Uno's Truth (Devils Rejects MC Book 5)

by Glenna Maynard

  Our moment is short lived when that Stephanie girl starts screeching at us and making her way toward us. I dart for the stairs not wanting any part of whatever issues they have going on, but as I walk up the stairs I can’t get his eyes out of my head or the tender way he called me sweetheart. I’m sure he was only being friendly but still the attention was nice.

  Chapter 2

  —Uno

  12 years ago

  I get in from school and see Stephanie, my brother’s girl, laying on the couch watching soap operas. She is a year older than me and should have been at school today but since she got with my older brother, she spends all her time with him.

  “Where’s Derrick?”

  “Gone.” She grins and shuts off the TV. Popping up into a sitting position, she tucks a blonde curl behind her ear. She’s always been pretty and one of the popular cheerleaders. “It’s just you and me.”

  Giving her a lift of my chin, I toss my backpack onto the recliner and go to the kitchen to grab a snack. Derrick didn’t give me any money for lunch and I’m starving. I start slamming the cabinets getting angrier as I close each one. They are all empty and the only thing in the fridge is freezer burnt fries and an empty ice tray.

  Her brows knit together. “You okay?”

  “Did Derrick leave any money? He didn’t give me any this morning and there’s nothing to eat.”

  Chewing her thumbnail, she shakes her head.

  “Goddamnit.” I punch the wall three times and kick at it. My fist goes through and my knuckles tear open and start to bleed.

  “Hey.” Her pink painted nails touch my shoulder. “It’ll be okay.”

  “Did he say when he’ll be back?”

  “He’s on a run for the club.” She guides me to the kitchen sink and washes my cuts then wraps my hand with an old dish towel.

  My stomach growls. The sound is loud and embarrassing as hell.

  “I’ve got money though and the keys to his car.”

  “No way. He’d kill me if anything happens to his car.”

  “He left me the keys, so I could go to school today.” She grins at me and dangles the keys.

  “But you didn’t go.” I wince as my fist starts to throb.

  “No. But I do have money so let’s go get some groceries.”

  I don’t want her charity but my stomach growls, reminding me that I’m too hungry to protest.

  “Let’s go.” She grabs her purse and I don’t bother locking the door behind me. We don’t have anything worth stealing. My brother or our old man done sold anything we had of value a long time ago anyhow. She gets in the driver’s side of Derrick’s 78’ Trans Am and I slide into the passenger seat.

  “You even have a license?”

  “Nope.” She laughs as she starts the car and fishtails out of the trailer park. “Better hold on tight.”

  I clutch my seatbelt and struggle to get it clicked in. Stephanie turns up the radio belting out some old rock song that my dad used to listen to all the time. He left six months ago. Said he was going to work cleaning up after a hurricane and would send us money when he got paid.

  If he’s ever sent any, I’ve not seen a penny of it. I’ve not heard from my old man since that day. It’s just been Derrick and me. He dropped out of school two years ago and started prospecting for a motorcycle club. He’s close to earning his patch and says once he does things will be better for us.

  We make it to the store, barely. Stephanie can’t drive for shit. Inside she pulls out her daddy’s credit card and tells me to get whatever I want. I only spend about thirty bucks getting a few essentials. Eggs, milk, bread, and a couple of frozen pizzas. I didn’t want to spend too much and get her in trouble or something. I know her folks don’t know she is still seeing Derrick. They have threatened to toss his ass in jail more than once.

  The sheriff gives Derrick a break because he feels sorry for us and he always had a sweet spot for my mom when she worked dispatch at the 911 office. That was before we lost her to cancer. Nothing has been right since she died four years ago.

  We get back to the trailer and I put a pizza in the oven. While it bakes I pull out my homework and start on my math.

  I feel Stephanie’s eyes on me. “So, you’re like really smart and stuff, aren’t you?”

  I lift a shoulder. “I guess.”

  “Don’t be like that. I saw your picture in the paper for winning the regional science fair.”

  My cheeks redden as she slides down the couch toward me. “I’m not very book smart. Derrick says I’m good at one thing…”

  A lump forms in my throat. I know what he says about her. I’ve seen them with my own eyes and the walls here are paper thin. Hell, the whole trailer park can hear them.

  “What do you think?”

  “I think I need to go check the pizza.” I chicken out of telling her what I wanted to say. That I wouldn’t know having not experienced it myself. I’m scrawny and girls don’t look at me the way Stephanie looks at my brother.

  I get the pizza out and offer her a slice, but she shakes her head. “Suit yourself.” I end up eating the whole damn thing. “Won’t your folks be wondering where you are?” I question when it starts getting dark.

  She shrugs. “I don’t care if they do. They just ignore me when they are there anyhow. I just stay in my room and wait for them to fall asleep, so I can sneak out and be with Derrick.” Her dad’s the only attorney here in town and her mom runs a daycare center. My brother and me are the trash from the wrong side of the tracks.

  “I know that feeling.”

  “You mean your Dad?”

  I nod, and she gives me a weak smile. “We don’t need them. We have Derrick.”

  I snort. “Yeah…sure we do.”

  Her hand pushes at my chest. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “Nuttin’. Forget about it.” I’m not gonna tell her Derrick fucks anything with legs. I’m not gonna tell her he fucks that old hag who manages the trailer park, so she doesn’t kick us out for not paying our rent. I’m not gonna tell her that he fucks whores every time he goes out the door to hang with his club.

  “Does he have someone else?”

  I roll my eyes and turn my attention back to my homework. “You should go home.”

  “I’ve seen you, you know. I know you hide in the closet and watch Derrick fuck me.”

  “Shut up,” I growl, slamming my math book closed.

  “It’s okay, Justin. Nothing to be ashamed of. To tell you the truth, I like it when you watch.” She leans in close to my ear. “It turns me on when I feel your eyes on me. It’s why you can hardly look at me now, because you feel guilty, but don’t worry it’s our secret.” Her breath clings to my ear, daring me to turn my head into her and kiss her.

  “Go home, Stephanie.” Tears burn in my eyes. I hate her. But even as I think about telling her so, I know it’s a lie. I don’t know what she sees in my jerk brother. He’s a fucking loser.

  “I’m bored.” She smiles at me and licks her teeth. “Are you a virgin?”

  “No!” I start to get up, but she straddles my lap and rubs against me. Her sweet floral perfume invades my senses. She smells so pretty. Too good for a nobody like me.

  “You are, aren’t you?” Her hands cradle my neck.

  “So what,” I croak.

  “Let’s play a game. For every answer you give me about what your brother does behind my back, I’ll let you touch me anywhere you want.” Taking my hand, she places it on her breast. “You know you want me…I can feel just how much.”

  I’d like to say I push her away, but I don’t. I kiss her instead. Her lips move against mine, hot and tasting of her strawberry flavored chewing gum. My hands are on her shoulders and I don’t know where else to put them. I’m nervous. My palms are sweaty and I’m breathing hard as my pulse races. If my brother were to catch me kissing his girl he’d kick my ass into next month.

  Stephanie pulls back, smiling at me. “Not bad.”

 
; I put my hand to my mouth, spitting her gum out.

  “You ready to play my game, Justin? Are you ready to play with me?” She lifts her shirt over her head, exposing her pink lace bra. I shift in my seat, squirming at my body’s reaction to her cleavage.

  “What do you wanna know?”

  “Everything,” she whispers, placing my hands back on her breasts. “Everything.”

  Chapter 3

  —Stephanie

  “Did you do what I told you to, baby?”

  I bite my lip. “Yeah. I did.”

  “How was it? He as good as me?”

  I laugh and want to toy with him. Derrick was gone a lot longer than he promised me he would be. He knows how I hate when I can’t call him. “Bigger and he lasts longer too.”

  Derrick chuckles and shrugs off his cut. “That so?” He flexes his tattooed bicep at me. God, he is so sexy and buff. Justin is only a boy in comparison but if I put the two of them together I would have a perfect man.

  “Yeah. It is.” I smirk, and he unzips his jeans. Licking my lips, I enjoy the show as he kicks his jeans off and stumbles over them.

  “Guess I better come remind you who the older, bigger, and better brother is.” He pulls my feet down the bed and I can’t stop giggling as his facial hair tickles my thighs.

  Derrick reminds me all right. Several times through the night. Tonight though, Justin isn’t hiding in the closet. He’s hiding in his room, being eaten up with guilt. Ashamed of himself thinking he betrayed his brother, but he didn’t. Derrick told me to fuck him. Said he needs to become a man. I didn’t want to at first but the more I thought about it, the more it excited me. I see the way Justin looks at me when he thinks no one can see him, but I see him. He can’t hide from me. He wants what he can’t have.

  For a virgin he actually wasn’t bad. He was sweet. So innocent. And now I’ve corrupted him and made him just as bad as me. Like Derrick and me.

  “Did you get the stuff?” I rub at my nose at it starts to run.

  “Yeah, baby. You got any money for me?”

  I nod and reach for the baggie filled with white powder in his hands.

  “Damn, slow down girl. You gotta go to school tomorrow. Don’t want your daddy breathing down my neck again.”

  “I hate school. Why can’t we just run off to Mexico.” I pout, and he sprinkles a line on his chest for me. It’s snowing on his skin as lean down anticipating the sweet burn that is to come. I snort it quick and all the blood in my body rushes to my head. I fall back on the bed and he spreads my thighs, giving me a kiss.

  Does it make me a terrible person as I lay here with Derrick going down on me I can’t stop thinking about Justin. I can’t help but wonder if he knows that I was only using him. I thought Derrick was kidding and that he’d be pissed at me or go kick his brother’s ass, but he was…happy.

  It makes me mad, but I keep my mouth shut and enjoy our reunion. I hate it when he leaves for days at a time. I hate being alone. Derrick knows it too. I smirk. If I think about it, he told me to seduce Justin, so I wouldn’t be alone and missing him. He does love me in his own strange way. That’s all I really want. Someone to love me. Someone to take care of me.

  Two weeks later

  Derrick is on another run and I feel like a terrible person. While he is out trying to make money to support his brother I’m in bed with him. I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I can’t stop being with both of them. If I’m being honest, I don’t want to. Justin’s sweet and treats me as though I’m special. He cares about me in a way no one ever has, so why can’t I do what I should and leave him alone?

  His lips touch my neck and I roll onto him. “Do you love me, Justin?”

  “Why are you asking me that?” His breath is heavy on my skin.

  “Because I need to know. How do you feel about me?” I grind on him.

  “Yeah, Stephanie, I love you.”

  “Good.” I smile and continue teasing him. I keep hoping that Derrick will walk in and get jealous, but it hasn’t happened yet. I’m using Justin, but I am sure he is only using me too.

  A loud banging sound raps against the front door. “I know she’s in there, you sick sack of shit.” Oh no, that’s my Daddy.

  Justin and I both move quickly. I get in the closet and Justin pulls a pair of shorts on. Fresh red scratches mark his back and chest as he goes to the door.

  “Can I help you?” I hear him ask being polite like he is to everyone. Justin is a sweet potato.

  “Where’s my daughter?” I hear Daddy snarl.

  “I don’t know. I think I saw her in fourth period today.”

  “Don’t lie to me, trailer trash. Neither of you have been to school this week. Not one day.” I hear a scuffle and a loud crash. When a motorcycle pulls up, I peek out the window hoping it’s Derrick. It’s not. It’s one of the members of his club.

  The big burly man rushes inside, and I move into the hallway. He starts whaling on my Dad, punching him until he falls to the ground. “Stop! You’re hurting him. Daddy!” I scream, and Justin tries to tell the dude to stop but he doesn’t let up. He kicks at my father’s head until it’s a bloodied pulp.

  “You shut the bitch up or I will,” he warns, and Justin pulls me into him as I sob into his chest.

  “What’s your problem, man?” Justin questions. I peer over his arm and read the man’s road name, Brute.

  “You’re Crank’s little brother. That makes you family, and this fucker was gonna kill your ass or try to. I came to tell you there’s been some trouble. We had a run in with another club. Need you to follow me. Crank’s in bad shape, dude.”

  “Oh my God,” I whisper, as Justin hugs me tighter.

  Chapter 4

  —Uno

  Present Day

  Things have been fucking crazy around here lately. Goddamn Zo Zo had us all fooled. The shit that Reaper told me he did to MaryAnn turns my damn stomach. He beat and raped her. Bastard knew that she is pregnant with Cupid’s baby. He’ll pay though. Hades has been keeping him in a cell in the basement of the clubhouse for weeks, starving him out for information and getting shit prepared for his demise.

  Prez called church and we all have our part to play. Boogeyman, Reaper, Terror, Cupid, Cocky, and I have our orders. I meet Terror and Reaper at Zo Zo’s house. The freezers are set up and ready. A prospect pulls the van up and we load the bodies that are now wrapped in black plastic into them. Upstairs Hades stages the house so that there will be no doubt that Zo Zo was a sick and troubled piece of shit. We are all sorry bastards in our own way, but we don’t fucking rape women. We aren’t good men. This life isn’t made up of hearts and flowers. Innocent people died by our hands. I’m not proud of the man that I have become, but we all do what we must to survive.

  Within this club, I have found my true brothers. The men who have my back and I have theirs. I would ride to hell and back with them any day. Boogeyman shows up and stuffs the body of the prospect he murdered in the last freezer. Cupid comes in shoving a cuffed and gagged Zo Zo down the staircase. He takes a kick to the back of his knees that sends him flying head over feet the rest of the way. His body is crumpled at the bottom of the stairs, but the fucker is still breathing.

  Hades comes down behind him and shakes his head. “Did you get the note?”

  Cupid strokes his chin. “Left it on your desk and have him on camera leaving the clubhouse.”

  “Good. Put him on that mattress.” It’s the mattress from his room at the clubhouse full of his DNA. “Uncuff his ass,” Hades barks.

  I take a good look at Zo Zo. He’s pale but Cupid has been under strict orders not to get too crazy with him. This shit has to be believable. Other than a few bruises and some weight loss the fucker looks the same as he always has, but now I see him in a different light.

  Cupid isn’t happy about the situation. I know he wanted to slowly bleed the bastard out, but this scene is about the good of the club. He rouses Zo Zo and nods to Boogeyman. With a gloved hand he pulls o
ut a wiped .380.

  Zo Zo’s eyes meet mine dark and hollow and he smiles at me. “See you on the other side, brother. I’ll take your secret with me.” Raising his hand, he accepts the gun, aims it at his left temple and pulls the trigger. I jump at the popping sound as his blood splatters the wall behind him.

  We move quickly up the stairs, but I can feel all their gazes piercing my back, wondering what the hell Zo Zo meant by keeping my secret. Terror goes into the kitchen and turn on the gas stovetop but doesn’t ignite the flame. I stay behind, making sure all my brothers have gotten out.

  I take a breath and go to the back door, some of the guys are already gone, disappearing into the cloak of the night. Pulling a pack of matches from my cut, I step outside onto the cement patio. Hades gives me a nod and I step a few steps back, light one and toss it in but it goes out before it hits the gas. Damn. Fuck it. I pull out one more and light the whole book on fire, toss it and run for the trees. Just as I am making it to the van, the house explodes. The ground vibrates under my feet, and we all go home to our old ladies.

  It’s over. Zo Zo ended his life and took blame for it all. The fire at the sorority house. The dead college girls. Killing the prospect. It’s all detailed in the suicide note Cupid forced him to write and leave on Hades’ desk. So, when the cops come questioning us, we’re covered.

  I go home to Stephanie unable to sleep. She doesn’t move as I climb into bed, tossing and turning, unable to get the look he had in his eyes off my mind nor the sound of his voice. “See you on the other side, brother. I’ll take your secret with me.” Did he know that I’m working with Tiny? I know it won’t be long before Hades demands an answer.

  ——

  “Ugh. You’re dripping water all over the carpet,” my cunt of a wife whines as I dig through the dresser drawer for a t-shirt.

  “Why you gotta be such a bitch to me all the time? You know what today is.” Twelve years ago today I watched my brother take his dying breath and within minutes I was handed his cut and given the key to his motorcycle. “You’re one of us now,” Brute told me.