DARK FALL (A Back Down Devil MC Romance Novel) Read online

  “Everything is a front,” Strokner said. “We’re all killers on the inside. We like to fight. We like to win.”

  “We need to dig,” Gaige said.

  “Dig deep and fast,” Strokner said. “Whoever sent the finger to you means business.”

  “I think the bomb in the car was the signal for business,” Miller said.

  “Time to go,” Gaige said. He turned and pushed at Erik.

  “Let’s do it,” Blaine said.

  Erik eyed Strokner and watched the man slowly get back into the SUV. Gaige clamped an arm on his shoulder and said, “Come on, bro, we’re done here.”

  “Are we?” Erik asked. “Or are we just making this mess bigger by the day?”

  “That talk is best left for the table,” Miller said. “I’m giving the order right now, Erik. We leave.”

  Erik backed away and got on his motorcycle. They were riding again, the dark night upon them, the air ripping across their face. They hadn't learned anything new. Erik already knew that they were dealing with something more serious when his life was almost taken by mistake. That didn’t mean for a second that Erik wished Shay had been in the car instead. He just wished he could go back and never have stuck his goddamn face in the car to check it out.

  Then there wouldn’t be any scars.

  Then there wouldn’t be any pain.

  As they rode back into Frelen, Erik figured he would do what was best for himself and the club. When they got back to the clubhouse he planned to drink, smoke, and find a reliever for some fun. Sometimes it was best to leave the world outside.

  At a four way intersection, Erik crept up next to Gaige and Miller. They waited and Miller nodded to go. They made it no more than a foot before a black pickup truck came flying through the intersection, disregarding the stop sign. Erik cut his bike sideways and bumped into Gaige’s motorcycle to keep him from getting tagged in the intersection.

  “Fuck!” Miller bellowed.

  Erik looked at the black pickup as it sped down the road.

  He shook his head as he straightened his bike.

  He hit the throttle and swore he heard Gaige screaming his name.

  But fuck it. It was too late now. This was the perfect way to let off some serious steam.

  The motorcycle roared with thunder and force. The gears shifted and the speed was intense. He was actually - and finally - excited about something. To his left and right he saw Gaige and Blaine gaining on him. They each took turns waving their hands but Erik didn’t care. Hell, even if it was Miller waving, Erik would have ignored him.

  Erik focused on the black pickup. He was closing in on it by the second and when Erik was finally able to make a move, he went to the left, forcing Gaige out of the way. He moved alongside the black pickup, moving at a deadly speed. When he got to the driver’s window, Erik kicked the door of the truck. The driver looked at him and screamed 'fuck you'. Erik gave him the middle finger and pointed to the side of the road.

  It was dumb to do, because for all Erik knew, this asshole could have had a loaded gun on the seat next to him. Or the driver could swerve to the left, hit Erik’s motorcycle, and watch him drop. Either way, Erik would probably die. Somehow, neither possibility bothered him enough to back off.

  The driver of the black pickup hit the brakes and cut to the side of the road. The truck threw dust and rocks, the tires crunching as it came to a skidding stop. Erik slowed and soon had Gaige, Blaine, and Miller surrounding him.

  “What the fuck is this?” Miller growled.

  “He almost killed you,” Erik said. “So I'm going to kill him.”

  Miller stood, but Gaige put an arm out. “Let him go.”

  That’s all Erik heard.

  Let him go.

  Erik was off his motorcycle just as the driver of the black pickup opened his door and jumped down.

  “What’s your fucking problem?” the driver yelled.

  “You almost killed someone running that stop sign, asshole.”

  “Who the fuck are you? The fucking stop sign police?”

  Erik closed in on the guy and threw a punch. His right fist smashed off the guy's face, sending him stumbling back. Erik wasn’t done. He stayed with him, throwing fist after fist. The guy went all way the back and hit the side of his truck. He tried to put his hands up, but Erik was too quick and too skilled with his hands. As blood poured everywhere, Erik was lost in his own dark world and could not control himself.

  Then suddenly he heard crying and he snapped back to reality.

  Erik shook his head and stepped back. The man fell to his ass in a heap of bloody flesh. His head slumped to the side. Erik was about to kick the guy when he heard the crying again. It was coming from the truck.

  Erik grabbed the open door and that’s when he saw how bloody his hands were. It was like a murder scene. When he looked in the backseat of the truck, he saw a little boy hugging a dirty white teddy bear and shaking.

  “Shit,” Erik whispered.

  “Will you help me?” the little boy asked.

  Erik looked back and screamed for Miller. All the guys ran over and then they all took a step back when they saw the boy.

  “What did you do?” Miller said and grabbed Erik’s leather cut.

  “He’s going to hurt me,” the little boy said.

  “Who is this man?” Erik asked.

  “My daddy. He’s not supposed to have me. He’s bad. He took me from my mommy. I want to go home.”

  Erik looked at Miller. “Call Jerry.”

  “Holy Christ,” Gaige said as he crouched down and pressed his fingers to the man’s neck. “Well, he’s not dead.”

  “He fucking should be,” Erik said.

  Erik put his hand on his gun and Miller grabbed his wrist.

  “Hey,” Miller said. “This guy did nothing to us. You want to kill him in front of his son?”

  Erik looked at the little boy in the backseat. He took his hand off his gun and pushed away from the truck. He looked up at the night sky. It was filled with millions of twinkling star clusters. Erik made fists and his hands were already sore. He looked back and saw the man slowly fall sideways to the ground. Miller was on his cell, probably calling Jerry to come clean this mess up. Blaine stood with one leg up on the truck, offering one of his rings to the little boy. Gaige stared at Erik.

  There was nothing to say here, it was clear to them all.

  Erik was intense, pissed off, and desperate to kill. He just hoped he could kill the right person before he killed too many of the wrong.

  three.

  Kaity ran. Her hands were covered in dried blood, blood from where she didn’t know. The only thing she did know was that she needed to keep running. If he caught up to her, he would kill her. In fact, that was his last promise to her. Part of Kaity always knew it would end in death. After all the time she spent helping him, this was how it would end.

  The hallway was long and dark. Kaity put her hands out and could touch each side of the hallway. As she ran, her fingertips brushed against unknown objects. At first, she screamed, wondering if he was crazy enough to hang knives or something right on the walls. But it wasn’t knives touching her. It was pictures. They slid and fell back into place. Two fell, shattering the glass. Kaity whimpered, knowing he would hear the breaking glass and come find her.

  She knew she was close. So very close. Down the hall and to the right. That would lead right to the steps. Freedom waited outside the front door.

  Yes.

  She was so close to having all of this.

  Kaity’s legs hurt. Her shoulder ached. The dried blood on her hands was crusty. But that would wash off. It would all wash off. Maybe with time, the memories would wash off too.

  At the end of the hallway, Kaity turned, stumbled, and caught herself against the wall. She braced herself for a few seconds and took deep breaths. She swallowed and prepared herself for the next part of the escape and turned to face the steps.

  The tall silhouette was a living hell.


  He reached for her and before Kaity could move or scream, a hand was on her neck. A big hand. A strong hand.

  He squeezed.

  So fucking tight.

  Kaity touched his hand. She pulled at his fingers, desperate to pry them loose. But it was impossible. He had always been so strong.

  “Fuck,” she whispered. “Please… I…”

  “Die,” he whispered. “Just…”

  Die.

  “DIE!” Kaity yelled as she sat straight up.

  Her head slammed against the roof of the car and she jumped, thrashed, and fought the back of the driver’s seat for a few seconds before she realized that everything had been a dream. A reoccurring dream.

  Kaity took a few deep breaths and looked around the beat up car. She bought it for cheap from a druggie who needed quick cash. The car sometimes didn’t start and she wasn’t even sure if the car was legally registered or insured. But that didn’t matter. All that mattered was that it put miles between her old life and a new life that waited… somewhere.

  The car was parked at the end of an auto repair lot. It blended in perfectly with the other cars, accept for the fact that this car had a woman thrashing and screaming inside of it.

  “Calm down,” Kaity whispered to herself.

  She ran a hand through her hair and then touched her chest. She had no idea how her heart managed to keep going this long. The pounding and racing seemed like it would only end if and when her heart finally exploded within her chest.

  Brad. A crooked detective who had charmed and seduced Kaity so that he could ultimately use and abuse her to the brink of death. She had no choice. She had to do what she did. Now Kaity was on the run, hoping that each mile that separated her from him would erase the memories. But it wasn't working yet.

  Kaity looked out the windshield to the quiet street beyond the auto garage lot. She feared a cop would appear and take her in. A cop wouldn’t just take her in, he would take her back to that place. That place of darkness didn’t exist anymore, or she had been told, but Kaity didn’t know what she wanted to believe anymore. She had only been assigned to help once. Help him once.

  Kaity laid down in the backseat again and pulled a blanket over her. She stretched out the best she could, trying to pretend that she was in her own bed in a beautiful, safe house. But the images kept her from closing her eyes.

  Brad was dead.

  That’s all that mattered.

  Brad. Was. Dead.

  Dead people couldn’t come back and do anything. It wasn’t a movie. It was real life. Brad was gone; dead and buried. He could still haunt her dreams though, which made sleep hard to come by.

  Kaity closed her eyes for ten minutes and woke to the sight of the sunrise beginning. She jumped up and couldn’t believe she had fallen into such a deep sleep. She scrambled to get her hair out of her face as she climbed into the front seat. She looked out the passenger window and saw someone walking through the lot. A tall, bald man wearing glasses. His lips were puckered as though he was whistling.

  “Fuck,” she whispered.

  She needed to leave before the man realized someone was here.

  Kaity put her hand where the keys should have been in the ignition.

  There were no keys.

  “Shit,” Kaity yelled.

  She looked at the floor and moved her feet.

  No keys.

  She looked out the window again and saw the man getting closer. His eyes still hadn’t met Kaity’s, but Kaity knew how this would work. He’d see her. He’d call the police. Then all hell would break loose.

  Kaity had a gun in the glove box of the car, but that was only for an emergency. Such as Brad somehow coming back to life. Or perhaps an innocent mechanic inspecting his lot.

  Kaity leaned over the passenger seat and saw the keys on the floor. She reached down and lifted them by the ring. She scrambled to get the key in the ignition and turn it. As soon as the car started, the man in the lot looked at Kaity. He pointed and let out a whistle, but Kaity already had the car in drive.

  She hit the gas pedal and sped out of the car lot and down the street. She looked in the mirror and saw the man in the middle of the road, waving his hands. Kaity kept staring in the mirror until she heard a car horn blare. She looked forward just in time to see a car moving through an intersection. Kaity was going too fast, so she cut the wheel to the right. The car hit a curb, bounced up onto it and then came a stop with a loud hiss and a puff of smoke.

  The engine died.

  “No, no, no,” Kaity whispered. “No…”

  She turned the key, but the engine protested. The man was walking toward her now. Whether he was just coming to help or not, if he got close enough Kaity knew she would shoot him. She would never go back to that hell again. Nobody understood that kind of hell. Nobody understood how much this freedom meant.

  Kaity turned the key again and the engine sputtered to life. She threw the car in reverse. It seemed like the entire bottom of the car scraped the curb as she cut the wheel. The traffic light was red. Kaity bit her lip and took her chances. She stepped on the gas pedal and locked her elbows straight. The car took off and Kaity made it through the intersection without getting hit or killed. She sped along the roads until she connected to a highway.

  Every few seconds she looked back and expected to see someone chasing her. But there was nobody else. Nobody followed her.

  It took Kaity ten minutes to finally calm down and take a deep breath. The morning was still very fresh, the early sunset scattering across the highway in a brilliant shade of yellow. Kaity wanted to go back to bed. She was sweating. Her heart was racing. Her nerves shaking. She swore to herself she wouldn’t be like this everyday of her life, but it looked as though she had no choice right now.

  Alone in the right lane of the highway, Kaity heard a metal clink sound. The car started to bounce, even on the smooth road. The dashboard lit up like a strand of Christmas lights. Kaity tried to ignore the damaged vehicle, but the more she drove the worse it got. The car soon lost power and she was just coasting down the highway now.

  “Shit,” she said.

  The next exit was just a quarter of a mile away, so Kaity put on her blinker. She needed to get the car looked at. If something big was wrong with it, she would either trade it in at some small lot or she would find a way to hide it and ditch it. Leaving the car on the side of the highway would be stupid. She knew how investigations worked. They’d find the car and connect it to Kaity. Then they’d hunt down Kaity and take her back.

  Back for what?

  It didn’t matter.

  Kaity took the exit and read the sign as she passed under it.

  “Frelen,” she said.

  The car suddenly came back to life but Kaity knew it probably wouldn’t last long. Driving down the streets of what looked like a small beach town, she rolled down the window. The touch of salt from the ocean, the call of the seagulls, and the warm air were completely refreshing. Kaity smiled, appreciating the way her luck had taken her here. This seemed like the kind of place she could hide out for a little while.

  She continued on the main strip and finally picked a random street to turn down. As luck would have it there was a two bay garage in front of a large junkyard. If she couldn't get it fixed, she could at least have them put it in the junkyard. That would hide it from investigators for now.

  Large letters hung loose from the building, an outline of the letter ‘E’ was missing, so the sign read WOOL Y’S. Kaity pulled into the lot and crept up to one of the open bays. She saw two men inside the garage, cigarettes hanging from each of their mouths. She felt uneasy the second she saw the two men, but then they started moving toward her and she really had no choice but to wait. Driving the car wasn’t an option anymore. This was the perfect spot to try to get it fixed or just dump it and run.

  As the men got closer, Kaity rolled the window up until there was only a crack open and locked the doors.

  “Hey there,” one
of the men said with the cigarette still hanging from his mouth.

  He put his hands on the roof of the car. Kaity saw his shirt had a faded patch that read Jack.

  “There’s something wrong with my car,” Kaity said. “It’s not really mine, but a friend let me borrow it. Not sure if it’s worth fixing.”

  “Anything is worth fixing,” the other man said.

  His name tag read Willy.

  “Why don’t you come on out and let us have a look?” Jack asked. “What’s the problem?”

  “Noise,” Kaity said. “I may have had a situation with it earlier this morning. Sounds like some metal is bouncing around. And it has no acceleration.”

  “Okay,” Jack said. He reached for the door handle and pulled. The door didn’t open and he stepped back. “Can you unlock the door?”

  Kaity froze. She shook her head.

  “What is this?” Willy asked. “This a joke?”

  “I’m sorry,” Kaity said. “It’s…”

  Out of nowhere came the thunder of a motorcycle. Kaity looked to her left and saw two motorcycles barreling into the lot. The men wore leather and black sunglasses. They each had helmets on and wore a shit ton of rings. They parked the motorcycles and Kaity could instantly sense tension between the bikers and these two mechanics.

  “Boys,” one of the men yelled as he took off his helmet and glasses.

  Kaity noticed his eyes. They were dark and scary. His half smile like that of a killer.

  “What do you want?” Jack asked.

  “I’m here for a blowjob,” the man said. He reached down and unzipped his jeans. “Who’s sucking?”

  “Fuck, Blaine,” the other biker said.

  He looked at the two men and then at the car. His eyes locked to Kaity’s and she was frozen again. The biker was tall, had broad shoulders, and was gorgeous, even with what looked like fresh scars.

  He pointed to the car and asked, “Who is this?”

  “Don’t know,” Jack said. “Said her car needs work.”

  “She ended up here?” Blaine asked. “Christ, Erik, looks like we came just in time.”

  Erik.

  Kaity had a name now. She loved it.