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

by L. Wilder

  Minutes passed and I was still trying to catch my breath. Finally, I whispered, “As much as I like having your hot, sweaty body on top of me, I… can’t… breathe,” I gasped. Smiling, he quickly rolled to the side and pulled me over to him.

  “Is that better?” he chuckled.

  “Much,” I laughed. The rumbling of voices outside the window stole my laughter and replaced it with panic. “Shit! They’re here!”

  Maverick jumped off the bed, revealing his perfectly round ass and long, muscular legs. He peered through the curtains, looking to see who was coming. “It’s not them. It’s just their neighbors, but we better get moving. It wouldn’t be good for them to see us in here.”

  After putting on our clothes, we quickly made the bed, making sure not to leave any evidence of our little visit behind. When we finished, Maverick took my hand and led me down the hall. My nerves were on full alert, when he looked through the window one last time to make sure we were clear to leave. Thankfully, the neighbors were busy unloading groceries from their car and didn’t see us slip out the back door.

  When we stepped outside, it was almost noon, and the sun was barreling down on us as we walked down the dock. I wanted to jump into the lake and let the water cool my burning skin, but Maverick was still holding my hand, tugging me toward the car. I wasn’t ready to go back to the clubhouse yet, so as soon as his car door slammed shut, I turned to him and asked, “How about something to eat? I’m starving.”

  “You’re always starving. My girl and her snacks,” he snickered. The sound of ‘my girl’ rolling off of his lips made my heart flip inside of my chest. “We’ll grab a burger at Hidden Creek on the way back to the club.”

  “Great,” I told him, smiling. I didn’t care where we went. I just wanted to keep him to myself, as long as I could.

  After a few turns down a long, curvy road, we pulled up to a quaint, little store with a small patio-styled bar attached on the side. There was a flashing sign out front announcing that there would be a band playing this weekend, and golf carts lined the front parking lot. When we opened the door, the smell of bacon whipped around me, making my stomach growl with hunger. We’d only been standing there for a few seconds when a young girl in her twenties came up and greeted us.

  “I’ll be with y’all in just a second. Make yourself comfortable,” she said, forcing a smile as she motioned her hand toward the tables in the back corner of the room. Several older men were sitting around, drinking coffee. Each one of them was leaned back in his chair, reading the morning paper. I had no doubt they came here every morning to start the day.

  “They’ve got pretty good cheeseburgers, or bacon and eggs if you’re still in the mood for breakfast,” Maverick told me when we sat down at one of the empty tables.

  “A cheeseburger sounds perfect. I want mine with the works,” I told him. “I’m going to run to the bathroom. I’ll be right back.”

  “It’s down the hall on the right,” Maverick told me, pointing down a long, dark hall. I was just about to open the bathroom door when I heard the waitress’s voice coming through the wall. She was obviously upset, her voice getting higher and higher. No one was responding to her, so I assumed that she was talking on her cell phone.

  “I told you months ago I was done with your shit, Drew. Now, let it go! Stop calling me! Stop texting me. And for fuck’s sake, stop coming by the house. If you haven’t freaking noticed, I do not want to see you!” she barked. There was a brief pause before she started up again, “I don’t give a shit! You’re the one who decided to screw that whore from next door. That’s all on you. I don’t want to hear anything else you have to say. If you come around here again, I’m calling Bishop. Period.” There was a little commotion coming from the restroom, and then suddenly the door flew open.

  Her face flushed red with embarrassment when she saw me standing there, and before I could tell her not to worry about it, she said, “Uh… sorry about that. I have the ex from hell, and he just doesn’t know how to take no for an answer.”

  “No need to apologize. There’s nothing worse than a guy like that, but it sounded like you handled him pretty well,” I told her, smiling. She seemed like a really cool girl, and I hated that this guy was giving her such a hard time. She was at least a foot shorter than me, making her seem a little younger than she really was. Her hair was pulled back in a fishtail braid, and she was wearing a pair of shorts with a hot tank top that said, ‘I’m actually not funny. I’m just mean and people think I’m joking’. I wanted one, and if she hadn’t been in the middle of an angry rant, I would have asked her where she’d gotten it.

  “I’d really like to throat punch the asshole, but I doubt it’d make much difference. We’d been dating for over a year when I found out he was screwing the slut-bag next door. I broke it off, but he just can’t get it through his thick skull that I’m done with his dumbass,” she explained as she let out a flustered sigh. “I’m sorry. I got carried away. It’s just one of those days.”

  “No problem. We all have them,” I said laughing.

  “By the way, my name is Sunny.”

  “Nice to meet you, Sunny. I’m Henley. I’m here with Maverick,” I told her as I looked back to our table. When I saw that Maverick was distracted with his phone, I asked her, “So, I heard you mention Bishop’s name earlier. Do you know him?” I brought my hand up to my face, covering my eyes with my fingers while I shook my head. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked… that’s none of my business.”

  “Don’t be silly. I basically just spilled my guts to you in the ladies’ restroom, so I’d say you’re entitled to a question or two. I’m Bishop’s neighbor. My mom used to babysit his son, Myles, so we’re all pretty close. I’d never really call him over something like this, but I know he’d be there for me, if I really needed him,” she explained.

  “I’m sure he would. Be sure to let him know if you keep having problems with this guy. Maybe he can do something to help you sort it.”

  “I will. I’d better get back up front before the lunch crowd starts rolling in,” she told me as she started toward the front. She turned back to me and said, “It was really great meeting you. Next time you’re in town, stop by and I’ll buy you a drink.”

  “That would be great, Sunny. I’ll do that,” I replied just before I walked into the restroom. By the time I came back, Maverick had already placed our order and our drinks were sitting on the table.

  “Did you get lost?” he asked, putting his phone back in his pocket.

  “I was just having a little chat with our waitress, Sunny. She’s having some guy troubles,” I told him.

  “Did you get her sorted?” he asked with a mocking grin.

  “From what I could tell, she did a pretty good job of sorting it herself,” I explained. I looked back over to Sunny, hoping I was right. She seemed like a really amazing girl, and I’d hate for anything to happen to her.

  When we finished eating, Maverick stood up from the table and said, “We need to get back to the club. I texted Gavin to tell him that we were on our way. I’m not exactly looking forward to it, but it’s time for us to talk.”

  I’d almost forgotten the hell that was waiting for Maverick when we got back to the club, but hearing Gavin’s name tossed me right back into reality. Gavin had screwed up big time when he betrayed his brother, and I wondered if Maverick would ever be able to forgive him. I worried that after today, neither of them would ever be the same.

  Chapter 19

  Maverick

  The air was thick with tension when I walked into the empty bar. Gavin was sitting alone, lost in his thoughts, while he took a drink from his beer. The stool screeched against the floor as I sat down next to him, and when he turned to face me, I could tell from the expression on his face that he was dreading this conversation almost as much as I was. We were both trying to face the demons from our past, things we wished we hadn’t done, and it wasn’t going to be easy for either of us. But then again, I wasn’t th
e one who had been lying to my own flesh and blood for all these months, keeping secrets that no brother should’ve kept. Hell, I wanted him to dread it, to feel like the sorry bastard he was. He’s my fucking brother! He should have said something, and I doubted I would ever be able to forgive him for keeping this from me. Things between us would never be the same, and he was going to have to live with that regret for the rest of his life.

  “I’m sorry,” he mumbled with his eyes full of remorse. “I don’t know what else to say. I’m just so fucking sorry.”

  “How about you tell me how John Warren ended up being your son, Gavin? Why don’t you tell me when you started fucking Hailey?” I growled. The anger inside of me was burning in my gut, and I wanted to beat the living hell out of him… tell him how he fucked it all up. I wanted to walk out of that bar and never speak to him again, but I needed to know the truth. I had to know what happened between him and Hailey.

  “It was only that one night, Logan. I swear it. Hailey loved you. Loved you more than you ever really knew, but that night… she was just,” he said, as he dropped his head into the palms of his hands.

  “What night, Gavin?” I asked. When he didn’t answer, I slammed my fist against the counter and shouted, “Tell me! What fucking night?”

  He turned to look at me, and anguish rippled across his face as he said, “The night you caught her buying more drugs and walked out on her. I’m not saying it was the wrong thing for you to do, but it broke her. She was just so damn broken.”

  “So you fucked her? That was your answer to all her troubles? I was trying to make her see that she needed to get help, that she was going to kill herself if she kept that shit up, and you decided to go fuck her? You thought that was going to make it all better?” I shouted. “That’s just great, Gavin. You’re the fucking hero.” The sarcasm dripped from my mouth as I glared at him with all the rage that was building inside of me.

  “It wasn’t like that, Logan! You know I wouldn’t … The guys and I had been watching the game, and I was already plastered when she got to the house. After they left, Hailey and I had a few drinks—more than a few. She was upset, and we spent the entire night talking about everything that had happened. There was so much pain in her voice. I hated to see her like that, and I wanted to help her.”

  He looked up to the ceiling, trying to rein in his emotions. Finally, he cleared his throat and continued, “She wanted to be the Hailey you loved, but a part of her knew she’d never be that girl again. I’d never seen her so upset. She was just so heartbroken. You know I’ve always had a soft spot for Hailey, and I just wanted to help her, to be there for her.” He took a long tug of his beer and let out a deep breath.

  “Why didn’t you just tell me? You knew the hell I was going through, and you never said a goddamn thing! That’s bullshit, Gavin. I should’ve been able to trust you more than anyone, but you lied to me to protect your own sorry ass. There’s no excuse. You should’ve said something!” I told him.

  “Maverick, I don’t even remember what happened that night. It was all just a blur. The more we talked, the angrier she got. The angrier she got, the more she drank. We were both completely wasted, and when I woke up the next morning, she was gone. I couldn’t remember a damn thing. I wasn’t even sure we had actually slept together. I prayed we didn’t. I hated myself for putting myself in that situation, but you have to know that I would never intentionally hurt you or her.” He looked up at me, glaring with hurt in his eyes, and said, “I should’ve told you, Maverick. I’m sorry. I really am. It was only one night, and I really thought he was your kid.”

  My anger slowly started to subside as I listened to him talk, knowing that he was really struggling with his guilt. I could see the grief written all over his face, and I knew he would never intentionally set out to hurt either of us. Gavin was just a kid, and Hailey should’ve never gone over there that night.

  I rested my hand on his shoulder and said, “I knew she was upset the night I left. I’ve always hated myself for not staying with her and making sure she got the help she needed,” I told him.

  “No. It wasn’t your fault, none of it. Hailey’s the one who got behind the wheel that night. She was tired, and never saw that drunk driver heading in her direction. It was an accident. You can’t keep blaming yourself for that night.”

  “Maybe.”

  “And her addiction was just that—hers. She knew you loved her and that should’ve been enough. That’s all on her, Maverick.” I knew there was some truth in the words he was saying, but I wasn’t willing to let myself truly accept it. A part of me would always blame myself for what happened with Hailey. No one would change my mind about that.

  “I’m just so tired. Tired of it all, and I’m done with it. Done with the lies and the guilt. No more, Gavin,” I told him, dragging my hands through my hair. I was so fucking tired of being angry. Tired of all the bullshit. It was wearing me down, and I had to let it go. At the end of the day, Gavin was my brother. I knew I’d never be able to forget what he did, but I had to forgive him. I had to forgive myself.

  His hand rested on my back as he assured me, “No more.”

  “I mean it, Gavin. You fucked up. We’re family. We don’t keep shit from each other. Period.”

  “You’re right. You have my word. I’ll never make a mistake like that again,” Gavin promised.

  I was just about to leave when I realized I still didn’t know what transpired after I left the lawyer’s office. “What happened today with John Warren?”

  “I went down to the hospital, and Ana did another DNA test. When the results come back, I’ll sign the adoption papers,” Gavin replied. “Even if I was in a position to be a father, I wouldn’t do anything different. We both know that JW is where he belongs.”

  “It’ll be hard, but at least you’ll be here with him. You’ll get the chance to see him grow up and spend time with him. You can be a real part of his life, and he’ll be lucky to have you,” I told him.

  “Maverick, you should know that I had no idea I was John Warren’s father when I decided to come here. I honestly thought being here would help you, make it easier for you somehow.”

  “At the time, it did make me feel better to know you’d be here with him. I think this place has been good for both of you,” I told him. I got up to grab a beer from the cooler, but stopped when my phone started to ring. I pulled it from my pocket and saw that it was Big Mike.

  I didn’t have a chance to say hello before he said, “We’ve got a problem, Maverick. How soon can you get back?”

  “Hold on,” I told him as I walked outside for some privacy. The door slammed behind me when I stepped out onto the gravel parking lot and asked, “What’s going on?”

  “It’s Nitro… They got to Nitro,” he said, his voice rattled with concern.

  “What do you mean they got to Nitro?” I asked, pacing back and forth.

  “We still don’t know all of the details. Just that he was shot four to five times at one of his warehouses. The doctors just got done working on him a few minutes ago. He’s in the ICU now. They’re not sure if he’ll make it.”

  “Nitro is too fucking stubborn to die, brother. He’ll pull through. Any idea who did it?”

  “You know who fucking did it, Maverick. The same fuckers that were taking those pictures at our last delivery. They were looking for our distributor. They’re not going to stop until they shut us down,” he explained.

  “That’s not going to happen. I won’t let it.”

  “We’ve got to find these fuckers. We just need to get our hands on one of them. Just one of them, and Stitch will do the rest. He’ll get what we need out of them,” he explained.

  “Yeah, one would do it.” Just thinking about the methods Stitch used to get information sent cold chills down my spine. One night in the confines of that room, and he could break any man. Mike was right. All we had to do was get our hands on one of these guys, and Stitch would find out everything we needed to know.
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  “We’ve talked about it before. They aren’t the type to leave any loose ends, and letting Henley slip through their fingers had to piss them off. There’s no reason for us not to use that to our advantage.”

  “I’ve already told you once that using Henley is not an option, Mike. I won’t say it again,” I shouted. I took a deep breath and said, “We’ll be on the road within the hour. We’ll discuss other options when I get back.”

  “Yeah. I’ll see you then,” he mumbled. I could hear the frustration in his voice, but I knew one way or another, we’d find a way to get these guys. When I turned to go back inside, Henley was standing behind me with her hands shoved deep in her pockets.

  “Is everything okay?” she asked as she shifted her feet across the gravel. I wasn’t exactly sure, but I had a feeling she’d heard the entire conversation.

  “We’ve got to head back.”

  “You didn’t answer my question,” Henley grumbled, moving her hands up to her hips. I loved that she didn’t back down from me. She knew what she wanted, and she didn’t have a problem going after it. Unfortunately for her, I wasn’t telling her a damn thing.

  “Go pack,” I told her. She looked up at me through her long, dark eyelashes, pouting because she knew she wasn’t going to get her way. I leaned down and quickly pressed my lips against hers. Her pout began to fade when I said, “We really need to get going.”

  “Okay,” she replied with a defeated sigh. She followed me back to the room, and after packing our bags, we headed to the bar to tell everyone goodbye.

  Gavin was the only one still around, so I told him, “We’re heading home. I’ll try to get back soon.” I wanted to be able to stay for a little longer to be there for him while he got this mess sorted with John Warren, but I didn’t have a choice. I had to get back.

  “Maybe I can make it back for a couple of days before Thanksgiving. The holidays are busy, so I won’t be able to stay long,” Gavin explained.

  “Come whenever you can. It’ll be good to see you,” I told him as I gave him a hug. “Let me know how things go with Lily and Goliath.”