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Edge, the Sargent at Arms of the Rugged Skulls MC, also known as Ledley Best. The man who once held my teenage heart in his hands and filled my dreams with hope and hot fantasies, even when I was sixteen.
When I was eighteen and ready to give him my first time, and tell him that I was going to the community college in town, he crushed me. He made sure I walked in on him screwing one of the Rugged Reg’s one night. He told me that I was a little girl, and if I wanted to be with him, I needed to learn how to handle a man like him; I needed to become a woman first.
That night was the last time I saw him— well, that’s a lie.
I knew I had to forget him.
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Synclare
Bending backwards,I stretch my back out, feeling a million times older than my actual age of twenty-two. Whoever said packing your apartment up was fun and exciting needs a swift kick to the balls or vag.
Today is the day I pack up the place I have called home for the last four years. It’s strange to be moving back home, even more so doing it a week early, hence the mad rush to get it all done now.
Cory and Rupert are taking boxes down to mine and Cory’s two trucks because Cory is moving home with me. He got himself into a little scuffle a few nights ago. His face still bears the cuts and bruises.
“I need a vodka— or ten,” he bitches, when he walks back inside
I laugh, and so does Rupert and Honey. They are both our roommates. I was in a dorm room during my first year here, with a girl who loved the color pink and everything glitter. That gets everywhere, and I mean everywhere. I hate the stuff. I met Honey on my third day. We hit it off straightaway, and here we are four years later. Our second year, we decided to move off campus and found this place. Honey knew Rupert and Cory were looking for a place to move into, so it was a win-win for us.
In the beginning, I thought the boys were a couple, but Rupert told us he was straight, and Cory, his cousin, was gay. The pair have always been more like brothers, though. We’ve had an absolute blast over the last few years and have gone through the ups and downs of life at college.
We’re all each other’s unpaid therapists.
Now we start new journeys. Rupert is off to New Zealand with his girlfriend, to hike and make memories; Honey is off to nursing school in New York; and Cory and I are going to Fort Lauderdale. Me to expand the family business, Logan’s Ridez, and Cory is planning on opening a towing company.
Cory may have a slight feminine flare about him, but he has a hard-on for hard work, and he doesn’t shy away from any manual labor either.
“Quit the bitching. You get to go home with Syn and ogle all the bikers down there,” Honey chimes in, as she places fresh drinks on the table.
I quickly down the glass of iced tea, wetting my suddenly dry throat at the mention of bikers. It has been four years since I last saw the biker who ripped my heart out, stamped all over it, and then fed it to the sharks.
Edge, the Sargent at Arms of the Rugged Skulls MC, also known as Ledley Best. The man who once held my teenage heart in his hands and filled my dreams with hope and hot fantasies, even when I was sixteen.
When I was eighteen and ready to give him my first time, and tell him that I was going to the community college in town, he crushed me. He made sure I walked in on him screwing one of the Rugged Reg’s one night. He told me that I was a little girl, and if I wanted to be with him, I needed to learn how to handle a man like him; I needed to become a woman first.
That night was the last time I saw him— well, that’s a lie. I saw him a few days later, when I was leaving. He looked terrible, with dark circles under his eyes and his hair a matted mess. But I knew I had to forget him.
The very last time I saw him was when I went home one time, nearly two years ago. He and River were working on his bike outside the shop. I don’t think he knew I was home. He was wearing his typical dark brown biker boots and jeans and had no shirt on. Sweat covered his body, and his hair was up in a man-bun. He was looking fine.
To say I rubbed one out that night is an understatement. He may have hurt me, but I’m also a hot-blooded female who likes hot boys and very much appreciates a hot man when she sees one. And let me tell you, Edge is one hot mofo.
“They’re alright.” I shrug.
“Just alright? Woman, I have seen photos of them online, and believe me, they are more than ‘alright’,” Honey retorts.
“I mean, have you seen the one that wears a baseball cap? I’d do him,” Cory pipes in. He’s talking about Rookie. I wonder if he got himself an old lady, if any of them have.
“Oh, the one with the long, dirty blond hair. I would love to hold onto that while he eats mine,” Honey says, and fans her face.
My fists clench when Honey talks about Edge. I have never wanted to throat punch my best friend as much as I do right this second. Someone coughs, and my gaze snaps to Cory. He frowns, looking at my hands and then back to Honey, before shaking his head.
He’s letting me know I’m in kill mode and I need to stop before I actually throat punch her.
I pout, and he giggles, covering his mouth with his hand. Poking my tongue out at him, I walk over to Honey and flick her forehead, making her flinch away from me. The boys burst out laughing.
“Nope. No bikers for you, or anyone. Stay away.”
“Ow! What was that for?” She rubs her head and I smile sweetly at her, before moving over to the suitcases that still need to be taken to my truck.
“No bikers. They are trouble— hot, but a load of trouble. Your vag can have any other man it wants—, it already has.” I wink at her and she fake gasps. Yeah, Honey is a hooker and proud of it.
“Why should the men get all the fun? A woman should be able to sleep with multiple men and be left alone, but noooo, in the messed-up society we live in, I get called a hooker. Well, I for one will gladly wear the title as long as the climax is worth it.” She blows me a kis and walks down to her room to grab more boxes.
“Love you, woman,” I call out after her, and she returns the sentiment.
“Right, all my things are packed. So, is there anything else I can help you guys take downstairs?” Rupert asks. I point to the suitcases, and he nods.
“Just those from me, thanks.” I walk through the whole four-bedroom apartment and make sure we’ve packed everything up. It’s taken us nearly a week to get everything done, but over the last couple of days, we kicked things into high gear just to get out of here.
Knowing I’m leaving fills me with excitement and nerves, but there’s a bittersweet feeling layering that. I’ve loved being here with my friends, doing whatever I want. I know I can do that back home, but I also know I will feel like I’m being watched by my dad and brother.
My nerves are mixed with excitement about seeing Edge, though I know I shouldn’t be feeling this for him. He hurt me, and I need to keep him at arm’s length. I just pray that when he smiles at me, I can hold firm, because that man’s smile can melt panties within a ten-mile radius and no woman would care.
When I moved here to start fresh, I told River I didn’t want to hear about Edge. I knew it would hurt to hear about him dating and even finding an old lady and starting a family. Just thinking about it now makes my stomach hurt.
I place my hands over my stomach and try to calm some of the uneasiness, but it doesn’t work. Sighing, I take one more look at my room, and walk out, slowly closing the door behind me.
When one door closes, another one opens, as they say. Well, I hope my new journey is a good, smooth one. I am over unwarranted drama, and I hate girl dramas. I’ve had that enough here at school.
After joining everyone in the open-plan kitchen, we all stand in a circle and hug, holding each other together like we have for the past four years. Our heads are bowed and touching, and we stand in silence for a few seconds.
“Okay, enough of this mushy thing. You’ll make me cry and ruin my perfect make-up,” Honey says, her emotions clogging her throat, matching how I feel.
Cory wipes his tears away, and Rupert uses the heels of his hands to rub his eyes. Today is bittersweet for all of us, but I know we’ll stay in touch.
Rupert clears his throat. “Right, I’d better hit the road.”
“I’ll miss you.” I hug him tight. “You make sure you look after that girl of yours,” I tell him, even though I know he will.
“No more than two,” he states.
He moves on to Honey and Cory before he quietly leaves.
“My turn,” Honey says, crying. “My make-up is messed up anyway.” I pull her in for a hug and hold her tight.
“I will miss you— so much.” My head is buried in her neck, and hers in mine. We stand there for a few minutes, just holding on.
“You’ll miss my clothes and me doing your hair,” she tells me, and I nod, smiling through the tears.
“And holding her hand when she has more ink.”
“True. True. Right, I’m out, bitches. Take care on the road. No more than two.”
“No more than two,” I return, and so does Cory.
That little saying means we can’t go more than two days without texting or calling. It’s something we all agreed on, and I know none of us will break it, so close is the friendship we have.
Cory holds me as Honey walks out of the apartment with dramatic flair, flicking her hair over her shoulder like she’s walking a red carpet.
“And then there were two,” Cory whispers. I hold him closer, even though he towers over me, like most people do. I’m barely over five-foot, so I’m short to everyone.
“Come on, let’s hit the road. The sooner we’re away from this place, the quicker we can put the last few days behind us.” I pick up my phone, keys, and purse, before heading to the door.
I watch as Cory looks around once more, his face showing how sad he is that this adventure is over. Picking up his own keys, he meets me at the door. We both walk out, and I lock up for the last time.
Turning the final page of this book is hard, but I’m looking forward to starting the first chapter of my new one. Onwards and upwards, as my dad says.
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