel like Aphrodite about to punish a mortal.

I returned my gaze to the clock on the dresser and was disappointed to see that it was only 5pm.

I bit my l*p thoughtfully and they stung from how sensitive they were. Hunter had really taken it out on them.

I reached for my cell phone and called Trenton to put me through to America, I asked the blonde about the address of the club from last time and what time they were open. She told me that the doors of the One Shot were open as early as six in the evening. And that if I wanted to go out she would make a couple of calls so I wouldn’t have to wait in line, I would just have to give my name to the bouncer.

I thanked the little blonde and dialed Reykon to vent to someone.

The f*****g son of a bitch had a blast at my expense when I told him about the situation.

Laughter from his side and threats from mine passed the hour and I finally emerged from my room with the keys to my truck in my hand.

My heels attracted the attention of everyone I passed and more than one went flat on their face when they saw me.

Some totally fell over, others started coughing like crazy while many others just carved their eyes and then looked at me as if I was an apparition.

Whistles, grunts and all kinds of comments were made on my person.

Following a sixth sense that only an angry woman has, I walked straight to my father’s office knowing that there I would replace my prey.

When I arrived I could hear screams behind the door, what surprised me was the number and variety of voices.

With curiosity burning inside me I put my ear to the door and strained to hear something.

-…said Prez before! A man’s annoyed voice sounded and although it sounded familiar I couldn’t recognize it.

-I wanted to think I had put all that shit behind me but I was wrong and I’m sorry. I would recognize my father’s tone anywhere.

I frown, Hades apologizing for something, ha and pigs fly.

-With everything you tell us and what we just received that means your Old Lady and your in-laws…”. Someone says and I don’t finish listening to what they say but my heart skips a beat when I know they are talking about my mother and grandparents.

What do they have, I settle myself better to continue listening.

-They died in the accident that Tasha said, someone had them killed and succeeded. Hades says annoyed and I move away from the door as if it burns.

I stagger abruptly and my head spins.

I seek support from the nearest wall and my back is grateful for it as it doesn’t think it can support my weight. I close my eyes and bile rises in my throat.

Mom was murdered, grandfather murdered, grandmother murdered.

I shake my head.

No no no no no no no no no no no.

F**K NO.

The cop said it was an accident, I saw the f*****g file myself, I read it over and over until I learned it by heart.

This can’t be possible.

My head is spinning, and fear is choking me, as well as rage.

I want to go inside and demand an explanation for what I just heard. My hands tremble as do my legs. I inhale and exhale but I don’t feel oxygen entering my system.

The little girl who lost her family trembles and begs me to go away and cry. The teenager I’ve become demands that I beat the shit out of Hades until he tells me what the f**k happened to my family. And the woman I am just feels like she can’t control the pain and anger that threaten to break me down and asks me to do something before I lose myself.

I open my eyes and on wobbly legs I walk down the hallway to the exit, my ears ringing and tears stinging my eyes to get out. I don’t hear or see anything. I just want to leave, I need air, I need to breathe.

My body collides with another and I raise my face, Bruno’s eyes look at me with annoyance but then with concern when they read my expression.

-What the hell is wrong with you? He says irritated and I gasp like a fish.

-I can’t breathe. I say as best I can and break away from him as I continue on my way.

His hand grabs my arm and tries to pull me but I push him away and he ends up running to my Jeep.

I unblock it and jump in and then I drive out of the place burning a tire.

I see in the rear view mirror how Bruno gets out and looks at me confused, I don’t analyze the next thing my foot sinks into the accelerator.

I try with all my strength to concentrate on the road but it’s getting harder and harder. I look for my cell phone and curse myself because in my haste and anger I had left it in my room.

Trying to remember the address of the club I glide through the streets while sobs come out of my mouth, still not shedding a tear.

I give a prayer when I visualize the place, the entrance already has a line of at least fifteen people to get in.

I park the van as best I can and hide the keys in the tire.

My body hurries to walk to the gate, and when the guard stops me I say my name in a trembling voice, he takes a few moments but finally lets me in earning boos from the people in line.

I couldn’t care less at this moment.

Inside the place is almost full, and I know that at another time I would be surprised because it was just opening time. However I was in no position to philosophize.

I headed straight to the bar and ordered Jack Daniel’s, the guy serving me poured it without complaint and I finished the glass faster than it was poured and then ordered another.

Then another and another and another.

Glass handed to me, glass down my throat.

I lost count of the amount of alcohol ingested, but I knew I must have broken a record. I hadn’t let more than a minute pass between drinks.

When my head was no longer spinning from the news, but rather from the alcohol, I began to feel a little better.

Little by little everything was disappearing.

Mom, grandparents, Hades, Hunter, the Black Ravens.

It all went out of my head, leaving me with a warm feeling of loneliness.

Who knew loneliness would do you so much good sometimes?

A rather catchy song started playing and my head bobbed to the beat, my gaze on the dance floor and my heart stopped when I saw my best friend’s chocolate hair and brown eyes dancing like it was nothing. As if he had never left.

-Nikolai…”. I stammered and got up from where I was sitting, the last drink forgotten.

My friend smiled at me and held out a hand, his smile so bright and genuine, his eyes with that glint of mischief I remembered, my feet carried me straight in his direction stumbling several times.

But that didn’t stop me from reaching him, his hand took mine, warm skin that made me shiver, he grabbed my waist and made me dance with him, I closed my eyes and buried my fingers in his hair.

Oh my God Nikolai, you don’t know how much I missed you.

The whole dance floor was spinning, or maybe it was me spinning, it didn’t matter, I had my best friend in my arms, he was real, he had never died and now he was coming back to me when I needed him the most, just like he promised me he would always do.

Driven to ecstasy by his company I pressed my body tighter against his in search of his warmth, my head was unaware of how my friend’s hands went down from my waist to my a*s. Nor did I react when a strange pressure made itself present on my neck and then on my cleavage, more specifically on my breasts.

I stirred uneasily and strained to open my eyes, but it was all spots and specks around me.

-Nikolai, what are you doing? I asked or rather that was my intention as I wasn’t sure what my mouth had said.

F**k, I couldn’t feel my tongue.

Some hands colored under my skirt and caressed my skin, a strange conscience was calling me from the fog of my drunkenness, Nikolai would never touch me like that, we were practically brothers.

He tried to pull me away from my friend but his hands hold me and won’t let me, he growls something I don’t understand and his face comes closer to mine, I know he wants to k**s me. I blink and Nikolai’s face disappears and leaves me to see a stranger. His features are similar but he’s definitely not my best friend.

He turns his face and his lips fall on my cheek but they don’t stay there and explore the rest of my face.

-No, let go of me. I try to say and push him away, but my arms are too weak and I can barely feel them.

-Relax and enjoy, beautiful. He says and one of his hands slips completely into my panties while another one plays with my breasts.

Disgusted, I try again to pull away but I still can’t do it.

-Let me…”. I try to say but I can’t make myself understood.

Now heavy tears are streaming down my face.

Oh holy gods where have I gone.

I sob loudly but it is drowned out by the noise of the music. A sharp pressure on one of my breasts makes me jump in pain. I let out a little cry and cry some more.

Stupid, stupid, STUPID. Do something Tasha!

And with a little lucidity I raise my leg, crashing my knee against my assailant’s noble parts.

He breaks away and curses something between his teeth. I rush to break away from him and run off in any direction. I’m about to reach the hallway leading to the bathroom when a hand holds me back and I’m propelled against the wall, gasping in pain from the blow to my head.

-Not so fast, precious, I’m not done with you yet.

He says before his hands imprison my wrists against the wall, his lips seek mine but I squirm so he can’t replace them. Instead he lowers his head straight down to my cleavage and I curse myself for wearing this stupid dress.

-Let go of me! I scream as loudly as I can, moving harder but to no avail.

One of his hands imprisons both wrists while the other one pulls up my skirt. I cry with all my strength and lose hope of getting out of this hellish situation.

In spite of everything I had lived through I had never been raped, they had tried but there was always someone to save me. Not now, I had no one, and I could not be my own hero this time.

And I was the only one responsible for what was going to happen to me. Stupid.

Just as I was starting to reassign myself the guy’s body is forcefully pushed away from mine and I’m rushed to the ground.

-Don’t put your hands on my sister you filthy a*****e!

I hear them screaming and my shaking hands struggle to carve out my eyes so I can get a clear view of what’s going on.

And I start sobbing louder when I see Bruno in his club vest beating the shit out of the guy who had me cornered.

He doesn’t stop until the other guy falls unconscious on the floor and he still kicks him a few times. When he looks satisfied he stops and takes a shaky breath. I rub my eyes trying to clear my vision. Finally after what feels like an eternity he comes over to where I am and crouches down. His green eyes identical to the ones I see in the mirror every morning examine me fearfully.

-Are you all right, Tasha? He says with concern and I just shake my head while crying, I surprise us both when I put my hands around his neck and hug him tightly. He tenses for a few moments before hugging me back.

-Shhhh, you’re okay now, you’re safe. I’ve got you,” he murmurs against my ear but I just keep crying, “Can you stand up? He asks and I shake my head buried in his neck, he sighs and his arms stop wrapping around me to carry me princess style, “Let’s get out of here”.

He says and I couldn’t agree more with him.

Bruno leads me through the crowd to the exit, a bouncer gets in our way and blocks our way.

-I’m sorry, but the girl hasn’t paid for her drink yet. He says in a monotone voice and Bruno’s chest shakes with his growl.

-I’m Bruno White of the Black Ravens, send the receipt to the club. He says intimidatingly and the bouncer looks aghast when he finally sees the vest with the club’s logo on it.

He nods and apologizes as he walks away, leaving us free to go.

-Where are your keys, you’re in no condition to get on the bike? He asks and I mumble something about the front tire.

Bruno walks over to my Jeep and leaves me on the ground for a second while he looks for the keys. My legs and shaking and nausea from the alcohol, the news and what I just experienced causes me to fold in on myself and empty all the contents of my stomach.

The biker curses and hurries to pull my hair out of my face, I continue to expel liquid until there is nothing left to pull out.

My body trembles from the effort.

-That’s it? I nod, “Okay, come on, I have to take you home. He says and I deny frantically.

No no no, I don’t want to go there. I can’t see Hades’ face, not yet.

-No to the club, I can’t go to the club. I say haltingly but I know he understands me when he sees me confused.

-Then where am I taking you? He asks and I want to tell him the address of my apartment but he vomit leaves me weak, I rock on my heels and my eyelids start to close. -Damn it, don’t faint! He tells me but it’s too late.

The darkness calls me. And I answer delighted.

(…)

The aroma of coffee is what wakes me up, sneaks into my nostrils and makes me drool at the thought of a cup. But I discard the idea of ingesting anything when I try to move and strong dizziness forces me to stay still.

My temples throb hard, my eyelids feel heavy and I can’t open them, my stomach is resentful and I feel bile in my throat.

Gasps, grunts, curses and a string of expletives come out of my mouth. Memories of the night before come back to me like stones and shatter me like glass.

Hunter and his k****s, the conversation behind the door, Nikolai who wasn’t Nikolai, the guy who kept touching me and I couldn’t get away, Bruno saving me.

But only one has strength in my head, and that’s mom’s gray eyes and my grandparents’ wise smile. Even with my eyes closed I feel my heart break and I start crying, sobbing and sobbing. I worsen my headache every second I keep crying. But after so many years of not doing so it’s a key to a fountain I can’t shut off.

My hands replace something soft and I know it’s a pillow, I hug it and press it to my chest.

Mommy, mommy, mommy, mommy, mommy.

I can’t with the pain that tears me apart. I don’t know how I start screaming, I don’t know when Bruno enters the room where I am or if he was already here, I don’t know what to do with the information I have, I don’t know what he is telling me. I am too caught up in my agony.

My mother hugging me, my mother wiping my tears, my mother scolding me, my mother trying to teach me how to cook, my mother lifting me in her arms, my mother showering me with k****s, my mother defending me from criticism, my mother helping me put on my makeup, my mother singing barefoot around the kitchen, my mother making a chocolate cake, my mother crying with pride when I won my first academic competition.

My mother pale, eyes closed, her face bruised, serene, still, dead.

The pain is replaced by something bigger, something I know better than the palm of my hand. Something that ignites like a flame and ends up choking like a bonfire.

Revenge.

My screams drop in volume, my tears stop, my sobs slow down. My head seems to want to split in two, but it is nothing compared to the pain in my chest. With a willpower I don’t have, I open my eyes. It takes me a while to get used to the light coming through the windows.

I don’t recognize where I am, it’s a clearly masculine bedroom, the walls are navy blue, and various photos, posters, and shelves with books or collectible figures are stacked. A closet, a desk, a screen, a computer, armchairs, nightstands, a fan, piles of clothes all over the place. And my stepbrother cuddling me on top of a bed with black satin sheets.

-It wasn’t an accident, it wasn’t, they were murdered. All these years, someone planned it, they wanted to hurt us, and they took everything from me. They took them from me, they took them away from me. I say stammering and Bruno separates from my body when I am calmer.

-What do you mean? He asks me and looks at me with doubt, my eyes are fixed on his and I feel how hatred runs through my veins.

-My mother, my grandparents. Hades said it last night, they were killed. They killed them, and I’m going to kill them. I say and it sounds like a promise rather than a threat. Bruno is surprised and gets up from the bed to walk in circles around the space that I assume is his room.

-Your mother and grandparents are dead, since when, what happened?

He asks and I swallow saliva to lower the lump in my throat that comes out every time I touch the subject.

-Hades didn’t tell you anything about me, where I come from, who I am,” I ask and he denies. I ask and he denies, I curse my father.

-I didn’t know anything about your existence until a few days ago when I saw you at the club. Then when I asked my father for explanations he told me that the only thing he had to know was that you were his daughter and that the rest was none of my business. He tells me and I drill him with my gaze.

-For someone who had no idea who I was, it seems to me that you had a rather formulated opinion of me. I say in a harsh tone and his cheeks light up as he looks away.

-I don’t expect someone like you to understand my reasons. He finally mumbles and I almost jump on his neck.

-Why the hell did you save me last night bro? I ask through gritted teeth and my hands hold my head.

-You were in a bad way yesterday when I saw you running away from the clubhouse, and I know it would hurt Gael if something bad happened to you. He says and I let out a small laugh.

-You could have told someone, but you went after me. And speaking of, how did you replace me, as far as I remember I didn’t have a cell phone on me.

-I tried to look for my father but several brothers told me he was in a very important meeting and could not be interrupted. I wanted to call you but I didn’t have your number, so I called your friend America, she was the one who told me where you were going to be. So I took the bike and followed you because I didn’t have time to waste.

He snorted a little but smiled in her direction, it was a sad, cold smile.

-You went to too much trouble to save my a*s even though you hate me. I say bitterly, “Do you have some water please, and a couple of aspirin would be nice too. I ask when I can’t anymore.

Bruno nods and walks out of the room leaving me alone.

What are you going to do now Tasha?

Find them, track them, kill them.

I gently lower my hands and lose myself momentarily in the texture of my skin, in the lines of my fingers, in the calluses on my palms, in the patterns of my nails. So white, so clean, so smooth. I had never murdered anyone in cold b***d.

Because I was indirectly responsible for the death of the sore loser who ended Nikolai’s life. And more than once I had beaten up guys who messed with my friends. On one occasion I put a guy in a coma who tried to backstab Reykon. Another time I got into a fight where I got badly hurt but left two idiots who had tried to abuse Sabrina writhing on the floor in a pool of b***d. I had gotten in the way so a bullet wouldn’t hit Ivan.

Hundreds and hundreds of wounds, broken bones, useless organs, shattered families, broken lives. And yet, I had never tightened the noose enough to make someone depart this world, had never seen the light disappear from their eyes, as they took one last breath. I was many things.

A bitch, a bad daughter, a fighter, a bad girl, a dreamer, a liar, a victim, an aggressor, a survivor.

But not a killer, or at least not yet.

My mother’s warm smile, my grandfather’s strong hugs, grandmother’s k****s.

My hands shook as I clenched them into fists until my knuckles turned white.

Yes, I was definitely going to be able to kill them. And I would do it, I swore on my mother’s grave, even if I spent every coin of my family’s fortune to replace them, even if it took me decades to track them down, even if I lost myself in the attempt.

I was going to spill their b***d, and I would enjoy it.

Bruno returned to the room and handed me a glass of water with a bottle of pills, I thanked him quietly and took two. I finished the liquid and my throat was grateful.

I put the glass aside and saw my stepbrother standing in front of me with his arms crossed, looking at me seriously. I don’t know if he was able to see the change that had come over me, the new purpose that had settled from my heart.

-What, why do you see me like this? I say and sound more abrupt than I intended. In spite of everything, I was grateful to him for saving me.

-I was thinking we got off on the wrong foot and I’d like to remedy that.” He lets out a sigh and relaxes his shoulders as he gives me a sort of grimace that I assume is a smile. “Hi, nice to meet you, my name is Bruno White, I’m twenty-one years old, I’m a prospect for the Black Ravens MC in California. I have a ten year old little brother named Gael, I live with him and my mother Isadora-.

He answers and holds out his hand to me as a sign of peace, a way out, a bond. That is what he is offering me.

I remember all the hurtful words and his rudeness towards me since he met me. How his prejudices and opinions made my b***d boil.

But there are bigger enemies and problems to solve right now.

So with a sigh and not very convinced I shake his hand.

Let’s start from scratch. What could go wrong?