Chapter One
Devil
The only good thing about the January heat in Sydney was the female skin on display. Skimpy shorts, bikini tops, and tight tanks clung to bodies made for sin. It was a fucking smorgasbord of tits and ass all summer long. And I was staring at the best set of tits I’d ever had the good fucking fortune of laying eyes on. But fuck if I’d make a move on them—the blonde they belonged to looked like the craziest bitch I’d seen in a long time. She stood in the middle of a fucking animal cruelty protest, waving her “Stop Animal Cruelty” placard around while spewing hatred towards whoever she thought was abusing the animals she loved.
Although I was in a hurry to get to the clubhouse, I slowed to dedicate a few minutes to her curves. Didn’t matter that I had no interest in her or her crazy protesting ways; it never hurt to admire beauty in whatever form it came. However, as my gaze skimmed over her body, another woman stepped in between us, blocking my view.
Jesus, is the universe trying to cause trouble between King and me today? I should be almost at the clubhouse by now, not standing on a footpath with my dick begging to be let loose.
If I thought the blonde had a set I wanted to get my hands on, this dark-haired beauty kicked that desire up a couple of notches. The minute she opened her mouth and spoke, the knowledge that King would cut my balls off if I were late that morning fled my brain.
I stood transfixed while the crowd surged on the road in front of me listening to her speak. Her voice drew them in as easily as it did me. The only difference being that I had no fucking clue what she said. All I knew was that I needed that voice to whisper dirty shit in my ear as I took her body in every way possible. She had the sexiest damn sound I’d ever heard.
Her loose black T-shirt slid off her shoulder as she waved her arm around while she spoke. I only had a side-on view that didn’t give me the best opportunity to appreciate her completely. But it allowed me to admire her tattooed waist when her shirt lifted as she moved that arm around. My gaze drifted lower so I could take in her long tattooed legs and a sweet ass she barely covered with tiny ripped denim shorts.
Fuck, if only every Monday morning began with an animal protest in one of King’s Cross’s streets, led by this dark-haired beauty.
The buzz of my phone ringing distracted me. Without taking my eyes off her, I held it to my ear. “Yeah?”
King’s voice snapped into the phone. “Where are you?”
“I’m on my way. I’ve just left home.” I still had an hour before the time he’d set. At the rate I was going, though, I’d be lucky to make it.
“Make a detour on the way, brother. I need some shit from the supermarket, and I need you to drop it off at my place before you come here.”
Fuck.
No way in hell would I have time to do all of that before the meeting. I’d give it a good fucking shot, though. “Text me what you need.”
He ended the call, and a minute later, his text arrived. I scanned his list. Weirdest fucking shit King had ever asked me to get him—water cracker biscuits, lemons, ginger tea, pretzels and ginger ale. I figured it must be for Jen.
The fact he was looking after Jen was some of the strangest shit around. I hadn’t been a member of Storm when they’d first got together so I didn’t know what their relationship was like in the early years, but the last year of it had been hell. And not just for the two of them. King had brought his own personal hell to the club; we’d all suffered through it. I wondered what had possessed him to allow a woman who’d left him for another man back into his home.
I watched the dark-haired beauty for another long moment. I dragged that time out for as long as I could, but knowing that King wanted me to drop stuff off for Jen kicked my ass into gear. I’d seen the way he held her yesterday, and I was sure of one thing—he’d cut my balls off for being late to a club meeting, but what he’d do to me for not getting this shit to Jen as soon as possible was unpredictable. And an unpredictable King wasn’t something I was willing to take a gamble on.
As I turned to leave, the crowd surged again, and the woman who’d held my attention crashed into me. I saw her coming and held out my arms to catch her.
“Fuck!” she yelled as she attempted to ease out of my hold. She wasn’t yelling at me, though, but rather at the man who’d shoved her into me. “You filthy piece of scum,” she spat at him. Hell, if her voice captivated me before, it all-out fucking turned me on after that.
Nothing better than a woman with some fight.
Although she clearly wanted me to let her go, I didn’t. The menacing glint in the eye of the guy she yelled at concerned me. Lowering my mouth to her ear, I said, “How about you let me deal with him while you get back to your protest?”
Spinning around in my embrace, her brown eyes met mine and I instantly knew I’d found myself a spitfire. No fucking way would she listen to me. Those eyes flashed determination. “How about you let me go so I can take care of this asshole by myself?”
I couldn’t help myself; I grinned. Damn, but I loved a woman who gave it to me like that. I tightened my hold on her. “How about we blow this protest and you let me show you—”
The asshole cut into our conversation when he grabbed her shirt and tried to pull her away from me. Anger and a desire to protect her consumed me when he also yanked a handful of her hair, snapping her head back and eliciting a cry of pain from her.
Moving quickly, I let her go and reached for his throat. Wrapping my fingers around it, I squeezed hard enough to ensure he’d struggle for breath. Only a moment passed before he dropped his hold on her and clawed at my hand while gasping.
My teeth clenched with determination. “You want me to let you go, motherfucker?”
Both his hands gripped mine as he fought me, but I didn’t ease my hold. He tried to speak, but the only sounds to come from him were grunts because I’d blocked his ability to talk.
“It wasn’t a question that required an answer,” I said.
“This guy doesn’t like to give answers,” the woman muttered.
I made a poor judgement call when I turned and glanced at her. The asshole used the opportunity to take a swing at me. The surprise of his fist connecting with my cheek caused my grip on him to loosen, giving him the chance to wedge his fingers between his throat and my hand.
“Fuck,” I muttered, getting my head back in the game.
A moment later, my first punch almost knocked him to the ground. My second punch did. He’d chosen the wrong man to fuck with—I didn’t earn the name Devil for no fucking reason.
If it hadn’t been for someone pulling me off the asshole, I would have continued my assault. However, just as I was getting started, I found myself yanked back and slammed up against the brick fence on the footpath.
I scowled as I met Bronze’s eyes. “The fuck?”
Clenching his jaw, he jabbed a finger at me. “Wait here.” At my brow lift, he added, “Trust me when I tell you that this shit is the last thing you need to get mixed up in this week. Wait the fuck here.”
Without another word, he turned and reached for the dark-haired woman. Snapping his hand around her wrist, he drew her attention and engaged her in a conversation that I couldn’t hear over the noise of the crowd. She appeared just as fiery with him as she’d been with me. However, after a minute or so, he managed to get her to agree to follow him back to where I stood waiting.
“Follow me,” he barked as he headed towards the side street closest to us.
Following a cop’s orders was the last thing I wanted to do, but something in his tone caused me to take heed. I wondered what he knew about the activities Storm had planned for this week. Dealing with Bronze was King’s gig; I’d hardly had anything to do with him, so I didn’t know how deep in our business he actually was. But I wouldn’t have been surprised if he’d been made aware of the shit going down this week. Having the cops on our side would help things run much smoother.
I followed him and the woman to his car parked on the side street. However, when he ordered me to get in the back, I refused. “What the fuck is going on?”
He watched as the woman settled into the back seat before answering me. Stepping close and lowering his voice, he said, “You’re going to get in the back. I’m going to drive you away from this shit fight to your bike. And then you’re going to head straight to your clubhouse because you’ll be needed there in about”—he checked his watch—“an hour or so. Where’s your bike parked?”
Before I could answer him, his phone rang. Pressing it to his ear, he said, “What’s up?” His face scrunched into annoyance as he listened for a moment. He then said, “I’m on it,” and ended the call.
“What’s going on at the clubhouse? What the fuck do you know?”
Glaring at me, he appeared to be contemplating something. I knew what that was when he whipped a set of handcuffs from his pocket and snapped them over my wrists. “Get in the car. I have to go deal with another fight that just broke out and then I’ll be back to deal with you.”
“Fuck! You are fucking kidding, Bronze! I’ve got shit to do. Just let me go so I can fucking do it.”
“Yeah, see the problem with that is I know the chances are high that you’ll get yourself involved in another fucking fight along the way with these protesting assholes. And like I said, today isn’t a day you need to be getting involved in any shit besides your club shit. So get the fuck in the car and wait for me.”
Anger rolled through me. That, and frustration. But I knew when I was down, and I was fucking down. I did what he said and got in his goddam car. He slammed the door closed and left me alone with the dark-haired beauty. At least there was that.
“Arguing with him is pointless,” she said, shifting so she faced me with one leg on the seat, her foot tucked under her other leg.
Struggling to keep my eyes on her face rather than all over her body, I said, “You know him?”
“You could say that.”
“He’s arrested you at one of these protests before?” Not that it appeared Bronze had arrested her, but she was sitting in the back of his car, so I wasn’t sure what else you’d call it.
She smiled. It lit her whole face up, and my dick jerked his appreciation. Fuck, she was beautiful. Between her big brown eyes, her full lips that were painted in the deepest red lipstick and a face that would cause any man a lapse in concentration, I had to force myself to keep my head clear of the thoughts trying to take over. The kind of thoughts that made me want to reach for her so I could drag those lips to mine.
“He has,” she said, jolting me back to the conversation.
“So protesting for animal rights is your thing?”
“It’s one of them.”
She toyed with a strand of her long hair as she dropped her gaze to my neck and then to my arms. I sat in silence while she checked me out. Who the fuck was I to stop a woman from appreciating what I had on offer? Besides, it drew my attention away from the irritation I felt towards Bronze.
Time passed slowly while we sat there with her eyes on me, or at least that was how it felt. My dick grew so damn hard that I knew I needed to stop her. Usually in this kind of situation, I’d make my move, but sitting in the back of a fucking cop car, restrained by handcuffs, was not the ideal place to do that. So, I went with—“The guy you got in an argument with, you know him?”
Her eyes met mine again. “Yeah. He’s a piece of work. Always shows up at our protests and tries to cause problems. We’d have peaceful protests if it weren’t for him. He doesn’t seem to think it’s an issue for animals to be abused so that fucking gambling can continue.”
I frowned. “As in greyhounds and shit?” I’d vaguely heard something about the government changing those laws recently.
Her eyes narrowed at me. “Yes, as in greyhounds and shit. Tell me, do you know much about what they do to those dogs?”
I fought the grin that wanted to spread across my face. I knew a tiny bit about it, but suddenly I wanted to know every-fucking-thing about greyhound racing and animal cruelty. “Can’t say I do. Feel free to enlighten me.”
She sat up straighter and leaned forward a little. Her eyes were wide, and her body vibrated with a passionate energy. “The government ran an enquiry into greyhound racing that lasted for thirteen months. They found that over the last twelve years almost a hundred thousand greyhounds were bred and that at least 50 to 70 per cent of those dogs were killed because they weren’t competitive anymore. Nearly 70,000 dogs killed, all because of betting. And that’s not to mention the horrific cruelty suffered by those animals.” Her eyes flashed even wider. “Does that not make you sick? Does that not make you want to do something to help them?”
“Jesus, you should run for office or some shit,” I murmured, completely engrossed in what she was saying. Or just in her. I wasn’t entirely sure. All I knew was that thoughts of King and Storm had taken a backseat and that wasn’t something that ever happened.
She ran her fingers through her hair and relaxed her body. “Fuck that. Those assholes don’t do anything unless it benefits them or their friends. I wouldn’t be able to bring about real change if I worked for the government.”
“So you do these protests often?”
“Every couple of months or so we run one.”
“And you think they help bring change?”
“They bring awareness and that’s what helps change to occur.”
The sound of police sirens cut through our conversation. Her eyes darted towards the street that held the protest. “Shit, that’s not good.”
“I’m surprised you’re not out there still.”
She looked at me again. “It’s not worth my while to leave this car. The protest organiser has enough people helping her today that she won’t miss me.”
“Why isn’t it worth your while to leave?” I was fucking fascinated with her and wondered what shit she was into that made her follow Bronze’s orders.
The back door of the car on my side opened, cutting off our conversation, and Bronze barked, “Out!”
She lifted a brow as she hit me with another smile. “When the cop says jump, it’s time to fucking jump.”
Before I could say anything, Bronze banged on the roof. “Come on, Devil, I don’t have all fucking day.”
“Aah, I see you know him, too,” she murmured, her eyes dropping to my neck again.
“Yeah.” I tried to move, tried to turn away from her to exit the car, but the pull was too great. She’d fucking captivated me. I could have sat and talked with her all day.
Pointing at my neck, she said, “That’s Lawson’s work, isn’t it? I love his tats.” Holding out one of her arms, she added, “This sleeve is all his.”
Her arm was a fucking masterpiece. One I wouldn’t have time to admire because Bronze yanked me out of the car right at that fucking moment.
“Fuck, Bronze,” I complained as I stumbled. “I was in the middle of a fucking conversation.”
He slammed the door shut behind me and reached for my hands. “Trust me when I tell you that you have nothing to say to that woman.” He freed my hands and scowled at me. “I don’t have time now to make sure you get on your bike and get out of here, but do King a favour and don’t get caught up in anything here.”
“What’s going down with the club today? What shit aren’t you telling me?”
He sucked in a deep breath. “Tell King to call me. Tell him I would have come to him this morning to warn him, but I didn’t have time because of family shit.”
“Jesus, that’s it? That’s all you’re gonna give me?”
His jaw clenched. “Go. I’ve got stuff to do.” With that, he stepped around me and got in his car.
I watched him drive away, wondering what the fuck was going down today. None of it sounded good.
***
“You’re late.” King cut his conversation with Hyde short to throw his accusation at me the minute I entered the clubhouse bar later that morning.
“Yeah, I got caught up in a fucking animal protest and Bronze of all people was there. He detained me in the back of his car for a while.”
“You dropped that stuff off to Jen?”
“Yeah. She okay, King? I think she was vomiting before I got there, but when I asked her, she said she was fine.” I omitted the part about her snapping at me when I told her she looked anything but fine and the part where she closed the door in my face when I suggested she let me in to help her.
He brushed it off. “She’s okay.” If he wasn’t concerned, I wasn’t going to waste my time worrying about her. Jen had a good dose of bitch in her, and over the course of the year I’d known her before she left King, I’d learnt to steer clear of her. I had no intentions of doing anything but that this time, too.
A quick glance around the bar told me the boys were gearing up for what we had planned at midday. We’d worked closely with Silver Hell over the past few months putting together plans to wipe out Gambarro. The first strike would take place that day.
“Devil, you’re with me, today,” Hyde said, taking a step away from King. The tense body language between the two of them told me everything I needed to know—things weren’t good between our club president and VP.
Hyde had been late for Church yesterday, angering King. That anger remained, and I wondered when it would ease. Hyde’s mood was worse than ever, and King’s patience with him had disappeared.
I gave Hyde a nod. “Whatever you need.”
Nitro and Kick entered the bar and made their way to us. One look at Nitro and I knew something was up. He eyed King. “Dragon’s not answering his phone. I don’t have a good feeling about this, King. You want us to head over to their clubhouse and check things out?”
Before King could answer, his phone rang. “What?” he barked when he answered it. Silence for a moment, and then—“Bring him in.” Ending the call, he looked at us with a frown. “There’s a guy at the front gate who claims to be a fucking cop with info I need to hear about the Gambarro plans.” Raking his fingers through his hair, he roared, “Fuck! This is the last fucking thing we need.”
“Shit,” I muttered. “Bronze said for you to call him and that he didn’t have time to call you this morning because of family stuff he had going on. He knew something was going down.”
“Christ.” King scowled as he processed my words and then turned at the sound of men entering the clubhouse.
A moment later, Jacko stood in front of us with a guy who looked anything but a cop. Jerking his chin at the guy, Jacko said, “Says he’s a fed. Showed me his badge, but I don’t know if it’s legit.”
At first glance, I wouldn’t have assumed the guy was a cop. Tattoos covered one of his arms, a scruffy beard filled half his face, and his clothes would have allowed him to fit in at any of the pubs we frequented. But when I looked closer and noticed his clean fingernails and expensive looking shoes that I’d never seen anyone I knew wear, I figured he could well be a pig.
He pulled out his badge and showed it to King. “Detective Ryland. I’m here to discuss your plans for Angelo Gambarro.”
King inspected the badge. “What plans?”
Ryland shoved his badge in his pocket. “The plans you’ve been making with Silver Hell to take down Gambarro’s organisation and kill him. The plans you are going to walk away from in order to avoid me investigating your club and generally making your life hell.”
King’s jaw clenched and his shoulders squared. “I don’t know how the hell you know this shit, but I’m going to make it my mission to find out.”
Ryland had some fucking balls. He stepped closer to King, invading his space, and pushed his face towards Kings. “You’re going to leave it be, King. I’m not a man you want to fuck with. We’ve been watching you and your boys for some time now, and the shit we know about Storm would be enough to put you away for a long fucking time.” He cocked his head. “But maybe you want to spend time with Ghost. How long’s it been since you’ve seen him?”
King’s whole body tensed and his face contorted with anger. “Leave him the fuck out of it.”
“Yeah, ten years behind bars for your club is enough to fuck with a man, so I’m guessing you and Ghost aren’t on good terms these days.”
“You’ve got no fucking idea what you’re talking about,” King spat. “And as far as putting any of my men behind bars, I’d like to see you prove a fucking thing in court. You’re full of shit. Nothing we do is traceable and we sure as fuck don’t leave evidence behind that you motherfuckers can use against us.”
Ryland stepped away from King. “You go near Gambarro and we’ll test that theory. But hear me when I say that we do have proof and we won’t hesitate to use it.” He took a few steps towards the door before pausing. “Also know that we’re watching you 24/7 at the moment. There’s no way for you to do anything without us knowing about it.” With that, he exited the room. Jacko followed him to ensure he left the property.
King slammed his hand down on the bar. “Motherfucker!” Turning to Hyde, he ordered, “Call Dragon and see if they’ve had a visit from the feds, too. I’m calling Bronze.”
Hyde nodded and pulled his phone out as he walked away in search of a quiet place to make the call. King did the same, heading to a corner of the bar. I watched as his face and body language changed during the call. Whatever Bronze told him, angered him more than Ryland had.
When he came back to where I stood with Nitro and Kick, he said, “The cops have a guy undercover with Silver Hell. That’s how they know our shit. It seems that Gambarro is tied up with some counterfeiting operation and the feds are watching him to figure out who else is involved and who is running it. We kill him, they lose the one person they have who can lead them to more information.”
Hyde joined us. “Dragon had the same visit we did. That’s why he wasn’t answering his phone this morning.”
“What’s his plan now?” Nitro asked.
“Says he can’t afford to piss the feds off, so he’s backing away from Gambarro for the moment. He did say, though, that he wants to move forward in the future, once this all dies down,” Hyde said.
King turned silent, weighing up options by the look on his face. We all knew to stay silent while he thought it through. Finally, he said, “Gambarro goes on hold, but we keep eyes on him. Hyde, you and Kick stay on top of that and report back daily.” Eyeing Nitro, he said, “You and Devil pay a visit to Ghost. I want to know if the cops have anything there.”
Nitro frowned. “Ghost wouldn’t talk.”
King scowled. “Ghost is capable of anything, Nitro. Find out what we need to know.”
I’d never met Ghost, but I’d heard the stories about him and King. No love was lost there. Not after Ghost made a play for King’s woman years ago.
Nitro didn’t seem convinced, but he nodded. “Will do.”
As I followed him outside, I said, “On a scale of one to ten, how bad is this likely to get if Ghost is involved?”
He slowed so he could meet my gaze. “I’d say an eleven.”
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