DEMONS (Devil's Reach #2)

Chapter Two-2

“I know I’m overstepping here, but I want to look for Tess.”

I sucked in a tight breath that came with the mention of her name.

He lifted his hands when he sensed my mood change. “Look, that girl was there for me when others didn’t see me slippin’. Let me do the same for her.”

Fuck. I rubbed my brow, more out of s****l frustration than anything else. I would give my left nut to have that chick back, but with my father back in the picture, it was a whole new level of dark.

“Trigger,” he stepped closer, but I could tell he was scared shitless, “just let me make sure she’s all right until you decide whatever it is you’re doing or not doing with her.” His gaze moved away from mine. “She’s my friend too. I just wanna know she’s okay.”

I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply to take a moment to think this s**t through. I wanted her here, next to me, safe. However, history had proved itself to be a b***h, and when I was near anyone I remotely cared for, they became a target.

“Jace—”

“Please.” His shoulders tensed when he realized he blurted that out, but he went on. “Just let me see if she’s okay.”

I swallowed back the lash of words for interrupting me. I could see he was genuinely concerned for her.

I gave a slight nod, and that was all he needed before he broke out in a boyish grin and bolted from the meeting room.

Fuck me. I hoped that didn’t backfire. I would be annoyed if I had to kill Jace too.

***

Sweat poured down my face, my hands ached, and my knees were like rubber by the time I finished my workout on the rooftop. I popped off the cap and downed my third beer and leaned over the edge to where Tess’s old apartment was.

“Hey, man.” Brick stopped me at my bike. “You know how Tess is coming in next week?”

I shrugged and clipped the buckle to my shell cap helmet.

“Look, I think she should have her own place. I wanted to rent out the room across from your building. You know, more eyes on her and shit.”

“Yeah, fine.” I started my bike, not thinking more of it.

“I think you’ll like her.”

“I don’t really like anyone.” I tossed the bike into gear and roared down the open road.

I dropped my bottle and watched how it shook from the wind and exploded in the garbage bin below. I wanted to know what she was up to, but at the same time, I didn’t.

During the ride home, I couldn’t get Tess off my mind. Jace’s absence didn’t help me keep my head on straight. I noticed his bike was gone when I arrived at the club. Just as I backed in, Big Joe was at my side with his phone out. He handed it to me and stepped back.

I hated that my body jerked with amusement when I scanned the encrypted email. To anyone else, it would look like a jumbled mess of codes, but to me, it was a second language.

First prize—a hundred grand

Second prize—fifty grand

First and second place winners will move on to the semifinals. Location revealed when winners are announced.

I was intrigued, but f*****g irritated he would hand me the one thing I promised I’d never do again.

“What, you think we need the money?”

“Nah, boss, I think you need the outlet.”

Fuck!

I jammed the phone in his hand and went inside. Morgan had a full bar, and it was only eight p.m. Nice to see the business was picking up.

“Brick?” I shouted when I came behind the bar for a water.

“Out back in the gym.”

Minnie blocked my path.

“What?” She had fire, but not the kind I liked.

Her arms folded over her chest, and she c****d out her hip. “When are you going to fix whatever the s**t is between you and B?”

“Not now, Minnie.”

“Yes, now. And go get Tess so you can get laid again, because honestly, you’re a huge asshole without her. And why the f**k is Tammy back? She could be the damn mole, for s**t’s sake.”

Closing my eyes, I tried to calm my temper, which proved harder than I thought. When I opened them, I saw she had walked away.

Good.

The gym was stuffy and hot. We hated to use the AC when we worked out. Living in the desert, you needed to have stamina when it came to the heat. Couldn’t fight if you went lightheaded. s**t happened, and you died.

Brick was bouncing around in the ring with Rail, who looked to have gotten hit in the face a few times. It wasn’t a fair fight. Brick was stronger and leaner.

“Rail,” I called out. He dropped his arms and ducked under the ropes.

I hopped in and raised my fists to spar.

“No.” Brick sighed.

“Didn’t ask.” I smacked his shoulder and then his cheek.

“Why?” He flinched when I punched his arm.

“Fight back.”

He rolled his eyes and took a punch at my face, but I ducked and kicked his knee. He yelped, but it fed his fire.

About f*****g time.

He swung again, and I let him smoke my face. He saw through me and cursed. Physical pain was my drug.

“I hate that you made her leave.”

“Wasn’t my intention,” I grunted. Dodging his hit, I sent a blow to his chest.

“You tossed me under the bus.” He kicked my ribs hard.

“I did, but it was either that or have my father sink his claws into her.” It was hard to hold back when I nailed him in the jaw with my foot.

He stepped back and spat blood from his split lip. He pointed his taped-up hand at me. “You know she loved you, and you fed her to the wolves like just another p***y that got too close.”

I lunged and grabbed him around the neck, slamming him into the corner of the ring. A few of the guys rose, but Rail raised his hand to tell them to back the f**k off.

My fingers curled into stone as I drew my hand back. My heart pumped at a dangerous rate, and my vison clouded. My switch begged to be flipped, but I held it down. What he said sank in, and he closed his eyes with a frustrated sigh. I waited a beat before I let go and dropped my arms heavily to my sides. The demons screamed at me to rip his head off. f*****g animals wouldn’t let up.

“She is at the house,” Brick muttered, which made me whip around. “I just got a call from a friend who still lives there. You were out, and I needed to process it.” He waved around the ring.

Jesus Christ.

“Tell Jace.”

“He knows. He was there when he called.”

I turned to leave when Brick stopped me.

“It’s not as easy as going in there and getting her back. If she went home, it means she went back to him.”

“You ready to tell me who him is now?”

***

ALLEN

My hands flexed over the sides of the pulpit as I felt the connection with those below me. Power traveled through the soles of my feet. I envisioned myself like a tree, absorbing it through my roots, and the heat of it flooded through my soul. I inhaled deeply with my eyes closed.

Slowly, my eyes opened, and I gazed down at the twenty pairs of ears waiting for me to speak.

“Today, we talk about sacrifice and how the Lord wants you to do him justice.”

Two hours later, I packed up my things and shook many hands before I loosened my collar and downed a bottle of Jack from under the dusty organ. This gig was pretty damn good. I could really get off on this whole preacher in the pulpit thing. It suited me.

“Alle—” Zay, one of the oldest members of my family, cleared his throat when I glared at him. “Father, we have a new development.”

“Which is?” I cleaned the dried blood off the ridges of my knife with my jacket. The edge of excitement I had experienced earlier after disposing of a local was only now beginning to dull.

“We found the girl.”

That piqued my interest. Trigger had never given a s**t about anyone before, but for whatever reason, he cared enough to make that blonde woman leave. I couldn’t get my head around it. Far as I could see, broads like her were a dime a dozen, nothing more than a warm, wet hole. Love was a conspiracy that was beaten into our brains by society, like we needed an old lady to make us feel complete. I snorted out loud at the thought. All you would be left with was a b***h to nag you and suck away all your money. If the common man could step back and look at our history, they would see that feelings like love were nothing more than lust. A few hip thrusts and a spent d**k, and that was it.

Like that old saying goes, f**k and chuck.

“Where is she?” He looked over his shoulder and handed me a folded piece of paper. That was why I kept Zay around. He was loyal, discreet, and could find anyone. He was, after all, the one who came up with the idea to win over the Stripe Backs.

I glanced at the address and smiled. “Put fifty on blackjack for me.”

He nodded. “I’ll report in tonight.” With that, he left.

The rest of the men started to bring in the shipment of guns that arrived last night. I moved to the table and relished the smell.

“What do we have here, Father?” My potential buyer was practically salivating.

I pointed to the far end of the table. “AK-47, ML 18 inch 5.56, and this.” I picked up the sexy, sleek weapon and looked through the scope. “This is the Black Mamba.”

“Which is what, exactly?” He eyed the rifle and ran his tongue over his lips. I slipped it back into the soft velvet case.

“Custom made. It’s a cross between both of those weapons. Sniper approved.”

His eyebrows rose and he shook his head, clearly not interested in my specialty. “I won’t lie. I was surprised to hear you were dealing weapons.”

I flipped a bullet between my fingers. “Actually, I’m not looking to sell. I’m looking to build an army.”

His face fell, and he flexed his jaw. “Army? Who exactly are you fighting?”

“Devil’s Reach,” I said bluntly as I eased into a chair.

He stepped back and held his hands in the air. “f**k, man, I don’t know why you’d go up against someone as crazy as Trigger, but I want no part in it.”

“Scared?” I taunted.

His fingers ran along the Black Mamba before his gaze flickered over to mine. “I watched him screw up my nephew’s eyeballs with a fork because he caught him skimmin’. Then he tore out my uncle’s fuckin’ kidneys because he defended him. I lived, but those images are burned in my brain.” He rubbed his head. “I don’t know what was worse, watching that or living with it.” He closed the lid on the gun. “I was fine with buying guns from you, Father, but if you’re looking for an army, my men would rather off themselves than go up against Trigger.”

I hated that my son had such a reputation. If I hadn’t gone into hiding, I’d be more feared than he was by now.

“Suit yourself.”

He looked away, his face growing paler by the moment. f*****g p***y. “When are you planning to move on him?”

I tilted my head as I studied his face. I wondered what his motive was. “Why?”

He shoved his hands into his pockets. “Because I want to be as far away from you as possible when it happens.”

I grinned, excited to know the war would be epic.