AN OUTLAW MONSTER (A Back Down Devil MC Romance Novel) (22 page)

twenty-seven.

(trent)

When I climbed off my ride, I
looked around the lot and wondered what kinds of ghosts were lingering around.
What used to be some kind of factory was now a beat up warehouse, probably
written off as some dummy company for the Russians to move guns, drugs, and
bodies.

Trev spotted the guys that had come
up from the Frelen charter and was on his way to hug every one of them. He had
his arms open and collided together with the Frelen charter President, Miller.

They had Miller, Gaige (the VP),
Blaine, Jace, and Nate.

We had to stay close and stay tight
together because we were in foreign fucking territory. It was good to have the
support of our brothers from another charter.

I shook hands with Miller, hugged
Gaige, and nodded to the rest of the guys.

“
Okay,
”
Cash said,
“
let
’
s get this fight going. I
’
m hungry for some pussy.
”

“
Amen,
”
Blaine said.
“
That Russian stuff is
…
oh, man
…”

“
Easy
now,
”
Miller said.
“
You
’
re a well taken care of man.
”

“
Yeah,
”
Blaine said.
“
Fuck.
”

“
Where
’
s your old lady, Blaine?
”
Cash asked.

“
Back
home,
”
Blaine said.
“
I wouldn
’
t bring her or the baby up
here.
”

“
Exactly,
”
Cash said.
“
Every good woman knows a
man needs a little foreign taste once in a while. Shit, it
’
s not like you
’
re ever going to see her
again.
”

“
You
go home with pussy on your breath and Jessa will cut your dick off,
”
Gaige said.

“
I
’
ll help her,
”
Miller said.

Blaine hooked his thumbs into his
jeans.
“
Goddamn, she
’
s lucky she does
everything she does for me.
”

“
Fine
then,
”
Cash said.
“
More pussy for me. I
’
m going in until I can
’
t breath. I should have
brought scuba stuff with me.
”

“
Jesus
Christ,
”
Nate said.
“
It
’
s like Blaine has a fucking twin, only
dirtier.
”

“
Hey,
”
Cash said,
“
Maybe we have the same
mother.
”

“
Doubt
it,
”
Blaine said.
“
I
’
ve fucked your mother already, Cash.
”

“
What?
”
Cash asked.

Everyone started to laugh.

Trev and Miller took the lead and
we went into the warehouse. Sure as hell, there was a fucking boxing ring in
the middle of it. People were lined up all around, ready for a fight. We walked
down a hallway to a set of rooms in the back of the warehouse.

That
’
s
where we met up with Peter and Ivan.

Ivan was tall and thick, a dead
color looking skin, and was counting up cash on a desk. Peter had some guy in a
corner, yelling at him in Russian. The conversation came to a quick end when he
saw us.

“
Where
’
s your fighter?
”
Peter asked, wasting no
time.

“
Right
here,
”
I said. I
pushed forward.
“
I
’
m the enforcer for the MC.
”

“
Yes,
yes,
”
Peter said,
with a little laugh that rolled in his throat like his accent.
“
Then you fight right now?
”

“
Right
fucking now,
”
I said.

“
Yes,
yes,
”
Peter said.
“
You win, we pay. You then
take care of the Irish.
”

“
We
already talked about that,
”
Trev said.
“
Peter,
this is Miller, from another charter. Our brothers, our club, we stay close.
There
’
s no worry.
”

Miller shook hands with Peter.
“
I know Trev extended the
offer in Nevada, but I want to personally tell you that I support it. You need
any help there, you let us know.
”

“
Yes,
yes,
”
Peter said with
a nod.
“
I appreciate
the support. Now, let
’
s
go fight.
”

“
Hey,
hey, hey,
”
Cash said.
“
Where are the drinks
and where are the women?
”

Peter raised an eyebrow.

“
This
is Cash,
”
Trev said.
“
He was dropped on his head
a lot when he was younger.
”

“
And
now I want some Russian pussy to drop on my face,
”
he said.

“
After
fight,
”
Peter said.
He then touched my arm.
“
He
wins, you get pussy.
”
(It sounded like
poo-c.)
“
All
you can eat. Buffet style.
”

Peter started to laugh.

“
I
like him,
”
Cash said.

“
Can
we get this going?
”
Miller asked.

“
Big,
bad President wants to get home to the wife and kid, huh?
”
Trev asked with a grin.

“
You
’
ll find out soon enough,
”
Miller said and punched
Trev in the arm.

I just stood there and took it all
in. That was all I could do. My job as the
enforcer
for the MC was to do
just that. I looked around, I took it all in, and I made decisions. If there
was one thing I could give Ripper credit for, he always kept things going
forward. He could always stall a conversation long enough for me to get a sense
of right and wrong.

Right then, everything was wrong.

The fight was bullshit.

It was a cover.

I could tell by the way Peter
ushered us to the door and checked his watch.

By the time we were walking down
the hallway, Cash making more comments about pussy, I felt my stomach flip.

The truth?

For the first time ever
…
the monster
…
wanted to be home
…
on a couch
…
with a movie
…
with Harlee
…

**

Denis was big, sweaty, and his
muscles intricately cut. The kind of guy that spent more time in the gym and
the ring than he did anywhere else. His sheer look was enough to get a rise out
of the crowd. It was no wonder he was a well known fighter. The surrounding
people were all in suits and ties, drinks in hand, all cheering as they sucked
on cigars and waved cash like money was free.

Most of them spoke a different
language so I had no idea if they were cheering for me or telling me to fuck
myself.

There was one thing I did
understand. And that was when Denis lifted his two hands, opened them, and then
closed them.
Come fight me.

I took off my leather cut and
tossed it to Cash. I then took off my t-shirt and tossed that to Cash, along with
my rings. I was going to fight clean and fair. I was going to knock this fucker
’
s teeth out with my bare
knuckles.

The strange part of it all was that
I had no reason to fight him. He didn
’
t
do anything to me. But it
’
s
what he could do that threatened me. If he hit me harder and knocked my ass out
…
then everything would
change. We
’
d lose the
money and not get the payment on the guns. The O
’
Nuall
family would come through the MC and start with the women and children. That
meant Harlee would be hurt. That meant Trev
’
s
old lady, Eden, and their unborn baby would be
…

I couldn
’
t think it.

I just walked forward and got right
into it with Denis.

His feet were dancing like he
expected some classical music to come on or something, but not me. I stood like
stone, planting my feet and waiting. I thought I could last longer than I did,
but just five seconds into standing, I threw the first punch.

My fist hit Denis
’
s jaw and his head rocked
back. It didn
’
t
bother him, not that I thought it would. He threw a left and connected with my
jaw. It snapped my head to the side and Denis came across with a right. The
fury of punches then began as he walked me backed like we were in a boxing
match. He put me against the ropes as I held my hands up, protecting my face,
taking most of the blows to my ribs and gut.

Did it hurt? Of course it fucking
did. I swore I could feel shards of my rib bones splintering and shooting
throughout my body like shrapnel. But with each punch, Denis wasted energy and
got pissed at me that I wasn
’
t
coming back at him. Then he left a small window as he paused and stared at me.
That
’
s when I dove
forward, head first, my forehead smashing the bridge of his nose. It exploded
like a water balloon against a brick wall. He grabbed his nose with his left
hand but kept swinging with his right hand. I tagged him in the jaw two more
times and thought I had my opening for good.

But then Denis lifted his right leg
- which looked a mile long - and kicked me like I
’
d
never been kicked before. He hit me right in the solar plexus and sent me back
into the ropes.

I quickly grabbed the ropes to keep
from shooting back within his reach.

I had no breath for more than I
cared to admit.

Denis was right back on me, taking
shot after shot at my stomach. I squeezed my stomach muscles tight, absorbing
the hits the best I could. He went for a left hook and I ducked out of the way.
I got away from the ropes and got around to Denis
’
s
back and gave him a good one right below his ribs. One solid punch took him to
one knee. I then kicked him in the same spot. I was wearing my boots and I knew
it hurt.

Denis crumbled to the right and I
started to unleash on him. I grabbed the ropes and just started to kick him.
Over and over, a rage building to a level that was dangerous. I
’
m talking a murderous
level. Each kick hitting ribs, gut, chest, even his fucking face. He grabbed at
me, trying to secure my foot, but I kept pulling away.

I had to give it to Denis though,
he was tough as fuck. He grabbed the middle rope with both hands, leaving his
body open to me. He pulled himself up. I drove my right knee to the side of his
head and sent him into the corner. I went right after him, throwing fist after
fist down on him, not giving a damn what I was hitting.

If it were any other real fight, it
would have been called by then. Denis had no true way to defend himself. No
matter how hard he tried to fight back, he couldn
’
t.

I knew he could only last another
handful of good punches before going out cold.

Denis had his right hand to my
stomach, scratching at me. Trying to dig his fingers into me and pull at my
jeans.

I brought my hand back for one last
punch when I heard Trev bellow my name.

I turned and looked up, just in
time to see someone on a balcony with a fucking window in his hands. He
screamed something in another language and threw the window. I hightailed my
ass to the other corner of the ring and watched the window hit the ring and
shatter. It sounded like a crack of thunder. Glass sprayed all around and the
crowd started to get rowdy.

Denis finally pulled himself back
up and took a step forward. There was still plenty of fight left in the son of
a bitch. He took another step and then reached down, picking up a nice shard of
glass. Long, pointed, its target somewhere in my body to probably kill me.

Just like that I was no longer
fighting for money
…
I was fighting for my life.

twenty-eight.

(harlee)

“
I
have to pee.
”

“
Again?
”
I asked, looking at Eden
as she slithered to the edge of the couch.

She sat there and let out a big
sigh.
“
You have no
idea. It
’
s like she
’
s sitting right on my
bladder. I could swallow my own spit and have to pee ten minutes later.
”

“
How
much longer do you have?
”
I asked.

Eden touched her stomach.
“
Too much time.
”

I reached for her, wanting to help
her to her feet but she swatted me away. She pushed at the couch cushion and
the arm of the couch. She lifted up a few inches and then plopped back down
again. I started to laugh, thinking she was playing a little game or something,
but then she burst into tears.

Her hands gripped the couch like
she was in pain.

Only one thought came to mind:
she
’
s having the baby.
Right here. Right now. And I
’
m
alone with her.

“
Eden
…”
I touched her shoulder.
“
Is it the baby?
”

She looked at me as tears rolled
down her cheeks.
“
What?
”

“
Are
you having the baby?
”

She smiled and a tear trickled over
her top lip. I hurried to wipe it away.

“
Why
are you crying and smiling?
”

“
Do
you think Trev is fucking someone else?
”

“
What?
”
I asked.

“
I
’
m serious. He
’
s away right now. He
always has to go away. Look at me. My feet are bloated. My ass is huge. I can
’
t help my stomach. It
’
s
…”

“
You
’
re beautiful, Eden,
”
I said.
“
You
’
re doing something that Trev can never take
away from you. There
’
s
no chance
…”

“
Harlee,
”
Eden said.
“
It
’
s the life. Do you even know where they are?
”

“
Some
fight thing.
”

“
Yeah.
All these gatherings involve fights, drinking, and women. And the women are
young, stunning, and willing to do anything. It
’
s
part of it all, okay? What happens on a run stays on a run, I guess. But that
doesn
’
t mean I don
’
t think about it. Or that
it doesn
’
t hurt me.
”

“
So
Trev has done
…”

Eden shook her head.
“
No. But look at me now.
”

I quickly moved off the couch and
crouched in front of her. I touched her face. She was genuinely upset. And me?
I was greedy.

Why?

Because if Trev was
…
what about Trent?

“
You
’
re pregnant,
”
I said.
“
You
’
re beautifully pregnant. I
’
ve seen the way Trev looks
at you. Nothing compares to you. Nothing ever will.
”

“
Pussy
is pussy,
”
Eden said.

I had to admit - that took me back
a few breaths to hear that come from her mouth. She was fast, smart, and face
it, she had more experience in this life than I did. My existence with Night
Soul was basically almost being the woman Eden was afraid of right then.

I lowered my head.
“
Dammit. I
’
m sorry, Eden. I wish I
could say something.
”
I looked at her again.
“
You
don
’
t have faith in
him?
”

“
Of
course I do,
”
she
said.
“
I love Trev
with all my heart. But drinks are drinks, guys are guys, and they all want the
girls. Maybe there
’
s
some brunette with nipple rings and that thing catches his attention for one
night. I can
’
t
compete with that.
”

Compete? That
’
s what we were
doing?

“
I
don
’
t want to believe
that,
”
I said, damn
well knowing I was lying and that Eden could see I was lying.
“
I
…”

“
I
shouldn
’
t have
brought it up,
”
Eden
said.
“
I
’
ve just been thinking it
for a while now. I know Trev is under a lot of pressure with things. But it
gets to me, okay? I know I was tough back in the clubhouse, but I
’
m scared. I said it before
and I
’
ll say it
again, I
’
m scared for
my daughter.
”

“
And
I told you before she
’
s
going to have the biggest and baddest family ever.
”

“
If
they survive,
”
Eden
said.
“
How soon will
my daughter experience death?
”

Yeah, that took my breath away
again. Eden was going down a dark road that I had no answer for.

“
Oh,
Eden,
”
I said.
“
It could be anyone,
anytime, wearing any shirt, jacket, leather. You know how death is.
”

“
They
fuck with it though.
”

“
I
know they do. I know.
”

We just stared at each other. I
felt like I was going to cry. Maybe somewhere in my mind I had already known
that Trent claiming me didn
’
t
mean I
’
d only be his.
That
’
s not how it worked.
I
’
d wear his ink. I
’
d wear his ring. I
’
d have his kids. But if
his dick wanted to explore
…
that was the life. As long as he crawled back home to me to fuck me, let me
care for him, give me his heart, and most of all, protect me. That
’
s all that mattered.

“
Oh,
I feel like an idiot,
”
Eden said.

I sat back and sat on the coffee
table.
“
Don
’
t. You have every right to
feel how you want. I
’
ve
just been so caught up in everything going on I haven
’
t had a chance to really think about things.
”
I looked to the diamond
ring on my finger.
“
Like
this
…”

“
Shit.
I hope you
’
re not
worried about Trent. I
’
ll
hate myself forever, Harlee.
”

“
Trent
is going to do what he wants, when he wants. That
’
s
what I
’
ve learned.
”

“
That
’
s Trev,
”
Eden said.
“
He was just a guy at the
table when I met him. He knew about my father and was right there to help me. I
watched him go from this bad ass guy into a charter President.
”

“
I
don
’
t think Trent
will be a President. He likes his patch. He likes to hurt people.
”

“
Only
those who deserve it,
”
Eden said.
“
That
’
s the hardest thing to
remember.
”

I shook my head.
“
Look at us. Sitting here,
worrying about what our guys are doing. Or who they
’
re doing. They
’
re
out there fighting for us. Trent is going to win a fight to get back at the
people that hurt me. Trev is doing it to make sure you
’
re safe
…
and your baby.
”

“
Still
…
if they
’
re fucking other women
…”

“
There
’
s no way we could find out
right now,
”
I said.
“
Hey, maybe we should call
some prospects in here to give us some action.
”

Eden snorted.
“
Seriously? Have you seen
Trev? No man could make happen what he does.
”

I laughed. I felt the same way
about Trent.

“
Ugh,
I still have to pee,
”
Eden said.

I stood up and grabbed her hands. I
pulled her to her feet.
“
We
’
re going to be fine. All
of us. I
’
ve seen the
other side of this, Eden. With those guys from Night Soul. The way it was here
before Trev was pretty rough. It
’
ll
get cleaned up.
”

“
I
know. Trev is smart. He trusts the guys he has.
”

“
Make
sure you trust him then,
”
I said.

“
I
’
ll blame it on hormones,
”
Eden said.
“
Just don
’
t tell anyone about this.
”

“
I
never would,
”
I said.
“
I
’
m glad I have you.
”

Eden turned and waddled away, her
hair dancing left to right as she did so. When she was out of sight, I felt my
face and heart drop. I couldn
’
t
help but think that Trent was doing the same damn thing Eden was worried about
with Trev. Is that what they did?

Hell, I knew that answer.

I saw that answer every night in
the other clubhouse. The guys would pass women around like they were fresh
beers. Going from room to room, it was like they were competing. Some of them
were. They wanted to be claimed by one of the guys to get protection. Until
then, they needed to keep their mouths open and legs spread.

“
Shit,
”
I whispered.

I suddenly couldn
’
t calm down.

I ran to the kitchen and grabbed a
glass and filled it with water. Now would have been a great time to get drunk
and forget the night. But Eden couldn
’
t
do that. She was living with the same fear as me and she was carrying a child.

I drank the water and filled the
glass again.

I looked at myself in the
reflection of the dark window.

All I could do was hope that Trent
was okay. That whatever he was doing, he
’
d
do good at it and come back to me safe and in one piece. That whatever
happened, it would be the benefit of the club.

As I put the glass down and
continued to stare at myself, I saw something. Not in the reflection, but
something coming toward the window. There was a split second hesitation before
the glass exploded at me.

I jumped back and crashed into the
kitchen table. I tripped and fell, smacking my head on the floor. To my right
there was a bottle on the ground, on fire. A moment later, there was more fire.
Then the sound of liquid splashing. The smell of gasoline hit me just as the
flames ignited even worse. I rolled to my left and climbed to my feet. The door
was just a few feet away. I could escape the fiery hell with ease, but I couldn
’
t.

Eden.

The kitchen was burning, the room
filled with smoke already. I jumped through the growing flames and knew I
needed to save Eden. She didn
’
t
deserve to die like this. Nor did her unborn daughter. Hell, I didn
’
t deserve to die like that
either.

The second I crossed the threshold
of the flames, I knew I had made a mistake.

I wasn
’
t going to be able
to make it out.

**

Eden was on the toilet. I felt bad
bursting in on her, but I had good reason. Before I could tell her what
happened there was a billow of smoke behind me.

“
Fire?
”
she asked.

“
Someone
is trying kill us,
”
I
said.
“
We have to get
out of here.
”

Eden got to her feet and I grabbed
her hand.

The hallway was filled with smoke.
It kept climbing toward us. I backed down the hallway and went into the
bedroom. I ran toward the window and it exploded within a foot of me getting
there. Again, another bottle, lit on fire. It was accompanied by a smell that
went straight to my stomach and throat. I felt like I was going to throw up and
that my throat was going to shut. I turned and ran toward Eden again.

The smell was some kind of gas or
something.

I put my hand to her mouth and we
left the bedroom.

I didn
’
t know what to do. I pulled Eden to the
ground and screamed for her to crawl. That made sense, right? Get under the
smoke and climb to safety.