Page 8 of The Devil's Pair

She only stayed where she was for a minute, but it was the sixty seconds that changed everything for her, changed the whole rest of her life. She didn’t know that at the time – well,noneof them did, naturally, because we so rarely see things as utterly life-changing when we’re actuallyinthem – but even so, she knew thatsomethinghad changed. She felt different: understood and heard and supported.

She felt safe.

And seeing as she’djustvowed to never let another man touch her, not ever and not for anything, the fact that she was being touched by not one but bytwomen was a shock. Being here between them and feeling secure was astonishing. When she considered justwhoshe was nestled between – two huge, strong men, men who were undoubtedly shady as fuck with their MC loyalties – her feeling protected was nothing short of a little miracle.

Briley had never believed in miracles, not before now.

After a minute of having her entire world tilt on its axis, she pulled back. Just a bit, just to see if they’d let her go. When both sets of arms tightened, she almost sighed with pleasure: she could stay for a bit longer. God knows, shewantedto… but some small part of her brain was thinking about how this might look to someone walking past. That was when she knew that this little trip to hot man heaven was over.

“Your burgers are going to be stone cold,” she said, her words muffled against Drake’s incredible chest. “We should get back to the table.”

“Quiet, babe.” Dux’s voice was a growl, warm and sweet on the back of her neck. “We don’t give a crap, you hear me? All that matters to us is that you’re OK.”

“I’m OK.” She sighed, felt her body release the last of the fear that had surrounded her just a few minutes before. “I really am.”

Without a word, Drake lifted her chin to look at her, those dark-blue eyes intent and focused.He searched her face and Briley felt like he was just stripping away flesh, that he was somehow actuallyseeingher every thought and emotion. Clearly, whatever he saw satisfied him, because he looked back at his brother and gave a tiny nod.

Immediately, in perfect sync, the men stepped back and away. Briley was surprised at how cold and small and alone she suddenly felt, but she shook it off as the three of them trooped back to their table.

After all, this whole weird situation was just a temporary arrangement, and Drake and Dux would soon be out of her life completely and forever, back to being devastatingly hot and sexy in Denver.

For the first time, it occurred to her that she was actually a bit sad about that.

It’ll pass, though. For sure.

Chapter Two

Denver, Colorado

Wolf Connor, President of The Road Devils MC, leaned back in his chair and glared at the cell phone on the meeting room table.

“What do youmeanthat there’s no sign of that prick Michael?” he growled at the phone. “How’s that fuckin’possible, man?”

“Dunno.” Ice Johansson’s voice over the speaker was as cool and detached as ever. “All I can tell you is that I’ve been camped outside the goddamn Desert Bloom cult compound for almost two weeks now, and he hasn’t shown up.”

“Any chance that someone is leaving the compound to meet him somewhere else?” Scars Innis, the MC Vice-President asked. “Maybe in town?”

“Nope.” Ice’s tone was firm. “Not a chance in hell.”

“You’ve been followin' people who leave the place?” Wolf asked. “Keepin’ tabs on everyone?”

“Nuh-uh. No need,” Ice said. “Nobody has left since all that shit went down back in Utah. People have gonein, for sure, but none of them have been Michael and nobody has walked out again.”

“How many have gone in?” Scars asked.

“Between what I’ve seen with my own eyes, and what the hidden camera I set up has shown while I’ve been at the hotel, I’ve counted thirty-seven men.”

“Shit,” Wolf said. “And what’s your take on that?”

“Well,” Ice said. “It’s a two-fold theory, really. Three of the men who showed up weredefinitelyGuardian assholes that I saw at Gideon’s Garden of Hell in Utah, so it’s obvious that a fewfollowers got themselves here safe and sound. They’ve returned to the mother ship, so to speak, and found sanctuary.”

“Okay.” Wolf ran his large hands through his already-messy hair. “No big surprise there.”

“Nope.”

“And the second part of what you think is going on?” Scars asked.

“It looks to me like the cult is gathering here in New Mexico, like shoring itself up. Getting as many people as possible in one place. Maybe gearing up for some kind of action or event, though who the hell knowswhatthese people would get up to without Gideon or Michael. Without them, there’s no established leadership, so who knows who’s calling the shots, and what kind of fucking psychothey’regonna be.”

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