Page 99 of Devil's Due

“While I was at the cabin, Hell, I found the frame of an Indian. Engine and bits and bobs where it had been stripped. Looked like someone was going to rebuild it but didn’t go back.”

Glancing at him, I see a shadow pass over his face. “Forgot about that, Beef. Yeah. It was Furnace’s.”

“He was Blackie’s VP, wasn’t he? Became the prez when Blackie died?”

Hell’s face blackens at the reminder of his father, and I hurriedly remember that there’s some dark history in this club that I vaguely remember hearing about.Didn’t Hell kill his father?I backtrack fast. “You were Furnace’s VP.”

“I was. Decent fucker, he was. Totalled his bike. Yeah, that was his Indian, he was going to rebuild it. Got as far as stripping it down before he died. No one had the heart to touch it after that, been so long, I’d forgotten about it. You want it, Beef? Doubt anyone will challenge you if you want to take it. Finders keepers and all that.”

“It’s the club’s, Hell.” It’s a generous offer. If I take it back to Tucson, Sam could help me do it up.

“You’re club, Beef,” he says, sharply. “Only Bomber and Rusty would remember it in any event, and, I suspect, like me they’ll have forgotten it was there, and even if they did remember, wouldn’t want to put in the work. I, for one, would be quite happy to see it ridden again.”

“I’ll give it some thought.” If I can’t have Stevie, might need something to focus on to help me forget.

“Take it if you want it. Better than it rotting away.” A quick glance, then he adds, “Furnace would have liked you.” A chin lift, then he walks off.

I watch him leave, see him picking up his grandson and throwing him in the air, smiling for a moment as I realise family is as important here as it is in Tucson. I’m club, as Hellfire said, welcome wherever I am. The feeling brings me comfort, even if my heart and arms feel empty.

Mo joins Hellfire, Demon’s arm’s around Vi. Pal and Jayden are laughing together, Sindy’s with Buzzard and Bomber with Jeannie. Fuck, even Skull is standing close to Melissa.

Whereas I don’t know where my old lady is, or, even if I have one.

The sun may be shining, but I feel as cold as a dreary winter’s day. This might be a celebration, but there’s no pleasure in it for me.

When the time comes, I munch mechanically on a hamburger, barely tasting the food in my mouth, sneaking more of it to Max than I manage to consume. I escape to my room as soon as I feel my absence won’t be noticed. Not that it’s much better there, all I can see is Stevie lying on the bed.

Though she’d bundled most of her clothing and taken it with her, I’d found a pair of her panties forgotten at the back of a drawer. Clean, unworn, but still something of her. Like a pervert I twist them in my hands, imagining her wearing them, imagining her being here with me. Lying back on the sheets, I close my eyes, picturing her lying next to me, conjuring up that memory of her perfect tits, pale brown nipples, that soft rounded stomach, that pert little ass.

My cock swells. When I place my hand on it, I try to dream up her scent, the feeling of her touch, trying to make believe it’s her hand that’s stroking me, up and down, her fingers squeezing then loosening, her palm surrounding me as she increases the speed, pumping my dick hard.

Ribbons of cum cover my stomach quickly cooling in the draught from the air conditioning.

I feel no relief, instead I’m consumed by an emptiness.Had it been my fault? Had I had my head so far up my ass I didn’t see what was in front of me until it was much too late? What if I’d told her how I felt earlier? What if…

What if I never find her?

What if my memories are all I have left?

They aren’t enough.

Wetness on my cheeks tell me I’ve tears rolling down from my eyes. I lie, silently weeping, unable to bear the thought of a future without Stevie in it.

How will I survive?

Chapter Thirty-Five

“Beef. Get your ass back to the club. We’ve got company.”

I stare at the phone, the call abruptly disconnected. The questions I wanted to ask not even voiced, let alone answered.

“You off?”

“Yeah.” I put down the wrench that I’d been using to loosen the nuts on an engine. “Sorry, Ro. Boss wants me.”

Pyro waves me off. I don’t need to explain more. When Demon summons, you respond. My bike is parked out front of the auto-shop, already facing away from the building. It takes but a second to get on, start the engine, and let those pipes roar as I shift through the gears and back toward the compound.

After yesterday’s barbeque I’d been in a foul mood. Helping out Pyro by tinkering with an engine he couldn’t find the fault with at least focused my mind and let me think of something other than the time passing with no word about Stevie. It’s got so that I’m not even expecting news today. Half of me is wondering whether it’s nearing the time when I’m outstaying my welcome in Pueblo, and whether I’ll be given my marching orders to get back on the road.

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