by Annie Buff
SCARS & BARS, THE STORY OF RENEGADE THE DEVIL’S APOSTLES MC IV
Author: Annie Buff Editor: Chris Cain
Dedications:
This book, like everything I write is a labor of love. Each idiot is special to me, but many people went along for the ride of Renegade and I would like to thank them:
First as always is my editor Chris, who builds castles out of the sand I send him. My bestie Joan Marie who loves my books and wants to kill me periodically when I send her bits and parts.
My friend Renee who has those same thoughts when I cliffhanger her bits. My favorite beta reader Jeni Bailey
Yeager(Clancy) for not only giving me advice but for writing my book descriptions.
My family for putting up with me ignoring then so I can write.
To my muses, you’re all very dear to me. Last, but definitely not least my friend, and PA Treena Ross, who makes so much of this possible. I could not do this without her. She’s so much more than an assistant, she’s one of my closet friends. Thank you, T! For everything. I love you girl!
Contents:
1: Scars And Bars
2: Questions
3: The Queen’s Advice
4: Smoke’s New Devil
5: Date Me
6: Trouble To Follow
7: Meeting Royalty
8: Brother Dearest
9: Moonlight Kisses
10: Old Friends, New Partnership
11: The Devil’s Dawgs
12: An Uninvited Dinner Guest
13: Business As Usual
14: Saving The Junior
15: Hatching The Plan
16: The Plan In Motion
17: Blowing Smoke
18: Goodbye And Hello
19: Muerto De Mi Familia
20: The Gang’s All Here
21: On The Prowl
22: Cabin Fever
23: Down The Mountain Road
24: Homecoming
25: The Sting
26: Party Girl An Acknowledgement…
Scars And Bars
Renegade stood in the doorway of Handlebars, his favorite haunt. He was nursing a split lip. He had watched her for months and when one of the regulars made a very inappropriate gesture, he couldn’t help but defend her honor.
She was stunning with her coal black hair and coffee colored eyes. Rennie had stepped in between her and the man who felt the need to grab her ass on the way by. He knew they scared her, she all but avoided them when she came in to pick up her lunch. He knew she worked in the salon at the end of the plaza. Her name was Reagan. He’d asked the bartender the first time he saw her. Rennie knew throwing that guy through the table probably frightened her more, and he needed to apologize. So, he paid his tab and took a walk to the salon down the way.
Reagan Caswell had just gone to get her lunch, nothing more. Before she knew it, some creep had his hand on her butt and the biker she had seen on numerous occasions stepped in and pretty much pummeled the guy. She wasn’t sure if she should be flattered, or terrified. He didn’t look like a mean guy, even with the scar on his face he still seemed okay. She put her food down and went to get a Coke out of the fridge. When she turned back he was in the doorway, Mr. Big Bad Biker.
“ Do you shave?” He asked her with a lopsided grin. Reagan knew her jaw had just hit the floor. He had the bluest eyes she had ever seen… and that grin. In the short sleeved T-Shirt he wore, she saw tattoos. So many that there wasn’t any bare skin, and they extended up to his neck and down to his knuckles. Some looked professionally done, others looked like what her friends called scratch, or jail art. Reagan knew she was staring, it was hard not to. He was sexy as sin, and probably just as dangerous.
“Did you hear me Doll? Do you shave?” She had no idea why he wanted to know if she shaved. She was wearing a skirt and her legs were clearly visible so he knew she did.
The biker rubbed his chin. It had a decent amount of growth on it. “See I’ve been in need of a shave and a haircut, so if you shave I’d be more than happy to give you my business.”
Shit! He meant did she doshaves. Reagan knew she had to be six shades of red. Holy crap, she was absolutely
embarrassed.
“Shaves? No that’s barber stuff. There’s one down the road, I could call and see if he’s still open. They usually close early on Saturday.”
“No Doll, don’t bother calling. It’ll wait. No rush.” She thought that would be all he wanted, she was wrong. “I’m Renegade, you wanna go for a ride?”
Reagan had no plans to go on that man’s bike. She was just trying to survive, make her own way out from under her brother’s thumb; and this hot as sin biker reminded her way too much of him. Even just one ride, and Reagan knew she would fall. He was just that kind of man. She saw it in his eyes, in the way he carried himself.
He was an Alpha, one who most likely had women falling all over him. Reagan wanted a man who would be faithful. She wasn’t sure if this Renegade could ever be that man.
“I can’t, I’m working and my boss would kill me.” She told him, trying to calm down, and release the red from her face.
Ren gave her that lopsided grin again and nodded. “What time do you get off? I’ll be back then. You gotta let me apologize for scaring you earlier. Just a burger? Nothing more, I promise.”
He was hoping to God she wasn’t going to say no, or that she had a boyfriend. He knew there was no husband, she wasn’t wearing a ring. Men tended not to wear them but the women always did.
“ Six, we close at six. I’ll meet you down at Handlebars. But this is just an apology hamburger, not a date. Okay?”
Renegade chuckled, this was
absolutely a date, she just didn’t know that yet. “See you at six Doll.” He said as he strolled out the door back to his bike. Ren needed a shower and a minute of the Queen’s time. He had questions only she could answer.
Reagan had a feeling this was a bad idea from the start. Renegade was probably going to get her killed. Her brother wasn’t a nice man and he never liked anyone she tried to date. Most of them disappeared, never to be heard from again. She hoped this man wouldn’t be one of Raul’s casualties. They shared the same father, but they had nothing else in common. He just wanted to rule her life.
Reagan tried to avoid Raul at all costs, even going as far as staying away from family functions. She caught hell from her Mother for it, but not dealing with her brother was worth any crap her mother could dish out.
Since Handlebars was predominantly a biker bar, she knew her brother wouldn’t be there. She could have this apology hamburger and not worry. Raul wasn’t the kind of man people crossed and lived. She had learned that from a young age. He was ten years older than her and she saw just what followed him, death. So much of it that it often made her wonder how he could sleep at night.
Questions
Renegade headed home. He knew he needed to talk to the Queen, but he had to find his President as well. Things had been way too quiet lately, and that usually meant the shit was going to hit the fan. Smoke had been antsy, he felt it too. Ren found his President in the clubhouse, beer and cigarette in hand.
“Hey Prez, I’ve been thinking…” Ren opened, expecting a laugh but he got just a nod instead.
“Tell me what’s on your mind Ren. The way I know you, I have a feeling it’s important.”
It was important, at least in
Renegade’s mind it was. “We’re short in numbers. We’re still a man or two down. In my mind, we need more than just those. Not enough men leaves us vulnerable for an attack, and hone
stly shits been way too quiet for my liking.”
Smoke had to agree, things had been way too quiet on the home front and that made him nervous. “So, you have some ideas I take it? Yeah we are down, and way too low in numbers for my liking too.” Smoke had thought about this problem in particular since the untimely demise of Knuckles, his former VP.
“ I say we forgive the chore list and hand Jace his patch. He’s a good
Prospect, he’ll make a great Patch. He’s as loyal as they come. He and Slinger are tight, and Rylee loves him like a brother.”
That was true, Jace and Rylee had something only they understood, and it didn’t seem to even faze the Ink Man. Slinger knew his wife only had eyes for him. They had just given birth to a son a few months prior and he was already pestering her for another. Smoke had to laugh, his daughter was going on three and Peyton still hadn’t agreed to another one yet.
“Jace will make a good P atch,” Smoke told him, “I completely agree, but that’s not all. Is it? You have someone else in mind, don’t you?”
Ren nodded, he did. Getting the President to agree on this one was the hard part. “Ajax Prez. Now, before you say no… just hear me out.”
Smoke wasn’t fo nd of Ajax. He was a loose cannon. That wasn’t something he wanted to deal with.
“ He follows orders, for the most part,” Renegade campaigned. “He ain’t stupid, and we could use a cleaner. Only problem I see, is he won’t Prospect. He’ll want to be patched straight in.” This was a tall order, bringing in anyone and handing them a patch was going to be a hard sell.
After spending time recently with Ajax, Smoke had a little more faith in him. But still, he would have to think on this one a while.
“Don’t know if I can get this one past a vote Ren.” Smoke told him honestly, “He’s not the most popular guy in our world. I’ve had a few thoughts of my own. I’ve been thinking I should call Red. What if we joined together, us and the Dawg Pound? Stay two separate clubs, but work as one? Red and I can make decisions together. We’ve known each other for a God damned long time. I think it could work.”
It just might work. Renegade had a feeling the Queen had been buzzing in her Husband’s ear. This sounded just like a Peyton McAllister idea, and he had to laugh. “What’s the Queen say about this?” Ren posed the question, knowing she was the reason Smoke was even considering it.
“Do I really need to answer that one old friend? You know my wife. She’s opinionated and as stubborn as I am.”
Ren understood that, Peyton was the perfect person for his President. Ren had one more suggestion before he went looking for Peyton.
“Mosh still throwing tires?” Ren asked, “He’s big, shoots like a sniper and would Prospect if we offered it, I think. Just an idea, I mean he won’t give you any shit because he rarely speaks.”
That was true enough. B ig Mosh didn’t have much to say. He was more of an action man.
“Food for thought man,” Smoke answered, “I gotta call Red and do some thinking.”
Renegade gave his President a nod and went in search of the Queen, he needed the kind of advice only she could give.
The Queen’s Advice
Renegade found his Queen in her kitchen feeding children. Her daughter Nora, and Micah; Slinger’s son. The two were playmates and Peyton had him most days so his mother could work.
Rylee, Micah’s mother was Slinger’s wife. She was also her husband’s
receptionist at Skin Deep, his tattoo shop. They had a baby boy too. He went to work with his mother, baby Grayson was still nursing.
“Wyatt, you want lunch too? We have tons of peanut butter. Your niece here won’t eat anything else these days.” Little Nora had decided peanut butter was all she wanted and for weeks that’s all she would eat.
“Got a date with Reagan and I need help.” Renegade answered, and Peyton squealed. She made a run to him for a big hug.
“ Oh, my gawd! You finally asked her? Where are you taking her? Geez you need a shower!” She wrinkled her nose at him, she was right though. He did need a shower, he’d stopped at Handlebars for a beer after tuning up his bike and still had the grease on his hands from it.
“ Long story, but I defended her honor. In the process, I scared the shit outta her. She’s letting me buy her a burger as an apology. She said it’s not a date, but it damn well is! I’ve been waiting close to a year for this and I need you. I can’t fuck this up.”
“ Nope, there will be no messing this up Wyatt. So, what do you need from me?” She leveled a knowing gaze at him.
He needed everything from his Queen, including how to make Reagan want to keep seeing him. She was the only thing he had wanted since his divorce three years prior. Her long black hair shined like diamonds and her eyes melted him. He wanted her in a way he didn’t understand. Ren made the assumption it was the way his brothers had felt when they met their ‘ones’.
“I need a shower,” he admitted, “should I shave? Dress shirt, or T-shirt? Queen I have no idea what I’m doing.”
She knew that, Peyton wasn’t about to have him screw this up. It was time for Wyatt to find someone. “Yes, shower is a must but don’t shave. The scruff is all you Wyatt. As for clothes, don’t change what you normally wear. Just don’t put on the ripped ones. Be yourself, she will love you for who you are, or she’s an idiot. You’re a good man Wyatt James, she’ll see.”
That helped him immensely. The last date he had gone on had been with the exwife, so Ren had no clue. He hugged his Queen. Then headed for the clubhouse where he lived, to get himself ready.
Smoke’s New Devil
Smoke found his wife cleaning up after putting the toddlers down for a nap. He came up behind her and hugged her tight.
“You sure you’re not ready for more? Nora needs a brother or sister.” He said as his hands wandered over her breasts.
Peyton quickly swatted him away. They were not having sex in the kitchen. “ Ren came to see me.” Smoke
admitted. “I wanted to run a couple things by you. He’s smart, and his ideas are good. I just need my Wife’s input.” Smoke explained Jace and Ajax, and about asking Red to team up with the Devil’s.
From the smile on her face, he knew she was about to agree. It wasn’t that Smoke didn’t think they were good ideas; he was the brawn, Peyton was the brains.
“Jace will make a perfect P atch, but I think you already knew that. Having Red and his crew in our corner is a smart move, Nero. We do need more numbers, and I like Ajax. He has potential to be a great addition. He just needs some polishing and I am good at that part.”
That she was, now to make some phone calls.
Date Me
Reagan sat in the corner of Handlebars waiting for Renegade. She was still thinking what a bad idea this was. He was exactly the kind of man she needed to avoid. Tall, ruggedly handsome,
dangerous, everything she had sworn to avoid. The epitome of her brother, and Reagan hated Raul with a burning passion. He had made her life miserable and now that he was running the Eighty-eight, the power just made him worse.
He was a sadist, Raul thrived on other people’s misery and pain. Reagan just wanted a normal life, one that included children. But with her brother being who he was, kids were a bad idea. She heard the door chime and when she looked up, she saw Renegade. He looked better than she expected with nice jeans on that hugged his butt and a plain black tee shirt that fit him like a glove, clinging to every muscle he had. This was a losing battle already.
“Hi, did you wait long? It’ s just six so I didn’t think you’d be here already.” He had that lopsided grin again and that was the point of no return for Reagan.
“Not long,” she smiled, “we closed the salon a few minutes early so I came down here instead of going home. I didn’t order you anything, I don’t know what you drink.”
Ren noticed her stirring what looked to be a vodka-cranberry. He was a gin man. He ordered Bombay Sapphire on ice with a splash of tonic and double limes.
Making small talk, he asked Reagan about her job. Remembering his Queen telling him to make her feel important. That’s exactly what he was going to do.
“Have you been a hair person for a while?” He asked her. Reagan laughed at his term. She had never been called a hair person. “It’s Cosmetologist, and yeah for about five years now. It’s not my dream job but it pays the bills.”
Ren never thought about a dream job, his had always been survival. “So, what’s your dream job?”
No one had ever asked her that question. Reagan had never shared her love of books with anyone. The stories were her escape from reality. The ones she’d written down in her notebooks were privileged. Not a soul had ever laid eyes on them, she never told anyone she wrote them.
“ Its private,” she confided to him, “maybe one day; when I’m sure you won’t laugh at me, I can tell you. What is it you do exactly anyway?”
He hated that she felt he would laugh at what she really wanted to do. Someone had done a number on this beautiful woman.
“ Well, I’m the VP of my club. Usually the muscle when, that need arises. Things you probably don’t wanna know about. But I’m a good guy according to the Queen.” He could see the confusion when he said Queen. Renegade forgot that everyone didn’t understand the relationship they all had with Peyton.
“Peyton, she’s my President’s Wife, and the Queen of the Devil’s. You’d like her, she’s bossy and seriously opinionated, but she’s the best friend you’ll ever have. Peyton will go to war for someone she cares about.”
Now that made things much clearer. But from what Reagan understood, women were not highly regarded in the MC world. This was a bit of a shock. “Aren’t women shared in the club? Like passed around and seen and not heard?”
“Hell no! Smoke would put a bullet between the eyes of any man who even thought about touching his Wife. No way. Not in our club anyway. That died off with the old timers. Peyton and Smoke run the club, she’s present at church and they make decisions together. It’s completely unconventional, but it works for us.”
