Eli (Devil's Flame MC Book 3)

by Romi Hart

  “Think I’m going to hit the shower.” He strode into the bathroom, turning the tap to full heat so steam immediately began to fill the room as he undressed. Riding in the heat of summer, he felt like his jeans were adhered to his skin, his balls vapor locked to his ass. He peeled his jeans off, tossing them to the floor.

  He raised his arms and flexed his muscles briefly, noting a line of small bruises on underside of his arm, “Where the hell did that come from?” he asked aloud. Ducking into the stream of water, he shoved his head under it, holding his breath. He stepped back as he exhaled and grabbed his body wash, dumping a healthy amount into his palm and starting to wash. He scrubbed eagerly, to clean off than just the dirt and sweat of the bike ride. He had to get Rory off his skin before she ended up weaseling her way under it.

  “What the fuck are you going to do about her?” he asked himself as he turned to rinse. Recalling the night before, Eli felt a sudden stirring and tightening in his crotch, groaning as he roughly spun the knob to cut off the water flow. Why couldn’t he get the encounter off his mind?

  Even worse, he still didn’t think Rory had taken him seriously about no commitment. The question was, how was he going to deal with that?

  Clean and dressed, Eli headed toward the bar. With the girls due to arrive later, he desperately needed a drink. He hated delivering bad news, and his mood was sour to start with. Thankfully, hired help had taken over the bar, which meant no questions about his escapades. He tapped the bar twice. “Brown Sugar Bourbon,” he ordered.

  “Just a shot or the whole damn thing?” the bartender asked quickly.

  “A shot,” Eli told him, recalling his last encounter with a full bottle of anything. He needed his senses about him, especially with the company of two strippers. And the possibility of Rory coming back out tonight. He’d have to properly emphasize his stance on this, and he’d have to be at full mental capacity to do so.

  “Alright,” the bartender said, pouring a steady stream into the highball and setting it in front of Eli.

  He downed it instantly. “Holy shit! You sure you don’t want that whole bottle?” the bartender quipped.

  Eli scoffed. “Save it for me. I might need it later. Right now, let me get a Shiner.” The bartender nodded and complied, and Eli stood, taking it with him as he walked over to the pool tables.

  Approaching Guy at his usual table, he asked, “You want to play a round or two?” He fished into his pocket to extract a twenty.

  Guy grinned and nodded. “I could use some extra cash. Don’t get pissed when I clean you out, though.” Guy warned. “Let me get a drink first.”

  “Sure thing, bro.” Eli wasn’t concerned with getting cleaned out. The Devil’s Flames business was good, and they were raking in the cash, plenty of people buying into their security detail. And Eli had done well with investments, so aside from his income here, he had a pretty hefty savings account. But Guy didn’t need to know that, or he’d push for higher stakes. He considered a retort but instead, while Guy grabbed a drink, turned to choose his cue stick. This was really just a way to pass some time, not a serious competition. When the girls got here, business would get thick, but that was what it meant to be a member of the Devil’s Flames MC. He had an obligation, had sworn an oath to uphold his duties, but in the meantime, he needed to try to relax.

  He lifted a cue stick from the rack and started chalking the tip as Guy returned and racked the balls. But just as he set up to break, two redheaded women stepped into the clubhouse and moved toward him with purpose.

  “Hey,” Scarlett’s sultry voice carried through the room as she approached the bartender. “Can I get a shot of Jack? On the rocks, please.” Ginger elbowed her, and she smiled. “Make it two.”

  “Sure thing, doll.” he told her with a wink. He poured the two shots and slid them forward. “Let me know if you need anything else. Anything at all,” he added, eyes raking them over.

  Eli could see Scarlett’s eyeroll from his distance as the girls lifted their drinks. She giggled, shaking her head. It wasn’t the first time Eli had seen her blow someone off. She’d gotten used to it and tended to laugh in their faces more often than was polite.

  Ginger was on her heels and nearly ran into her as she stopped a few feet from Eli. Raising an eyebrow, Scarlett said, “Ginger told me we had to get over here fast. Apparently, you have some pressing news to discuss with me. I feel she might have been exaggerating and just wanted to come for a visit.”

  “That’s not true!” Ginger protested. “He said it was important.” She pouted, and Eli wanted to laugh, but the weight of the discussion hung heavy in the atmosphere.

  “She’s right, Scar. But give me about five minutes to let Guy whip my ass. We’ve already paid into the game,” Eli said, knowing they would make themselves at home while they waited. And that they would be safe here at the clubhouse, under watchful eyes. Which was just how he wanted it.

  “No worries,” Scarlett assured him, glancing back at Ginger with a smile. “We’re off the clock tonight. Are drinks still on the house?” she asked. Eli nodded, noting how Ginger glanced around the room at the bikers surrounding them with keen interest.

  “Your break, bro,” Guy said impatiently, obviously tired of the interruption and ready to collect his prize. Having no delusions of grandeur, Eli bent to strike, knowing he was going to get screwed.

  7

  Rory was on cloud nine as she entered her apartment, her confidence already sky high, and her phone rang just as she closed the door behind her. She’d wanted to get in the shower right away, but she had a rule never to ignore an unknown number, in case opportunity came knocking.

  And she was feeling lucky.

  “Morning, this is Aurora,” she answered professionally in a bright tone.

  “Is this the woman in charge of Yoga with Rora?” a soft female’s voice came over the phone.

  “Yes, this is she. How can I help you?” Rory asked, curious as to who the caller was.

  “My name is Haylee Grant, and I’m a paralegal at Welles, Mason and Carlisle Law Firm. Mr. Jonathan Welles is the father of the twins that attend your class, Carlene and DeLaney.”

  “Oh, yes that’s right! I was hoping that Mr. Welles would reach out to me regarding some legal advice and paperwork for a registration packet related to a new program I’m starting. I’m not sure how much that would cost, but I was hoping he could assist me,” Aurora stated.

  “You don’t need to worry about the cost. I think all that has already been taken care of. Actually, I’m calling because I have the packet already together and completed for your pickup. You’ll need to look it over and make sure that the terms for the program itself are used accurately, of course. But with your seal of approval, we can get these printed out in bulk for you. You’re welcome to come get it anytime you like,” Haylee offered warmly.

  “Oh, wow, that was incredibly quick!” Rory exclaimed, a little surprised by the news but extremely excited.

  “Let’s just say that when Carly and DeLaney ask their father for something, it always goes to the top of the priority list. I guess that’s the advantage of being a lawyer’s daughters.” Haylee chuckled.

  “No kidding! I have a few errands to run, but I could come by afterward, if you’re still there. I would love to get the papers today.”

  “We’re here until five o’clock, and it usually takes me a few minutes to get shut down, so as long as you make it in by 5:15, we’re good,” Haylee told her.

  “Fantastic. I’ll see you later, then. Thanks!” Rory ended the call, clicking off the line and squealing. “Karma is on my side!” she shouted, twirling around and then skipping down the hall toward her bathroom. As much as she didn’t want to wash away the afterglow of her romp with Eli, she knew that running around sans panties with her thighs still coated in cum was poor hygiene, especially on a hot and humid day. Rory chuckled as she ran into the bathroom and clicked her playlist on. Despite being a free spirit and earthy, hard rock and met
al always left her feeling revived and ready to face anything. “Sexy headbanging lead singers. Probably the only thing that could get me off the Eli bandwagon,” she mused. But as she stepped into the bath and noted the aching soreness throughout her body, she considered that. “Maybe not,” she sighed as she slipped into the warm blanket of water. “I already know he can rock my world. There’s no guarantees any of those guys could do the same, even if they can rock out a guitar.”

  She leaned back, resting her head, and sighed. “Oh, god that feels so good.” She closed her eyes as she ran her hand over the soft purplish bruise at the base of her throat, relishing the sensation of the love-bite that marked her as having been claimed by Eli, at least once.

  Her thoughts drifted to his behavior earlier, how he’d woken her and practically kicked her out with a preemptive discussion on expectations. A longing rose in her chest. “There’s no reason to get worked up about it, Rory,” she chastised herself, though she knew that foolishly agreeing to be what amounted to a booty call was a big mistake. Still, it was better than the sore empty feeling left behind when Eli had given her the could shoulder.

  She felt conflicted, but she also knew the game when it came to getting the coveted old lady status with an MC. Settling for what she was offered would eventually put her in position to move into a role like Leigh had, and she could be patient.

  For now.

  Rory slid her head under the water, closing her eyes and letting the heat sooth the slight ache in her head from too much analysis. Coming up for air, she gasped and realized that the entire ride with Eli had been about holding her breath and then gasping for relief. It was pure insanity, and a struggle all the way around, but when she finally caught her breath, it was totally worth the chaos.

  And, even if it all turned out to be a train wreck in the end, at least she knew she had gone after what she wanted and had a blast while doing it. She wouldn’t have any regrets, no matter what happened. And that was the whole point of life, right? Live without regrets. After all, there was only one life to live and she wanted to experience all the craziness, all the love, all the heartache, and all the serenity it had to offer her. Chalk it all up to experience in the end. And, as she saw it, as much as the two worlds might have collided, for Rory, living in harmony with earth and the universe at large while also riding on the wild side and living on the edge offered the balance necessary for a fun and happy existence.

  * * *

  “I’m here for an appointment with Bryan O,” Rory said as she walked into Inked Revolver.

  “Aurora?” The desk attendant asked.

  “Yes,” Rory confirmed.

  The attendant pointed to a chair. “Have a seat, and I’ll let Bryan know you’re here. He should be ready for you.”

  Rory glanced around the parlor. It was a clean shop, and Rory was a little surprised to see a picture of her tattoo artist grinning widely in a candid shot with Ami James of Miami Ink fame. That was quite the prestigious group to run with. Bryan was a great artist and came highly recommended, which was why she’d set her appointment specifically with him. She’d had a hard time settling on an artist until now, and it looked like she’d make the right decision.

  “Aurora, come on back,” the attendant called as she waved Rory into the parlor. Following her, Rory noted other photos on the walls with several different notable celebrities, and she wondered exactly how many famous – and infamous – customers Inked Revolver had.

  “It looks like you guys have slung some incredible ink around,” Rory commented.

  “Yeah, we’ve had some pretty stellar repeat customers. Bryan’s racked up some regional fame and is well known in the circuit.”

  “I think I came to the right place,” Rory said, still admiring the work she was seeing.

  “I think so, but I try not to sound partial. Do you need any catalogs or to take a look over some portfolios? Or do you already know what you’re looking for?” she asked.

  “I know exactly what I want. I’m hoping Bryan can get it right. Have you heard of the Flower of Life?” Rory asked.

  “Do you mean divine geometry? We’ve done a few. And Bryan’s a whiz at whipping up a drawing really fast. Do you just want the traditional layout in black, or did you have something special in mind? We offer glow in the dark and black light ink, but it costs a little more. It also takes several more applications to work effectively. Which might matter, depending on your pain threshold and dedication to the experience. Do you know where you want to get the tat?” she asked.

  “I was thinking right between my shoulder blades would be perfect.” Rory told her. “In terms of ink, I wanted to do some blues and purples, but nothing too bright or fancy. I don’t think I need black light ink or glow in the dark. I’m not sure how much time I’m ready to set aside for multiple applications.”

  “Okay, I’ll take notes, and Bryan should be right with you.”

  Ten minutes later, Rory jumped as the door clicked open. “You must be Aurora.” A tall, handsome man with medium brown hair and a thick beard walked into the room. Rory blinked, his smooth, deep voice and the sleeves of tattoos covering his arms from bicep to wrist extremely similar to Eli’s.

  “I am,” she confirmed. “Bryan?” she asked curiously.

  He gave a nod and shook her head gently. “Steph told me you’re thinking the Flower of Life in the traditional divine geometry style is right up your alley, but you want to add a little color. Am I on the right page?” he asked.

  “Yeah, purple and blue. Darker blue, like navy and lighter purple,” she hedged.

  “Okay, well I can do some shading with variation, but I can’t go too light on the purple, or it’ll just fade quickly. Have you seen tattoos with significant shading?” he asked.

  “I have, and I think they look great. I’m new to this, and I’ve done a lot of research, but I’m still not good at descriptions,” she admitted.

  Bryan walked over to a nearby filing cabinet where he pulled a thick black portfolio out and handed it to her. “Look through these, see what tickles your fancy, and I’ll start tracing out the pattern for you. It’ll take a few minutes, so no rush.”

  Rory flipped the book open and fingered through the pages, admiring his work while he drew at his desk. There was so much beauty to his portfolio, Rory almost decided to change her mind and let him do whatever he wanted. She would proudly wear any of this artwork!

  “Okay, what do you think of this? Remember, I’ll shade it once I get the outline.” Bryan handed her a thin sheet of paper, and she beamed at the design.

  “Yup, do it. I’m ready,” she told him, fully convinced of his abilities.

  “Alright, and we’re doing the deed between your shoulder blades?” Bryan asked. She nodded, and he stood. “I’ll go get this on the transfer paper. Back in two minutes, and we’ll get started.” He raised one brow at her. “You’ll have to take off your shirt.”

  Rory shrugged and pulled her shirt off, having worn a pink sports bra for the occasion. She wasn’t shy but had been a bit leery of stripping down in front of a stranger without something to cover herself. It would also work well for the yoga class she had to teach today.

  He adjusted what she assumed was the professional tattoo chair and pointed. “Crawl up and straddle it, faced down, and get comfortable. This will take about an hour and a half, I’m guessing. And it’s best if you don’t have to do a lot of squirming.” Rory nodded and followed his instructions as he left to prepare the transfer paper.

  Sucking in a breath, she told herself, “It’s now or never.” But contrary to most, she wasn’t the least bit concerned.

  * * *

  Rory frowned as she stared at her phone. Everything was going swimmingly, her tattoo starting to heal with the assistance of the Aquaphor Bryan recommended, the gym manager thrilled about the paperwork she’d dropped off after reading it over herself, and more than half her students wanting to expand and join the new course as soon as it was approved and offered. But
there was one exception, and she sighed heavily.

  It had been three days, and she hadn’t heard a peep from Eli.

  Granted, she hadn’t called him, either. But it all made her very uneasy, despite knowing that ‘no strings attached’ meant ‘don’t expect frequent calls’. It wasn’t like they were best friends and needed to catch up on the events in each other’s lives. All the same, a pit of despair had started to form in her stomach, and it was eating at her. She had his number. She could call him. But would that be overstepping the boundaries he’d clearly set?

  She didn’t want to wait for the old lady ceremony to find out. It was only a few days away, happening this coming weekend, and she needed answers before she stepped foot in Eli’s direction. Feeling unnerved, she decided to give Leigh a call. Maybe she would have some advice.

  “Hello?” Leigh’s voice filtered into her ear.

  “What you up to?” Rory asked, wanting to sound casual and failing miserably.

  “Nothing much. What’s wrong?” she asked, proving Rory’s point about failing.

  With a sigh, Rory asked, “Do you want to hit the nail salon with me?”

  “I’d like to, but I have a fitting to get to in about an hour. It usually takes us two to get them filled,” Leigh reminded her.

  “That’s true. Okay, well I just wanted to check. Guess what I did the other day?” Rory asked.

  “What?”

  “I finally went to Inked Revolver and got a tattoo,” she stated.

  “You’re kidding! What did you get?” Leigh asked.

  “It’s the Flower of Life, dressed up and shaded, and it’s gorgeous,” she announced.

  “Send me a picture!” Leigh encouraged.

  “Sure. I guess I’ll let you go.” After a short pause with her mind spinning, she asked, “Are you going to be at the clubhouse later?”

  Leigh laughed. “Am I ever not there?

  “Great. Text me when you’re on your way, and I’ll see you there.” She felt bold. Maybe it was for the best that she just showed up and let the chips fall where they may.