Royal Riders

Tiana POV

I stood outside a bar, contemplating between stepping inside for a few shots or proceeding with my hunt for a guest house. 

I'd been walking around for the past two hours, searching for a place to spend the night to no avail. 

It's like everything had magically decided to bite me in the ass this evening. From a cheating bastard to " no rooms available "  In this small coastal city. 

When Milan suggested coming here, I was thrilled. Now, I was cursing inwardly for his bad taste. 

He could have at least chosen a big city. That way, it'd be easier to find somewhere to sleep. But oh well... 

Frustration and the lingering heartache made the decision for me and before I could stop myself, I sauntered into the club. 

" Royal Riders? " I repeated, scoffing. " Do they ride dicks over here or what?" I didn't find it funny after encountering a nasty one earlier. 

The bar was not packed , just few seats occupied and the smell of cigarettes heavy in the air. 

The burly man whom I assumed was the bouncer barely gave me a glance as I stepped inside.

The scent of alcohol,sweat and worn out lust slammed into me as I slid onto a stool.

The bartender arrived before I could even raise my hand, like he was waiting for me.

Excellent. There was no better way to end an already bad day than getting wasted so that's what I planned to do.

Royal Riders could go to hell, I just wanted to loosen up.

" Get me a bottle of anything that can erase a bad night." I ordered. The guy had a bull ring and when he smiled at me, he looked rather hot.

I shook my head to clear those lustful thoughts off my mind. Men were cheaters, even the cute ones.

" Coming up right away." He replied,winking before walking away.

A moment later, he served me a bottle of whiskey.

I grabbed the glass and poured a generous amount of the drink before chugging it down.

The bartender was already gone, serving the next customer. I sat there, nursing my drink and my heart.

" Rough evening?" A rather pleasing voice asked. I cast a side glance and caught broad shoulders and a black shirt that stretched over muscle.

He had a tattooed forearm resting casually on the counter like he paid taxes here.

The man smelled faintly of leather and expensive cologne.

I didn’t look at him immediately because apparently men weren’t exactly my favorite species tonight.

I took my sweet time turning toward him.

Dark hair... sharp jaw, the kind of face women made bad decisions over.

Unfortunately attractive even for a woman nursing a broken heart.

“Are you offering therapy or just collecting sad women at bars as a hobby?” I asked.

One corner of his mouth twitched.

" It depends. What's your version of therapy?" He asked, raising a brow at me. He had the audacity to look amused.

"My version of therapy," I said, swirling the amber liquid in my glass, "involves finding out if this whiskey is strong enough to make me forget my own name. So far, it's not succeeding. Do you have any better suggestions?"

His eyes, a shade of blue that was almost startling in the dim bar light, met mine.

"I might," he said, his voice a low rumble. That voice stirred things inside me, things I had no business feeling at that moment. But he was handsome, and I was raw, and that was a dangerous combination.

" And what might those be?" I challenged, sounding bolder than I felt.

The man  leaned in a fraction closer, the leather and cologne scent sharpening with the movement.

"First, you stop trying to erase. You just... replace. Bad memories with a new one. One that doesn't involve cheating bastards."

My head snapped up, the whiskey glass halfway to my lips. "How did you...?"

He gestured vaguely with his tattooed arm. "You came in here looking like you wanted to burn the world down. You ordered 'anything that can erase a bad night.'" he pointed out, a ghost of a smile playing on his lips.

" And you're muttering about cheaters under your breath. It's not that hard to figure it out."

Heat flooded my cheeks. Of all the times to be an open book, did it have to be before this handsome stranger?

I scoffed, trying to regain some semblance of control. "Well, aren't you the observant one? A regular barroom Sherlock Holmes. What gave it away? The tears or the desire to commit a felony?" I asked.

"Neither," he said calmly, looking completely unfazed by my sarcasm.

That was a first. Most men take it as a cue to walk away when I pull out my signature sarcasm skills.

"It was the way you held that glass. Like it was the only thing keeping you from throwing it. I've seen that look before." He revealed. " Besides, who comes here in this small city for anything else? A romantic vacation gone wrong?"

I actually chuckled at that.

" Tell me you haven't collected the likes of me severally in this bar?"  I asked, suddenly feeling something bitter crawl up my mouth at the thought of him being friendly with some other woman. What the fuck was that? I shook it off instantly.

He had a short, rough laugh.

 " Can't say I have. This bar is mainly for the club. Women don't just wander in here. Especially women who look like they just walked out of a corporate board meeting." He said, letting his eyes trail over me in a way that wasn't lecherous, but it wasn't not holy either.

That made my breath hitch in a way that was annoying.

I could see why, though. My tailored blazer and probably expensive heels looked out of place among the worn leather and denim.

I smiled and took another sip of my drink.

" I'm Knox. How should I address you?" He asked, leaning on the counter, giving me his undivided attention.

I could tell he was the kind of man who usually got what he wanted.

For a wild moment, I wanted to let him have me.

" Tiana." I offered, my name sounding foreign on my tongue.

"Tiana," he repeated, the name rolling off his tongue like he was tasting it. "Pretty name for a pretty lady."

Okay, he was laying it on thick.

The sad woman inside me preened at the compliment but the professional woman inside me rolled her eyes.

" I hear that often. I was hoping for something different tonight." I heard myself say.

Knox smiled, that ridiculously dangerous smile that had my insides screaming at how hot he looked.

" Something different? How different are you looking forward to, Tiana. I can assure you, I have various versions of different." He offered and god, why did my mind picture everything unholy at those words?

" Your best version of different. The one that leaves nothing but a reckless ruin." I suggested and goddess help me, I reacted to the sound of my own words.

Knox smirked then lowered his voice into a whisper that sent a shiver down my spine.

" A ride." He said simply.

I blinked.

 " A ride?" I repeated, sure I must have heard him wrong.