Zeke (Devil's Flame MC Book 2)

by Romi Hart

  With Leigh already having suffered at the hands of the Ravens, Zeke could only imagine the trouble Harrison could have caused. And somehow, they still had to extract the poor kid who’d been feeding them information without him being harmed, before they went in for the kill.

  What a mess, Zeke thought, barely paying attention as the game plan was reiterated. He’d heard it so many times he could recite it himself, and even the random questions thrown out here and there didn’t lead to any new information as far as he was concerned. He kept his phone out, waiting for word regarding anyone trying to ambush the meeting, but nothing came through, even as the group was dismissed. Time and date were set but not discussed, in case the leak was here. However, every MC within two hundred miles that they’d been able to contact would be on alert for the word.

  Moving toward the exit with his brothers, Zeke glanced around, something making the back of his neck prickle. There was a shift to the mood, and he couldn’t quite place it, but it bugged him in a way that was definitely concerning. He tried to take in his surroundings, one piece at a time, covering all the interactions and looking for something out of place, but there was so much going on it was difficult to focus on a single conversation across the room with several others in between.

  He felt Rafe tense beside him, and he knew he hadn’t imagined the change. “What do you see?” he muttered. Maybe Rafe’s senses were keener than his right now.

  But Rafe just shook his head and rested his hand on the butt of his pistol. “We’re going to have to just wait for it.” Zeke knew what he meant. They would see or hear it at the last minute and have to act fast if they were going to get out of here alive.

  Still scanning, Zeke squinted, looking for anything that signaled a showdown was going to erupt. He almost missed it, breezing over two men about twenty feet away, talking with their noses much too close together. But there was a flash of silver that caught the corner of his eye, and a gun was out of a holster. “There!” he pointed, but Rafe and Eli both already had their guns out. Eli had a clear shot and fired, just as the man in the distance leveled his. The bullet caught his hand, and everything slowed as he screamed and dropped the gun.

  The man he was aiming for went down, flat to the ground, and the sound of hammers cocking filled the space, absolute chaos surrounding them. Several of the barrels were aimed at Zeke and his boys, since Eli had fired the shot, but others found targets on the man who had dropped to the ground and the intended shooter, who was on his knees and screaming as his hand bled all over the floor.

  Zeke didn’t recognize the injured man, but he took note of his cut and clenched his jaw tight. “Hey!” The shout rose above the commotion, silencing the room. Zeke turned with everyone else to where Jesse stood. The vice president of the Reapers MC was blatantly furious, his face a mottled red and purple as he trained his pistol on his own man, already bleeding on the warehouse floor. “What the hell is going on?”

  Slowly, the man who had ducked got to his feet, and while Zeke didn’t know his name, he knew it was one of the Diamond Kings. The question was, had they been working together and the deal gone awry? Or was it just the Reaper who was going to take the fall?

  Glancing at Dylan, Zeke swallowed hard. He’d made his conclusion, and Zeke doubted the King would leave this building on his own two feet. “Spill it, Buck. I should have known, you pathetic stink weasel. What sort of game were you playing here?”

  Holding his hands up and playing the victim, the guy – Buck – shook his head. “This son of a bitch just got in my face and started spewing all sorts of insults about our club, and I told him he better shut his mouth. Then he pulled a gun on me, and—”

  “Bullshit!” Dylan exclaimed, cutting him off. Striding forward, he fisted his hand in Buck’s shirt and held a gun at his temple. “Don’t you fucking lie to me, or you’ll be right back on the floor, minus your brains.”

  Buck’s chin trembled, but his eyes filled with hate, and Zeke could smell the danger brewing here. He kept his gun at the ready, not wanting to lose a precious moment if he needed to reaction. “You’re weak, Dylan. Jake was strong, and he had an agreement with the Ravens. They’re strong, and they could put us down in a heartbeat. But you’re too weak to keep that friendship, and instead, you’re agreeing to this truce with all these other worthless clubs.”

  “Gomez paid us,” strained the man on the floor, still holding his hand and rocking back and forth, the pain tightening his features. He probably needed to wrap that wound, but nobody was going to move and help him. “He’s got more money and more firepower and more clout than all of you combined.” He glared across the room at Jesse. “I would have followed you to the end, if you hadn’t turned against him. We need him, and Buck and I knew we’d fail if we broke free.”

  Jesse scoffed as he ambled over and spit in the guy’s face. “You’re a worthless pig. You have no idea how deep our veins run, and you know nothing about these other clubs.” With flare and speed, he pulled a knife and sliced through the leather vest with the Reapers insignia, then slashed the sleeves so it fell in rags from the man’s body. He waved a hand in the air, and two other Reapers came forward, lifting the prone man by his arms. “You’re going back to the clubhouse, to the box. We’ll remove your permanent tattoo there and figure out if you’re going to live through the night.”

  Dylan, looking like he might explode, cracked the butt of the pistol into Buck’s face, his nose snapping audibly and blood pouring as he screamed. “Shut your mouth, or your going to eat a bullet,” Dylan hissed. “Here’s what’s going to happen. You’re going to tell me everything, and I mean everything. Then, these good men are going to take a vote as to whether you live or die. Anyone who wants a say, just stick around.”

  In any other circumstance, Zeke might have suggested leniency. But this guy and everyone else he’d worked with had endangered the woman he loved, and he wasn’t about to give them a pass. He turned to Corey, raising an eyebrow. “Are we hanging out?”

  Corey looked around the room, noting that some of the firearms were slowly being tucked back into jeans and holsters. Taking a deep breath, he shook his head. “We’ve got a long way to go to get home, and it’s late. I’m pretty sure the vote’s already decided and it’s just a formality. Come on, let’s get out of here. I’ll catch up on the drama in the morning.”

  A bit reluctantly, Zeke followed him out, nudging Eli as they walked. “Nice shot. And fast thinking.”

  The taller man nodded, the usual dark, brooding expression clouding his face. “Couldn’t let him kill the King. That was Dylan’s job.”

  Zeke laughed, finding the dry, dark humor refreshing from his brother, who barely engaged in conversation if he could help it. But even more refreshing was the idea of getting home and crawling in bed with Leigh.

  * * *

  It was nearly one in the morning as Zeke burst through the clubhouse doors and made a beeline for his bunkroom. None of the prospects stood guard at the door, but then, there were guards all around the property, and it was late. He was sure Leigh was asleep in his bed, and he braced for the instant physical reaction he expected at the sight of her.

  But when he opened the door, he found the light on and the room empty. The bed was made, as if no one had even laid in it, as if he’d dreamed about ravishing her body all afternoon and it hadn’t really happened. Curious, he checked the bathroom, finding the door open and the room also deserted.

  Fighting the urge to panic, Zeke rushed back into the bar, where only a few stragglers sat, nursing a beer or scrolling through something on their phones. Luckily, Rocky was there, and Zeke hurried over to him. “Tell me you know where Leigh is,” he demanded.

  Rocky blinked, as if barely awake, and shook his head. “I haven’t seen her in hours. She said she was going to sleep because she had to get up early.”

  Now, Zeke couldn’t hold back the concern. “Did anyone come in or out of this property?”

  “You’ll have to ask one of the gu
ards. But I haven’t seen anyone on the inside that didn’t belong.” Rocky was wide awake now and got to his feet. “Does she sleepwalk? Should we check the other bunkrooms?”

  He couldn’t remember her ever doing so, but what could it hurt? “Do it,” he clipped and went back to his room, looking for any sign of forced entry or a struggle.

  Instead, he found a piece of paper on the nightstand, folded in half with his name scrawled across it. He shook his head in denial. That couldn’t be what he thought it was. His heart stuttered, and his hands trembled as he reached for it, sinking to the edge of the bed for fear that, when he read it, his legs, and especially his healing knee, wouldn’t support him. He stared at it for a long moment, dreading what he would find inside.

  Finally, he knew he couldn’t put it off any longer and unfolded the paper. Holding his breath, he began to read.

  Dear Zeke,

  Sometimes we have to make difficult decisions, and those can be extremely painful. But we do it to avoid a worse pain in the future. I have had the most amazing experience with you, a greater adventure than I could have imagined. I never thought I’d fall head over heels for a biker, or that I’d learn to like the men in a motorcycle club. I never believed I could be friends with an ‘old lady’. You’ve taught me a lot about snap judgments and being open minded.

  But there are so many fears I can’t overcome, the largest of which is losing you to, not your mistakes or penchant for danger, but to some other club’s brutality and immoral dealings. Of course, I was scared by being kidnapped and used as leverage. But I would die a thousand deaths rather than try to cope with losing you.

  So, I have decided that our time together has to come to an end, partially to protect myself from that great loss and partially for your benefit. You are so kind and caring, want so badly to protect me, that I pose a danger to you. I feel like you would put yourself needlessly in the path of danger, or be distracted by my safety, and end up a victim. And I won’t be responsible for that.

  Please, live the full, happy life you’ve built for yourself with your brotherhood. I leave, not to abandon you or because you aren’t good enough. I leave because I love you and think you are worth saving.

  Leigh

  “She’s gone.” Zeke hadn’t noticed Rocky standing in the doorway until the kid spoke. He’d been too wrapped up in the note, in the knife ripping into his chest and the acid pouring into the open wound. Looking up at the sadness in the prospect’s eyes, Zeke nodded absently, trying to shove down the overwhelming emotion that threatened to drown him. “Are you going after her?”

  Scowling, Zeke didn’t know what to say. It didn’t sound like Leigh wanted him to chase after her, but what did he know about women? Maybe the idea was to see if he would come for her, if he cared enough to go against the wishes she expressed here. Getting to his feet too quickly and overextending his bad knee so that he winced, he asked Rocky, “Are you up for a quick ride?”

  With a smile, Rocky told him, “You think I’d let you ride alone after the rumors I heard about what went down tonight?” The two of them took off, racing down the street toward Leigh’s apartment. He could have called or texted, but that would have given her a chance to not answer, or to hang up on him. If he showed up at her doorstep, she’d have more trouble slamming the door in his face, and he might be able to get the words out before she tried.

  It only took a second to say, I love you.

  But he banged on the door with no response, until the neighbor peered out, yawning, and said, “She packed a bag and left hours ago. Can you let everyone sleep, please?”

  Where could she have gone? Zeke stared blankly at the neighbor’s closed door, trying to comprehend the situation. Taking out his phone, he called her number. It went straight to voicemail, and he almost hung up. Instead, he decided to leave a message. “Leigh, you can run away, and you can block me. But that doesn’t change how I feel about you. Please don’t do this. We belong together.” He hung up and turned to Rocky, who shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the other, looking devastated.

  “All you can do now is wait,” the kid said quietly. “You gave it your best shot. I’ll see if I can get someone to find her at the hospital for you tomorrow and follow her back to wherever she’s staying, if you want.”

  Zeke nodded, suddenly numb. “Thanks, kid. Come on, let’s get back to the clubhouse.” He wouldn’t sleep anyway, with the cold spot on the other side of the bed and Leigh’s scent everywhere. But he sure as hell wasn’t going home tonight.

  Back in his room, Zeke lay on his back, hands folded behind his head, and stared at the ceiling. He could still feel Leigh’s hands on him, her lips around his cock, her body hot and arching as he caressed her. He could hear her laugh, see that beautiful smile, taste her cherry sweetness. How long would that last? If he couldn’t make things right, couldn’t convince her to stay with him, would he be tortured with these memories? Or worse, by the way they faded so he couldn’t remember anymore?

  Leigh was by far the best thing that had ever happened to him, and despite his misgivings and his determination to remain an eternal bachelor, he couldn’t even think about moving on. He would never go back to his old way of life, either. He would never find a woman as satisfying in bed, never find anyone who made him feel whole in a way that everyone else seemed to carve out a bigger hole in him.

  Somehow, the woman who had been so quick to judge him and hate him for her programmed beliefs had also been the first woman to really see him and care for him anyway, despite the flaws and shortcomings he had. For the first time, he’d stopped hating himself for his past and stopped carrying around the guilt and anguish of the things he’d done that had ruined his future. He’d stopped envying the brother who was the apple of his family’s eye, the man who had it all. And most of all, he’d had something that instilled pride in him, a woman he wanted the world to see as his.

  And he’d lost her. Just like that.

  Zeke couldn’t remember the last time he’d cried, but he was dangerously close to tears. He hoped maybe Rocky would have some luck tracking Leigh down, but he didn’t put much faith in that. Anyone could get lost if they wanted to, even someone who wasn’t skilled at it. He had a feeling that Leigh would do just about anything to stay out of reach, until she felt that he had forgotten about her.

  Too bad she was buried so deep under his skin and in his heart.

  18

  The door clicked open and closed behind Leigh’s head, but she didn’t move from her sprawl on the couch. The blanket would have shifted, the popcorn would have spilled, and then she would have had to get up and clean it all up. “Isn’t that where I left you this morning?” Rory asked, coming to stand between her and the television.

  Frowning, Leigh craned her neck in an unsuccessful attempt to see around her friend. “Can you move? I’m going to miss the best part.”

  Glancing at the screen behind her, Rory crossed her arms and stared at Leigh “You’ve seen this movie at least fifty times. I know, because we’ve seen it together at least forty.”

  “Well, this is still my favorite part,” Leigh argued.

  Rory snatched the remote from her and turned it off, wrinkling her nose. “When was the last time you showered, Leigh?”

  “Monday,” she replied matter of factly, sitting up and trying to retrieve the remote, which Rory held over her head like some childish game of Keep Away.

  Her eyes wide, Rory bellowed, “It’s Thursday! Get in there and take a shower. You will not continue to stay at my apartment unless you keep a respectable hygiene regimen.”

  Leigh sighed and pursed her lips. She’d thought it was Wednesday. Time was getting away from her. She didn’t usually take time off work, so she naturally kept track of days and dates. But the last two weeks had been an exception, and a necessity, she told herself as she pouted and marched to the bathroom, slamming the door and locking it behind her. She didn’t like Rory mothering her, but if she was honest, she needed a bit of a push.
Not only did she need to clean up – she needed to clean up after herself. No matter what she was going through, she owed Rory better than this.

  She’d showed up at Rory’s door with a bag, having snuck out of the clubhouse and called an Uber, with a bag, begging to stay for a while. Not only was she not ready to be alone, fearing her emptiness would change her mind, but she’d also not wanted Zeke to come for her. And she knew he’d show up at her door, as her neighbors had confirmed.

  The next day, she’d called her supervisor and asked to meet somewhere outside the hospital, assuming Zeke or someone else would try to tail her from there. She’d given her supervisor a somewhat honest story about being stalked and told her she had some personal issues to resolve. Knowing a little about Leigh’s personal life, her supervisor had agreed to a one month stint off and an assignment at another hospital for another month afterward, allowing Leigh to assure her safety and get her life sorted out.

  Considering Anna had texted her to tell her that the hospital crawled with bikers for about three days, Leigh felt she’d made the right decision. She hadn’t left the apartment much, terrified to run into any of the Devil’s Flames or, worse, the Ravens. Instead, she’d had fast food and groceries delivered, had rented movies to stream, and had pretty much set up camp on the loveseat in the living room, both to sleep and lounge during the day. She supposed she’d fallen into a bit of a funk, but after a whirlwind two month relationship with an amazing man she had never seen coming, she was justified in being thrown off balance for a while.

  It didn’t help that Zeke had called or texted every day, leaving messages and begging to talk to her. She’d blocked his number the night she’d left, knowing if she saw his name on her caller ID, she’d answer and regret it. Last week, she’d broken down and called Nancy, just to make sure he was still making his appointments. Nancy had assured her he was but hesitated, and Leigh made the mistake of asking what was wrong.