Page 2 of Taming Trickster
He's a big, muscular guy decked out in leather with wild dark hair and a bandana covering the lower half of his face. In one swift motion, he kicks down the kickstand and dismounts the bike, cracking his knuckles menacingly.
"I suggest you let the girl go," he growls in a deep, gravelly voice. "Unless you want to deal with me."
The two nasty men laugh.
"Well, well, what do we have here?" one of them sneers. "A little Rogue Rider out all alone?"
"We're Outlaw Riders," the other adds with an ugly grin. "This is our turf now. And that girl there is gonna be my bride as soon as we teach her a lesson for running off."
The big biker remains calm, slowly shaking his head.
"You idiots really have no idea what you're dealing with, do you?"
He turns to face me, lowering the bandana from his face to reveal a chiseled jaw and intense eyes.
"You alright? Don't you worry, I'll protect you now."
With deliberate movements, he begins stretching his bulging arm muscles. I can't help but stare, feeling a blush creep into my cheeks. This handsome stranger may have just saved my life.
"I'm giving you one last chance to walk away," he warns the two men in a dangerously quiet voice. "Leave the girl and go. Before I make you regret this."
The nasty men just laugh again, cracking their knuckles as they advance on the biker.
"Yeah, right! You're outnumbered, biker punk! We're gonna beat you to a pulp and then take you to our boss!"
Oh no. This isn't good. I have to do something! I can't let this brave stranger get hurt trying to protect me.
Chapter 2 - Trickster
I can't believe my luck tonight. I was just out for a late-night ride around the edges of Pine Valley, trying to clear my head after another bout of insomnia. Riding always helps me relax when my mind won't shut off.
But I never expected to stumble across a situation like this - two lowlife Outlaw Riders accosting a young girl in the deserted gas station parking lot.
As soon as I saw the fear on her pale face and the thin, torn dress hanging off her body, I knew I had to step in.
This girl...she looks like an angel. Rosy cheeks and red hair tumbling past her shoulders in messy waves.
Precious and delicate, and she needs a protector right now.
"I don't need your protection," she suddenly says, pulling me from my thoughts. “I'll just go with them. It's fine..."
I shake my head firmly. No way is that happening on my watch.
"You just stay put, okay? Don't you put yourself between us." Shifting my gaze to the two scumbags, I allow a small smirk. "See, the Rogue Riders have been itching to put you Outlaw trash in your place for weeks now. Looks like I got lucky tonight."
I crack my knuckles and roll my shoulders, ready for the fight. These chumps have no idea who they're messing with.
The two men sneer and drop into fighting stances, fists clenched. The taller one spits a wad of chewing tobacco to the side.
"You're a dead man, biker punk!"
With that, he rushes me, meaty fists swinging wildly. I easily sidestep the clumsy blows.
His fists go wide as I bob and weave out of the way. This guy is all force with no technique. Sloppy and overconfident - just how I like them.
With a smirk, I catch his next punch on the inside of my forearm, then snap my other hand out in a brutal palm strike to his nose. Cartilage crunches and blood sprays as the big man bellows in pain, staggering back.
"You'll pay for that!" the other Outlaw snarls.