Captured Heart by Angelica Siren

The weather up north was the same, but somehow the climate was completely different. It's the strangest thing about Ireland; for a small island there's more variety than you'd ever guess at from the outside. I'm used to the wide open spaces back home. In America, when we talk about heading "up north," we're talking about crossing state lines maybe, maybe heading up to Canada even. The whole trip from Dublin to Belfast took less than two hours but we might as well have been going to another planet.
    We had ridden up to Belfast in force. Dublin would just have to do without the Druids Motorcycle Club for a few weeks. Until this job was done, Ronan had told everyone, all business in Dublin is on hold. I had considered staying in Dublin while he was away but I thought better of it. He might be gone a long time, even if the distance wasn't so great. Furthermore, the war he was set to fight on his father's behalf came with no guarantee of safety. If something happened, I needed to be there. Plus, I'd barely been outside of Dublin since coming to the Emerald Isle. It was about time I got a wider perspective on my new home.
    Ronan's father had invited the pair of us to stay with him but it was just a formality. I knew Ronan would never accept his offer and I was glad for it. When Terry had left, the rift between them seemed wider than ever. Every conversation they had - at least the ones I was present for - seemed to follow the same path. Ronan would be sullen and defensive and Terry would start out acting like the jolly father figure he might see himself as in his head. Before long they'd be yelling at one another and threatening each other. I couldn't handle weeks of those conversations and I was very glad when Ronan told me he'd arranged for us to stay with a couple old friends of his - Darren and Lila.
    Darren was about as far from a biker as anyone Ronan had introduced me to. By day he worked as an accountant. By night he also worked as an accountant. You could measure the amount of excitement and adventure in his life with a teaspoon. Darren and Ronan had been the best of friends in primary school and had managed to keep in touch even though their lives had gone in completely different directions. Sometimes bonds of friendship can overcome drastic differences in life experience.
    Darren's new wife Lila was a perfect match for him. Wherever he seemed to walk a straight line of normality, she brought in a little bit of color and chaos. When we arrived at their apartment in Belfast that evening, Darren answered the door wearing the remains of the business suit he'd been wearing that day. Lila was wearing a bikini swimsuit. She immediately announced to the pair of us that she refused to believe that the weather was as gray and wet as it was and that she was doing everything she could to encourage the sun to come out. I liked her immediately.
    Ronan had insisted that I ride with him on our trip up north. I didn't question it as I'd ridden behind him on his bike almost every day. I hadn't taken into account the length of the journey or the weather conditions though. The result was that, by the time we got to Darren and Lila's place, I was wet, sore and in no mood for company. I knew I had to make do though. Darren and Ronan were old friends, but I could tell he was counting on me to handle some of the social obligations. As charming as Ronan could be, he was somewhat lost when it came to interacting with people who didn't spend their time around bikes. That's part of what makes us a great pair, I guess - we fill in the gaps each other have. Darren and Lila were much the same and I couldn't help but feel that in another life we could be two happy couples who went on double dates together.
    Lila had dinner ready for us when we arrived at the apartment, so I barely had enough time to dry my hair before I was being thrust into the thick of socializing. We sat down at their small dinner table and I looked out the window across the city