Temperance (Defiance #4)

by Stephanie Tyler

  Keller was sitting behind his desk, waiting. “Close the door, Rebel.”

  Rebel did, as hard as he could, but Keller didn’t flinch. He walked over to the desk, placed his palms on it and leaned in. “I know everything. Tell me why I shouldn’t tell Caspar who Declan is?”

  Keller sat back in his chair, surveying Rebel calmly. “You wouldn’t be here if you didn’t want a reason you could believe in,” he said finally. “Because you love my son.” Rebel raised his chin and Keller continued, “I knew he would tell you that sooner than later.”

  “You should be pissed. He can’t just go around and do that because he might get…”

  Keller shook his head slowly as Rebel’s unspoken ‘hurt’ echoed in his mind. “He loves you, and that’s not something he gives away easily…if at all.”

  “He left.” He hadn’t realized how angry at that he was, not until the words spilled bitterly from his mouth.

  “For you,” Keller explained gently.

  “Don’t fuckin’ be nice to me.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because…”

  “You think we’re enemies?” Keller laughed. “Even if I wanted to be, Declan means so much more to me than that. To you too, if I’m right. And I’m rarely not.”

  Rebel couldn’t say anything.

  “But you don’t know how to proceed. You want to be loyal to Defiance and to Declan, and you’re tied up in knots. And Declan would hate it if I let you continue to punish yourself.” Keller reached for his SAT phone. Rebel sat woodenly as Keller dialed, felt the panic rise as he heard Caspar answer.

  Keller looked over at Rebel calmly as he spoke to Caspar. “Rebel is here—and safe.”

  “Thank fuckin’ Christ. What the hell, Keller? Been askin’ to talk to you, and all I get is reports that Declan’s been kidnapped and you’re holdin’ my men hostage.”

  “Declan has some business to attend to. I’m afraid he tricked Rebel, who tried his best to watch him, as per your orders. But when Declan’s determined…”

  “Is he doing something else to fuck Defiance over?”

  Keller stared at Rebel. “Actually, quite the opposite.”

  Caspar growled, “Send Kev back. Take Bishop off house arrest—now.”

  “Of course.”

  “And Declan?”

  “That might take some time.”

  “We had a deal.”

  “We did,” Keller agreed, then cut the line. “Storm’s coming. You’ll need to stay. Bishop and Luna are expecting you.”

  Rebel exploded out of his seat and had Keller by the throat, leaning him back in his chair. “Where is he?”

  “Bishop?”

  “Don’t fuck with me now, Keller. I don’t have the fondness for you Declan does.”

  “And you’d make a name for yourself by killing me?” Keller managed to inquire, his voice choked. Rebel eased up, but only enough for Keller to spit out, “Declan’s taking care of business years in the making.”

  “He’s in danger.”

  “He is.”

  “And you don’t give a shit.”

  “You know you’re wrong about that, Rebel.”

  “Then get him. Or tell me where he is.”

  “I’ve done both, several times before. It won’t stop him, not this time,” Keller said. Rebel released the hold on him, slamming the man’s chair back. “And I promised him I wouldn’t.”

  “Break it.”

  Keller shook his head hard. “Never. Not to my son.”

  “What made you think Declan could take on the Nomads alone?” Rebel demanded.

  “He’s not. And I didn’t,” Keller said tightly. “But it’s what Declan wanted. He’s been planning this. I support him. I trained him. Forced him to wait until he felt he was ready. I was actually hoping you’d find a way to convince him to stay.”

  “So now I didn’t try hard enough.” After he spoke, Keller stared at him, his gaze more accusing than Rebel could’ve imagined. Instead of telling Keller he was wrong—arguing—he turned away. Because the guilt was overwhelming. “I didn’t see the signs…didn’t understand how much he wanted revenge.”

  “Revenge?” Keller laughed without any humor behind it. “Rebel, this is about so much more than revenge.”

  “Then what?” Rebel managed, turning his head in time to see Keller’s look of disbelief.

  “You really don’t get it.”

  “I don’t—so fucking tell me.”

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Several hours later, Keller was explaining to Bishop what he’d told Rebel—and to Caspar, who’d driven here after Hammer confirmed pinpointing where Goose’s sons were.

  Rebel sat numbly, listening to Keller, could repeat it with Keller word for word if need be…

  “Declan’s mother was an escaped Nomad. She never wanted to go back—never wanted that life for her children. He’d been training for years for this. He’s killed Malachi—one of the main leaders, and about six other men. They want him back—and he wants them dead. They’ve set their sights on Defiance. Trying to hurt my compound was a distraction. So Declan’s planning on disappearing, using the Nomads’ own tactics against them.” Keller took a deep breath. “I know he can do it. I don’t want him to…but if he needs to…”

  “He’s going up against the Nomads by himself? That’s suicide,” Bishop breathed as he sat with Rebel and Keller.

  Rebel could still barely get air in—it was like sucking through a pinhole. His chest was heavy and he couldn’t place any of the emotions running through him.

  Except maybe distraught.

  Helpless.

  Fucking pissed.

  He drew in a deep breath.

  Better.

  Screw panic. “We’ll bring him back.”

  “He doesn’t want that,” Keller said firmly. “He won’t put you all at risk.”

  “Not only his choice,” Rebel reminded him quietly.

  At his words, Keller stilled. Rebel gave him an almost imperceptible nod, and Keller asked, “What makes it yours, Rebel?”

  Rebel swallowed through the lump in his throat—there more about worry for Declan than for what he was about to do—and stared at Keller. “Because he’s mine.”

  He turned his gaze to Bishop, who nodded. No disapproval there. And finally, Rebel faced Caspar.

  “You claiming him?” Caspar asked calmly.

  “Yes.”

  “That means we protect him.”

  Rebel narrowed his eyes. “You knew. How the fuck—”

  “Because I fucking know everything!” Caspar roared. God, the guy was goddamned scary. “Hear?”

  “Yeah,” Rebel agreed.

  “Go get him.”

  “The danger to Defiance—”

  “Before I change my fuckin’ mind,” Caspar ground out. “We’ve already got a war ready to happen between the Nomads against us and Keller. Can’t be one man’s fight. Not when he’s doing it for all of us. That deserves respect—and back-up.”

  “Caspar, I can stay here with him,” Rebel offered.

  “You don’t want to stay in Defiance?”

  “It’s my home,” Rebel told him. “But it’s not that simple.”

  “Nothing worth it ever is,” Caspar said. “Bring him home.” And then he looked at Keller. “I’d be keeping him with us either way—know that.”

  “I do,” Keller agreed quietly. “But this changes things.”

  Caspar nodded. “Change always comes with spilled blood.”

  “Now it’s time to spill some Nomad blood,” Bishop added.

  Rebel finished it with, “Together.”

  *

  Declan had made a mistake bringing Rebel here weeks ago, really, by letting him know about the safe house behind the restaurant at all, but only realized it when he came out of the shower—weapon drawn on the man in black leather who sat calmly in the chair in the corner of the bedroom.

  Rebel scanned Declan’s still dripping wet, naked body approvingly�
�slowly, like they had all the goddamned time in the world.

  As if.

  And still Rebel said nothing.

  It was only when Declan broke the gaze, looked toward the bed to see his suitcase packed for him and a single set of clothing laid out, that Rebel spoke. “Get dressed.”

  “Get fucked,” Declan muttered, jerked his thumb irritably toward the door, hoping to cover up the fact that his heart was beating a crazy tattoo. All he wanted to do was go to Rebel, follow his directions… Impossible. “Get fucked.”

  “Maybe once we leave,” Rebel said agreeably. Way too much so.

  That wouldn’t last. Declan had played this game too many times not to know what the results of pushing Rebel would be.

  Clean break, Declan, he reminded himself. The only way this will work.

  And that wasn’t working at fucking all. “Rebel, you need to get out. Or I will—alone.”

  “Together,” Rebel said firmly. “We’re going back to Defiance.”

  “It’s not safe for you to be with me, never mind your MC. Beyond that—”

  In the middle of his protests, Rebel’s big body rose, along with Declan’s traitorous dick…and of course, Rebel noticed. Smirked and asked, “How’s that forgetting thing going?”

  “Simple biology,” he managed coolly. “Otherwise, it’s out of sight, out of mind.”

  “Right.”

  “Do you fucking get what I’ve done?” he asked with the dangerous edge in his voice that he recognized…the one that happened right before he tended to go ballistic. “I mean, you’ve got to have a death wish to even show up here.”

  “Maybe. But then why aren’t you agreeing to leave with me and keep me safe? You said I was under your protection—isn’t that what this is all about?” Rebel asked.

  “Oh fuck you for turning that around on me. There is no safe with me. Those two things aren’t even in the same universe. Never will be again. You have no idea—” He stopped abruptly before he said too much.

  “I know enough. So does Caspar, which is why he sent me to get you.”

  “Caspar sent you?”

  “I was coming anyway. Just nice to have his backing. All of Defiance’s, actually.”

  Declan narrowed his eyes. “What did you do?”

  “I plan on fucking protecting you. Taking you off this one-man cruise for vengeance.” Rebel moved toward him like a man on a mission. Declan backed up until he hit a literal wall. He put his hands out to stop Rebel, but before he could say anything, Rebel was on him, literally pinning him to the wall, grinding with a slow thrust of his pelvis against Dec’s.

  The man was hot and cold, but when he was hot Dec had no restraint, no will to resist him. And he didn’t see a reason to bother—most of the time. He sensed Rebel’s agitation, his need ringing out clearly, saturating Dec’s senses…ramping up the urge to let Rebel take him, any way he wanted.

  The kiss was hot and fierce. Dec bit Rebel’s bottom lip as he pulled away, making Rebel growl with pure pleasure. The gleam in his eyes had Declan ready to come…but Rebel wouldn’t make it quite that easy on him.

  “Can’t do this unless you agree to the terms.”

  Declan narrowed his eyes. “Yeah? What are those?”

  “Have to be comfortable with Defiance knowing all about us.”

  Declan felt like the air was knocked out of him. “What the fuck are you talking about?”

  “They know,” Rebel said simply.

  ‘They know’ could mean so many things… “Know what, exactly?” Declan asked cautiously.

  “What cereal I like. What the fuck do you think I’m talking about?” Rebel demanded.

  “Spell it out for me.”

  Rebel smiled, like he knew he had Declan—and Declan couldn’t deny it. “I told Caspar I was with you.”

  “And?”

  “He knew. Now Mathias does too. And Hammer. I claimed you, which means all of Defiance will know soon enough. And anyone who’s got a problem with it? They’ll deal with me, dammit. And that includes you.”

  “Claimed? What the fuck?” Declan breathed.

  “Claiming you means I’m in charge of keeping you safe.” Rebel tilted his head. “Means you have to let me help you take down the Nomads.”

  “Does Caspar—Defiance—know about this?” Declan rubbed his hip.

  “You’re a Keller, right?”

  Declan nodded. “I’m a Keller. And I’m in fucking love with you.”

  “Then there’s no problem at all.” Rebel ducked his head into Declan’s neck, sucked hard enough to leave a mark, then pulled back. “I love you, Dec. Have for a long time. So come home with me…and we’ll figure out how to put your plan in place while both our compounds are still secured and our people are safe. We can take down the Nomads with Defiance and Keller working together. That’s the only way this can work—the only way I want it to work…together.”

  Epilogue

  Kev

  It was dark as fuck. His entire body hurt from the beatings he’d endured. More were promised, but Kev had simply spit blood then bared his teeth.

  The men surrounding him had smiled. Almost approvingly. And then they’d beat him unconscious.

  He was lying prone. He tried to shift, ignoring the brutal pain that shot through him with every movement. He tried to sit up and hit his head on something.

  He rubbed his head—hit his elbow. He reached out to the side and touched…walls.

  Fear froze him for a second, and then he put a tentative hand upward in the dark…and touched another solid surface. He slid down, letting his feet touch another wall.

  It was only then he heard the sounds of shoveling above him…the sound he thought was rain was really dirt, hitting the top of…

  The coffin.

  Look for Defiance Book 5 in 2016…and catch up on the first three books in the Defiance series by Stephanie Tyler:

  Defiance

  Book One of The Defiance Series

  Rebelling against her legacy as the MC’s princess, Tru Tennyson escaped the ruthless, male-dominated culture of the Defiance motorcycle club. Three years later, her newfound freedom is ripped away, thanks to a massive hybrid storm that killed millions. Now, in the post-Chaos world of semi-darkness and near-total anarchy where gangs rule, she discovers the dangerous world of Defiance may be the one thing that can keep her safe.

  Tru is at the MC’s mercy when she’s dragged back to her former home…and to the only man she’s ever pictured a future with. Caspar is the bastard son of the club’s leader, her safe haven when life got rough—and her onetime lover the night she left. When Tru refuses to trade sex for power and be claimed by a rival club leader, she also dares to announce she wants Caspar instead, throwing the MC into turmoil.

  Tru’s brazen revolt could start a gang war and destroy the club from within. Now both Tru and the MC must wait for Caspar’s response…and the inevitable fallout.

  Redemption

  Book Two of The Defiance Series

  Mathias Robichaud is looking for an alliance. The Defiance motorcycle club is a stronghold in the dangerous world that’s become the new norm and he’s driven to prove he’s tough enough to be sworn in as a full member. But when he sees a beautiful, spirited girl abducted by a rival MC, rescuing her jeopardizes all he’s worked for.

  Politician’s daughter Jessa Everson knows what’s expected of her—obedience, loyalty and silence—but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t fight when she’s kidnapped by the Lords of Vengeance. Having Mathias save her is like gaining an avenging angel in leather and tattoos. But Defiance is known for brutal justice, and she may have just traded one bad situation for another.

  Mathias’s urge to protect is too strong to ignore, no matter how much trouble Jessa brings to Defiance’s gates. There’s no room in the post-Chaos world for weakness so if Mathias and Jessa have any chance of surviving, they’ll need to put their full strength behind the MC…and hope that the MC will do the same for them.

  Salv
ation

  Book three of The Defiance Series

  Luna is headed for trouble. She knows exactly what the men who run motorcycle clubs are capable of—the ruthless violence, the grabs for power, the brutal treatment of women. The one bright spot in her dark world is being held against his will by a rival gang after sacrificing himself for the sake of the club—without saying goodbye first. She needs to bring Bishop home to Defiance, both for the good of the MC and for herself.

  Keller’s mafia has thrived in the fallout from the Chaos and their compound is a city of sin, a world of depraved excess where people live in fear with nowhere else to go. When Luna is taken prisoner, Bishop has no choice but to lie. As far as the enemy knows, she’s his. It’s the one thing that will keep her safe.

  Caught off guard, Luna follows Bishop’s lead. And that’s where the lines begin to blur, because what’s been building between them for real is undeniable. But what Keller’s protecting is something he’ll kill to keep under wraps and with Defiance unable to come to their rescue, and only each other to turn to, Luna and Bishop may be facing their final goodbye.

  About the Author

  Stephanie Tyler is the New York Times Bestselling author of romance novels spanning multiple genres, including Romantic Suspense, New Adult, Paranormal Romance and Contemporary Romance. She’s a hybrid author who writes for multiple publishers, including Random House, NAL/Penguin, Harlequin, Carina Press, Mammoth Books, Belle Books and Samhain Publishing, as well as Riptide (under SE Jakes) and Indie publishing. Her books have been translated into half a dozen languages, nominated for an RT Reader’s choice award and garnered top picks from RT Magazine as well as starred reviews from Publishers Weekly. She’s a frequent workshop presenter and has contributed stories for anthologies for charities, including SEAL of My Dreams, which has raised over 150K for the Veterans Medical Association.

  SE Jakes is the pen name for New York Times Bestselling author Stephanie Tyler, and half the co-write team of Sydney Croft. First published in 2011, SE Jakes has quickly risen to be a bestselling author in the LGBT romance genre, as well as a fan favorite. Her books are frequently highlighted in USA Today and her books have been reviewed by Library Journal and RT Books Magazine. She’s been nominated by several sites for Favorite M/M author of 2013 and finaling in the Goodreads MM Romance Readers Choice Awards in 7 categories. She’s a hybrid author writes for Riptide Publishing and Samhain Publishing, and she Indie publishes as well.