Devils Cut

Chapter 4

Corvus King

Icouldn”t hurry into my seat quickly enough, my heart pounding in my chest. For the first time in my life, I wanted to cross my legs to hide the bulge of my dick in my pants.

Goddamn, I had never seen a woman so fucking beautiful in my life. She was tiny, with not a drop of fat on her body. It didn”t look intentional – more like malnourishment. She had long black hair that fell in waves down her back, yellow eyes that seemed to pierce right through you, and lightly tanned skin. Looked like she spent some time in the sun, but her skin refused to take on much colour from it.

”I”m Corvus King, the Vice President of the Devil”s Cut MC here in Phoenix,” I said as I leaned closer to her from my seat across the desk.

”Hi, Mr. King, I”m Tempest Miller,” she replied, her thick Australian accent instantly catching my attention.

Her accent was something we didn”t hear much around these parts, and it got me curious – what brought her all the way out here?

”Are you here on holiday or something?” I asked, watching as her yellow eyes darted around the room before settling back on mine.

”No,” she said with a small shake of her head. ”I just moved here. And, well... I have no intention of going back to Australia.”

”Really?” I couldn”t help but wonder why someone would leave their home so definitively. ”Well, Phoenix is a hell of a city. You”ll get used to it eventually.”

”Thanks,” she said, offering a tight-lipped smile.

”Anyway,” I continued, trying to steer the conversation back to business. ”You’re looking for a job.”

”Yes, bartending if possible,” she shrugged.

”Got any experience?” I asked, searching her gaze for any hint of untruth.

”Yeah, I did some bartending back in Australia,” she confirmed, those yellow eyes never leaving mine. ”I know things run a bit differently here, but I”m sure I”ll pick it up easily.”

”Good to hear,” I replied, my mind racing with thoughts of how this mysterious woman would fit into our world. Dirty Devils wasn”t just any biker bar—it was a haven for the criminal underworld, a place where loyalty was everything and violence lurked just beneath the surface.

”Alright, Tempest,” I said, trying to maintain my composure. ”How soon can you start?”

”Right away, if that”s what you need,” she answered without hesitation.

”Tomorrow works for me. Amanda will show you the ropes.” A brief look of relief flickered across her face, and I felt a strange warmth in my chest. Had I just made her day better? It was a foreign feeling, one I didn”t often experience in this line of work.

”Thank you,” she said sincerely. ”But I have one request.”

My brow furrowed, curiosity piqued. ”What”s that?” I asked.

Tempest hesitated, her gaze darting around the room before landing back on me. ”I don”t like to be touched. At all, So could I stay behind the bar at all times? No coming out to collect glasses or anything?”

Her voice cracked a little, and I could see genuine fear in her eyes. She was hiding something, but I couldn”t put my finger on it. Being the VP of an MC meant I”d seen some shit, but it also meant I had a heart – a bigger one than most people gave us credit for.

”Alright,” I agreed, my voice low and steady. ”You stick to working behind the bar.”

”Thank you,” she whispered, relief washing over her face.

”Look, Tempest,” I said, leaning in closer. ”We take care of our own here, all right? If something”s bothering you, you can talk to me.”

She looked away, avoiding my gaze. ”It”s nothing, Mr. King. Just... don’t like being touched.”

”Call me Corvus,” I said softly. Her pain resonated within me, just beneath the surface. The urge to protect her surged through my veins, stronger than any drug I”d ever tasted.

”Ok, Corvus,” she murmured, a small smile appearing on her lips. It didn”t quite reach her eyes, but it was a start.

”Is there a uniform?” she asked again, her thick Australian accent strong.

”None,” I replied. ”Booty shorts, a singlet or a T-shirt is fine. This damned heat doesn”t leave us much choice.” I ran a hand through my damp hair, wiping the sweat from my brow. ”But remember the shorter the shorts, the more attention you”ll get. Bigger tips too.”

She shrugged nonchalantly, a hint of a smile playing on her lips. ”In Australia, we don”t live or survive on tips like you do over here.”

”Fair enough,” I conceded. ”You”ll work the front bar during day shifts. It”s quieter then. Shifts start at 11 am and finish at 5 pm.”

”Thank you,” she said, her eyes reflecting gratitude. I could tell she appreciated the concession, given her aversion to being touched.

”Welcome aboard, Tempest.” I extended my hand for a brief handshake before withdrawing it, remembering her request.

”Thanks, Corvus,” she replied, her gaze searching mine for a moment before she turned to leave.

I couldn”t tear my eyes away from her as she stood up, the curves of her body making it damn near impossible to focus on anything else. A cold sweat broke out across my brow, and I clenched my fists, trying to regain control over my traitorous body.

“Be here at eleven sharp,” I said, ignoring the pulsating heat that seemed to radiate from my groin.

”Thank you, Mr. King,” she said, as she walked out of the office and closed the door behind her.

As soon as she was gone, I let out a breath I didn”t know I”d been holding. My heart pounded in my chest, the blood rushing southward betraying the intensity of my attraction to her. I cursed under my breath, hating myself for losing control like this. I was the fucking Vice President of the Devil”s Cut MC - I couldn”t afford to let something as mundane as lust cloud my judgment.

———————————————————————————

I sat at my desk, staring into space, thoughts of Tempest consuming me. That interview... her presence was magnetic. I couldn”t shake the image of her yellow eyes and the way they pierced right through me.

A knock on the door broke my reverie. ”Come in,” I grumbled, already feeling irritated by the interruption.

Amanda stepped into the room, her eyes full of curiosity. ”Did that girl get the job?” she asked, not bothering to hide her interest.

”Tempest, yeah,” I replied, my voice distant as my mind went back to the mysterious girl. ”Front bar only, 11 am to 5 pm. She”ll be here tomorrow morning.”

”Alright, I”ll train her up then,” Amanda said with a nod and left, closing the door behind her.

My gaze returned to the empty space before me, haunted by Tempest”s presence even though she had long gone.

The door clicked shut behind Amanda, leaving me alone. My mind went back to Tempest, her delicate frame and pale skin. And those eyes... I couldn”t shake their intensity.

”Doesn”t like to be touched,” I muttered to myself, shaking my head. She was only eighteen for fuck”s sake. What kind of fucked up life had she survived to get to this point? The thought of her soft skin marred by someone else”s cruelty made my blood boil.

I leaned back in my chair, running a hand through my hair. I was thirty-four, sixteen years older than her. I usually avoided the young club whores; they didn”t do it for me. But with Tempest... there was something different about her. A pull that I couldn”t ignore. It was like an itch under my skin, a yearning I”d never felt before.

”Shit,” I muttered, trying to shake off the thoughts. I shouldn”t be thinking about her like that. But goddamn, she was beautiful. Hauntingly so. And despite her obvious pain, there was strength in her, something that drew me in.

I stared at the clock on the wall, its ticking only fuelling my restlessness. Tonight”s job was important – a gun shipment with some of the crew. As a leader, the responsibility weighed heavily on my shoulders.

”Fuck,” I muttered, rubbing my temples. The memory of Tempest”s piercing eyes lingered in my mind, but I couldn”t afford to dwell on it now. I had a job to do, and I needed my head clear.

”Corvus!” Trey”s voice boomed from outside the office as he burst through the door. ”You ready for this shit tonight?”

”Always am,” I replied, forcing a grin as I stood up, grabbing my leather cut off the back of my chair. Slipping it on, I felt the familiar weight of authority settles on my shoulders. ”How”re the boys?”

”Antsy. You know how they get before a run,” Trey said, scratching his beard. He knew me well enough to sense when I wasn”t completely focused. ”Everything alright?”

”Fine,” I lied, clapping him on the shoulder. ”Just thinking about the new hire.”

”Ah, the mysterious new girl,” Trey smirked, raising an eyebrow. ”Heard she”s quite the looker.”

”Watch yourself,” I warned, narrowing my eyes. ”She”s not one of the club whores.” The words came out harsher than intended, but I didn”t care. She deserved better than being ogled by every guy in the MC.

”Easy, brother,” Trey held up his hands defensively. ”Just curious.”

”Let”s focus on the task at hand,” I said, changing the subject. ”We”ve got guns to move, and we can”t fuck this up.”

”Right. Let”s get to it then.” Trey nodded, and we made our way out of the office.

As I walked through the clubhouse, I could feel the energy buzzing in anticipation for the night”s work. My crew was loyal, skilled, and ruthless – everything a leader could ask for. This job had to go smoothly; there was no room for error. The guns were waiting, and so was the money. It was time to ride.

Leaving the office had been a whirlwind of activity, my brothers slapping hands and wishing me luck as I strode out into the dim evening light. It wasn”t just me leading this mission; we were a collective force, bound by blood and loyalty. As I swung a leg over my Harley Davidson Knucklehead, I couldn”t help but feel a surge of pride.

This bike was more than just a machine – it was a symbol, a gift from my father when I became a patched member at 18. This hunk of metal and chrome represented everything the club stood for, power, brotherhood, and defiance against the world that tried to tame us.

”Stay sharp,” I reminded myself as we thundered towards the warehouse. My thoughts kept drifting back to Tempest, her appearance haunting me even as I focused on the task at hand.

As we pulled up to the warehouse, the air crackled with tension. We were riding into the belly of the beast, and every man present knew the risks. But we were Devil”s Cut – fear had no place among us.

”Let”s do this, boys,” I growled, killing the engine and dismounting my bike. The sound of my boots hitting the gravel echoed through the empty night, a grim soundtrack for the business we were about to conduct.

”Let”s get this done,” I barked, nodding to each man in turn.

”Fuckin” A,” Hammer grunted, clenching his fists.

”Right behind you, brother,” Trey added, his eyes hard and focused.

”Got your back, Corvus,” Nate chimed in, his gaze steady and determined.

I checked my phone – 7:30 pm, right on time. The others were already here, waiting for us.

”Good to see you, boys,” I muttered, slapping hands with each of them.

It was clear that our reputation preceded us, and nobody dared to cross our path when we had a business like this to attend to. We all knew what it took to survive in this world – loyalty, power, and the willingness to do whatever it took to protect our own.

”Alright, let”s load this shit up,” I commanded, my voice tight with resolve.

”Got it, boss,” Hammer said, heading toward the vans with purpose.

”Let”s make this quick and clean,” Trey added, rolling up his sleeves.

As we worked, I couldn”t help but let my thoughts drift back to Tempest for a moment. She was like an itch I couldn”t scratch, a fire smouldering beneath my skin.

”Everything alright, man?” Trey asked, noticing my brief distraction.

”Fine,” I grunted, forcing a smile. ”Just ready to get this done and get the fuck outta here.”

”Yo, Corvus,” Nate called out, grinning like a jackal. ”Heard you hired some fine piece of ass.”

”Who told you that?” I asked, eyebrows raised.

”Killer”s workin” door duty these days,” he said, chuckling. ”Said she came by your office today. The girl must”ve made an impression, huh?”

”Something like that,” I replied, trying to keep my voice steady. What was it about Tempest that had me so off-kilter?

”Man, Killer even snapped a pic of her leaving,” Nate continued, smirking as he held up his phone. ”She”s a skinny little thing, ain”t she? Put some meat on those bones and she”d be good enough to eat.”

I clenched my jaw, feeling a surge of possessiveness I hadn”t expected. ”Keep your eyes on your own fucking plate, Nate. She”s not here for your entertainment.”

”Whatever you say, VP,” he said with a sly grin, dropping the subject.

”Listen up,” I growled, my voice low and serious as I glared at the men surrounding me. ”Tempest is off-limits. She doesn”t want to be touched, and I intend to respect her request.”

”Aw, Corvus, are you in love with the jailbait already?” Nate teased, smirking as he leaned against the side of the van.

”Fuck you, Nate,” I snapped, feeling my temper flare. ”This ain”t about love or lust. It”s about respecting a woman”s goddamn boundaries. She”s got some demons, and I won”t have any of you pricks adding more to her plate.”

”Alright, alright,” Hammer conceded, raising his hands defensively. ”We won”t touch her. Happy now?”

”Damn straight,” I muttered, my eyes scanning the surroundings as I tried to push thoughts of Tempest from my mind. This wasn”t the time or place for distractions.

”Good,” Trey chimed in, noting the tension in my voice. ”Now let”s focus on this gun exchange. We”ve been doing business with these guys for years, and we need to keep it that way.”

”Agreed,” I said, nodding firmly.

”Enough talk,” Hammer grunted, hauling crates into the waiting van.

The movement back and forth in front of the van’s headlights cast long shadows over the warehouse as men moved with purpose, loading crates of guns into vans. Their movements were efficient, a well-rehearsed dance they”d performed countless times before.

”Safe travels,” I called out to the guys riding off, my voice rough and serious. The roar of their engines faded into the night, leaving me and my crew in the dark silence.

”Good work, boys,” I said, nodding at Trey, Hammer, and Nate. ”Let”s get our asses back to our families.”

”See you tomorrow, Corvus,” Hammer grunted, strapping on his helmet before climbing onto his motorcycle. Trey and Nate followed suit, exchanging quick goodbyes before taking off down the road.

Alone now, I pulled the thick wad of cash from the exchange out of my jacket pocket. My fingers fumbled slightly as I secured it in my bike bag, thoughts of Tempest clouding my focus.

”Damn, I was screwed”