by Madison Faye
Delphine
“You okay?”
I smile, and when he pushes the cup of hot coffee into my hands, I sigh contentedly.
“Yeah, I’m fine, really.”
“You sure?”
Oliver frowns in concern as he settles down behind me, and when he wraps his arms around me, I grin as the heat blooms through me.
“Well now I’m great.”
He chuckles, kissing the back of my neck as the fire flickers in front of us. We’re not alone, either—there are more than a few other faces sitting around the fire pit up at the Lost Devils compound—Shepherd, Rowan, Lucy, Bishop, Bastion, and an especially huge guy covered in tattoos who’s been introduced to me as Hush, with a gorgeous tanned girl sitting in his lap named Catalina.
Oh, and of course, Oliver’s freakishly identical twin brother, Asa.
It’s been a hell of a day, and in fact it’s so late that it’s actually early. The sun is probably twenty minutes from rising, but that hasn’t stopped the whole club from coming out to sit down and talk and make sure everyone’s okay. It’s… bizarre, but in this warming way that feels like a family.
And speaking of which, my family—my Grams, that is—is still sleeping away in one of the guest quarters. Safe, sound, and apparently everyone’s new favorite chili chef. Scarlett’s back to sleep too in another guest room, after learning what had happened and that I was safe and sound.
But the important thing after all that’s happened is that we’re all safe, and all whole, and all okay. And that this whole thing is over.
Back at that warehouse on the outskirts of Dark Water Falls, Shepherd made some executive decisions. The handful of Barnes’s guys who were still alive were low-level, non-local guys. Most of them were just working for Barnes for a small paycheck and maybe a little taste of the crime life. But none of them were career thugs or bad guys, and they were all more than happy to get the fuck out of Dark Water Falls and never, ever come back or mention what’d happened.
I mean, especially not when a guy as big and scary looking as Hush loomed over them promising to pull their heads out through their assholes if he ever saw them again or heard they’d talked.
As for the rest of them? Well, the Lost Devils basically just called in an anonymous tip to the shambling, mostly nonexistent Dark Water Falls police department about “some sort of gang shootout” out at the warehouses. Hey, it’ll be a nice win for those guys, and trust me, no one’s going to be missing Bryce Barnes.
“So, yeah,” Oliver clears his throat behind me and reaches past me for his beer. “Guys, this is Asa. Asa, these are the guys.”
“It’s…” Rowan frowns, leaning back in his chair with Lucy leaning back again his chest on his lap, sipping his beer. “It’s freaky.”
I grin, glancing over at Oliver’s twin. Rowan’s not wrong, it’s insane how similar they are, down to similar tattoo styles, same hair, and same beard. And of course, those same stormy blue eyes. Only, where there’s a sort of playful humor that surrounds Oliver like an aura, you can definitely tell there’s more of a darkness around his brother.
“He could always shave his beard to make it easier,” Oliver shrugs with a grin.
“Sod off,” Asa mutters back, arching a brow and grinning as he sips his beer. “Shave yours.”
He smirks and raises his beer to the whole crew. “Pleasure to meet you all.” His eyes stop on Shepherd, and he grins. “Fuck me, Shepherd Kade in charge of… well, fuck, anything.”
Shepherd grins. “Stranger things, huh?”
“You two know each other?” Hush growls.
Shepherd nods. “We met once, what, five years ago?”
Asa shrugs. “Something like that.”
“Asa was stateside, and Shep and me needed some extra hands for… uh…” Oliver grins. “Some work.”
I turn to him, arching a brow.
“Work, hmm?”
“Just a teeny spot of jewelry shopping,” he says with a lazy grin and a shrug.
“Oh, and are there receipts from this shopping trip?”
He mimes a deep yawn.
“Blimey I’m bloody tired.”
“No, uh-uh,” I grin, poking him in the chest. “You don’t get to sneak out of things like that by being all cute and laying the charming British accent on all thick, mister.”
“Charming?” Asa snorts. “Luv, his accent is not charming.”
Lucy laughs. “Well…”
Rowan laughs, hugging her close. “Easy, lady.”
Asa shakes his head as we laugh. “It really isn’t. Maybe to you, because you’re all American. Trust me, to us, this cunts sounds like a yokel from that movie, Deliverance.”
We all snort a laugh as Oliver starts humming the infamous banjo tune from the old movie, and I grin and turn to kiss him slowly.
He pulls back and frowns at his bother. “How the bloody hell did you know to be there, by the way? Last I heard, you were in England.”
Asa shrugs. “How’d I find you? Easy, just followed the trail of chaos and destruction. Tailing you is like tailing Godzilla.”
The group laughs again, and Asa grins. “Nah, I was in London and at this card game. This fucker across from me kept eyeing me, and I realized he was one of Basher’s guys—an old school geezer, too, from when we were mixed up with him. The cunt went for his piece, I got the drop on him, and beat some answers out of him. That’s how I found out Basher’s hung on to that grudge all these years. The guy spilled that word had gotten out about some hot-shot British racer over here in the States up around these parts with a bunch of bad tattoos—”
Oliver throws his empty bottle, and the rest of us laugh as Asa dodges it and flips him off.
“Figured there was only one arsehole I knew who fit that description, so I got over here. I was tailing that Barnes guy the last few days, and so that’s how I saved your dumb ass.”
“Thanks for that, by the way.” Oliver shrugs. “I mean, I had it handled, but thanks.”
“Oh, right, yeah, you looked solid, mate. What with deep-throating that gun and all.”
He grins when Oliver flips him off, but then walks over and ruffles his hair. “Good to see you, baby bro.”
Oliver rolls his eyes. “By a minute. By a minute.”
“So Asa,” Shepherd nods. “How long are you staying over here?”
Oliver’s twin shrugs. “Hadn’t really thought that far ahead. I know I’m keeping out of England for a bit.” He makes a face and shrugs. “Let the heat die down a bit.”
“What’s her name and how much does her husband want to string you up by the bollocks?” Oliver snickers.
Asa just sighs. “Not that, something… well, it’s fine. It’s fine if I don’t go back for a bit and let it cool off, that is.”
Shepherd nods. “You know you can stay here as long as you need or want.”
“Appreciate it, mate,” Asa growls. “But I don’t—”
“Oh sod off and just say you’ll stay, dick,” Oliver sighs. “Might be nice having you around.”
“You know if you ever wanted to patch in…” Shepherd shrugs. “I mean Oliver obviously vouches for you. I’ve pulled jobs with you before, and I would too.” He holds Asa’s eyes. “Just saying, the offer is there if you want.”
“Thanks,” Asa growls, stroking his chin. “I’ll think about it, mate.”
“This Basher guy,” Rowan grunts. “I assume he’s still on his way here for Oliver?”
Oliver nods. “Could be, yeah.”
“So, how about we meet this prick and show him the fucking door,” Bishop growls. Bastion, sitting next to him, nods and clinks his beer to his friend’s. Hush nods, and so do Rowan and Lucy and Shepherd.
Oliver clears his throat. “I vote not doing that.”
Lucy grins. “Oh please, some thug from England? I mean I’m picturing him sipping tea and asking for more crumpets.”
Everyone laughs, except for Oliver and Asa who just glance at each other with hard look
s.
“Oliver’s right,” Asa growls suddenly, cutting off the jokes. “Basher is… he isn’t just some thug. He’s not a Barnes, or anything you all have seen up here, no offense. He’s big time, he’s connected, and he runs with some serious motherfuckers.”
Oliver nods, and his arms tighten around me. “Basher’s the real deal,” he grunts. “I appreciate you all wanting to kick his arse for me, but…” he shakes his head. “If we’re smart, we’ll stay the fuck away from wherever he is when he’s here. I’m serious about that, Shep,” he growls, eying his friend.
Shepherd seems to get the gravity of the look, and he nods.
“Alright, we’ll leave it. When he finds out Barnes is gone, he’ll probably take off anyways.”
“Bloody better hope so,” Asa grunts under his breath.
Shepherd stands and drains his beer before he glances at the rapidly brightening sky.
“I’m calling it. Gonna try and get some sleep.”
“Yeah, same,” Lucy sighs, slipping out of Rowan’s lap and reaching to grab his hands. “C’mon big guy.”
Everyone else stands, too, and we all begin to filter off towards cabins.
Oliver stops and turns to arch a brow at Asa.
“Oy, where exactly are you headed?”
His brother frowns. “Your place?”
“Yeah, not bloody likely. Find a bunk in the clubhouse.”
Asa snorts. “Are you serious?”
“Absolutely.”
“You do remember that time I saved your arse, quite spectacularly I might add, about three hours ago?”
“And I thank you kindly,” Oliver grins, clapping him on the shoulder. “But I did almost die tonight, and I’d like to be alone with the woman I love if that’s okay with you?”
Asa grins. “Well, fuck me, when you put it that way.” He sighs and turns to me. “Got your hands full with this one, I hope you know that.”
I giggle. “I do, but I’ll appreciate any and all warnings you have.”
“Oh, sweetheart, I’ve got loads.”
“Well, that’s enough of that,” Oliver chuckles, punching his brother jokingly in the arm. “Now sod off.”
Asa grins and takes my hands. “Pleasure to meet you, Delphine. You’re gonna be good for this fucker, I can tell.”
He pulls me in for a hug, and then immediately does the same to his brother, hugging him hard.
“Alright, I’m going to find some trouble—uh, a bed. Night.”
He heads off, and Oliver sighs as he wraps his arm around me, and we walk across the clearing to his cabin. He stops on the front porch and turns me in his arms, pulling me into him looking down into my eyes.
“I almost lost you tonight.”
“I almost lost you,” I whisper, and his jaw tightens.
“I’m never going to almost lose you like that again,” he growls. “Not ever. And if that means running off with you, and leaving this whole thing,” he gestures around at the compound. “Then say it, and I’m in. We can go anywhere, and do—”
“No,” I shake my head. “This is home—for me, and for you, and this club is your family, that’s easy to see.”
“You’re the only—”
“I know,” I whisper. “But this is part of it, and we can’t go.” I grin. “I don’t want to, either.”
“If trouble comes—”
“Then trouble will come,” I say quietly, sliding close to him. “But how about we make a pact. I’ll look out for you, and you look out for me. That work?”
He grins. “I can work with that,” he growls, scooping me into him. “So we’re staying right here.”
“Right here.”
“And you’re all mine.”
I grin. “Oh trust me on that.”
He smiles hungrily and pulls me close. “Ready for bed?”
He leans down and kisses me, but it takes about half a second for that kiss to turn into something that is decidedly not a good night kiss.
“I’m ready for bed,” I breathe, my eyes closed and my lips brushing his. “But I’m not sure if I’m ready to sleep.”
“Oh believe me, love,” he growls, his hand sliding down to cup my ass. “You’re not bloody sleeping yet.”
His lips crush to mine, and I melt into him as we tumble back into the cabin and shut the door behind us. And sleep does come, of course.
…It just doesn’t happen until about noon that day.
Epilogue
Oliver
Let me tell you a little story. It starts with a punk of a little shit growing up in the ass-end of London. He stole, he fought, he was a right prick, and he was destined to die young, unglamorously, and most decidedly alone.
He had three rules: be ready to fight, keep your nose out of other people’s shit, and never stop moving. He lived his life at a hundred eighty miles an hour, with no brakes, no helmet, and no regrets, and he welcomed death with a middle finger in the air and a grin on his face.
He thought this made him tough—wild and bold and unafraid. He thought thumbing his nose at death and living as recklessly as humanly possible was a badge of honor, as if this was some sort of achievement that took hard work to reach.
He was wrong.
He was wrong on every. Single. Level.
When his life shattered, several different times, he let the winds, or fate, or his own overblown ego and sense of immortality take him here it would. He lived in darkness, he worked for devils, and he did terrible things, until whatever person he’d been born was dead and buried. He did this until he was a demon himself, grinning as he rode headfirst into hell.
But he got brake-checked along the way, and this was a good thing. He met a friend just as wild as him, but with just enough more sense of his own mortality to keep our hero from dying spectacularly. Then he met a few other friends—men not unlike himself who’d spent their lives running from the light and pretending that darkness made them harder instead of realizing it was a crutch, and a weak man’s false armor.
They formed a group, and together, they stumbled forward. And yet, this man, our hero, still found darkness and pain, even if he had to hunt for it. He still sought the thrill of death, and the rush of telling it to go fuck itself at breakneck speeds.
And then, he met a girl.
Not just any girl, either. A woman who slammed on his brakes, and for the first time in his entire life, made him pull back the cover of darkness and let light shine on his imperfections and bullshit. She didn’t know it at the time, but she pulled him back from the edge, one last time. And this time, he didn’t much feel like looking over that cliff again.
But maybe you didn’t come this far to wax poetic. Maybe you got all the way here hoping to be scandalized, or shocked at some sort of hint into another person’s story. Well, you’re shit out of bloody luck, because this is where my story ends.
…Guess you’ll just have to hear theirs to find that scandal and salaciousness you’re looking for. But trust me, it’ll be there if you go looking for it.
You thought you knew the ending of this story at the beginning. So did he, our hero, at the beginning of his. But endings change. Life changes, and people change with it. There are roads you take and roads you don’t. They’ll split and split again, and we keep trying to find the right one as best we can in the darkness. But sometimes, we meet a person traveling with us who shines a light just by being there, and picking the right road just gets a little easier.
The ending you think you know doesn’t have to be so. Trust me on that one.
Choose to live. Choose to seek and embrace love. Choose desire, not want. Wanting will leave you broken and angry, and forever unsatisfied. But desire? Desire will light a fire under your arse and remind you to breathe.
Thumbing your nose at death and living recklessly isn’t a badge of honor. Rushing headfirst through life with no brakes isn’t hard work.
Living is hard work.
Loving, and being loved, is the badge of honor.
/> Wear it proud.
* * *
The End.
Also by Madison Faye
Find all of Madison’s books, available at your favorite book retailers!
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Apple • Barnes & Noble • Kobo • Eden Books • Payhip
* * *
Lost Devils MC:
Kiss/Bang
Thrust/Throb
Double/Trouble
Fuck/Fight
* * *
Blackthorn Mountain Men:
Claiming His Mountain Bride
His Captive Mountain Virgin
Her Mountain Baby Daddies
His Big Mountain Axe
His Hard Mountain Wood
Her Rough Mountain Outlaw
Unwrapping His Mountain Package
Her Double Mountain Outlaws
Her Savage Mountain Daddy
His Runaway Mountain Bride
* * *
Standalones:
Cream Pie
Cherry Pie
His Pretty Little Thief
Stealing Valentine
Screwged
Sharing Samantha
Claiming Candy
Trick And Treat
Sugar & Spice
Five Card Studs
Dear Stepbrother, I Want You
* * *
Winchester Academy:
Bait
Brat
Broken
Banned
Bully
Breathless
Barely
* * *
Irish Syndicate:
Get Lucky
Her Irish Twins
* * *
Royally Screwed:
King Sized
Royal Brat
Daddy Duke
Prick Charming
Filthy Ever After
Once Upon A Scandal
Queen Sized
