BROKEN ROAD (A Back Down Devil MC Romance Novella)

by Casey, London

  “Okay,” Brooke said. “What happens to me?”

  “You cooperate, life is good. I’ll protect you and the club will set you up with something. We’re not here to kill unless it’s deserved.”

  Brooke nodded. “Okay.”

  “There’s one more thing though. I need you to hear it from me.”

  Brooke’s eyes locked to Ares’s. She nodded again.

  “It’s my job,” Ares said. “I’m the one who’s going to do it. I’m going to kill your brother.”

  There was more silence. Brooke didn’t blink. She just stared. Rightfully so, Ares figured. Brooke seemed innocent enough in all this mess that it would take a little for a statement like that to sink in.

  “You understand that?” Ares asked.

  “Yes,” Brooke whispered.

  “I need you to help me,” Ares said. “You need to realize how bad of a guy your brother is. If you can’t handle it, then I’ll offer you something. One time.”

  “What?”

  “An escape. I’ll get you out of the clubhouse and to safety. If the club ever finds out, they’d kill me. And if you dare to run to your brother, the club - including me - will have no choice but to kill you too.”

  More silence. Brooke slowly hugged herself, covering her breasts. She turned her head, but just before doing so, Ares saw the glistening in her eyes. She was going to fucking cry. Just what Ares needed right now.

  “So,” Ares finally said, “what do you want to do?”

  Brooke looked at Ares. A stray tear left her eye. “I want to come into the shower with you.” She slowly walked forward. The heat was rising and it wasn’t just the steamy water. Once close enough to Ares, Brooke reached out and touched the scar on his chest. She ran it beginning to end. “And I want to know what this is.”

  “It’s a scar, darling,” Ares said.

  “I want to know why.”

  “That’s a hefty demand for a woman in danger.”

  “I guess I take risks after all,” Brooke whispered.

  Her finger moved back up Ares’s scar and her free hand came forward and touched him.

  Beauty and sex were a deadly combination.

  Ares put a hand to the small of Brooke’s back and pulled her into the hot water.

  fourteen.

  The kiss was hot. The water poured over Brooke’s face as she kissed Ares with as much passion as he offered her. Their tongues battled for space and the water rushed in and out of their mouths. Brooke’s hand gripped tight to Ares and she hated herself the second she opened her hand. She put both hands to Ares’s chest and pushed gently.

  Ares broke the kiss and then held Brooke by her waist. He pulled her close and she felt his growing erection between her legs. He was so thick and perfect.

  “Tell me,” Brooke said.

  “Why does it matter?” Ares asked.

  “Because you don’t belong like the others.”

  “Oh yeah?”

  “The other guys are big and tough, like you. You command with your voice like they do. The second I saw you in the warehouse I knew you were different. The other two you were with were smaller, afraid. There’s a difference.”

  “So you’re saying I shouldn’t be a prospect?”

  “If that’s what you are now, then no. You should be making the decisions…”

  “Maybe I did, darling. I’m the one who is going to kill Armen. Can you live with that?”

  Brooke shook her head. “Probably not. How can I stop you?”

  “You can’t,” Ares said. “Bad men get early graves.”

  “If you murder Armen, won’t that make you bad too?”

  “I am bad,” Ares said. “I’m just good at dodging my grave. For now.”

  “Is that what this scar is? Another close call?”

  Ares ran a wet hand up Brooke’s body. He moved over her breast and then to her neck. He leaned close, his lips just inches from hers. Brooke was soaking wet. She quivered with need.

  “It was punishment,” Ares whispered.

  “For what?”

  “I used to be in another club. Patched in. Sat at the table. Drank, smoked, fucked. Did what I wanted when I wanted. Had the respect of a lot of men and the panties of a lot more women.”

  “What happened?”

  “I let my emotions win a small battle. And that created a bigger war. One I’m still fighting.”

  Ares let Brooke go and backed up. He turned and faced the wall. He made fists and put them to the tile. The cuts of muscles were almost as impressive as the sight of Ares’s cock just hanging there.

  “Ares, please,” Brooke said. “I’m supposed to stand here and accept that you’re going to kill my brother. And I’m supposed to trust you. How can I…”

  “I don’t give a fuck if you trust me,” Ares growled. “I took you from danger and gave you a warm bed. You were lucky to get that. Now you’re an asset to the club and me. That means you’re going to help us find Armen.”

  “Fuck you then,” Brooke said. “I’ll take your other offer and leave.”

  “Too late,” Ares said.

  “Fuck you.”

  Brooke tore open the curtain and grabbed a towel. She hurried to wrap it around her body and fled the bathroom.

  Kill Armen?

  It didn’t register in her mind or body yet. Armen was the only person she had known since her parents were killed. He had been the one to run, to teach Brooke how to run. They were always on the run, waiting for the fight and revenge on the person - or people - who killed their parents.

  Now Ares and Back Down Devil wanted to kill him.

  He’s a bad person… you know that…

  Brooke shut her eyes and shivered. Of course Armen was a bad guy. He had always been bad. Not tough bad, like Ares. But weak bad. The kind of man that was a weasel and manipulated people into getting what he wanted.

  Brooke crouched down and grabbed her bag. She started to dig for clothes when a voice spoke behind her.

  “I let one of my brothers die.”

  Brooke turned her head. Ares stood a foot away, a towel around his waist. His muscles looked like they went for miles.

  “Now stand the fuck up and listen to me,” Ares said.

  Slowly, Brooke stood. She stared into his eyes, daring herself not to start falling for him. Because that nonsense had started last night. And that was simply insane to imagine. But it was happening.

  “He sat across from me at the table,” Ares said. “He was a shady asshole and I’m pretty sure a lot of us wanted to kill him. But we couldn’t. He was patched in. He was a brother. And he was loyal to the club. I had a girlfriend at the time. Skinny little thing with fake tits. Opposite of you, and that’s fine with me. I wish I never met her after what happened. She wanted money and cock. Her two favorites. Being with me meant just one cock. And when she started using, she tossed all her money into a black hole of addiction. That’s when it got bad.” Ares turned his head and looked at Brooke. “The club was in a war. Brutal and bloody. When she came to me for money, I cut her off. Honestly, I had nothing. The entire club got together and put all their money into guns.”

  Brooke reached out and touched Ares’s big shoulder. “Tell me everything, Ares.”

  “She told me she fucked someone in the club. Someone at the table. Someone on the fucking table. And I was dumb enough to believe it. Under different circumstances I wouldn’t have believed it, but my head was a mess. And Buzz was an asshole. He would fuck anything with two legs. Probably as twisted as Blaine. Except Buzz was a dark man. And I fucking believed it.”

  “Did you kill him?”

  “No. Well, yes. It ended up he and I in a room together. We were leading some other guys to a roof where our men were waiting to light them up. I hesitated, on purpose, and the men came into the room we were in. We were supposed to be moving, but I held up. He was screaming at me. Christ, I’ll never forget the sound of Buzz’s voice. He looked at me and for the first time ever I saw fear in his eyes. Th
e door busted open and I dove out the window. Buzz was shot over and over. Left for dead.”

  Brooke moved closer to Ares. She wasn’t going to judge him. Not for his past decisions.

  “I found out later that Buzz never did anything to betray me. I let my damn emotions get in the way and get the best of me. I could have talked to him about things. We could have finished off the other crew and then fought each other. Man to man. Nose to nose. But I didn’t allow that to happen. That’s why the club kicked me out.”

  “What does that have to do with the scar?” Brooke asked.

  Ares faced Brooke now. He touched the scar. “This? This was a going away present. They sliced me open, took my patches, and then left me with my t-shirt and a bag of clothes. They blindfolded me and drove me to a hospital and dumped me. I got fixed up and was gone. A wanderer because of my actions.”

  “Did you tell them what happened? Didn’t they listen?”

  “That’s not how this life works, darling,” Ares said. He touched her cheek. “It’s a different kind of justice in a clubhouse. There’s no such thing as a judge and jury. There’s action, reaction, and more action. Revenge is not always right, but it never feels wrong.”

  “So killing makes other killing okay… or something…”

  “Yeah, something,” Ares said. “I deserved my punishment. I should have been killed. They spared me because I didn’t actually kill Buzz. I just took off. I admitted it, but they wouldn't kill me.”

  “You wanted them to kill you?”

  “Maybe I did… maybe I still wait for it… maybe that’s why I won’t patch in here…”

  “That’s why you want to kill Armen?” Brooke asked.

  “It’s not about want, darling,” Ares said. “It’s about what needs to be done. I’m only sorry because of the way you’re looking at me right now. But I’m not sorry for what needs to be done. Each man - and woman - takes their own path. All paths lead to a grave, it’s the time in between that which matter. Your brother’s is coming to an end.”

  Brooke found herself moving closer to Ares again. So close that they ended up hugging each other. Brooke’s hands touched Ares’s hard, muscular back. He put a hand to her back and the other to her hair.

  “There’s one more thing I need,” Ares said.

  “What?”

  “I need to know where he is. I need you to find him. I need to do this soon.”

  Brooke didn’t respond to that. Instead, she said, “Take me to bed, Ares.”

  fifteen.

  They were at the pool table again. Miller, Gaige, Nate, and Blaine. Ares stood next to Gaige and looked around the table. It could work to be patched in. Hell, maybe even at a table. Saying his peace. Throwing around his votes. Making an impact.

  Ares closed his eyes for a second and shook that bullshit away.

  He was better off on the street, working through Frelen, protecting the club.

  “What do we have?” Gaige asked.

  “He’s local,” Miller said. “Chief Jerry has his eyes open and is trying to pull his guys away from what happened. The problem is that Armen’s other enemies are working their way into Frelen. A lot of people want him.”

  “Has he run?” Blaine asked. “That would be the most logical thing to do.”

  “He doesn't have everything he wants,” Nate said. “We have his sister.”

  “Ares has his sister,” Miller said. Miller looked at Ares. “What did you get out of her?”

  “Got a cellphone,” Ares said. “She’s been trying to get a hold of him. He’s not replying just yet.”

  “The second he does, get that phone to Griffin,” Miller said. “Maybe he can track the messages or something.”

  “Okay, so let’s stay in Frelen,” Gaige said. “What’s the plan? Where could he be? Where would he hide?”

  “He’s not from around here,” Blaine said. “Could be in any of the warehouses out there, right?”

  “Christ, that would take days,” Nate said. “And if we got close and he knew it, he’d move. He’s not going to hang out long. He’s going to get hungry. He’s going to get nervous.”

  “Think he’d leave Brooke?” Blaine asked, looking right at Ares.

  “He used her to start that shootout,” Ares said. “He forces her in these situations over and over. He uses her. I think he’d bail on her. If he wants her, he has to come through here.”

  “Ares, why don’t you hit the streets with Brooke?” Miller asked. “Just ride around. Let Brooke search her mind. Let her really think about what she wants to do in all this. There has to be more she can do.”

  “If someone else picks up Armen before we do…,” Gaige said and shook his head.

  “I don’t want to think about that,” Miller said. “Let’s split up now and start searching. Make some phone calls. Call in some owed favors. This asshole is in town. He’s lingering. He’s hiding. He knows we have power, but I want to show him how much.”

  “Think one of the other clubs is hiding him?” Nate asked.

  “I don’t know,” Ares said. “Coast Road and Eight Under were shot at too. If Armen went to one of them and tried to push the night on us… maybe.”

  “That’s where Gaige and I will travel,” Miller said. “We have enough of a war brewing in all this already. Don’t need to push everything over just yet.”

  “Fair enough,” Gaige said.

  Everyone started to move from the pool table. Miller shot an arm out and grabbed Ares. He nodded. “Stay put for a second.”

  “What’s wrong?”

  “I have more for you. Wanted to tell you this one on one.”

  “Okay.”

  “I want you to want this one,” Miller said. “I want you to do what you do best and find that fire again.”

  “It’s there. Just because I don’t wear a patch doesn’t mean it’s not there.”

  “I know that, brother,” Miller said. “But you have to wear the patch. Or it’s all going to hell.”

  “What do you have for me, Miller?”

  “Armen is a very bad person,” Miller said.

  “I figured that out.”

  “No. I’m talking bad. His parents were murdered.”

  “I know. Brooke told me. She said they run because the people who killed their parents are coming to get them. That’s why he does the gambling thing. To save up cash and get ready for a fight.”

  “Poor woman,” Miller said. “That’s not the case at all. Armen was in debt with a few people. He needed cash. He went to his parents and they wouldn’t give it up. Armen killed them. He shot his own damn parents and robbed their safe. How do I know this?”

  “How?” Ares asked through gritted teeth.

  “Chief Jerry dug into the reports and made some phone calls. Forensics painted the picture pretty easily. He freaked the fuck out and killed his own parents. Then he took Brooke and hit the road. Lying to her. Dragging her along. Putting her in these situations.”

  “Is it safe for me to take her out there then?” Ares asked. “Are we better off leaving her here? Let us deal with Armen and then come back… and deal with her…”

  Miller put a hand to Ares’s shoulder. “What do you want to do with her?”

  “It’s been pretty clear she’s going to be sent away and set up, right?”

  “Nothing is ever etched in stone, Ares.”

  “I’m not thinking about that right now,” Ares said. “We have to kill Armen first.”

  “Then get the information,” Miller said. “Do whatever you want with what I just told you.”

  Miller walked away and Ares stood at the pool table. He grabbed the edge of the table and looked around the clubhouse. It was alive for another day. The guys at the table had their own shit to settle. The prospects were hard at work, doing everything the patched in guys wanted done. And then there was Ares. Somewhere stuck in the middle of it all.

  He pushed from the table and walked to the bedroom. He opened the door and Brooke spun around, her cel
lphone in her hand. She looked at Ares and her face was white, full of fear. Her hands shaking.

  “What is it?” Ares asked.

  “Armen finally texted me. He’s in town. He’s hiding.”

  Ares shut the door and ran to Brooke. She quickly put the cellphone behind her back and shook her head. “You can’t hurt him, Ares. You can’t kill him. Just let him run.”

  Ares stopped and made fists. “What did you just say?”

  “Just let him run. Let him go. He’s scared. He’s confused.”

  “He’s fucking lying to you,” Ares growled. “He’s trying to use you, again. Can’t you see that?”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “Where is he?”

  “He didn’t say.”

  “Give me the phone.”

  “Ares…”

  “I’m not playing fucking games,” Ares said. “Give me the fucking phone, Brooke. Right now.”

  “If I don’t? Are you going to kill me?”

  Ares stepped closer to Brooke. He looked down at Brooke. “Do you really want to do this? Do you really want to tempt this? Do you really want to…”

  Don’t tell her. Give the truth later…

  Ares stepped back and turned around. He wanted to tell Brooke the truth but he feared what would happen then. He wanted to make this right with the club and somehow he wanted to make it all right with Brooke. That was impossible though. She would need the truth.

  It took Ares back to when he made an emotional decision in his life. When Buzz was left to be killed. That was the biggest changing point of his life, it seemed until now. Ares looked over his shoulder and saw tears in Brooke’s eyes.

  “I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I don’t know what to do.”

  “Just give me the fucking phone,” Ares said. “I don’t want you hurt.”

  “I already am. I’m lost here, with you. I’m trying to understand everything.”

  Ares closed his eyes and turned back around. “I have something to tell you. You have to hear me. You have to believe me. And if you need proof after what I say… I can get it.”

  Ares approached Brooke again and he touched her arms. He would get the cellphone in a few minutes. First, the truth. Even if it sent her over the edge. Even if she didn’t believe him. Even if she ran to her brother and ended up getting herself killed.