Ares was a rider. He was meant to be part of a club. To wear a cut. To live the life. He understood the true meaning of life and death. He’d seen death and he’d caused death.
“Grab a coffee and get over here,” Gaige said.
Ares did just that. He sat next to Gaige and blew into the coffee.
“Black?” Gaige asked.
“The only way to drink it.”
“How was your night?”
Ares glanced at Gaige. “Is that what you wanted to talk about?”
“No,” Gaige smiled. “Just wondering how it was. I love fresh pussy around here. You know that.”
“Maybe you should get your own,” Ares said. “And then settle.”
“It’s going to take a hell of a woman to make me settle,” Gaige said.
“Fair enough.”
Brooke is a hell of a woman…
“Miller is taking care of Gunner,” Gaige said. “Shitty situation there.”
“Just a prospect.”
“Spoken like a true member.”
“No patches here, Gaige.”
“Which is fucked. You going to punish yourself forever?”
“There is no forever,” Ares said. “Death ends the possibility of forever.”
“I’ll drink to that,” Gaige said. “That was a big mess last night with that poker game. We’re getting heat on it already. Chief of police calling Miller. Other crews wanting meetings with us to discuss why our prospects raised hell. We look like the bad guys in this.”
“We didn’t shoot first,” Ares said.
“And you’re sure that Armen guy did?”
“Bet my life on it. He tried to get me. Ended up with a hole in my cut.”
“And then you took his sister?”
“Look, I made a call. Okay? I grabbed her and carried her to my ride. I figured it would keep Armen on his toes. He’d look for his sister. We could keep him close.”
“And then what?” Gaige asked.
“I don’t know. I’m not at the table. I don’t vote.”
Gaige nodded. “Well, you did good by grabbing her. What’s her name?”
“Brooke.”
“Brooke. Yeah, she’s something. Her brother is a piece of shit. I don’t know where this is going to end up for you and her, Ares, but we took a vote this morning. We have a guy who digs around on the inside for us. Turns out Armen is a real target. On a lot of different levels. He’s been running and stealing for years now. I honestly don’t know how or why Brooke is involved in it all. I don’t trust anyone, including her. But we have her and we will use her. She’ll give us everything we want, Ares.”
“Good,” Blaine called out. “I’m hard as a rock over here. Give me them tits for a few minutes.”
“Not like that,” Gaige said, shaking his head. “We need her for information.”
“So she needs to use her mouth?” Blaine asked.
Ares gripped his coffee mug. He felt like exploding. “What about Armen?”
“He’s wanted on local levels, state levels, even federal. He just runs and runs and runs. He picked the wrong town to fuck with this time. We’re not taking this without revenge. I know he was going to rip off Eight Under, Coast Road, and some suits and ties, but he was in our town. Running what turned into a shootout. Killing one of our prospects. Fueling the fire for some wars with other crews.”
“So what’s the plan?” Ares asked.
“Kill him,” Gaige said. “He needs to die. He needs to be stopped.”
“Seems fair enough,” Ares said.
“Not just that…” Gaige turned and faced Ares. “We voted and you need to do it. It’s your kill.”
Ares stiffened. “My kill?”
“Yeah,” Gaige said. “No more fucking around, Ares. Make this kill, take your patch, and be part of this club.”
“If not?”
“Then you’re out. Take your empty leather cut and find another crew.”
“What about Brooke?”
“Like I said, I don’t trust her. I don’t know what we’re doing yet.”
“I know what I’d like to do to her,” Blaine said. He finally sat up. “Just give me her for a few days. Let me wear that out before we kill her.”
“Kill her?” Ares asked. He stood up from the bar. “You can’t just fucking kill her.”
“Easy,” Gaige said. “We have to understand her role in all this. Like I said, we use her and then we move on. It’s what we do. If she’s free and clear in all this, then we can set her up with some cash and send her on her way. Have another charter help her settle somewhere new.”
Ares wanted to argue. He wanted to fucking fight. His eyes saw the patches on Gaige’s leather. He was a member. He was VP. Ares had nothing. So he just nodded.
“Got it,” Ares said.
“Where is she now?” Blaine asked.
“Sleeping.”
“Go wake that pretty ass up and get some information,” Blaine said. “Before we’re under attack.”
Ares nodded and left his coffee on the bar. He took a few steps and looked over his shoulder. Blaine had an arm around Gaige as they talked. Erik was leaned in too. On each of their backs was the Back Down Devil name and logo. It would be a foolish lie if Ares didn’t admit to himself that he somewhat wanted that damn name on the back of his cut. But he couldn’t forget the past. And right now, in the present, there was a mess to figure out.
When Ares got to the room and opened the door, he found Brooke sitting up in bed. She looked nervous until she looked at him. That’s when she smiled.
This is trouble… complete fucking trouble.
twelve.
Brooke woke and found herself alone. She was in a strange room in a strange place with strange people. Her first thought was of Ares. Where he was. What he was doing. She couldn’t stop thinking about the hole in his leather cut. A bullet had almost taken his life. It was something amazing that the bullet didn’t hit his body and kill him like the other prospect.
Those thoughts were then traded for the memory of what happened with Ares last night. Brooke had never been touched that way. Never commanded that way. He was so aggressive, yet had a slightly gentle touch to him, wanting to pleasure her to the point of pain, but never actually hurting her. It made Brooke warm all over, wanting him again.
The minutes collected and soon her mind shifted to Armen. For a while now he had been running these games and collecting money. He told Brooke he was saving the money for their chance at a fight and a way to avenge the death of their parents. Never before, though, had the night gotten that violent.
Brooke wondered where Armen was and if he was worried about her. She climbed to the foot of the bed and grabbed her bag. She kept her cell tucked away and rarely used it. In fact, the only stored number in the phone was Armen’s. When she saw that her phone had no calls or texts, she felt hurt. Then again, maybe Armen was dead. Brooke had no idea what actually happened when she left the building and left with Ares.
With her fingers tense, Brooke hurried to write a message to her brother.
Armen, where are you? What happened? I need to talk to you.
The message was sent and came with no reply.
Brooke dropped her phone back into her bag and went back to the bed. She sat up and waited. The seconds were heavy like hours, but the door finally opened in came Ares, standing with the same clothes as the day before. He was so big, strong, and killer hot. She smiled the second she saw him. Her mind tried to tell her that all of this wasn’t going to end well. But the present was just too tempting to give a damn about the future.
“Morning,” Brooke said.
“You sleep good?”
“Yes. Very. Thank you for holding me.”
Ares nodded. He shut the door. “You hungry?”
“I could eat.”
“I’ll get us something. Then we need to talk. We need to get some things sorted out.”
Ares approached the bed and Brooke slowly let the covers fall
down her body. She was dressed in the same hoodie as the night before. Under that was a spaghetti strap shirt and no bra. Brooke couldn’t sleep in a bra, ever. Not with her chest so big.
“What needs to be sorted out?” Brooke asked.
“We know some shit,” Ares said. “And it involves you. I need some damn truth before you’re life is put on the line.”
Brooke shook her head. “I’m not a bad person. I’m not…” Like Armen…
Ares reached down and touched her face. “We’ll get to that in a second. Before shit hits the fan, I have to take the opportunity in front of me.”
“Which is?”
“You,” Ares said. “I want you to strip naked. Right now.”
It seemed before the words could escape Ares’s mouth, Brooke sprung into action. She damn near jumped right out of the bed. She stood there and watched as Ares got on the bed. On his back, he reached down and unbuckled his jeans. He slowly pushed them down, revealing himself to her. The sheer sight and size of his cock, even flaccid, was almost impossible to believe.
“I’ll be waiting,” Ares said. “Show me everything, darling.”
Brooke tore the hoodie up and over her head. She then grabbed the side of her pants and pushed them down. When she bent over, facing the bed, she felt her breasts trying to spill out of her top. Her eyes battled between Ares’s eyes and his now growing erection.
She kicked out of her pants and stood back up, grabbing the bottom of her shirt. Her shirt came off and her breasts were exposed. She was completely naked now, just standing there. Her hands then came to life as she grabbed her hair and lifted it, pulling it back. She let it go and slid her hands down to her chest. After cupping her breasts for a few seconds, her hands continued down her body. One hand went to her side and the other slipped between her legs. Her sex was silky wet and warm. Ready for Ares.
“Come here,” Ares said. “Make me come.”
His cock was tall and hard now. Ready and waiting.
Brooke climbed on the bed and crawled to Ares. Her left hand reached out and gripped him at the root of his thickness. She squeezed and pulled, gently jerking him.
Ares groaned and put his hands behind his head.
Brooke then straddled Ares, her hand holding him, guiding him to her center. The sheer touch of him to her body made Brooke want to let go. She placed her free hand to Ares’s lower stomach and pushed up his shirt a little. She felt the rippling muscle of his stomach.
Ares hurried and grabbed Brooke by the ass. He pulled and thrust up, entering Brooke. The pleasure made Brooke scream and lose her sight for a few seconds. Ares filled her up. She had both hands to his body, pushing his shirt up more.
Slowly, Brooke lifted and lowered herself. Over and over, working her body to stretch for Ares’s length and thickness. As her hands went up his shirt, muscle gave to more muscle. Her body then moved faster, coming down each time Ares thrust up. There wasn’t an inch of her sex that wasn’t explored by Ares.
His hands moved from her ass to her breasts. He cupped them, pressed them together and pulled Brooke down. The tip of his tongue was a razor, cutting up and down on her nipples. The pulses of pleasure were threatening climax. Brooke wanted to tell Ares to slow down, but there was no slowing. His hands slid around to her back and her breasts were in his face, dancing for him.
That’s when Brooke started to come. The orgasm was so intense, it left Brooke frozen and shaking. But Ares was right there, his amazing body thrusting over and over, keeping the climax alive.
Brooke’s hands went up Ares’s shirt even more. She felt ridges that weren’t muscle. Her eyes looked down and with his shirt up, Brooke saw a scar on Ares’s chest. It was a long scar, running from what looked like his left shoulder down to just under his right nipple.
When Brooke looked at Ares again, his teeth were gritted. And he was angry. His hands went to her thighs and squeezed. He sped up again and there was no slowing him. Brooke felt him thick and ready to go. Brooke lifted up on her knees and gave Ares room to fuck her. The sound of his body slamming against her wetness echoed in the room. Brooke reached forward for the headboard on the bed and hung on the best she could.
The wild ride lasted another minute or so before Ares suddenly slowed. He thrust up once, twice, his hands gripping so hard to Brooke’s legs, it hurt. He then pulled back and was out of Brooke’s body. She looked down and saw his beautiful cock throbbing as he started to come. She then lowered her body to his and started to rock up and back, rubbing the bottom of his shaft on her stomach.
Ares groaned and hissed as he came. His hands were at Brooke’s ass and remained there until he was completely finished. He then threw Brooke off him and moved from the bed. He stood up, letting his pants drop. She watched in wild awe as Ares stripped himself naked. He kept his back to her and only looked over his shoulder when he got to the bathroom door.
“I’m showering,” Ares said. “Get in here so I can talk to you. Then we’ll eat.”
“Ares… what was that scar…”
“We’re not fucking talking about a scar,” Ares growled.
He walked into the bathroom and Brooke sat there, alone, trying to catch her breath. She looked down to her messy body and she started to shiver. She touched her chest, tracing a line just like she had felt and seen on Ares’s chest.
What the fuck happened to him?
thirteen.
Ares let the water consume his body. He put his head back and closed his eyes. He soaped himself up and rinsed off. When his fingers touched his chest, he growled. He hated touching the scar. He hated looking at the scar. That was why he always left at least a shirt on when he fucked a woman. Because he hated the reaction and then the questions that came with it.
Now it was even worse that beautiful Brooke had seen it.
It was worse because part of him wanted to tell her. If she wanted to know the truth, then fine. Fuck it. Maybe it would make her smarten up and get the fuck out of the life she was living. Running around with her damn brother in some kind of illegal gambling thing.
The bathroom door opened and shut. Ares looked down and saw his cock throb, just by the sound of Brooke entering the bathroom. That’s how fast she got to him.
“Can you hear me?” Ares asked.
“Yes.”
“What do you know about your brother?”
“Armen? Why?”
“You’re here because of him. He put you in danger. He’s an enemy to his club. Do you not understand that, darling?”
There was no response.
Ares poked his head out of the shower curtain and saw Brooke sitting on the bathroom sink, naked. Her hands gripped the front of the sink and her beautiful breasts just hung there.
She turned her head and looked at Ares. “Are you going to kill me?”
“I don’t want to,” Ares said. “But I need the truth.”
“It started when my parents were murdered. I found them. They were shot to death. A bullet in each of their heads. Right away, Armen grabbed me and told me we had to run. That the men who killed our parents were coming for us. I didn’t know what to do. So I ran with him. We went for a few days and then ran out of money. Armen loved to gamble. He was pretty good at it, but I fear he’s nothing but a cheater. That’s when he started setting up underground gambling events. He’d find places with rich men or crews like you’re in…”
“And what did he do?” Ares asked.
“He let them play and stole what he could. He had a knack to it all. Pitting enemies against each other. Letting things get hot, but never boiling over like what happened here.”
“Back Down Devil doesn’t fuck around in their town,” Ares said. “They are the law.”
“I’m sure Armen knows that now.”
“Well, it’s too late, darling. There are a lot of people who want to kill your brother. Probably you too. This club is included on that long list now. You can’t just run from this.”
“That’s what Armen does. He tells me
we need the cash to stock up on weapons to fight back when they come… they being the people who killed our parents.”
“You believe him? You trust him?”
Brooke swallowed and looked down. “I don’t know. I lost my parents. They were good people. Armen was never a good person. But they were murdered. Armen swore he’d love me and protect me. So I ran with him. And each time I thought we were done or I could find a way out, something happened.”
“He ever hurt you?”
“Do I have to answer that?”
“I think you just did.” Ares made fists as the water continued to pound on his body.
“Yeah, well, this is where I am, Ares. I don’t know where I’m going or what I’m going to do.”
“You’re going to stay with me, darling. I’ll protect you for now. But you have to realize what your brother did. And what’s going to happen to him.”
“So tell me.”
“That bullet hole in my leather cut… that was from him. The first shot… that was from him. The bullet that took out one of the prospects… that was him. He smacked that drink tray out of your hand to create some kind of diversion and allowed all hell to break loose.”
“Armen did all that…?”
“Are you blind or in denial?”
“I don’t know, Ares.”
Ares tore open the shower curtain. Water dripped from his body. “Look at me, Brooke. It’s pretty simple. He killed one of the prospects. He wanted to kill me. He came into Frelen thinking he could sneak in and out and fuck around. That’s not allowed. It won’t be tolerated. I took you from that warehouse because I needed to know the truth. But I also did it because something about your eyes… it made me want to trust you. And I still want to trust you. But you can’t be blind to all this. Your brother is going to die for what he did.”
Silence fell in the bathroom other than the sound of rushing water.
Brooke slowly put her feet to the floor and faced Ares. She was so pretty. Naturally pretty, which was something that just always got to Ares. From her dark eyes, to her full breasts, down to the curves of her hips. She was just something special.
BROKEN ROAD (A Back Down Devil MC Romance Novella) Page 15
