Payback (Dueling Devils) Read online

  “Shut up.” Her accent thickened.

  He grinned. “Can you talk, Irish?”

  “What? Irish isn’t a language,” she snickered. “And yes, I can speak some Gaelic.”

  “Come here.” He wrapped his hand around her neck, underneath the heavy curtain of her hair he’d come to love. Leaning in, he whispered in her ear, “Lay a suggestive phrase on me.”

  She giggled. “What do you want me to say?”

  “Anything you want, baby.” He kept massaging her neck.

  “Alright then.” She rose on her tiptoes and whispered a few lyrical sounding words in his ear.

  His muscles contracted and he shuddered. “Yes to everything you just said.”

  She laughed. “You don’t even know what I said.”

  “I’m good at reading between the lines.” He winked. “Give me.” He tapped his lips and she moved closer. Their mouths met and clung as he poured every ounce of emotion he held in his chest for her. With the way things were shaping up, this might be all the last moment they had together. The thought made him increase his efforts.

  Arty moaned and wrapped her arms around his neck, resting her weight against him.

  They parted and he nipped at her bottom lip, breathing heavily. “Don’t forget who makes your knees weak.”

  She gripped his cut. “Impossible, when you’re in every other thought.”

  “Only every other? I better work on that.” He winked.

  She slid her hands down, releasing him. “Be safe?”

  “Always. I’ll call you when I can.” He stepped back and walked away without looking back, tucking her in the back of his head as he donned his President persona. There was no room for kisses and cuddly thoughts now. He had an asshole to kill and traitors to bring down.

  An hour later, he walked into the clubhouse and all eyes turned to him. “What the fuck you got for me? The time is ticking down gentleman.”

  Hack stood up. “Last I could tell they were living about two hours away in the city of Rolly. They set up a club and shit was good. Well…in their minds. They were into all kinds of shit, flesh peddling, gun trading and drugs.” He shook his head. “The exact opposite of what Dueling Devils stands for.”

  “So, why the fuck did they migrate?”

  “I’m not sure what happened. Reef got killed, the club got shaken down and shit went quiet. They must’ve crossed the wrong person.” Hack shrugged.

  “So, this fucker wants to reclaim a crown that he thinks should’ve been his.” Demon shook his head. “Any word on why they’re moving now?”

  “Because the sky is blue? This dude is fucking nuttier than a jar of peanut butter. He’s got a rap sheet as long as am I tall. The dude just goes into berserker rages unprovoked. Most of the people in the reports never even saw it coming. The dude took offense to something they may or may not have done and unleashed,” Hawk paused. “I don’t think he’s right in the head, Pres.”

  “Well, no shit, we knew that,” Demon said.

  “No…Reef wasn’t very nice after the break, according to what I read. He fucked him up, probably bred him to hate you. Way I hear it, no matter how much territory they claimed, or how much money they made, it never compared to Dueling Devils. They had members going Nomad left and right before shit went dark for them.”

  “You think it was an inside job?” Demon guessed.

  “Very likely. You treat people like shit long enough, they’re going to rise up and revolt on you.”

  “And his son was probably leading the group with a fucking torch in his hand.” Demon scowled in disgust. “The shit just keeps getting more fucked up at every turn. We got anything on him that’s going to be useful?”

  “Actually…yes. He bought a warehouse a few months ago I think we should check out.”

  “After we create a little diversion.” Demon grinned.

  “You got an idea.” Lefty said. “And judging from the serious case of crazy eyes you’re rocking, it’s likely to get us all killed.”

  “No, I’m saving those for the battle.”

  “Fucking fantastic,” Lefty said laughing. “What you got?”

  “They wanted to start a war and run back like little bitches. Let’s call them out. We cocktail their ass and while they’re scrambling to put out fires and try to figure out what the fuck is going on…another team checks out the warehouses. I want to know what the fuck he’s sitting on.”

  “You planning on this in broad day light?” Lefty asked skeptically.

  “I’m bold, not stupid. I figure it’ll take us that long to get set up. Let’s get the blue prints for the warehouse, so we have the layout. I want to be in and out. Strider, go gather some cocktail makings and figure out who you’ll be taking with you.”

  “Yes, Pres,” Strider answered and walked to the bar. “Rusty, Sphinx, come with me.”

  The club filled with motion as Demon continued to give orders and they pulled together to execute the new plan.

  Demon crouched in the back of the rusted out wreck they’d procured. He’d wanted to be at the ware house, but he wanted to make this ride even more. He owed this fuck pain and only delivering it personally would sooth the monster that lurked inside him. He gripped the bottle in his hand, careful not to jar the fifteen at his feet. They were going in two cars. Suited in vests and dressed in black, they’d left their vests at home. Now wasn’t the time to be waving their flags around. They’d wait until the final act for that.

  The car pulled away from the curb. Anticipation made his muscles tighten. He clenched his jaw staring from beneath the black knit cap pulled low on his forehead. His lungs ached as he slowed his breath almost afraid breathing too hard would fuck things up. They needed this to go off without a hitch. The minute they pulled up in front of the gated area all hell was going to break loose.

  Demon smirked. Hell raising…My specialty.

  Shouting sounded as they pulled up and he held out his hands for the bottles Rusty was lighting. The first one smashed a few yards from the gate. Each one that followed went a bit further as his pitching arm warmed up. A group of bikes caught and began to burn. The yelling grew closer, feet pounded over the pavement and the front door swung open. A group of men piled out, guns ready.

  The shots began to fire while Strider peeled off with Sphinx and Tag behind them. Smoke billowed up from the tires.

  The gate pulled open and the men scrambled to get onto their bikes and give chase.

  Heart in his chest, Demon continued to throw bottles, leaving a trail of fire behind. They hit the designated spot three streets over and he pitched his last three bottles onto the highly flammable burn pile that stretched the length of the street, horizontally from one end to the other. The flames began to lick the yards of homes. Lights went off and sirens sounded in the distance. Timing and anonymous tips were a life saver. Eat a dick motherfuckers.

  As they roared off victorious, his mind turned to the others. Did they get into the warehouse? What the fuck was there?

  They drove to the junk yard, parked their cars outside the lot and quickly excited. A group of prospects set on their bikes watching and waiting.

  “Let’s ride back to the clubhouse. Out part is finished.” Demon said.

  The sound of breaking glass ripped Ardy from her slip. She rolled out of the bed still asleep and struggled to get her sleep laden brain to boot up. Still clumsy, she crawled to the door like a newborn colt learning to walk. Ears straining, she held her breath. Did they find us?

  “Shit!”

  The hissed female whisper turned her fear to anger. Dumb ass bitch almost got shot. Pushing herself up on her forearms, she glanced at the bedside table. What the hell is she doing out in the kitchen at two in the morning? Where’s Demon? Worried Gia might know something she didn’t, she pushed up onto her feet, stretched her arms above her head and rolled her neck to remove the night time stiffness that had settled in. Sighing, she pushed the door open and crept down the hallway. She paused at the doorway
in the kitchen. Are you fucking kidding me? A half empty bottle of Whiskey sat on the table. A broken tumbler lay on the wooden floor. “What the hell are you doing?”

  Gia jumped, knocking into the table. The glass danced around on the edge before settling down on the table.

  “Shhh, there are kids sleeping,” Ardy hissed motioning her head toward the doll.

  “So, sorry.” Gia waved her hands in the air.

  “You are fucking two sheets to the wind. Go stand in the corner while I clean this up. The last thing we need you to do is slice yourself open out here.” Ardy shook her head. Is this what happens to people who fall for people who aren’t into them? This is some high school teen drama behavior. Wondering if Demon left her with a psycho, Ardy moved to the front door, slipped on a pair of flip-flops and returned to the kitchen.

  Gia rested against the counter with glossy eyes and a vacant expression.

  Rolling her eyes, Ardy grabbed a brown and dustpan and began to clean up the mess.

  “This isn’t about Demon.” Gia slurred.

  “I’m sure it’s not,” Ardy said, too tired to fuss with a drunk. The kids would be up bright and early, no matter how little sleep she got.

  “You’re like the fucking Brady Bunch, only not too many kids.” Gia snickered.

  Shaking her head Ardy stood and walked over to the trashcan. Dumping the shards, she went back for a second round of sweeping. The thought of little feet being nicked by glass made her cringe.

  “Perfect lil’ home maker, aren’t you?”

  “You got something you want to say to me, Gia?” Ardy stood, disposed of the stray glass in the dustpan and came to stand in front of the woman who’d been a thorn in her side for the past twenty-four hours. She spread her arms out. “Now’s the time, the kids are asleep, Demon is who knows where and I’m about done listening to your incoherent rambling. Either say what ‘s sticking in your craw or take your drunk ass to bed. I hope you had fun on your binge, because it’s the last one you’ll behaving. In case you forgot, we’re on high alert. That means we need to ready to move at a moment’s notice. How do you plan on doing that when you’re wasted? I have two kids who are my top priority and I have no problem leaving your ass in the dust if you become a dead weight.”

  Gia chuckled. “I see why you work. I didn’t before.”

  “Fuck this shit.” Ardy growled and turned on her heel.

  “It’s not that I love D. He was just the only thing I had for a long time. You took that away. His priorities are different now and I’m alone.”

  The words stopped her in mid-step. Ardy turned around and peered at the woman who seemed to have shrank into herself.

  “He’s one of the few people I trust. It’s a harsh reality check.”

  “If you don’t want to fuck him why do you think you’re suddenly cut off?” Ardy placed her hands on her hips. “That’s fucking stupid.”

  Gia’s perfect pout formed a circle. “”You don’t mind?”

  “As long as you stop acting like you’re going to Misery my ass and try to take my place every minute, no. I trust him. I’m not the jealous type. But I will most certainly protect what’s mine, you keen?”

  Gia snickered, coaxing a reluctant smile from Ardy. Next to Dani, she was the only other female she’d really been in contact with one on one. “Yeah I know, my accent gets worse when I’m pissed. Stop being a silly bitch and get your shit together. Your friendship isn’t over it’s just…changed. No. I don’t like that you slept with him but what am I going to do? You own a business and he half way trusts you that says a lot.”

  Gia hiccupped. Her eyes grew glossy and she sniffed. “I’m sorry. I—I don’t know how to be friends with other females. My life…Where I came from it was all a competition. You couldn’t trust another female or you’d find yourself stabbed in the back.”

  “Where the hell did you come from?” Ardy asked, narrowing her eyes to study the beauty with a slight accent.

  “Nowhere good.” Shadows moved across her eyes and understanding came to Ardy. Hurt people, hurt people. She hadn’t lashed out because she wanted Demon for herself. She lashed out because they were happy and she saw Ardy as someone taking away something precious. Her mind returned to the words Demon spoke about darkness. Like attracts like. “Well, I don’t know many girls here, so how about we call a truce and give this friend thing a try?”

  “You’d do that after I was such a huge bitch to you?” Gia whispered.

  “Seeing as how we’re stuck in this small space for who knows how long and I don’t know anyone else, yes.” Ardy nodded.

  “O-okay.” Gia gave a shaky smile.

  “Excellent and as my first act as your friend, I’m going to tell you to take two aspirin and drink at least a glass of water and take your tipsy ass to bed.”

  Gia laughed. “I could like you.”

  “If you stop being a bitch I think I could like you too.” Ardy smiled. This wasn’t what she expected, but it felt right. Never one to kick a person when they were down, she extended an olive branch. Not to say she wouldn’t be watching her like a hawk. Women could be scandalous and scheming.

  “I think that’s a good idea,” Gia said.

  “Okay, but how about you sit and I’ll get the water. Your track record with glasses is shot right now.”

  Gia bobbed her head and carefully walked to the table. Her brow came to a point and her nose crinkled.

  The concentration she needed to use just for that simple act made Ardy want to laugh. She’s like a damn toddler right now. She reached the table and Ardy quickly supplied with meds and a tall glass of water. “What exactly where you trying to accomplish polishing off half a bottle of whiskey?” she asked, leaning against the counter.

  “Oblivion. The only thing that keeps the movies in my head at bay.” She kept her gaze down.

  Ardy decided not to press. “I don’t know if it’ll be worth it in the morning.”

  “Anything is better than night of tossing and turning, relieving that shit.” Gia shuddered.

  “You’re not from here, are you?” Ardy asked.

  “No, I’m from the Islands, originally.”

  It wasn’t lost on Ardy that she kept which one to herself.

  “What ‘bout you? That’s a hell of an accent.”

  “Got it honestly from my Dad who moved here long before I was born, but kept the accent.”

  “Aaah. Nice to keep the old traditions alive in the new home.”

  “Do you?”

  “Mm-hmm. Cooking and music mostly. You can take the girl off the island, but you can’t take the island out of the girl.” Gia smirked and shook her head.

  “I bet it was beautiful there.”

  The mirth faded from Gia’s eyes. “The surroundings were, but a cage, no matter how beautiful is worth imprisonment.”

  “No, it’s not.” Ardy thought back to her life and couldn’t help but feel like she’d dodged a bullet. If it weren’t for Demon she’d still be there working her life away, worrying about everyone else but herself. She loved her family, but there came a time when you had to break free and go your own way. It took her this trip to understand she wasn’t responsible for anyone else’s happiness. It sounded harsh, but in the end…it was true. Her father had gotten himself into the mess and if she hadn’t offered herself up like some tribute, he would’ve had to find a way out of it. Luckily, it worked out for both of them.

  “There’s many different ways to be locked up. We make prisons out of many things. Some, we’re born into, others we’re forced into and some, we believe so deeply it’s a sort of brainwashing.”

  The wisdom in the words stunned her. She’d written Gia off originally, as a flunky with nothing between her ears. Clearly, she’d been mistaken. “That’s a damn accurate statement.”

  “Every now and then, I have a gem of knowledge. Don’t get used to it.” Gia winked.

  Ardy knew they’d be okay.

  They sat together in silence until Gia
finished her glass and stood. “Thank you for the conversation…and the friendship,” she whispered. A tentative smile turned her lips up.

  “You’re welcome Gia. Sleep as late as you need tomorrow. Kids and hangovers don’t really go hand in hand.”

  Gia laughed and ran a hand through her hair. “Yeah, I can imagine. This plan wasn’t that well thought out.” She shook her head and made her way down the hallway, looking a bit steadier.

  Smiling to herself Ardy turned off the light in the kitchen and padded off to the bed.

  Sometime later, the bed dipped. The strong scent of alcohol accosted her. Grunting she rolled away from the source. “In case you’re confused. Friends don’t do this.”

  “What the hell’s been going on while I was away?”

  His deep voice made her smile sleepily. “Why do you smell like a brewery? Are you drunk?”

  “I couldn’t be farther from drunk if I wanted to,” he mumbled. “Come on, take a shower with me.”

  She blinked, groaning as her eyes struggled to adjust to the pre-dawn light. “What’s going on?”

  “I can’t stay long, but I wanted to see you. I need you, Ardy.”

  The undercurrent of his tone made her gut ache. “Jonah?”

  “Shhh, no, don’t do that.” He kissed the corners of her lips. “Just give me this moment with you.”

  She opened her mouth to protest and he thrust his tongue inside. Dark and rich like roasted coffee, he drugged her senses. Her body came to life. Unable to resist his pull, she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down. His weight covered her and she moaned, opening her legs. Resting in the curve of her hips, he ground the bulge in his jeans against her. The friction and the wickedly skillful kiss stole her breath and turned her panties into a sodden scrap of fabric.

  Their lips separated. He trailed kisses down to her neck and moved his lower body, ripping away the thin sheet. His hands slid down to her hips and he lifted her from the bed. “Wrap your legs around me baby.”

  She did as he asked, clinging for dear life as he devoured her lips. Nipping, sucking and fucking her mouth he handled her with a roughness she’d never experienced before. Her nipples pressed against her t-shirt and her pussy pulsed in anticipation.