Claimed by the Biker Giant (Maxine and Tank) novel Chapter 54

Maxine POV

Tank nodded for me to get on the bike, and I watched him fiddle with his lid and jacket before I climbed on. He had something on his mind and was distracted. I didn’t expect him to share; it doesn’t work that way. We get told only what we need to hear, and sometimes it can be frustrating; other times, I am grateful for not knowing.

We started slow, Tank’s head looking around, like he was expecting or looking for something or someone.

I could feel the tension radiating off of him, and there was absolutely nothing I could do that I could think of.

We hit the main road, and we made it up to Prez. They nodded to each other, a silent communication, and that was when the music started. They felt Tank relax a little and settle in for the ride. I noticed them looking at each area that you can pull over and park, and I knew they were watching for danger.

Tank didn’t try to deny what I had observed, and listened to me when I had an opinion. He gave me as much as he thought I needed to know, and reached into his pocket, and soon the music started. I guess he didn’t want to talk or was after a distraction, knowing he could tell me little.

A song I liked came on, and I started to sing softly, trying to relax and enjoy the ride. I pulled my bag around, grabbed a snack, and leaned forward to feed Tank. I could feel him chuckling as he ate, telling him to open up suggestively.

It broke some tension, and the rise improved.

Don’t get me wrong, we still checked around us, more than usual on a ride.

Tank joined in with a couple of songs, and the ride became more pleasurable, as the tension reduced, the further away from the campsite we were. The terrain was mainly farmland. It was early spring, and the farmers’ fields had green growth of whatever they had planted, making the area look lush. Some fields looked like canola, a crop that had become popular among farmers over wheat, oats, and barley. The call for canola had grown over the years, and farmers adapted quickly to the changing trends and environment, scrambling for better ways to utilise the resources they had. I wouldn’t want to be a farmer, relying on the weather to give a good yield, and not get rain near harvest, or fires. That can make or break many farmers. I feel for them. They work backbreaking all year, and to have nature wipe it all out, I couldn’t do it.

“We will refuel soon, then another two hours to the town, where we will be camping, and grab what you can to eat. Once the boys get to this town, they won’t have any fast food left.” He chuckled, this poor town, about to get inundated, and hectic cooking.

At the fuel stop, the place was large enough to have a reasonable-sized fast-food outlet. The moment Tank stopped, I was off and rushing into the shop. I grabbed as much cooked food as I thought Tank would eat and four coffees, loading my bag with food and carrying the coffees out on a small cardboard tray. Pushed my way back outside.

I walked over to a shady area and sat under a tree, watching and waiting for Tank to finish and pay.

He had nodded when he saw me come out carrying coffee, raising his eyebrows at me, because he couldn’t see food. I laughed to myself at his expression. He pushed his bike over to where I was seated, kicked the side stand, and sat beside me.

I handed him a steak burger, with the lot, and he unwrapped the side, and took a large bite, moaning in pleasure.

When I finished, I handed him a second one, and he devoured that one just as fast. He ate the two before I had finished one. I gave him a third one. As he took it, he tried to lean over to look in my bag, but I moved it away.

“No Peaking.” I cheekily said, closing the top of the bag, with my hand holding it shut.

“Did you buy the whole shop?” He asked, but that didn’t stop him from finishing that one as I finished my first.

I handed him a fourth burger and pulled out the bucket of hot chips, smothered in vinegar and chicken salt.

“You did buy the whole shop.” He said cheerfully and took a handful of chips, ate them before starting his burger.

He took one of the coffees, and downed it in one go.

“Isn’t that hot?” I asked, sipping mine and finding it too hot to swallow, like he had his.

“Nope.” He reached for a second coffee and drank half before finishing off his burger and the fries.

I finished the second coffee and sat back against the tree.

Giggling, I pulled out a bag and handed it to him.

He opened it and looked in.

“You know me too well,” and then pulled one of the four sausages from the bag and handed it to me.

“Oh, you are going to share?” I pretended to be surprised at his generous offer.

“What? You don’t want it?” and pulled it away from me and bit into it.

“Are you going to share?” I asked, with a pout. My bottom lip pushed out.

“If I must.” He said as he dug into the bag for another one.

“Nope, don’t need to share.” I pulled out another bag.

He watched me as I pulled out a chicken strip and took a bite.

“What? Hey! Wanna swap?” I chuckled and handed him the bag.

“You can have the rest, I am full.” Handing over the chicken strip and another bucket of chips.

“Is that all? Are you done? Was there anything left in the Bain Maries?” He asked incredulously what I had stored in my bag.

“You said you were hungry, and I have seen what you can eat, and anything you couldn’t finish would have been good to feed you on the trip. But you have managed to eat all that I had brought.” I said softly.

“The guys were going to the bakery, chip shop, even the mini supermarket, to see what they could buy, poor town, we most likely gave them a month’s income today.”

“What about the place we won’t be returning to?”

“Already notified, change of plans, not the first time and not the last, they’ll be fine.” He had finished the chips and chicken strips and the second coffee and was on the third. I gathered the rubbish and put it all in one paper bag, ready for the bin, once Tank finished his last coffee.

“Thanks for the food and coffee.” He handed me the empty cup, and I headed to the bin.

On my way back, I noticed Tank looking inside my bag.

“Find anything you like?” I asked as I got closer.

Tank looked, his face covered in guilt; he couldn’t hide.

“More treats for the road? You appear to have a bottomless supply of them.” He said, and put my bag down.

“What, you want them now? I was going to save them for the trip tomorrow, that’s why I filled you up now.” I gave him an innocent look. I did have more in the van, but I wasn’t going to tell him that. It was fun teasing him.

I sat next to him and checked my bag to make sure it was all closed up inside and wouldn’t spill when I tried to grab stuff out while on the bike.

“Tomorrow? I have to wait until tomorrow? Can I get a taste on our way to the hotel?” Tank teased back, with a pleading look, like he hadn’t just eaten four burgers, sausages, chicken strips, and chips. That man had a bottomless pit as a stomach, or hollow legs.

“They are so tasty. You know you could sell them. They are moreish.” That man, I will have to make double on our next run.

Next run?

Was I already planning to do this again?

Like, be on the back of his bike?

Again?

Not ride?

What happened to me?

I loved being in control and being the rider.

Would he let me be the rider and he be on the back?

Could he fit on the back?

I bet he would be a terrible pillion passenger.

I think I am losing my mind.

What am I thinking?

“It’s time,” Tank said, pulling me out of my musing.

I accepted his hand, and he gently tugged, helping me to my feet. I brushed my jeans, ridding myself of the dirt, and threw the backpack over my shoulder. Put on my lid and zipped up my jacket, while Tank started the bike and got himself ready.

He patted the back of the bike, inviting me to climb on, a smirk on his face, as if he was reading my mind.