by E. C. Land
Cleo’s Rage
Devil’s Riot Mc Series Book 4
E.C. Land
Contents
Acknowledgments
Playlist
Find Your Strength
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Epilogue
Social Media Links
Available Now
Coming Soon
Sneak Peak
Cleo’s Rage
This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are all products of the author's imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblances to persons, organizations, events, or locales are entirely coincidental.
Cleo’s Rage. Copyright © 2019 by E.C. Land. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission from the author, except in the case of brief quotations used in articles or reviews. For information contact E.C. Land.
https://www.facebook.com/e.c.landauthor
Publisher: Knox Publishing
Publishing Link: www.knoxpub.com
Cover Design by Charli Childs, Cosmic Letterz Cover Design
Developmental Editing by Courtney Lynn Rose, Knox Publishing
Formatting by E.C. Land, Knox Publishing
Proofreading by Rebecca Vazquez, Full Bloom Editorial
Created with Vellum
Acknowledgments
There are so many people who deserve credit in this story. My kiddos are a few of them. They love getting involved with my creative ideas and helping me bring plots together. Alongside them, I’d like to thank not only my publisher, Knox Publishing, my editor, Courtney Lynn Rose, and beta team, but I’d like to thank all of my readers who have been encouraging me as I make my way throughout this journey. You’re all absolutely amazing.
Cleo’s Rage is dedicated to those who have suffered some form of self-doubt as well as those who are unable to carry life. Just remember, you’re not alone and there’s always a child out there waiting for you to have them with open arms.
You’re all beautiful inside and out. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.
Warning:
This content is intended for mature audiences only. It contains material that may be viewed as offensive to some readers, including graphic language, dangerous and sexual situations, murder, rape, and extreme violence.
Playlist
Home – Tyler Wood
Hurricane – Theory of a Deadman
Better than Me – Hinder
Torn to Pieces – Pop Evil
Blurry – Puddle of Mudd
Beautiful – Pop Evil
Angel’s Son – Sevendust
Without You – Hinder
Angel – Theory of a Deadman
Sorry – Buckcherry
Changes – Def Tones
Coming Undone – Korn
She’s My Kind of Rain – Tim McGraw
She’s Still Riding Shotgun – Tyler Wood
Tell Me You Love Me – Demi Lovato
Ride – Chase Rice
Every Little Thing – Carl Pearce
Find Your Strength
Look in the mirror
What do you see
Can you see yourself
Or do you see someone else
Are you as broken within as much you feel
How does one fix what can’t be seen
We must find our strength from within
Pull ourselves from this slump
The pain burns within
Fire fills our veins
Consumes our bodies
Why is it so hard to feel more than doubt
Look at your self in the mirror
Say the words aloud
You're beautiful in and out
With or without anyone by your side
We can all bleed the same
Find the strength to get through the day
Let those words take over the past
We are all strong in our own way
Lean on each other to fill the void
Strength from within
That’s what we all need
-E.C. Land
Prologue
Rage
The first time I laid eyes on Cleo, I knew I had to have her. I watched her the entire night when we first got to Franklin. I couldn’t help but want to run my hands along her body. She had curves in all the right places with legs that I wanted wrapped around me as I sunk my dick in that tight pussy. Not only did I want her body but something inside told me she was meant to be mine.
That same night we met, I couldn’t get enough of her. With her being a waitress at Outlaw Racks, we kept shit just between us. I didn’t like it, but it was her request. By day, we were friends; by night, we fucked each other’s brains out. Especially when her roommate and best friend, Lynsdey, moved out. I know it upset Cleo, but she didn’t say anything about it.
Then all the shit went down with Jake, the sadistic asshole that kidnapped Lynsdey from the hospital not long after having an emergency c-section. Thorn went ballistic at having his woman taken. At the same time, we found out Cleo was missing as well. It gutted me to find out that Jake had her too.
What really got to me was when Gadget told us Jake was raping Cleo on some website. I couldn’t stop the bile from rising in the back of my throat. The knowledge of Cleo going through that sent me spiraling into a time I’d like to forget. A time where I lost my own fuckin’ sister to a monster that raped and tortured her for hours before the club found her.
After all that, she ended up killing herself to escape the pain. I never really understood it until recently. My mom and dad were devastated. Hell, we all were. She was my sister for fuck’s sake. Even though it was years ago, I still have a hard time dealing with it some days. However, now I get why she did it. For the same reason, Cleo attempted to do the same.
Doesn’t help that after we got both girls back, I walked away from Cleo, refusing to even go into her room. I couldn’t bear to see all the pain she was in. Not when she was full of spark before. So instead, I walked the fuck away. I didn’t want to lose another person like that again.
Maybe if I’d gone in her room, she wouldn’t have had a chance to even try to take her own life. I’ll be forever thankful to Stoney for that one. No one was supposed to tell me about that shit, and it pissed me off. It wasn’t until my mom called me, ripping me a new asshole that I found out during her rant. I fuckin’ lost it, and that’s when I realized I needed to get my shit in gear and bring my woman home.
I need to play this the right way, especially when I go to bring her ass back. I’d been paying the rent at her old place even though she wasn’t there, her stuff, however, was. I refused to let anyone in there to pack her shit up. But today, I am moving her things into the house I recently purc
hased not far from Thorn’s place. Wanting her to feel as close to the girls as she could without having to see them if she didn’t want to.
Usually, I’d have gotten a prospect to move all this shit, but I just wasn’t ready to have anyone else touch her stuff. Call me a pussy, I don’t give a fuck, but I didn’t want her shit tainted by anyone else. I want her to know when she gets back that the only one who touched anything of hers was me.
After I got everything moved, I went to talk to my prez, Twister, out of respect. I didn’t want to just take off without letting him know where I’m going. I should’ve known he’d tell me not to go alone. We’re at war now with the Dragons Fire MC. None of us should be left on the road with those crazy fuckers out there. Who knows what they’re up to. They’ve caused a shit load of trouble recently between what all went down with Izzy and makin’ a play for the docks we use.
Which brings me to now.
I shake my head to clear all the thoughts of what all went down as I ride. With me, my two brothers Hades and Burner ride along as we make our way to the national charter.
I take in a deep breath, smelling the fresh air as the wind whips around me. A calm I haven’t felt in a long time hits me— I’m riding to get my woman. It’s time to bring her back where she belongs.
“I'm comin’ for you, Cleo. I fucked up once by walking away. This time around, we’re doing things right,” I murmur to myself as I hit the throttle.
1
Cleo
There’s a saying that you don’t know someone unless you walk a mile in their shoes. I can attest to this being true. People think they know me as a person but in all honestly, no one really knows the real me, not even my best friend Lynsdey.
Several months ago, we were taken by Lynsdey’s psycho stepbrother Jake, who continuously raped me. He didn’t just rape me, he humiliated me by doing it in front of her, claiming it was her punishment. How the hell does that work? I’m not some form of a whipping boy! I’m a grown-ass woman. I didn’t deserve what he did to me. None of it. What Jake did, it didn’t just break me physically, he crushed me mentally. He ruined me completely.
I can’t even bear to say the words out loud. While in the hospital, Stoney, who’s a member of the Devil’s Riot MC, well, he’s more than a member, he’s actually the National President of the club, walked in on me as I was about to slice my wrist open. As much as I want to hate him for stopping me, I’m thankful to him. He’s givin’ me the chance to heal without being around those who are involved. If I want to be honest with myself, I couldn’t stay there and see everyone being happy, moving on with their lives.
I’ve always been able to hide my emotions under a mask but since that day, I can’t. I cry at a moment’s notice or become infuriated over the smallest thing.
Stoney has been really good to me since moving me here, along with the other guys. For the most part, they’ve all given me the space I’ve needed. Usually, I seclude myself, staying in the room they gave me. The only person here who doesn’t is Momma B. If I didn’t feel so damn numb inside, I’d run the other way in fear most days. She has a way of scaring the shit out of someone with just a look. The club girls know not to fuck with her. Me on the other hand, I’m constantly getting the evil eye from a few of them. I don’t know what their problem with me is since I’m not here to step on anyone’s parade. I just want to be left alone.
Alone— that’s all I want, to be by myself. I need time to deal, learn how to live with the knowledge that I'm no longer the woman I used to be. I’m no longer the woman who’d speak her mind no matter what. I’m no longer able to laugh at the simple things. I’m broken. No, actually, I’m not just broken, I’m completely shattered. My life is no longer mine. Even from the grave, Jake has taken control over me, just like he wanted.
Do I want to be the person I’ve become? No, I don’t. I want to be me again, but that will never happen. My life has completely changed. Things that I always wanted; I’ll never have. I will never be able to hold my own child in my arms due to the damage Jake did to my body. My heart breaks at that thought alone. Then there’s Rage. When I needed him the most, he walked away. I really thought he was the one for me. He and I seemed to connect on another level, however, when it came down to it all, he left me alone to deal with everything on my own. I get the fact I couldn’t stand anyone’s touch, turning into a screaming lunatic when Rage and the club came after Lynsdey and me. I mean, I wouldn’t have wanted to be around me either, but I still needed his presence surrounding me.
Leaning back against my bed, I close my eyes, envisioning what could’ve been. Thinking of the child I lost in the whole ordeal and the irreparable damage caused. I choked back a sob as someone knocks on the door.
“Come in,” I call out to who I’m sure is Momma B. When the door swings open, I’m surprised to see it’s not Momma B, but Stoney. “Um, hi, Stoney, what’s up?”
“I hadn’t seen you come out of this room recently, figured I’d come to check on you myself, sweetheart. What are you doing to yourself?” Stoney says, moving into the room, leaving the door open. He always does which I’m grateful for. I’m not able to be in a room by myself with a man right now. Anytime it happens, I freeze up, my breathing becomes harsh and sweat forms along my skin.
“I’m not doing anything, Stoney,” I reply as my eyes follow him.
“That’s what I’m talking about, Cleo. Sweetheart, it’s time to start working through that head of yours. You’re so fucking deep in your head. Do you know nights you finally manage to pass out, your screams wake every brother in this clubhouse?” The way Stoney crosses his arms over his chest along with the look I’m getting tells me I’m in for a lecture, not from the man who has been my friend but from the club president.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t know I’d been doing that. I can find somewhere else to stay if me being here any longer is an inconvenience for the brothers. I . . .”
“You’re not an inconvenience, sunshine. You just need to realize it’s time for you to seek help. Someone to talk to. I don’t give a fuck if it’s me that needs to play psychologist as long as you get help,” he says, interrupting me before I go any further.
“But I . . .”
Stoney raises his hand, stopping me from saying anything else. “Cleo, I love you like a daughter, and I’ll help you any way I can. When I walked into your hospital room to find you about to slit your wrist, I knew you needed help. I’ve given you plenty of time. Honestly, I’ve given you more than enough time to dwell in pity. It’s time to start picking yourself up again. You realize when the brothers came up with Twister to get Izzy, you refused to come out of this room for days. They respected the fact you were not ready to see anyone but with that, you hurt Kenny and Lynsdey.”
“I’m not ready to see any of them, Stoney. The idea of seeing them all happy hurts. I can’t have what they have,” I whisper, lowering my head in shame. I can’t be around them anymore without feeling a sense of longing for the lives they all have.
“Cleo, sunshine, listen to me. None of them would ever judge you for the shit that’s happened. You’re a part of this family whether you want to be or not. I realize you’re not ready to go back yet and I’m not gonna make you, although I have a feeling I’m not going to be able to stop you once Rage gets here,” Stoney says, moving toward the door.
“What do you mean by that?” I say, snapping my head in his direction.
“Means your man is about to reclaim what’s his. That’s what it means.” With that, he walks out of the room, leaving me flabbergasted at his parting words.
What the hell? Rage walked away from me. There is no way he’d be coming here for me. I mean, who would want someone as damaged as I am? I can’t even give him the family he’d eventually want.
2
Rage
Getting to the national charter took what felt like for fuckin’ ever with traffic. Several accidents left us at a standstill or crawling for half the trip, along with having to stop to f
ill up leaving my ass numb. Finally pulling into the lot in front of the clubhouse, I climb off my bike, stretching my legs. The trip up here never takes as long as it has today.
“Damn, I don’t think I can feel my ass,” Burner grumbles, getting off his own bike.
“Shut up, fucker, we’re here and I need a fuckin’ beer. Then one of the clubwhores to suck my dick,” Hades says.
“I could go for a beer myself,” I say, moving for the door. I thought I’d know what all I’d say to Cleo before I got here, but I fuckin’ don’t.
Stepping into the main room of the clubhouse, I let my eyes adjust to the dim lighting. Several brothers approach as I make my way toward the bar. Damn it feels good to be back here. I grew up in this club with my dad being the Road Captain.
At the sound of a loud squeal, every one of my brothers shuts up and looks over to see my mom. “My baby boy, move out of my way, you bunch of assholes, and let me get to him.” My mom is overly loud as she moves to me. I love my mom even though she seems to be a little nutty at times. She handles this life by the balls, though, no one fucks with her family. If they do, all hell will rain down on them.