3
Harley
A week passed since the incident in the grocery store. I still cringed since thinking about it, but at least I was still alive. I forced myself to take walks outside everyday so I wouldn’t become a recluse again. But it was difficult when all I wanted was to retreat into the safety of my apartment.
One day, after work, I went into the kitchen to make myself some food and I heard some shuffling from right outside my front door. I swallowed as I went to check. It was probably my neighbor just trying to find their keys but I needed to check anyway. I looked through the peephole and saw a man in a leather jacket outside– the same man from the grocery store.
Making sure the security chain was still in place, I opened the door. “Are you following me?”
If he was surprised to see me, he didn’t show it. Instead, he held up an envelope. “I wasn’t following you, but I was looking for you,” he said. “I wanted to give you this.”
“I don’t want anything from you. Leave me alone.” I went to close the door.
“I know your father, Harley.”
I froze. How could he possibly know that? I hadn’t seen my father in years. Not since Reaper took me away.
“I didn’t know who you were in the grocery store,” he said. “But I was visiting your father and he showed me your picture. Imagine my surprise to recognize his long-lost daughter.”
I snorted. “Figures,” I said. “He told me to stay away from bikers only to get involved with them himself.”
A muscle twitched in his jaw. “Look, I can’t imagine what you’ve been through, but this isn’t about me. Your father misses you.”
“I’m not ready to talk to him,” I whispered.
“That’s fine.” He held up the envelope. “This is a letter that has his contact information. For when you’re ready.”
I slipped my hand out for the envelope and he gave it to me. “Does he know you’re here?” I asked.
“No,” he said. “He has no idea.”
“Are you going to tell him?”
“You can tell him when you’re ready.” He looked down. “I should go. I won’t bother you again.” He turned to go.
“Wait!.” The word was out of my mouth before I could stop it.
He turned back, eyebrow raised.
“How is he?” I swallowed. I needed to know. I wasn’t ready to talk to him, but I needed to know he was okay.
“He’s a mess right now,” Liam said. “Like I said, he misses you. But he’s all right. He comes by the bar sometimes. Plays a few poker games or just chats. He doesn’t gamble excessively like some of the regulars. Just likes talking and hanging out.”
“With bikers?” I found it so difficult to imagine. He was always so serious with me. I couldn’t picture him relaxing and having free time. He was always working. If he wasn’t working, he was criticizing me. At least that’s what I remembered.
“I know you don’t like bikers,” Liam said. “But we’re not like the Demons, okay? I’m part of the Hell’s Renegade motorcycle club. We’re the ones who drove the Demons out of Newbury.”
“That doesn’t mean I trust you,” I said. “You’re all the same. Dangerous and… evil.”
His eyes darkened. “Oh we’re dangerous all right,” he said. “But we’re far from evil.”
I shivered. “Reaper said something similar to me.”
He scowled. “Reaper? Is that the scum that took you?”
“He was my boyfriend. Until he wasn’t.” A vision of him throwing me into a cold, dark room flashed through my mind. I felt sick. He had seduced me. Me, being a complete idiot, had fallen for his charms. And then he trapped me, broke me down until I was completely submissive, and then threw me in a brothel run by the Demons. I had managed to escape by pure luck.
“I know Reaper,” the man said. “He’s a piece of shit.”