Twisted Pieces (Back Down Devil MC #5)(5)

“Gaige,” Miller said. “Lead the way back. Jace and I will catch up soon.”

“You sure?” Gaige asked. “Two isn’t safe.”

“Not safe?” Jace asked. “I thought this shit was done? I that it was over when Shay’s brother was taken down.”

“Go,” Miller said to Gaige with a head nod.

Gaige gave the orders and soon there were motorcycles rumbling to life. Jace turned and crossed his arms, looking at the President of Back Down Devil MC.

“You know, it’s easier now to just f*cking give me a hug, man,” Miller said.

Miller approached Jace and stood there. Jace finally opened his arms and hugged Miller.

“You did good,” Miller said. “Keeping cool in there. Earning respect. I’m sorry for what you had to go through and what you had to see.”

Miller backed up.

“What was the shit with Paul?” Jace asked. “Why didn’t you ask me to do it?”

“You saw the bullshit,” Miller said. “We had someone recruit that other guy.”

“Nicky?”

“Yeah. Fuck that guy. Fuck Nicky. Piece of shit."

“I don’t understand it,” Jace said.

“I know you don’t. We’ll get it all sorted out soon. I promise. The shit with Shay and his brother, that’s all dead. But now we have eyes everywhere, Jace. Keeping tabs on Strokner. And then there’s the judge who f*cked around with you getting released.”

“That’s what did this?”

Miller nodded. “Yeah. Bound by the goddamn law. It pained me each day and night you weren’t at the table. It doesn't feel right to have that chair empty. I hate that f*cking feeling.”

“Yeah, I had a few feelings I hated too.”

“Look, Jace, we’re working on this. But there’s an accusation out there that could destroy this club if it isn't handled properly. If things push forward and the wrong people start digging in the right places…” Miller pointed back to the prison. “We’ll all be sharing life sentences there.”

“Yeah, I get it. What’s the evidence?”

“Alleged photos,” Miller said. “I think it’s bullshit, but someone is really pushing for it to hold up. Just to f*ck with us.”

“Strokner?”

“Maybe,” Miller said. “Maybe it’s something Caius called in before we got to him. Shay’s brother was smart enough to have contingencies in place. I don’t know. You’re out now. You can ride. We still have a lot to deal with, but it’ll work out. Goddamn, I hate saying this, Jace, but Strokner has helped us. His shitty connections sometimes work out.”

“I hate that f*cking guy.”

“I know. We all do. He’s got himself a new assistant too. Some pretty little thing. Poor woman has no idea what she’s doing getting involved with him. I can only hope she isn’t f*cking him.”

“I don’t care,” Jace said. “I just to know I'm not going back to prison and I want to ride.”

“You are out right now,” Miller said. “And your two wheels are waiting.”

“How the hell did you get it here?”

Miller smiled. “Prospects. Made one ride up on it. The other guy rode some used thing we had lying around. They’re on the damn bike together right now, puttering back into Frelen.”

Jace tried to picture it and for the first time in a while, he laughed. It felt okay to laugh. Not good, not great. Just okay.

It was certainly better than getting jumped or stabbed.

Miller walked to his motorcycle and climbed on it. He started the beast of a machine and it roared to life. Jace threw a leg over his motorcycle and smiled. He started the ride and it roared louder than Miller’s did.

Jace took one last long look at the prison. He had killed people, sure. He had hurt a lot more people, yes. But he didn’t deserve to be in prison. In his heart and soul, he knew justice was served each time he took out a piece of shit dealer or rival club member. Maybe not the kind of justice the courts approved of, but it was the kind of justice that was both feared and respected by all men.

Miller throttled his motorcycle and it snapped Jace out of his trance. He looked at Miller and gave a nod.

A minute or so later, Jace had the freedom of the road and the air on his face.

It may have felt okay to laugh, but it felt f*cking great to be alive.





three.



Jordyn told people that she took the job because it was her dream job. In reality, it was the job that took her. There had been no way in hell she could have landed a paid position working for Mr. Strokner. At least, not working for him directly. Some other people had been lucky enough just to snag an internship. To work on the first or second floor of one of his offices, running coffee around in the morning, lunch in the afternoon, and then mail carts later on. The really lucky ones were allowed to stay after hours to help some of the higher ups choose a tie for a business meeting. Some even had a chance to sleep with the higher ups, but they all learned that f*cking the way to the top of Mr. Strokner’s company only mattered if you were f*cking Mr. Strokner.

As Jordyn stood in the bathroom, her hands were shaking. She stared at herself in the mirror. Her hair was let down just like Mr. Strokner asked her to do during the interview. He circled Jordyn and his desk about a dozen times. Passing her by, speaking so highly of her resume and her education. How impressive her business school grades were even though she came from a poor family neighborhood. Jordyn explained how the death of her parents when she was a teenager fueled her to work hard to earn scholarships so that her grandmother, sweet Jane, wouldn't have to worry about money. She raised Jordyn the best she could and then it was all up to Jordyn to succeed.