The Curse Of Spring (Book Two of The Seasons Trilogy)

Chapter 10

Cole

I had woken up feeling like I had been hit with a freight train - which then reversed and ran over me again. It was probably thanks to the fact that I hadn't slept much that night, thoughts of Harley plaguing me whenever I shut my eyes.

She, on the other hand, had looked as if she'd hadn't been affected at all by our kiss and my quick escape.

Okay, she'd dressed as if she wanted someone to pay attention to her, with her hot as heck arse in those tight fake leather pants. I really had to stop myself from either grabbing her and kissing her again - because I hadn't learned my lesson the first time - or begging her to go and change. When Jay shook his head at me I knew it was pointless though, the chick had shown a stubborn side to her and she'd clearly just dig her heels in further if we said anything.

Her on her silver Yamaha fulfilled fantasies I didn't even know I had! But the second we stopped at the rally, she was swept up by some beach boy with his hair tied in a man bun and a shark tooth necklace hung around his neck. The fucker was all over her and she didn't push him away once - which initially made me wonder if she was just like this with everyone, but then I caught his expression and I knew he was just trying to f**k with me.

I sighed to myself and turned away, heading to where Jay had gone in search of a shot of liquid backbone.

"Grab a seat, kid," Jay called to me as I walked past the four older men. "And don't stress about Harley with Tanner. He's a good boy."

I nodded in response and sat down further down the bar from them. I mean, what else was I going to do? I didn't trust Jay's judge of character though - he thought I was "a good boy" too, and I've killed before. I'd also imagined bending his daughter over her bike and having my way with her, so...

"Anyone seen Jason or the Rebels yet?" I heard one of the older men ask.

"Not yet. They'll probably stay away from me anyway so it's not like I'll get to talk to Jason or warn him," Jay responded, his eyes fixed to the beer in his hands.

"What's the plan?"

Jay shrugged, "the lawyer said I can't get directly involved. My record is against me in this one."

Hank hit the bar with his closed fist and swore fluently. "Gonna have to find someone distant from the situation to try talk to the kid and help him get out."

I took the shot of tequila the barmaid passed my way and ordered a coke, turning my attention away from the older men.

"Sure you don't want some brandy in that, sugar?" the woman asked, leaning over the counter and pressing her gigantic knockers together suggestively.

I smiled politely and shook my head, passing her some cash before I exited the bar, deciding to check out the competitions instead.

All rallys had the same stock-standard games the bikers all enjoyed; throwing a bike tyre to see who can throw it the furthest, seeing who can ride on a single wheel the longest, and the typical races as you'd expect. I entered into all of them, hoping it would make the day go faster. It's not as if I'd be able to leave Jay and Harley at the rally and go back to the house alone.

"You did pretty well in this round," a guy I presumed to be a bit younger than me commented as I came second in the tyre throwing competition.

"You didn't do too badly yourself," I returned, having watched him come up just short of forth place.

He laughed and shrugged his leather jacket on. "Thanks, it's my first rally so I'm still learning the ropes. Planning on a couple of firsts next year."

I laughed at his cocky attitude. "It's my first rally this side of the country. How about we make this a bit interesting and have our own little competition between ourselves?"

I offered my hand and he gripped it, shaking it hard.

"Deal. The name is Junior."

"Cole, good to meet you. I see the next event is starting," I grinned and headed in the direction a crowd was gathering, throwing my final remark over my shoulder. "May the best man win."

It was a beer chugging competition - literally the only competition I hadn't entered. I don't do the whole "let's get wasted" s**t. That only leads to mistakes, which leads to news articles all over the web, which leads to the General finding me.

"I didn't enter this one," I told Junior as he grabbed a competition number. "You'll have to represent both of us."

He chuckled and mentioned something about a cat, but took his seat at the table where a few rather large bikers were sitting. At the revv of an engine, the competition was underway with one biker seemingly drinking mugs of beer as if they were shots. Thirty seconds later, the biker was named champion and Junior looked a little bit green.

"You ok there?" I asked as he stepped my way.

"Yeah, I just…"

His face paled and I knew exactly what was coming next, steering him to a large bin so he could get sick in it, instead of all over his shoes. As he hunched over the bin I noticed the embroidery on the back of his leather jacket - a large R in a circle with the words "we ride together, we die together" around it.

"Cool jacket, where did you get it from?" I asked once he'd recovered and had washed his mouth out with a bottle of water I had commandeered.

He looked rather proud as he pulled on the sleeve of the jacket. "I'm part of the Rebels."

One of Jay's friends had mentioned that name before and it was clear that they weren't a group to be messed with. Yet the guy seemed too nice to be part of a group of people who Jay's lawyer had even recommended he stay away from. I decided to probe a bit further.

"I'm not from here so I don't know them."

He looked a bit shocked for a second before he looked around, obviously gauging whether he should tell me more or not. It didn't take very long before he caved.

"Well, they're a biker gang. They're really respected in the city, although I know they've got quite a hectic reputation. I'm pretty new - only got my jacket yesterday - so they don't tell me much. They're cool though. Are you in a gang?"

"Ah, that's cool. I don't do gangs, I prefer being a lone wolf," I responded, heading back to where my loan bike was parked.

"I joined because my father was part of the Rebels before he was killed by some low life, dirty cops. The day I turned eighteen, I reached out to them and said I wanted to join them in memory of my father. They made me wait until I turned twenty one before they let me join, but here I am. Living my father's legacy."

Twenty one. The kid was only a year younger than me but seemed so much younger than that. He'd clearly been living under a rock or something since he thought being part of a gang was something to be proud of.

"Oi! Junior, get your arse over here," I heard a gruff voice shout out, Junior's back straightening immediately.

"I'll see you at the next competition," he winked at me before he darted off in the direction of the angry looking man who whacked the kid on the back of the head as soon as he was in reach.

The two rushed off to the edge of the grounds and a strange feeling washed over me.

Something wasn't right.