“I have a test to study for.” She waves at me before bounding up the stairs.
I wander through the house and out the back door leading to the patio and pool.
Even after all these years and everything we’ve been through, my breath catches the second my gaze lands on Mallory. Still as beautiful as the day we met.
Red toenails, long legs, red and white polka dot bikini. My brain catalogs every detail as I creep up next to her. I lean over and tug her headphones off. “You still take my breath away, woman.”
“Jesus!” She jumps about a mile and presses her hand to her chest.
“Chaser, you scared the shit out of me.”
Laughter rumbles out of me and I drop down on the edge of her chair, running my hand up one smooth, bare leg. “I hope you’re wearing sunscreen.”
She curls her fingers in my cut, pulling me down for a kiss.
“Missed you, little dove,” I murmur against her lips.
“I’m so happy you’re home.”
“How happy?” I wiggle my eyebrows at her and tip my head toward the pool house.
She takes my hand and lets me pull her up out of the chair. Together, we race over the patio.
“Do you miss when we didn’t have to hide from the kids?” she asks.
“Nah, it’s more fun this way.” I close the door and slip the lock into place—learned the hard way on that one. “Besides, they’ll both be leaving for college soon enough and we won’t know where to fuck first.”
When we bought the place, we thought we’d offer the little cottage out back to her father when he wanted to visit. He usually chooses to stay somewhere else, which hasn’t hurt my feelings one bit.
She fiddles with the collar of my cut. “How’d it go?”
“Good. They seem to have control of things up in Toronto now.”
“For how long?”
“Don’t know.” I boost her up onto the small counter and keep my hands on her hips. “I’d like having you on more runs with me.”
“I’d like that too.” She cups my cheeks and rubs her thumb over my lips. “Make sure girls in every clubhouse know you’re taken.”
I flex my left hand in the narrow space between us. “If the ring doesn’t let them know. Your name does.” The tattoo around my finger kept fading so I’d had her name inked on the inside of my wrist in thick, bold script. I brush my fingers under her chin, tipping her head back. “You’re still the only woman who sets me on fire with one look.”
She curls her arms around my neck and leans forward, pressing her forehead to mine. “Prove it.”
Much later, when family dinner night with my dad is over, the kids are in bed and we’re tucked away upstairs, catching up on the last few days, Mallory reaches over and picks up the envelope from Alvin.
“What’s this?” She smiles when she sees Alvin’s name on the return address label. “Aw, I miss him.”
“He’ll be here for the summer run.” I lift my chin. “Open it.”
“Do you already know what’s inside?”
“Nope.”
“Hmmm.” She peels the envelope open and slides out a magazine. “Rolling Stone. Top One Hundred Rock Albums,” she reads the headline splashed over the front.
The photo’s a collage of cover art. She peers at it closely. “Oh! I see Kickstart!” She flips through the magazine, landing on the story.
“Oh, wow. Holy shit.” She taps her finger against the page. “In Your Hands is number ten.”
I run my hands through her hair and kiss her temple. “Well, shit. That’s pretty fuckin’ cool.”
“Listen, listen.” She taps my arm. “Some critics consider Kickstart’s In Your Hands one of the last great rock albums.”
“Last great rock album, huh? I’ll take that.”
She flips the page and giggles. “Vicious Vandals’ second album came in at number twelve.”
“How about that.”
On the next page, Alvin left a post-it-note.
Still relevant!
I huff out a laugh and pluck it off the page, crumpling it and tossing it on the nightstand.
“Do you miss it?” she asks.
“Nope.” I peer down at her. “You?”
“Hell, no.” She snuggles closer to me. “Can you imagine with the Internet now and all the online gossip sites how many more shitty things would’ve been posted about us?”
“True.” Every now and then some journalist tracks us down at our little estate outside of Kodack. Writes up a story, tossing in the same tired info about Jacob’s death or the scandal of our MC and mafia ties. All it does is reinforce what a good decision we made when we finally left Hollywood behind.
“At least it would’ve been easier to call you when I was out on the road.” I brush my thumb over her cheek. “Touring would’ve been a hell of a lot easier if I could’ve called you whenever I wanted instead of always searching for a fuckin’ payphone.”
“That would’ve been nice.” She wrinkles her nose. “You know some jackass would’ve stolen your phone and published all the risqué photos I sent you.”
“Wait.” I roll over and grab her little silver phone and flip it open. “I can’t get you to send me a nude now.”
“Yes, I have.”
“Those barely qualify.”
She clamps her hand over her mouth and laughs. “I’m afraid I’ll end up accidentally sending one to the kids or my dad or worse, your dad. You just know I’d do something like that.”
“Yeah, don’t send me nudes.” I pull the sheet back. “I prefer the live version.”
She rips the sheet out of my hand. “I’m cold.”
I glance at the magazine again. “Are you sorry you left?”
“Not for a second. We have everything that matters right here.” Mallory strokes her fingers over my chest. “I’m happy exactly where we are.”
“So am I, little dove.”
Our home. The life we’ve built. I wouldn’t trade any of it.
My heart’s where it belongs. Right in Mallory’s hands.
I click off the bedside lamp and spoon her soft little body, pulling her as close as possible.
“Sweet dreams, little dove.” I press a sleepy kiss to her temple.
“You’ve already made all my dreams come true,” she whispers.
“Then I guess we’ll have to come up with some new ones together.”
EPILOGUE
2 years later…
Devil Demons MC clubhouse, Western NY
CHASER
“What’d you find out?” I ask Tally as he steps into my father’s office.
He closes the door before answering. “Lost Kings seemed to have cleaned house. Ruger supposedly went nomad.”
“Bullshit.” My father grins.
I don’t find that as amusing as Dad seems to.
“They opened a charter downstate,” Tally adds. “Sway’s running it.”
That wipes the smile off Dad’s face. “They’re going to make a play for more territory.”
“You think they’ll encroach on us?”
My father runs his hand over his chin, staring at the wall for a few seconds before answering. “That kid’s in charge now, right?”
“He’s hardly a kid,” Tally says.
“We’re just getting old.” I sit up and punch Tally’s shoulder.
Tally laughs and punches me back. “Speak for yourself.”
“He came up under Grinder,” I say. “Follows the more gentleman outlaw approach. Rock won’t push into our territory.”
“You want to bet your patch on that?” My father nods to the Vice President stitched into my leather cut, right over my heart.
I’ve run into Rock plenty of times over the years. I know he served time for his club, and never snitched. Loyalty—an important quality in our life. Not always easy when you’re faced with a long prison stretch. He got out and from what we’ve heard, worked hard to clean up his club. Still takes care of Grinder and his old lady too
. Do I want to bet my patch that he won’t attempt to expand into our territory? Not particularly.
“They’ve got their own issues with Vipers MC right on their border.”
“Fuck the Vipers. They’re as bad as the Silver Saints. Both need to be put to ground. Permanently,” my dad grumbles.
“So bloodthirsty, Pop,” Tally jokes.
“Wolf Knights MC is right up in their neck of the woods too, right?” Dad asks.
“Jesus Christ, old man,” I grumble, “Do I look like the Rand McNally of outlaw clubs to you?”
“Knowing all that shit’s your damn job.”
“Yeah, Ulfric’s of the same mindset. Old school. Their club’s small, anyway.”
“We should invite ’em both to visit. Feel ’em out. See who’s up for helping us get rid of Tyler’s crew once and for all.”
“You really wanna declare war on the Silver Saints, Prez?” Tally asks, all traces of humor wiped off his face.
“They’re getting bold. Basically declared war on our Toronto brothers. Again.” My father’s pissed-off glare turns my way. “Your daddy-in-law ain’t been real helpful there.”
Ah, yes. I study the ceiling for a few minutes. Acting as the middleman between my club and my father-in-law never loses its appeal.
“Call Rock,” my father says. “Use the excuse that you want to congratulate him on his new position. Remind him you’ve known him since he was a little punk. Hand out some fatherly ‘proud-of-you’ bullshit.”
“Yeah,” I answer slowly. “I don’t see him falling for something so obvious.”
My father dismisses my concern with a flick of cigar ash on the floor. “Whatever you need to say to find out what that second charter’s about.”
“Because he’s gonna be real forthcoming with those details.” I lift my chin. “You fucking kidding me?”
“You’re smart. Figure it out.”
A loud buzzing rattles from inside one of my father’s desk drawers.
He pulls out one of the club’s burner phones and glances at it. A slow smile crosses his face. “518 area code. Wonder who that could be?”
Empire, NY
Lost Kings MC clubhouse, Upstate NY
ROCK
Few people ever see our struggles or our pain. But everyone sees your mistakes. Revels in your misery. Passes judgment.
“That’s my story, Rock,” Trinity finishes baring her soul to me with lowered eyes and a voice barely above a whisper.
The things this woman has endured at the hands of her father’s club leave fury boiling my blood. It took courage to spill her painful past.
“You’ve done the hard part, Trinity. I’ll handle the rest now.”
“Okay.” The slight quiver of disbelief in her voice punches me in the gut. She’s been let down so many times and by so many people, she doesn’t know how to trust anymore.
Or perhaps she’s waiting for me to tell her my club’s protection comes at the price of spreading her legs, which it doesn’t.
The only way to earn her trust is to keep my word. Besides, Trinity’s given me a kid sister vibe since the night we met when she teased me about my shiny new president’s patch.
I work a more reassuring smile onto my face. “We’ve got your back. The ride goes on, right?”
She huffs a sad laugh. “My dad used to say that all the time. People change, the world goes to shit, but the ride continues.”
“Bishop was a wise man.”
I met her father once. A mean bastard of a biker, but a good man. Stabbed in the back by the same men who pledged to be his brothers.
Putting the Silver Saints MC to ground is looking better and better by the minute.
The Devil Demons MC is my best bet to take out the Silver Saints. Trouble’s been brewing between the two clubs since well before I earned my colors.
“Your mother’s still with a biker?”
“Maybe?” She shrugs. “I haven’t seen her in so long…”
It shouldn’t matter. If anything, it should motivate Stump even more once he understands the situation.
“If it’s okay with you, I’ll give Chaser a call.”
A brief smile flickers over her lips. “I remember him. His ol’ lady was always nice to me when I was little.”
That doesn’t surprise me one bit. Mallory’s a fine woman.
“You won’t…?” Her scared honey eyes silently plead with me.
She doesn’t have to voice the rest of the question. “No. I won’t share details of what you told me with anyone. I promise.”
“Are you sure this is okay? You barely know me.”
“I know enough. You’re safe here, Trinity.”
She finally seems reassured. “Thank you.”
I stand and open my office door. “Go get settled. I have a few things I need to take care of.”
She hesitates for a second before nodding and slipping out the door.
My vice president’s waiting outside my office and watches Trinity with an interested expression that irritates the shit out of me. “Get in here, fuckface.”
Zero grins, flashing a set of deceiving dimples. Dimples or not, he’s as deadly a biker as one gets.
“’Sup, Prez?” He shakes his head. “Fuck, still feels weird calling you that.”
I tap his almost pristine VP patch. “Same, brother.”
He drapes himself over the chair Trinity just vacated. “She gonna be our new house mama?”
“Wrath’s got his eye on her. They’ve been out a few times. Leave her alone.”
He snorts. “Wrath’s never claiming an ol’ lady.”
“Just leave her alone.”
He shrugs. Between the girls at our strip club and the girls who wander in and out of our clubhouse, Z’s not exactly hurting for female attention.
“What’ve you been hearing out of Kodack?”
“Demons still run the show. They’re getting more pushback from Tyler’s crew, though.”
I growl at the mention of the sleazy fuck at the head of the Silver Saints’ table. “Chaser’s father-in-law isn’t assisting them with that situation?”
“Nah, you know DeLova’s too good for dirty biker business.”
Yeah right. “You don’t believe that for a second.”
“Feds went at them hard for a few years. DeLova’s keeping his distance.”
“I think we should offer the Devil Demons our support.”
The smile slides off Z’s face. “Why are you eager to pull us into another war after everything we’ve been through?”
“Simmer down. Throwing our weight behind Stump’s crew will benefit us down the road.”
He glances at the door and I sense the question forming in his mind.
“Tyler’s a piece of shit,” I say to recapture his attention. “He needs to go. Grinder called it years ago.”
“You gonna pay him a visit? See what he thinks?”
I cock my head, giving him the full force of my are you stupid stare. “Sure, why not? Seems like acceptable visiting hour conversation at good ol’ Pine County Correctional.”
He flicks his gaze to the ceiling. “You know what I meant.”
“I’m not involving him in this. He’s sacrificed enough for our club.”
He sits back. “Call Chaser. Feel him out first.”
With a heavy sigh I pick up the phone. I’m sure Chaser will be thrilled to hear from me. Then again, burying some bodies together is always a good way to solidify alliances.
“Chaser, it’s Rock.”
There’s a beat of silence before he responds. “I hear you’ve made some changes in Empire, Prez.”
My how word gets around. “A few.”
“Congratulations.”
“Thanks.” There’s not a whole lot we can say over the phone but I don’t think that has anything to do with Chaser’s reluctance to speak. “We’re not moving beyond our existing territory if that’s what you’re worried about.”
“Hadn’t even crossed my m
ind, Rock.”
Sure, it hadn’t.
“Heard you established a charter downstate,” he adds.
“It was…necessary.” No, I won’t get into the details of my own club’s internal battles.
“Your club’s squeezed tight.” He lets the observation hang. He has a point. I’ve got my own problems right here in Empire.
“Yeah, but you know the feeling. Don’t you?”
He snorts. Everyone knows about the war that’s been brewing between the Devil Demons MC and the Silver Saints MC for years. Involving my club might not be the best idea, but it’ll establish trust with the Devil Demons MC.
Plus, there’s the added benefit of protecting Trinity.
“Tyler still a thorn in your side?” I ask.
His low growl comes through the phone. “We’ve had some losses.”
“Sorry to hear that. Been a while since we’ve seen each other. Think you and your father are up for a meeting?”
“Where’d you have in mind?”
“Name a location.”
“Who are you bringing?”
“Just my VP. I’d like to keep things between us for now.”
“Doesn’t sound like a good start to your presidency.”
“You’ll understand why.”
“I’ll set it up and text you an address.”
“Thanks.” We hang up and I stare at the phone for a few seconds.
Z taps his fingers on the edge of my desk. “You’re sure about this?”
The images left in my head from what Trinity shared won’t be leaving anytime soon. One of Tyler’s guys already tried to grab her once. Now that he knows where she is, he won’t stop. “I’m sure.”
“Chaser’s a good man to go into battle with. Stump’s a devious bastard and certainly no lightweight.”
“Neither are you.” I give him a weary smile.
“I’ll follow you anywhere, Prez. Always got your back.”
“Same, brother.”
He nods and slaps my desk before standing.
I meet his ice-cold stare head-on. “Let’s get ready for war.”
Discover Rock’s story and start the Lost Kings MC series with
Wheels of Fire (Hollywood Demons Book 3) Page 37