Devil's Due: Satan's Devils MC Colorado Chapter #3

by Manda Mellett

  “I knew.” Her head dips and rises. “I just had to harden myself. I have to do what is right. It’s just for a few months, then I’ll be able to pick up my old life again.”

  “You sure about that, babe?”

  “Beef,” she suddenly cries, “I’m not sure of anything. I’m not the one who did anything wrong, yet I’m the one being punished for it.” She paces again, then stops. “I was in danger, I couldn’t have stayed. Not when it wasn’t just me, they threatened my family too.”

  I try to join the dots and come up with a likely explanation. “You’re going to testify against someone.” It seems obvious now. She’s being kept off the radar until the court case. Then she’ll resurface, give her testimony, and hopefully put whoever it is away, and it will be safe for her to return. Will it be that easy? To be given a new identity, to be moved, from what I’ve picked up, halfway across the country means it isn’t a small case of shoplifting. Corporate crime? That seems likely, it can’t have been something she could have seen, so something she knows, perhaps. Through her work? Maybe.

  She hasn’t replied. How can I get her to trust me? “You got a beer, babe?”

  “Sure, yes.”

  “It’s okay, I’ll go.” Getting to my feet I go into her kitchen and get two beers. Returning, I put one into her hand. “Come sit by me.”

  I’m pleased when she does. She takes a drink and then places her bottle on the coffee table.

  “I’m running too, babe,” I start to tell her.

  “From the law?”

  I laugh, then grow serious. “Babe, sometimes I think that would be easier. You want to hear a story?”

  “Stops me from worrying about mine.”

  I nod at her reply. “One of my brothers met a woman. She’d got involved with a crooked politician. She had shit on him that could have put him away, well, let’s just say her life was in danger.”

  Her head is tilted toward me. Her mouth is open. “What happened? And one of your brothers? How many do you have?”

  Dozens. I grin. “Not a blood brother, one in the MC. In many ways, we’re closer than blood.”

  “The woman?” she prompts.

  “Blade, my brother, well, he was an ass. But once he got his head screwed on, he, us, well, we took down that piece of scum.”

  “You killed him?” Her voice squeaks.

  “Nah. He’s going away for a very long time. We got the evidence he’d committed murder to clear his way through for the nomination.” I hear the sigh of relief.

  “Are you telling me you’re the good guys?”

  “Like to think we are, but that’s not why I’m telling you this.” I’m going to bare my soul to her, so I take a few sips of beer to prepare. “Man had a wife. They were separated as he’d used his fists on her once too often. But, politician that he was, he’d do anything to make himself appear to be the right candidate, and that included bringing his wife back to his side.”

  “He hurt her again?”

  I won’t go into everything. But yeah. “He kinda did.”

  “I hope she’s divorced his ass.”

  “It’s just been made final, babe. He didn’t contest it,” we might have had a hand in that, “so it was a formality. Went through quickly. Sally, that’s her name. She stayed at the club when she was hiding out from the press. There was quite a lot of coverage.”

  “I can imagine there would be. What does this have to do with you being in Pueblo?”

  “My brothers in Tucson, well, a lot of them have found their ol’ ladies. Wives,” I quickly explain, seeing the look on her face. “I sort of wanted me some of that. A biker’s not short of a woman when he needs one, but someone to come home to every night? Having a partner, someone to be on your side, well, that was starting to look very attractive. My brothers, they seemed so happy.”

  “So you got together with this Sally? She’s what, your old lady now?” A flicker of something crosses her face that I can’t comprehend. I wonder if it’s disappointment. Wishful thinking perhaps.

  Not going there even if it is. I realise I should reply. “Yes and no. It’s complicated.”

  “Relationships often are.”

  “Sally, well… Sally, she’s not a strong person. She’s been told what to do all her life, by her parents who’d pushed her into the marriage, then by her husband who picked up where they left off. Thought I was getting her out of that situation, giving her space to start thinking for herself. Fact is,” I check to see she still looks interested and I’m not boring her, seems I’m not so I continue, “Sally needs that, needs someone to give her instructions on every part of her life. I’m not that man, couldn’t be what she wanted.”

  “So you left her?”

  “Not proud of what I’ve done, babe. But, yeah. My prez saw I’d got myself into something that was hard to extricate myself from. So he made me a nomad—that’s a biker with no affiliation to any particular chapter, and goes where there’s a problem. That’s why I’m in Pueblo, to sort some shit out. Sally equates that with working away.”

  “But you’re not going back to her?”

  “Makes me sound an asshole, but what I’m doing is giving her space to realise she can exist on her own. That she doesn’t need a man to complete her. But no, I’m not going back. To Tucson, yeah, but not to her. I’m hoping she’ll come to that realisation herself.”

  She’s quiet for a moment. “I can’t work out if you’re a big softy or an utter asshole, Beef.”

  I chuckle. “I think I’m a bit of both.”

  “This came about because you thought you needed a woman to complete you, Beef. Not much difference between Sally and you from what you’ve said.”

  “World of difference, babe,” I refute. “I wanted the dream, which was what I didn’t get. What you’ve got to understand is that my brothers seemed to come across that one special woman much the same way as Sally came into my life. Thought that was a sign, read it wrong. Nah, I don’t need a woman, especially now. It’s a trap I won’t fall into again.” I don’t explain the club whores are there to take care of my sexual needs, or that there’s no problem being a single man in an MC. “The Pueblo chapter is completely different from Tucson. There, men are dropping like flies into the ol’ lady trap. Here? Most are like me, single.”

  “But you’re not. Not while this woman thinks there’s a chance you can get back together.”

  She’s not wrong. I swear my cock’s starting to shrivel through lack of action. Even before I’d left town it had been weeks since I’d last made polite love to Sally. If I don’t get back in the game soon, I might forget how to use it. “I’m going to cut her loose. Soon as I can do it without hurting her.”

  Her hand hovers in the air. It seems like an invitation to take it. As soon as I do, her fingers tighten around mine, well, circling my big paw with her tiny one as much as she can. “She’ll hurt, Beef. May be kinder to pull off that band-aid rather than letting futile hope fester.”

  I’d come clean with her to try and get her to trust me. By laying my own soul bare, thought I could get her to reciprocate, or start that in motion at least. I didn’t expect to find talking to another woman so helpful, giving me a clarity which hadn’t been there before. “I’ve done this all wrong, haven’t I? Should have been honest as soon as things started going wrong.”

  “How long have you been with her?”

  “I’ve known her four months, lived with her two. Not very long.”

  She squeezes again. “Beef, I might not be able to see you, but I’m a fair judge of character for all that. You’ve told me you and your brothers were on the right side of the law when you took down that politician. You’re here because you hate letting someone down. If I had someone like you in my life, I probably wouldn’t want to lose them either.”

  “I’m not a good man,” I warn her.

  “I think you are.” She bites her lip. “I’m in witness protection.”

  Jesus H Christ. It worked. “You gonna tell me en
ough so I can help you?”

  Her expression isn’t what I expected. Her head swivels on her neck, but not in my direction, she’s focused on something behind me.

  “What…?”

  “Shush,” she says fast and quietly. Her brow creases. “I heard something. At the back door.”

  Her hearing must be acute. There’s nothing wrong with mine, but her ears are definitely sharper, I’d heard no sound at all.

  Not doubting her for one minute, I stand. She does too. “Stay here. I’ll go check.”

  Seeing she clearly has no intention of obeying me, I half wish she’d be more like Sally and just do what she was told. But too eager to find it’s a cat foraging so I can put her mind at ease, I slide my gun out of my cut—just in case—and waste no time heading into the kitchen. The view afforded by the window, looking out onto a backyard shows nothing of any concern. The door has frosted glass in the top panel, I’d be able to see a shape if anyone was there.

  “Stay here,” I use a sharper tone. “I’m going outside to check. Lock the door behind me, okay?”

  She nods. “Yes.”

  I place my hand on the handle and pull. The door doesn’t budge. I glance up and down, there are bolts, but she hasn’t slid them. There’s a key in the lock. Fucking idiot, Beef. I turn it. The door though, gives a fraction, but won’t open.

  “You got problems with this, babe?”

  “What? No.”

  Someone’s already tried to kill her. My brain computes facts fast as my body is already surrounding her, pushing her back as a blast comes from the front of the house.

  My ears are ringing, my nostrils suddenly fill with acrid smoke coming through from the living room. Someone’s thrown a bomb into her house and locked the back door, so she couldn’t get out.

  “Beef!” she screams.

  “Stand still.” I turn back and kick the door. It won’t budge, not even with all my strength directed at it. “We’ve got to get out of here,” I spit at her. One glance into the living room where the fire has already taken hold shows me there’s no way we’re getting passed that and to the front door. I grab hold of her hand. The window might have a good view, but it’s too small for us to use to get out. I’ve got to find one that’s bigger. Yanking her along behind me, I’m pulled up by her oomph of pain. Fucking idiot that I am, I forgot she couldn’t see.

  I sweep her up into my arms, kicking doors open. The bathroom’s no good. Ah, her bedroom. Yeah, we can get out of that. I open the window.

  Is someone waiting outside? But that’s the least of my worries, I already feel heat at my back, we’ll have to chance it. Thank fuck the window opens easily. In other circumstances I’d make sure she’s out before me, but if anyone’s waiting to stop her escaping, I’d rather him deal with me first.

  “I’m going out. You come after.”

  She’s shaking with fear and the smoke’s making her choke. But like everything, she takes the destruction of her house and her need to escape in stride. Within seconds I’m in the fresh air, taking a moment to survey my surroundings. No one in sight.

  “Come on,” I urgently instruct, watching her hands and feet, giving her precise instructions. As soon as she’s out I have my body around her. A bullet will have to go through me first, and with my size, I should stop it. I eye her worriedly, she’s coughing. Having been in there a few seconds longer, she’d inhaled more shit than myself. Doctor? Ambulance? Nah, I’ll take the risk she’ll be alright. Need to get her to a place of safety.

  “My bike’s out front.” Thank fuck I had the foresight to park it away from her house, though originally that had been for a different reason. “We’ve got to get out of here.”

  “Don’t I need to stay to talk to the authorities? Beef, can the house be saved?”

  I’m carrying her again, simply because it’s easier than trying to navigate her around to where I want her to go. People are coming out of their houses.

  “She alright? I called 911,” asks and states a concerned neighbour.

  “I’m taking her to get checked out,” I shout back, hoping no one stops us as I go to my bike. People look stunned, but luckily no one steps up to prevent me whisking her away. My quick glance around shows various expressions from shock, to sympathy, to onlookers’ enjoyment and curiosity seeing someone else’s house burn.

  Then, I’m at my bike. “Get on babe.”

  “Where are we going?”

  “Somewhere a lot fuckin’ safer than this.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  She’s hanging onto my waist so fucking tightly. Taking my left hand off the handlebars once I’ve shifted into top, I reach down and squeeze her hand tightly, giving her what little comfort I can as I get to my destination as fast as possible. My senses are on high alert, I can almost feel danger breathing down my neck.

  My head whirls with the implications. Someone locked a blind woman’s escape route and then set fire to her house. There had been no one waiting out back, they were that confident she wouldn’t get out. I’m filled with rage, wondering what the fuck would have happened if I hadn’t been there today, and if Stevie hadn’t had such good hearing that got us out of the living room at the right time?

  I could have been killed too.

  There’s no doubt now. Someone wants Stevie dead. They are not going to succeed. Not if I’ve got anything to say about it. That I myself had been in danger now makes this personal for me too.

  I’ve been checking my rearview as I’ve been riding, no one seems to be following me, even when I’d made the diversion I had. I’m pleased as fuck when at last the gates of the clubhouse, reinforced after the attack a few weeks back, appear before me. The prospect has those gates opening as soon as he recognises my bike.

  “Prospect!” I yell, as I dismount. After quite closing the gates he comes running over. I explain fast, “Don’t think I’ve got a tail—”

  I don’t need to explain what I want when he interrupts, “I’ll keep my eyes open.”

  I may not know him, but something tells me Dan’s good. He knew immediately what I wanted.

  “Where am I?” Instead of looking around, Stevie’s clearly listening hard. Someone is working on their bike, revving the engine. Loud voices reach us from the clubroom.

  “I’ve brought you to the clubhouse…”

  “Take me to a motel,” she immediately insists, for the first time seeming frightened and wary.

  I can see how coming to a biker compound could be scary, even for a sighted woman. For her? I’d had no time to prepare her. It must be terrifying. To be honest, all I had on my mind was getting her away from whoever wanted her dead, and what place could be safer than being among my brothers? I hadn’t spared a thought for how she would feel about it. I take hold of her hand, she grasps it like an anchor.

  “Babe,” I’m thinking aloud. “You’ve been found. That’s a definite. I don’t know who’s after you or how many. You haven’t told me anything, so you probably know better than I. If they found you once, they could find you again. If I took you to a motel, you wouldn’t have the same protection we can give you here.”

  “You say we.” She’s keeping her voice down. “Why should your friends help me?”

  “Don’t forget, it was my brother’s suggestion to extend our security services to you. And even if that wasn’t the case, they’ll do it for me.”

  Her eyes squeeze tightly. “But you said your brothers were in Tucson…”

  “Any man in any chapter is my brother.” Dan’s watching the gate, but I’m only too aware the strong steel slats will keep out most things, but not a bullet. “Babe, let’s get you inside. Don’t like that you’re out in the open.”

  “Describe it to me, Beef. What type of building is this?”

  Information. That’s what she needs. “It’s an old steel mill that’s been converted.”

  She raises her chin slightly. “Going to need you to help me, Beef.” She doesn’t ask helplessly, just matter of fact.

&nb
sp; “I’ll be by your side, Stevie. And if I’m not, I’ll make sure one of the women is with you. You won’t be alone.” I’ll need to fill in Demon and the rest of his men, can’t personally guarantee to stick with her.

  I watch as she draws her shoulders back and takes a deep breath. “Okay, lead on.”

  I’m a quick learner. I put my arm firmly around her. “There’s a curb here, Stevie. Only a couple of inches. Yeah, that’s it, you got it. Now three steps to the door. You okay?” We get to the door, I open it, noticing the strip at the bottom in time to warn her so she doesn’t trip. That darn mat that’s always slipping and bunching up is the next obstacle, I ease her over it.

  I’m concentrating so hard on watching her feet that I don’t see what’s in front of me until…

  Christ. “What the fuck?”

  At the sound of the slap Stevie stiffens and moves closer to my side seeking protection for dangers unseen while I stare at the woman who’s just walloped me around the face.

  “Beef! You fucking cheat! I knew I couldn’t trust you. You wouldn’t go with a whore, that’s what you said, and now you’re walking in with one.”

  “Mommy,” a voice wails.

  Without taking her accusing eyes off me, Sally holds out her hand for her middle child, Eliza.

  Well fuck. I’m shocked enough that she’s here, but not only that, she’s brought all three fucking kids.

  I’ve just been almost burned to death in a fire, I do not need this. Having cheated death for a second time, I’m not at my best, and at a complete loss as to what to say.

  The silence extends until someone else speaks.

  “Sally isn’t it?” I start to open my mouth, but Stevie continues, “I know what this looks like, but there is nothing between Beef and myself.”

  “He’s holding you freaking close,” Sally complains.

  “Because I’ve not been here before and I’m blind.”

  Sally’s mouth drops. “You’re blind?” Her voice rises incredulously. “But you don’t look like you are.”

  “I wouldn’t know.” Stevie’s mouth quirks. “Now, Beef. Can you plant me somewhere I can sit down? It would seem you need to have a discussion with Sally.”