Wrecked (Devil's Horsemen MC Book 1)

by Brook Wilder

  “Well, now, maybe you can show me a good time.”

  His grin turned feral, and his hand casually touched my thigh, brazenly squeezing it.

  “Oh, we can do more than that.”

  Brenda slammed the beer on the bar, and we both jumped. The look on her face as she looked at Pablo was almost comical.

  “Here. Drink it and get out.”

  “Shut the fuck up,” Pablo sneered, raising a fist at her. “Get back to your job. I will take care of our guest here.”

  “I warned you,” she muttered toward me before walking away.

  I maintained my gaze on Pablo as he pushed the beer in front of me, his grin not fooling me in the least. Worst case scenario was that he liked to torture women like me, and in that case I would need that gun later on.

  Best case scenario was that he was some sort of teddy bear, which I didn’t see even coming into play. I was dealing with a dangerous man and needed to tread lightly if I wanted to keep my life.

  “So,” I said, fiddling with my beer, attempting to look nervous. “Doesn’t seem there is a lot of women in here.”

  His hand stroked my thigh, and I had never been so happy to be wearing jeans in all my life.

  “We don’t and not as good looking as you. Maybe we can talk you into staying for a while?”

  “I don’t have anywhere else to be,” I said softly, winking at him. “You know a friend of mine told me about this place. Said she had a really good time here the other night.”

  “Really,” he answered, his gaze narrowing.

  I swallowed, wondering if I had stepped over my bounds too quickly. I wanted to get my information and get out, but without raising suspicion.

  And I might have just done that.

  Chapter Four

  Zack

  I climbed off the bike and walked toward the door, knowing I was about to cause some shit in this place. For today’s visit, I was not wearing my vest or any identifying markers to show my allegiance, but if someone recognized me… well, there would be hell to pay.

  Still, if Muertos had truly taken Hayley, then I would need to infiltrate their ranks to find out.

  And the only way to do so would be to go into the snake’s den.

  Taking a breath, I walked in, scanning the crowd inside instantly. I was on high alert, knowing to watch my back in enemy territory. There was a woman seated at the bar, her laughter drowned out by the loud music playing from the speakers. Next to her was Pablo, Carlos Juarez’s right-hand man. Carlos was the leader of the Muertos, a man who had no mercy for anyone that messed with his operations. I knew I’d be damn fortunate to walk away that day.

  Something about the woman drew me closer, and I felt the room shrink around me as I realized who she was.

  What the fuck was she doing here?

  Ignoring them for the moment, I stalked over to the bar and motioned at the bartender.

  “What can I get you?” she asked briskly, her eyes sliding back to Pablo.

  “A beer,” I answered, leaning on the bar.

  When she brought it, I tipped her with a hundred-dollar bill, her eyes widening before she pocketed it quickly. With a motion of her hand, she stomped over to Pablo.

  “I’m going to smoke.”

  “Go, get the hell out of here,” Pablo said, not even once looking over at me. “I’m busy.”

  I took my cue to walk down the hall that led to the bathroom, grabbing the bartender by the arm as she exited the bar.

  She didn’t even resist as we walked into the men’s room, me leaning up against the door to keep from anyone barging in. She lowered herself to the floor and I stared at her.

  “What the fuck are you doing?”

  “Making it look official in case someone walks in,” she muttered, reaching for my zipper. “What the fuck do you want to know?”

  I swallowed as her hands brushed my cock inside of my jeans. I wasn’t interested in what she had to offer, far more interested in what the fuck Sydney Warren was here for. She was a jolt from the past, one that I hadn’t anticipated on seeing ever again after what I did to her.

  But she was here, in the last place I thought I would see her, and now I had to make sure she didn’t die either.

  Shit this had gotten complicated.

  “Have you seen another girl around here lately?” I finally forced out, staring down at the bartender.

  “Besides the bitch at the bar you mean?” she asked with a sigh. “No, I haven’t. Women aren’t stupid enough to hang around here. I think that’s a cop out there, and if she is, she’s playing with fire.”

  Sydney? A cop? Oh shit, now that would be icing on the cake.

  “I’ll take care of her. Are you sure you’ve not seen any woman around here that doesn’t belong? What about with Pablo?”

  She sighed and stood, brushing off her jeans.

  “I swear it. No one different than the other whores he keeps company with. Are you done yet? I gotta get back.”

  I stared at her, finding no reason for her to lie about what she told me. Hayley wasn’t here, nor had she been here. It was a dead end.

  “Here,” I said, pushing another hundred toward her. “Get the hell out of here.”

  She laughed harshly as she tucked the bill in her bra.

  “And do what? You’re stuck just like I am.”

  I moved aside and let her go, walking out behind her. She was right. She probably knew more than most, and if she did leave, they would kill her to protect their secrets.

  But now I had another issue to deal with. Walking back to the main room, I sat down at the bar again, looking at the back of Sydney’s head. Sydney Warren. I couldn’t believe it. Of all the women in my life that had come and gone, Sydney was about the only one who had latched on and stayed with me.

  Even if I had ruined her life.

  I also hated that. It was a defining moment in cementing my brotherhood with the DHMC, one that I couldn’t take back.

  Shit. Why was she here? Whatever it was, it couldn’t be good. Still, my eyes traveled down the back of her, taking in how her curves were hugged by her outfit, her long hair draped over her shoulder and exposing the nape of her neck. There was much I remembered about Sydney from that one night, much more than she probably realized. I remembered the feel of her skin under my fingers, the way she had gasped as I’d shown her more than she had ever seen before.

  Hell, that was almost eight years ago, and I could still feel it.

  Shaking out of my thoughts, I noticed one of the bikers from the pool table eyeing me. I cursed under my breath as I realized it was one from the other afternoon. He laid down his pool stick, and I stood, cracking my knuckles. There was about to be a fight, and not only did I have to get my ass out of there, I had to get Sydney’s as well.

  This was not what I had imagined would happen.

  “Devil trash,” he sneered, pulling out a knife. “I thought I told you to stay away from us.”

  I held up my hands, giving him a slight grin.

  “I don’t listen very well.”

  “No, you don’t,” he said, tossing the knife between his hands. “And now I am going to gut you from head to toe.”

  Chapter Five

  Sydney

  I was in trouble.

  Pablo’s hands inched higher on my leg, and I gritted my teeth as he boldly swept them across my center, a leer on his ugly face. I would have to get out of there and fast, or I would end up in a situation I might not be able to get out of.

  “Devil Trash.”

  Pablo’s hands halted, and he was up on his feet in an instant, causing me to swivel around to see what the ruckus was. My breath stilled in my chest as I realized who was the center of attention. It couldn’t be.

  One of the bikers was holding a knife toward him, murder in his eyes.

  “I thought I told you to stay away from us.”

  Zack Hale held up his hands and grinned, cockiness exuding from his expression. I knew that cockiness, and it had
been my downfall, the reason I had left Cibolo.

  Why, oh why, did it have to be him?

  “Fucking Horsemen,” Pablo swore under his breath, reaching for his knife.

  I knew I had just a short time to react, pulling my gun from my holster and pointing it at the ugly biker.

  “Now, now. I think this isn’t a fair fight.”

  He eyed me, disgust crossing his face.

  “You’re a fucking cop.”

  I nodded, keeping the gun level as I slid off the bar stool.

  “I am and you, my friend, are going to stay right there or I put a bullet through your chest.”

  His expression was murderous, but to my great relief Pablo didn’t move.

  “And now I am going to gut you from head to toe.”

  I winced as I heard the scuffle start to ensue behind me, my heart in my throat. I couldn’t believe that Zack was there, my curiosity more than piqued, but I couldn’t help him either. The moment I turned my back or showed any sign of weakness to Pablo, I would be dead.

  A hand touched my arm and I nearly dropped the gun.

  “Come on cop,” Zack whispered in my ear. “Time to go.”

  My gun still trained on Pablo, I allowed Zack to guide me to the door, not breathing lest I accidently pull the trigger and kill someone. My heart was beating wildly in my chest, more so from Zack’s light touch on my elbow than the danger I was in. A familiar shot of electricity shot down my spine. It had been… what, eight years since that night? Surely my body still didn’t remember it.

  Oh, but my heart sure did.

  We stepped out into the blinding sunshine, and I turned quickly, tucking my gun in my waistband.

  “Come on,” I urged grabbing his arm. “My jeep is this way.”

  Surprisingly, he didn’t object, and I tore off toward the jeep, glad for the running I had picked up. There were shouts behind us, but I didn’t stop, jumping in and revving the engine as Zack climbed in. I heard the bikes fire up behind us as I threw the jeep into gear, pulling out with a squeal onto the highway. My foot pressed down on the gas, and we shot down the road, putting a few miles ahead of the bikes before I turned off into a copse of trees, cutting off the engine.

  My heart in my throat, I waited until the bikes flew past before letting out a breath, resting my head on the steering wheel. I had done it. I had outrun the bikers.

  “Fancy meeting you here.”

  I looked up, pushing my hair out of my eyes. Zack was seated in the passenger seat, a grin on his gorgeous face and I wanted to slap it off him. He had ruined my plans. He had been the reason I was holding bikers at gunpoint and running for my life.

  “You nearly got me killed.”

  “Oh no, darling,” he drawled, kicking his leg up on the dashboard. “You were about to do that yourself. What the hell were you doing there anyway? Are you fucking crazy?”

  I frowned. He had no right to ask me those questions. That, and he had nearly gotten a public officer killed today.

  “Give me your hands.”

  He arched a brow.

  “What are you doing, Syd?”

  “That’s officer Warren to you,” I bit out, reaching into the center console for a pair of zip ties. “And I am arresting you.”

  “Arresting me?” he laughed, wiping a hand over his face. “For what, Syd? For saving your ass? That should look really good on your report.”

  “Give me your hands,” I repeated, not wanting to deal with this right now.

  Oh my God, this was Zack Hale in front of me. He was the one person I hoped to never see again, though I knew deep down I would eventually. Cibolo was too small of a town.

  “I’m not playing, Mr. Hale.”

  “Mr. Hale, huh,” he said with a chuckle. “So, it’s going to be like that?”

  I gestured to his hands, and he held them out, allowing me to slide the zip ties over his wrists and cinch them tight. Once I had done so, it felt foolish. Clearly Zack could break out of them if he really wanted to. But instead he sat back, and I gunned the engine, pointing the jeep back toward town.

  Only then did I release a breath, the excitement starting to wear on me. I had gotten nothing out of Pablo, accomplished nothing but picking up the one man I didn’t want to see.

  It sucked.

  And why did he have to look so darn hot? I kept my eyes on the road, picturing in my mind his gorgeous features, the way his biceps strained against his dark t-shirt. And that grin… God, that grin had weakened my knees more than once.

  I hated it. I didn’t need that sort of complication in the investigation. I didn’t need to see him and have all those feelings rush up to me that I had hidden deep in my soul.

  Zack Hale had broken my heart once before, but he wasn’t going to get anywhere near me or it this time. I was smarter, older, over the fact that he had smeared my reputation and dragged me through the mud for his precious biker gang.

  I wasn’t bitter at all.

  Chapter Six

  Zack

  Well my day had gone to hell.

  Shifting in the seat, I fought the urge to strain against the zip ties, not wanting to scare Sydney by popping them. She was taking this very seriously, and while I knew she didn’t have anything to truly hold me on, I was here because I wanted to get to know this woman.

  Selfish, I know.

  “So,” I started as the jeep rumbled down the road. “When did you get into town?”

  “None of your business,” she shot back, her hands gripping the steering wheel. “Just, how about sit over there and be quiet, will you?”

  I grinned. Sydney the meek, mild girl I knew back then was gone. In her place was a woman who had my curiosity piqued. “Come on Syd, we know each other. Don’t be like that.”

  She made a sound as she turned to the right.

  “W-we don’t know each other, Zack. If you did… well, never mind. You have the right to remain silent, you know.”

  Oh, I knew.

  “You look good, Syd. When did you become a police officer?”

  Again, silence. I leaned back on the seat and turned to look at her, taking in her profile and trying to imagine her in a police uniform. Sydney as a cop. I would have never guessed she would go down that road, fit more for a quiet, unassuming position like an assistant.

  But she was a gun-toting, badge-wielding donut eater. Great. We were on either side of the law. Wait until the guys heard about this. No doubt they would give me hell for it, expecting the situation I found myself in to be the first of many now that she was back in town.

  I deserved it and more from her.

  The town-limits came into view, and I sat up.

  “You know you don’t have anything on me, Syd.”

  “‘Officer Warren’,” she forced out as she turned the jeep into the parking lot. “And even if I don’t, I will relish in booking you in.”

  I leaned over, catching a whiff of her coconut shampoo, a familiar smell that had my cock stirring. Seems some things had stayed the same with her.

  “I think you like the idea of having me in that tiny room.”

  She threw the jeep into park, and I nearly hit my head on the windshield.

  “We’re here,” she said sweetly, hopping out.

  I growled, more so because she had just turned me on than pissed me off.

  Had she always had those balls, and I had been too blind to notice?

  Climbing out, I didn’t resist as Sydney led me up the stairs and inside, straight to the interrogation room.

  “Whoa, Warren! Is that your new attire? Smoking hot!”

  “Shove it,” she growled as we walked past the officer.

  He turned to check out her ass, and I growled this time, giving him my best damn hard-ass stare. That was my ass, not anyone else’s.

  The thought hit me like a ton of bricks. Claiming Sydney? Hell, she wasn’t even talking to me, much less interested in where we’d left off. I had ruined her damn life with my antics and likely broken her heart
in the process.

  “In here,” she said, holding open a door.

  I walked in, waiting for her to shut the door before taking a seat at the table. It wasn’t the first time I had been in a room like this, and I imagined it wouldn’t be the last. Sydney sat across from me and it gave me time to look at her, taking in her gorgeous features. God, those eyes could slay a man from across the room, though I didn’t see any innocence in them any longer.