'The mongrel shouldn't be allowed to get away with it!' Ren thought angrily as he got onto his bike. He kicked the motor to life and eased the Triumph out of the shed and headed down the road. He was aware of someone not to far behind him on their bike as he sped along but he was not in the mood to slow down and let whoever it was catch up with him.
The powerful bike ate up the road easily until he could see the lights of a town up ahead. Deciding he needed more distance behind him he kept riding and headed for the next town along the highway. As the worst of his temper cooled he eased back on the throttle and reduced speed to allow the rider behind him to come along side, a quick glance told him it was his best mate Brad.
As they approached the town Ren took the lead and headed for a quiet pub at the far end of town. He led the way around the back of the pub and rode back to the main street to park in front of the pub so his bike would be in full view from the doorway. He took his helmet and driving gloves off as he stepped up onto the sidewalk and paused in front of the doorway.. He waited several seconds for Brad to catch up to him and then the two men walked into the pub.
They made their way to the poolroom out the back of the pub and looked around with interest. It was a Friday night and there was a local pool competition that was held weekly in the pub. Both men made their way to where a man was taking names and a twenty-dollar entry fee and entered the competition.
"I'm gonna get a cold one, want one?" Brad asked Ren.
"Make mine a bourbon and coke." Ren said as he looked around the room to get the layout of the place. There were three pool tables in the back half of the room, several small tables scattered across the front of the room and long benches placed around the side and back walls. A jukebox stood to one side and Ren walked over to check out the music selection on it. Seeing it had a few songs on it he didn't mind he decided he might play a song or two later.
"One bourbon and coke as ordered." Brad said handing him a cold can and giving the jukebox an uninterested glance.
"There's some real talent out in the bar. A couple of brunettes." Brad said after taking a deep drink of his rum and coke.
When Ren didn't reply Brad knew his friend had his mind elsewhere.
The guy who had been taking entries for the pool competition announced that entries had closed and the first round draw would be done so the comp could start. Names were drawn out of a plastic bucket and soon the first two games were under way and the names of players were written onto a blackboard to show who played against who.
Brad found himself playing against a pimply-faced teenager, who looked barely old enough to be allowed in the pub. The teenager was busy trying to impress a girl dressed in a top that showed most of her stomach; jeans that looked as if they had been painted on and boots with six inch high heels.
Brad gave her an appreciative look as he walked past her.
"Looking good tonight." He whispered near her ear as he passed her.
"My name's Brad. What's yours?"
The girl blushed a bright red and giggled nervously as she flashed him a quick look. She couldn't help noticing that her boyfriend looked unimpressive across the pool table compared to the tall well-built biker clad in leather. She noted that Brad had broad shoulders that filled out his jacket giving the impression of muscle while his waist was trim and his hips lean; his thick hair was dark with a slight wave, one lock falling over his forehead James Dean style. He was quite handsome with dark eyes, a rugged face and a smile that flashed white teeth.
"Tania!" Her boyfriend snapped jealously, annoyed that she was clearly admiring the big biker.
Tania hurried around the table to stand behind her boyfriend. Brad winked at her across the table and she blushed once again. Tania glanced at the second biker who stood near the wall at one end of the table watching as his friend played his game of pool. He had blonde hair, short at the front over his forehead and shaved just above his ears. The top and back was long and pulled back in a ponytail at the back. She realised he was watching her and she blushed deeply as she looked away coyly. When she glanced back he was watching her with an amused half smile framed by a neatly trimmed goatee. His unusually clear green eyes had a twinkle of humour in them.
'Oh my gosh!' Tania thought as she realised that he looked like a blonde version of Colin Farrell, the star of the movie The Recruit. The blonde guy had a presence that drew her eye. He was definitely one of the most handsome and sexy men she had ever seen.
Tania realised she had been staring when he raised one eyebrow and tilted his head to the side in silent inquiry. She turned away in embarrassment and moved back to sit down on the bench behind her. She kept her attention on the game in front of her and realised that the biker playing against her boyfriend was a much better pool player than her boyfriend. She glanced across at his friend and saw he had a preoccupied look with faint frown lines between his eyebrows as if something was troubling him deeply, she looked away and curled her hands into fists in her lap as she suppressed the urge to walk over to him and smooth the lines away.
"Damn he's a good player!" Tania's boyfriend exclaimed when he came to sit beside her after loosing the game.
Brad walked over to where Ren stood watching the game at the other two tables.
"Your shout." Brad told him.
"Same again?" Ren asked with a quick glance.
"Yeah, and check to see if they are still doing the counter lunches." Brad told him.
Ren headed out to the main bar. He smiled at the woman behind the bar who took his drinks order and watched her chatting to an old guy who was clearly a well-known regular. When she returned with his drinks she smiled apologetically.
"Sorry I took so long but .."
"No need to explain. I aint the only customer in here." Ren said with a grin.
"So just the drinks?" she asked.
Ren glanced down at the name embroidered on her bar shirt.
"Any chance that the lunches are still going Jody? That is your name isn't it?" Ren asked with his sexy half smile.
"Yes, that's me, Jody. And lunches are available for another half hour. What would you like?" Jody asked handing him a laminated menu.
"I'm Gabriel Renford, Renagade or Ren to my friends. And can I have two steak sandwiches with chips. One medium rare, one well done." Ren decided after a quick glance at the lunch menu.
"Anyone ever tell you that you look like Colin Farrell?" Jody asked with a cheeky grin knowing it was probably something he heard regularly.
"Oh maybe a time or two." Ren treated her to his sexy half smile as he handed over money to pay for the drinks and food.
Jody laughed as she made change.
"I'll be out the back in the poolroom." Ren said as he turned to leave.
"Good luck!" Jody called after him.
In the poolroom Ren found he still had a bit of a wait before his game would be on, so he and Brad settled at one of the small tables to wait for their meals.
"Think I might hang around town for a day or two, chill out some." Brad said.
Ren glanced his way but remained silent. Brad was well aware of what was eating at his friend causing the brooding look and preoccupied air. Ren was worrying about the girlfriend of one of their friends and the way their friend was mistreating her.
"The girl with the kid I played looks like she might like some action." Brad remarked.
Ren glanced across where the girl sat with a group of other teenagers. She was sneaking glances towards him and Brad every so often.
"She looks a bit on the young side to what I like." Ren said.
Brad was just about to make a remark about age not stopping Ren before but decided not.
