by Levine, Nina
“Got a job for you and Hyde,” King said, coming out of his office when I hit the clubhouse first thing. He looked as tired as I felt.
“What?” I said as I yawned.
His forehead creased with a frown. “You get any sleep last night, Devil?”
“Some.” Hailee had kept me up half the night so I couldn’t complain. But a later alarm would have been appreciated. She always set her alarm for 6:00 fucking a.m. to do her meditation. I needed to find a way to still get as much sex in as we did, but with more sleep. Possibly getting her naked much fucking earlier would do it, but then again, we’d probably just fuck for longer and still not get much sleep.
“Devil! Are you fucking hearing a word I’m saying?”
I blinked and yawned again. “No, but I was wondering how you went with Jen on Saturday night? Did you go home and talk to her?”
“Yeah, she’s sorted.”
“As in?” It felt like I cared more about her than he did at this point, and that was saying something because I cared almost nothing for her.
“Fuck, Devil, what is this? Monday fucking sharing circle?” He rubbed the back of his neck. “I told her she can stay with me while she’s pregnant and then until she finds her feet. After that, I want her gone. Now, can we please get back to club shit?”
“What’s on for today?” I was more than happy to get back to club shit.
“I need you and Hyde to collect cash off a few assholes today.”
“Where’s Kick?” It was usually his job to do collections.
“Evie’s in hospital. They’re having some complications with the pregnancy, so I’ve told him to take whatever time he needs with her.”
I nodded. “Is Hyde in already?”
“Yeah.” At my stunned expression, he said, “Surprised the fuck outta me, too, brother.”
After months of Hyde being off the rails with his moods, and being MIA more often than not, he’d finally gotten his shit together over the last couple of weeks and was back to putting the club first.
“You ready to go?” Hyde joined us, no sign of his usual morning grumpiness at all.
“Be back by lunch. Devil, you’re with me for my visit with Ghost this afternoon,” King said.
As we walked out to our bikes, I wondered what the hell had happened with Hyde to change his mood so drastically. In the end, I decided it had to be pussy. I couldn’t think of anything else that would change his asshole ways in such a short amount of time.
* * *
I glared at the motherfucker giving us the fucking run around. My mood had turned foul as the morning progressed, and no fucking way did I have the patience to deal with his shit. On top of that, the heat had grown unbearable. We were dealing with fucking forty-plus degree heat, and we were doing that inside this motherfucker’s tiny tin shed of a fucking house.
“Look,” I snapped, “have you got the cash or fucking not?”
He grimaced, and I knew we weren’t going to get very far, very fucking fast. “Well, I do, but it—”
Hyde had been patient up until that point, again surprising me, but he’d found his breaking point, too. Stepping forward, he scrunched a handful of the guy’s shirt in his hand. “There’s no room for any buts in all this, asshole. If the next words out of your mouth aren’t that you’ve got the cash, you’re gonna meet my fists.”
The guy continued to shake his head and plead his case. “I can bring it to you in a few days.”
Hyde grunted as he let the guy’s shirt go and punched him hard in the face. His mouth spread out in a satisfied expression as he watched the asshole slump to the ground.
Glancing at me, he said, “Best part of the fucking day so far.”
“We need to hurry this along, Hyde. The heat in here is fucked.”
Hyde looked back at the guy. “You want a finger or a whole hand, Devil?”
The guy’s eyes just about popped out of his head. “What?”
Hyde pulled out his knife and ran it down the asshole’s face. “You didn’t think we’d leave empty-handed, did you? We have to take something back to our president, and if it’s not cash, a body part will do for now.”
Right as the guy was about to get into it with us, shots rang out and bullets sprayed the house, smashing through the front windows.
Hyde and I ran towards the front door, ducking to avoid being shot. A car had screeched to a stop outside, and as we shot at it, the driver slammed his foot to the floor and took off.
“Forget the asshole inside,” Hyde yelled. “I wanna know who the fuck that was.”
I agreed with him, and a couple of minutes later, we were in pursuit on our bikes. Adrenaline spiked in my veins. Fucking getting shot at wasn’t something I appreciated, and the urge to deliver payback roared so loudly I felt like it would bleed out of me.
Weaving in and out of traffic, we quickly caught up to the car. Hot, smoggy wind whipped around me while horns blared and brakes squealed as we disrupted the traffic. Fury at having to deal with this shit crashed into the irritation the fucking heat had caused me. When I got my hands on these motherfuckers, they would regret aiming their guns at us.
From what I could work out, there were two men in the car. Hyde was ahead of me and signaled for me to take the driver side while he took the passenger side. I sped up to do as he’d indicated, but as we approached, the car abruptly turned right into a side street, almost causing me to come off my bike.
Fuck.
We adjusted course and followed them down a narrow street with bends all through it that tested any patience I had left. Taking advantage of this road having little traffic, the guy in the passenger side stuck his head out the window and shot at us.
Motherfucker.
I gripped the bike harder while doing my best to avoid getting fucking killed while also navigating around parked cars.
The end of the street came into view, and I watched as the car took the corner too sharply. It smashed into an oncoming car, and I figured we would get the chance to find out who we were dealing with. And the opportunity for vengeance. However, as we drew closer, the driver revved the engine and sped away from the crash scene.
We followed as best we could, but the traffic was a fucking shitfight, making it difficult for us to weave in and out. Lunchtime foot traffic didn’t help either, slowing us, too. The dirty white car we followed soon became a speck in the distance. We didn’t give up easily, but when we found ourselves stuck at a red light in gridlocked traffic in the middle of Sydney, I knew we were done. I also knew that when we finally did figure out who tried to kill us, I’d take great fucking pleasure in my revenge.
Once we got through the city and out of the heavy traffic, I followed Hyde’s lead and pulled over to the side of the road.
Ripping his helmet off, he muttered, “I’ve got no fucking idea who that was. You?”
I shook my head. “No, but we’ve got a number plate we can run. I doubt it’ll do us any good, but it’s worth a shot.”
“I’ll get onto that while you head out to see Ghost. I’m gonna make it my fucking mission to find out who those motherfuckers were.”
* * *
Ghost’s eyes held more suspicion than I’d ever seen in any person when he faced King and me that afternoon. He refused to sit. Rather, he stood and watched us with his arms folded across his chest.
King’s lips curled up in annoyance. “For fuck's sake, sit, Ghost,” he barked.
Ghost’s body tensed. If we hadn’t been in a prison with guards’ eyes on us, I was fairly sure he’d take a swing at King. “I stopped listening to you a long fucking time ago. I’m hardly gonna start again.”
“You will when you hear what I’ve got to say.”
A flicker of interest flared in Ghost’s eyes. He attempted to hide it, but if I’d seen it, King wouldn’t have missed it. “How about you spit it out and then I’ll decide whether I sit or not?”
King’s hands landed on the table, and he shot out of his seat. In a low, men
acing voice, he said, “How about you fucking sit or else I’ll make sure your stay in this shithole is extended.”
I had no doubt he would, too. King had that kind of power, and if someone pissed him off he didn’t hesitate to use it.
Ghost scowled, but he sat.
King followed suit before saying, “You seen the feds again?”
Ghost’s stubborn side kicked in. “I’m not answering that until I know what’s on the table.”
King leant forward and dropped his voice to speak quietly. “Your parole is coming up.”
Ghost took in the full meaning of what King meant and blew out a pissed off breath. “You’re a fucking cunt, King.”
“Yeah, that might be, but I do what I do for the club.” He stopped for a moment before adding, “Except when an asshole tries to step in on my territory. The shit I do to him for that is solely for my benefit.” Fuck, we were going to dredge up the Jen shit from years ago.
“Jesus, are you ever gonna let that go? I was fucking drunk. And Jen wasn’t into it, anyway.”
King’s eyes darkened as he shook his head. “I’m not talking about Jen.”
I sat up straighter and looked at King. This was news to me.
Ghost stared at King for a long silent few moments, recognition all over his face. He knew what King was talking about. “Fuck, man, that was a long fucking time ago. I was young and dumb as shit. And so was she.”
King’s body snapped back as anger flooded his face. Violent, raging, lethal anger. “Don’t ever fucking talk about her like that again.”
I blinked. I’d seen King in a murderous rage many times, but this… this was off the fucking charts. The venom laced through his words revealed the level of hatred he had for Ghost. If I were sitting on the other side of the table being asked if I wanted parole, I’d say fuck no. Because the minute Ghost got out, he’d need to take cover from King. And there weren’t many places in this country that anyone could be safe from my president. His reach was that far and wide.
Ghost’s face whitened. “Look, Ivy was—”
King punched the table. “Don’t fucking say her name!”
“Jesus, King,” I muttered, eyeing the guard watching us. “You’re drawing attention.”
He ignored me. “You thought I’d never find out, Ghost? What I can’t figure out is why you even thought Ivy would be into you? And don’t try to feed me some bullshit about her saying yes to you. Jen told me everything you told her about that day.”
Ghost looked down at his hands resting on the table. He didn’t answer King straight away, and I wondered where this would all end up. I joined the club a long time after Ivy left, so I didn’t know what had gone on. But I’d heard the stories about the love King had for her. Apparently when she’d left, it had ripped him apart, and he’d spent years getting over her. I was beginning to think he’d never gotten over her, because I’d never seen him like this over Jen or any other woman.
When Ghost finally looked back up at King, the fight had gone out of him. I couldn’t be sure, but I thought I saw guilt flash in his eyes when he spoke. “I was twenty-three then, King, and all I ever seemed to do was fuck shit up. I was drunk every damn day, and half the time I had no idea what I was doing.”
“So that makes it okay to try and fuck someone else’s woman? The thing is, Ghost, it wasn’t just my woman you tried it on with. You screwed anyone who stepped on your path. And because of the power you had in the club, you got away with it. Over and fucking over.”
We all sat in silence after that. Ghost had nothing to come back with, and it seemed that King had said all he would on the subject.
Finally, King stood and said, “You keep your mouth shut when the feds visit and move your sister back home so I know where she is, and I’ll help push your parole through. You don’t do any of those things, and we’re done for good. I’ll happily ensure you rot in this hellhole.”
On our way out to our bikes, after King had secured Ghost’s agreement, I said, “You didn’t strip him of VP because of Jen, did you?”
King slowed, his eyes meeting mine. “No.” His gaze drifted off somewhere behind me for a beat, before coming back to me. “I didn’t fight hard enough for Ivy back then. The minute I could, I fucking did.”
I didn’t understand his meaning, but that was the thing with King—most people often didn’t. He talked in riddles half the time, and his mind sometimes worked in ways that made no sense to me. But if you needed someone on your side who was loyal as fuck, King was your man. I couldn’t even begin to imagine a time when he wouldn’t fight hard for someone he cared about, and I wondered what had gone on back then for that to have happened.
Hailee
I pulled my car into the driveway and killed the engine. Rummaging in my handbag, I found what I was looking for at the very bottom. Pulling a tissue from the packet, I wiped the tears from my eyes.
No one needed to see me like this.
It had been the Monday from hell, and I’d cancelled all plans for the night, including our usual Monday performance at Flirt. I’d also texted Devil to say I was going home to bed. I just wanted to curl into a ball and forget the world for the night.
My phone buzzed with a text on the seat beside me.
Dylan: You need me to go see that bitch and give her a piece of my mind?
Me: Did Leona tell you what happened?
I hadn’t told a soul. The only ones who knew were my workmates who had witnessed my meltdown.
The phone rang, and I answered it with a sigh. “I’m okay, Dylan. Really. I’m sorry I cancelled tonight’s gig, but I just don’t have it in me to smile and sing.”
“Babe, I couldn’t give a fuck about the gig. Do you want me to come over? You could give me a massage, and I could tell you what a bitch Rachel is.”
He never failed to make me laugh, even when I was down for the count. “I’m gonna have to find you a girlfriend who knows how to massage, just so you quit begging me.”
“Could be a good idea. I’m not thinking your boyfriend would be happy if your hands were always on me.”
“Yeah, you might be on to something there.”
“Okay, so I’m going to come over. No massage required.”
The rumble of a bike distracted me, and I glanced out the window of the car to see Devil pulling his bike in behind me.
“No, don’t come over. Devil’s just turned up.” I softened my voice when I added, “But thank you. Love you, Dylan.”
“Love you, too, babe. I’ll call you tomorrow to make sure you’re okay.”
I ended the call and threw my phone in my bag. Exiting the car, I smiled at Devil as he approached.
“Fuck, darlin’, you look like hell.” Concern etched lines into his face as he reached for me.
I placed my hand in his and allowed him to pull me close. He was right—my face was black with wet mascara from all the tears I’d cried on my way home from work. “Thanks, it’s always good when your boyfriend tells you that you look like shit.”
He ignored my sarcasm. “Leona called and told me you got into it with Rachel.”
My eyes held his. “So you just dropped everything and came straight over?” I asked softly, my heart beating rapidly at that thought.
“Yeah.” He said it like I’d just asked the dumbest question ever. Like, of course he would drop everything and come to me.
I reached up to run my fingers lightly over his lips. “You better be careful, Dominic Ford, because I might just be falling in love with you.”
He took hold of my hand. “I’ll never be careful if that’s what it’ll get me.”
I moved so my body was flush against his and pulled his mouth to mine. Before I kissed him, I said, “Only you could show up here, when I feel the way I do, and make me feel like life is so fucking good.”
“What happened with Rachel?”
“She gave me a choice—my job or my charity work. We argued over it for a bit, and then I told her to shove her fucking job. I s
till don’t know for sure my investor is going ahead, and I really can’t afford to be out of work, but I can’t stay there another day.” I felt ill over my decision, but at the same time, I felt deep in my bones that it was the right choice. At this point, I was putting my trust in the universe for it to all work out okay.
Devil nodded and pressed his lips to mine. His kiss was gentle, loving. He always seemed to know just what I needed. When he ended the kiss, he said, “You made the right choice, darlin’. I’ve watched you deal with her shit for weeks now, and that bitch doesn’t deserve you. We’ll get through this. It’ll all work out.”
I smiled up at him. “We’ll?” My question was almost a whisper. I was hesitant to fully embrace what I thought he meant by that word, but God, I wanted to.
“Yes, we,” he said with conviction, making this whole shitty day so much better.
I hooked a hand around his neck while also sliding a leg around him so I could lift myself into his arms. “Okay, so I’m thinking we should have dinner here with Gran tonight—she’s making my favourite—and then you should take me back to your place so you can fuck me in ways that will make me scream so loudly it might cause the roof to cave in.”
He lifted a brow. “You don’t want me to do that to you here?”
I grinned. “Smart-ass.” Gran didn’t need to hear me calling out his name over and over.
“What’s your favourite dinner?”
“Sticky pork spare ribs.” My mouth watered just thinking about them. “God, you are going to love them. Gran makes them the best I’ve ever had.”
“I’ll have to get that recipe off her if it makes you this fucking horny.”
I tightened my arms around his neck. “Careful,” I warned. “I’m falling.” Truth be told, I’d already fallen for him. Hard.
“I’m counting on it, baby.”
At the sound of a car pulling up, he turned, and I saw Aaron parking on the street in front of the house. He stalked our way, his face an angry mask.