The Long Road Home: A Devil Chaser's MC Novella

by L. Wilder

  Devil Chaser’s MC

  by

  L. Wilder

  Devil Chaser’s MC Romance Series

  Copyright 2016 L. Wilder

  All rights reserved.

  Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication or any part of this series may be reproduced without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.

  This book is a work of fiction. Some of the places named in the book are actual places found in Paris, TN. The names, characters, brands, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and owners of various products and locations referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication or use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.

  This e-book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This e-book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. Warning: This book is intended for readers 18 years or older due to bad language, violence, and explicit sex scenes.

  Cover Model: Colin Wayne

  www.facebook.com/colinwayneofficial

  Photographer: Michael Stokes

  michaelstokes.net

  Cover Design: Robin with Wicked By Design

  www.wickedbydesigncovers.com

  Editing & Formatting: Daryl Banner

  www.darylbanner.com

  Book Teasers: Neringa Neringiukas

  Personal Assistant: Amanda Faulkner PA

  www.facebook.com/amanda.faulkner.1023

  Dedication

  For all of you who need your happy ending.

  May you find yours this holiday season.

  The Long Road Home

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Epilogue

  Acknowledgements

  Maverick

  Maverick – Title Page

  Maverick – Prologue

  Maverick – Chapter 1

  Maverick – Chapter 2

  Maverick – Chapter 3

  Maverick – Chapter 4

  Maverick – Chapter 5

  Maverick – Chapter 6

  Maverick – Chapter 7

  Maverick – Chapter 8

  Maverick – Chapter 9

  Maverick – Chapter 10

  Maverick – Chapter 11

  Maverick – Chapter 12

  Maverick – Chapter 13

  Maverick – Chapter 14

  Maverick – Chapter 15

  Maverick – Chapter 16

  Maverick – Chapter 17

  Maverick – Chapter 18

  Maverick – Chapter 19

  Maverick – Chapter 20

  Maverick – Chapter 21

  Maverick – Chapter 22

  Maverick – Chapter 23

  Maverick – Chapter 24

  Maverick – Chapter 25

  Maverick – Chapter 26

  Maverick – Chapter 27

  Maverick – Chapter 28

  Maverick – Chapter 29

  Maverick - Acknowledgements

  The season had officially turned. Fall was making her presence known in the quaint, little lake town of Paris, Tennessee, and Sunny couldn’t have been happier. She loved the fact that the leaves were changing into beautiful golden yellows and brightly colored oranges. The evening air had turned cool and crisp as it whipped around, making the leaves dance at her feet. She looked up when she heard the familiar sounds of geese honking back and forth as they migrated to their secret coves across the lake. It was her favorite time of year, and she was tickled that it was downright chilly as she picked up the last of the empty beer bottles from the tables. Being the lead waitress at Hidden Creek, it was Sunny’s job to make sure that everything was cleaned up before closing. It wasn’t exactly the best part of her job, but it had to be done.

  She was almost finished clearing off the back deck when Casey, one of the other waitresses, peeked her head out the back door and asked, “Do you need any help?”

  “Nope. I got it.”

  “Cool. Then, I’m going to start on the bathrooms.” The door clicked shut as Casey tromped down the stairs.

  “Have at it, chick,” she chuckled.

  Sunny stopped for a moment and ran her hands quickly up and down her arms, trying to stir up a little warmth in her body. She couldn’t help but smile when she thought about the bonfire she would be attending at Jaclyn’s house later that night. Every year, Jaclyn had a huge blowout for her birthday, and she invited everyone to come celebrate: friends, family, neighbors, and whomever she bumped into on the street. It was a tradition that Sunny had come to look forward to. In her mind, Jaclyn’s party marked the day that she could officially pull out her fall wardrobe, including her tall, brown leather boots with the red piping down the back zipper. They were her favorite, and the fact that her best friend Katelyn wanted them more than life itself made her love them even more. For the party, she’d planned to wear those fabulous boots with one of her trademark t-shirts—the black one with the bear claw on the shoulder that said “What doesn’t kill you will make you STRONGER – except for bears. Bears will kill you.”

  Once she was done cleaning up, she went downstairs and found Casey mopping the floor. “Since it’s been so slow tonight, I was able to finish up both bathrooms. Once I’m done with this, I’ll get ready to close out my register.”

  “Awesome. You can head on out as soon as you’re finished.”

  “You sure?”

  “Yep. I’ll get the trash out and that should just about do it for the night.”

  “Great. I’ll see you over at Jaclyn’s, right?”

  “You know it, girl. I wouldn’t miss it. I’ve been looking forward to this party for weeks now. I’ve just got a few more things to finish up here and then I’ll be on my way.”

  Her boss, Dan, who was also a successful farmer, was busy picking corn. Since he couldn’t be there, he had asked her to close for the night. It was nothing out of the norm; she’d closed the bar many times over the last year. But tonight she had all her friends waiting for her at the bonfire, so she was more than a little eager to get things wrapped up. Thankfully, the late night party season was over. The summer crowds had finally gone, and they were back to their local few who came by for a quick bite to eat or to pick up forgotten groceries. Since they weren’t busy, Dan had given them the okay to close early. As soon as the last customer left, Casey and Sunny had hustled to get everything shut down for the night.

  By the time Sunny had changed clothes and gotten the bar locked up, it was after ten. Casey had already gone, leaving Sunny completely alone as she made her way out to her car. It was something she’d done hundreds of times before, but something about that night was different. From the moment she’d stepped onto the gravel of the parking lot, she’d gotten an uneasy feeling. As she walked towards her car, there was a loud clatter that echoed from the back of the bar. The uneasy feeling quickly turned to panic, stopping Sunny dead in her tracks. The tiny hairs on the back of her neck stood straight up as she slowly turned to look behind her.

  There was something familiar about the anxious feeling she felt growing in the pit of her stomach. Over the last year, she’d felt it many times, more than sh
e could even begin to count. It had all started when she broke things off with her longtime boyfriend. It turned out he wasn’t the man she thought he was, not even close. There was a time when she’d liked Drew, maybe even loved him. He was so handsome and fun to be with, and he seemed to have his life together—a good job, a nice place to live, and a decent ride. Unfortunately, after many months of dating, things started to change. He became overly possessive to the point of insanity. He’d constantly ask where she’d been and who she’d been with and never seemed to trust her about anything. Eventually, she discovered why. He’d been screwing around with the girl next door. She immediately broke things off and sent him packing. That’s when everything went to hell.

  Over the next few months, she had countless run-ins with him, from pleading phone calls that always turned menacing and hateful to unexpected visits that never failed to turn into some kind of heated argument, and letter after letter left in random places at various times throughout the day. She’d tried everything to get him to back off and leave her alone, but he just wouldn’t let it go. When he’d taken things too far and grabbed her, breaking her wrist, she’d had enough.

  It was then that she’d considered asking Bishop for help. He was the president of the Devil Chaser’s MC and a close family friend. She knew if anyone could get Drew to stop harassing her, it would be Bishop, but just when she’d decided to go talk to him, Drew disappeared. There were no more phone calls. No more letters. No more unannounced visits. He was gone.

  She couldn’t see a thing through the blanket of darkness that surrounded the bar and woods behind it. Sunny knew there were all kinds of wild critters back there, from raccoons to possums, so she turned back, convincing herself that it was just some rodent searching for its dinner. Still feeling a little off, she lengthened her stride, rushing to her car as she dug into her purse and hunted frantically for her keys. Just as her fingers wrapped around the cold familiar metal chain, she heard, “Hey there, Sunshine. Where ya headed in such a rush?”

  Her breath was ripped from her lungs as she listened to the familiar sound of her ex-boyfriend’s voice. She had no idea where he’d come from. There was no sign of his truck in the empty parking lot, and she’d never even heard him walk up. Her heart raced with panic as she slowly turned to face him. He stood behind her with a beer in his hand and a sinister smile spread across his face. She silently berated herself for ever thinking that he was hot. The man was an arrogant asshole with a decent haircut. Nothing more. “What are you doing here, Drew? You shouldn’t be here.”

  The gravel crunched beneath his boots as he took a step closer. She could smell the alcohol on his breath as he snarled, “And who’s to say I shouldn’t be here, darlin’? I don’t see anyone here but you.”

  Fear washed over her as the reality of his words sank in. There was no one there to call out to for help. There was no one there to stop the psychotic stalking prick from hurting her once again, only now she was afraid he wouldn’t stop at just a broken wrist. She did her best to swallow her panic as she took a step back, fumbling with her keys as she searched for the unlock button on her remote. “I don’t have time for this, Drew. I’m already late.”

  He placed a hand on the driver’s side door, blocking her only entrance to the car as he said, “Where you headed?”

  She considered her answer, thinking maybe if she was just cordial and talked to him for a minute, he’d let her go. But when she looked at his face and saw the glimmer of hate and anger in his eyes, she knew exactly what was in store for her. It didn’t matter what she said. She knew he had come there for one reason and one reason only, so she answered, “I’ve got people expecting me, Drew. If I’m not there soon, they’ll come looking for me.”

  “They’ll come looking for me,” he mocked. “We’re twenty minutes away from the bonfire, thirty minutes or more from town, and there’s not a soul in sight. Doesn’t look like anyone is gonna be looking for you, Sunshine. At least, not for a while.” She watched in terror as he took a long pull of his beer, making her wonder just how much he’d had to drink already. His eyes were locked on hers as he took another step towards her. “Looking good tonight, Sunshine. I’m sure you’ll turn some heads wearing that.”

  Trying her best to rein in his anger, she answered, “It’s just jeans and boots, Drew. It’s not a big deal.”

  “Don’t try to bullshit me. I know what’s up.”

  His voice was deep and laced with rage as he spoke. Sunny glanced up at him, noting the pulsing veins thickening around his neck, and she knew without a doubt things were about to get bad.

  “Really, it’s just a bonfire.”

  “With a bunch of drunks pawing over what’s mine.”

  Terror surged through her as he eased closer and placed his hand in her hair, flipping his thumb through the loose strands. Without warning, he twisted it around his knuckles, pulling her roughly over to him. She whimpered and cried as she tried to break free from his grasp, but it was pointless. She was no match for him. He leaned over her, and she could feel the heat of his breath at her neck as he said, “Nothing’s changed, Sunshine. You’re mine. You’ll always be mine.”

  “You’re hurting me!”

  “And you didn’t fucking hurt me?” he spat. “You don’t think it felt like a goddamn knife in the back when you broke it off with me? I fucking loved you.” His grip around her hair grew tighter as he yelled. The muscles in his body grew taut as his anger rose, and she knew there was little that she could do to stop him, but she had to try.

  “Let me go!” With a quick, firm thrust, she lifted her knee between his legs, hitting him with such force that his own knees buckled. His beer splashed across her shirt as he loosened his hold on her hair. She quickly pulled away from him, but only managed to take a few steps before he grabbed her arm and yanked her back over to him. He reared back and slammed his beer bottle against the side of her face. She cried out in pain as she felt the bones in her jaw break with the force of the hit. Her hands immediately wrapped around her head as she tried to shield herself from the continuous blows, but it was useless. There was nothing she could do to protect herself from his wrath. One hit after another pummeled her tiny body until she fell limp to the ground. When his boot slammed into her side, she wondered how much more she could take. There was no doubt in her mind that he would kill her, and at that moment, she didn’t care. She just wanted it to be over. Thankfully, after one brutal kick to her head, it was. Everything around her went black.

  One year later.

  It was just before twelve when Bishop left his office and headed out to the garage to find Bull. He wanted to catch him before he broke for lunch. He’d just gotten a call about a 1967 Chevy truck and a 1970 Chevy Nova that needed to be picked up in Kentucky. The owner wanted them both fully restored by Thanksgiving, so he made arrangements for Bull and Otis to pick them up later that afternoon. Since they didn’t have any time to waste, he wanted the guys to start breaking them down first thing the following morning. As Bishop had always hoped, the club’s restoration business had continued to grow. Over the past year, they’d updated all their equipment so they could get the work done in less time. The brothers had always been good, but with the new expansion, they’d been able to take things to another level. Word had gotten out that they were the best, and people from all over the Mid-South turned to them for both classic car and bike restorations. Bishop’s dream had become a reality, and financially, the club was doing better than ever.

  He felt a sense of pride as he walked into the garage, seeing his guys busy working on their different projects. Sheppard was putting the final touches on the 1960 Chevy pickup he’d found for Goliath. He’d come across it on his way home from the club, and knowing that Goliath was looking for a pickup for Lily, he thought he might be interested in restoring it. After just one look, Goliath was hooked, and by the following day, the old, beaten-up pickup was sitting in the club’s garage. After a few long months of work and a fresh coat of cherry r
ed paint, they’d managed to bring her back to life. She was a real beauty, and there was no doubt Lily was going to love it.

  Bishop walked over to the truck and ran his hand over his salt and pepper beard as he checked out their progress. He nodded with approval. “She’s really coming along.”

  Sheppard took an old rag off the hood and wiped his hands, trying his best to get rid of some of the dirt and grime. “Yeah, she’s looking great, but she’s still missing a little at start up.”

  “Too bad Renegade’s not here to have a look at it.”

  “Yeah, he’d know what to do, but they aren’t going to be back from their honeymoon for another week. We can’t wait that long. Goliath’s planning to give it to Lily this weekend for her birthday.”

  “Then you’re under the gun. Maybe it’s just a bad coil or something.”

  “That’s what we were thinking. Goliath went to the back to get a new one. We’ll see if that will do the trick.”

  “Hopefully that will do it.”

  “It better. Goliath is gonna lose his shit if we don’t get this thing finished on time.”

  “He’ll get it done. He always does.” Bishop looked around the garage, and then asked, “You seen Bull?”

  “Yeah, he’s out back with Gavin. He stripped one of the bolts or something when he tried to put on his new exhaust, so Gavin’s trying to fix it for him.”

  “Sounds about right. I’ve got some things to take care of, but let me know if you need me to take a look at it later.”

  “Will do.”

  Bishop headed to the back of the garage and found Gavin, one of the club’s prospects, kneeling at the back of Bull’s bike. After doing his time as a hang-around, Gavin had started prospecting. Over the past year, he’d proven to be a great asset to the club, in more ways than Bishop had expected. Not only was he good with his hands, but he was also good at paying attention. He never failed to go above and beyond anything he was asked to do, and Bishop knew it wouldn’t be long before he’d officially earn his patch into the club.