Survivor: Steel Jockeys MC (29 page)

"You tried to save him," A.J. said. "That's what matters." In fact A.J. been treating Joe with more respect ever since, although he tended to forget he that when he was drunk. Luckily, Joe could give back as could he got.

It was that money that had saved him, really, even though neither he nor the Jockeys had seen a dime of it. Of course Ruby thought he'd lied to her about the necklace. He'd brought that on himself. He'd never been any better than he had to be, and that was why he’d lost her. He could save her life a hundred times, and he'd still never deserve her.

It didn't mean he didn't lie awake at night, hiding his face from the cruel moonlight, shining on the empty space next to him where her exquisite form should be, a white swan in his arms, stripping out of the devil's lingerie to bloom like an angel in the space next to him, coming hard and fast and perfectly.

And he couldn’t make that happen. All he could do was be a better version of what he was, and always would be. He went after new contacts and allies, but not through intimidation. People hesitated when they saw his youth and his colors, but opened up when they saw his ambition and sincerity. It was enough. Maybe, after all, as Regan had suggested, he was doing it for Ruby. But he was doing it.

***

“Looks just like his dad, doesn’t he?” he said when he heard the door open and the indoor light flood over him.

“He’s beautiful.”

Joe turned around. Though his expression was half hidden, she saw the little start his body made when he saw who was standing there. He dropped the bottle he was holding and got to his feet, as if she were a queen who deserved reverence.

She started talking; knowing if she didn’t get it out now, she never would. “Joe, I didn’t mean what I said when I--”

“Shh,” he said. “I know. Come here.” She stepped a little closer, gingerly, and so did he. He didn’t try to touch her. He just wanted to look.

“You know, after Kyle died, I thought I was cursed.” she said quickly.

“I don’t believe in curses,” he said. “But if there ever was one...you were braver than Kyle could have ever dreamed of. I know he would be proud of you, Ruby. If there ever was a curse, you broke it. Smashed it.”

“No,” she said. “You did. Joe,”

“But--”

“Hold on.  When I was driving over here, I was thinking about you. No, I was
praying
about you. That you’d be here, so I could see your face. Just once. And telling God, or whoever was listening, that that would be enough. That if he let me see you, I would stop asking then. That I would live my life.”

“Well?” he asked, stepping into the light completely, flipping a lock of hair out of his eyes, and her breath hitched to see him again, as breathtakingly gorgeous as she’d ever seen him, or ever hoped to. To think that this man was more than just an angel out of the darkness, that he had once, in another lifetime, laid, warm flesh and blood and bone in her arms. Even if he never would again. That was the miracle. “Is it enough now?”

“No,” she said, shaking her head. “It’s not.”

“Well,” he remarked thoughtfully. “What if I kissed you?”

She looked up. His face was all seriousness. “Now?”

“Yeah,” he said, hands still jammed in his pockets. She thought she saw a smirk on his face, a trace of the cocky guy who’d put a hand over her mouth in her apartment, who’d teased her about cuddling with him on the bike. “Would that be enough?”

She only nodded. Then a rush of movement, and as he came to her, it was as if she’d never left. He was kissing her fiercely, almost violently, his lips all over her face, her lips, and neck, as if to savor her, to taste her, as if he was terrified she might not be real, or that she might dissipate into the dark, a specter, an illusion. But she wouldn’t, she knew. Not anymore. Not ever.

“Ruby.” He breathed her name in her ear, so soft she wasn’t sure if she’d really heard it. He wasn’t talking to her, she realized. He was talking to himself. To him, her name had become a whispered prayer, like something he’d been saying to himself for the past three months. And now that prayer, that incantation, had finally breathed her to life.

“This has to be enough, now,” he said, pulling back, strong shoulders shaking, breathless as she was.

But she shook her head. “It’ll never be enough,” she sobbed into his neck, and she felt that familiar hand with its roughened palm reach out and stroke her curly hair as if he were touching gold. And as he pulled back, she realized he was actually smiling now, his face aglow, childlike, as if just to be able to look into her eyes at this moment was enough to give him happiness. As if despite all the horror he’d seen and lived through, all the times he’d grieved, lonely and abandoned, had been defeated. As if nothing could ever be wrong ever again, he held Ruby in his arms. She knew this because she felt the same way. “It’ll never be enough.”

“Well,” he whispered, “Then we’d better keep trying.”

THE END

Evelyn Glass is a native of northern California who currently lives in New England with her wonderful husband and their two rambunctious Corgis. 

Her favorite past times include hiking and reading near the fireplace.

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HAWK

APRIL
I’m guarded by a monster—a royal prick.
I didn’t want a part in my father’s criminal empire. 
But when they lowered his body in the ground, I didn’t have a choice. 
Handsome, rugged, and deadly, Hawk became my guard and captor. 
He’s not here to play games. One look at those eyes and I know he wants to bend me over his bike. 
To strip away what little they’ve left me. 
To own me--body and soul. 
And I’m scared that when the time comes… 
… I won’t want him to stop. 
HAWK
I take innocent girls and turn them bad. The more off limits, the better. 
From the moment I saw April, I knew she was all I wanted. 
Problem is, the same people who killed her father wants her dead as well. 
To save my club, I’ll have to keep her alive. 
But after I finish what I started, I’m going to make her mine. 

BROKEN PROMISES

He promised me that he’d always be there for me. But that was before he was gunned down in the streets and left to die. Since that terrible day, he was gone—alive only in my memory. 
Until I saw him again—heard his booming laugh, and traced the irresistible smile on his lips. 
He’d gone through hell, but behind those eyes was the same man whom I gave my heart to years ago. The same man who held me in his strong hands as his heart beat in time with mine. The same man who promised me he’d never let go. 
Or so I thought. 
He wasn’t the same Ray Nolan of my memories. 
Not anymore. 
And beneath all the excitement and pleasure lies a darkness that I’m not ready to face. 
A darkness that remembers the promise he made: 
To hold me tight. 
And never let go.

JERK

If you’d told me a month ago that I’d be reunited with Van Palmer, I’d have called you crazy. If you’d told me a month ago that I’d go to sleep with his smell and taste on my lips, I’d tell you to get your head checked. If you’d told me a month ago that I’d fall in love with him...

APRIL

For as long as I could remember, Van Palmer was a jerk. A cocky, arrogant, womanizing jerk who spent most of his time skirting the law, and tearing up the road with his Harley.
A jerk with a killer body, an irresistible face, and a wicked smile.
A jerk whose strong arms pulled me into his bed.
Who made me beg.
Who made me scream.
… He was my biggest mistake I’d ever made.
But I’d be lying if he wasn’t the best damn mistake of my life.

VAN

Everything about her screamed that she was off-limits.
She’s nothing like other women in my bed—whose names I’d never remember.
She's too innocent to just defile. Too good to just ruin.
Too off limits to forget.
April.
She leaves me so hard that I ache for release.
And when I see her curves sway with every step…
When I get a splash of her scent.
All I can think about is how I’ll make her lose control.
How I’ll make her mine.
 

VIPER

Viper

They call me the Viper. I live on the edge—one step ahead of both law and death.

There’s no room for f*** ups, no room for errors, and no room for anyone else in my life.

Until Eve stole my motorcycle during one of the most important deals of my life.

Nobody messes with me and gets away from it.

I’m going to take my bike back, and drag Eve along for the ride.

And then I’ll tie her down to my bed and teach her a lesson she won’t forget.

Because all it takes is a single bite.

One drop of venom.

And she’ll be MINE.

Eve

It had started with a stupid dare.

I wanted to do something reckless, something bold, something that I’d never been brave enough to do.

Stealing that bike seemed to be exactly what I was looking for.

I thought I could walk the line, I thought I knew what I was doing.

But now I’m in way over my head.

Because the Viper is hot on my tail.

And when he catches me, there’s no way in hell he’ll let me go.

PLAY DIRTY

Michelle

I won’t let him ruin his daughter’s life.

A hardened criminal and the VP of the Devil’s Mustangs, Cal Ross raised his eight year old daughter Maddie like a son in that clubhouse full of outlaw bikers.

I’m supposed to save her, rescue her from her monster of a father.

… But he turned it all on my head and everything changed.

Now, I’m falling into his world. Worse yet, I’m falling into him.

I shouldn’t do this. I’m not like this.

Then why do I want his searing hot lips pressed against mine?

Why do I want his rough hands running up my thighs?

And why don’t I want him to stop?

***

Cal

I won’t let her take my daughter away

Especially not when she knows nothing about my daughter, knows nothing about me. She’s an outsider who’s sticking her nose somewhere it doesn’t belong.

She’s everything I never wanted with a body that I can’t get out of my head.

She wants to take my daughter. I’m going to take her.

Own her…

Corrupt her…

and leave her a hot mess until she’s begging for more.

She thinks I play dirty.

She has no f***ing idea what she's in for.

DAMNED

I don’t just remove threats. I break them

And as president of the Seven Tribesmen, nothing’s a bigger threat than some FBI spook poking around where they shouldn’t be.

But that was before I got a good look at Stella.

One look and I knew I had different plans for her.

I want those full curves to myself.

I want her in my bed, need her screaming my name.

She thinks she’s got power.

She thinks she’s in control.

She has no f***ing idea who she’s dealing with.

I thought I could bring the law back to Grand River.

I didn’t think I’d find myself on an outlaw’s bike.

I didn’t think I’d find myself heading to the middle of nowhere.

I didn’t think things would spiral out of control like this…

I can’t lose myself to my regrets.

I can’t stop fighting.

But little did I know…