Payback (Dueling Devils 2)

Previously in this series….

Dual Desires

The sound of boots coming down the stairs made her tense. She wrapped her arm around Rocket’s shoulder and pressed Harley’s head to her chest. “Remember guys, they can’t get in, okay? We’ll be as quiet as we can and when they get tired of that, they’ll go away.” Ardy prayed the Dueling Devils would get here soon. They were no more than ten minutes away, but time seemed to be moving as slow as freshly tapped molasses.

“Come out, bitch. I know you’re there! You make this easy and we won’t mark up that pretty face.”

Harley whimpered.

“Shhh, baby, quiet.” Ardy rocked back her and forth. Rocket burrowed his face against her side. The sound of things crashing against the wall made her flinch.

“Where are they? We didn’t see anyone leave,” a muffled voice said.

“Maybe they ran next door from the backyard,” another man said.

“We don’t have time for this. Their boys are on the way.”

“If we go back empty-handed, Pres. is going to hurt us.”

“Better him than the Dueling Devils.” They rummaged through the basement for a few more minutes, then plodded back up the stairs. Ardy took a deep breath and her muscles relaxed.

“We’re going to be okay, guys. Your dad will be here soon.” Crew or not, nothing short of Demon himself would coax her out of here.

~* * *~

“What the fuck is going on in my house?” Demon jumped from his seat. “I need to leave, now.” He stalked toward the door, leaving the others behind.

“Whoa, what the hell?” Lefty jumped out of the chair.

“You need to finish this up for me. Ardy called, Natasha showed up at the house and then motorcycles came up.”

“Fuck, is she okay?”

“Yeah, they’re in the panic room, but I told them not to come out until I got there. Call the boys, then finish this drop. My family needs me.” He wanted to call, but he didn’t for fear he might alert them. His finger flew over the keys.

Did you make it to the room?

Hours seemed to crawl by. His phone vibrated.

Yes.

“Understood, brother. I got this covered.” Lefty patted his shoulder.

Demon nodded and continued his flight from the building like he was on fire. He hopped onto his bike and placed his keys in the ignition. She roared to life and he pulled out of the parking lot with his heart in his throat. The three people in that room owned his heart. If anything happened to them, he’d lose it.

As it was, the bastards declared war. He wouldn’t stop till their blood turned the ground red and their numbers were too low to continue. When they had to disband or start over, he’d make a deal with the dumb fucks left who’d seen what he was capable of. Either way, their president, Louis had to go. He’d tried the truce with him when he’d discovered the truth about Natasha, the mother of his kids to keep the peace and wrangle an agreement to keep her away for good. When Louis broke that by coming to his house feeling froggy, he’d voided the contract and put his neck on the chopping block.

The ride did nothing to soothe his nerves. Every mile the black tires ate up filled him with dread. By the time he pulled onto his street, familiar motorcycles had lined the driveway. He parked haphazardly at the end of the drive and jogged through the broken front door.

A biker named Sleepy stepped forward. “We looked everywhere for them, but it’s like they disappeared into thin air.”

“It’s okay. I know where they are. Bring everyone top side,” Demon ordered. The only people who knew about his room were Lefty and the out of town contractors he brought in to do the job. He didn’t want it spread around…it would defeat the purpose. He pulled his phone out of his pocket.

I’m coming down.

He shoved the phone back into his pocket.

“Look, I appreciate you coming out as fast as you did. I’ll handle the rest. We got a war coming. Go back to the clubhouse, prepare and wait for my word. You feel me?”

An echo of yes filled the room and they trudged out obediently.

Ever since Natasha, he’d been paranoid. It was time they did a clean sweep of the club, tested loyalties and did some digging into their whereabouts recently. He wanted to tighten the ranks, increase security, then take out the garbage.

Alone in the living room with a doctored door he would have to replace later, he hurried down the stairs of the basement. He knocked on the wood. “Guys, it’s me.”

“D!”

Ardy’s wavering voice made his guts ache. He ripped the panel off, resting it against the wall.

The door swung open and he pulled her into his arms, pressing his lips to hers as he claimed her mouth, plundering it like a pirate looting a ship. They broke apart for air and he scanned the area. Harley lay beside her brother on the cot, mouth open.

Probably worn out by all the insanity.

Demon clutched Ardy’s thick locks. “You’re mine, Ardy. We’ve been dancing around our emotions long enough. If anything had happened to you, I would have torn this place apart, brick by brick.” He growled. “That kind of emotion doesn’t just happen every day. I see how you look at me. I know it’s mutual.”

“D, but what about—?”

“I don’t give a damn about the logistics. You aren’t going anywhere. Your place is here.” Their gazes locked.

She opened and closed her mouth. “But—my family.”

“What about them, Ardy? You can’t put your life on hold forever for them. They’re all grown, or close enough to it. Their debt is wiped out. They can handle it from here.” He nipped her full bottom lip.

She whimpered.

“Unless you don’t want this?” He pulled back.