“Mom.” Beth’s got my mom tone off pat. “If I’d just gotten myself a hot man, I’d have better things to do than check up on my adult daughter.”
“It’s not that,” I fluster. “I haven’t got my head around all this yet. It still feels unbelievable that Alder’s not out there any longer. Going to take more than a minute for that to settle in my head.”
Ink grins at me. “Now you can really enjoy living in California.”
“Bethie.”
Connor must have come up to us while I’d been fixated on Beth, trying to see whether she was showing yet. She’s not, but it won’t be long I suspect.
“Give me a hug, Connor.”
While my daughter and son, both six-foot-two hug, standing alongside Ink who’s taller, I feel petite.
Arms come around me, and I lean back into the chest of my man. “Happy?” he asks.
“I couldn’t be happier.”
Then when Ink reaches out his hand and Lost and him do some weird handshake involving thumbs interlinked, I realise they’ve not been properly introduced before.
“This is my… biker-in-law,” I remember at the last moment, like me and Lost, they’ve not tied the knot officially. “And my daughter, Beth.”
“Kind of got that,” Lost drawls. “You’re both welcome.”
“Mom, I’ve been planning it all the way down here.” As Ink rolls his eyes, I guess he bore the brunt of whatever she’s talking about.
“Planning what?” I prompt.
“Now you can be there, Ink and I will be getting married. Soon, while I can still fit into a nice dress.”
Now I’m passed back from Lost to Beth as her arms wrap around me once again. My tears join hers. Happy tears, of course.
To my great delight, Ink and Beth decide to take a mini vacation in California and stay at the club for a few days. I end up grateful for Beth’s help, in addition to that of Alex and Eva, when I do take on my formal duties of old lady and I start planning the logistics of Smoker’s funeral.
The loss of a Satan’s Devils’ brother is a big deal, I find, particularly when he lost his life defending his brothers. Not only was everyone in our chapter going to attend but also contingents from Utah, Colorado, Vegas and Arizona. The question of housing them all caused a few headaches, not to mention all the food to be delivered and prepared. Connor helped Wrangler and Curtis with the gallons of beer they delivered, the amount unbelievable, but heaven forbid they should chance running out.
Smoker had served his country many years back, so the Patriot Riders were going to attend to pay respects to their fallen comrade.
There must have been well over a hundred bikes lining the route as the hearse took Smoker to the crematorium on the day of his funeral. That wasn’t his final journey, however, as he returned strapped to the back of Lost’s bike, his ashes to be spread in the hills behind the compound. Smoker was home. He was finally at rest.
“You did good,” Lost tells me when we’ve waved the last of the visiting bikers away. The clubhouse seems almost silent now, with just the San Diego men.
“I’m just pleased it’s over.” Lost doesn’t ask me to explain. There’s a lot that I’m glad is in my rearview now. Organising and overseeing Smoker’s wake had thrown me fully into being the prez’s old lady, and I’d been worried about messing it up. I’d been introduced to so many bikers I couldn’t remember all the names, except for the scariest one, the prez of the mother chapter, Drummer, whose steely stare had had me at a loss for words. Until his old lady introduced herself, and we were soon discussing her two little boys. Yes, the last couple of days had been stressful, making sure the arrangements all went off without a hitch, which they did, and making Lost proud of me as his old lady, which it seems, I had.
I lean my elbows on the railing, and look out toward the ocean, as the last days and weeks go through my head. Of course, I’m also pleased not to have to worry about Alder. And, there’s a tiny part of me, that was pleased when Beth returned to Colorado. I loved seeing her but wanted to spend time with my man.
For the first time in days, Lost and I had time to ourselves, and had come out for what he correctly called, wind therapy.
“Are you okay, Lost?” I know there’s something niggling at him.
“I don’t like an unsolved mystery,” he admits. “One day, Patsy, I’ll find out. I’ll find the motherfucker who killed Alder.”
“Wouldn’t it be better to just leave it?” I turn around to face him. “Alder’s dead, so’s Phil. We’ve got our life ahead of us.”
He looks over my head, out toward the Pacific glistening in the distance. “Drummer’s uneasy.”
The mention of his name makes me shiver. Nice guy. If he was on your side, that is. I wouldn’t want to get on the wrong side of him if he hardened those steely-grey eyes. I admire Sam coping with him.
“Why is he uneasy?”
“Because the same darn thing happened to Demon in Colorado.” As I raise my eyes with my brow furrowed, Lost nods. “There was a man, a fucker who dealt in the skin trade, and by that, I’m not meaning fur. Demon’s crew caught him. He was taken out with one shot from a sniper rifle before they could deal with him.”
“Like Alder?” I’d managed to get the details out of him one night by using my womanly wiles. Seems like my man will do a lot for a blow job.
“Two clubs, two identical hits?” I start to see why Drummer’s worried.
“Only good thing is that the fucker seems to be on the right side.”
“Yours,” I breathe.
But he contradicts, “Not ours, babe. Just not on the side of the fuckers who look on women as commodities.”
“What does Demon think?”
Lost shrugs. Whether he knows the Colorado prez’s thoughts or not, he’s not going to share. Instead, he starts toying with my hair. When he leans in and kisses me, his semi-hard cock makes its presence known against the material of his jeans.
I’m not surprised when his next words are, “Come on, babe. Let’s get back. There’s something I want to show you.”
He takes hold of my hand, I hold back. Laughing I tell him, “I think I might have seen it before.”
“Not like this.” He tugs me again, making my feet move. “I might have borrowed some things from Kink.”
I stop dead. “Like handcuffs?”
“Fuck, babe. You’d like that, wouldn’t you?” His eyes go wide when he turns to face me. Then he’s back around the other way making me walk forward again. “Like ropes, floggers, whips…”
I slide up behind him and put my arms around his waist, but before he can start the engine, I lean forward and speak into his ear. “Just how fast can this thing go?”
Epilogue
Stormy
“I’m calling you back, Stormy.”
Er, fucking no to that. “I did what had to be done, Pip.”
A sigh loaded with exasperation comes down the phone. “No, you fuckin’ didn’t. You had a task—”
“Which I completed,” I say, ire in my voice. “The governor’s daughter is back with her family. I hung around. The police collected her from the hospital.” I shake my head though. Fuck knows what damage had been done to that young girl. But at least she hadn’t been taken over the border and sold.
“I gave you the task.”
“I got it done. Lost and his crew were already all over it. We lost track of her coming across the country, but I knew where she was going to end up. They had the manpower, I just helped them along.”
“Without them, we’d never have gotten the coordinates.”
“Which we had to decipher for them.” I sigh myself, not understanding why Pip’s all over this.
“You really can’t tell, can you?” His voice sounds clipped. “They’re Satan’s Devils, Stormy.”
I let the pause draw out, then complain, “I pointed them in all the right directions.”
“You’re making a habit of this—”
“I made the kill.”<
br />
He snorts. “And left them frustrated as hell. You’re doing it too often. And enjoying it too much.”
Can’t argue with his last point. I grin. Then come up with an excuse. “There was a chance they might cut a deal with Alder.”
“No there wasn’t.” Pip’s frustration comes down the line. “Two hits. Two clubs. How long until someone puts this together?”
“They needed my help.”
“Sure, they needed our help. And we gave it to them. But they should have been allowed to take Alder out themselves. You’re running the risk of exposing us.”
“I’m not,” I protest, loudly. “I was nowhere close. I knew I could make the shot and I did.”
“Not questioning your fuckin’ ability. I question your method. Lost will be going crazy, it was his hit, not yours. No point arguing Stormy. One time, I gave you the benefit of the doubt. Not doing that again. You’re coming back to the nest.”
“I don’t play well with others,” I growl.
“Too fuckin’ bad. You’re going to get your ass home.”
Coming Soon
What do you do when your hopes and dreams come literally crashing down around you? When you find one split second, and something that wasn’t your fault, stops you taking part in your hobby just when you’re nearing the top?
Another rider’s misjudgment, and my trial bike competition days were over.
I was angry, I admit it. I love my MC brothers, but they couldn’t understand. I could still ride a bike, just no longer in a competitive environment.
Drummer took the decision to give me something else to think about, and temporarily give me some distance from Tucson. It was a simple enough task he assigned me. Make my way, of necessity slowly, to Utah, and check that chapter out.
Sure, the Utah club were friendly enough and never hesitated to support other chapters, but they were secretive. Drummer’s instruction was to find out what went on behind closed doors, and for me to return with the assurance they were following the Satan’s Devils rules and regulations.
The time on the road would give me a chance to clear my head, my welcome assured at my destination, as they wore the same patch on their backs. Then I’d return home, hopefully with my mood improved.
Neither Drummer or I had anticipated the mishaps along the route.
Other Works by Manda Mellett
Blood Brothers – A series about sexy dominant sheikhs and their bodyguards
Stolen Lives (#1) Nijad and Cara
Close Protection (#2) Jon and Mia
Second Chances (#3) Kadar and Zoe
Identity Crisis (#4) Sean and Vanessa
Dark Horses (#5) Jasim and Janna
Hard Choices (#6) Aiza
Satan’s Devils MC - Arizona Chapter
Turning Wheels (Blood Brothers #3.5, Satan’s Devils #1) Wraith and Sophie
Drummer’s Beat (#2) Drummer and Sam
Slick Running (#3) Slick and Ella
Targeting Dart (#4) Dart and Alex
Heart Broken (#5) Heart and Marc
Peg’s Stand (#6) Peg and Darcy
Rock Bottom (#7) Rock and Becca
Joker’s Fool (#8) Joker and Lady
Mouse Trapped (#9) Mouse and Mariana
Blade’s Edge (#10) Blade and Tash
Heart Mended: A Satan’s Devils MC Novella
Truck Stopped (#11) Truck & Allie
Satan's Devils MC Boxset 1 Books 1-5
Satan’s Devils MC Boxset 2 Books 6-8
Satan’s Devils MC Boxset 3 Books 9-11
Satan’s Devils MC - Colorado Chapter
Paladin’s Hell (#1) Paladin and Jayden
Demon’s Angel (#2) Demon and Violet
Devil’s Due (#3) Beef and Steph
Devil’s Dilemma (#4) Pyro and Mel
Ink’s Devil (#5) Ink and Beth
Devil’s Spawn (#6)
Satan’s Devils MC - Next Generation
1. Amy’s Santa (#1) Wizard and Amy
1. Hawk’s Cry (#2) Hawk and Olivia
Acknowledgments
Acknowledgements and Author’s Note
Almost three years ago I published the fourth in the Satan’s Devils MC series, Targeting Dart. In that book, I moved Dart from being a member in the Tucson chapter to rightfully earn his place as VP in San Diego. Lost, the previous VP, was given his chance to take his seat at the head of the table.
I knew Lost had a story to tell, but he was reticent about sharing it with me. It’s taken three years to get the truth out of him. I knew from the start he wasn’t a cardboard cutout of an MC prez and was going to lead his club differently.
Why had he picked up his handle?
Sometimes books are best left to germinate in the background, and I hope you agree this is the case with this story. When Lost finally started talking, I was excited to learn about his past and the type of man he was, also how despicable a man the previous prez, Snake was.
I’ve enjoyed writing about San Diego and revisiting it if only in my head. My brother lived in the area for many years and so I’ve been there a few times. The book starts with a scene at La Jolla I remember so well, the seals on the beach, the pelicans flying overhead, and the squirrels popping up their heads from the undergrowth, it’s so clear, I can almost smell the sea. We will be returning to San Diego in future books. I will be writing about Niran, Pennywise, Salem and, of course, Kink. I found a new group of bikers who I fell in love with writing this story, and I hope you did too.
Hopefully, in the not too far distant future, the events taking place during the writing of this book will be part of history, but I think it’s worth noting I wrote this book during the Covid-19 lockdown. It should have been easy, right? Nowhere to go, no one to see—but it was hard to concentrate, and my writing output suffered terribly. My heart breaks for all the lives snuffed out around the world, for family and friends who’ve lost loved ones, and for everyone who’s become ill and who will suffer lasting effects. To date we’re not out the other side yet, but I hope that one day soon we will be.
If you’ve been affected personally by Covid-19, be assured you’re in my thoughts—not that that’s worth much. But if we come out with anything from the pandemic, I hope it’s kindness that prevails.
In time we’ll move past this, as I must now do in this note.
A huge shout out and thank you to Jeanne St James. Have you read any of her books? If not, you might want to give them a try. When I was writing the intimate scene between Patsy and Lost, I had the idea of starting it with Patsy reading a sexy scene. I tried writing it myself, but it was obviously in my voice. So Jeanne came to the rescue and allowed me to use a section from one of her books—she’d asked her reader group to come up with some of the sexiest bits of her books. I think you’ll agree that scene was hot and led nicely into Lost and Patsy getting together.
Being Lost was a team effort, and due to the haphazard writing process, this time I really did need my eagle-eyed beta readers helping me. Sheri, what can I say? Thank you seems inadequate. Your references back to Targeting Dart and Ink’s Devil set me back on the right part more than once. It’s certainly not the first time you’ve stopped me from making a mistake, but you excelled yourself this time. Jo, a new addition to my beta team, proved she has an eye for detail which led me to correct a few things. Jo, never be afraid of offering suggestions, I always want to write the best possible book.
Another special mention goes out to Danena who spent her time off from making hundreds of face masks to read through the book. As normal, she found errors everyone else had missed. I’m forever grateful for your help, and in awe of your generous heart.
Sometimes an author just needs to know the story flows and keeps people’s interest, so as usual, thanks to the rest of my great beta team, Tami, Alex, Nicole, Terra, and Zoe.
Again, I’ve worked with Maggie Kern, who’s edited this book and helped me pull a load of isolated thoughts and words together. She’s kept me calm, laughed with me and le
t me rant. I can’t thank you enough, Maggie, and hope it won’t be too long before I see you again.
A huge thankyou to Golden Czermak of Furious Fotog for the cover photograph, and to the model Christopher Clark for gracing it so nicely. I know the cover has generated a lot of interest in Being Lost. This picture fitted my mental image of Lost to perfection.
Of course, to produce the cover took the magic of Wicked Smart Designs. I love working with Dar, her turnaround speed is amazing, and her work is excellent.
The final stage in the production of a book is proofreading, and this is the first time I’ve worked with Honey Palomino for this. Thank you Honey, you made some great suggestions. I enjoyed working with you. Now some of you may know Honey better as an author—if you don’t, please do check out her Gods of Chaos MC series, I highly recommend them.
Finally, last as always, but definitely not least, thanks to all of you, my wonderful readers who’ve taken a chance on this book. If it wasn’t for your encouragement, I wouldn’t keep writing. I have recently received messages and emails telling me how much you like my books, and I love reading every one. A positive message inspires me to write more.
If you’ve enjoyed this book, please consider writing a review. Reviews are essential to us authors, and I appreciate and read them all.
This book may be done, but don’t worry. There’ll be another Satan’s Devil coming along very soon. In fact, we’ll be finding out where Road disappeared to.
Stay in Touch
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Website: www.mandamellett.com
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Being Lost: Satan's Devils MC San Diego #1 Page 39
