Paladin's Hell

by Manda Mellett

  “Hey, man. Those parts were only a couple of hundred dollars.” Drayton’s quickly changed his tune, seems to realise there’s no point in denying it anymore. “Here, let me pay you…” He starts getting his wallet out.

  “You can’t take his bike. That’s his everything,” Sylvie protests in a screech. “He’s been working on it for years. Restored it.”

  “You know who we are?” Hell asks lazily. “You any fuckin’ idea of what it means to cross the Satan’s Devils?”

  The way I can see Drayton gulping from here shows he certainly does. His hands now held up in submission.

  “Bike keys. Or,” Hell looks optimistic, “you could come with us. Yeah. You or the bike. Or your wife…”

  “No!” Sylvie squeals. “Give him your bike, Dray.”

  “Taser…”

  “Taser’s gone.” Hell replies ominously.

  “Where?”

  A shrug from the prez. “Out of state. He won’t be showing his face around here again.”

  No, he certainly won’t. Not that there was much left of it after I’d shot him.

  At Hellfire’s signal, we all start to dismount. Drayton’s gone white. Sylvie grabs hold of his arm. “Shall I call the cops?”

  “Wouldn’t do that,” Hell drawls. “Got proof your husband’s a thief, ma’am.”

  I start to wonder how many other parts from the club auto-shop had found their way onto Drayton’s bike over the years, as he looks panicked. “Taser said it would be fine.”

  “Taser lied.”

  We all stiffen when Dray puts his hand into his back pocket, then relax as it comes out holding keys. Hellfire goes to take them, Drayton snatches them back. “Please, man. That’s my life’s work you’re taking.”

  Hellfire leans in, I can’t hear what he’s saying, but as even more blood drains from Taser’s cousin’s face, I take it it’s to the effect it’s his bike or him.

  When he finally gets the keys, it’s Shooter who opens the garage door, and starts to wheel the bike out. The shining metal catches the morning sun and sparkles. Cad punches my arm and chuckles. My eyes are still on Drayton. He looks like his life’s been destroyed.

  “Be careful,” he calls out, covering his face as Mace and Pyro step forward to help Dan load it onto the crash truck.

  Once secured, we don’t hang around. Shooter and Hellfire return to their bikes, Mace and Pyro quickly after. Then the loud exhausts echo off the buildings as we peel off in formation back to the clubhouse.

  “Look at this shit.” Demon eyes the monstrosity when Drayton’s bike is unloaded. “Who’d want to ride something as pimped out as this?”

  “Not someone who wants to stay under the radar, that’s for sure,” Pyro answers, walking around it.

  “You see his face, man? Think he’d have preferred us to take his wife.”

  Yeah. That’s what I’d thought. Part of me thinks he got away lightly, but knowing how attached a man can get to his ride, I think he got a just punishment. Taser had been the ringleader after all, and it would have been too risky offing his cousin as well.

  “That hurt him, Brother.” Shooter pats me on his back. “Glad I was there to see his face.”

  I turn away from the bike, putting my arm around my old friend’s shoulders. “You heading back to Tucson?”

  “Yeah. Don’t think you need me now. But stay in touch, you here?”

  It’s little enough, but sufficient. We hug briefly, then exchange chin lifts. Then I wave my hand in farewell as Shooter hits the road.

  As I watch until his taillight disappears in the distance, it dawns on me, while I’m sad to see him go, I don’t wish I was going with him. Here I’ve got everything I want. I’ve got Jayden and our future.

  Chapter 41

  Jayden

  Seven weeks later

  I sit in the clubroom waiting for Pal to join me. I’m at ease, sitting here alone. It seems most of my life has been spent amongst bikers, they don’t worry me.

  Watching life going on around me, men laughing and joking with each other, I think back over the past couple of months. Yes. Moira had made me question my feelings, make me wonder whether I’d been leaning on Pal because he was safe? That I knew he wouldn’t hurt me? A child’s crush which I couldn’t shake off.

  I had considered her words seriously. In Tucson the brothers had treated me like a niece or a sister, an almost familial relationship with a line I didn’t even think to cross. The obstacles put in the way of Pal and I being together almost doing the opposite, forcing us to fight for a future we knew was ours. I smile at the memory of our disastrous date at the Wheel Inn, an example of how overprotective they were, and how they wouldn’t leave us alone.

  Here in Colorado, there are several handsome men in the clubhouse, and they certainly don’t regard me as family. I think there’s even a couple that if, before Pal and I got together, I’d shown any interest in, would have reciprocated. Runt definitely, for one. But I hadn’t felt an attraction toward anyone other than Paladin, my eyes and heart have only ever been for him.

  Runt. Of course, what happened to him is club business. I don’t know the reason, but something had made him take off for almost a month. Four weeks ago, he’d returned. I’d been in the clubroom when he’d come in. It had been strange. When he’d entered, the room had gone silent, no one, it appeared, knew how to react. The brothers had stared wide-eyed at him. It had been Pal who’d stood up and approached him, holding out his hand first, then pulling him in for a man hug. They’d spoken quietly together for a few moments, while everyone else looked on. Then Pal had turned, his arm around the prospect’s shoulder, and had led him into Hellfire’s office.

  A short while later, Runt had reappeared all smiles. The next thing I knew, he was being patched in.

  “You okay, Jay?” As if my thoughts had summoned him, Runt walks over and sits on the chair opposite, puts his beer on the table and shows me the soda he’s brought for me.

  I take it with thanks. “You ever going to get a proper road name?”

  “Fuckin’ hope so,” he says, with a grin. As I examine him, I realise he’s matured. Maybe it was his absence, maybe something happened before he left, but he’s taking everything far more seriously now.

  “What happened, Runt? Why did you take off?” I drink my soda as I watch him. He grins slyly, knowing how much I hate the words. When he opens his mouth, I say along with him, “Club business.”

  Then he shrugs. “Prospects do anything, put up with all manner of shit to get their patch,” he says, obliquely. “Did what I had to, got patched in.” As I’m left wondering what he’d had to do to earn it, he changes the subject. “You coming on the run, Saturday?”

  “Try to stop me,” I eagerly reply. It’s the run to Royal Gorge that was put off when there was trouble in the club. Sparky’s got it rearranged for this coming weekend. Which also happens to be my seventeenth birthday. I think a club outing is a great way to celebrate.

  “I hear Hell’s persuaded Moira.”

  I nod. He has. But they won’t be riding at the head of the pack. That’s another change that’s recently happened. Hellfire has stepped down from being the prez, Demon’s picked up those reins, having been voted in by the club. Thunder is doubling as sergeant-at-arms and VP for the moment. For some reason, the brothers are reluctant to jump into putting someone in Demon’s old role permanently, and want to take their time to decide who’s best.

  “Hey, Doll.”

  At Pal’s voice, I raise my head. He doesn’t disappoint, leaning over me for a kiss. Runt groans loudly, Pal flips him off as he sits by my side. Once lockdown was over, I’d moved permanently into his room. While I’d made up my differences with Moira, there didn’t seem to be anything stopping me from being with my man. Sure, until Saturday I’m still not officially of the age of consent, but no one’s going to report us to the cops. Not here. To me, it’s just an artificial date anyway. Three years ago, no one gave a damn that I was underage.


  I wondered whether seeing Pal night and day was going to mean we get on each other’s nerves, but it seems to have done the opposite. I can’t get enough of him, love living in his room. Only last night we were discussing getting a place of our own off the compound.

  “How was school?”

  When Pal asks the question, I think before answering. Another area of my life where I’ve grown up. In Tucson it was something I had to do, I found it boring, a waste of time. Now I’m different to a lot of other students, focused on getting an education while I can. I’m thinking of a future, and Paladin’s behind me all the way.

  “It was good, Pal.” I frown. “I’ll need to speak to Buzzard. Some math problems are challenging.” The treasurer with a good head for numbers has been helping me out.

  One by one, all the brothers here have been good to me. Probably because I’m now resident in the club. I like to think they’ve all become my friends.

  “She did good today,” Bomber informs Pal as he pauses on his way past. “She’s getting to be a good driver.”

  Pal thanks him for collecting me from school. Yes, I’ve got a little car now which I love. I can’t wait to start driving on my own and being independent, though I don’t think Pal’s looking forward to it quite so much.

  Suddenly I notice Runt’s eyes flaring, his attention caught by something behind me, I glance around where he’s looking and see Titsy and Sheila walking in. I don’t know why they bother wearing any clothes. Totally naked wouldn’t be much more revealing.

  Pal’s noticed as well, leaning over and saying quietly, “Think that’s our cue, babe.”

  It is. I don’t want to watch porn when Pal and I make our own in our room.

  Stepping inside the door, I start to pull off my top.

  “Leave it, I want to unwrap you,” he says with a smirk. “Fuckin’ never grows old, Doll. Never will.” He pulls my top off and throws it onto a chair.

  As his hands go to the waistband of my jeans, I lightly slap them away. “Didn’t anyone ever teach you about taking turns?” While he’s still grinning, I slide up his tee, he bends so I can pull it off over his head. I’m distracted by the smooth hairless skin on his chest, letting my hands touch him, feeling goosebumps rise under my fingertips. I love how I affect him like this.

  He undoes my bra, my breasts, such as they are, hang free. Without the padding, they’re not worth speaking about, but that doesn’t seem to matter to him. He weighs them in his hands, flicking his nails across my nipples, I breathe in sharply, as he continues to play, my arousal increasing at every slight touch.

  I trail my hands downwards until they touch his jeans, undoing his button, lowering his zip, and then, ignoring his objection I sink to my knees, taking his pants down as I go.

  His hands slide under my armpits, pulling me up. “But I want…” I start to protest.

  “Got an idea, Doll. Get on the bed.”

  His ideas are usually worth it. I do as he says, lying down on my back. He shuffles over, sits and removes his boots which I’d forgot. Then he makes swift work getting me completely naked. His appreciative stare heating me, making my stomach clench.

  Then, instead of what I’m expecting, he lies down next to me on his back. “Sit on my face, Jay.”

  What? I start to straddle him, he slaps my ass. “Other way around.” As my skin heats and in a good way, I wonder what it would be like if he ever did spank me. I’ve haven’t quite got the guts to ask. For now, I turn as he’d instructed, starting to get an idea of how this is going to work. I’m exposed as I hover over his mouth, and right in front of my face is a very erect cock.

  He places his hand to my back as if I need further encouragement.

  “Suck it like a lollipop.”

  I bark a laugh. “A lollipop?”

  “Shall I put the chocolate flavoured condom on? Or try the strawberry one instead?”

  I giggle. Yeah. He might have gone back to that store. I wriggle my hips, it entices him. He pulls me down and licks my slit. I lower my head and take him in my mouth, his musky smell starting to drive me crazy, his salty taste better than any artificial flavour.

  In the past few weeks we’ve started to learn each other’s bodies. I doubt I’ll ever be able to take him in all the way, I gag if I try. But he doesn’t seem to mind the combination of my hands and mouth. He knows exactly what pressure and action I need, becoming an expert at ramping up my desire fast. It doesn’t take long before my muscles are tensing, and I’m coming all over his tongue. His cock thickens, swells, and I can feel his balls tighten. For the first time, I stay put, even when he gives me a warning, my hands and mouth encouraging him on.

  He comes, in my mouth. I try to swallow fast, hating the taste while it feels wrong to admit it. I raise my head, put my hand to my mouth, and hope I won’t be sick. That wouldn’t be particularly romantic. His strong arms lift me off him, he leans to get something, then passes me the bottle of soda I had been drinking.

  There’s a smile on his face, “Somehow, babe, I doubt we’ll be doing that very often.”

  “I’m sorry, Pal.” I’m mortified how much my disgust must have showed.

  “Hey, don’t fret.” He pulls me into his arms and rocks me. “Love you, Jay. Even if you don’t like swallowing.”

  “Love you too, Pal.” So much. I can’t imagine life without him.

  His cock starts lengthening again, and soon I’m on my knees as he holds my long hair firmly and pounds into me from behind. Soon I’m coming again, shortly after his sharp thrusts tell me he’s filling the condom.

  We roll over, he pulls me into his side. “Need to give me a few minutes to recover, Doll.”

  I giggle against his skin. He’s insatiable, but then, now I’ve got a taste of his lovemaking, so am I.

  Saturday dawns, and we set off very early, needing to get to Royal Gorge before it officially opens. I’ve seen pictures, but it didn’t do it justice, or more appropriately, didn’t look so scary in 2D. We pass another group of bikers, but I don’t give them a second glance, too worried about what’s appearing in front of me.

  The bridge, I know from hearing the discussions about it, crosses nearly one thousand feet above the Arkansas river below. Lengthwise, it’s getting on for twelve hundred feet across. Statistics that didn’t seem worrying until I saw it for myself. It’s a suspension bridge that held the record as the highest in the world, until the beginning of this century. The surface is wooden planks.

  As Pal slows the bike I tap him on the shoulder and shout, “Pal, we can’t. We’re not really going over it, are we?”

  “Sure are babe. You’ll be alright. Just hang on tight.”

  Hang on tight. Yeah. Okay.

  It’s early, the bridge normally opens at eight when it’s restricted to pedestrians, but before that, motorcycles can cross. Sparky had sorted out all the arrangements, and we’re being waved forward. Oh shit. As the bike hits the planks the sound under the wheels changes, and I swear it wobbles. Starting to fear we’ll veer off, I give a small scream, and do indeed, hang on tightly, closing my eyes at the same time.

  “Wow,” Pal breathes out. “This is something, Doll, isn’t it? Fuckin’ beautiful.” One of us has got their eyes open at least. Probably lucky it’s him.

  I’m here, I might as well… I open my eyes. Oh shit. I feel dizzy, it’s too high, too open, but he’s right, it’s beautiful as well. I try to focus on Lizard riding in front of us, his bike’s in the middle, not wobbling at all. Pal’s a good rider, he’ll keep me safe. At last, we’re over the other side. Pal pulls up next to Ink, reaching over they give each other high fives.

  A short break to take in the views, then we’re making our way back across. It was a great experience, but I’m more than pleased to be back on solid ground once again. Paladin doesn’t stop, doesn’t pause at the entertainments, just drives on. Looking back I see more bikers following us, and wonder if we’re going to a bike parking lot. It’s far more than just our chapter. Oh, and there’
s Wills with the crash truck.

  Hmm. This does seem like a place where bikes park. I jump off, Pal backs into a space, then takes my hand with a grin. Something is going on.

  Saddlebags and panniers are being opened, all manner of stuff taken out. Pal’s got a carrier in his hands as we walk to an area with picnic tables set up. As the bags start being opened, I belatedly realise everyone else seems to have brought food.

  Wills passes me carrying a big cardboard box. When he places it on one of the tables, I’m amazed to see a birthday cake brought out. I step closer, ‘Happy 17th Birthday’ it says on the top. I freeze, just staring at it. I hadn’t anticipated anything like this. I look across to Pal who’s gazing at me, a smile forming on his face.

  “Happy birthday, lil’ sis.” A voice booms at my side. A voice so unexpected, it makes me jump.

  “Slick!” I squeal, jumping around and into his arms. “What on earth are you doing here? Ella! Oh my God. Ella!”

  Ella’s eight months pregnant. Her belly’s enormous. I can’t believe she’s travelled all this way. “You’re here? How? Oh my God!”

  “Couldn’t let you celebrate alone, could I?” Then we’re hugging tightly, well, I’m getting as close as I can with her large bump in between us.

  The bottom of my tee is being tugged. As I look down, someone else has appeared. Quite a small someone, but I swear bigger than when I last saw her. “Amy! You’ve grown tall.”

  “That she has.” Heart leans over and kisses my cheek. Marcia’s coming along slower, a twin hanging onto each of her arms.

  “Jayden!!” Olivia and Eli are stumbling over.

  I don’t know who to greet first as Sam and Sophie step up. Sophie’s carrying Zoey, her second daughter, and Sam’s got her new boy, Zane, in a sling. Drummer and Wraith hovering close by. As far as I can tell, all the Tucson club are here, including Joker and Lady with Maya.

  There’s even Mouse, Mariana and Drew. Drew can’t resist giving me a hug, and asking, “How you doing, Jayden?” I think my sparkling eyes give him his answer.