Chapter Ten
Diablo stared ata woman who held her small boy’s hand, turning his head toward her dress as though to shield his eyes from Diablo. She tapped her foot as the cashier took her time checking out the customer ahead of her. The fact that his mere presence caused her so much consternation delighted him.
“Where the hell are you, Fallon?” he muttered under his breath.
“He has pictures on his arms,” the young boy said.
“I told you to look the other way.” His mother tried to hide his view of Diablo, but the young boy peeked around his mother’s dress.
“I like them,” he said.
“They’re not for us,” she said in a hushed tone.
Diablo cracked a half smile. “You into Freddy Krueger, kid?” He walked over and showed the boy the menacing face inked on his upper arm. The boy nodded as he stared at the image.
“Do you mind?” his mother asked.
“The kid seemed to want to see my tats, lady.”
“I don’t want him exposed to that… sort of thing. Jacob, put your candy on the counter.”
“He’s gonna be exposed to a lot worse as he gets older.” He winked at Jacob, then turned away, seeing Fallon coming toward him. Even though her long gray top and baggy jeans covered most of her body, he grew tight in his pants. Her brown hair fell softly around her shoulders, and when she smiled at him, her whole face lit up. He lifted his chin and waited for her to reach him.
“Hi. Sorry it took me so long,” she breathed, her hands trembling slightly.
“That’s cool. It was worth the wait.” His eyes slowly traveled up her body until they landed on her reddened face. “Let’s get outta here.”
Outside, the bright sunlight made him squint, so he took out a pair of sunglasses from the inside pocket of his cut. “You wanna grab a beer?” She nodded. He stopped in front of his bike.
“I thought we were going to a bar around here,” she said.
“There’s a nice one about twenty minutes outta town. It’s got a kickass view I think you’re gonna love. Anyway, I like the feel of you on the back of my bike.” He laughed hard when she turned even redder than she had when he’d checked her out.
With Fallon snug behind him, he revved the engine and made a U-turn down Main Street. She clung tightly to him, and he laughed into the wind when her hand slipped down over his bulge each time he hit a bump in the road. Pressed against his back, she felt warm and soft. Her lemony scent wafted around him, tantalizing him and keeping his dick awake.
Diablo occasionally took women for rides on his bike, especially Maria and Lucy. They seemed to like it, and he could understand why. There was nothing like blending in with the landscape and feeling the wind rush around him; it gave him a high each and every time. When he’d taken various women for bike rides, he didn’t feel turned on like he was at that moment with Fallon pressed behind him. The other women were friends and it was no big deal, but Fallon was causing all sorts of havoc with him as they rode through the desert and began their ascent to Sequana Peak.
There was a pervasive smell of burning garbage coming from a cluster of homes about a mile upwind. In many small communities, burn barrels were a common, traditional practice, and most of the residents used them to save on the garbage pickup fees. Even though open burning of garbage was illegal, the county rarely enforced the law. In the distance they saw domes of smoke rising up from brown metal containers near adobe homes. Taking a sharp left, Diablo rode up Deer Creek Road.
As he rode farther up the mountain, the air became crisper and groups of evergreens, clusters of vibrant wildflowers, and rich green vegetation replaced the rocky brown sand of the desert. Taking another left, a wood log roadhouse appeared with a bunch of Harleys parked in the lot surrounding it. Tall blue spruce trees flocked around the establishment, and the sweet scent of pine floated on a gentle breeze, curling around Diablo and Fallon. A large metal sign had “Iron Rose Saloon” written on it, and it hung high above the place on tall, thick poles.
He looked behind him. “Here we are.” He jumped off his bike and helped Fallon get off. “They have a great beer selection, kickass wings, and the best burgers in this part of the state.” He grasped her hand and led her inside.
The bar had a decent crowd, mostly men in leather, and a big TV hung on the back wall that had images flickering on it that the men ignored. Pulsing beats from a Mötley Crüe song filled the room.
Diablo went up to the bar, a pretty redhead beaming when she saw him.
“Hey, handsome. It’s been a long time. What’s kept you away?” Her gaze shifted to Fallon and then back to him.
“You know, the usual bullshit life dishes out. Gimme a beer and a….” He looked at Fallon.
“Whiskey and Coke,” she said to the bartender.
“Sure enough. How’re Goldie, Chains, Army, and Paco? I haven’t seen them in a while either. Have you guys found another drinking hole?” She handed him his drinks.
“Everyone’s too damn busy. Thanks.” He gave her a ten. “Keep the change.”
“Thanks. Tell the guys I said hi, and don’t be a stranger.”
