Road from Ruin

Chapter Four

Red stops me before I get on the back of his bike.
"Ever been for a ride?"
"Ahh no I don't think I've ever even been this close to a motorcycle before..." I say as I shift between my feet nervously.
"Don't worry angel, just hold on tight." He throws his leg over the bike like he's done it a million time's and takes my hand to lead me on.
"Get nice and close, arms around my waist. Squeeze me if there's something wrong I can stop if you need." Seeing this massive man be so careful with me is disarming, I feel extremely comfortable with him but I can't be sure if that's his game. Warm me up to him so he can take advantage.
"Angel. Don't arms around." He says more sternly than before. I slowly wrap my arms around his huge core when I feel just how warm he is. He's like a massive radiator. His body heat immediately pulls me into him like a moth to a flame, I've been so used to feeling cold all over for so many years that I am momentarily paralyzed from the foreign feeling. My hands reach his T-shirt beneath the leather jacket and I hold on as tight as possible.
"Okay I'm ready Red."

His body is stiff like he is uncomfortable with me being wrapped around him like a koala, which doesn't make sense since this was all his idea. He pulls up in front of a surprisingly modern auto shop. The large sign reads Freedom Auto, sitting on top of four large garage style doors. Red pulls to a slow stop and helps me off the back of the bike, except I don't want to get off. The air flowing over my body and the vibration of the machine beneath me gave me a rush and high that I'm positive no drug could ever give you.
"I can see why you love it so much. That was... incredible." I say as I slowly get off the bike, my legs feel numb and I lose my footing slightly, red wraps his arms around my waist to catch me but I flinch slightly from the pressure of the existing bruises. He senses my discomfort and seems to force himself to not comment on it.
"Woah there angel, takes you a minute to get used to being back on the ground. Take it slow." He slowly releases me and turns without another word to walk towards the shop.
"Soooo decker is going to tow my car here? And I'll just what? Stay here in an auto shop alone in the middle of nowhere in a town I don't even know the name of all night until the strange motorcycle gang members fix up my car and then I'll just be on my way?" I say as I find myself basically running behind him to catch up again.
"Ya. Seems like it." He says flippantly as he unlocks the front door and keeps moving swiftly into the building.
"Yeah for sure cool, sounds great. I'm totally getting kidnapped." I continue to mutter sarcastic remarks under my breath as I blindly follow him through the massive garage. We start walking up stairs and reach a door that Red pulls out a key ring and unlocks as well. I'm still droning on about trusting a stranger and the terrors of human trafficking when I finally raise my head to see the beautiful apartment I have somehow ended up in.

Just like the exterior of the shop it is surprisingly modern as well. With a loft like feel, the floors are concrete and the ceilings have to be at least 20ft tall. It should feel cold and industrial but with the large leather furnishings and fireplace that is surrounded by bookshelves filled with beautiful hard copies, it is warm and welcoming.
"Wow Red this is beautiful. Do you live here?"
He grunts in response and heads towards the chefs kitchen to grab two beers from the fridge. He raises one in question and I make my way towards him to grab it out of his hands. He puts his down and gently grabs me by the waist to place me down on the countertop.
"Alright angel lets just get this out of the way."
He says as he takes a step back so that he is no longer in my personal space but still close enough to touch. I take a long pull of my beer, "get what out of the way?"
"This. You keep calling me a stranger. Ask whatever you'd like. I might not answer them all but the ones I do I will be completely honest. And I expect the same for you when it's my turn." I think on what he's saying for a moment. I feel like I need to pick my questions carefully to get as much information about this man as possible, without offending him.
"Okay I know you won't tell me why they call you Red so I'll just leave that one for later. You say you're a 'motorcycle club' not a gang. So what exactly do you do? I've lived a pretty sheltered life so I'll try to be as open minded as possible but from what I know 'motorcycle clubs' usually deal with drugs, guns and land. Is that what you guys do?"
He thinks for a moment as though trying to keep his honestly promise but not scare me off.
"Yes and no. We ride, we fix cars and we keep the town safe. We're a small section of a bigger club that keeps clean and high quality marijuana flowing in and out of state. We ensure the harder and more dangerous drugs stay the fuck out of our town. We have guidelines that flow through our blood, women and children are top priority, we're old fashion like that." He says with a wink. "There is so much more to our club but those are the basics. Some people love us and some are afraid of us. Cops recognize we do mostly good but love to focus on the bad."
I think on that for a minute. I don't see what's so bad about that? Sure they are technically drug dealers but ultimately it sounds okay.
"Okay my turn angel. The bruises. I'm guessing an ex of some sort but I need an explanation. We're going to be spending some time together over the next few days while your car is gettin' fixed and I don't want to make the wrong move or make you uncomfortable."
God this guy is sweet. His eyes are fixed on the floor as if he already knows he's not going to like my answer.
"My husband." I say with a large gulp. He looks up at me with confusion in his eyes.
"Husband? You can't be more than 22?"
"25. And we met in college, got married quick. It was all a part of the plan. Anyways he was a nice enough guy, never had a huge spark but he was handsome and smart and looked at me like I was the sun. Slowly things started setting off alarms in my head, but only after we already moved in together. He hated my spontaneity. He liked having control and a timeline so every day started to blur together. If I was ever late or wanted to change plans he would lose his mind. We started to disconnect and I needed something just for myself so I bought my mustang and started fixing her up just like my daddy used to do when I was little. I started volunteering at the animal shelter. Dean hated that I wasn't home on time. In front of my family and friends he was a dream but at home he just couldn't care less. I thought about leaving my job and running away everyday but I'm not a quitter so I tried. I would try to instigate..sexual situations but he only wanted it when it was his decision. Before we got married our sex was constant and awesome but after it was like... I wasn't interesting to him anymore. It's a long and sordid story but it all ends with me buying lingerie to surprise him on his birthday to try to spark something between us. He walked right past me while I was laying in it on the bed and went to the bathroom. I waited and waited and when he finally came out I could tell he was drunk but his eyes were filled with hatred. He started calling me a slut. That no married woman should wear something like that and I should be ashamed. So I was. He had never hit me before, so I wasn't afraid I just hated myself. The fight escalated and I felt like sticking up for myself for the first time in my life."

I take a deep breath. I know I'm downplaying what happened but he asked about the bruises on my skin not on my soul. He doesn't need to know that I don't think I could ever trust a man again, let alone someone as handsome and intimidating as him. But if he wants to help me, I'll take it and get out of here.

"Basically it ended with him throwing me and pining me down on the bed by my hips, saying that's how I should be treated if I dress like this. I fought back and scratched his face which seemed to bring him back to reality. He looked at me like he was devastated and ran out of the house. I locked myself in the closet for a few hours while I convinced myself to leave. And then I did." He asked for my honestly. I was honest, I just didn't tell the entire story. That counts doesn't it?

"And now here we are." Is all Red says in reply. I look up and notice him chewing on his plump lower lip as if physically restraining himself from saying something.
"Just say it red."
"I can say 'till I'm blue in the face you didn't deserve that life but I can't make you believe in somethin' you have to do that on your own. I'm just... relieved for you. Even if he didn't get physical. Seems you should have been outta there long time ago. I could fuckin' kill him for puttin' his hands on ya but it pushed you out the door and into a brand new life so at least there's that." His words cut through me like a knife. This stranger has perfectly summed up my life and has only known me for a few hours.

"My turn. Why are you helping me? You didn't know I was a charity case before you offered. What are you getting out of this and how much will I owe you?"
Finally I see it again. His eyes turn back from the soothing blue into the silver grey shade they were when I first saw him. It's like he switches back and forth between two people, the devil and the angel or the saint and the sinner.
"Well angel, it seems I need a favour. I'll fix up your car and give you a place to stay for a bit but eventually I'm gunna need something from you. One small favour that I can redeem whenever I want. I can't tell ya any specifics, just that I'll help ya with no cost if you can promise me when I need ya, you'll do it."
"Is it illegal?" I say immediately. It has to be. Why else would he need me to do something for him.
"No angel. Not illegal. It will be easy, swear. Deal?" He holds out his hand to close the deal. This strange but beautiful man wants to help me. For free. Get me out of this mess and on with my life. All I have to do is one unknown thing god knows when. The old me would have say he'll know and ran back into the safety of my husband and parents.

So, instead, the new me says "Deal."