Boundaries
1521 Words
(Ridge)
Mira was lying to me.
Not outright, maybe. But she wasn't telling me the whole truth either. I could see it in the way she'd answered my questions earlier. "The truth. Mostly." What the hell did that mean?
I sat at the bar eating food I didn't really want and tried to figure out what to do about it.
Dane had talked to her today. I didn't know what was said, but whatever it was had Mira even more on edge than usual. She wasn't telling me everything.
Something was going on. Something bigger than just needing a job and a place to stay. I could see it in the way she answered questions without really answering them. The faint yellow marks on her wrist that I'd noticed when she handed me my water.
Someone had hurt her. That much I knew. The question was what I was going to do about it when I didn't even know the details.
I watched her move around the bar. She was good at her job. Quick, efficient, didn't take s**t from anyone. She handled herself well with the customers. She didn't need me to fight her battles.
But I wanted to anyway.
That was the problem. I wanted to know everything about her. Wanted to find whoever hurt her and make sure they never got close to her again. Wanted to keep her here in Crosswell where I could see her every day.
That wasn't normal. I didn't get attached to people like this. Didn't bring women around my family. Didn't spend my afternoons sitting in a bar just to watch someone work.
But here I was.
Mira brought me a refill on my water without me asking. Our fingers touched when I took the glass and she pulled her hand back fast. Like she'd been burned.
"Thanks," I said.
"No problem."
She walked away before I could say anything else.
Yeah. She was definitely keeping her distance.
I finished eating and pulled out my phone. Had a few messages from Dane about tonight's church meeting at the clubhouse. We had business to discuss. One of our security contracts was up for renewal and we needed to vote on expanding into the next county. The club made good money running security for local businesses and events. Legitimate work that kept everyone paid and the law off our backs.
I texted back that I'd be there at eight, then put my phone away.
Around five, the evening crowd started coming in. Weekday regulars, mostly. Guys getting off work who wanted a beer before heading home. A few couples. Some of the younger club members.
Crash walked in and sat two seats down from me.
"Prez," he said, nodding with respect.
"Crash."
He ordered a beer from Mira. She brought it to him without making eye contact. Smart. Crash had been warned once already about getting handsy. He didn't need another warning.
For a while, everything was fine. Crash drank his beer. I answered some emails about an upcoming job. Mira worked the floor.
Then Crash ordered his fourth beer and things started going wrong.
I noticed it when Mira walked past him to clear a table. Crash turned to watch her. Not just looking. Staring. The kind of stare that made my hands curl into fists.
Mira ignored him. Brought the empties back to the bar and started washing glasses.
Crash finished his fourth beer and ordered a fifth.
"Don't you think you've had enough?" Mira asked.
"I'll tell you when I've had enough, sweetheart."
"Don't call me that."
"What should I call you then? Baby? Darling?" He grinned, his words starting to slur. "How about the president's old lady?"
I was off my stool before I realized I'd moved.
"Crash," I said. My voice came out flat. Dangerous. "Time to go."
He looked at me, and for a second I saw the brother I knew. The one who respected the patch and the chain of command. But the alcohol was talking louder.
"Come on, Prez. I'm just having some fun."
"No, you're drunk. And you're bothering her. So you're leaving."
"I paid for my drinks."
"And now you're done drinking them. Get out."
Crash's expression changed. The respect slipped. "You're really going to kick out one of your own brothers over some girl?"
"I'm kicking you out because I told you once already to keep your hands and your comments to yourself. You didn't listen. And right now, you're disrespecting me and her."
"I didn't touch her."
"You were about to."
We stared at each other. The bar had gone quiet. Everyone watching to see what would happen. The other club members in the room were watching too, waiting to see how I'd handle one of our own stepping out of line.
Crash looked at Mira, then back at me. The drunk confidence was making him stupid. "Everyone can see it, Prez. You want her as your old lady. Just claim her already and stop pretending."
"Walk away, Crash. Right now. While you still can."
"Or what? You going to kick me out of the club because I said what everyone's thinking?"
I moved fast. Grabbed the front of his vest and pulled him off the stool. Got right in his face.
"You've got two choices," I said, keeping my voice low enough that only he could hear. "You leave now, sober up, and we discuss this at church tonight. Or you keep running your mouth and I guarantee the vote won't go your way. Your call, brother."
That got through. The mention of church, of the other brothers voting on his behavior, sobered him up fast.
Crash's eyes cleared a little. He realized he'd gone too far.
"Yeah, okay. I'm going." He pulled away from me. "Sorry, Prez. The beer's talking."
"Tell it to the club tonight. Eight o'clock. Be there."
"I'll be there."
He left without another word.
I turned to look at the rest of the bar. "Anyone else have a problem?"
Silence.
"Good. Drink up."
The noise started again. Conversations picking back up. People going back to their pool games and their beers. The other club members gave me nods of respect. I'd handled it right.
I sat back down at the bar. My heart was going too fast. Adrenaline making my hands shake.
Mira was staring at me.
"You didn't have to do that," she said.
"Yeah, I did."
"I could have handled him."
"I know. But you shouldn't have to." I picked up my water. "He's been warned before. He knew better. And he's one of mine, which means it's my job to keep him in line."
She was quiet for a moment, then looked me straight in the eye. "Why do you want me to be your old lady?"
The question caught me off guard. Direct. No dancing around it.
"Who says I do?"
"Crash did. Just now. In front of everyone." She crossed her arms. "So why?"
I could lie. Could tell her Crash was drunk and didn't know what he was talking about. But she'd see through it.
"Because I do," I said simply.
"Well, it's never going to happen."
She said it with certainty. Like it was a fact. Like there was no possibility of anything else.
I looked at her for a long moment. Saw the walls she'd built up. The fear hiding behind the attitude. The way she was already planning her exit before things got too real.
"We'll see," I said.
Her eyes widened a little. Like she'd expected me to argue or try to convince her. But I wasn't going to do that.
Time would convince her. I would convince her. Not with words, but with actions.
"Ridge."
"Mira." I stood up. "I'm not him. Whoever hurt you, whatever he did, I'm not him. And I'm not going anywhere. So yeah, we'll see."
I left money on the bar for my food. "I've got church tonight at the clubhouse. Eight o'clock. I'll be back tomorrow."
She didn't say anything. Just watched me with those guarded eyes.
I walked out into the parking lot and got in my truck. Sat there for a minute trying to calm down.
We'll see. That's what I'd said. And I meant it.
I started the truck and headed back to the clubhouse. I had a meeting to run and business to handle. But my mind was still on Mira.
The clubhouse was a ten minute drive from The Spoke. It sat on five acres outside town, a sprawling compound with a main building that housed the meeting room, common areas, and the bar. My quarters were in the east wing. Dane had rooms in the west wing. Other members had their own spaces throughout the compound.
When I pulled up, several bikes were already parked out front. The brothers were gathering for church.
I walked inside and headed straight for the meeting room. Time to be president.
But later, after the meeting was done and business was handled, I'd be thinking about Mira again.
Already knowing sleep wasn't going to come easy tonight.
- Writer
