Authors Note: This story is for the
Literotica 2022 Valentine's Day Story Contest
. I hope you enjoy it. Thank you to MsSensualT who tried to proofread for me and got through about half before we ran out of time. My apologies for the last-minute rush. It is a particularly long story so my appreciation of her is great. If you make it to the end and enjoy this story please vote and comment. ~ellie
Amazing Grace
Part 1.
Grace stepped out of the car and stretched. She loved the restored Kombi her brother had given her for this trip, and it was a pretty smooth ride for its age. Not that she would have expected anything less from her brother and his mates, the car-obsessed asshats. They ensured her ride was fully serviced every three months. Admittedly, it was not just cars, anything with a motor got their attention, and if they could make it go faster, that was even better.
She walked into the mechanic's workshop looking for a face she knew and frowned when a stranger with a grim expression noticed her and came toward her. She backed away, cursing her brother Teddy, who assured her only his club brothers would be there. She kept walking backwards through the wide roller door she had entered through as the stranger continued to close the distance, raising his voice and slowing his speech as if talking to an idiot.
"This is private property. You can't just stroll in here. Accidents happen when people come into our workshop uninvited. What! Do! You! Want?" He shouted in single words until she turned and fled back toward the van.
She climbed into the van, locking herself in and staring the man down as he continued to shout at her. She had just started the engine, intent on calling her brother and telling him that his friends could come to find her for the parts when the shouting stopped. A guy she knew stepped into her line of sight, waving his arms and smiling widely.
"Grace, wait!" Beau yelled, trying to get her attention. "Sax didn't know it was you. It's all good, don't leave. You came all this way to leave the gear here, so we didn't blame Teddy for his fuck up. At least let us unload it before you go."
"Beau, you tell that guy to fuck off, or I am gone," Grace said, her eyes stinging with the residual panic coursing through her. Coming to the Pack House was such a bad idea. She had no idea how she let Teddy talk her into doing it by herself.
"He's gone. You're good," Beau said, walking to her door and opening it. "I need the keys to open the back. You can stay there if you want. It'll just take a minute, but I need those parts today, Gracie."
"Whatever," Grace mumbled and turned off the engine, handing over the keys. "Just get your shit so I can go."
"You're not driving back tonight, are you?" Eli asked as he came into view.
"No," she shook her head but didn't elaborate.
"Where are you staying?" he asked, frowning at her and wondering why the guys hadn't said she would be staying with them tonight.
"Not with you idiots, that's for sure," Grace rolled her eyes. Then seeing Beau start back towards her as well, she added. "The band's playing in Eversley. I'll be perfectly safe without the big brother detail, thank you very much."
"You got a room with the band?" Beau narrowed his eyes at her.
"No, I'm staying with a girlfriend, geez! Get your shit and let me go, or I will never help you dickheads out again," she threatened, but it was ruined by the half-laugh she gave at their unimpressed expressions.
"At least, get out of the car and give me a hug," Eli demanded. "You can stay five minutes and be social at least. It's your first time at the Pack House. Take a minute to look around."
"Yeah, tried that and didn't feel welcome, so I'll just be heading off as soon as Beau gets your shit out of the van," she grimaced and looked toward the open roller door where the same guy was leaning back on the bonnet of a muscle car. Grace shivered involuntarily. Men like him, aggressive and intimidating, still freaked her out even so long after the attack.
She'd been sassy when she was younger, buoyed by the constant companionship of her foster brother and his friends. She had learned the hard way that on her own, her sassiness was not deemed cute or funny by everyone, and not all men appreciated a strong young woman who wouldn't put up with their shit. She had learned her lesson well and had the scars to prove it, both physical and mental, but she had moved on. Mostly. Except from assholes like the one still staring at her now.
"You met Saxon?" Eli asked, following her gaze.
"Not exactly," she said truthfully. "Look, Eli, I need to get going. I never planned to stay here longer than I needed to unload. I need to make it to Eversley by mid-afternoon, and I'll be cutting it tight in this van," she gave a half-laugh, but the truth was she loved it.
"Okay, Okay. Hug me, and I will help Beau with the last boxes," he agreed.
"Hey! Not fair," Grace complained as she stepped down from the van and found herself wrapped up in the arms of both of her brothers' best friends, who squished her like a sandwich between them. A bike roared into the lot, skidding to a stop, and Grace found herself pulled out of Eli and Beau's arms and into the big broad chest of Mitch, who swamped her with his sheer size as he pulled her from her feet. "Mitch! We talked about this! Put me down!" She drummed her fists on his broad chest.
"We also talked about eloping, but I don't see that happening anytime soon either," he rumbled from deep in his belly, his body shaking with mirth. "Alright, let's go," he said, placing Grace on her feet again and trying to guide her toward the packhouse.
"No. No. No. No. No!" Grace wriggled from his arms. "I need to be on the road again. I'm staying in Eversley for the weekend. Call me, and we'll grab a drink or something, but I have people waiting for me who will worry if I am late."
"You finally make it to the packhouse, and you're not going to stay?" Mitch looked crestfallen.
"I can't. I'm sorry," Grace said and, finding herself back on the ground, went to get back in the van. "I will just wait here while you grab the last few boxes."
"You're good, to go," Beau said a minute later as he purposely blocked the staring contest between Saxon and Grace. He leaned into her window and kissed her cheek. "Saxon's a good guy," Beau said reassuringly. "He just wasn't expecting you. Women are a rarity here because we keep our partying down at the Fox Trap. So, he wouldn't have hurt you," he murmured. "Go, we'll catch up with you tonight. We'll come into Eversley for a drink like you said."
"Thanks, Beau," she smiled. "I'll be better next time if there is one." Then she put the car in drive and pulled out of the big spare parts junkyard and its attached mechanical and crash repair workshop. She knew it was their dream job. Each of the guys that dwelt there was a grease monkey and street racer from the age of fifteen or younger. She waved to the other two guys and accelerated onto the western highway headed for Eversley.