Page 5 of Devil's Plaything

7

Zeke

Snake told me to find an outlet. Stay out of trouble. Shit, I’ll get kicked out of the club if I don’t straighten up and the club is the only true family I’ve ever had.

Well, I found my outlet. A five-foot-two firecracker who has my nuts aching for more. The fact that she’s involved with Nitro makes it even better. I never liked that fucker. Stealing her away from him will make all the shit I’ve been through worth it.

Cleo. The bitch clearly has issues. I have no idea if she’s with Nitro or the dude at the Fuzzy Peach. Maybe both. Either way, she’s too damn much woman for the both of them put together.

“What are your thoughts on this whole going legit business?” Hawk’s question catches me off guard and he takes the lead in the race.

I’ve been back at the clubhouse for a few hours and all Hawk has wanted to do is play the PS5. I know damn well he didn’t text me to sit here and play video games, but since Snake hasn’t gotten a call about me showing up at the Rebels’ doorstep, I haven’t said a word.

I shrug. “I like the money. Fuck, I even like the risks, but I get it. Some of the guys don’t want to live life always looking over their shoulders. Stupid fuckers have kids and shit.”

I have enough enemies to know how it feels to live that way. Trouble seems to find me, even when I’m not looking for it. Most of the time, I’m fucking looking for it. But constantly being on edge gets old. Getting shot also sucks ass.

“We can’t make that kind of money going legit. No fucking way.”

He’s not wrong. My bike is paid for. My place is paid for. I’m not one of those guys that likes to shop or blow money, so I have a damn nice nest egg. Did I sell my soul to the devil to get it? You’re damn right I did. Besides, the fucker already owned it long before I joined the club.

“Snake wouldn’t put any of us in a bind. You know that.”

“What I know is that my father is old. It’s time for him to step down and let someone else run things.”

I’ve always gotten along with Hawk. Hell, I got along with everyone in the club. Then, Snake told me they wanted me out. If going legit is what it takes to keep me in Snake’s good graces, so be it. The club is all I’ve got.

8

Cleo

One thing about me is that I hate being told what I can and cannot do. If I want to do Zeke Ford, I will. If I don’t, I won’t, but not because Nitro warned me away from him. I should’ve known better than to come to the club after my fight with Shawn. Don’t get me wrong. Nitro and the other guys are great. They’re loyal to each other and protect those they love. It’s the over protective part I don’t like.

After my mom was killed, I gave my dad hell until he finally gave up trying to control me. I’ve been living on my own since I was sixteen. I’ve had a few roommates, but me and other women don’t always jive. It’s my lack of empathy and the fact that I give zero fucks about your feelings. That attitude doesn’t always go well with other women…or men, for that matter.

Take Shawn for example. He got his ass kicked and I fucked another guy. Now, he wants to blow my damn phone up apologizing. Problem is, he’s waited two days. I’m over him and his bullshit. He wasn’t that damn good in bed anyway.

“Is that Shawn again?” Peyton asks when my phone buzzes once again.

Peyton is Nitro’s old lady and owns the local salon, Curl Me Crazy. She’s the only person who’s ever been able to somewhat tame my wild waves. She’s also one of the only female friends I have.

I roll my eyes. “Yes. You’d think after thirty unanswered calls he’d get the hint.”

“Thirty? Wow. Either he’s got it really bad or he’s insane.”

“I prefer a little of both,” I joke.

“Okay, so spill. I hear the Widow Maker brought you home the other night. Nitro was pissed.”

“Oh, he gave me an ear full about how I’m not allowed to see Zeke and blah, blah, blah.”

Me and Nitro have a complicated relationship. We’ve been more like brother and sister since we were kids. When no one else understood my behavior, he always seemed to. He never gave me shit for acting out. Never picked on me for not being like other girls. He just let me be me.

“The guy really is bad news, Cleo.”

“I get that he’s in a rival MC and the Rebels hate him but?”

“It’s not just that. He’s a bad guy. He tried to kill Torch’s old lady. He even shot Nitro. That alone should make you want to stay away from him.”

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