Page 100 of Devil's Due

What good am I doing here? I’ve not done the job I was sent here for. Demon’s no closer to finding a VP than when I arrived. My enquiries at other chapters has so far turned up nothing. I’ve failed both him and Drummer. Will Drummer even let me go home? It was my request to go nomad, if it suited his purposes he could send me on to another club rather than letting me return.

In truth, the nomad patch is starting to annoy me. Conversely, the thought of returning to Tucson doesn’t fill me with delight. Pueblo is my connection to Stevie. Going back with her is one thing, but returning alone? Would seeing Rock and Becca be even worse, now I know I could have had what they do, but had let it slip through my fingers?

While I’m not optimistic about Demon’s reasons for calling me away from the job I was tackling, I didn’t expect the summons would be for anything significant. I’m therefore surprised, when I draw up to the clubhouse, to see Drummer and Wraith’s bikes parked outside, alongside a few more I don’t recognise.

My thoughts return to me with full force. Will I be returning to Tucson with them, knowing I’ve let down my prez? Or will Drummer give me orders to move on somewhere else?

Since Stevie had been taken, all thoughts of helping Demon solve his problems have gone right out of my mind. Before entering the door, I bang my fist against my head.I’ve fucked up, fucked up everything it would seem.

“In church,” Beaver calls out helpfully from his position behind the bar as I step inside.

Breezy flaunts her tits at me as I walk past. I wave her off. I wouldn’t be interested even if I hadn’t had to get somewhere quickly. The club girls have all been willing to try fresh meat, but I won’t do that to Stevie. I’m not even sure I could get hard for another woman right now, even if I had the inclination. Yeah, me, addicted to one pussy. With Sally I’d been fighting temptation to stray, which should have been my first warning sign, whereas Stevie is the only woman my dick seems to want.

I’m undecided whether to knock or just enter when I get to the meeting room, but the decision’s made for me as the door opens and Demon strides out, looking behind him, and saying, “I’ll hurry him up.” He bumps into me and stops. “Oh, there you are.”

Was I tardy?He knows how long it takes to get here, and I came as fast as I could. But the apology I believed wise to offer falls from my lips as I view the people seated around the table.

Drummer, mother chapter president and his VP, sitting alongside RIP and Charmer. Next to them, Chaz, the president of the Arizona chapter of the Wretched Soulz and his VP, Bull. But the man who’s brought me to a halt is Devil. I did not expect to see the Englishman here in person.

“Beef.” Both Drummer and Wraith stand and come over to me. We share a moment of man hugs and back slapping, then they take their places again. It hits me Demon’s the only one without a VP present, and for a moment I wonder why he hadn’t called Thunder in.

The question is answered without me having to raise it. “Sorry I’m without a VP this morning. Thunder’s dealing with a problem at the strip club.”

I hear a growl from Drummer’s throat, and his eyes briefly meet mine. All I can do is give an almost imperceptible shake of my head, but he understands the message I’m sending.No progress as yet.He won’t criticise Demon, or not in front of our other visitors. No club wants to expose a weakness.

Though Demon’s up at the top of the table, it’s Drummer who kicks off proceedings.

“We’ve got business we need to bring Beef in on, but some other things to get out of the way first.”

I glare at Drummer. He’s here for a reason, and if it involves me, I’d prefer him to start with that.

But my prez has other ideas, continuing, “I’d like to introduce those of you who don’t know him, to Jason Deville, or Devil as he is known.”

Having met him before, I just raise my chin at the man with a heavily scarred face that makes him look like he’s permanently scowling and wait while the others introduce themselves. It appears I hadn’t missed any of the meeting.

“I run Grade A Security based in the UK along with my partners. I tend to work in the field and provide consultancy to whoever wants to pay me.” Devil’s taken over his own introduction. “Sometimes I work with the feds, sometimes I investigate for them. I’ve a team working with me who can get into virtually every computer system there is.”

“Useful,” RIP observes.

Devil tries to grin at him, but as only one side of his face moves, it doesn’t quite work.

“You’re the law?” Chaz pulls out a packet of smokes and lights one. Demon shoots an ashtray down the table.

“No,” Devil answers seriously. “But I’m usually on the right side of it, though some of my methods aren’t quite legal. Hence why I’m called in when there’s dirty work others like to keep their hands clean of.”

“I won’t tell you, you can talk freely in front of Devil, but I can say he’s always been straight with us,” Drummer explains.

“You trust him?” RIP asks frankly.

“To some extent,” the Tucson prez replies.

Devil doesn’t seem upset by the response. My leg is bouncing, I’m more interested in why he’s here than his credentials.

RIP and Chaz put their heads together and have a murmured conversation punctuated by grunts and growls. In the end it’s Chaz who takes the lead. “You’ve always been a crafty motherfucker, Drummer. We’ve got an update, don’t mind ears hearing who might pass it onto the feds. Good call, Drum.” Both dominant prezes nod their heads.

RIP takes the lead. “Sorry it’s taken so long to get back to you. Had to arrange a few sit-downs to thrash things out. Cutting a long story short, we’ve come to an arrangement with LA. Warped Jokers have lost their charter.”

I breathe in sharply.That’s the news I wanted.

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