The Biker's Past: A Cold Steel Motorcycle Club Romance Novella Read Online Free PDF Page B

to an end. His eyes had dropped from mine, were staring down at his lap.
    “ Jesus. H. Christ,” Alicia said from the corner. I snapped my head back to her, giving her a death glare to end all death glares. She covered her mouth with her hands and turned to Becky, who rolled her eyes and grabbed Alicia’s arm, pulling her towards the door.
    “ Sammy, we’re gonna be right outside, okay?” I was thankful Becky was there to keep Alicia in line. It was obvious, at this point, that I was in no real danger from Boon, and that we needed the time alone. If Becky hadn’t been there, though, Alicia would have stuck around just to watch everything play out. The door closed quietly behind them.
    “ And here it is, now, after all these years. You know, it’s fucked, Samantha. It’s really fucked. I finally…I met you. You were amazing, and beautiful, and you lived in the one place on earth I knew my father would never return to. I didn’t think anyone would recognize me. I thought I could disappear. I thought I could…”
    He seemed to lose steam as he spoke, deflating even more than he already was with each word. I reached out, not even thinking about it, and grabbed his hand. It felt warm in mine. It felt familiar, like I’d held it a million times before. He looked up at me.
    “ Samantha, you’re not the only reason I came here. I mean, you are, the main reason. I could have gone a lot of places, I guess, but I chose here. For you. But…I want out. I love my boys, I love the club, but I can’t deal with my father anymore. He’s running it into the ground. He’s gone rogue. I want out before he really hurts someone. Before…before my mother, it was all pretty harmless. I mean, sure, drugs and money, but no one…no one got hurt hurt. Now it’s like…it’s almost like he’s trying to leave a string of bodies behind, no matter where we go.
    And I’m scared of him. I’m scared to leave…so is everyone else. None of us agree with the way he’s running things, but we’re all too damn scared to do anything about it. I thought, maybe, if I came here, where he wouldn’t follow…I could start over. I could be a new man. I could maybe try to do something good with my life.
    But it’s not in the cards, Samantha. This will follow me. Forever. Wherever I go. I’m fortune’s fool.” He was speaking quickly, almost as though he needed to say it all fast or else never say it at all. It was like just saying the words scared him; I could see the anxiety in his eyes.
    “ You’re a good girl, though, Samantha. You don’t deserve to get dragged down into my…my mess. Go home. Go home to your mother and father and your pool and your friends and college. You have everything in front of you. Don’t let me take that away,” he said, closing his eyes and pulling his hand away from mine. I could feel him drawing away, into himself, shutting me out.
    “ No. Come with me. We’ll talk to Daddy, we’ll tell him everything, he’ll help you, he will!” I blurted out, desperate for him to return from whatever dark place he was going. If he wanted to escape, start over…if he just told Dad, we could help. Dad might not like the idea of Boon, but I was sure that if he could just think of Boon as that 12-year-old boy in that hotel room, he would change his heart.
    “ Your father will shoot me right between my eyes if he ever sees me near you again, and you know it. This is it for me, Samantha. I have to go back to L.A. I have to face my father or…or just keep going. For as long as I can. No matter what he asks me to do…”
    Boon’s voice trailed off, his eyes distant and glazed. I reached out for him again, but he pulled back even further. I didn’t know what to do. I’d never had to comfort a man like him before. I could only think of one thing. Reaching up to the straps of my tank top, I started to pull them down, my breath coming heavy. Boon looked up, shook his head.
    “ Please, don’t. I…fuck, I want you, but