by E. C. Land
Burner’s Absolution
Devil’s Riot MC Book 8
E.C. Land
Contents
Acknowledgments
Available Now
Coming Soon
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Epilogue
Chapter 1
Burner’s Absolution
This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are all products of the author's imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblances to persons, organizations, events, or locales are entirely coincidental.
Burner’s Absolution. Copyright © 2020 by E.C. Land. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission from the author, except in the case of brief quotations used in articles or reviews. For information, contact E.C. Land.
https://www.facebook.com/e.c.landauthor
Publisher: Knox Publishing
Publishing Link: www.knoxpub.com
Cover Design by Charli Childs, Cosmic Letterz Cover Design
Developmental Editing by Courtney Lynn Rose, Knox Publishing
Formatting by E.C. Land, Knox Publishing
Proofreading by Rebecca Vazquez, Full Bloom Editorial
Created with Vellum
Dedication
To the strong women in my life. The ones who have shown me you can go through hell and still find yourself. My Mom, Sisters (this being the ones related by blood or not), Aunts, and Cousins.
To the strong men in my life who have been there and will be there in the end. My Husband, Brothers (those who are here now and in spirit), Uncle, and Cousins.
It’s these people who help give me the inspiration I need as well as look up to.
Acknowledgments
My Family – I’ll always be thankful toward my husband as he continues to show his support in my writing. No matter how annoying I become he lets me ramble on and on with the different things I come up with. Even sends me music when I need encouragement. My kids know they are a huge part of this as I show them you can follow your dreams and shoot for the moon if you put your mind to it.
My Brothers – Didn’t matter if you thought I was annoying or getting on your nerves. You all were there for me when I needed it. You taught me to defend myself no matter what the issue was whether it be getting bullied physically or emotionally. You were always there. I’ll always be thankful for the lessons you’ve taught me in life
My Betas – Thank you for being the first to read. And in doing so pushing me to keep going with all the different plots that form in my head. I’m grateful for all you have done with helping and giving me input.
My Knox Publishing – I don’t know what I’d do without you all. You’re all so wonderful in your own right. From encouraging me to keep going when I feel like giving up to kicking my ass when it needs it. The best thing I’m grateful for is when you listen to the different plots and scenarios I come up with.
Liz and Courtney – I honestly don’t know what I would do without either of you. Both of you are two of my best friends. Working with you not only as Publisher/Boss/Editor but as a friend means more than you know. You allow me to be me and don’t try to change the way I am. Instead you put up with my dorkiness and are there to listen when I need to vent.
Diane – I couldn’t be more grateful to. You have quickly come into my life and wormed your way in. I don’t know what I’d do without you as you make sure my head stays on straight.
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Playlist
Outlaws & Outsiders – Cory Marks
Rise n Shine – The Lacs
Divided We Fall – OverTime
Wake Up – OverTime
Forgiven – Crucifix
Between the Lines – Charlie Farley
Without Me – Halsey
Dirty South – Upchurch
Just Another Thing – The Lacs (Feat. Crucifix)
Only – Jelly Roll
Long Bumpy Road – Hosier (Feat. Big Smo)
Backwoods – OverTime (feat. Cordell Drake)
Hurricane – Luke Combs
Hunger in My Stomach – OverTime
Been So Wrong – Crucifix
Fall-N-Apart – Crucifix (feat. Sean P)
Devil In A Chevy – Crucifix
Available Now
By: E.C. Land
Devil’s Riot MC Series
Kenny’s Beginning
Horse’s Bride
Thorn’s Revenge
Twister’s Survival
Cleo’s Rage
Connors’ Devils
Hades Pain
Badger’s Claim
Reclaimed Boxset
Anthologies
Guns Blazing
Rocked to the Core
Coming Soon
By: E.C. Land
DRMC ORIGINALS
Stoney’s Property
Dark Lullabies Series
A Demon’s Bliss
Anthologies
Twisted Steel
Devil’s Riot MC
O – Ol’ Lady, C – Child
Twister – Prez / Izzy – O
Leanna Mercy– C
Horse – VP / Kenny – O
Jason Cole (JC) – C
Kayla – C
Caden – C
Thorn – Sargent At Arms / Lynsdey – O
William Michael (Bud) – C
Anna-leigh Cleo – C
Rage – Road Captain / Cleo – O
Reagan – C (deceased)
Rosaline – C
Dragon – Medic / Connors – O
Gadget – Tech / Connors – O
Logan – C
Kagan – C
Keegan – C
Hades – Enforcer / Emerson – O
Alec – C
Burner – Treasurer
Badger – Member/ Jordan – O
Shadow – Member
Mac – Prospect
Heart of Ice
Frozen with Ice
My heart won’t feel
Nor will it allow the another
To cause the hurt and pain it already feels
The ice will not thaw
Nor will it melt
Not without cause
Ice surrounds me keeping those at bay
; Who would hurt me all the more
No one should suffer what I have
Or to feel the pain of it all
Frozen is my heart
Nor will it thaw for another
Not even will it break into a thousand cracks
I refuse to allow it
I’ll die with my heart full of ice
For no one will compete with the one that I have lost
An icy heart is better than one full of painful hurt
I shall not let it thaw
Nor melt
Or so I thought
~ E.C. Land
Prologue
Burner
“William, I love you so much.” The sweet words of my Janey fill my head. They can’t be real because she’s gone, but the warmth of her touch consumes me. This can’t be real.
Shaking my head, I try to open my eyes.
“Please, William, listen to me. You have to let the hate go,” Janey says, her voice filled with pain.
“No, I’ll never let it go. That means letting you go,” I scream.
“I know you’ll never let me go, yet it doesn’t mean you can’t love another,” she murmurs. I can feel her touch against my back as I refuse to face her. I can’t.
Same as the day we buried her. I couldn’t stand to look at her lying in the coffin before they closed it.
“How could you want me to replace you with someone else?” I ask as I move away from her, angry that she would want me to be with someone else.
“She wouldn’t be replacing me, merely sharing your heart with me,” Janey declares, again pressing herself against me. “I know you’re scared of losing her the way you lost me, but don’t let her slip through your fingers. Not when she’s meant to be your happiness. I love you, William, please be happy.” I feel the gentle brush of her lips against my cheek as she lifts a hand up to turn my face to her, then she’s gone.
I sit straight up in bed, sweat coating my body as I pant for breath.
Fuck, the same damn dream has been haunting me ever since Badger and I got back from Ireland with Jordan. Glancing over at the clock on the nightstand, I groan at the time. Four-thirty in the morning, after not going to bed until one a.m., calls for a long fucking day.
Ripping the sheets from my body, I get up and walk naked to the shower. Might as well get a jump start on the day. I already had a list of shit at the club needing to be done so I’ll just grab a coffee and head that way.
Only flaw in the plan is Ally. I’m usually her ride to work considering she doesn’t have a car.
Damn it. It’s time to talk to her brother about finding her one. The club has been trying to help her out since she was found and she has come a long way since then. She still has a long way to go, but in the time I’ve known her, she’s been getting under my skin and I suppose you can say I’m protective of her.
My brothers seem to think I want her; however, that’s not the case. I’ll never want another woman. No one can replace my Janey. No matter what that fuckin’ dream’s about, I won’t allow myself to feel the pain of losing someone else.
Especially not Ally. She has her own demons, ones I’ve spent more than one night listening to her screaming in her sleep about. Finally, I’d gotten her to start talking about them, however, Ally prefers to draw out her emotions on paper rather than talk about them. It’s why I took her on at Devil’s Ink.
No, I’ll only ever be her friend, relationships be damned. I’ll stick to getting my rocks off with the clubwhores or head to Outlaws to find a lay for the night. Which is what I’ve done for the most part lately, preferring to keep the sounds of my fucking away from the ears of the person who sleeps in the room right next to mine.
Ally.
Fuck, she’s invading everything to do with my life— from my sex life to my dreams, where the woman I’ve always loved is telling me to let her in.
No fuckin’ way will I allow that to happen.
Only thing I will allow into my heart is vengeance, as I seek out the man who caused all my pain. The one who was able to escape from us in the process of getting Jordan away from that psycho Kayne.
Clenching my fist, I get in the shower to start my day. It’s time I begin my plans of seeking vengeance for the one I loved, the one I’ll always love.
Giving my heart to another is for those who can handle the pain of losing your heart to the enemy.
No, not just to the enemy, but rather to the death they cause.
I’ve waited a long time and now I will get what is due to me. The blood of Miguel Diaz will flow through my hands the way his father’s did. People think Rage went mad on those men. No, he and I worked as one. It’s been that way since we were kids. It will be that way when it’s time again.
I won’t let anything come between my plans and myself. Not even the woman sleeping in the room next to mine.
Damnit, Ally.
Chapter One
Ally
Two months later
Freedom. It’s the one thing I prayed for every day for as long as I can remember. Yet now that I’m free of the chains which held me, I still feel like I can’t breathe. My throat constricts as I begin to shake.
It took a while to realize what was happening to me and that was only when Burner pointed it out to me. He’s easily become my best friend.
Well, I thought we were friends up until he got back from Ireland with Badger and Jordan. Since then, he’s all but removed himself from my life, except at the shop. It’s the only place I see him anymore.
Furrowing my brow, I pack the last bit that I can call my own into one of the few boxes. You’d think being an adult, I’d have accumulated many things. Yet I haven’t. I’ve lived most of my life without more than a set of clothes to cover myself when I wasn’t needed. Which wasn’t often.
I spent most of my life chained in a room with a mattress on the floor. If I was good, I was able to use a blanket. If not, I didn’t get the blanket and received extra lashings in addition to the ones I received each day.
Most people couldn’t endure what I’ve had to deal with. Hell, everyone thinks my sister-in-law Emerson’s scars are horrible, but they’re nothing compared to mine. The only one who’s seen a mere glimpse of them was Burner and that had been when he’d tattooed my arms.
The first tattoo he gave me started the wall I’ve built up. No one, and I mean no one, will ever get through it. Though who would want someone as broken as me?
Refusing to go down that road, I shake my head and check the room one last time. I’d been able to save up enough money to not just rent a place in town but buy one. Something small enough for me yet big enough I won’t feel as if I were being enclosed on.
Best part is I won’t have to worry about driving back and forth to work, since it’s only about a fifteen-minute walk. That’s one part I kept to myself when I spoke to both my brother and Uncle Hammer. They’d prefer I stay here, but I can’t. Not anymore.
It’s time I deal with my demons alone without anyone having to worry about my screams in the middle of the night. I may not be doing it as often these days, but they still happen more than I like to admit.
“You ready to go, Ally?” my brother asks as he knocks on the open door to my room. Glancing around the room which became my home one last time, I nod my head without saying anything.
That’s something else about me— I barely speak unless I need or feel like it. I learned a long time ago not to speak unless ordered to do so and it’s a lesson I’ll never forget.
“Alright, then let’s get these boxes in the back of the truck and I’ll follow you over to the house.” Rubbing his hands together, Hades steps fully into the room and lifts two of the boxes as I grab the other two.
Neither of us says anything as we walk into the main room.
“What’s going on?” Burner asks, his voice filled with confusion. I hadn’t told him nor anyone else I was moving, having asked my brother to keep it to himself. “Ally?” This time, he almost sounds hurt.
“I’m moving,” I mutter over the top of the boxes I carried.
“How come I didn’t know anything about this?” demanding, he takes the boxes out of my hands and follows Hades out of the clubhouse.
“Maybe because you’ve avoided me lately and I didn’t feel the need to say anything to you.” Shrugging, I cross my arms over my chest in an attempt to not let it show that his avoidance bothered me.
“I wasn’t avoiding you,” Burner says, glancing down at me as he stops next to my car. Up until recently, I rode into work with Burner. Now I drive my car, one my brother took me to get. Nice as it is, I hate the dreadful contraption. I despise driving.
“All the same, I’m moving out. I bought a house not far from the shop.” Taking the box from him, I carry it over to Hades, who puts it in the back of his truck.
“Let’s go,” I muttered to him. Turning back to my car, I open the driver’s side door, all but pushing Burner out of the way as I do so.
“You gonna tell me where you’re living?” he asks, putting his hand on the door to keep me from closing it.
