The Bad boy of Pine Creek: My biker lover

Maddy

The town signpost read “WELCOME TO PINE CREEK, population 2000!” but it might as well have read “WELCOME TO YOUR PERSONAL HELL!” because I never imagined in my wildest dreams that I would start Junior High in this hellhole.

“Honey, get out of the car and help me unpack!” Dad yelled.

He was crankier than usual but I guess I couldn’t blame him. One month ago, our life as we knew it ended when Mom died.

Unable to deal with it, he packed us up for the move here. Far away from the life we used to know, away from all my friends.

One minute, everything was perfect and the next? Boom, pine creek! The town might be beautiful and picturesque but it was still a far cry from my old life in NYC.

I miss my friends and my old life. It was so weird to go from living in a penthouse in NYC to this tiny town where everyone knows everyone else.

“MADISON ALLY GREEN! GET OUT OF THAT CAR NOW!” Dad’s voice boomed with anger.

I got out of the car, reluctantly. “This is great. Just great! We might as well be living in the middle of fucking nowhere!”

Dad spun around, disapproval written all over his face. “Hey, language”

“Dad, I’m a city girl. Not some small-town hick.”

“Yeah, well you better get used to it!”

I wanted to scream. Last year, I was looking forward to Junior High in NYC. Now, I’m about to become ‘the new girl’ in school.

High school was hard enough already without the extra stress of starting over and trying to figure out the social hierarchy in a place like Pine Creek. This sucks.

Few minutes into unpacking, a girl who looked about my age came jogging along from the house next to ours. She was tall, raven-haired with stunning skin. She could pass for a Victoria Secret model.

I’d seen her spying on us since we arrived. But now, she was wearing gym outfit with a white headset around her head, ready for her morning run.

She stopped next to the van. “Hi, welcome to the neighborhood. I’m Giselle Chadwick. I live right next door. It’s so nice to meet you,” she said, stretching out a hand toward me.

Dad came rushing over when he heard her. He shook her hand before I could even move. “Hi, you are a Chadwick? I’m Paul Green. I’m going to be working for your father. I can’t wait to meet him.”

My interest piqued. Oh, so she was a member of the almighty Chadwick family that I’ve heard so much about. They were apparently the richest family in town. The name was plastered on almost every building we drove past on our way in.

“It’s so nice to meet you, Giselle. I’m Maddy Green,” I told her, happy to make a new friend.

Maybe, Pine Creek might not be so bad after all.

“Hi, Maddy. Wow, I was so happy when dad said the house next door had been sold. Nothing ever happens in Pine Creek. I thought it would be cool to get a new friend. So, just let me know if you need anything,” Giselle said.

“Yeah, actually, I was hoping to meet someone who could show me around. I’m starting Junior High on Monday. I don’t know anyone, it’s so scary!”

Giselle’s smile stretched across her cheek, her white teeth shone brightly.

“That is so cool cause I’m starting junior high too. We are gonna be besties. I can just tell. In fact, I’m going to a party tonight. Everyone’s gonna be there. Would you like to come? I’ll introduce you around so you don’t feel knocked off your feet come Monday.”

I clutched my chest. “You would do that?”

“Yeah, sure, it’s nothing.”

I turned to my father. “Dad, can I go to this party?”

He bobbed his head, just glad that I already made a friend and would probably stop complaining to him. “Sure honey. Hey, Giselle, take care of my baby girl, okay?”

*****

LATER THAT NIGHT.

Giselle parked her Mercedes S-class at a warehouse full of partying teenagers. Loud music shook the walls and could be heard from the main road. Neon lights flashed. Drunken teenagers darted around.

Outside, cars and bikes littered the parking area. Some couples were making out on the hood of cars without a single care in the world.

We climbed out of the car. Giselle was dressed in a simple black jean with a designer white top, carrying expensive Chanel purse. She looked both simple and exotic.

Her hair flowed down her back. Next to her, I looked like a squid even though I was decked-out in expensive designers.

As soon as we get out, two beautiful girls came running to meet us. “Giselle!!!”

They threw their hands around her neck, ignoring me. Giselle noticed that and pulled me closer. “These are my friends, Lexi and Ashley. Girls, this is Maddy. She just moved next door.”

The girls scrutinized me with sharp, beautiful eyes. They poked at my clothes and bag. Satisfied I was the real deal, they finally said: “Welcome to the jungle, bestie.”

They hugged me, pulling me into the sisterhood.

They began to bombard me with questions but halfway through the introductions, a group of biker boys pulling up distracted them.

“Giselle, it’s him! Max is here! Oh my God!” Ashley cooed excitedly. The girls ran over to meet the boys, leaving me alone for a second.

I leaned on the car, waiting for them. Who was Max and why was he driving all the girls crazy?

Just as I bent low to tie my shoe laces, I heard the loud roar of a new bike arriving to the warehouse.

It sped fast, hard, stirring dust in the air. It drove straight toward me at full speed. 

I screamed at the top of my voice and froze, paralyzed.

I was so sure it would hit me. My body slackened, accepting my fate.

But instead of hitting me, the Harley screeched to a stop right under my nose, the front tires nearly touching my knees.

Smoke from sharp braking filled the air. The throttle revved, sending muddy sand into the air.

I coughed hard, rubbing my eyes. When I opened them, I saw the rider emerging from the smoke with a crazy aura.

He was a tall figure all decked out in a black helmet, black leather jacket, gloves and steel-enforced boots.

His arms, chest and neck were covered with tattoos. In fact, every body part visible to my eyes was heavily inked.

My heartbeat accelerated as he pulled off his helmet, revealing himself.

My jaws almost dropped.

I’d never seen such a handsome specimen before.

His long, dark hair was tousled from wearing the helmet. He shook it off, vainly, tucking strands behind his ears. His cheekbones were sharp; his jaws tightly set. His upper body looked entirely sculpted like a Greek Adonis.

It was hard to estimate his age but he couldn’t be more than eighteen.

I froze when his blazing gray eyes locked onto mine, lazily.

“Baby girl, if you’re trying to kill yourself, there are prettier ways to die,” he said in an amused voice.

He reeked of arrogance. That over-confidence that comes from knowing he is hot.

 Okay, I said it: he is unbelievably hot. The authority in his voice knocked me off-balance.

His expression relaxed as he continued to observe me. I felt his eyes taking me in; his gaze was so intense, it made me extremely nervous.

His lips were moving but I couldn’t hear a word he’s saying. I just stared at those perfectly-shaped lips, imagining them on mine. His rough exterior was attractive. The things those veiny hands could do to me….

He snapped his fingers in the air, drawing my attention back to reality.

“Are you deaf? Can you speak?” he questioned arrogantly.

Okay, now, his attitude pissed me off. He almost hit me. The least he could do was apologize.

“You nearly killed me!” I barked at him, regaining my confidence.

Bad boys like him didn’t scare me. They never do. So, what was it about him?

 I was confused by the wave of emotions traveling inside me now. I despised his arrogance but I couldn’t help feeling drawn to him.

“Princess, if I wanted you dead, you’d be dead.”

He leaned in closer, his cologne teasing my nostrils. “You know why? I don’t miss!”

That proximity threw me in more confusion. I opened my mouth to rebuff him but only air comes out.

Something about him paralyzed me.

I didn’t find out because next thing I know, Giselle came running up to us with her friends.

“Aston, leave her alone!”

She turned to me:

“Please, forgive my brother. He likes to show off!”

The information washed over me slowly. Her brother?

Just my luck….my new neighbor is an arrogant, hot, biker jerk!