I Dare You To Meet Me
Chapter 40

I was in Hades’ office as I gawked at a brown woman with honey eyes sitting cross-legged in one of the chairs in front of the desk.

Her legs were sheathed in light jeans with light brown knee-high boots and a grey blouse with half-arm sleeves, the waves of her hair reached just below her shoulders, and her soft, mischievous face was perfectly made up in neutral tones.

I was having breakfast with Hunter and the rest of the crows when Demon had informed me that Hades requested my presence in his office, of all the things that crossed my mind as I walked there, this was the only one that never crossed my mind.

-Can you repeat what you said please, I think I’m still asleep”. I said in a half voice and the woman smiled sympathetically at me as she stood up and clasped her hands in mine.

-I said, you are as beautiful as the last time I saw you. And that you may not remember me because you were a tiny little thing when I held you many years ago, but my name is Cara Saxton and I was your mother’s best friend and I am also your godmother.

Faint memories of a soft-spoken woman taking me to the park with my mother when I was little came flooding back. When we moved to Russia my mother had tried so hard to leave her whole American life in the United States because it hurt her so much to think of what she had lost, but still she had been unable not to tell me several stories of her wild adventures with the only true friend she had ever had.

The woman who stood in front of me looking at me with a special gleam in her eye.

The emotion brought a lump to my throat and before I could process it I threw myself into her arms squeezing her like she was my favourite childhood cuddly toy.

But more than anything it was my happiness to replace a person so important and dear to my mother that I had heard so much about.

-I’m sorry for everything that happened to Anabella and your grandparents, I never went to Russia while you were growing up because your mother didn’t want reporters to hound my life for being part of her social circle and when they died it took me almost a month to replace out, I started looking for you like crazy but as I wasn’t a resident and had no proof of my friendship with your mother other than a couple of old photos I wasn’t allowed access to the files to determine your location”. He said and his voice went several tones louder.

His words echoed in my head.

She was looking for me, when I was alone in the damn orphanage.

When I thought no one cared about me.

In reality she was doing what she could in a foreign country to replace me.

Obviously, she didn’t succeed, but her confession…

I had never been forgotten, there was always someone who cared even if they didn’t know it.

I wonder how different my story would have been if my mother’s best friend, and godmother, had arrived in time, if she had been able to bring me back to the United States and I had grown up with her while waiting for me to come of age to receive my mother’s inheritance. I’m sure the loss of my family would have been a little more bearable.

But I would never have met Niko or the boys.

I was grateful to replace a person my mother considered family, but at the same time I was also grateful that I hadn’t done it sooner, that those three years of hell had forged me into the person I was today.

And I was proud of who I had become and who I would become in time.

So I hugged the woman who was a few inches shorter than me for a few more moments before I let her go, and though she was not biologically related to my mother, something in her eyes and in her smile reminded me of her.

Hades cleared his throat and I remembered that he was still there, I squeezed my godmother’s hands one last time before we both took our seats in the appropriate chairs. I silently admired the picture behind my father that was the logo of the club and that covered the huge hole in the wall that was there before.

When the hell did he put it there, I had no idea, but I liked it.

-The reason Cara is here is because she’s the trusted person who makes sure we follow your mother’s will. Which, let me tell you, you are doing terribly since you never noticed my daughter’s disappearance. Hades said reproachfully, his emerald eyes narrowed accusingly.

But my godmother raised her eyebrows as she crossed her arms and looked at him haughtily.

-You should be honoured that I believe you honest enough to carry out the little Russian’s last wishes without having to watch you 24/7. He defended himself and my father grunted his disagreement.

-Whatever, aside from that fact. She’s also the only one who can finish the will clause ahead of time…”.

-Which I told you I’m not going to do,” Cara interrupted again and earned an irritated look from Hades, but she turned to me sympathetically, “I know anyone in their right mind, (except your mother), would want to get away from this control freak as soon as possible, but Anabella made it very clear that she wanted you two to have a better relationship. Hang in there for a few more months and then you can kick his a*s and go back to Russia if you want. He said sympathetically.

I couldn’t help it and laughed at my father’s offended expression.

-How I was trying to explain to you,” Hades got into it angrily making my godmother look at him again, “Natasha will stay and live in Los Angeles, the only reason I had my brothers chasing you all over the city is because my daughter wants to move in with her partner,” A grimace when he said that, “Which I’m still not very convinced of, but that would save me the temptation to wring my Vice President’s neck every time I see him too close to her. Especially at night. I mumble that last bit under my breath, making me laugh even harder.

My godmother’s eyebrows arched as she looked at me in surprise.

-Is that true Tasha,” she asked and I nodded, grateful that at least she called me that instead of my full name, “Wow, and I thought your mother was the only crazy one who put up with all this shit. She waved her hand around, taking in the space around us.

A snort from my father.

-Excuse me, do I need to remind you how you ended up in bed with Bullet for almost a year, it’s been thirteen years, and you still chased him around like a lost puppy looking for its owner. My godmother’s face filled with embarrassment and now it was I who looked on in astonishment.

She and Bullet, really, of all my father’s bikers I didn’t think my mother’s best friend would be interested in him, who was relatively quieter than the others.

The two of them kept fighting and picking on each other to the point where the vein in Hades’ forehead throbbed as if it had a life of its own. Seeing them like that made me wonder if my mother and father had a similar relationship.

Since I doubted that anyone would be able to scream their faults in the face of the dreaded Prez of the Black Ravens, either my godmother was an amazingly brave person, or she was used to dealing with Hades.

-I’m sorry to interrupt your discussion, but can we please get back to the purpose of this conversation. I jumped in when I saw no intention for either to stop.

Both adults remained silent as they challenged each other with their eyes. Meanwhile I settled back in my chair as I folded my arms.

-Well?” I pressed after a few moments, “Will you two stop acting like a couple of hormonal teenagers or do I have to wait any longer? It was my godmother who broke eye contact first to look irritated.

Hades smiled slightly proudly and I felt like smashing my palm against my face.

-Tasha,” Cara began to tell me seriously and my amusement disappeared, “I understand what it’s like to get excited about a new world like this, the thrill, the adrenaline, the adventure, it consumes you, it calls to you. I saw how your mother, a woman who lacked nothing and had the world in her hands, let it all go just to get into all this- Her eyes rolled around the room- But there are more things out there that you don’t know yet and that you should do before you jump into a motorbike club. It’s not something you can regret or walk away from if you decide in the end it’s not what you were hoping for, are you sure this is what you want for your life, for your children’s life? She finished as she intertwined her fingers and laid them on top of her legs, very aware of my reaction.

I was tender at how concerned she seemed, people on this continent will never really have any idea what my life has been like for the last three years.

But my godmother only wanted the best for me so I couldn’t blame her for trying to convince me to think twice before I made a rash move.

Advice that came a little late into my life but was appreciated nonetheless.

So I didn’t hesitate to smile at her as I replied.

-I know it’s crazy, I know it sounds rash, I know it might not make sense to you. But ever since my mother and grandparents died- No matter how many times I say it, the pain of their loss will always make me stumble when I mention it- The only thing I’ve ever dreamed of having back is a family. And it’s unbelievable but I’m sure I’ve found one here, I’ve felt so lonely for so many years, so abandoned, so forgotten- A glance in the direction of Hades who looked deathly pale- But that’s over, I’m not going to let my past poison my present and prevent me from having a future. This is what I want and what I will do, I fell in love with a biker who belongs to the California Black Ravens, and there’s no other place I’d rather be than by his side.

A smile full of love and understanding appeared on Cara’s face before she nodded in satisfaction.

Sometimes that was what love was.

Taking a leap of faith into the void with your arms outstretched, hoping there’s a safety net at the bottom ready to catch you.

Or in my case.

Hoping that a big crow would fly in and save me before I hit the ground.

(…)

I spent almost an hour in my father’s office talking to Cara and Hades about the time they went to university. Suddenly I found myself immersed in the anecdotes of how my mother had fallen in love with the big green-eyed biker who thought he was a Greek God as his nickname.

It was fun to hear my mother’s emotions in those moments, things that she could never tell me directly but that were not lost because her best friend lived them with her. And while they were not the same person, there is no better person on earth right now who understood my mother as well as Cara did.

So I lost track of time until a knock on the door brought me back to reality, Hunter appeared as Hades gave him permission to come in. My onyx-eyed biker walked confidently into the office, his face full of his trademark seriousness.

When he got to where I was he bent down and gave me a k**s not for the faint hearted that made my father growl angrily, separating us I gave a look to Cara who gawked at my man, like a fish out of water her lips opened and closed as she examined him up and down.

Satisfied with the result she turned to me and gave me a proud look with a wink of her eye and a thumbs up in my direction that made me laugh.

-Ah, so this is the reason you want to break the will early,” said my godmother with amusement, her honey eyes fixed on Hunter who continued to look at her expressionless, “I think I’d want to be away from my father too if I had a hottie like that by my side,” she made a gesture throwing air in her face as if she was heated, “If there’s one thing I can say that you and your mother had in common it’s your taste for men who scream danger from miles away,” I concluded with a half smile, “I’d like to be away from my father too. I conclude with a mischievous half-smile.

-Excuse me? Hunter asked hoarsely as he looked at my godmother, his confident smile faltering under the inspection of the raven’s dark eyes.

I hastened to take him by the hand to divert his attention from the now nervous Cara.

-Hell, this is Cara Saxton, my mother’s best friend and my godmother. The only family I have left of hers. I put emphasis on that last sentence with the warning sweating from my pores.

But my biker only smiled slightly at me with innocence as if he was an innocent little lamb who never does anything.

I rolled my eyes and tugged harder on his fingers, eliciting a whimper from him.

-It’s a pleasure to meet my wife’s family. He said after seeing me ugly for my aggressiveness.

-Your wife? My godmother asked with arched eyebrows.

Hunter nodded very seriously as he let go of my hand and hugged me from behind.

-Mia. He repeated as he caressed the seam of the property waistcoat I was wearing.

Cara followed the direction of his fingers and realization struck her face as she turned her attention to the garment, then looked at my father with shock and awe.

-He has not even been with you a year and you allowed one of your own to give him his letters? he said with astonishment.

My father snorted, rolling his eyes as he crossed his arms over his chest.

-It’s not like I was asked, but I’d rather he gave her a waistcoat, so I know what his intentions are, besides Natasha knows what she’s doing, at her age her mother was already with me and waiting for her. Which is not a complaint or a suggestion- He hurried to make it clear as he looked with cold determination at his VP- I am too young to be a grandfather, if you want in ten or fifteen years it would be fine-. He finished and now it was me who almost choked on his saliva.

Grandchildren, children, please?

I was hardly going to be able to live in the same house as my man and my father was already thinking about making him a grandfather.

I shook my head slightly and turned to Hunter for support. But he was deep in thought with a longing gleam in his eye that made me frown.

Ah no, definitely not, no way.

Not for at least another three years minimum.

-Don’t even think about it anymore. I warned the biker and he looked at me puzzled.

-Think about what? I opened my mouth to answer but shook my head when I felt Hades and my godmother’s attention on us.

-We’ll talk about this later. I said and he nodded, then turned to look at his Prez and his countenance changed to a more tense one.

-King communicated with Demon, he wants us to meet. I informed him and my father looked at him curiously before turning to look at my godmother and me.

Cara clicked her tongue and jumped to her feet.

-I’ve been here long enough to know that’s our cue to disappear. Come on Tasha, let the boys go back to playing with their bikes, we have a lot to talk about. She determined and both crows looked at her as if they could burn her alive for her joke.

I laughed, pleased to meet someone capable of teasing them so lightly and stood up as well. I gave my man a k**s on the cheek and waved goodbye to Hades before leaving the office with my godmother.

We both headed for the kitchen as I hadn’t finished my breakfast and she hadn’t started hers. We stole the leftovers the bikers had left and sat at the table to eat while the sweet asses cleaned up around us.

We chatted about various trivialities getting to know each other until the subject of work came up.

-What are you studying? I grimaced as I took a sip of my coffee, “What are you studying?

-I’m not studying, when my mother died my family’s accounts were frozen and I was sent to foster homes, and as you can imagine they didn’t have enough money to send me to university. I said and she dropped her fork with a loud clatter.

-That’s idiotic, they really didn’t let you study, your mother saved in a specific bank account since you were born for your studies, that money was always supposed to be available for you no matter if you were still a minor, didn’t they ever tell you that? I asked indignantly and my brow furrowed with my mind working at full speed.

-Are you sure? I asked hesitantly, but my mother’s best friend rolled her eyes as she nodded.

-Your mother came up with that idea when she was what, seven, eight months pregnant, since then she earmarked some of her money for your future, and I know because I accompanied her to the bank and to the lawyer myself. She assured me and my hand clenched the cup tightly.

That stupid lawyer, first thing tomorrow I’m going to make sure he can’t practice again in his life.

-Did he do the bill here or in Russia? I asked after a few seconds of analysis.

-Here… Ohhh. He said as we both understood, mum never moved that savings account to Russia where we ended up moving, and if my own father, her husband, hadn’t found out about my mother’s death, what hope was there in an American lawyer whose client disappeared for almost ten years? Anyway, you should go and get him to give you access to that bank account, I know you already have several from your grandparents but it wasn’t a small amount, and money is not given away to anyone.

I nodded seriously and wondered why the lawyer Seitz didn’t tell me anything when I saw him in his office.

-Seitz is the lawyer who represented Mom here, isn’t he? I asked her to make sure but she gently denied as she continued to eat.

-Seitz, our college roommate Seitz, you must be confused, your mother’s lawyer’s name is Roger Peterson. He corrected me but now it was my turn to deny.

-No, the lawyer from Russia sent me to Seitz’s office to read my mother’s will. He was the one who informed me about everything and who gave me access to my entire family legacy. Didn’t you know, after all you are in the will? I asked curiously but my godmother looked away embarrassed.

-Yeah well, I, uh, I was a bit busy that day, and I didn’t answer the call, I just listened to the voice message telling me that it was time to fulfill Anabella’s last wish, it was an unknown number but I assumed it was from the lawyer so I didn’t question it, I came here and saw them a couple of times but after the first month I stopped doing it.

I arched a curious eyebrow as to why she stopped coming but I didn’t dare to press when I saw her so uncomfortable.

-And you, mum said that you went to the same school but she didn’t tell me where you studied? I asked changing the subject to which the brunette gave me a grateful look.

-I studied and graduated as a civil engineer and later I got my degree in architecture. I confessed and the alerts in my head woke up.

-Really, that’s amazing! I exclaimed excitedly and the ideas in my head started to come to life, “Do you think you can help me with something? I asked, remembering that I had to set up a Kozlov’s Inc headquarters from where I could control my company here in the United States. Otherwise I would be stuck travelling between countries from time to time.

Cara looked at me intrigued and grimaced for me to continue as she took a sip of her juice.

-I need a construction expert…”. I began to tell her about my situation.

And so what started as an informal breakfast ended up as a job proposal and a door into the business world.

My godmother listened attentively to every word as she gave me her point of view on several occasions and helped me with various doubts I had. Before she left in the late afternoon she assured me that she would introduce me to the contacts I needed to start all the paperwork such as the legal permits to practice in this country along with several other things, as well as making sure that she would talk to the lawyer Seitz to release me from the remaining year of my mother’s will.

When I was left alone, I returned to Hell’s room, where I did some research while I caught up on what was going on in my family’s business.

Which was a task that threatened to break my stamina and break my bones.

Despite the fact that Kozlov’s Inc. was and still was one of the most powerful companies in Russia on which the country’s economy depended heavily. Over the years and after some of my family members had been in charge, the quality of the company had declined a lot.

It was obvious to anyone who looked at it that the success of the company lay in having a Kozlov running it.

The board members were really useless all this time.

I mentally complained as I made plans and proposals to repair various damages that had arisen thanks to their bad decisions. Other than that I looked up marketing, international relations and business management courses online and made sure to sign up for several.

I would love to be able to graduate from a normal university and get my degree but at least this year I couldn’t do it, maybe next year but we’ll see.

The stability of my family’s legacy mattered more to me.

God only knows what will happen to my grandparents’ company if their useless partners stay in charge of it any longer.

I was almost falling asleep reading a particularly boring report when the bedroom door opened.

Hunter walked in with his body covered in sweat and several splashes of b***d, apart from his busted knuckles.

Instinct urged me to stand up immediately to check him thoroughly for further injuries, but my self-control anchored me in place and only got me moving to go to the bathroom and get out the basic first aid kit I knew every room in the club had.

When I returned to the room Hunter was sitting on the edge of the bed without his waistcoat or black t-shirt, his torso completely naked and dirty.

His gaze followed me all the way across the room until I was kneeling in front of his legs. With all the care and gentleness I was capable of, I took out the things I needed before carefully taking one of his hands and cleaning his wounds, which was not new to me, as I had done it countless times before with the boys.

I cleaned with hydrogen peroxide ignoring his hissing and growling, then put some ointment on him and made sure to bandage him carefully, then brought his wounds to my lips and left a soft k**s on top of them.

Hunter’s eyes locked with mine and our gazes said more than all the words we could have said.

After a few moments I put away everything I had used and stood up to return it to its place, Hunter’s hand grabbed my wrist preventing me from leaving. Gently but determinedly his grip made sure to keep me in place.

His thumb traced circles on my skin making my b***d tingle and warm. Slowly I set the locked first aid kit on the floor, and confidently approached Hunter sitting me so that each knee brushed the outside of his thighs. His hand let go of my wrist but took hold of my waist.

My arms wrapped around his shoulders and neck as my fingers caressed the nape of his neck, little grunts coming from his lips as my face moved closer to his.

His onyx gaze didn’t leave mine until we were close enough for our breaths to mingle, and even then I couldn’t close my eyes when the tip of his tongue lined the edges of my lips, causing me to half-open them in welcome.

But my biker didn’t k**s me like I wanted him to, like I hoped he would, he didn’t take my l*p between his teeth and pull on it, he didn’t k**s me until my soul was out of my cavity. No, Hunter leaned in a little and his lips barely made contact with mine, caressing me, tickling me.

When his lips repeated the torture of my lips on my sensitive skin of my chest I began to writhe, but I was never more aware of the difference of our strength than at that moment. I had laid this man down a few times before, I had put him on his knees, but it was a matter of technique and skill, because in those seconds I was unable to escape from the huge man who held me between his heathers while he played with my harness.

I wanted to rock my back and forth, but Hunter’s meno wouldn’t let me, I wanted to stretch my chest against his, and again he wouldn’t let me, I let out a rise of excitement and frustration.

-Hunter. I m****d in a husky voice.

-Mhhmmm. He continued kissing and kissing, pulling up my blouse just a little bit leaving the top of my breasts and you saw him.

-I stopped playing. I pulled him back and his face lifted from the centre of my chest looking at me with his eyes flashing l**t.

-Who’s playing with you doll, I’m just enjoying the sweet sebum of your skin, it’s better than any candy I’ve ever tasted- An amused gleam crossed his face- Besides, I have to take advantage, I can’t always enjoy my taste without you protecting me, you’re the best I’ve ever had- He said before taking a playful bite of my nipple and through the TV.

-I said as I breathed in. I said as my breathing quickened even more.

Maybe I’d end up doing it anyway.

But unlike all our previous times, in this Hunter took his time, his time to k**s me, to k**s me, to tear me apart, to tell me how beautiful you are, to make me writhe as much as he could without opening my wounds by touching me.

I know without him telling me, that that night he gave up all his self-control, his limits, I know because even though his body seemed to have an iron grip, his black eyes grew softer and softer every second that we weighed together.

That night, when the man in my video told me that there was no woman more perfect to be with him than me, I saw the stars while I was having s*x.

I have never been someone’s month and feel good about it.

Because my heart, my body, my soul and everything belonged to Hunter. Just as every inch or inch of his being belonged to me.

Our story is something that will belong to my grandchildren, and they will belong to them and their grandchildren, and they will belong to them and their grandchildren, and we will be forgotten by every generation.

But it’s okay, because everyone can forget about us, but I will never forget the onyx-eyed biker who taught me that video is more than surviving the day and day. Not in this video, not in the next, not in any other.

In the middle of the night when our bodies no longer resisted and we fell asleep, it was the first and only night I dreamt of my mother and grandparents since they died.

(…)

The brise moved my hair and held it in front of my eyes making it difficult for me to see him, I looked around and found myself in the small stone cemetery that I was carrying and in the middle of a picturesque two-storey building.

There was a small garden at the front of the house, where among the grass there were toys hidden amongst the real engine parts, the front of the house was painted in white with small details, a rocking chair was on the porch of the house and on the side of the house a set of Herley Davidson motorbikes with paint and game were lying dormant side by side.

My heart recognised the path my feet made, when I crossed the jumper and arrived at the door I saw that it had three holes of three different sizes and three different colours of leather.

Una de mi pedre Demien White, une de mi medre Anebelle Kozlov, y une míe Neteshe White Kozlov.

My least ehore edultes ecericieron les merces del umbrel del hoger de mi infencie, después con decisión girire le perille y le cese que hebíe olvidedo, le cese que estebe escondide en el algún luger recóndito de mi memorie brillo con más fuerze que nunce.

Cede detelle, cede pinture, cede mueble, cede decoreción, cede erome.

Everything is right where it belongs.

I was eight years old when my mother ran away to keep us safe, I was still too young to understand the magnitude of what I was weighing, but I wasn’t a baby to remember my childhood.

That’s why I was always a mystery as to how I didn’t remember any details of the Bleck Revens, but as I was walking through the forest, my eyes devouring every centimetre, the images hit me hard one after the other.

Images of my father riding me on his motorbike for the first time, or of me running through the clubhouse, or of my mother closing me in her heather as she introduced me to her brothers, or of my grandfather Adem Zeus ordering him and the prospects to keep me entertained as he took me to a meeting at the clubhouse.

Everything came back to me, as if a lock had been unlocked, but when I arrived in the dining room, my heart was beating, I was afraid that if I had been awake, I would have been disarmed.

I let esceper otre rise incrédule while I clung to his presence.

-We love you and we will always love you princess. My grandfather confidently confessed.

-We will also be there when you need us most, even if you don’t know we are there. He continued.

And I closed my eyes, I turned my back on him a thousand times, and the feeling of being far away from him was still far away.

-Don’t ever leave me. I implore while trying to cling desperately to their presence.

-It’s your turn to live, so live, live for all of us little Teshe, we always knew you were destined for great things in life. My grandfather Adem finished, his voice a distant echo in my ears.

-I promise femilie, I promise to be happy. I shouted hoping to be heard.

My eyes widened, brightening my surroundings, half expecting to replace myself still in the dining room, surrounded by my wife, but still naked, in the den of the Bleck Revens’ clubhouse, entangled in the bushes and heather of a deeply sleeping Hunter.

I’m sure I don’t know where he starts and I start. His shuddering breath assured me that he was still descending, and I didn’t know what revelation he must have had.

So I just stood there, watching his muscular chest rise and fall, after a few minutes where I just looked at him, I could not help but to surround myself, I curled up even closer and closed my eyes.

He murmured in his sleep and sighed, satisfied to have me with him.

I went back to sleep listening to his heartbeat.

Knowing that for the rest of my days I would go to sleep just like that.

Being loved, loved and respected.

And I love, love and respect this enormous man.

And I said it once and I repeat it.

There is no better place to stay than among the heather of my biker.

The end.

They brushed my corner, then the corner, then my lower l*p, and my mouth tingled for his. But he wouldn’t let me connect them in the hungry way I wanted. Electric currents lingered where he stroked, one of his hands left my waist and held my face still where he wanted it. He nuzzled my neck with his nose, tracing the curve all the way to my collarbone, his cold breath laughing at my burning skin.

When his lips repeated the torture of my lips on the sensitive skin of my chest I began to squirm, but never before had I been so aware of the difference in our strength as I was at that moment. I had knocked this man down a couple of times before, brought him to his knees, but it was a matter of technique and skill, because in those seconds I was unable to escape the huge man who had me trapped in his arms as he toyed with my sanity.

I wanted to rock my h**s, but Hunter’s hand wouldn’t let me, I wanted to bring my chest closer to his, and again he wouldn’t let me, I let out a laugh of excitement and frustration.

-Hunter. I m****d with a hoarse voice.

-Mhhmmm. He continued kissing and licking, tugging my blouse just a little bit leaving the top of my breasts exposed.

-Stop playing. I scolded him and his face lifted from the centre of my chest looking up at me with his eyes flashing l**t.

-Who’s playing doll, I’m just enjoying the sweet taste of your skin, it’s better than any treat I’ve ever tasted,” An amused gleam crossed his face, “Besides, I have to take advantage, I can’t always caress you to my liking without you scratching me, you’re pretty wild most of the time if you haven’t noticed,” He said before taking a playful nibble at my nipple through the fabric.

-You bastard. I said as my breathing quickened even more.

-You love this bastard, doll. I answer, no mockery, no hesitation, no doubt.

Just the raw truth.

-Yes, I love you. Now get rid of the damn clothes or when I return to my faculties I’ll handcuff you to the bed for a week and I don’t care if my father or the club needs you, then we’ll see who’s making fun of who. I jokingly threatened but the image of Hunter handcuffed to the bedside while I ran my tongue over every spot on his body made me go crazy.

Maybe I’d end up doing it anyway.

Hunter growled a laugh and brought his face back to mine.

-Whatever the princess commands. His breath hit my nostrils.

-You bastard. I repeated and at last he kissed me as I wanted.

Time stretched like chewing gum, there were only the two of us and all the sensations we caused each other by our closeness.

My biker turned us over carefully, as if I were a glass statue he was afraid to break with his big hands, he gently laid me down. His fingers did the same slow and quiet as his lips, the clothes were disappearing just as I had asked.

But unlike all our previous times, this time Hunter took his time, his time to caress me, to k**s me, to taste me, to tell me how beautiful I was, to make me squirm as much as he could without opening my wounds craving his touch.

I know without him telling me, that night he defied all his self-control, his limits, I know because although his body seemed to have an iron grip, his black eyes grew wilder with every second we spent together.

That night, when the man of my life told me that there was no woman more perfect to be with than me as he made love to me, I saw the stars.

I saw the stars, the moon, the sun, and the whole damn Milky Way.

Tears of realization escaped my eyes, Hunter made sure to catch and wipe each one away.

Why so, trapped in a world I detested during my adolescence, in the arms of a controlling man, in a country that remained unknown to me.

I had never been so free.

I had never been so me.

I had never been someone else’s and felt so good about it.

Because my heart, my body, my soul and everything belonged to Hunter. Just as every inch or inch of his being belonged to me.

Our story was something I would tell my grandchildren, and they would tell their grandchildren until some generation forgot us.

But that would be okay, because everyone could forget us, but I would never forget the onyx-eyed biker who taught me that there was more to life than surviving the day to day. Not in this life, not in the next, not in any other.

In the middle of the night when our bodies no longer resisted and we both fell asleep, it was the first and only night I dreamt of my mother and grandparents since they died.

(…)

The breeze stirred my hair and blew it against my eyes making it hard to see, I looked around and found myself on the small stone path that led to the entrance of a quaint two-storey house.

It had a small front garden, where among the lawns lay abandoned toys among various engine parts, the front of the house was painted white with yellow accents, a rocking chair sat on the front porch and on the side of the pavement a pair of Harley Davidson motorbikes with matching paint rested dormant side by side.

My heart recognized the path my feet made, as I crossed the yard and came to the mahogany door that had three different sized handprints of three different colours of palms.

One of my father Demian White, one of my mother Anabella Kozlov, and one of me Natasha White Kozlov.

My now adult hands caressed the threshold marks of my childhood home, then decisively turned the knob and the house I had forgotten, the house that was hidden somewhere in the recesses of my memory shone brighter than ever.

Every detail, every painting, every piece of furniture, every decoration, every scent.

Everything was right where it belonged.

I had been eight years old when my mum ran away to keep us safe, I was still too little to understand the magnitude of what was happening, but I wasn’t a baby not to remember my childhood.

So it was always a mystery to me how I didn’t remember any details of the Black Ravens, but as I walked around the room, my eyes devouring every inch, the images hit me hard one after the other.

Images of my father riding me on his bike for the first time, or of me running through the halls of the clubhouse, or of my mother carrying me in her arms as she introduced me to various siblings, or of my grandfather Adam Zeus ordering the prospects to keep me entertained while a club meeting took place.

It all came back to me, as if a lock had been unlocked, and by the time I reached the dining room my heart was beating so fast that if I had been awake I would have fainted.

Our square glass table for eight, covered with the hideous tablecloth that Mom swore was vintage pistachio-colored, was filled with classic Russian and American dishes.

On one side sat my parents, Dad had one of his arms on the back of Mom’s chair while he held a French fry in his mouth with the other. Mum was talking to my grandparents who were sitting next to her wearing the most casual clothes I had ever seen them in, next to my grandparents and across from my parents sat my grandfather and me.

He was trying to convince me to eat my vegetables while a five year old Natasha refused to try anything but meat or carrots.

Dad laughed at Grandpa’s failed attempts while Grandpa shot him poisonous looks, Mom and the others ignored the problem as they went about their dinner as if it was the most normal thing in the world.

I stood a few feet away, enjoying the family moment as it unfolded. My ears enjoyed every laugh, every gesture, every voice, every movement, and in the blink of an eye things changed.

The five-year-old Natasha disappeared, and now everyone at the table was looking at me, waiting for me, inviting me to join them.

-Tasha, are you planning to stand there all day? Mum spoke to me in her mellifluous tone that I loved so much.

-Leave her alone, she’s probably waiting for Hell. My grandfather Adam replied and my father along with my Russian grandfather rolled their eyes in irritation.

Earning a nudge from my grandmother and mother.

-I like that boy, you can see the love in his eyes every time he looks at you. My grandmother says and her smile warms my soul.

-He’s a great man, grandma, everything you wanted for your granddaughter. I answer at last with feelings stuck in my larynx and mum claps her hands excitedly.

-Where’s your waistcoat, Tasha, you know you’re not supposed to go out without it. My grandpa Adam chuckles and a giggle escapes my lips as I shrug my shoulders.

-I can’t believe my only granddaughter got trapped in the same biker world. But your grandmother is right, sweetheart, the love that boy has for you can compete with the love I have for your grandmother, or your father’s love for your mother. That’s the kind of love that’s worth it.

-I still can’t believe I let my VP keep my baby, remember Natasha if I see you even a little bit hurt by that son of a bitch I’m going to knock his teeth out with one punch.

My father mentioned, but mum gave him a pinch that made him jump in place making me laugh along with everyone at the table.

My laughter turned to tears and I went into despair as I tried to calm down.

-I’m sorry, I’m so sorry. I said between hiccups.

-Princess, don’t be sorry, we’re fine, we’re all fine. Mum comforted me as she leaned her head on my father’s shoulder.

-But I miss them so much. I confessed in a half-voice and my whole family stood up to surround me in an embrace full of family warmth.

-We are always with you Natasha. Dad said.

-You’re our little meatball. Mum continued.

I let out another incredulous laugh as I clung to her presence.

-We love you and we will always love you princess. My grandfather confidently confessed.

-We will also be there when you need us most, even if you don’t know we’re there, sweetheart. Grandma continued.

And I closed my eyes, the room spinning a thousand times and the feeling of being further and further away absorbing me.

-Don’t ever leave me. I pleaded as I tried desperately to cling to their presence.

-It’s your turn to live, so live, live, live for all of us little Tasha, we always knew you were destined for great things in life. My grandfather Adam finished, his voice a distant echo in my ears.

-I promise family, I promise to be happy. I shouted, hoping they would hear me.

My eyes widened in alarm, scanning the environment around me, I half expected to replace myself still in that dining room, surrounded by my family, but instead I was naked, in the bedroom of the Black Ravens clubhouse, tangled in the sheets and arms of a sound asleep Hunter.

He held me so close that I didn’t know where he ended and I began. His quiet breathing assured me he was still resting, oblivious to the revelation he’d just had.

So I just lay there, watching his muscular chest rise and fall, after a few minutes where I just admired the comfort that surrounded me I snuggled even closer and closed my eyes.

He murmured in his sleep and sighed satisfied to have me with him.

I fell back to sleep listening to his heartbeat.

Knowing that the rest of my days I would go to sleep just like that.

Being loved, wanted and respected.

And loving, cherishing and respecting this huge man.

And I said it once and I repeat it.

There is no better place to be than in the arms of my biker.

The end.