Devil's Despair Box Set: Books 1-3 (11 page)

The betrayal I felt toward Hayden broke up the band for a long time. It wasn’t until I suffered long enough and let it fuck with my head long enough that I decided to leave the group for good. We all have pasts we’re not proud of, but mine is full of humiliation and hurt, and it was caused by one of my best friends and the person who I thought, to say the least, liked me.

“What the fuck are you doin’ here, Kenna?” My posture is causal, but I’m feeling anything other than relaxed. I hate her. Her face brings all the bitter memories with it and causes them to come flooding back.

Hayden and I eventually worked our shit out, man to man, with fists and words of anger. Once that was over, it took me a long time to trust him and even after all this time, I still constantly question his motives and actions. To an extent, I have to admit, I understand being in a situation and the process of making bad decisions while in it. I’ve done this again and again when it came to my own life. That said, my patience and acceptance of Hayden will always stand in question.

“I came to see the band.” She says this while licking her lips as if in a method of seduction.
Not a motherfucking chance in hell.

“Enjoy it.” I turn around and give her my back, but she’s not going to slink off without at least one last-ditch effort to rattle me.

“Heard you’re back for good. Brokenhearted, empty-handed, and with your tail between your legs. Typical Ace, I’d say.”

Hayden’s entertainment for the evening laughs. I say nothing as I ball my fists and try to remain calm. I wouldn’t ever hit a woman, it’s not in my DNA to do that, but this dragon is a far cry from being any kind of woman. Fuck, I’m unsure she’s human.

“You heard wrong,” I answer, my back still to her as I lean my arms on the bar.

“Well, either way, I’m sure I’ll see you around. Take care and tell Hayden I said hello, would you?”

Thankfully, with the last slap to my pride, she slithers off leaving me standing with the whores of Hayden.

Fuck, where’s Cherry?

Cherry

By the time I waited in line and finished in the bathroom, I came out to find the music blaring and now the band is creating mass chaos within the crowd. Hayden’s temper, as we wade through the crowd, is short at best.

Bending to my ear, holding me close and creating a walkway big enough for us to get through, Hayden hisses in disgust before abruptly stopping our forward movement to get to Ace. “Fuck me running. This isn’t good.”

Turning my body into his, letting his arm drape over my back to keep others from separating us, I follow his eyes and find a blonde-haired woman sitting on the lap of a biker. Obviously, coming from a club, although not being a member, I see the cut and recognize the membership. I’ve never heard of that specific MC, but that’s not where my attention is leaning. It’s the woman straddled on top of the biker that I don’t miss.

Her tongue is in his mouth, but her eyes are open and they’re aimed right at us. “Uh, Hayden? Who’s that?”

“Kenna
fucking
McAdams. That’s who that is.” He’s angry. The muscle in his neck is strained, and his face is changing color, his olive tone no longer evident as shades of red are making their way to the surface in its place.

I don’t want to upset him further, but there are a few sides to Hayden and some aren’t so good. “Do you know her like I
think
you know her, or do you know her personally, like a friend?”

Hayden looks down, his anger subsiding at my inquiry and now he’s gazing down on me, smiling. He recognizes his own man-whore ways and doesn’t have to further question my meaning. “Yeah, Rae, I know her personally. She was a big mistake on my part and cost me the trust of one of my best friends.”

“Who?” Not wanting to hear where this is going, I ask anyway.

“Ace.”

“Oh.” I knew it. As much as I didn’t want that as the answer, I still knew.

Pulling me to the side of the room and out of the sight of this old girl in Ace’s life I wasn’t aware of, Hayden pins my body to the wall and stands over me. He explains an old heartache in Ace’s life I wasn’t aware of, either. “She and Ace had a thing. For a long time, they kept it quiet. She, however, didn’t stick close to home, if ya know what I mean.”

I nod, willing him to continue. It’s tough to make out every word over the crowd and music blaring in such a way, but I listen carefully and hang on every syllable the best I can.

“End result is…” letting go of my body entirely, he steps back, looking at me while confessing, “I fucked her and they weren’t broken up when I did it.”

Instinct has me pushing at his chest to get him further away from me. Immediately, I want to find Ace and get him as far from Hayden as I can. The thinking is irrational considering I know the two are friends now, so after taking a breath and feeling Hayden squeeze my fists in his hands, I wait for further explanation.

“We worked it out. It was a long time ago, and it took a long time for us to get back any kind of friendship. Toby and Travis had to talk us through a lot of shit. I was drunk as fuck and the bitch I had lined up for the night ended up puking up her night’s share of drinks and passing out in the ladies room. I was left drunk, pissed off, and horny. You’ve only known me two weeks, but I also know you can put that shit together that this isn’t a good combination and not one I’m used to.”

I roll my eyes, and I feel my nose flare at him in anger. “Go on…”

“She cornered me in the parking lot. Apparently, I thought I was sober and I had planned to drive home. I’m ashamed to admit she didn’t have to work for it, either.”

I feel my heart literally breaking in my chest for Ace. Standing on my tiptoes, I’m still not tall enough because he’s craning his neck to his full height on purpose to avoid me, but it doesn’t stop me from calling his ass out. I don’t care if this betrayal happened when they were eight and playing baseball at the school. I’m pissed, and right now I’m the captain of “Team Ace” so shoving my finger in his face, I scream at him. “You’re an asshole!”

His face is drowning in shame. With defeat, he straightens and continues. “I know this, and I’ve never forgiven myself, but Rae, I swear to you she was a slut. She had been fucking Ace over for a
year
without him knowing it. He had no idea.”

Defeat and shame do nothing in way of pity for him. Animals in the wild have more respect for another’s mate. I’m still pissed. “A good deed, Hayden? Really? Is this what you’re claiming now? You
saved
Ace by sleeping with her?”

Calm lingering in his voice, there’s no insult in his words, just brutal truth. “I know where you’ve come from too, Cherry. Don’t pass judgment on me for a bad decision. That’s fucked and we both know it.”

I don’t respond. Ace must’ve told him about my past and although this should upset me, it doesn’t. I made decisions, and I live up to those. I own them; they’re mine. I just want to find Ace.

Standing back, I push Hayden to the side and make my way back to the bar. When I find Ace, he’s alone. He looks no less pissed off and stressed out than I feel. Luckily for me, it seems Blonde and Red vanished and found new friends. This leaves Hayden alone for the night. It’s no less than he deserves; pity for him.

“Cherry? What’s wrong? What happened?” His eyes dart quickly and methodically, searching my body for physical injury.

Shit, how to explain. I start to open my mouth, but there’s no need for words; Hayden does it for me. “Kenna’s here. Clocked her on a biker near the stage.”

Ace’s eyes meet mine. This is something he didn’t want me to know about; something he’s deliberately kept hidden. “Where’s Toby?” Odd question, but this whole situation is jacked, so who am I to question.

“Marlee felt sick. They left in a rush.” Shelby, the bartender slash waitress, says over the crowd.

“What about Trav?” Ace asks, as a break in music gives us a brief reprieve.

Hayden answers casually before taking a drink from his fresh beer. “Said he may show later, but he worked today. Said he was beat.”

I can’t hold my tongue anymore. I’m more than frustrated with this whole scenario. “Are we seriously talking like nothing happened?” I turn my body into Ace’s as he sits on a stool, leaning his arm on the bar casually. “’Cause Hayden just told me about he and hooker having sex and I’m mad, Ace. I’m
mad
!”

Ace grabs my waist, pulls me into him and kisses the tip of my nose.
I’m not a puppy!

Seeing my elementary school evil eye, mixed with a look of exasperation in response to his chaste kiss, he laughs.
He’s laughing at me!

Meddling my way between his thighs, I get closer to him. Doing this, I hear Hayden chuckle behind me. “Ace, what’s funny? I don’t find it humorous. I mean, I’m not a guy, thank goodness, but…”

Ace grabs the back of my neck, pulling my face to his. I smell the beer on his breath, feel his hands dig into my hair, and watch his eyes smiling down at me. He rests his forehead on mine. “No, Cherry. You are most certainly not a guy. No ‘thank goodness’ about it, more like thank
fuck
.” He continues smiling and talking through this smile. “Baby, all that happened a fuck of a long time ago. Let it go. Hayden has, I have and now, you have.”

Mumbling out loud and apparently to no one, I state my defense. “I haven’t but whatever. You people wear me down, and it takes a lot to wear me down, Ace.”

Again, a chuckle from Hayden and a laugh from Ace. I’m enjoying the sound of the thankful camaraderie, but not for long.

This hooker isn’t going to go away without an exit interview, I see.

“Ace. Hayden. You two look well.” Hooker keeps her eyes on Hayden, looking him up and down as if she’s ordering from a menu and she’s found her main course.

Don’t think so.

Sticking my hand out between us for greeting, she looks at it as if it’s going to bite her, so I drop it quickly but continue my verbal greeting. “They do, don’t they? I’m Cherry. You are?”

“Cherry?” she says while looking me up and down, ending with an eye-roll before introduction. “I’m Kenna. I’m also one of the only girls around here who’s had the pleasure of each of them. What one doesn’t excel at the other makes up for, exceedingly.”

Seriously?

My mind goes back to a place I once was, a person I refuse to still be. It was a time that feels so long ago. I slip back into my whore role. I knew back then how to handle a brother, no matter his rank within the organization. If I wanted him, I was having him regardless of the competition. Sadey and Mace hated me for this exact determination, so in order not be ashamed of myself for it, I remind myself I’m doing this for Ace and kind of for Hayden. That said, I’m still super-pissed at him.

Wrapping my hand around Ace’s thigh, I move it as close to his cock as I can and rest it there. Then, with the other hand, I find the front of Hayden’s jeans, place my hand at his zipper and rub softly, mentally noting quickly that some lucky girl gets to spend the rest of her life enjoying that. I finish my act by making my statement to this hooker in heels. “Have you had them both… I mean, at the same time?”

Her face falls, all traces of confidence slipping away. She’s stunned at my actions; apparently, she’s used to running the hen house and happily hoarding the cocks that only
come
for her.

Not these cocks. Not anymore, sweetheart.

Wanting this bitch to flee so I can get back to enjoying standing so close to Ace, I finish. “Ahhhhmaazzzing! Fucking amazing. I’d offer to share, however I’m not about to let my men catch crabs down at the pond of pity.” Looking behind her, I move my neck in a dramatic club-whore fashion that I’m well-rehearsed with. “I think…” using my hand to shield my eyes from the stage lights, I find her biker and zone in, “if I’m not mistaken, it looks like you’ve been replaced.”

She looks back to where I’m staring, straightens her posture, and walks away toward her biker, who currently has his hand up another slut’s skirt, no one other than Hayden’s friend, Red.

Silence ascends our trio. I realize what I’ve just done and who I’ve done it in front of, and I have a moment of panic when I think that maybe Ace would be embarrassed of my actions in a public place.

I’m not left to contemplate long because the next thing I know, I’m being pulled back into Ace’s chest from behind. Hayden lets out a heavy gasp next to me as he blurts loudly in front of Shelby and anyone else standing within a five-foot radius, “Oh, God, Ace. Please don’t kill me right now, but I think I’m hard.”

Ace bends his head into my ear, whispering softly. “So am I. We’re leaving; say goodbye, Cherry.”

Hayden catches my face as I feel it flush, not from his compliment,
if that’s what that was
, but from Ace’s voice and words. I’m certain my eyes are dancing, and it’s confirmed as Hayden’s wide, bright smile lights up and he states, “Fuck, Ace. You’re a rotten bastard. You’re about to get very lucky.”

Ace stands quickly and throws two twenties at Shelby for the tab. “I fuckin’ hope to hell you’re right, bro. Drinks are on me ‘til the money runs out. Talk to you tomorrow.”

As Ace drags me away from the bar by the hand, I struggle to keep up while looking back to wave goodbye to Hayden; he smiles and gives me a knowing wink. I’m holding in my laughter that I haven’t been able to release as I hear Hayden yell behind us for Ace. “I hate you. I fuckin’
hate
you right now, asshole.”

Ace flips him off without turning around and continues leading us out the door.

CHAPTER TEN

Ace

“GET TO THE truck, Cherry.” My body is tense. I’m strung tight with frustration and left barely able to control my body from its ravenous shaking.

Her fuckin’ mouth and that body. Her territorial display in the bar has me worked up far past friendship and appreciation.

Watching her grab my thigh was a picture in itself. My eyes couldn’t look away from her brightly-red-painted fingernails as she squeezed me only a few inches away from my cock. I felt, really
felt
, her hands on me. What finally snapped my reigning control was watching as she reached for Hayden, resting her hands on him after she rubbed his cock under the zipper of his jeans. That hasty move pushed me over the edge of any reasonable thinking.