Cocky Biker(50)
South Vacherie, Louisiana, what kind of a place are you? Why’d they pick you?
As we turn off the road onto a winding, oak tree lined driveway, Jett leads the way. A white plantation comes into view through the fog, one reminiscent of Tara in Gone With The Wind.
My questions are answered. It’s beautiful, even with the need for paint. It looks like they left it looking a little haunted on purpose to honor the South’s past.
Our engines rumble to a stop and through the fog-refracted lights on the porch I see the Tasmanian Devil called Honey Badger swing open the front door and whistle through his fingers, before shouting, “’BOUT TIME!!!”
Between majestic columns, he runs out and jogs down the steps to grab Jett as soon as he dismounts the bike. They give each other a big man-hug, smacking each other backs with grins on their faces.
“Been too long, buddy,” Jett says with feeling.
I don’t know which one’s which of the other two guys who were at the motel that day I met Jett, but they appear next, with women who smile from the porch eyeing me.
Honey Badger’s name is too hard to forget with the stories Jett told me about what happened, and how he protected me from jail, I have a genuine smile for him when he walks over to greet me.
“Lookin’ better, girl! You were a fuckin’ mess last time I saw you.”
Laughing I nod, and he shakes my hand.
“I’m Scratch,” the salt & pepper haired man says, walking with his hand out, too.
“Hey, what about me?” Jett calls to his back.
“I gotta see this miracle girl for myself,” he calls out with fake anger. The frown disappears in a big smile as he shakes my hand. “We thought you were dead for sure.”
“So I’ve heard,” I smile, glancing to Jett. “Nice to meet you, Scratch.”
“Fuse,” the one who looks like The Hound says, shaking his head, just as surprised as the others to see me upright. “How was the ride?”
“Fucking incredible,” I admit.
“I bet!” He turns to Jett. “How’d you get Tonk to agree to THAT?!!”
Jett crosses his arms and grins. “It was his idea.”
“Fuckin’ liar,” Fuse mutters, turning to point to the enormous house. “That’s my old lady, Melodi.” The blonde woman gives a little wave. She’s mid-thirties and from the look on her face, hard to crack. Fuse turns to me and says under his breath, “She’ll warm up to you in time.”
My lips part, but I stop myself from correcting him. It doesn’t feel right to dampen the happy reunion with the news I’m not staying.
A black man with the same leather and patches they all have, strolls out wiping his hands. “Jett! Fuck, it’s been a long time, buddy.”
“You cookin’?” Jett asks as he embraces the man.
“Jambalaya. You ready to have your stomach burned out?”
Jett laughs. “Hell yes. This is Luna.”
The man turns to me with his hand out. I find it interesting that none of them are hugging me. I have a feeling it’s an unspoken code among them: don’t touch other Cipher’s women. The politeness of the handshakes makes me suspect that is what’s going on.
“Nice to meet you…” I trail off so he can fill in his name.
“Throb,” he says with complete seriousness. All the men crack up. He breaks into a grin, dark skin pierced by brilliantly white, straight teeth. And boy, he’s got a mouthful of them. “Nah, I’m kiddin’ ya. I’m Scythe.” He steps back to check out Tonk’s Harley. “How’s a little girl like you handle this ride.”
“You’re only calling me little because you’re a giant,” I dryly throw back.
Jett tells them all, and pretty loudly, “She handled that thing like she was born to ride. No more backseat for you, Sunshine.” Then he lowers his voice with a wicked smile. “We told Tonk she knew how, but…she didn’t.”
They all start shaking their heads, grinning like that’s the worst thing we could have done. Even the women on the porch smile. A little boy runs out and flies down the steps. He jumps at Jett and is caught midair, brought into a hug. “Hey fucker! How ya been?”
Melodi calls down, “Jett Cocker, don’t you swear like that at my Taylor, you sonofabitch!”
“Why were you gone so long?” Taylor asks Jett as he gets set back onto the asphalt.
“This was a lot longer than normal, huh Tay?” The little boy nods and Jett musses up his hair, jerking his chin toward the house and locking eyes with me. “Hungry?”
Everyone heads in, the bikes left behind. I glance back to Tonk’s hog, thinking of what Jett said about my needing one. This feeling in my chest says he’s right.