by L. Wilder
“I figured it was time for me to start adulting.”
“Wasn’t it you who was just pretending to be a lesbian to get extra tips?”
“Exactly! A girl has to pay the bills,” she teased as she stood up. “I better get back inside. The dinner rush is about to start.”
“Okay… I’ll see you Friday night, right?” The club was having a family cookout, and everyone was invited.
“I’ll be there.” As I started for the door, she yelled, “Catch ya later, home-slice.”
On my way back to Seth’s place, I got a message from him saying he was still at the clubhouse and to meet him there. It was dark by the time I pulled through the gate, but I still noticed a familiar bike parked at the front door. It wasn’t one that I would’ve expected to see at the Satan’s Fury clubhouse, so I rushed inside to see what was up.
When I walked into the bar, I spotted Seth sitting at the bar with Scotty. I hadn’t seen him since the night he helped get us out of that cellar, so I rushed over and hugged him. “What are you doing here?”
He gave me a tight squeeze, then leaned back, taking something off the bar. As he handed me a large, yellow envelope, he said, “I was just telling Two Bit that I’d gotten a call from one of my buddies down at the fire department. When they were cleaning up from the fire down at the shop, they found the club’s safe. He owed me a favor, so he brought it over to my place. It took me some time to get the damned thing open, but I finally did. I found that buried underneath some old video tapes.”
“What is this?” I asked as I started to open the envelope. Before he had a chance to answer, I read the first few words typed on the paper. Tears filled my eyes as I uttered, “This is my father’s will?”
“The one and only. Looks like he’s got you quite a little nest egg put away. It should cover the rest of your classes and then some.”
“You’re kidding!”
“Your father was crazy about you. It always surprised me that he didn’t have something lined up for you.”
“I should’ve known. I can’t believe Tank had this the whole time.”
“I guess he was planning to keep it for himself.”
“What an asshole,” I groaned. “What about the tapes you mentioned? Were those…?”
“They were pretty damaged from the fire, but I sent what was left of them to the cops.”
Confused, I asked, “Why would you send old video tapes to the police?”
“There were some things on there they needed to see… some families that needed some closure.”
“Do I even want to know what you’re talking about?”
Seth wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me over to his side. “No, beautiful. You don’t. Just focus on that paper in your hand, and forget about the rest.”
“Thank you, Scotty. For everything.”
He started to stand, but Seth stopped him by saying, “Where’re you running off to?”
“It’s getting late. Figured I better be getting back.”
“It’s not that late.” He motioned for Cass to bring another round of drinks. “Have another. The boys and I have an offer you should consider.”
“What kind of offer?”
I gave Seth a quick kiss, then held up the envelope as I said, “I’ll let you guys talk. I’m going to head back to the house and read this over.”
“Okay, beautiful. I won’t be long.”
I turned to Scotty and said, “It was good to see you again. I hope I’ll see you around.”
“I guess stranger things have happened.”
I turned and headed for the door. I was walking out to my car when I spotted Wren leaning inside the backseat of her SUV. Wyatt was standing next to her, and I could tell by the sound of her voice that she was upset. Worried that something might be wrong, I rushed over to her and asked, “Wren? Is everything okay?”
When she stood up and faced me, I saw that her shirt was a mess and she smelled awful, like a dirty diaper had exploded all over her. “No! Everything’s not okay!”
Wyatt rolled his eyes as he complained, “Mia had a stinky. A bad one.”
“Wyatt, your sister is sick to her stomach. She can’t help it.”
“She needs a doctor,” he huffed.
“She needs her brother to stop being ugly,” Wren scolded.
“Um… Is there anything I can do?”
She started to remove her soiled shirt and replace it with a clean one as she asked, “Can you please get Stitch for me? I texted him that we were here, but he hasn’t answered.”
“Sure. I’ll be right back.” I hadn’t even taken a step towards the clubhouse when I saw Stitch walking in our direction. “Oh… here he comes.”
Wren sighed. “Thank goodness.”
Stitch walked past me and went straight over to truck. He ducked inside and checked on his daughter. After several seconds, he stood up and asked, “Rough day?”
“Yes. Very rough day. I’m sorry to bother…”
“Wren,” he scolded. “I’ve already told you. There’s nothing more important than you and these kids. Now, let’s get them home and get their momma in the shower.”
“Are you trying to say I stink?”
“Are you sure you want me to answer that?” he teased as he helped Wyatt back into the truck.
“Just get in the truck, Stitch.” Wren looked over at me as she opened the door. “Sorry about all this.”
“Nothing to be sorry for, girl. I hope Mia feels better.”
“I’m sure it’s just a little bug. It’ll pass soon. I’ll see you Friday night.” She waved as she got in the truck. A warm feeling washed over me as I watched them pull out of the parking lot. They were proof that you can overcome the odds, and it made me realize nothing was out of my reach. With Seth at my side, there wasn’t anything I couldn’t do.
As soon as I got home, I pulled out my father’s will and started to read each and every word. He’d taken every measure to ensure my future with life insurance policies and his savings, and there were even a few stocks and bonds in his lock box. Everything was in my name, and without my written consent, no one else could touch it. Seeing that made me realize why Tank was so adamant that I hooked up with Slider. It would be the only way any of them could get to the money my father had left me. Now that they were gone, I no longer had to worry about how I was going to pay for my classes, or anything else for that matter.
I was still staring at the papers when Seth got home. He sat down on the sofa next to me. “You doing okay?”
“I can’t believe he never told me about this. If I’d just known…”
“You remember when you told me everything happens for a reason?”
“Yeah, but…”
“If you’d left the club and hadn’t been working that night, I wouldn’t have met you.”
I rested the palm of my hand on his cheek. “And you wouldn’t have ended up in the hospital.”
“For you, I’d do it again. Hell, I’d do it a hundred times over.”
“That’s because you’re crazy,” I giggled.
“You’re right.” He reached for me, pulling me into his lap as he smiled wide. “I’m crazy for you.”
He kissed me tenderly, showing me just how much he loved me. I broke from our kiss just long enough to say, “It just keeps getting better and better.”
“And it always will.”
Epilogue
Two Bit
Damn, she was so fucking beautiful. Just watching the look on her face as I slammed my cock deep inside her made me come undone. I quickened my pace, pounding into her again and again, each thrust more demanding than the last.
We were both close to the edge. She moaned as her head fell back and her body jolted beneath me, her nails biting into my shoulders. I let my hand slide down between her thighs, my thumb gliding over her clit as her body bucked against my touch. Her moans filled the room as I brought her closer to her release. Panting and breathless, she clamped down around my coc
k and muttered, “So close.”
She ground her hips against mine, matching my relentless rhythm, as she whimpered, “More.”
Fuck. My girl wanted more, and that’s just what I gave her. Her grip on my shoulders tightened as I tilted her hips, driving deeper and harder with every move. I felt her clamp down around my cock, letting me know that her climax was approaching. When her body started to writhe and jolt, my resistance broke, and I came deeply inside her. I’d barely caught my breath when she whispered, “Was that my graduation present?”
Laughing, I shook my head. “No, beautiful. That present comes later.”
“You really didn’t have to get me anything else. That right there was… a-ma-zing.”
“I’m glad you enjoyed it, but we need to move it.” After I gave her a kiss on her forehead, I pulled myself out of the bed and headed into the bathroom. As I started the shower, I yelled, “You could save time by taking a shower with me.”
She popped her head in the doorway. “And how is messing around in the shower going to save us time?”
“I’ll do my best to behave,” I assured her.
A mischievous smile spread across her face as she snickered. “It’s not you that I’m worried about.”
I pulled back the curtain and stepped inside, then motioned for her to join me. “I’ll take my chances.”
As I’d hoped, she took me up on my offer. While we didn’t exactly save time, we did make good use of it. By the time I was done, there was a smile plastered on her face that would remain for the rest of the day. I liked to think that smile was only because of me, but I knew it had a lot to do with her accounting degree. She’d worked her ass off, and I couldn’t have been prouder. I did my best to contain myself, and as promised, I didn’t make a big fuss over the actual graduation ceremony. After Kat and I watched her receive her diploma, I had the brothers and their families meet us at the clubhouse to celebrate. It was a blowout. Everyone came to show their support. Even Kat and her new guy came to join the fun, and Zoe couldn’t have been more excited.
The guys were huddled around our bikes drinking beer and listening to Diesel brag about his new lower fairings. Since the day Cotton brought him on as a prospect, Scotty had proven himself to be a real asset to the club. He’d never made a complaint and was always eager to help. It was one of the reasons he’d earned his road name. He’d only been prospecting a few weeks when the girls were having some trouble lighting the bonfire. Being typical Scotty, he offered to help. He tried several times with no luck, so he went to find lighter fluid. When he couldn’t find it, he grabbed a can of gas and poured it over the pile of wood. He was still pouring when an ember caught and the whole damned thing exploded, which sent him flying. Thankfully it was diesel and not regular gasoline. He was fine, but his pride was wounded. As a constant reminder of his misstep, we started calling him Diesel. Like everything he did, he took our taunting in stride. When I looked at him now, knowing he was loyal to his patch, I was proud to call him a brother and a friend.
“I got a sweet deal on them,” Diesel bragged. “I think they look awesome.”
“I took my fairings off last week. It’s just too damned hot for them right now,” Clutch complained.
Defending his purchase, Diesel shook his head. “Not these, brother. These are the shit.”
“Let’s see what you think on the first hot day, and you’ve got no wind on your legs.”
“Add in the heat from the engine, and you’ll be cooking,” Smokey snickered.
I gave him a pat on the shoulder. “Don’t listen to them. They look awesome, man. And the new gas cap is kickin’, too.”
“Thanks, Two Bit.”
I took a glance around and spotted Zoe and the girls standing by the fire pit. I couldn’t help but smile when I saw her laughing. I had no idea how long it would last, but at that moment, everything was right in the world. I thought back to that day I’d first met Cotton and the guys in that bar, and how that one chance meeting had changed everything. It made me think that Zoe was right when she said everything happens for a reason.
I walked up behind her, kissing her lightly on the back of the neck. “Hey, beautiful.”
“Hey there, handsome. You having a good time?”
“I always have a good time when you’re around.”
“What are you and the guys up to over there?”
“Just giving your boy Diesel a hard time about his new fairings.”
“That sounds about right,” she giggled. “I wanted to thank you for doing all of this for me.”
“Just glad you’re having a good time.”
“I’ve had a blast. I still can’t believe I actually got my degree.”
“Well, since you brought it up. I’ve been thinking… Now that you’ve graduated, what do you think about us starting our family?”
Surprise crossed her face. “Really? I just got my diploma today, Seth.”
“And?”
“Maybe I should actually get a job before we start talking about having kids…?”
“Okay. Job… then baby.”
“Maybe I should actually work at this said job for a few months before I get pregnant.”
“I think you’ll see that work is highly overrated. You can use the kid as an excuse to get out of all kinds of stuff.”
“Seth…”
“I love you, Zoe Lanheart.”
It still got to me every time I heard my name next to hers. I knew early on she was the only one for me, but I gave her some time to get settled before I put a ring on her finger. She’d been living with me for almost a year when we got married down by the Cape. It was one of the best days of my life, and with her by my side, I knew there were many more to come. She eased up on her tiptoes, kissing me softly before she said, “I love you, too, Seth Lanheart.”
The End.
Diesel: Satan’s Fury #8
Satan’s Fury MC
L Wilder
Cover Model – Virgil Aubriot
Cover Design – Mayhem Cover Creations
www.facebook.com/MayhemCoverCreations
Editor – Lisa Cullinan
Teasers & Banners – Gel Ytayz at Tempting Illustrations
Personal Assistant: Natalie Weston PA
Dedication
To Natalie-
Thank you for all you do, but mostly for being such a wonderful friend.
(And FYI- You were right about Diesel’s cover!)
Prologue
Scotty
As a kid, I never knew much about my father—in fact, not a damn thing. I figured that my mother would’ve, at least, given me some small pieces of information about him if she thought he was even the slightest bit worth it. Instead, I convinced myself that he was just some deadbeat dad who’d left her in the lurch. A real man would’ve taken care of his kid regardless of what kind of relationship he had with his mother, so I decided he was better off kept in the shadows. He remained there the entire time I was growing up as I tried to pretend that neither his identity nor his actual existence bothered me. When I was three, Mom married Carl, and the pretending became a little easier. Carl was a good guy: kind-hearted and easygoing. He was older and already had kids from a previous marriage, so he had no problem adding one more. Together, they worked their asses off to make sure that I had everything I could possibly need, and I don’t mean by putting a roof over my head and clothes on my back, they loved me and made damn well sure I knew it.
Overall, I had it pretty good growing up. I was happy, but thoughts of my father were always in the back of my mind. Every time I looked in the mirror, I wondered if I had his eyes, his build, or if I looked anything like him at all. It was the nature of the beast to be curious about the man who had something to do with bringing me into this world. I often wondered if he would’ve been proud of how I’d turned out. By the time I had turned twenty-four, I figured I’d never find out, but that all changed when my mom got sick. She’d given her fight with cancer everything she had, but
in the end, it got to be too much for her.
Things were looking bleak, and we all knew we could lose her at any time. After a long night at the shop, I came home and found Carl sitting on the front step with a beer in his hand. He wasn’t one to drink, so I knew it had been a bad night. “She’s been asking for you.”
I patted him on the back and started towards her room. When I walked in, it was completely silent as the nurse hovered over her; suddenly, I worried that I’d gotten there too late. “Is she …”
“No, sweetheart. She’s still holding on,” she warmly replied as she made her way over to me. “She’s been waiting for you to get home.”
Dread washed over me as I looked towards her bed. Seeing my mother’s frail, ashen body made my heart ache in a way that made it hard to breathe. I walked over to the edge of the bed and took her hand in mine; she was just skin and bones. I leaned towards her and whispered, “Hey, Momma. It’s me, Scotty.”
Her eyes slowly flickered opened as she turned to look at me. Her voice was weak and strained as she mumbled, “I need you to go … over to my jewelry box … Bring it to me.”
“What for?”
“Just … bring it to me, Scotty.”
“Okay, Momma.” I walked over to her dresser, retrieved the small wooden box, and brought it back to her. “Here. I’ve got it.”
“Open … the bottom drawer”—she watched me intently then took a deep breath—“and look under the fabric.”
I did as she asked and found an old photograph hidden beneath the bottom layer of red velvet fabric. Carefully, I picked it up and studied the picture of a man who was standing next to a motorcycle. He looked to be about my age with shaggy, blond hair, and he was wearing a leather vest and jeans. The photograph was faded and yellow and looked like it was at least twenty years old. As I sat there staring at it, it quickly dawned on me that it was a picture of my father. I flipped it over and noticed a name and address written on the back and then looked over to Mom. “Is this really him?”