Satan’s Devils MC -Colorado Box Set: Books 4-6

by Mellett, Manda

  “What if we don’t find him, or it takes months?”

  He shakes his head. “I might have patience, but not a lot. Not waiting that long, darlin’. I promise you that. Now, before you can tempt me further, what say we show our faces downstairs and see if Prez has gotten the green light from Red.”

  Now I’m biting my lip for another reason. “They’re all going to be looking at me, aren’t they, Ro? The woman whose old man has come back from the dead.”

  “Nah. You’ve got to remember, that’s our brother we’re talking about. Sure, he was your old man, but he wore our patch and fuckin’ disrespected it. That’s what they’re most worried about.”

  I suppose he’s right.

  I’m still anxious as I descend the stairs with him.

  When I ascended them earlier I was in a hell of a state. I couldn’t help it, even though I knew my distress couldn’t be good for the baby. But slowly the shock began to wear off. Now I’m ready to start dealing instead of reacting. As Pyro slips his large hand around mine allowing me to take comfort from his fingers, I acknowledge I’m feeling more positive now I know he’s going to be there for me in every way.

  My baby will have a father. Getting to know him slowly has shown me I couldn’t have chosen better. Along with my disbelief that Skull’s alive, and at the slap-in-the-face rejection that came along with that knowledge, I’ve now got something to look forward to. Starting a new life with Pyro.

  It’s just going to have to wait until we can put the old one fully behind us.

  “Well, lookie here. What have we got?” Beef comes over and slaps Pyro’s back. He looks pointedly down at our joined hands. “Bout fuckin’ time, Brother.”

  “Not doing any claimin’ as yet,” Pyro growls. “But yeah, we’re taking steps in the right direction.”

  Beef moves to stand in front of me. “How you feelin’, sweetheart?”

  “Betrayed? Yes,” I reply, trying to find the truthful answer. “Hurt, definitely. It was just too much, finding out like that.”

  “I’m sure it was.”

  “Ro!” Demon’s by the bar, beckoning him over.

  He exchanges a chin lift with Beef, then after a little tug on my hand that gets me moving, takes me over to join his prez.

  Demon glances at me, then gives me a nod. I take it that my attempt at pulling myself together hasn’t gone wasted. He tilts his head toward Pyro. “You told her anything?”

  “That we’re getting Vegas involved, yes.”

  “Yeah. I’ve spoken to Red. He, er, well, once he’d let rip, he was more than happy to try to track that fucker down and to put up whoever we send there.”

  “I didn’t doubt he’d help.”

  “Help? Had to stop him taking a gun to Skull himself,” Prez growls.

  “They’re Satan’s Devils, Mel,” Pyro explains at my surprised gasp. “Disrespect one of us, everyone from whatever chapter feels the insult.”

  I start to wonder just exactly how crazy Skull must be to set himself against this group of men. I’ve already seen they love and protect fiercely, and now see the opposite side of the coin is the strength of their hate, together with their need for retribution. Skull won’t escape unscathed.

  “Mel wants to go to Vegas,” Pyro explains. He raises an eyebrow at Demon.

  “Much as I hate to say it, this could be a wild goose chase. He might already be gone.”

  I narrow my eyes. “Now I know he’s alive, I’m not going to give up, Demon. He’s alive, I’ve got proof. I’ll go to the cops if I have to, get the courts involved to get child support.”

  Demon stills. “You’ll be inviting him into the life you want to keep him out of. The life I suspect you’ll be living with Ro.”

  I smile as sweetly as I can. “Then I hope the Devils will make sure that Skull won’t be able to interfere with Pyro and me. I’m sure you’ll be able to find a permanent solution.”

  Demon splutters, Pyro barks a loud laugh. He puts his arm around me and tugs me to him. “Christ woman, you’re fuckin’ perfect, aren’t you?”

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Pyro

  “A word, Ro?”

  “I’m going on up. I’m exhausted.” Mel puts her hand to her mouth to cover a yawn as she takes the hint Prez wants to talk to me alone.

  I nod at her, worried, trying to assess her state of mind. But she seems genuinely tired, and not surprising, given the knocks she’s taken today. “I’ll be there in a moment.”

  I motion to Beaver who interprets it correctly, bringing me a beer while I turn to the man who had spoken. “What’s up, Prez?”

  “You tapped that?” Demon asks, his eyes following Mel as she makes her way across the room.

  “Nah. Heading that way, but not yet, no.”

  “Keep it like that.”

  As my brow creases, he explains, “A living brother claimed her.”

  Beer spits out of my mouth. “I’m sorry? What the fuck did you just say?”

  “I think I was quite clear. Skull claimed her. You know it’s forbidden for anyone to lay their hands on a woman who belongs to another member, particularly in this chapter. Blackie was killed for that very thing.” He names his grandfather, killed by Hellfire with the club’s blessing. Hellfire was only a prospect at the time, but everyone knew Moira was his. It’s never been admitted, but the clues are all there. Moira fell pregnant, and most of us suspect the relationship is not exactly what it’s been made out to be for all these years. We all suspect Demon is Hellfire’s brother, not his son. But hell, what do those facts matter? Just like the baby Mel’s carrying, and Demon’s own kid, Theo, it’s just genetics. It’s the nurture of a strong father figure which counts in every important way that matters.

  But I leave history and memories behind and focus on the present. “Skull’s not a member. Hasn’t been thought of that way for four fucking months.”

  “Because we thought he was dead. Now he’s living.”

  I stand, my head moving side to side in disbelief. “You cannot be serious. Take a fuckin’ vote. Everyone would say aye to pulling his patch before you’ve gotten the words out of your fuckin’ mouth.”

  “Careful, Ro. You’re verging on disrespect yourself.”

  “Prez…”

  “Hear me out. I don’t think that man can offer any excuse worth hearing. But what if he did get that hypothetical bump on his head? What if he truly can’t remember?”

  “That shit doesn’t happen.”

  “Unlikely, I admit, but it is possible. Bomber said he served with a man who forgot who he was after he’d gotten too close to a bomb blast. And Liz remembers meeting someone with temporary amnesia. Got his memory back, but with fuckin’ large gaps in it.”

  I imagined walking up to Skull and watching his face fill with fear when he realises we’ve found him. Not for one moment had I considered he might look at me blankly as if I was a complete stranger. What are the implications if he did? Would Mel forgive him? Go back to him? Try and help him regain his memory? Jump back into his bed? Christ. It doesn’t bear thinking about.

  “Chances are fuckin’ slim, I’ll give you that. But something stopped that man coming back.”

  “Or, he selfishly left without feeling the need for explanation to Mel or to us.” Fuck. I slam my empty beer bottle down on the bar and snarl at Beaver when he runs up with a new one. He moves swiftly away. “I wasn’t going to fuck her, Prez, until we’d had a chance to find him. She needs to be able to maintain the high moral ground while he feeds her whatever fucked up line he’ll try. But my patience is only going to last so long. If we have to give up the search, want to bring it to the table. Take away his patch, or I turn mine in. If I can’t have Mel as a member, only one option.”

  “Whoa, hold up there, Ro. Don’t say things you might regret.”

  “Won’t be no regrets, Prez. I didn’t think I’d ever settle down. I was jealous of Skull when he found Mel as he’d discovered a gem, a diamond that I hadn’t known existed
. But I said nothing, stayed back, would never go near another man’s woman. Even when he disappeared I didn’t step up. Became a friend because of loyalty to my missing brother. Remained a friend to be true to his memory. Thought that was all I’d ever be to her. Wasn’t going to fuck our friendship up, but I have been there looking out for her and the boy. Then Skull turns up.” I pause and look directly at him. “Things have been said. I didn’t dream she felt the same way about me. Nah, not when she was with Skull, but when he left, she accepted my friendship, and her feelings gradually became deeper. We only admitted it to each other today.”

  I pause, look around the club, and am certain when I turn back. “Love this club. Love my brothers. Don’t want to leave. But this isn’t some flash in the pan thing, this is forever. I can’t have her and still be a member, then I’ve no choice. She comes first.”

  He doesn’t give away his reaction immediately, and his eyes glaze slightly. “Beef was going to give it all up for Steph,” he reminds me. “When you find the right woman, the club isn’t enough.” He stops and takes a breath. “Not going to lose you, Ro. All I’m asking is we do it properly. Don’t want anyone saying because Skull didn’t turn in his patch, and we didn’t vote it off him, that she’s still his property. You keep your relationship respectful until we can make it formal, then all’s right between us.”

  “She’s still staying in my bed. She needs me, Prez. As a friend at this point, more than a lover.”

  “I can live with that.”

  His hand grips my shoulder, squeezes it gently, then he walks off.

  Mel looks fuckin’ amazing lying in my bed. Only her head is peeking out from under the sheet, her dark hair lying over the pillow. My gut clenches at the sight I’d never hoped to see.

  “You got anything on under that sheet?” If she’s naked, it will be fucking difficult to keep the promise I’d just made. I’m a man, after all.

  Her face goes pink. “I helped myself to one of your tee shirts. I hope you don’t mind.”

  Of course I don’t. Though she’s darn near turned difficult into fucking impossible. A wave of possessiveness goes through me.

  If she left me now and went back to Skull, it wouldn’t just hurt. I think it would be a mortal blow.

  Moving forward, I stand at the end of the bed. “What would it take, Mel? What would it take for you to go back to Skull?”

  She sits up at my question. The sheet falls revealing she’s snagged one of my favourite tees, an Iron Maiden one. Good taste, darlin’. “What are you talking about, Pyro? There’s nothing at all that would persuade me to go back.”

  “What if he’d lost his memory and had truly forgotten you? What if there’s a valid reason for all this?”

  She looks down at her hands. “I’ve been thinking about that. Am I awful to say it wouldn’t make a difference? All these months he’s been gone, I keep going over and over things that we said, the way he’d walked out and left me at first for just that one night. He blamed me for something that was down to him. I think he expected me to be the adult in the relationship. I was older, and he persuaded me our age difference didn’t matter. But looking back, I think it did. In little ways, it’s hard to pinpoint.”

  I’m relieved as fuck that she wouldn’t return to him. “Age means nothing. Any man can behave like an ass. Can throw out his toys when the going gets rough. I don’t think age had anything to do with it. Don’t think he treated you as well as we thought, but who knows what goes on between a man and a woman behind closed doors?”

  I take off my cut and remove my boots, she looks on like I’m unwrapping a present. But I leave on my jeans and tee and lie on top of the covers.

  “I thought we were going to cuddle?”

  “Still can, darlin’. But we’ll do it with the comforter between us. I don’t need any more temptation. Prez has just reminded me of something.” At her questioning look, I continue, “Until we’ve come to some decisions about Skull, you’re still technically his woman, and therefore, off bounds to me.” As she bristles, I stop her speaking by resting my fingers gently over her mouth. “Nothing more than we’ve already agreed. Just given another reason for it.”

  “So claiming is for life? Why can’t I unclaim myself? I don’t want anything to do with him.”

  “No one would have an argument with that, Mel. Just need to do things properly. Doing it right means we need to put the brakes on until we get answers and everyone’s satisfied. Skull’s not dead, we’re all sure of that. Not saying you have to think yourself his woman while he still breathes, nor that any of my brothers would think less of you for taking up with me. But there’s a right and wrong way of doing things. I’d rather wait if that’s what we need to do. You’re worth it, Mel. Fuckin’ believe that.”

  I wonder if she’s going to protest further. I’m already thinking of what else I can say to try to make her understand, while not saying out loud that in the eyes of the club, she’s still Skull’s property, when not for the first time, she surprises me.

  “But you’re in here with me?” Her brow creases. “Should I leave?”

  “Nah. They’ll all know we aren’t getting up to shit.”

  “How?”

  “Because they’ll see I’m walking bowlegged from the hard-on I ain’t getting release from, and also, when we do get to fuck, I’m going to make it my mission to make you scream louder than you’ve ever done before.”

  “I didn’t, I don’t…”

  I cock my eyebrow. “Walls are thin, darlin’.”

  Her mouth opens in an O, then, slowly, she starts disappearing under the sheet.

  It might have been the ultimate fuck up of a day, but I bellow a laugh, and make that silent promise to her and myself. One day I’m going to make her scream louder than Skull ever did.

  Early the next morning I hear three bikes heading out, the roar of their exhaust shattering the peace. Glancing over at my phone I see it’s still early, only five-thirty am. I don’t blame them getting an early start, they’ve got a twelve-hour journey ahead of them, and that’s if they don’t make any stops, which they’ll need to, to top off tanks and stomachs.

  Quietly sending them good vibes for keeping the shiny side up, I turn on my side and watch my woman sleeping. No, not mine as yet, but hopefully, soon.

  Unused to having company in my bed or sleeping with an unresolved rod of iron in my pants, I’ve had a restless night, but used it to do some thinking. I’ll fly Mel across to Vegas. I wouldn’t ask a woman unused to riding to make a seven-hundred-mile journey without leading up to it, even if she wasn’t pregnant. No, she can travel in relative comfort. Not that flying economy is a luxury, but better than spending hours on the back of my bike.

  My woman and child. Christ. How did I get so lucky? Was it only yesterday I awoke, not daring to dream that we’d be making any commitment? That I had any hope of ever moving out of the friendzone. Now all we’ve got to do is get Skull back firmly in the rearview, then we can start living. For ourselves.

  If it comes to it, I’ve no worries about leaving the club. Would hate it, but I could survive in the civilian world if I have to. I’ve managed an auto-shop for years, got all the right qualifications. With my army record as well, I shouldn’t have trouble finding employment. I’ll definitely be able to support my old lady.

  Of course, I’d prefer to stay in the club. Get Mel her own property vest. Idly, I wonder why Skull hadn’t. He’d had enough time, just hadn’t taken that step. I shift, trying to get comfortable when my mind conjures up a vision of her wearing only a leather cut with my name written on it. Of course, there’s that old rule that I know Demon wouldn’t insist on, that she gets ‘Property of Pyro’ tattooed on her back. I’d like that. I’ll be sneaky about it, get Violet to design something really attractive, have something to show her before I approach it. Thank fuck Skull hadn’t done that, and she has nothing that needs to be covered up.

  Her missing cut and tattoo. Signs Skull had never been totally serio
us? If so, it’s not just her he had fooled, but all of us.

  “Good morning.”

  I think her face smiling up at me is going to become my new favourite way to wake up.

  “Did you sleep well?”

  “Surprisingly I did. I think I must have been mentally exhausted. But now he’s pressing on my bladder and I need to go pee.”

  I nod. Watching her move off the bed, my eyes follow her to the bathroom.

  When she returns, I look up from my phone and tell her, “We’ll fly to Vegas. It’s just under a four-hour flight.”

  “Oh, thank God. I wasn’t looking forward to driving it.”

  “Thought that. When do you want to leave?”

  “I’ve just got to talk to work, make sure they’re okay with me taking time off. Then whenever you think.”

  “Tomorrow’s soon enough. Tonight, the brothers will get to the clubhouse and start preparing to go out searching. There won’t be any news today. I’ll text Sparky later, ask him to ask Red to get a room ready for us.”

  “Sounds good, Ro.”

  “You get dressed and ready, then we’ll get a bite to eat. I’ll take you home so you can get packed and make the arrangements and I’ll come pick you up later.” I frown slightly, running over what I’ll have to put in place to keep the shop going while I’m gone.

  “I need to call Beth and tell her I’m okay. She was so guilty that she was the cause of me breaking down yesterday.”

  “Christ darlin’. Tell her from me, I’m glad she spotted him. Otherwise we could have gotten blindsided when we least expected it. This way, we know what we’re dealing with. Sooner or later, we’ll catch up with him.”

  “What will happen if we don’t find him? What will it mean to us?” Her anxious face turns toward me. We’d spoken about this before, so now I think she’s talking about the revelation I laid on her about her relationship in the eyes of the club.