Eden's Joker (Devil’s Nightmare MC Next Generation, Book 7)

Chapter 10

I was all set to start the day, even after getting practically no sleep on the lumpy mattress in my room at the Fire Heart Inn. And it wasn’t just the broken springs poking me just about everywhere that prevented me from sleeping. It was mostly the thought of Eden, and how close I was to finally doing what I set out to do at sixteen when I struck out on my own after one bad foster home situation too many. Used to be I could sleep anywhere and back in those days I usually had to. But I’ve grown accustomed to a lot more comfort since.

Still, this little sacrifice is worth it because the end result of this mission will be the sweetest thing I’ve ever tasted. I bet Eden will be sweet to taste too. But not as sweet as the revenge against her father, Ice, and the rest of the Devils.

My phone buzzed with a text just as I was getting ready to go down to the bar of this less-than-fine establishment to see who’s here, who’s not and who I can expect to meet while I’m here.

And now I’ve just been sitting on the edge of my bed, a particularly nasty spring poking me in the ass, which I hardly feel, reading and rereading Eden’s text.

I can’t make it tonight.

It felt like a blow to the gut reading it and took my air just like a real punch would. My knee jerk reaction was to throw the phone at the wall. But I’ve learned to calm those kinds of knee-jerk reactions before acting on them a long time ago.

You catch more flies with honey.

One of the few valuable pieces of experience I got growing up in the foster system. Not reacting to provocation was another. It was never worth it in the end. Best to cool off and seek revenge with a clear head and a good plan.

Which I had.

Until this moment.

What the fuck is this? Cold feet? Did she find out who I am? Did I scare her off with all my dumb warnings not to trust me yesterday?

I have no idea where those came from. But if they’re the reason I’m getting this text now, then I’ll have no one else to blame but myself for failing to get her.

How come? I texted back once I could breathe normally again and remembered that there’s other ways to get Eden. I have plans B and C and many more after that for doing that. Getting her to come with me willingly would just be the cherry on top and a nice extra knife through Ice’s heart, but it’s not necessary. If we have to, we’ll just grab her.

I was really looking forward to seeing you,I add when she doesn’t reply right away.

Me too, but something’s come up.

I’d believe her if she followed it up with what that thing was, but she doesn’t.

Tomorrow night then?

Why am I pushing so hard for this? I could get her tonight and have her over at our real HQ in the town of Justice by tomorrow night.

I’ll let you know.

And then nothing.

I don’t date women. I just fuck them. So I have no idea what to make of this. On the one hand, if she wanted nothing more to do with me, she’d just ignore my texts. And on the other, she might be too polite and sweet to do that. I very nearly asked her if she’s done with me. But that would make me sound like too much of a teenage lovesick puppy and, if nothing else, she’s not gonna go for that.

So I just text back a quick, OK, then give in to the urge to hurl my phone at the wall. Predictably, it cracks. And normally that would make me happy because I’ve always had a thing for destroying things. Especially nice, expensive, pretty things. Like Eden.

I’m still fuming inside as I reach the bar, which is mostly empty this early in the morning. Which would work just fine for me, since I need a quiet talk with my guys to tell them we’re altering our plan a little. How much, I’m not sure yet. But could be we’re going all the way tonight.

The problem is, the people who are in the bar this early are ones I absolutely didn’t want here.

It’s Karma, Grim and Psycho of Forsaken Outlaws MC, a nomad band of fugitives from the law that have helped out on some of my missions in the past. They have no idea I’m plotting revenge against the Devils, or how I’m planning to bring it about. They balk at any job that involves even a whiff of human trafficking. Or at least Karma does, and she’s pretty much their leader although it’s Grim calling himself president.

She’s a tall, blonde hottie in the way warrior women like Xena or some Viking shield maiden are hot. Not for me. Too wiry and strong. I prefer my women soft and pliant, and as innocent as I can find them. Once I’m done with them, some turn into Karmas. And some just turn into whores.

The Forsaken might not know of my plans with the Devils, but they do know that I’m still the president of Lost Sons MC. They’ve also been on about eight runs with us so far, so I’m pretty sure they also know the only way I’m leaving the Sons is if I’m dead. And they’ve met all my brothers. Which is a problem. Because I’m planning to tell anyone who will listen around here that I’ve been kicked out of my MC.

It’s not a problem I’ll solve standing in a dirt and garbage-covered parking lot of this inn, looking at Karma and her guys through a grimy window with the rising sun beating down on my neck. All I’ll solve by doing that is not having a pounding headache yet. But I already feel one starting at my temples.

Scorpio and Toons are pretending to sleep out in the open, in the dirt, leaning against the sides of the concrete rectangle that makes up this bar. They’re doing a pretty good job faking being a couple of passed out losers, but I feel their eyes on me very keenly. I walked over to Scorpio.

“Karma and her boys are here,” he tells me once I’m within earshot. “They arrived about an hour ago.”

“Did they see you?”

“Nah,” he says. “I make too convincing a bum. Not surprising, since I used to be one.”

It’s never a good sign when Scorpio starts talking about his past. That usually leads to him getting lost at the bottom of a bottle or three. But right now, I’m reasonably sure the reason for his foul mood is spending the night on the hard ground.

“They didn’t see me either,” I say. “But I don’t know what to do about them. They could blow our cover here.”

“Maybe I could seduce Karma into lying for us,” Scorpio says, with a big, stupid grin on his face. “I think it could work this time.”

All that time he spent homeless on the streets and the hard life since somehow didn’t rob him of his boyish good looks. Add in his blond hair, blue eyes, broad shoulders, and defined muscles that he works on religiously, and he’s hard to resist for most women. But Karma is one of those women that can resist him. Which hasn’t stopped him from trying to get into her pants. Constantly. It’s getting annoying.

“She’ll just shut you down like she always does. Besides, she’s with that Grim guy, isn’t she?” I say, which makes him laugh, of all things. “No, I’ll just go in there and tell them we’re working a job and they need to pretend like they don’t know us.”

Not that it looks like this whole charade will be necessary after all. But I still haven’t decided how to handle the new Eden situation.

He springs to his feet. “I think I’ll join you. I could use a drink.”

I shake my head. “Get it somewhere else. Or better yet, get some sleep.”

“I don’t need you messing with Karma right now,” I add since he looks offended and like he’s gonna argue with the order. “I need their undivided attention.”

“You’re right, I do get under her skin,” he says and laughs again.

“You wish.”

“I do.”

I leave him there and walk back to the bar, hoping it’s still just as empty as it was when I looked in through the window.

It is, and all the Forsaken turn to me as one as I enter. They’re drinking coffee out of mismatched cups. They must’ve brought all that with them, because there’s no one behind the counter and everything’s dark. Plus, I doubt they even make coffee in this place.

“Joker,” Grim says as I approach their table. “Didn’t expect to run into you here.”

He’s only in his forties, but grey is already speckled liberally across his dark hair. The wind of constant nomadic riding hasn’t been kind to his face either and the crow’s feet and other wrinkles on his face make him look a lot older than he actually is. Karma and Psycho don’t have any of those issues. They both look fresh and young. I can also clearly see none of them are happy to see me.

I walk up to their table but don’t sit down.

“So what brings you out here?” I say. “I thought you were back East, burying someone.”

“Yeah, we were saying our final goodbye to our brother Reaper,” Grim says darkly and the other two look very sad for a moment.

“I thought you’d be doing that until the winter.”

“We have some things to take care of here,” Karma says cryptically. “Some long overdue things.”

Now, normally I’d want to know all about that. But I can find out later. And I got a shitload of other things to figure out today.

“I’m on a mission here,” I say before anyone walks in and sees us talking like friends. “Incognito-like. If you’re staying, I’ll need you to act like you don’t know me from before.”

“No problem,” Karma says.

On the surface, it might look like she’s readily agreeing because they want to stay on my good side. But I know very well that Karma doesn’t like me very much, so I’m not fooled.

“Good,” I say. “So when you see me next, it’ll be just like the first time we met. The same goes for any other Lost Sons member you see around. You don’t know them and you don’t know me, and they don’t know me either. Am I being clear?”

By the slightly cross-eyes look on Psycho’s face I’m thinking maybe not. But they all nod and grunt their agreement.

It’s all I need from them, so I walk back out into the glaring sunlight, wishing I had a readily available solution for the issue with Eden.

“You clear it up with them?” Scorpio asks as I reach my bike. I didn’t see him lurking in the shadows to the side of the building. He’s procured a bottle of Jack from somewhere and is enjoying a liquid breakfast as is his habit lately.

“Yeah, we’re all gonna pretend we’re strangers,” I say. “That goes for you and Karma too.”

“Oh, good, I get to start fresh with her.”

I give him a level look which just makes him laugh.

“I’m gonna take a ride to clear my head now,” I say and mount my bike.

He nods and gives me a drunken little wave. I’m glad he didn’t ask me where I’m going, because I’m not ready to discuss the possible failure of this mission before it even got started. Or the fact that I’m heading into Pleasantville so I can keep watch on Eden.

And if she’s not ready to reschedule our date soon, I might just grab her tonight.