RIDING DARKNESS (A Back Down Devil MC Romance Novella) (8 page)

fourteen.

The kiss was hot. The water poured
over Brooke
’
s face as she
kissed Ares with as much passion as he offered her. Their tongues battled for
space and the water rushed in and out of their mouths. Brooke
’
s hand gripped tight to Ares and
she hated herself the second she opened her hand. She put both hands to Ares
’
s chest and pushed gently.

Ares broke the kiss and then held
Brooke by her waist. He pulled her close and she felt his growing erection
between her legs. He was so thick and perfect.

“
Tell
me,
”
Brooke said.

“
Why
does it matter?
”
Ares
asked.

“
Because
you don
’
t belong like the
others.
”

“
Oh
yeah?
”

“
The
other guys are big and tough, like you. You command with your voice like they
do. The second I saw you in the warehouse I knew you were different. The other
two you were with were smaller, afraid. There
’
s
a difference.
”

“
So
you
’
re saying I shouldn
’
t be a prospect?
”

“
If
that
’
s what you are now,
then no. You should be making the decisions
…”

“
Maybe
I did, darling. I
’
m the one
who is going to kill Armen. Can you live with that?
”

Brooke shook her head.
“
Probably not. How can I stop
you?
”

“
You
can
’
t,
”
Ares said.
“
Bad men get early graves.
”

“
If
you murder Armen, won
’
t
that make you bad too?
”

“
I
am bad,
”
Ares said.
“
I
’
m
just good at dodging my grave. For now.
”

“
Is
that what this scar is? Another close call?
”

Ares ran a wet hand up Brooke
’
s body. He moved over her breast
and then to her neck. He leaned close, his lips just inches from hers. Brooke
was soaking wet. She quivered with need.

“
It
was punishment,
”
Ares
whispered.

“
For
what?
”

“
I
used to be in another club. Patched in. Sat at the table. Drank, smoked,
fucked. Did what I wanted when I wanted. Had the respect of a lot of men and
the panties of a lot more women.
”

“
What
happened?
”

“
I
let my emotions win a small battle. And that created a bigger war. One I
’
m still fighting.
”

Ares let Brooke go and backed up.
He turned and faced the wall. He made fists and put them to the tile. The cuts
of muscles were almost as impressive as the sight of Ares
’
s cock just hanging there.

“
Ares,
please,
”
Brooke said.
“
I
’
m
supposed to stand here and accept that you
’
re
going to kill my brother. And I
’
m
supposed to trust you. How can I
…”

“
I
don
’
t give a fuck if you
trust me,
”
Ares growled.
“
I took you from danger and gave
you a warm bed. You were lucky to get that. Now you
’
re an asset to the club and me. That means you
’
re going to help us find Armen.
”

“
Fuck
you then,
”
Brooke said.
“
I
’
ll
take your other offer and leave.
”

“
Too
late,
”
Ares said.

“
Fuck
you.
”

Brooke tore open the curtain and
grabbed a towel. She hurried to wrap it around her body and fled the bathroom.

Kill Armen?

It didn
’
t register in her mind or body yet. Armen was the
only person she had known since her parents were killed. He had been the one to
run, to teach Brooke how to run. They were always on the run, waiting for the
fight and revenge on the person - or people - who killed their parents.

Now Ares and Back Down Devil wanted
to kill him.

He
’
s a bad person
…
you know that
…

Brooke shut her eyes and shivered.
Of course Armen was a bad guy. He had always been bad. Not tough bad, like
Ares. But weak bad. The kind of man that was a weasel and manipulated people
into getting what he wanted.

Brooke crouched down and grabbed
her bag. She started to dig for clothes when a voice spoke behind her.

“
I
let one of my brothers die.
”

Brooke turned her head. Ares stood
a foot away, a towel around his waist. His muscles looked like they went for
miles.

“
Now
stand the fuck up and listen to me,
”
Ares said.

Slowly, Brooke stood. She stared
into his eyes, daring herself not to start falling for him. Because that
nonsense had started last night. And that was simply insane to imagine. But it
was happening.

“
He
sat across from me at the table,
”
Ares said.
“
He was a shady
asshole and I
’
m pretty sure
a lot of us wanted to kill him. But we couldn
’
t.
He was patched in. He was a brother. And he was loyal to the club. I had a
girlfriend at the time. Skinny little thing with fake tits. Opposite of you,
and that
’
s fine with me. I
wish I never met her after what happened. She wanted money and cock. Her two
favorites. Being with me meant just one cock. And when she started using, she
tossed all her money into a black hole of addiction. That
’
s when it got bad.
”
Ares turned his head and looked
at Brooke.
“
The club was in
a war. Brutal and bloody. When she came to me for money, I cut her off.
Honestly, I had nothing. The entire club got together and put all their money
into guns.
”

Brooke reached out and touched Ares
’
s big shoulder.
“
Tell me everything, Ares.
”

“
She
told me she fucked someone in the club. Someone at the table. Someone on the
fucking table. And I was dumb enough to believe it. Under different
circumstances I wouldn
’
t
have believed it, but my head was a mess. And Buzz was an asshole. He would
fuck anything with two legs. Probably as twisted as Blaine. Except Buzz was a
dark man. And I fucking believed it.
”

“
Did
you kill him?
”

“
No.
Well, yes. It ended up he and I in a room together. We were leading some other
guys to a roof where our men were waiting to light them up. I hesitated, on
purpose, and the men came into the room we were in. We were supposed to be
moving, but I held up. He was screaming at me. Christ, I
’
ll never forget the sound of Buzz
’
s voice. He looked at me and for
the first time ever I saw fear in his eyes. The door busted open and I dove out
the window. Buzz was shot over and over. Left for dead.
”

Brooke moved closer to Ares. She
wasn
’
t going to judge him.
Not for his past decisions.

“
I
found out later that Buzz never did anything to betray me. I let my damn
emotions get in the way and get the best of me. I could have talked to him
about things. We could have finished off the other crew and then fought each
other. Man to man. Nose to nose. But I didn
’
t
allow that to happen. That
’
s
why the club kicked me out.
”

“
What
does that have to do with the scar?
”
Brooke asked.

Ares faced Brooke now. He touched
the scar.
“
This? This was a
going away present. They sliced me open, took my patches, and then left me with
my t-shirt and a bag of clothes. They blindfolded me and drove me to a hospital
and dumped me. I got fixed up and was gone. A wanderer because of my actions.
”

“
Did
you tell them what happened? Didn
’
t
they listen?
”

“
That
’
s not how this life works,
darling,
”
Ares said. He
touched her cheek.
“
It
’
s a different kind of justice in
a clubhouse. There
’
s no
such thing as a judge and jury. There
’
s
action, reaction, and more action. Revenge is not always right, but it never
feels wrong.
”

“
So
killing makes other killing okay
…
or something
…”

“
Yeah,
something,
”
Ares said.
“
I deserved my punishment. I
should have been killed. They spared me because I didn
’
t actually kill Buzz. I just took off. I admitted
it, but they wouldn't kill me.
”

“
You
wanted them to kill you?
”

“
Maybe
I did
…
maybe I still wait
for it
…
maybe that
’
s why I won
’
t patch in here
…”

“
That
’
s why you want to kill Armen?
”
Brooke asked.

“
It
’
s not about want, darling,
”
Ares said.
“
It
’
s
about what needs to be done. I
’
m
only sorry because of the way you
’
re
looking at me right now. But I
’
m
not sorry for what needs to be done. Each man - and woman - takes their own
path. All paths lead to a grave, it
’
s
the time in between that which matter. Your brother
’
s is coming to an end.
”

Brooke found herself moving closer
to Ares again. So close that they ended up hugging each other. Brooke
’
s hands touched Ares
’
s hard, muscular back. He put a
hand to her back and the other to her hair.

“
There
’
s one more thing I need,
”
Ares said.

“
What?
”

“
I
need to know where he is. I need you to find him. I need to do this soon.
”

Brooke didn
’
t respond to that. Instead, she said,
“
Take me to bed, Ares.
”

fifteen.

They
were at the pool table again. Miller, Gaige, Nate, and Blaine. Ares stood next
to Gaige and looked around the table. It could work to be patched in. Hell,
maybe even at a table. Saying his peace. Throwing around his votes. Making an
impact.

Ares closed his eyes for a second
and shook that bullshit away.

He was better off on the street,
working through Frelen, protecting the club.

“
What
do we have?
”
Gaige asked.

“
He
’
s local,
”
Miller said.
“
Chief
Jerry has his eyes open and is trying to pull his guys away from what happened.
The problem is that Armen
’
s
other enemies are working their way into Frelen. A lot of people want him.
”

“
Has
he run?
”
Blaine asked.
“
That would be the most logical
thing to do.
”

“
He
doesn't have everything he wants,
”
Nate said.
“
We have his
sister.
”

“
Ares
has his sister,
”
Miller
said. Miller looked at Ares.
“
What
did you get out of her?
”

“
Got
a cellphone,
”
Ares said.
“
She
’
s been trying to get a hold of him. He
’
s not replying just yet.
”

“
The
second he does, get that phone to Griffin,
”
Miller said.
“
Maybe he can
track the messages or something.
”

“
Okay,
so let
’
s stay in Frelen,
”
Gaige said.
“
What
’
s the plan? Where could he be? Where would he hide?
”

“
He
’
s not from around here,
”
Blaine said.
“
Could be in any of the
warehouses out there, right?
”

“
Christ,
that would take days,
”
Nate
said.
“
And if we got close
and he knew it, he
’
d move.
He
’
s not going to hang out
long. He
’
s going to get
hungry. He
’
s going to get
nervous.
”

“
Think
he
’
d leave Brooke?
”
Blaine asked, looking right at
Ares.

“
He
used her to start that shootout,
”
Ares said.
“
He forces her
in these situations over and over. He uses her. I think he
’
d bail on her. If he wants her,
he has to come through here.
”

“
Ares,
why don
’
t you hit the
streets with Brooke?
”
Miller asked.
“
Just ride
around. Let Brooke search her mind. Let her really think about what she wants
to do in all this. There has to be more she can do.
”

“
If
someone else picks up Armen before we do
…
,
”
Gaige said and shook his head.

“
I
don
’
t want to think about
that,
”
Miller said.
“
Let
’
s split up now and start searching. Make some phone
calls. Call in some owed favors. This asshole is in town. He
’
s lingering. He
’
s hiding. He knows we have power,
but I want to show him how much.
”

“
Think
one of the other clubs is hiding him?
”
Nate asked.

“
I
don
’
t know,
”
Ares said.
“
Coast Road and Eight Under were
shot at too. If Armen went to one of them and tried to push the night on us
…
maybe.
”

“
That
’
s where Gaige and I will travel,
”
Miller said.
“
We have enough of a war brewing
in all this already. Don
’
t
need to push everything over just yet.
”

“
Fair
enough,
”
Gaige said.

Everyone started to move from the
pool table. Miller shot an arm out and grabbed Ares. He nodded.
“
Stay put for a second.
”

“
What
’
s wrong?
”

“
I
have more for you. Wanted to tell you this one on one.
”

“
Okay.
”

“
I
want you to want this one,
”
Miller said.
“
I want you to
do what you do best and find that fire again.
”

“
It
’
s there. Just because I don
’
t wear a patch doesn
’
t mean it
’
s not there.
”

“
I
know that, brother,
”
Miller
said.
“
But you have to wear
the patch. Or it
’
s all
going to hell.
”

“
What
do you have for me, Miller?
”

“
Armen
is a very bad person,
”
Miller said.

“
I
figured that out.
”

“
No.
I
’
m talking bad. His
parents were murdered.
”

“
I
know. Brooke told me. She said they run because the people who killed their
parents are coming to get them. That
’
s
why he does the gambling thing. To save up cash and get ready for a fight.
”

“
Poor
woman,
”
Miller said.
“
That
’
s not the case at all. Armen was in debt with a few
people. He needed cash. He went to his parents and they wouldn
’
t give it up. Armen killed them.
He shot his own damn parents and robbed their safe. How do I know this?
”

“
How?
”
Ares asked through gritted
teeth.

“
Chief
Jerry dug into the reports and made some phone calls. Forensics painted the
picture pretty easily. He freaked the fuck out and killed his own parents. Then
he took Brooke and hit the road. Lying to her. Dragging her along. Putting her in
these situations.
”

“
Is
it safe for me to take her out there then?
”
Ares asked.
“
Are we better
off leaving her here? Let us deal with Armen and then come back
…
and deal with her
…”

Miller put a hand to Ares
’
s shoulder.
“
What do you want to do with her?
”

“
It
’
s been pretty clear she
’
s going to be sent away and set
up, right?
”

“
Nothing
is ever etched in stone, Ares.
”

“
I
’
m not thinking about that right
now,
”
Ares said.
“
We have to kill Armen first.
”

“
Then
get the information,
”
Miller said.
“
Do whatever
you want with what I just told you.
”

Miller walked away and Ares stood
at the pool table. He grabbed the edge of the table and looked around the
clubhouse. It was alive for another day. The guys at the table had their own shit
to settle. The prospects were hard at work, doing everything the patched in
guys wanted done. And then there was Ares. Somewhere stuck in the middle of it
all.

He pushed from the table and walked
to the bedroom. He opened the door and Brooke spun around, her cellphone in her
hand. She looked at Ares and her face was white, full of fear. Her hands
shaking.

“
What
is it?
”
Ares asked.

“
Armen
finally texted me. He
’
s in
town. He
’
s hiding.
”

Ares shut the door and ran to
Brooke. She quickly put the cellphone behind her back and shook her head.
“
You can
’
t hurt him, Ares. You can
’
t kill him. Just let him run.
”

Ares stopped and made fists.
“
What did you just say?
”

“
Just
let him run. Let him go. He
’
s
scared. He
’
s confused.
”

“
He
’
s fucking lying to you,
”
Ares growled.
“
He
’
s
trying to use you, again. Can
’
t
you see that?
”

“
What
are you talking about?
”

“
Where
is he?
”

“
He
didn
’
t say.
”

“
Give
me the phone.
”

“
Ares
…”

“
I
’
m not playing fucking games,
”
Ares said.
“
Give me the fucking phone,
Brooke. Right now.
”

“
If
I don
’
t? Are you going to
kill me?
”

Ares stepped closer to Brooke. He
looked down at Brooke.
“
Do
you really want to do this? Do you really want to tempt this? Do you really
want to
…”

Don
’
t tell her. Give the
truth later
…

Ares stepped back and turned
around. He wanted to tell Brooke the truth but he feared what would happen
then. He wanted to make this right with the club and somehow he wanted to make
it all right with Brooke. That was impossible though. She would need the truth.

It took Ares back to when he made
an emotional decision in his life. When Buzz was left to be killed. That was
the biggest changing point of his life, it seemed until now. Ares looked over
his shoulder and saw tears in Brooke
’
s
eyes.

“
I
’
m sorry,
”
she whispered.
“
I
don
’
t know what to do.
”

“
Just
give me the fucking phone,
”
Ares said.
“
I don
’
t want you hurt.
”

“
I
already am. I
’
m lost here,
with you. I
’
m trying to
understand everything.
”

Ares closed his eyes and turned
back around.
“
I have
something to tell you. You have to hear me. You have to believe me. And if you
need proof after what I say
…
I can get it.
”

Ares approached Brooke again and he
touched her arms. He would get the cellphone in a few minutes. First, the
truth. Even if it sent her over the edge. Even if she didn
’
t believe him. Even if she ran
to her brother and ended up getting herself killed.

“
I
know the truth about your parents,
”
Ares said.
“
It
’
s not what you think.
”

“
They
were shot and killed,
”
Brooke said.

“
But
I know who did it.
”

Brooke
’
s eyes went wide.
“
Who?
”

Ares actually felt a little
nervous.
Stop being a pussy. Man up.

Ares took a deep breath.
“
Your brother
…
Armen
…
he killed your parents.
”