Smolder: A Devil Chaser's MC Romance

by Wilder, L

  “Are you seriously going to pretend that you’re still sleeping?” I asked as I walked over to the bed. It was hard to see her this way. Her face was swollen and bruised, and I was sure she’d have a hard time opening her eyes with all that swelling. Her arm was in a cast, and she had butterfly bandages on her cheek closing the deep cuts on her skin. Looking at her that way made the memories of my past come flooding back. The screams still echoed through my mind. That one moment changed my life forever, and I’d never be the same again. Just another reminder that I’d never be good enough for someone like Taylor. I’d help her because she’s Ace’s sister, and it’s the right thing to do. As much as I wanted to make her mine, I’d have to keep my distance.

  Taylor’s bruised and swollen face fueled my anger. It was more than I could take. She looked so frail and vulnerable. I was going to fucking kill whoever did this to her.

  I leaned down and whispered into her ear, “That’s fine, Tay. If you want to play possum, I’ll let ya, but you’ve gotta wake up sometime. And when you do, we’re gonna talk about the guy that did this to you. I’m going to keep you safe.”

  I moved the chair closer to her bed and waited for her to open her eyes. She didn’t move. She was being a stubborn ass, but I didn’t mind giving her time to adjust to me being there. I didn’t even notice when Sheppard walked in. He cleared his throat to get my attention.

  “How’s she doing?” he asked.

  “The doctor says she has a mild concussion, and they want to keep her for observation. He gave her some pain medicine earlier, so she might sleep awhile.”

  “That asshole did a real number on her, didn’t he?” Sheppard growled.

  “Did you get a chance to go talk to her neighbor?” I asked him. I was getting impatient. Taylor wasn’t talking, so I still didn’t know for sure who had done this to her. I was about to lose it.

  Sheppard sighed. “I just left from there. She didn’t really have anything more to tell. I called Crack Nut and told him everything she told me. I asked him to start working on it. He’ll do his thing and call me when he finds out something.”

  “Good. Tell him I need him to come out here and help figure this shit out. He’ll need to bring Courtney and his truck. We’re gonna need to have a way to get her back to Tennessee when she’s able to travel. I’ll take her back to my place until she gets back on her feet.”

  I could hear the rustle of the sheets as Taylor’s body jerked when I mentioned that she would be coming back to my place. I got out of my seat and leaned over her. “I know you heard me, Tay. You will go back with me, and I’m gonna take care of you and keep you safe. You may not like the idea, but that’s what’s going to happen.”

  Sheppard chuckled behind me as he started walking towards the door. “Good luck with that, man. I’m gonna go back to the hotel. I’ll get a room for Bobby and Court, too. Let me know if you need anything.”

  “Thanks, Shep. I appreciate it.”

  When the door closed, I looked back at Taylor. Her eyes were barely open, and she was trying to give me her “angry eyes”, but with all the swelling, it wasn’t working out for her.

  “I’m not going to your house for you to babysit me. I’m more than capable of taking care of myself,” Taylor snapped.

  “Looks like you’ve been doing a pretty shit job of taking care of yourself lately. This is not up for discussion. You will be going back home with me when they release you,” I said, crossing my arms.

  “What about my parents? They aren’t going to just let you take me back to Tennessee. My mother will have a cow!” she said frantically.

  “I’ve already talked to your dad, and he’s okay with it. He knows that I’ll keep you safe. They’ll be here to see you in a couple of hours. I told them to give you a little time to rest before they come.”

  “You’ve lost your damn mind. You can’t just come in here and try to take things over. I haven’t even seen you in months, and now, you want to play Mr.-Knight-in-Shining-Armor. Not gonna happen.”

  “You’re right. I’m nobody’s Knight in Shining Armor, Tay. I should’ve been here sooner, but I’m here now. We’ll talk more about this later. You need to get some rest. When you’re feeling up to it, I want to know who did this to you.”

  Taylor turned her head and looked away. I knew she was getting frustrated, so I decided to give her a break. “I’m going down to the cafeteria to get some coffee. You want anything?”

  “No,” she said bitingly. Damn, even black and blue, she’s cute when she’s mad.

  “Alright, I’ll be back in a minute.” I brushed her hair to the side and kissed her on the top of her head. Just before I walked out the door, I turned to her and said, “Taylor…just give me a chance to make things right. That’s all I ask.”

  She didn’t look at me. After a few seconds of staring at the wall, she just nodded her head. I walked out of that room feeling like I had just won a major battle. She could be a real stubborn ass when she wanted to be. I knew she didn’t want to lean on me right then, but until I figured out what was going on, I wasn’t letting her out of my sight. I wouldn’t let her down again.

  Chapter 4

  Taylor

  How does he do that? I feel like absolute hell, and I look like I’ve been run over by a Mack truck. But, he walks into the room and my heart feels like it’s going to explode out of my chest. I don’t think I can take it. He’s just too much. I can hardly move without every inch of my body hurting, but I still want those full lips pressed against mine. I want to rake my nails through his short, thick hair and then down across the tiny bristles of hair on his jaw line.

  That’s it. I’m losing it. I was doing good. I’d finally gotten my feelings for him wrapped up in a neat little package and stored away deep inside. Now, it was busting wide open, and I just couldn’t stop myself. It’s a train wreck waiting to happen. I’m sure he’s just here because he feels sorry for me. Why would he want me like this? On top of that, I know he feels guilty about Ace, and he’s just trying to find some way to make things better. I can’t let myself imagine there’s more to it than that. He made it clear that he didn’t want me like that a long time ago. I just have to accept that and move the hell on.

  “You look like you have something on your mind,” Renegade said strutting into the room. He sat in the chair beside my bed and waited for my response.

  “You could say that,” I told him bluntly.

  “You ready to tell me about what happened?” he asked.

  “I don’t really want to get into this with you. I made a mistake, and it bit me in the ass. I won’t make that same mistake again.”

  “Gonna need more than that, Taylor. I want to know who did this to you.”

  “It’s bad enough that you have to see me like this. I don’t want to go into all the details with you. I’ve had all the embarrassment I can handle today,” I tried to explain.

  “There’s nothing for you to be embarrassed about, Taylor. This isn’t your fault, so stop beating yourself up about it,” he said as he gently brushed my hair out of my face. He paused before he said, “So…tell me what happened.”

  “Fine!” God, he can be so damn frustrating. I know there’s no point in trying to keep this from him. It’s just gonna piss him off, but I know he’s not going to let it go. ….Shit.

  “I’ve been seeing this guy for the past few months. Nothing really serious, but I thought things were going pretty well. He’s a nice guy, and he was good to me. He’s in a motorcycle club in town, and we’ve been hanging out with some of his brothers over the past few weeks. You know, I’ve always loved the DCs, and I missed being around you guys. I thought his club was like yours, but I was wrong.”

  “What do you mean?” Renegade asks. He has that serious look on his face. I know he doesn’t like hearing this.

  “I started overhearing things when we were at his clubhouse, and it scared me a little. I think they were dealing drugs and stuff, and I didn’t like it. I asked him about it
, and he just blew me off. I took that as a bad sign, and I decided that I just needed to get away for a while to clear my head. That’s when I called you.”

  “You did the right thing. I’m glad you called me,” Renegade said with a sincere look in his eyes.

  “I think he checked my phone after I called you that day. He started asking me all these questions, and he went nuts when I told him I was leaving town for a little while. I just wasn’t expecting him to hurt me like he did. Now, I realize he showed some signs of being a little off. I just didn’t want to believe it. I don’t know what I was thinking.”

  “What signs?” Renegade asked.

  “Just things I should have picked up on sooner. I should’ve seen this coming. I feel like such an idiot.”

  “Tay, you’re being too hard on yourself. What’s the name of his club?”

  “They’re called the Red Dragons. I think they have about twenty members, but there may be more.”

  “What’s his name?” Renegade asked. The veins in his neck were showing, and I know he’d heard enough. He was getting pissed, and I didn’t want him getting himself killed over all this.

  “I don’t want you to get involved in this, Renegade. Just leave it alone. I won’t be seeing him anymore.”

  “What’s his name?” he said more firmly. I could continue to try and hide it from him, but knowing him, he would find out anyway.

  “Gage Davenport, but they call him Tank. He’s their Road Captain.”

  “Now, that wasn’t so hard, was it?” Renegade said with a smirk.

  “Please don’t do anything stupid. It’s really just not worth it. I learned my lesson, and I won’t make the same mistake again,”

  “You’re worth it. You’ll always be worth it,” he said as he took my hand in his and gave it a squeeze. “Everything is going to be fine. Bobby should be here in an hour or so. Get some rest while I go make a few calls.”

  “You’re not leaving, are you?” I asked. I hated to admit it, but I wasn’t ready for him to go. I felt so safe when he was close to me.

  “I’m only going out in the hall. I don’t want to bother you while you’re sleeping. The nurse said she wanted to get you up and walking soon, so I’ll be back to help.”

  “Thanks. I’m really glad you’re here.”

  “I’m glad I’m here, too. Now, get some sleep. You’ll need your strength when she gets back. Let me know if you need anything,” he said as he leaned down and gave me another kiss on top of my head. He’s been so sweet. I can’t believe I didn’t want him to be here. Now, I can’t stand the thought of him leaving. I’m definitely screwed.

  Chapter 5

  Renegade

  “Where are you?” I asked Bobby. He was the first one on my list of people to call. I needed all my facts straight before I talked to Bishop.

  “I’m about an hour out. Sheppard sent me the address to the hotel, so I’ll meet you both there. If that’s okay?”

  “Yeah. I’ll see you there. Did you bring Courtney with you?” I had several things I needed her to do for Taylor. She was kind of a nut, and I thought she might set Taylor’s mind at ease.

  “Yeah. She’s with me. And I brought Bishop’s truck. It’s bigger, so I thought it might be better to have it instead of mine. I also brought all the stuff you asked for.”

  “Good. Thanks, man. I’ll see ya at the hotel,” I said as I hung up the phone.

  I needed to touch base with Bishop and let him know what was going on, but I didn’t want to call until I had all my facts straight. I had a bad feeling about this club Taylor was talking about. She thought she could just walk away, but I doubted it would be that easy. This guy had already proven that he was a loose cannon. There was no way in hell I was letting him fuck with her again.

  Taylor’s folks came to see her after lunch. They were shocked when they saw all the bruises that covered her body. The swelling in her eyes had gone down some, but it was still difficult for her to open her eyes all the way. Her mother started crying the minute she saw her. Her dad motioned for me to follow him out into the hall.

  “Are you going to find the guy that did this to her?” he asked. His voice was full of anger, and I could definitely understand why he was pissed.

  “Yes, sir. I’m working on it. I’ve got several of my guys looking into his club. It might take some time, but this guy is going to pay for hurting her,” I said with confidence.

  “Do you really think it’s necessary for her to go back to Tennessee with you? We can take care of her at home. Her mother will want to be with her.”

  “I don’t think it’s safe for her here. I’m not sure what we’re dealing with, and I need to know that she’ll be safe. I’ll be able to take care of her and keep this guy away from her while we figure things out.”

  “Do what you have to do, and please take good care of her. She’s all we have left.”

  “I won’t let anything happen to her.”

  “Thank you, son. You know she’s always had a soft spot for you. I’m beginning to think you might have one for her, too,” he says with a wide smile. Without another word, he turned and went back into Taylor’s hospital room.

  I followed him back into the room, and Taylor’s mom had finally stopped crying. She was showing her all the things she’d brought her from home to make her more comfortable. She had a bag full of nightgowns, magazines, and snacks. I should’ve thought of all that, but it never crossed my mind.

  “Taylor, I need to run to the hotel for a little while. I have to check on a few things and take a shower. Do you need anything before I go?”

  “No. I’m good,” she said with a glum look on her face.

  “I won’t be long. I’ll be back before your parents leave. Just call me if something comes up,” I said. I wanted to assure her that I was coming back. I knew she was still on edge after everything that had happened to her.

  “Okay,” Taylor replied and a small smile crept across her face.

  That’s better. I didn’t want to leave her, but I needed to meet up with Bobby and Shepard. They were expecting me to be there in twenty minutes, and I was eager to see what Bobby could find out about this boyfriend of hers.

  When I pulled into the hotel parking lot, Bishop’s truck was next to Sheppard’s bike. They were unloading Bobby’s stuff from the back, so I parked next to them.

  “Give me a minute to set up my laptop, and I’ll show you what I found out,” Bobby told me.

  “No problem, man. Where’s Courtney? I wanna talk to her before we get started.”

  “She’s already in the room unpacking. You’d think we were gonna be gone a month. She brought everything but the kitchen sink with her.”

  I knocked on the door before I entered. She had her bags scattered all over both beds, and she was busy putting things away when I walked in.

  “Hey Renegade! How’s it going? Damn. You look tired. I know you’ve had a lot going on with Taylor and all, and I’ll be glad to help any way I can. It means a lot that you asked Bobby to bring me. I haven’t been out of Tennessee in months. It’s really nice to get away, ya know? How’s Taylor feeling? Bobby said she was pretty banged up. It sucks that someone would do that to her. She’s been through enough lately. I just don’t understand people sometimes.”

  Jesus Lord, that girl can talk! I don’t think she even took a breath. How do I respond to all that? I’m at a loss, so I just look at her in confusion.

  “Renegade?” she asks.

  “Huh… yeah. She’s gonna be okay, Court. I need you to go to her place and grab some of her stuff. I’ll get you a key and directions. Just pack up anything you think she might need over the next few weeks.”

  “Sure. I can do that. I’ll go while you go talk to the guys. Is it alright if I give her a call? I want to make sure I get everything she needs.”

  “Yeah.” I take the notepad from the desk and write down her number and address. “Let me know if you can’t find it,” I said, handing her the information.


  “Maybe I’ll run by the hospital and see her when I’m done.”

  “I think she’d like that.”

  “Okay. Let me change real quick, and I’ll head over there. I think I may have gone overboard with my packing. I just didn’t know what I needed to bring. Bobby never tells me anything. He just says ‘Get ready’ and never explains a thing. It drives me nuts. A little information goes a long way, ya know? I think it’s a guy thing.”

  She was flailing her hands all around as she talked, and I had a hard time focusing on what she was saying. I just smiled, nodded my head, and walked out the door. Bobby has his hands full with that one, I chuckled.

  I noticed Crack Nut and Sheppard had the truck unloaded and the equipment set up in the next room. I walked in and locked the door behind me. Bobby was already pulling out his files and showing Sheppard. I could tell by his expression that the news was not good.

  “Show me,” I demanded.

  “These are the rap sheets for some of the members of the Red Dragons. It’s pretty basic stuff. Drug possession with intent to sell. A couple of fights. DUIs and one’s in jail for murder.”

  “What do you have on Gage Davenport?” I asked.

  “Nothing. He’s got a clean record right now, but he does have a sealed file. Something happened when he was a minor, and I haven’t been able to access it yet.”

  I knew all about sealed records. I had one myself, and it wasn’t a good sign.

  “I’ve put in some calls to local clubs to see if I can get more information on them,” Bobby said as he continued to work on his laptop.

  “Do you know where their clubhouse is? We need to go check things out. See what we are dealing with first hand,” Sheppard asked.

  “I’m still looking into it. Looks like they keep the location secure. It shouldn’t be a problem for me to find it, but I just need a little more time.”

  “Do what you do. No loose ends this time. We don’t need any surprises.” I hated to bring it up, but we couldn’t afford another mistake. We should’ve known that Duce was Tessa’s brother, but no one made the connection until it was too late.