Neo's Strength (Devil's Riot MC: Originals Book 8)

by E. C. Land

  I only hope I’m at least strong enough to fight against it.

  Jordan

  There are days I understand people around me and then there are days I don’t get the way someone can hurt those around them without thinking.

  I know she didn’t see me but I saw her as well as heard what she did. I understand her pain. This girl is supposed to be my sister-in-law and knowing what all the women at Badger’s club have gone through, I’m thinking it’s time for something to happen here. I’d spoken with Rachel and Raven when I first got here. They are the only two who know and knew Badger told me. I’d kept my distance from Harley out of respect for Badger, he wanted to wait for his father to get here before approaching his sister.

  Standing up, I leave the main room in search of Rachel, and find her in Stoney’s office playing on the floor with Sebastian, while her ol’ man worked at his desk. There littlest one was asleep on a mat next to her.

  “I’m sorry to interrupt but I need to speak to you, I suppose both of you,” I say, glancing between the two of them.

  “What’s up, Jordan?” Rachel asks.

  “I want your permission to bring all the ol’ ladies up from Badger’s club,” I state, holding her gaze.

  “There a reason for this?” Stoney’s voice booms through the enclosed space of his office.

  “Yes, something needs to be done about an issue I just overheard, and I think an intervention is in order. She might not know it but I heard exactly what she did and I’m pissed. I know everyone goes through things differently, it doesn’t give them an excuse for bullying and saying hurtful things all because they didn’t get their way and find out what happen to Harley. She’s been through hell. I can only imagine what she dealt with growing up having to deal with the grandfather who brought up a demon of a child, who would hurt her child and give another one up, telling those children’s father the child died in birth. I mean who does that shit,” I rant.

  “Call them,” Rachel says immediately without hesitation.

  “I’m calling Twister informing him of this. He’ll make sure they all get up here.” Stoney nods.

  “Thank you,” I murmur in gratitude.

  “It’s nothing to thank us for, Jordan. I’m sorry and you’re right we all go through things in different ways. I’m finally overcoming my own demons as I grow even closer to Stoney. I don’t know what I’d do without him, I do suggest we ask Badger and Neo to come in and tell them what’s happened,” Rachel suggests.

  “Don’t worry about it, Doll. I’m shooting all the men a text telling them we’re having church. You staying in here, or you gonna go hangout in the other room?” The love and adoration Stoney has for Rachel is beautiful to me.

  “I think if Jordan’s cool with it, I’ll take the boys out in the main room, check on Luca and Corinne, and hang with Jordan for a while. How about we order pizzas tonight?”

  “I’m alright with hanging out with you. I won’t be responsible for my actions if I have to speak with the others right now. I’m livid with them,” I say with a small smile.

  “Sounds good, order pizza and when we get out of church, I’ll help you take the kids home and put them in bed,” Stoney grumbles, standing from behind his desk.

  Satisfied, I leave them to it and pull out my phone. I pull up Izzy’s number and hit send.

  Izzy answers almost immediately. “What the hell, woman? You know you just ruined it for me?”

  I giggle, then cringe as I hear Twister in the background muttering about blue balls. “Sorry, and just for the record, I don’t need that vision in my head. Not now, not ever. Seriously. It’s bad enough I have to hear Connors talking about my brothers to Annslee.”

  “Yeah, yeah, yeah, and I don’t need visions of you taken it from Badger as he ties you to the bed. No matter how hot it sounds. Now what’s up?” That’s Izzy for you. She can go from joking to all seriousness without even batting an eye.

  Quickly I give her a run down and tell her Twister’s going to be getting a call from Stoney. I can almost see her face now as I explain things. “We’ll be there around noon tomorrow. I agree. It’s time for an intervention of the ol’ ladies. Ally told me about Harley and how she reminds her of how she used to be.”

  “Yeah, she’s right. I’ll see you tomorrow then,” I say, hanging up.

  With that done, it’s time to find my little man and check on him. Nico can get into almost anything and knowing he’s so much like his daddy, I have my hands full and once the one I’m carrying gets here I don’t know what I’ll do. But thankfully I have Badger every step of the way. He’s my strength as Neo is Harley’s.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Neo

  Pounding my taped fists against the punching bag Shadow holds for me, I throw a couple of combos releasing my stress out on to the bag. I thought my hand would take a little longer to heal but by the end of the first week, I was able to get back in the gym.

  Badger and I decided to keep the little bit of information about him being Harley’s brother away from her for the time being. My woman isn’t stupid and knows I’m not telling her something. During the past couple of weeks, we spent a lot of time together and as I felt she was growing stronger, I took her to our house.

  To say she was surprised to find out I’d bought it is an understatement. We decided to stay at the clubhouse for the time being while I finished renovations on the place. I helped her pick up a couple things she needed to work. I’d been surprised to find out she was a freelance editor now after quitting her job at the school.

  Hitting the bag again, I keep up momentum until Stoney appears at mine and Shadow’s side. “I’ve sent a group text for church but figured I’d find you two in here.”

  “What’s up, Prez?” Shadow asks.

  Stoney looks from him to me. “Before church, I want you to check on your ol’ lady.”

  “What’s happened?” I demand, my body tightening at the thought of something happening to her.

  “She overheard something and let’s say I’m letting the ol’ ladies handle it because Jordan came to my office requesting permission for all the women from Twister’s charter to come up here.”

  “Exactly what did she overhear and who?” Shadow growls.

  “I’ll explain it all in church but just know this shit’s not happening again. I’m going with Jordan’s idea on this because I believe it might help Harley,” Stoney grinds out.

  “I’m gonna go check on her. I’ll be in church as soon as I do,” I say already heading for the door while I unwrap the tape around my hands.

  My gut tightens as I get closer to my room.

  Fuck.

  Please. Please. Please, don’t let her do anything to herself.

  I’d taken some time while we were at the house to talk to my uncle and tell him I finally get it. I listened to him tell me what really happened with my mom and how she was raped by a group of men who caught up to her when she was leaving the library one day where she’d been studying. My uncle continued to go on to tell me it was my dad who found her while he was on patrol, took her to the hospital and stayed with her the entire time. As he told me, my dad knew my mom was meant to be his from that day, I knew how he felt and wish I’d stepped up long before now.

  Opening the door to my room, I immediately stop at the sight of Harley sitting on the floor at the end of the bed, with her legs up to her chest. Tears rolling down her cheeks as she stares at the blade in her hand.

  “Harley?” I call her name but she doesn’t look up.

  “Angel Eyes, come on, look at me,” I whisper, closing the door behind me and moving toward her.

  As I squat down in front of her, she finally looks up. “I’m not strong like you,” she whimpers.

  “What do you mean, baby? What happened?”

  Shaking her head, she closes her eyes and tells me what she overheard Luna and Victoria talking about. Rage slams into me as she finishes. “They’re right you know. Everyone’s always being gentle around
me, as if I’ll break down at any moment. Look at me now. Sitting in tears fighting with myself as to whether or not I just end it all.”

  “Fuck, Harley, give me the blade in your hand,” I murmur, holding my hand out for it.

  Slowly, she does as I tell her to and places the thin blade in my hand. Examining it, I notice it’s a blade from my razor. She’d broken it apart to get the thin metal out.

  Getting up, I toss the blade in the trash and move back to her. This time instead of squatting in front of her, I sit down next to her, twist myself until I can lift her up off the floor and onto my lap where I cradle her to me.

  “I’m glad you didn’t cut yourself, Angel Eyes. I’m fuckin’ sorry this shit happened and about what you overheard them saying about you, but I’ll tell you now, baby, you’re not weak, you’re not bland, you’re perfect just the way you are. Everyone is different. My brothers are treating you as you are. They are only doing as they feel they need to. In their eyes they see this woman who needs a big brother to look out for her. Whereas others aren’t like that. For instance, when Rachel got here people treated her differently, no one knew how to treat her. Victoria she was her own woman, she hid who she really was and that made things difficult between her and Tracker. He thought he needed to protect her but come to find out she has the strong personality within her that shows she’s different.

  “Harley, what I’m trying to get at is just because you’re far more sensitive than the other ol’ ladies around here, doesn’t mean you’re any less of a human being than them.”

  “But I am. My granddad said women like me need to know our place and that place is always kneeling at the feet of those who are strong. Who are deserving of attention. I was taught to never meet anyone’s eye unless spoken to. My parents died before I knew who they really were and in the process, left me with a man who didn’t want to raise another child. I had an aunt that didn’t want me either. I’ve never been wanted by anyone in my life,” Fuck, if her words don’t gut the hell out of me.

  I know I need to get to church right now but first I need to show my woman she’s not a lesser being than anyone else.

  Holding her in my arms, I climb to my feet and carry her into the bathroom. I gently place her on her feet in front of the mirror. “I want you to keep your eyes focused on the mirror.”

  Harley does as I tell her too.

  “Good girl, Angel Eyes,” I praise her.

  I keep my eyes on her as I slowly lift her shirt up over her stomach, over her breasts, and finally pulling it completely off her. Next, I slide her leggings from her body. Without taking her eyes off the mirror Harley steps out of them leaving her in only her bra and panties.

  “You know what I see when I see you?” I ask, tilting my head to press a kiss to her shoulder.

  “No,” Harley whispers.

  “Tell me what you see, Harley,” I murmur.

  “I see me.”

  “That’s not true, baby. If you did, you would be seeing what I see every time I look at you,” I say, pressing another kiss to her shoulder. I lift my hands tracing circles on her skin loving the way she trembles under my touch.

  “Nate,” she whispers.

  “Yeah, Harley,” I rasp, turning her slowly in my arms to face me. “I love you, baby and I swear on my own life when I say this, you’re not weak or bland or anything else. You’re you and that’s perfect for me because that means I get to be your strength. And as being that for you it means in times like this you lean on me. Whether it’s a horrible day or not, you can always lean on me.”

  “I love you, Nathan, so much. It’s why I couldn’t do it,” she whispers, pressing her head into my chest.

  “That’s good, baby, because there’s other shit you’re gonna find out soon and it’s going to literally rock your world,” I mutter, tightening my arms around her.

  “What do you mean by that?” she asks, lifting her head up to look at me.

  “I can’t tell you that just yet, but I want you to remember this, I’m right there with you all the way.”

  “Okay, Nate, I trust you,” she says, her eyes glistening with adoration and I can’t help but wonder how I got so lucky.

  Chapter Twenty

  Harley

  They say life comes with hardships and with those hardships you have to take the blessings that come within. No matter how big or small.

  When it comes to hardships that’s been my entire life. I never knew what blessings were until I met Neo. He’s saved me from myself when all I wanted to do was end it all. If I’d taken my life, I wouldn’t be standing here now having my life rocked completely.

  There’s something to be said about having news broken to you in a way that will blow your mind. I honestly think if it was not for Neo standing behind me with his arms holding me tight, I might have collapsed right then and there. I never expected to be staring at a man whose eyes are nearly the same as the ones I see in the mirror every day.

  After Neo found me in the room and talking me away from the edge, I’d allowed him to talk me into coming with him to the main room and sitting with Jordan and Rachel while he went into the room where they hold church.

  Though I don’t talk to either of them they don’t mind talking to me. I even nod in acknowledgement to things they would ask me. I noticed none of the other women were in the main room. I wonder where they went.

  Neo and the rest of the men return to the main room a short while later. Some of them looking downright angry.

  Tracker and Shadow both come over to the table and apologize for their ol’ ladies’ attitudes. At first, I was startled by them knowing what happened and start to protest; however, Jordan held up her hand. “Don’t defend them for their actions. I heard what they said and I have no problem admitting I’m the one who spoke up. Family doesn’t do that to one of their own. No matter how upset they are for things they can’t control.”

  Again, tears end up filling my eyes as I glance around the room, meeting each person’s gaze as they nod in agreement. Then I did something that surprises all of us and jump out of my seat and hug Jordan while whispering ‘thank you’.

  Now standing here in the middle of the clubhouse, my world is altering once again.

  “You mean you’re my dad?” I ask confused by what Nerd confirmed by getting a DNA test done between Badger and myself.

  I have a dad, a brother, sister-in-law, and a nephew.

  Oh. My.

  Wow.

  “Yeah, I’m your dad, if you’ll allow me to be,” Jasper says, clearing his throat. He’d gotten in not long after the guys finished church. Soon as he saw me, I knew he was here for a reason.

  That reason being me. I couldn’t believe it until Nerd showed me the papers.

  Several of the ol’ ladies step into the room but keep their distance, for no other reason than their men keeping them back. The only one who was able to join us besides Rachel and Jordan is Raven.

  “I, um, I don’t know what to say,” I murmur, glancing from Jasper to Neo.

  “Nothing to say, sweetheart. Not right now. You just had your world rocked. We’ve got time to get to know each other. Why don’t you relax and let your ol’ man help you come to grips with it all,” Raven murmurs giving me a small grin. “Remember strength comes in many ways but the inner part of it always stems from somewhere and family is a great base.”

  Raven’s words followed me into my dreams and as I stare at my man I have to agree with her words.

  Strength comes in many forms and where it stems from is a great base. Neo is my base and where I get my strength from.

  “You gonna stare at me all morning or you gonna make my day start off with a bang?” Neo rasps, his eyes still closed.

  “I’m thinking, stare at you.” I giggle.

  “Pity.” He grins and rolls me until I’m on my back with his cock pressing into my entrance. “I was hoping you’d say with a bang.”

  “Well with you on top of me, I get to stare at you and you get to star
t your day off with a bang,” I murmur, sliding my hands up his arms to wrap them around his neck.

  “Oh, I’m definitely bangin’ you this morning, Angel Eyes. When you’ll be feeling me all day long and tonight after the fight, I’m thinkin’ I deserve a reward,” he announces as he thrust all the way in to the hilt.

  “Is that so?” I moan, my back arches into him.

  “Fuck yeah, baby, it’s gonna happen and I can’t fuckin’ wait,” he states then finished talking he leans in and captures my mouth. His tongue dances with mine as he thrusts in and out to the same tempo.

  Oh God.

  He feels so good.

  Neo reaches between us and toys with my clit causing my orgasm to assault me with its quakes of ecstasy.

  Picking up speed he joins me spilling himself into me.

  Breaking the kiss, Neo lifts his head. “I love you, Harley,” he rasps breathlessly.

  “Love you too, Neo. Thank you,” I whisper.

  “What are you thanking me for?” he asks, pressing a kiss to the tip of my nose.

  “For being there for me when no one else was and for being my strength and most of all for just being you.”

  “Fuck, Angel Eyes, I just came deep inside you and need you all over again. But you don’t have to thank me for any of that. Life brings you to where you’re meant to be when the time’s right and we just got lucky when the forces of nature decided it was time for you to get the love you always deserved. Now kiss me so I can fuck you until you’re screaming my name.

  Giggling, I do as he says and then he does as he said he was gonna do. I scream his name loud enough I’m embarrassed to think everyone in the clubhouse heard me.

  Oh well. Long as I have Neo, I’ll be okay. As his tattooed hand shows he holds the key to keep the demons at bay. He also holds the key to my soul. Neo’s strength is the base of that I know I can count on. No matter what. I just need to overcome all the rest of the fears deep inside me and I will with him at my side.