The rider

[thepoeticmaster2121]

It was always the gunfire that woke him up

Not the memories of the IED exploding or of his commanding officer shouting out orders to him while they dodged the hail of bullets raining down on them. Instead it was the sound of bullets whizzing through the air and sinking into his fellow soldiers that always brought him out of his horrible nightmare and back into the real world. The first couple of times it happened to him when he was still in the Marine hospital, he liked to keep his eyes closed and imagine it was just a bad dream. It was much easier to think that then admit he lost his fellow marines.

It got old as the months went on and he abandoned that hope

Alex Hardwin got up wincing as he stepped out of his bed and put some weight on his wounded leg, he paused reaching over and grabbing the simple wooden cane the Marine doctors had given to help him walk and leaning on it. It may be simple but he liked the simple things and any one who offered to buy him a new one was quickly shot down.

He hobbled out of the bed and went to the window pausing to watch the sun peeking over the dessert horizon before he continued into his kitchen and began to make a pot of his favorite coffee. He turned on the morning radio while he brewed using the familiar rock tunes to help drown out the last lingering sounds of his memory/dream. By the time his coffee was done he was in a significantly better mood and he even went out to enjoy the coffee on his deck, after being in Iraq for so long he was having issues being in a normal life and he preferred being outside than being in.

Paradise was the same as ever beautiful and picture-esque, memories of his child hood and teenage years came back to him causing him to smile as he thought about simpler times. He and his friends had fancied them selves’ princes’ back then, their fathers ran the town and they though that entitled them to the same treatment. They pulled of petty crimes, fought in the schoolyard, and watched with envy as their fathers went of to pull of much bigger crimes.

His phone beeped bringing him out of his old memories and thoughts; he reached into the pocket of his sweats and fished out his simple burner phone. He saw his dad’s name come up and sighed debating about answering it or not, his father had been keeping off his back about coming back to the club so far since he had returned three months ago but Alex knew his father well enough to know that was about to change. He was a ambitious man the kind who wanted to get rich and get rich fast, having his son working for him had also always been a big dream for him to.

“Yes dad?” Alex asked opening it and draining the last of his coffee as he got up and walked back inside.

“I need you to come to the shop today son” His dad Mark said speaking short and to the point.

“For what reason?” Alex asked getting up and going into his simple bed room, he pulled off his shirt and sweats admiring his tan muscular body as he listened to his father ramble on in his ear, life as a marine has suited him burning the last bit of fat off of his body and turning him into a towering hulk of a man that was tan as he was buff, his jet black hair was still buzzed as short as possible but he had decided to let his old five o clock shadow come back a little bit of a rebel coming out of the ex marine.

“The brothers want to officially welcome you back into the club” His dad explained “give you back your cut and all that other ceremonial stuff that the families love”

“You mean after church? Alex asked pulling on his simple black jeans and the USMC KA-BAR knife from his military service.

“We want you to sit in on the meeting now that your back you need to get caught up on the new way the clubs earn” His father said speaking hesitantly.

Alex starred at himself in the mirror debating on how best to answer his father, joining the club was basically agreeing to get back into criminal activities. He was a wounded veteran now and the whole reason he had become a soldier in the first place was to get out of his criminal roots his father was pushing on him.

But he wasn’t a soldier now

He pulled on his simple black t-shirt grabbing the keys to his bike and locking his house up behind him, church was in session in thirty minutes and he would have to drive fast to get to the clubhouse in time. He straddled his black Harley and smiled as he kick started the engine, the beast roared underneath him vibrating his entire body and causing a bolt of pure happiness to run through his body. Being on his bike was like pure sex to him, raw and wonderful, even the few shootouts he had been in weren’t any thing like it. He quickly pulled out of his drive way and blasted down the road blowing every speed limit possible as he went.

He reached his club fifteen minutes later, pulling to a stop and parking along with the other rows of bikes. He got off and grabbed his cane putting the kickstand up and walking into the bike shop. He ignored the customers and instead went into the back where the clubhouse was, the other brothers were already in church leaving their old ladies and the hang arounds to wait and drink while they talked.

 

[GaelicLover]

Living in the desert was a different style of life, but it was one that Sahara Jones had grown up in. She watched the sun rise from her bed through her floor-to-ceiling plate glass windows and smiled, curled up in her white down comforter and sheets. Her wavy black hair was a shock against the white bedding and so was her golden skin but that was why she liked the white. Her entire home was sleek and modern, and virtual industrial playground she’d designed when she published her first books two years ago.

Sahara nestled down deeper into the comforter, the room pleasantly chilly. She knew that she had to get up and write a few chapters, she’d put it off for a couple of days. She’d never admit it to anyone, but she was suffering from writer’s block and her editor would be pissed if he didn’t get the pages at the end of the month. With a sigh, she slipped out from under the covers and slipped on a pair of shorts before padding down the metal floating stairs to her kitchen. It sparkled, chrome and black, polished cement countertops with a gas stove and stainless steel appliances. There was nothing on the countertops except her saving grace - the coffee pot.

She poured the coffee, already hot and waiting for her, and took it to her office, the only room in the house that was absolutely stuffed to the brim, all the nooks and crannies, even the decorative ones were stuffed with books and journals and pens all with no clear method of organization. Sahara sat down behind her desk and powered up her computer, opening up her current murder mystery and rereading the last sentence fifty times before giving a frustrated growl and storming from the room.

It was no use; she had to go into town, maybe search for some inspiration.

About thirty minutes later she was in the heart of Paradise and examining the town that never changed. She ran into people she knew, and she was still getting used to the fact she’d grown up a nobody and was now a local celebrity. She ducked into a diner and sat down at the counter, ordering coffee and a Danish. Sally, the waitress who had worked here since Sahara was a little girl, smiled friendly at her and talked about the weather (that never changed) and asked how her new book was coming. They talked about her deceased parents, god rest their souls, and everything else until Sally gave her a curious look.

“You know…Alex is back.” Sally smiled carefully. “Has been for a little while now.”

Sahara blinked once.

“What?” She asked uncertainly.

“Alex Hardwin; he’s back in town.” Sally repeated, her expression even more guarded.

Sahara’s stomach dropped as she noticed the curious and hidden looks being cast her way. She blushed and buried herself in her coffee. Alright, so when she said she grew up a nobody, that hadn’t been entirely accurate. She’d grown up in the pocket of the Hell’s Angels. Around here, the biker gang was like royalty and when she was a kid, she’d never known the boys she’d run around with had been the sons of the leaders. And Alex…she’d dated him all through high school, riding on the back of his Harley until the wee hours of the morning.

Yes, and look where it had gotten her. She’d run away from him, too terrified to commit to the relationship he wanted. Then she’d heard he’d up and left town a few months after she left to join the military? She’d been unable to sleep for months, fearing she’d gotten him killed. She’d never meant to break his heart but his family was a bunch of criminals and that wasn’t the life Sahara wanted for herself. She’d gotten the life she wanted, the house she wanted…even the job she wanted. Few people could say that.

She’d moved back to Paradise because Alex hadn’t been here. She never thought…well okay, perhaps she did expect him at one point to come back but never this soon! Panic clawed through her belly and she forced herself to eat her Danish quickly. She would just go home and stay there. Maybe permanently.

How long was he here? Was he staying? What about his military career? What did this mean about the Hell’s Angel club? Was he going to… No, no, no, no… Sahara took a deep breath, paid for her breakfast and walked, trying to hide her face with her hair and looking down at the pavement until she could get to her car.

She heard the Harley coming up the street and tried to steel her spine but she ended up looking up and over at the biker who came tearing down the street. It seemed like time slowed for a moment as she saw him, sitting on top of that same damn bike from high school, the back seat she’d come to know as a second home…that same grin plastered on his face as he rode. Sahara’s heart leapt. Alex…

 

[thepoeticmaster2121]

Thirty minutes later

Alex stepped out of the club rolling his shoulders again, his old cut was back on and instead of feeling awkward Alex was more freaked out by how right it felt. The soft and worn leather was some thing he had worn almost every day for three years and even though he had changed the leather still fit on his back perfectly.

The brothers had welcomed him back with open arms hugging and clapping him on the back as they jabbed at his new wound. Alex may not always agree with the clubs ways of earning but the club was a brotherhood through and through and he was surprised at how much he had missed them. For a long time they had all been thicker than blood, bound by their criminal activities and their clubs, Alex needed a little bit of that love now and he happily drank bears and talked with them all.

Until his father started discussing crime

It was still so strange, hear his father was sitting and calmly discussing about gun trades and the latest protection money increase as if it was simple business. It wasn’t like the movies were they spoke in hushed tones and as quickly as possible. As long as the church door was locked then they let them selves talk about their activities with out a care in the world. Alex remembered when he had once looked up to his father for that, proud his dad wasn’t afraid of any cop or pig.

Now he just found it sad

They gave him his cut back first and then his old guns, one short stubby shotgun he named Sarah (after his first love) and a simple black handgun. He had tried not to take them but the club wanted him to have them so he did albeit reluctantly. Guns scared him now and he hadn’t touched one since he got into the fire fight, he saw what they could truly do that day the destruction that they could rein down with out a second thought., lives had been ended, families torn all apart, and all just because some one had decided to pull a trigger and let the machine do all the work.

He would burn them when he got home

He saw his father coming out of the shop and quickly pulled out a cigarette, he lit it and walked to his bike taking a long pull and letting the smoke calm him as he straddled his bike. His father would be looking for him to do a gig now and if he didn’t leave he would be trapped into a corner. He hadn’t said any thing to him during church but the way he looked and assessed him the entire time was all the confirmation he needed.

“Got to go to the clinic dad!” Alex hollered kicking his bike to life and letting the roar drown out his fathers words. He pulled the beast out of the lot and angled it out onto the streets, he gunned the engine the minute the bike hit the pavement letting it carry him away from the devil and onto the heaven that was the open road without a second thought.

Alex always counted his ability to get lost in driving one of his greatest strengths, he didn’t need to focus to much on it to be a good driver and within seconds he was zoning out as he let the bike take him wherever she wanted. Church went a lot better than he expected and as long as he kept dodging his dad he could breath and figure out what he wanted to do with his life. VA would pay for most of the bills but Alex didn’t want to just make ends meet, he wanted to have a good life for himself and find a family but that meant having a job and their wasn’t very many things he was good at that weren’t illegal.

The product of being a biker kid

He pulled up to his favorite coffee shop and kicked the stand down, he pulled off his helmet and grabbed his cane gingerly stepping off and putting the helmet on the seat (no one was stupid enough to steal a biker guys helmet in this town) he turned so lost in his thoughts that he didn’t realize he was about to run into a girl.

A girl who had been on his mind quite a bit lately

 

[GaelicLover]

Sahara’s stomach knotted up violently as she watching him pull over into the parking space right in front of her car. She stopped in the middle of the sidewalk much to the dismay of the elderly couple walking behind her. She apologized and looked around desperately for a moment. She wasn’t ready for this - she hadn’t even put anything special on…oh god as if apologetic makeup was going to work for this situation. Oh no, oh no, what the hell was she going to say? Wasn’t there a shop or something she could duck into?

She looked around desperately and then at her car…maybe…

She walked brusquely to her car and as Alex was putting the kickstand of his bike down, she slid around to the driver’s side door and unlocked it.

Someone barked out a sharp warning and Sahara turned just in time to see a truck come barreling down the road. She skittered quickly out of the way around the front of her car and heart pounding, realized she’d just avoided behind hit by mere seconds. Wanting to collapse on the pavement, she groaned and buried her face in her hands. She was in for it now. Her black hair fell around her face as she bent her head towards the ground. Maybe he would just walk away, mumble something about tourists but that was impossible. Paradise never got tourists.

Taking a deep breath, she looked up to see Alex staring right at her with a puzzled expression.

 

[thepoeticmaster2121]

She was right in front of him

Sahara looking just as beautiful as she always did and clearly freaked out to see him, he idly wondered why but he was to caught up in seeing her after so long to really dwell on that thought. He hadn’t seen her since the prom and she looked just as beautiful and stunning as she did all those years ago. He remembered the last time they kissed, right before he had hopped on his Harley and drove away with the thought of seeing her the next day.

But she was gone

It had hurt, hurt him more than even he could have realized. Sahara had been…. Almost like an escape for him a way of getting away form the floozies hanging around the club and actually be with some one who was going somewhere. He had loved her loved her more than he could have ever known more than he could have known for that matter. It was one of the reasons why he had decided to leave town, there was simply nothing here for him any more.

“Sahara” He finally stuttered looking at her in shock “I didn’t know you were back in town or even here” he said his hand half rising as if to touch her before he seemed to decide not to and let it fall back down to his side.

 

[GaelicLover]

Swallowing the panic, Sahara shut her eyes a moment when she saw a flicker of pain pass through Alex's eyes. She'd never meant to hurt him but she'd been pressed on by so many directions, she'd not know what to do and the commitment of the relationship between them had terrified her. She took a deep breath.

"I've been back a couple years." Sahara admitted with a shy smile. "I uh...it's really good to see you, Alex. I just heard you were back. Are you...well?"

She noticed the cane and it ripped her apart. She still felt a bit of guilt and now a horrible responsibility for his injury; he never would have left if she had stayed. She shouldn't have been such a terrified child and run like she had. She should have at least told him, tried some time away or even a long distance relationship.

But no, she had run. And now she was facing the music and as heart-wrenching as it was, she'd never heard a more beautiful song than Alex Hardwin. He was a dark symphony and when she had been younger it scared her; now it seemed...intriguing.

 

[thepoeticmaster2121]

Was he well?

He was having major PTSD, his leg still had a bullet in it, and he was currently standing in front of the girl who had broken his heart all those years ago. Sahara probably didn’t know (or even realize) how much her leaving had broken him up. He thought they were in love, he thought they would ride out into the sunset and tear up the road as they found freedom outside of this town. Instead she had left gone in the night to god knows where and without a good bye to him.

“I uh am doing well” Alex said smiling softly, he had never been able to make her sad, never been able to hurt her.

Even if he was fuming at her

“I just got back a few months ago” Alex said watching her closely “I uh got into a accident and had to leave the service” he said wincing at how lame he sounded. He didn’t know how to handle this…… Didn’t know how to handle Sahara. Part of him wanted to take her into his embrace hold her tightly and never let go, another part of him wanted to scream at her until he was blue in the face make her pay for what he had done to him.

“So why did you come back?” He finally asked his burning curiosity getting the better of him.

 

[GaelicLover]

Sahara could feel that uneasy feeling sneaking up on her again; she wanted to run. She realized then that it hadn't been committing to Alex that had terrified her - it was committing at all. She wanted to go home and cry, or was it fall in his arms and cry? She was shaken by it all, not knowing what to do, but as she looked at Alex, the boy she'd been so madly in love with that was now a man who looked like he'd been through hell. She owed him an explanation.

"I uh...well..." Sahara ran a hand through her hair and gave him a wary look. "Do you want to get some coffee? This might be easier with a little caffeine."

She gave a small smile, sadness and guilt shining in her eyes. She wanted to hold him, tell him she was sorry, but she couldn't trust herself not to hurt him again. It was clear that he was angry, hurt, and she was sure she felt betrayed on some level. She didn't blame him; she had been a child. Desperate to get away, uncertain Alex would even leave the family business.

She'd been pretty wrong about that.

After all, he went into the military, and that was pretty far from the family business.

 

[thepoeticmaster2121]

It was a simple thing but the fact that she wanted to go get some coffee with him sent a small flash of happiness into his body. He half expected her to just run when he had approached her out of sheer fear or some thing else she wasn’t telling him. He hadn’t expected her to want to sit even talk to him about what had happened or even to catch up for that matter. He resisted the urge to smile big as he watched her letting himself get a little mesmerized by her beauty, to say the years had been kind to her would be an understatement.

“I would love to get some coffee actually” Alex said smiling at her and nodding his head at the shop she had just left “that is if you can handle another batch” he joked smirking at her, not even realizing he was using his trademark grin the one she had fallen for all those years ago.

“I have not been to this place since I got back to much memories of you and me” Alex said hopefully not hurting her “not hurtful ones just ones that made me miss you” he explained going over to the door and holding it open for her.

“Shall we”

 

[GaelicLover]

Oh Lord, that smile... Sahara's knees went weak and she had to force herself to remain strong; that smile always did her in.

"I think I can handle another batch." Sahara laughed lightly, slipping through the door and blushing furiously when Sally spotted her with Alex in tow. The waitress raised an eyebrow and Sahara couldn't help but hear the subdued whispers as they passed. She wasn't surprised that everyone harbored a curiosity about her and Alex. Hell, they had been inseparable in high school. One had hardly even been seen without the other and heaven forbid if anyone had messed with her; Alex would rush in with teeth bared and Harley roaring. She smiled at the memory, feeling warm all over.

She missed it.

They slid into a booth and with an embarrassed smile, Sahara ordered a coffee when Sally came over with a knowing smile.

"It's fantastic to see you out and about, dear." Sally directed the greeting at Alex, her smile fond and soft. She'd always had a soft spot for the troublemaker. Sahara could feel herself slipping back into the old ways - the easy feeling around Alex she always had, the feeling of safety being away from her father, and as she closed her eyes for a moment she could almost feel the rumble of the Harley underneath her.

Drawing in a sharp breath and blinking back tears, Sahara faced the present with grim determination. Explaining her actions wasn't going to be easy, but she knew the quicker it was done, the better things
would be. Maybe.

"Look, I need to get this out." Sahara sighed as Sally walked away, "I ran because I was afraid, Alex. I didn't run because I...loved you. God, I loved you, I...I think it was what scared me the most about us. And I was so pulled on to go to college...I didn't know what to do. Please...don't be mad at me; I don't think I could handle it. I don't know if I came back to this town because you weren't here or because
maybe someday you would come back."

She reached across the table, sadness in her eyes and laid her hand on top of his, "I'm sorry."

 

[thepoeticmaster2121]

Alex watched her explain her self, his fingers lightly stirring his coffee as he listened. Alex was a man of many unsavory talents but one talent he had that he considered good was his judge of people. He was a pretty honest person (for the most part at least) and he could always tell when some one was being honest or lying to him. So while she told her tale and explained her self he watched her listening to her words while he studied her face. She was as beautiful as ever and it was very difficult for him to look past that and keep his focus on her mouth. He watched her for a few minutes before leaning back satisfied she wasn’t lying it didn’t make her words easier to swallow but it did help him keep his own peace of mind.

She was afraid of him? Afraid of their relationship? He couldn’t help but feel her words stab into his heart a little. Even though he could tell how much she regretted it how scared she had been back then it was still hard to hear. He had never been afraid of their relationship, never questioned it. After all it was one of the truly good things in his life one of the few things that weren’t involved in his father’s criminal underworld. She was like a anchor for him reminding him constantly that his family and his club was embroiled in a life of crime, that’s why when she left he had joined the Marine’s because with her gone he knew he would turn to a life of crime to compensate.

Fate it seemed was trying to trip him up

“I understand I guess” Alex finally said grabbing his coffee and sipping it, he hadn’t been back to their place before this impromptu meeting but all he had to do was sip on his coffee to feel the nostalgia hit in. He sent a grateful smile Sally before taking a bigger sip and leaning in to look at Sahara “It hurts but I guess I understand I’m not mad at you I’m happy to see you and your always forgiven in my book Angel”

 

[GaelicLover]

"It hurts but I guess I understand..."

Alex's words echoed in her heart. Sahara knew what she had done hurt him, but to actually hear the words leave his mouth, it ripped her up more than she thought it would. She wanted to fix things; to put them back the way they had been before...but, her stomach dropping, she knew it couldn't. Not with what was happening; not with what had already happened...

She busied herself in her coffee trying her best to maintain her composure, and tried not to think about the real reason she had come back to Paradise. Alex had always been good at reading her face, but that had been before...well, just before. She refused to think about it.

Chancing a small glance up at Alex, she saw him looking at her with that knowing stare. He was reading right into her, nothing was hidden from him, ever. She remembered their relationship, how she never had to mention how something made her feel. Sahara let the little smile creep back onto her face as she remembered when she and Alex officially started "going steady." The memory was just as strong as the day it happened: Alex had her on the back of his bike, cruising around town like they used to do, he had told her he had some family things to take care of. She'd gone into the house as he went around back, and instantly Sahara felt out of the loop. The house was full of women; no men, all the men were out back. "Working" was what they'd said, doing "guy stuff" and a few shadowed glances and hushed tones. Sahara had come from a good, upstanding family. Sure, her dad had been a drunk, but he had cleaned up his act. But it didn't matter; Sahara was an outsider. After that day, she'd just had to say Alex's name as he dropped her off at her house and he'd known. He'd never made her go back to the house.

It was the only thing she hadn't liked: his family was embroiled in crime. She hated the idea of Alex breaking the law and putting himself at risk. There had been a time when she'd seen having a family with him, and she would be lying if she said that thought had never come back, but the thought of Alex being caught and sent to jail, or worse? She would never force her children, should she have any, through that. Sahara took a deep breath and put a hand on her forehead, giving it a gentle rub.

"It's nothing; I have a bit of a headache." She muttered at the miniscule frown that barely had creased Alex's brow. God, it was like riding a bike; she'd already fallen back into anticipating his questions.

Her phone rang in her purse and thankful for the distraction, she fished it out quickly. She gave a small, half-apologetic smile to Alex and looked at the caller ID. Her stomach dropped and then froze at her feet: a ball of cold, lead ice. How had he gotten this number? She ignored the call, suddenly feeling very paranoid and slid out of the booth.

"I-I'm sorry...I..." Sahara slapped a five down on the table for her coffee and took a few steps back, "I h-have to go."

 

[thepoeticmaster2121]

There was some thing wrong

Alex could see it in her face, Sahara had always been easy for him to read and right now she looked scared and upset. Whoever was calling her wasn’t a friend and judging by the way she all but ran out of the cafe she was scared to death of whoever it was. Alex had never seen Sahara that scared before not even when they had been together, If some one was threatening her….. Hurting her even then Alex had to figure out who and protect her.

He still loved her

He got up paying for their coffee (did she really think he would let her buy?) and pocketing her five, he would give it back to her later. He thanked Sally and hugged her good bye before walking out and watching Sahara drive away. He waited until she was gone before he pulled his phone out and walked over to his bike. He scrolled through the list of contacts before he found one of the clubs prospects and called them.


“Uh hello sir?” The prospect said clearly scared of the presidents son.

“I got a job for you and your brother” Alex said rolling his eyes and putting his cane into the saddlebag of his bike.

“Uh sure any thing for you” The prospect stuttered out nervously.

“I’m going to text you an address” Alex said sitting down and pulling on his helmet “I want you or your brother to go sit on it protect it don’t let the person who lives their know”

“Yes Sir” the prospect said “was there any thing else?”

“That text is going to include a name” Alex said starting his bike and feeling the beast roar underneath him “I want you to do some research on the person try and find out their recent past I’m looking for any thing”

“Yes Sir”

The dark four-door sedan gently glided down the road, night was setting in paradise and the town was silent as the car rolled on by and into a motel just outside of town. A man stepped out wearing a dark suit and a hat that hid most of his features from any one that could get a good look at him. He paid with cash for his room even throwing in a little extra so he wouldn’t have to write his name down on the ledger the kind lady pulled out. He acted quickly pulling out his one large duffle bag and reaching his room in seconds.

As if he didn’t want to be seen

He turned on his lamp and looked around regarding the room with disdain before putting his bag on the bed, he unzipped it and ignored his clothes instead pulling out a large leather file and a handgun. He put the latter into his dresser before pulling the files out and looking at the picture of Sahara.

“I’m coming for you my love”

 

[GaelicLover]

She'd managed to disappear for two years. Why? Why couldn't he have just left her alone?! She'd made it clear back when she was graduating at UCLA that she was done with their relationship. Sure, she'd used him for his knowledge, but there was a time where he had been sweet and kind, and she'd thought she may have been in love with him. But like it or not, he hadn't been Alex. Hands shaking, Sahara finally pulled into her driveway and managed somehow to park her car.

She was shaking so bad, she had to sit in her driveway, her head resting on her hands as she tried to focus on breathing. She wasn't getting under control, she started to feel too exposed, too open. Sahara threw open her door and barely had the mind to shut it, running into her house, her hands fumbling with her keys.

If Jason had found her, he would have let her know.

Sahara stumbled to her computer and opened up her email she'd foolishly kept from her UCLA days and found exactly what she was looking for. The email had a burned address, and no subject line. Sahara clicked on it and the words there nearly stopped her heart.

Did you really think you could hide?
Maybe you should have kept running.

Why had she ever gotten involved with Jason Adler? The man was a psychopath parading under a federal badge! Sahara sighed, knowing full well why she'd gotten involved: he'd had the insight into the crimes she so badly wanted to write. She'd been seduced by the knowledge in his mind, and came to realize too late that he had the worst of the worst when it came to obsessive personalities.

But now she'd brought it here.

Oh God! Sahara's eyes widened as she realized what she'd done. Adler would use everything he could against her; that meant her family, her friends (of which there were blessedly few), and Alex. No, no, no...she buried her face in her hands; if anything happened to Alex... she'd never forgive herself.

She had to leave.

That was the only answer.

But where? Where could she run? Adler had a badge, an infinite budget, and the drive to find her in the deepest part of the most remote jungle in the Amazon. She could be fifty fathoms under the sea and he would find her. Her own budget was nothing to sniff at, but it wasn't like his.

Sahara knew she only had one choice: she had to make a stand.

But how?

 

[thepoeticmaster2121]

“Did you guys get there?” Alex asked turning off his bike and silencing the rumbling Harley underneath him, he swung his leg over the warm machine and winced feeling his wound beginning to pulsate in anger at his movement. The damn thing was acting up again giving him phantom pains of the bullet; it was out of his leg and of course with Alex’s luck still giving him trouble.

“Yes we did” the prospect whispered over the phone “were sitting outside her house now she looks pretty freaked out by some thing she keeps pacing back and forth in her kitchen and she looks worried”

“That’s what I thought” Alex said walking up to the door leading into his house “just keep on her and don’t give her any kind of notice your there”

“You got it boss” The prospect said hanging up, Alex put his phone away and went inside closing the door behind him and locking it. He sighed and pulled his leather cut off revealing Julie strapped down where no one could see her. He pulled the shotgun off of his back and tossed it down on the couch, he was eager to get the gun off of him and as far away as he could. He detested the thing for some reason even though he had fought so hard to get it back in the day, his dad had been less than willing to give him the gun in the first place and he had to go through a extensive gun training class just in order to buy it from his dad.

It had been the best day of his life

But now it sickened him, all guns did since his “experience” in the Middle East. He couldn’t even stand the sight of them with out having a panic attack, the doctors said it was PTSD that would in time go away but Alex didn’t want it to. It was a reminder to him, a reminder of what he had lost that day and what had happened.

A loss he couldn’t ever forget

 

[GaelicLover]

I stayed in the next two days and my stress eventually started to make me feel sick. I focused on taking each step, but I couldn't keep food down even when I tried. I looked outside to my front door and thought I spotted something strange. Frowning, I walked to the blinds and saw a guy in leathers talking to my neighbor across the street. Well, I suppose that wasn't too strange, but normally the club didn't come around to this part of town, they had no reason to. Sure, this entire town was theirs, but still, they didn't usually hit this quiet little part.

I was still terrified of what was about to come, and I really only wanted one person. But that didn't make sense...Alex probably didn't want anything to do with me. And I wasn't about to drag him into this.

I stared at my keys and sighed again. I couldn't be that scared of life; I would never get anything done. In defiance, I picked up my keys and walked out the front door, pulling my baseball cap down low over my brow and sliding into my car. I looked around carefully, and backed out of my driveway and onto the street.

Out of habit, I went back to the coffee shop and sat down at the counter, hardly paying attention to my surroundings. I felt numb and everything around me felt surreal; as if it could all end at any moment. I gave a tense smile to Sally who served me the coffee and remained quiet as the diner filled up around me. I hadn't realized I'd gotten up so early; I was thankful the coffee shop had even been open at all.

I heard a few bikes pass here and there, but I really didn't pay much attention to them. I wanted to call Alex, but the number I had for him was from before I'd left. I doubted he had the same number.