Eli (Devil's Flame MC Book 3)

by Romi Hart

  “What are you thinking?” Carly asked immediately.

  “Well, yoga ribbons. Time to tie off a new adventure and get rid of some self-doubt. Seems to be a necessary step to all of our success. Zen is a state of being. We want to be in that state with absolute serenity. Sometimes that means taking chances and pushing ourselves beyond our usual comfort zones,” Rory explained, noting how true that was.

  “Oh, wow! Can we really progress onto that level yet?” Laney busted out loud.

  “Well, I’m not sure about that yet. How about we take a vote?” Rory asked, grinning widely.

  “Seems like a plan,” Laney muttered, rising as she approached Rory, “I can collect the votes. You have a vessel?” she asked. Rory nodded and turned behind her to produce a small wicker basket.

  “Will this work?” she asked. Laney nodded and winked.

  “And now, paper and pen,” she stated. Rory chuckled. These were the reasons why she loved Carly and Laney so much. They were both eager to help in any way possible, which was the one thing they shared in common that Rory valued most.

  * * *

  Aurora found herself walking through the gym parking lot with a lot on her mind. Most of her students seemed really enthused by the idea of adding the ribbons for yoga to their routine, but she still needed to discuss it with the director of the center. There were a million variables to consider with it, especially liability and insurance, but the plus side was it gave her something positive to focus on working toward.

  Other than continually obsessing over what Eli’s problem was and why he had so rudely given her the iciest shoulder she had ever felt in her life.

  She still wasn’t giving up on what she wanted most, and her attraction to Eli only seemed to grow stronger with the rejection, as if she felt challenged to show him what a fool he would be to pass someone like her up. And then there was Leigh’s celebration of becoming an old lady, something that Rory knew she couldn’t pass up or miss, not without causing a major rift to form between her and her friend.

  Thunderous booming roared in her ears, and Rory turned around quickly, glancing toward the main highway that ran adjacent to the parking lot as a row of bikers flew by. She quickly inspected the regalia on their leathers and pursed her lips, they were indeed Devil’s Flames riders, but Aurora wasn’t sure she recognized any of them. Then again, the whirl that blew by her might have been impossible for anyone to recognize.

  She sighed as she watched the taillights disappear off the horizon and pined, wishing she could be the one undergoing the famed celebration Leigh was privileged to be a part of. “And life is just one clusterfuck of emotional ups and downs, day in and day out,” she huffed aloud, leaning into her door and turning the key. She lowered herself into the driver’s seat and slammed the door quickly.

  The celebration would have a hand in how she progressed next when it came to pursuing Eli, and she determined to make herself look downright deadly beautiful. She could be badass, and she was about to show all of them. Her eyes rose to the rearview mirror as she looked back in the direction the bikers had flown past and chuckled softly. If Leigh’s perfect and saintly ass could land herself a dangerous and handsome biker, Aurora damn well could, too. And it wouldn’t be just anyone, but one of the Devil’s Flames because the flame of temptation had ignited a spark within Rory, and she had to admit she kind of like it.

  2

  Women were trouble, plain and simple, but only a eunuch could have kept his gaze off Aurora. It was easy to see she had all the right curves in all the best places, but even so, she wasn’t worth the trouble. Eli had enough of a bitch in handling his bike and duties; the last thing he needed was another rough and tumble with some clinger that wanted a good time, or worse — something ‘more’. It was just a big and messy game he didn’t want shit to do with. These days all Eli wanted was to mind his own fucking business and be left in peace, something that he didn’t feel was too damn much to ask for.

  “You didn’t have to be such a cold asshole, Eli,” Zeke muttered, gently dropping his shot glass to the table in front of them. He pulled out a cigarette and brought it to his lips, eyes rising to meet with Eli’s as he spoke.

  “I don’t need a bitch right now, Zeke – or ever for that matter,” Eli mumbled.

  “Dude, she is hotter than Fireball and Red Bull, scorching up the heat, and her eyes were glued to your ass. I don’t think you realize what you’re missing out on,” Zeke muttered, chuckling slightly, “Besides, my girl brought her here to have fun, and you ruined that. You could have at least talked to her like a civil human being.”

  “I’m not a civil human being,” Eli grunted, lifting his shot glass and slamming back his whiskey, allowing the tumbler to slip from his grip with a tinking sound as it hit the table.

  “Oh, please, you’re full of shit. She’s a sweet girl. Stop being such a dick all the time,” Zeke stated as Leigh came traipsing toward the table.

  “Hey, babe,” she muttered, smiling as she glanced at Eli with a light nod, “Can we talk?” she asked. Zeke rolled his eyes over toward Eli and he nodded as he glanced back toward his soon-to-be old lady.

  “Sure, babe. Want to get a drink and go outside?” he asked, nodding toward the rear of the warehouse. Eli leaned back in his chair as the two of them moved into the shadows toward the bar. Lifting his empty glass, he groaned lightly. Why the fuck can’t he just let things be? He wondered, reflecting on Zeke’s words.

  Eli had experienced the whole glorified ride or die mentality of being with someone before, and it had ended with his heart crushed, a feeling he worked hard to numb every second of every day. It was a pain that Zeke didn’t fully grasp, and he certainly didn’t want to go jumping on the first mare to bare her backside his way. A real cowboy knows better, he reminded himself.

  A woman like Rory was unbridled and untamed, and while so many bikers got the rap of loving a round on the wild and crazy, there was a time when being the bitch whisperer got old for anybody. That, and there was a stigma and notoriety that skanks liked to attach to a biker — bike, cock, and balls were really all they cared about. To Eli, that was exactly the aura that the salivating Rory gave him. Zeke had been right about one thing, she had kept her eyes pasted on him like a dog with a bleeding steak dangling just out of reach. And women think they’re the only ones who are objectified? He scoffed.

  He knew Leigh was about to complain to Zeke about his distasteful handling of Rory’s approach when all she wanted to do was talk. The problem was, Eli didn’t want to talk. He never really cared to talk, least of all to engage in idle chit chat with some chick who had a hard-on for motorcycle club members. He likened it to the same feeling musicians must have felt when it came to roadies.

  There was another key difference about Eli, though he could have his pick of the whores who frequented the club. He simply didn’t want any.

  Maybe that’s where I went wrong. He mused, realizing that he had acted pretty dickish to someone he barely knew and that, maybe, he had wrongly judged her. Now feeling at odds within himself, Eli recognized he had done something he himself hated having done to him; judged someone by how they looked rather than who they were.

  “Ah, fuck,” he said, his mind sobering slightly as he sat there, twirling the glass on the table. He’d have to be nicer to her at the old lady celebration, at least out of respect for customs and for Zeke’s big move. It meant that Leigh would now be part of the MC family, and Eli needed to keep himself in check where her friends and family were concerned, by nature of creed and honor, two things that Eli held in high regard. He rose and walked over to the bar, pointing at the Jack Daniels’ Tennessee Honey bottle that sat damn near full on the shelf. Eli had been considering downing the whole thing for a couple days now.

  “You think anybody is ever going to drink that syrup?” he asked, chuckling. The bartender turned back at him and gave a shrug.

  “Not sure, you want her?” he asked, referencing the nearly full bottle, “It’s actuall
y pretty damn good if you ask me, and yeah it’s sweet, but honey does something different for ya than your usual sugar.”

  “Is that your official recommendation?” Eli asked gruffly.

  “Damn straight. You want it or not?” he asked again.

  “I guess give me a double. I doubt a single will do much for me,” Eli said matter-of-factly. The bartender laughed.

  “It ain’t nothing like bitch beer if that’s what you’re thinking.” He poured the liquor into the glass in front of him and pushing it toward Eli. “Drink up.”

  “Right,” Eli said, slamming the drink back. “Ah, damn that shit is hella smooth.” He said it with a surprised expression. He lowered the glass and pushed it toward the bartender, “Hit me with about half that bottle there, if you don’t mind.” The bartender shook his head.

  “Eli, I don’t think you need this glass. Just take the whole bottle,” he offered, pushing it toward him. Eli nodded and reached in his pocket tossing several loose twenties on the counter.

  “Think that ought to do it?” he asked. The bartender nodded and went to the register as Eli lifted the bottle and strode toward a corner booth where the light hardly reached and he might be able to hide in peace. His own little oasis.

  But he had trouble sleeping that night, his mind shifting to the way Zeke had acted when he came back in from talking with Leigh. It was just as he had suspected; he had offended Leigh by being a jerk to Rory. And now, Zeke expected him to find some way to make nice with her during the celebration. He sat in a bunk room down the hall from the office reflecting on their earlier conversation.

  “You know, you really pissed Leigh off. Did you see that Aurora actually left the clubhouse? She was a guest invited to hang out, Eli. You may not be much for conversation, but I’ve never seen you treat a guest like that, completely blowing her off,” he hissed. Eli rolled his eyes.

  “Jesus Christ, you act like I called her a barfly to her face or some shit. There are bigger fish for us to be frying right now,” Eli said flatly.

  “You might as well have. Now, Leigh’s all stressed out about whether Rory will even show up to the commitment ceremony. You have some idea how you can fix it?” Zeke asked, pulling the Tennessee Honey away from Eli’s grip and devouring a health swallow of it.

  “Hey, fucker, I bought that bottle with clean cold hard cash,” Eli protested, reaching for his bottle and tearing it from Zeke’s fingers.

  “Yeah, well, that money goes right back into the club anyway. Besides, I think you may need to slow down a bit. Maybe go take a bunk room tonight?” he asked, eyeing the bottle carefully. By now, it sloshed at the sides about half empty, though granted, Eli’s vision blurred and sloshed much like the bottle.

  “Yeah, well, I think you should keep your paws off this bear’s bottle,” Eli mumbled.

  “Fine, but can you at least make nice with Rory the next time you see her? I mean, cordial conversation. This is practically my wedding, and I will not put up with a bridezilla because of you.”

  “I know that, bro, but I’m not looking to get hitched and shackled any time soon, or ever, for that matter, so why do I have to entertain Aurora and her fucking crush on me?” Eli asked in exasperation. It was like having to put up with a screaming stalker, when all Eli wanted was his own damn space.

  “You don’t, but if you were at all wise, or a red-blooded male you might want to consider what she’s offering,” Zeke joked.

  “You’re never going to stop giving me shit about this, are you?” Eli asked. But even before he asked it, he already knew the answer.

  “Well, when you see a friend with his head in the wrong lane don’t you have a duty to give him a head’s up? I think you’re about to lose out on a great opportunity. And I also don’t want to wind up in the doghouse with Leigh – so can’t you at least humor her for a game of pool or some simple shit?” Zeke asked.

  Eli grunted. “Look what happened to Rafe over a game of pool.” He still couldn’t believe their vice president had ended up sleeping with the enemy, literally, and falling in love.

  But Zeke gave him a warning look, and he held up his hands in surrender. “Fine, if it will get you two off my back.” Eli muttered, lifting the whiskey and polishing off a greedy draw. He smacked his lips loudly and admired the contents of the bottle, barely a quarter of the amber liquid remaining.

  “Well, that’s all I could ask for, bro.” Zeke started to walk off before he glanced back in Eli’s direction, “But, when a fine piece of ass ceases to find you the sole focus of attraction, don’t come crying to me over your mistake.”

  “Yeah, yeah,” Eli groused, walking forward and brushing past him as he stumbled back to the corridor where an empty bunk room awaited him, “I’m going to bed. Leave me the hell alone until well after daylight, will ya?” he asked, pausing just before the corridor entrance. Zeke chuckled and gave a light nod.

  “Yeah, seems like that’s the best solution for you now, bro. Enjoy your bitch-whisk,” he joked.

  “Yeah, and fuck you, too.” Eli lifted the bottle and finished off the remnants of golden fluid, placing it on a corner table as he nodded and turned to swagger down the hallway, knowing he was hammered.

  Eli ran through the conversation over and over, still unsure how he was going to come up with an apology. He wasn’t the sort who was good at such thing, rarely opening his mouth and stepping in shit that required the skill, and to be honest, he didn’t really feel he had done anything to Rory, other than reject her flat out. When had part of the role he played required him to be a wingman?

  Eli gritted his teeth, pulling the pillow over his head in hopes that it would shut out his thoughts. It didn’t, but he forced my eyes closed and sucked in a breath, as sleep finally overtook him.

  He woke with a pounding headache, and while honey had sweetened the drunk the night before, it instantly soured his mood and his stomach this morning.

  “Fuck,” Eli groaned, rolling from the bed and cradling his head between his hands. If he hadn’t known better, he would have thought that someone had shoved a drill into his skull. He wasn’t the kind of man to wake up with a hangover; in fact, he lived on a healthy diet of whiskey nightly. Leave it to the ‘bitch’ liquor to screw up his day. He scoffed and rose from the mattress.

  The bed creaked slightly as his weight lifted from it, and Eli ran his hand through his greasy hair. “Time for the three S’s.” Eli took a deep breath, stepping out into the corridor and looking up and down it. There was a light on in Corey’s office, and Eli wondered if he had already come in for the day, or if like Eli, he was nursing himself back to health after a night full of drinking.

  Eli’s knuckles lightly rapped on the door as he waited.

  “Yeah?” Corey called out, obviously awake in there.

  “Hey, it’s Eli, mind if I come in?” Eli asked, hoping to pick at his friend’s mind a bit.

  “Sure, door’s open,” Corey called through the wood. Eli opened the door gently and peeked inside. Corey sat with his boots up on the desk and his head cradled on his palms, his arms folded behind him as he looked back at Eli, “What’s up?” he asked, casually.

  “Anybody else awake yet?” Eli asked, hoping not to see Zeke this early in the day.

  “Not that I know of. They went on an early morning ride, I think.” Corey mumbled.

  “Zeke and his girl go, too?” Eli asked.

  “Yeah, I think so. Why, you need to talk to him?” he asked.

  “No, I need to avoid him and that girlfriend of his for a while. Last night, I think I kind of pissed Zeke off when I wasn’t interested in Leigh’s friend,” Eli admitted.

  “Why did that piss him off?” Corey asked, arching a brow.

  “Not sure, I think maybe Leigh was hoping to hook a friend up with her man’s friend. You know how chicks think,” Eli muttered.

  “No one knows how chicks think, bro,” Corey chuckled, “, but if you’re not interested I’m not sure why there’s a problem.”

&nb
sp; “Because I was really a coldhearted jackass last night,” Eli stated flatly, rubbing his forehead with finger and thumb.

  “What did you do to her?” he asked, looking like he was ready to start yet another battle to save a woman. It seemed like that had been their business for a while now, between Rafe’s hard on for their most hated rival’s sister and the club everyone wanted to ruin kidnapping Leigh.

  “Completely ignored her ass, like she wasn’t even there. How the hell else was I supposed to let her down nicely?” Eli complained. Corey began chuckling, and shook his head.

  “Damn, well, you did swear off women for good, didn’t you?” Corey asked.

  Eli shrugged and nodded. “Yeah, but I don’t think Rory got the memo. I did what I thought was best, but now, I’ve got Leigh giving me the evil eye and Zeke crawling up my ass to fix it.”

  “Well, just tell her you’re not interested nicely next time? I’m sure she’ll eventually get the point. Or friend zone her.”

  Eli shot him a baleful look. “I don’t do friends, especially with women. It’s too much maintenance. I have the club, and that’s it.”

  Corey sighed. “So, what are you thinking.

  Eli shook his head and sighed. “Not sure, but Zeke has demanded I make nice with her before his old lady celebration, and it looks like I’m going to have to at least humor the chick through that. Honestly, she’s real trouble, Corey. She’s the perfect testament to, ‘if it has tits, gears, or tread, it’s gonna give you trouble.’” Eli stated.

  “That hot, eh?” he remarked, smiling, “I should have been paying more attention. Maybe Zeke is right, and you should make nice with this girl,” Corey winked.

  “Not a chance in hell, Core. I can’t see myself with anyone else ever again. I’ve had my ride or die. Once is enough for me. Love and loss aren’t my kink,” Eli said.