Beyond Redemption: Joker (Serpents MC Las Vegas Book 1)

by Barbara Nolan

“I love you too.” She framed his face with her hands. “I never stopped.”

  Well shit, if he didn’t feel like king of the goddamn universe. He pulled back to look at her face. So pure and honest. He wanted her and only her, and he was about to show her exactly what his love meant.

  Joker blinked in the semi-dark room as the grayish light of dawn crept through the drapes. He stretched and marveled that for the first time in a long while, he didn’t wake up startled, or jerked out of sleep by some terrifying nightmare, just a slow, drowsy beginning to the day. He reached out for Daisy, then groped around the sheets. Realizing the bed was empty, Joker’s heart kicked up as he scanned the room. He jerked upright in bed and listened for the shower or any sign of movement, but the suite was completely silent.

  He was alone.

  “If I remember correctly, you like Cuban coffee.” Daisy entered the bedroom carrying two steaming cups. “One thing about Manhattan, you can get anything at any time of day or night.”

  He stared at her, willing his erratic heartbeat to slow down while he concentrated on keeping his expression blank.

  Daisy placed their cups on the nightstand, then sat on the edge of the bed, silently observing him. “You thought I cut out again, huh?”

  “No,” he said, much too fast and loud.

  “I may have to take back all those things I said to you about running cons because that was the worst cover-up I’ve ever seen.”

  “Whaddya mean, I—”

  She kissed him through a laugh. “Busted.”

  “All right, so for one second I thought maybe—”

  “Shut up and drink your coffee.”

  He pushed himself up on the bed. “I haven’t slept that good since Florida.”

  “I’ve been sleeping on a pullout couch with a bar that hits me square in the back, so I get it.” She handed him his coffee. “And I missed having you in my bed.”

  “I missed a lot of things about you, but most of all I missed us. Having someone to talk to, to be with.” He dragged in a deep breath. “With Desiree, it was about me protecting her, and because of that, I sheltered her from my shit show of a life. I wanted to keep her in this little bubble, so I lied to her about club shit, thinking I was keeping her safe. In the end, I wound up doing the exact opposite. With you, it’s all out there. Of course, I wanna keep you safe too, but you get it, you understand how it works.”

  Joker paused, shocked at his own words, but relieved he could finally talk about Desiree without the searing pain. He’d always take responsibility for her death, but maybe with Daisy’s help, he could finally start healing.

  He pulled her against his chest. “We’re equals,” he whispered into her hair.

  She leaned away from him. “That’s the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me.”

  “Did you forget I also told you I loved you?”

  “The ‘I love yous’ were for both of us, but for you to think of me as your equal is …” Her voice hitched, and he hugged her tight. “I’ve spent a lot of time with men who used me or thought they were smarter than me, so yeah, that’s a pretty big deal.”

  They stayed like that for quite a while. The two of them holding on to each other. Feeling her heartbeat against his chest and burying his head in her hair was all he needed until his stomach started rumbling.

  Daisy laughed, and he glanced at the bedside clock. “I can’t believe it’s noon.”

  “When was the last time you ate?” she asked.

  “Haven’t been hungry ’til now.” He shrugged. “I think you promised me pizza last night.”

  She squirmed away from him, pressed room service on the hotel phone, and ordered a pizza with everything on it, as well as a few assorted sides. She hung up the phone and turned to him. “That’s for starters.” Her fingers traveled over his taut abs. “I need to fatten you up.”

  “You keep doin’ that shit, and I’ll be working that food off as fast as I eat it. Now, tell me about this plan while we wait for the pizza.”

  “It’s much simpler than the Florida plan. All we need is some high-end surveillance equipment, a movie contract, and a Hollywood director to convince Digger that he’s going to be the next Charlie Hunnam in HBO’s version of Sons of Anarchy.”

  “You’re fuckin’ kidding me, right?”

  "If Digger’s ego is anywhere near what you say, then conning him will be very easy. Don’t you know only dishonest people can be conned?”

  “There’s something about that glint in your eyes that terrifies me.”

  “Don’t worry, I’ve already talked to Sheena, Seth and Tobias and they’re all on board.”

  “Really?”

  “They’re not into wearing those pirate costumes either.” She laughed. “Just know that Digger will get what he deserves and the beauty of it is, you never have to be involved.”

  “Sounds too good to be true?”

  “Do you trust me?”

  “The last time you asked me that I ended up having a shootout in a crap motel, nearly eaten by snakes, then got hauled off by fake DEA agents so …”

  Daisy rolled her eyes. “You’re such a drama king.”

  Epilogue

  So yeah, it was the most beautiful place he’d ever been. Joker let the hot sun warm his bare chest. He’d just woken up and would’ve loved a smoke, but he was determined to keep his promise to Daisy and make it stick this time.

  He eyed the infinity pool outside their bedroom, deciding if he should take a dip there, or walk the five hundred feet to the ocean. He hated tough decisions. Yeah right, fuckin’ paradise with a woman he loved and . . .

  “Hey, Dad, I thought I heard you up. I was thinking today we could go parasailing or snorkeling, or maybe check out those slammin’ jet skis.”

  Joker’s gaze raked over his son, and a debilitating pride swept through him. Derek’s lean, lanky tanned body vibrated with the energy of a happy thirteen-year-old. Exactly what Joker had always hoped for the kid, that he’d be happy and carefree. Amazing how many times the word normal jumped into his thoughts, but while that was the regular for most people, it was a luxury for him. And yeah, Derek was calling him Dad now. Best fuckin’ name ever.

  Joker smiled and shot a look over his shoulder into the bedroom. “Daisy’s still sleeping.”

  “Sorry.” Derek lowered his voice. “But what about the jet skis?”

  “Sure, but for now, let’s hit the beach before breakfast.”

  Derek smiled, and again Joker’s heart thudded against his ribs. They’d come a long way in the last month now that it was safe for Derek to live with him again. Expressing their feelings and communicating was new to both of them, but it seemed to be working, and now they were actually doing father and son things.

  Amazing.

  Having traveled much more than Joker, Daisy researched and planned the entire getaway. A little five-room cottage with a modern kitchen, two bedrooms, private infinity pool, and a palm tree lined path to the beach.

  At night, they walked to one of the five-star restaurants at the resort, and during the day, they had access to every water sport imaginable. And Derek was determined to try every one of them.

  Later that afternoon, they relaxed as an ocean breeze wafted over them while they lounged on their private covered daybed, their hands linked.

  “Hard to believe that two months ago we were sweatin’ it out in Miami with a couple of hired guns on our ass. And a few weeks ago we were in Vegas giving that fucker Digger what he deserved.”

  “You have to admit Seth, Tobias, and Sheena really came through for us,” Daisy said.

  Joker would always be grateful to Daisy’s Vegas friends. They did an amazing job conning Digger into thinking he was going to be the next big HBO star.

  “The stupid fucker really fell for it.”

  At first Joker was skeptical, but between Digger’s enormous ego and the amount of coke he ingested daily, luring him out to Vegas to do a screen test was easier than he would’ve ever expected.
>
  “The one who should be in the movies is your friend Cobra.” Daisy waggled her eyebrows.

  Cobra, president of the Serpents MC Las Vegas chapter had also agreed to help them when he found out what had happened to Derek. The LV Serpents might’ve run the largest illegal gambling ring in the West, but women and kids were off limits. Always.

  “I thought you didn’t like pretty boys.” He squeezed her ass until she yelped. “I thought you liked your men a little rough.”

  “Hmmm, you’re exactly how I like them.” She ran her finger over his scarred jaw. “The best part of the whole con was the look on Digger’s face when he realized Cobra’s gun was real.”

  “Fuckin’ priceless.” Joker paused. “I owe Cobra and his boys big time. But the best part is having Derek back with me where he belongs.”

  “He really is great,” Daisy said, as they watched Derek cut through the calm Caribbean water on the rented jet ski.

  She genuinely liked Derek and he seemed to like her too. Daisy would never replace Desiree as his mother, but at least she could be a solid female figure in his life.

  “Sadly, he’s never had this much fun. He’s finally able to act like a kid.”

  She leaned in and kissed his cheek. “And that’s because you’re great with him. You have fun, but you don’t let him forget you’re his father.”

  “I had him young, but I knew I wanted him to respect me.”

  “You’ve given him a lot to respect. The choices you’ve made improved both your lives.” She rolled on top of him and wiggled her hips over his bathing trunks.

  “You know, you keep doin’ shit like that, and it’s gonna be hard for me not to do that public sex thing.”

  “I dare you.”

  “Oh no, you did not just dare me.” Joker pushed her to the side, then jackknifed off the lounger, flipped the canvas flap down and knelt over her.

  “Are you having fun?” She teased.

  Joker’s lips twisted into a sexy grin. “Outdoor sex in our private cabana with a sexy woman I love. Yeah, I’m feeling fan-fuckin-tastic.”

  He pushed down his trunks, and the best part of him sprung to life. He lowered his body, and when she stroked him, he growled into her neck.

  “Should we be worried about Derek coming back?”

  “Hell no, he’s got another half hour on that jet ski.” Joker devoured her mouth. “More than enough time.”

  She raised her hips and a flame of desire washed over her, releasing her from the inside out. Hoping and wishing this would never end, Daisy let the sensations take her.

  Joker collapsed against the lounger. “Shit, woman.”

  Daisy feathered his pecs with butterfly kisses. “I’m thinking outdoor sex is my new favorite thing.”

  “Outdoor, indoor … Sex with you is fuckin’ great anywhere.”

  They lay contented for a few more minutes until Joker rolled to his side. “Unfortunately, we have to go back.”

  “As long as I go back with you, it’s all good.” He shifted closer to her on the double lounger. “Then, we start our new life.”

  "About that. What will our new life be like?”

  “I can’t go back to the motorcycle shop owned by the club in New York, but I’d like to open up another one. I loved working on the bikes, customizing them, making them hum.”

  “Would you consider opening one in Vegas?” She couldn't read his blank expression so she forged on. “No more cold winters.”

  “Riding your bike twelve months a year,” she enticed.

  He hauled her on top of him. “Sounds pretty close to perfect.”

  “This is perfect.” Daisy hugged him to her. “I love you and never want to be without you.”

  “Right back atcha, babe.”

  Want to meet Cobra and the Las Vegas Serpents, plus find out all the details of exactly how the con went down? Then you’ll want to read “Redeemed” in the Call My Bluff anthology, and look for Beyond Remorse, the second book in the Serpents MC Series.

  Also By Barbara Nolan

  And please check out my Paradise Series. Each book can stand alone, but the club Beyond Paradise connects each character in its own way.

  Beyond Paradise

  Dangerous Paradise

  The Paradise Series is a thrill ride through Manhattan’s nightlife with sexy club owners Jonny, Eddie, as they fight to keep Beyond Paradise legit in a world of deceit and secrets that overshadow the glamor of New York after dark.

  Beyond Paradise Teaser

  Cheryl Benson loved drunks. They made her job so easy. Approach the target, capture their attention, and make the grab. But grab was such a harsh word. To her, it came second nature, like brushing her teeth or combing her hair. A choreographed routine she performed nightly at the Oasis, a dive bar wedged between decaying, abandoned warehouses and tumbledown tenements at the end of a Brooklyn pier.

  At twenty-three, her level of expertise assured the mark never realized their valuables were missing. The thrill of the theft was her addiction, but lately, she’d been restless. The conscience she thought deserted her returned at the most unexpected times.

  She wound her way through the maze of tables that choked the smoke-filled room. Even the state of New York didn’t care if these people puffed their brains out.

  “Here you go, gentlemen.” Cheryl laid their change down and leaned in to make sure her blond hair teased her best assets straining against her flimsy tank top.

  Her gaze lingered on each of the three eager faces, but she’d already selected her target.

  Be attentive to the loudest one in the group while fleecing the other two. Guys like them were easy, although the usual adrenaline rush left her nauseous. She walked toward Nicky, slumped at his usual perch at the far end of the bar. His only concern was whether or not the results would pay off the long list of bookies he held at bay, but he wasn’t to blame. Her life of crime began way before Nicky.

  “How’d we do?” Nicky asked.

  He used the word we without hesitation, yet she assumed all the risks. Such a shame, because Nicky had been fast, sharp and quite charismatic when he’d swept her off the streets four years ago.

  Freedom.

  She forfeited that for a warm room, regular meals, and the option to keep her clothes on. She’d readily given up stripping in some of Brooklyn’s seediest clubs to run cons with him, but what started off as a way to survive morphed into a bad habit she desperately wanted to break.

  She unzipped the secret pocket at the waist of her pleather skirt and handed the money over to him, then tugged on her micro mini.

  “We did good.” She shifted to relieve the pressure of the five-inch stilettos holding her feet prisoner.

  “Not as much as usual.” He fanned through the money, then tapped her cheek with the wad of bills. “Especially after Sal gets his cut.”

  She always kicked back some for herself first, which she hid in a tampon box under the bathroom sink of their apartment over the bar. Let Nicky worry about Sal, the chain-smoking owner of the Oasis. He sounded three breaths away from having a heart attack anyway.

  “Slow night.” She took a half step back so the tension in her body wouldn’t give away the backpack she’d packed earlier and stashed in the rear of their closet. Tonight she’d make her escape out of the life, and take her brother, Dylan with her. Getting him off the Brooklyn streets became her main focus, because the little boy who once adored her grew and found new heroes on the street who offered swag and power.

  “What’s with you?” Nicky leaned in to kiss her, and she pulled away. “Are you still thinking about that guy last night?”

  “He had his kids’ pictures in his wallet.” Her stomach clenched with the latest waves of regret. “Maybe he needed the money for them.”

  “He would’ve drank it all away.” Nicky shrugged off her concern. “We did him a favor. Instead of stumbling home drunk off his ass, he probably went home early.”

  She’d once believed Nicky’s every word. H
is smoldering good looks, schemes, and promises had captivated her. Made her feel like she mattered. Now, he was just another raggedy-jeaned hood who sniffed and twitched from too much coke.

  But tonight, her dream of a life without Nicky could come true. A life where she didn’t go to bed at three in the morning and wake up after noon. A nine-to-five life. A straight life. A life with more daylight.

  “Fuck.” Nicky stared over her shoulder.

  She followed his gaze to a guy who could’ve rocked a GQ cover. She tried unsuccessfully not to gawk, snared by six-plus feet of yummy male wrapped in a black designer button-down shirt and slacks that could probably pay the rent on her room upstairs. Long, lean muscles rolled with every deliberate step. Dark hair cut to perfection and even darker eyes squinted against the smoke-filled room.

  “Hey, Jonny,” Nicky said. “Can I get you a drink?” He snapped his fingers for the bartender, but Jonny remained serious, a grim twist to his lips.

  She shivered anticipating the danger that swirled around him. His quick once-over cut through her and her muscles tensed with all kinds of red flags.

  “You know why I’m here.” His voice sounded bored, but its rough rumble sent a jolt straight to her toes.

  Read more about Jonny and Cheryl in Beyond Paradise.

  About the Author

  Barbara has written for most of her life and became serious about her craft over the last few years. She loves her emotional, passionate alpha males and the women who tame them. Her writing is sexy, spicy and seductive, and her goal is to have fun while taking the reader away from their world and into hers.

  She is proud of this second act in her life and loves meeting and getting to know her readers, fans, and all the wonderful people in the writing community.