Welcome to the Family (Diazzi Family #1)

Chapter Four

Taylor

It's Friday, and Gio has a away game. Gia texted a while ago in the middle of one of my lectures that she'll be staying a little late to do a project at the library with her friends. I, on the other hand, have no ride. It's five in the afternoon so I decided to catch the late bus home.

Walking across the parking lot, I see Gaius leaning on a motorcycle. I did a double take. Seeing me, he made his way over. His dreads danced around his forehead. Afternoon sunlight shining in front of his face, making his eyes seem yellow in color.

"When did your last lecture end?"

"About half an hour ago."Pausing before I added, "Also, what are you doing here?" Seeing he doesn't attends here.

Smiling like I'm saying something funny, he said, "Gia called and said you might need a ride. I'm your ride."

"I would rather take the bus." I offered. I'm looking for an exit to not be with him any longer, seeing as the first time we met, he doesn't seem to like me, and I would much rather not be in his moody company.

"It's a weekday buses are always packed. Plus, it's late." I'm not gonna deny it is true.

"Okay. Where's your car?" I asked, hoping the bike isn't really his.

"No car."

He motions behind to the bike, turning and walking back with me following reluctantly behind him.

Before he gets on, he removes his leather jacket and puts it over my shoulders, saying with a smug smile, " For safety." He grabs my bag to pit in the compartment under the seat as I pull the jacket on, smelling his leather, cigar, and cologne on it. He hands me the spare helmet after I finish pulling the zipper up. I took it and looked at it like I've never seen anything like it before. Sighing, he took it from my numb fingers and put it on, making sure it was locked and secured. Thank God I'm wearing jeans today. The thought goes through my head as I hop on behind him. My legs aligned behind his. I wrap my hands around his narrow waist, holding tightly onto his black t-shirt. He pulled out of the parking lot. Involuntary making me tighten my arms around him. Truth be told, I've never jumped on a bike before. After what happened to my parents, I developed a phobia when it came to cars, more specifically front seats. Being on something as exposed as a bike both scares and excites me.

The latter part was winning as I tightened my hold on Gaius and placed my forehead on his back as he had the campus gate through the afternoon tight traffic, causing me to shut my eyes close in fear.

Shortly after, I felt him pulling up, feeling the bike slowing down and lift my head slightly to look around. I noticed that we are pulling up besides the junction service station. I guess he needs to refuel. When he tapped my hands to let go so he could get up to refuel his tank, I shakily got off the bike and sat at the curb while he did so. I put my helmet covered head into the palms of my shaky hands as left to go inside to purchase the price.

Taking deep breaths, I started counting backward from one a hundred to help calm myself and more to stop myself from having a mental breakdown. Slowly, I can feel my heartbeat going back to normal when I feel a shadow fall over me.

I lift my head from my hands to look at Gaius standing over me with a frown. "Slight change of plans, I have to go down to the workshop."

I'm glad my helmet is still down covering my face because otherwise, he would have seen the panic in my eyes when I realized what he said.

I numbly got back to my feet to follow him to the bike, where his putting his helmet back on waiting for me.

I resumed my earlier position behind him as he started the engine saying, "Don't worry, I'll be quick."

_____

We pulled up again at the end of the street into an old warehouse with brick walls as fences with a rusty metal gate. He stops the bike and grabs my hands as he motions towards a guy with dirt all over his old jean overalls that cover a black t-shirt, whom I assumed is the mechanic.

I tried to remove my hands beneath his as Gaius said, "Lock the gates."

I can feel myself shaking worse than the last stop, as a frightening thought comes to mind, they're going to kill me.

I tried again and unsuccessfully removed my hands as I heard the chains clicking and finally the lock as Gaius let go of my hands.

I moved so quickly backwards to get away from him that I fell off the bike and landed on my back on the gravel. I watched scared as Gaius slowly removes his helmet and gets off the bike and resting his helmet where we once sat. Before turning to me with a dark look, I quickly scrambled to my feet bumping into the mechanic from earlier. Before I can move away from him he secured my arms with his muscular ones. I can feel tears falling down my face behind my helmet as Gaius stalks towards me.

Smirking almost playfully he stops in front of me, "Got to take this out for you, firefly, you might die from shortness of breath with the way you're breathing."

As his removing my helmet I whispered, " Please..." what I'm pleading for I don't know yet if it's for the torment of not knowing what his going to do or knowing.

He removes my mask and drops it our feet and lift his hand towards me as I flinch back thinking his going to hit me. He pause as he drops his hand but instead leaned in to whisper "Don't worry, I'm not gonna hurt you...much."