C H A P T E R  T E N

{Immediate regret...they shouldn't have ever agreed}

Hesperia and Cassius found themselves following the four menacing bikers.

She was so not on board with this, and Cassius basically had to drag her along. As well as her displeasure over his shoddy decision making, she really regretted saying yes as she watched the little one known as Marko and the Vince Neil reject she had yet to learn the name of act like idiots, shoving each other back and forth and bumping into random people.

Manners were the least of their concerns, that she knew from the fact they weren't even bothering to apologize as they mowed people down and basically trampled them. They were garnering a lot of stares and she was not thankful for the attention, but what was she going to do? Tell them to quit it and stop being fucking mentaloids? She didn't even want to talk to them if she didn't have to.

She noticed that a majority of people were moving out of their way, avoiding them like they were the black plague. It would be nice, she guessed, to instill that much fear into people, would make it a lot easier to get places. Though she supposed her small stature didn't help her look intimidating at all.

Cassius heard her thoughts and snorted a very quiet laugh at her expense, but she still heard him and elbowed him sharply in the side, a sadistic grin springing upon her prominent features when he made a weird screeching noise at the unexpected pain and flounced away from her.

They were both unaware of the four men watching them, unable to stop staring at the smile spreading across her face, or the way her eyes crinkled when she giggled at her companion draping his arm over her.

Marko could have sworn it was the most beautiful sound he'd ever heard, and he made a vow that he'd have to try and get her to laugh more often. After this mess was sorted out, of course. He just hoped she'd still want to laugh...after the night they had planned went down.

Paul mumbled a quiet 'woah', captivated by the way her face seemed to brighten with a smile, her eyes aglow with happiness and her lips pushing dimples into her cheeks.

His little exclamation was loud enough that both Ria and Cassius heard and she glared at them again—except Dwayne noticed it didn't quite hold the fire that it did before. He held hope that maybe they were growing on her.

Ashamed and a little embarrassed at being clocked, they looked away, feeling a bit sheepish at having been caught but she noticed the peroxide blond with the spikes that defied gravity was still staring at her. Not a hint of shame.

He quirked her an amused half smile and her cheeks heated up at the sight. He was...actually quite handsome when he smiled. His smirk grew bigger at the pink tint on her cheeks and she flushed an even deeper pink—more a red now— from her own dose of embarrassment.

He breathed out a noiseless chuckle and focused his sight in front of himself again. Hesperia was thankful to have his probing eyes off of her...they made her feel things she was ashamed to admit. Things her mind couldn't comprehend. She didn't even know them.

She huffed to herself, irritated at her line of thinking.

'Get it together, a couple of minutes ago you were having a panic attack at how afraid you were of them and now you're thinking about how hot they all are? Dumbass.' She admonished herself, but her eyes drifted to them again without a thought and she watched them silently as she walked next to Cas.

She couldn't seem to stop admiring them all. Anyone with eyes could see they were blatantly attractive and she was aware that she was becoming less afraid of them the more time she spent around them, the aching in her chest had even stopped.

She tried to assure herself it meant nothing, failing miserably when watching the dark haired one throw a small smile brimming with familial affection at the two childish men that were still shoving each other.

Her heart sped up at the sight, at the smoulder now transformed into something so beautiful and at this point she was pretty sure she resembled a tomato.

The group came to a sudden stop in front of four very big motorbikes. Oh god, she'd forgotten they rode motorbikes.

"Okay so, what's the plan?" She queried, nerves warbling the pitch. Her voice wavered and cracked from her previous tears, and she cursed at the fact that she wasn't able to hide how scared she was.

They all started, not expecting to hear her. Especially not in a tone so pleasant. The man so far had done all the taking, and now she was speaking to them. Properly, for the first time.

She had a lovely voice. It was soft, almost like a whisper but slightly hoarse from the strain she'd put on it earlier. They were actually quite impressed at how different she'd sounded when she was shouting, how powerful she could make her voice.

She thought to herself silently while they stood there and watched her. Was she going to have to get on one of these things? Because that did not sit well with her and her heart sped up even more at the thought

They all felt the change in her mood. David, somewhat out of his element in matters like this, sought to brighten it.

"Unfortunately you're gonna have to ride with one of us princess. Same goes for your little friend." He drawled out to give the illusion of not caring as much as he did, showing her what he hoped was a reassuring smile.

It was so unlike him to have to be kind and considerate of others, but he'd do that for her. It was hard...but he didn't want to scare her any more than they had. Not if he could help it.

They all climbed on their bikes before they focused their attention on her, eager to see who she'd pick. None of them were thrilled with the idea of being lumbered with her pesky companion. David even contemplated making sure he'd fall off.

"Whoa! Hold on there buddy, I'm not letting her on one of these deathtraps with any of you. Just tell me where it is we're all going and I'll get us both there." Cassius retorted as he tightened his hold on her, reluctant to let her out of his sight.

He didn't want his pure and innocent sister pressed up against any of these devilish assholes who seemed to be obsessed with her. He knew they'd enjoy it a bit too much.

"Not going to happen. You're riding with one of us, I don't trust that you won't just take her away." David said as he flashed Cassius a shit eating grin, Marko and Dwayne staring him down.

Paul broke the tension and let out a laid back laugh, looking at Hesperia with a cheeky grin. "You can ride with me babe. I pinky promise I won't bite."

He and Marko howled with laughter at that like it was some big inside joke and it did nothing to soothe her nerves.

So that was them out.

The leader was far too intimidating to even put into the mix.

She observed them all one last time, absolutely sure she couldn't tolerate any of them...and then her eyes fell on the only one who had not spoken. He was watching her: silent, deadly, but she could see the curiosity in his dark umber eyes along with some strong emotion she couldn't decipher.

She shuddered, finding that his presence comforted her, not setting her on edge like the others did. He had been the sweetest in his silence and she made up her mind, going to move towards him.

Cassius gripped her so tightly she felt like she was being crushed by a boa constrictor, stopping her almost trance induced drifting and attraction to the wordless and silent and gloating man, the very same who was rubbing her obvious favoritism of him in his brothers faces.

"What are you doing!" Her brother hissed in her ear, his voice laced with bewilderment . She rolled her eyes at him and tried to remove herself from his tight hold, managing to nearly free herself but he still kept a hold of her wrist. She was going to be bruised at this point with the amount of people grabbing her today.

"Look, do you want answers or not? " She retaliated, cross and unforgiving and tired. She could feel the biker gang all staring at her as she conversed with him but she didn't let it faze her and Cassius remained quiet, staring at her indignantly.

'Such a drama queen.'

"I'm tired, hungry and I'm sure we'd both like to know what the fuck is going on. Besides, you already decided for the both of us that we were going with them so don't change your mind at the last minute. Put up, shut up and pick someone to ride with so we can get this over and done with." She chastized him like she was his mother and Paul and Marko openly laughed at him, gleeful to witness him put in his place.

He glowered at the two chortling hyenas before he turned it on her. He contemplated for a moment before he sighed dejectedly and let her go.

She turned with determination and ignored the three blond's as they gawked at her, making her way to the handsome coffee skinned man and Jesus, he really was gorgeous. She nearly stumbled under his unwavering attention.

He didn't say a word, but his eyes shone with satisfaction—he even looked a bit smug. She hesitated as she reached him, her nerves nearly getting the best of her but he carefully took her hand in his large one like she was made of porcelain.

His hands were so big that they completely engulfed hers. Peering up at his face, she was surprised at how close she was now standing to him and how she was able to keep her cool at their intimate proximity.

He didn't smile, but his expression was kind and told her to trust him—and something inside her was urging her to listen. It was slightly disconcerting, the ease with which she gave in.

With a hefty amount of uncertainty, she held his hand and allowed him to help her onto the bike behind him.

Dwayne suppressed a shiver as he felt her settle on behind him, her chest pressing against his back, arms around his waist, her thighs settled against his. It was laughable, the struggle to contain the groan wanting to rumble from him at the relief he felt as he finally got to touch her. Her scent nearly overpowered all of his senses and he felt like he was drowning in the best way possible.

Hesperia bit her lip as her hands brushed the smooth skin of his exposed stomach and she stopped herself from doing something embarrassing. He was warm and she was glad for it, the nights in Santa Carla cold as the wind rolled in icy waves off the ocean. Involuntarily as one of those breezes washed against her exposed skin, she pressed herself closer to him, seeking his warmth and Dwayne tensed as her breath tickled his neck.

David's voice snapped them both out of their spellbound state and they looked to see that he was staring at her brother with that patronising little smile again, Cassius mimicking it just to piss him off.

Marko and Paul were staring at Dwayne instead of the show between the two wannabe alpha males, both with unconcealed jealousy painted over every square inch of their faces, wishing that they were in his position with her wrapped around them.

Although...Paul was thinking of a lot of positions he wanted to be in with her.

Marko thwacked him in the balls for it as punishment, a bulge straining in his own pants at the imagery conjured in Paul's mind. His brother was...something.

"So who's it gonna be?" David feigned boredom as he and Cassius went round in circles, but his eyes conveyed to the man sprouting refusals left and right that it definitely was not going to be his bike he hopped on if he knew what was good for him.

"Well preferably, it would be none of you and I'd just do this my own way, but I'm not leaving her alone with you." Cassius stated dryly, crossing his arms in indecision, scanning them all with a once over. His eyes fell on the wild haired rocker of the group and he decided that he looked the least hostile of the bunch, "I guess I'll go with David Lee Roth."

Marko snickered at Paul's bad luck and the nickname, but he was silenced when he was all but shoved off his bike by the unhappy stoner.

Cassius, begrudging, climbed on behind him and Paul didn't even let him sit down properly before he took off, Cassius letting out a very girly scream that he was never going to live down.

David nodded to Dwayne and sped off with Marko after his brother to make sure he hadn't murdered the annoying man that accompanied his mate. Dwayne's hand reached down and squeezed her shaky one. He assumed she was still a bit shook up from earlier, she was good at hiding it. He turned his head slightly so he could just about see her.

"Hold on tight." He advised, smirk playful.

His bike roared to life and he rushed off slightly slower then his brothers had, Hesperia's excited laugh being carried on the wind.