Meet the enemy

Maddy

“Oh, come on, little sis, I was just playing with your new friend,” Aston said. He focused that razor-sharp eyes on me again, “Who exactly are you? I haven’t seen you in town before and I know all of my sister’s friends,” he continued. His voice was laced with an edge of mockery. His lips curled into a cocky grin.

“This is Maddy. She just moved into the empty house next door!” Giselle said, pulling me to her side.

Aston’s brows arched at the sound of that. “New neighbor, huh?”

I swear I noticed a faint naughtiness crisscross his expression. He stepped up to me with his helmet hanging from his hand. He angled his head to the side, taking me in slowly. “Welcome to Pine Creek!”

I couldn’t take any more of his cologne, that masculine scent mixed with the ungodly musk of engine and petrol.

I batted my eyes in mild annoyance. He can’t be my new neighbor. Hell no! I couldn’t even imagine living in close proximity with him. It would be hell. He would drive me crazy. No, I won’t do it. As soon as I get home, I am telling Dad to find a new house. I would rather die or be homeless than live so close to him.

“You should apologize for almost running her over. Why’d you do that? You’re gonna give someone a heart attack someday with your dirty tricks and pranks!” Giselle scolded him, punching his upper arm.

Aston chuckled. “But I didn’t.”

There it was again, that smirk. So stupid and arrogant, I just wanna wipe it off his face. I hated it. Maybe because it made my heart skip a beat.

“Are you really that proud?” I questioned him.

His eyes narrowed. “Why were you standing in the way? I believe in sharing blame equally!” he retorted arrogantly.

I took a sharp breath, ready to pounce on him. I would’ve torn him a new one. But I was interrupted by the arrival of Max and his crew, marching up to us.

The girls squealed excitedly at him but I saw Aston shiver with hate? Anger? A mixture of both?

Something about Max pissed him off!

“Aston Chadwick, I thought that was you!” Max said. He was a little older than the rest of us. He was not as heavily tattooed as Aston but his ink was scarier. On his arms was a skull with two Xs crisscrossing over it. A death skull. His face was carved with something dark and menacing.

The same tattoos were inked on the rest of his crew members like they were part of a death squad. The word ‘OUTLAWS’ was written on the back of their jackets. A gold medallion swung from Max’s neck.

He had a cool swagger. It was nothing like the mysterious, dangerous air that Aston possessed.

The two boys stood facing each other. The air was suddenly charged with tenseness. Giselle cast a worried look back and forth from her brother to Max.

Finally, someone spoke. Aston.

“Max, what are you doing here?” he snarled, his voice was cuddled with hatred.

Max threw his arm apart. “It’s a party. You know I’ll never miss a party!”

He turned to me, his green eyes sparking. “And who might you be, darlin?” he asked, his country accent deepening.

“Hi, I’m Maddy,” I replied, stretching out a hand. He took my hand, kissed it slowly while holding my gaze. My cheeks flushed red. I loved his gentlemanly manners. A real man, unlike that arrogant Aston!

“Maddy, what a pleasure to meet you. I’ve never seen you around,” he said.

“I just moved to town.”

Behind him, Aston’s jaws twitched with anger. His shoulders went stiff. He balled his fists, rocking back and forth like he’s trying to control himself.

“Well, well, well, what brings you down to our little old town?” Max asked.

Before I could answer, Aston stepped up. “You know better than to be here, Max!”

Max’s gentlemanly airs evaporated as he spun around to face Aston. “Do I?”

Aston stood his ground. For all his arrogance, he was incredibly fearless, authoritative, sexy. “Yes, you and your outlaws are banned from this corner of town. You are not supposed to deal here. The Shadow Ryders won it fair and square!”

Max wiped his jaws, angrily. “See, that arrangement just isn’t going to work for me anymore.”

Aston stepped up to him. “Are you challenging the deal?”

“Yeah, let’s resettle it on the road.”

Aston smirked. “If you want your ass handed to you again, I’ll be glad to do it!”

Max did not back down. “Tomorrow, 9pm, same old stomping grounds. Bring your best game, Aston. Cause I promise, you will not win.”

“Deal!”

The girls gasped aloud. I was confused. “What just happened now?”

Ashley pulled up to me and with lowered voice, she answered: “Max just challenged Aston to a biking race.”

I cast a long look at them. Their hatred for each other was so evident. It was practically choking the air. “He did?”

“It’s a long story. The longest running rivalry in town is between the Shadow Ryders, Aston’s the prez, and Max’s Pine Creek Outlaws. It’s a full-blown war between them. Those two hate each other.”

“Why?”

“It’s An ego thing. The biking culture is strong here. Aston’s always beating Max. They’re never gonna be best friends again.”

Again? They used to be friends? I had a ton of questions, but there was no time to ask them.

Max interrupted us, kissing my cheek. “See you later, doll!”

I smiled at him. I liked him. How gentle he was with me. I waved goodbye to him. I caught Aston’s eyes glaring at me. oh, screw him.

“Guys come on, the party’s just getting started,” Giselle said.

They all started marching into the warehouse. I tried to follow, but Aston grabbed my hand, yanking me backwards.

“Stay away from Max and the outlaws!” he growled into my ears, his nails digging deep into my skin.

Who the hell does he think he is? Just yesterday, I didn’t even know him and yet here he was thinking he could order me around like a fucking dog.

I tried to snatch my hand away but he was strong. Too strong. He wouldn’t budge.

“Let go of me!”

 I was infinitely aware of our closeness, of his cheek nearly brushing against mine, his lips almost on my ear, the heat generating from his touch. My stomach rumbled, my legs shook.

“Do you understand me? Max is trouble!”

Was that a note of jealousy I detected in his tone?

“As far as I can tell, only one of you has tried to run me down, refused to apologize and is now threatening me and it’s not Max!” I said.

Aston’s neck throbbed with stress lines. “You’ve got quite a set of balls on you, princess, but trust me, Pine Creek is nothing like the smug city you just rolled out of. Be careful. Watch your six or this town’s gonna swallow you whole!”

I snatched my hand once again. “Thanks for your unsolicited advice. I think I’ll manage just fine”

He released me finally. I strutted off, aware of his eyes on me. I shook my ass extra hard just for his benefit. I didn’t turn until I reached the warehouse entrance.

Glancing back one last time, I saw him there still watching me.