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

Chapter 22

Sick love is what she’s into and sick shit is what she’s gonna get. Tonight’s the night. The jig is up with the other two Devils—Ruin and Edge. Last night Ruin nearly strangled me to death for talking trash about his truck stop whore girlfriend Ariel. My guys had to come to my rescue so there’s no pretending that I’m all alone in this world anymore. Or waiting to see if maybe I can add the deaths of Ice’s foster sons to the tally of my revenge. That can still happen. But Eden first.

After taking her to see that old film, I had her practically eating out of my hand. One more date and she’ll follow me anywhere. She’s not gonna like where it leads.

That book the movie is based on is tame compared to what’s waiting for her. I just wish I had a gothic, drafty old house to lock her up in. But the big house in Justice will have to do. It’s got that people died badly here vibe to it and the way it creaks all night, I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that a couple of them stayed behind to haunt it.

Ruin’s on the hook to join Fossil, Bane, and Archer in betraying their brothers to me. The guy was practically shitting himself when he came back to the Inn last night after our fight. Pity. I preferred the stone-cold killer who was seconds away from ending my life.

But something tells me he’s not ready to betray the Devils just yet. Ice did save his life, or so the story goes, and in my experience, that’s the kind of thing that breeds lifelong loyalty. It’s why I’m only truly loyal to Scorpio and a handful of my other brothers. Because by and large, I always had to save my own ass in this life.

For tonight’s date, I’m riding straight into Pleasantville to pick Eden up. Or to the edge of it, by a fancy-looking strip mall where she wants to meet. She thinks she’s so clever, not letting anyone know about me. I’m sure her dad would have a fit over any guy she was seeing, and it’d be ten times worse if he knew it was me.

She doesn’t have to worry though. None of them know about us. And I very much doubt the Devils know who I really am.

The tall trees on either side of the narrow blacktop road seem to loom over me, obscuring the light of the moon and casting even deeper shadows than there need to be. It’s the perfect backdrop to my ride—to Eden’s last ride. My headlight is the only thing cutting through the darkness and I like that.

The lights of Pleasantville start to flicker through the trees and my heart starts racing as I near the parking lot where she’s waiting for me. A weird reaction. I hope my excitement won’t make me do anything stupid. I prefer to do things calmly, emotionlessly.

The road curves sharply and then I see the mall—a black, unlit mass silhouetted by the bright lights just off the town’s Main Street.

The parking lot is dark and deserted.

I don’t see her anywhere and the panic that flashes through my gut is totally uncharacteristic for me.

If she doesn’t show tonight, there’s other ways of getting her. Many other ways. All meticulously planned out and brilliant. All easier than the one I settled on.

But I want her on the back of my bike when she realizes she’s never going back home again. Not the same way she left it, anyway.

I’m almost at the parking lot when I see her.

But she’s not alone.

Ruin’s truck stop whore is with her. Why the fuck?

That won’t do. It won’t do at all.

I’m a guy that takes many chances. I enjoy living on the edge.

But nothing can come between us and the realization of this revenge plot. My brothers and I, we’ve worked too hard, waited too long, suffered too much.

Even if roll up and keep my helmet on the whole time, chances are that Ariel will recognize me. Then, when Eden doesn’t return, she’ll tell everyone I’m the one Eden’s been seeing in secret. And then we’ll have the Devils on our trail much too early.

This happens on my timeline. No one else’s.

So I made a U-turn and sped off back the way I came, calling Scorpio to tell him to get everyone back to the compound in the woods. He annoys me by asking if he can bring Karma and the Forsaken too—which is a no, for now—but at least he’s not asking other dumb things, like whether Eden stood me up. I’m sure that’s coming later.

They’re all already waiting for me at the compound when I arrive. As are all the brothers I left there when I departed on Mission Eden with just my inner circle to watch my back.

Scorpio might’ve been onto something when he claimed the brothers were starting to doubt my devotion to the mission. No one says anything, but I feel their eyes piercing me as I head past the family room and up to my office on the top floor.

The small windows here are showing me nothing but pitch darkness tonight. Only Scorpio, Razor, Manic, Doom, Sting, and Sarge are with me. They’re the only guys I trust implicitly. Sad, really, that of over one-hundred fifty men under my command, these six—and maybe twenty more keeping an eye on things downstairs—are it. But we weren’t picky with who we let into our ranks. As long as they wanted the Devils to suffer, we took them in. A lot of them are remnants of the MCs the Devils destroyed in this war, only some are from before. But I know they’ll all kill for me, at least as long as I can deliver the Devils to them on a platter.

“What’s going on?” Scorpio asks as soon as he shuts the door behind him. “Did they make you? I told you not to go riding into town.”

“Relax,” I snap. “They didn’t make me. But that Ariel creature was with her. This changes nothing. We grab her tonight.”

“From her apartment?” Scorpio asks.

“Yeah, the flower shop van plan,” I say. “Just like we practiced. And then you’re bringing her here.”

“That’s not what we practiced,” Sarge says, sounding like he’s grating rocks between his teeth. He’s one of the oldest guys in the MC and has made it no secret that he’s not behind the plan of me wooing Eden before we take her. Not out of any kind of pity for her. Just plain old practical common sense.

“There’s a few loose ends we need to tie up before leaving this place,” I say. “Like killing the three Devils who have been so helpful in making this dream of revenge come true for us. And possibly ensnaring Ice’s favorite sons in the process.”

Sarge shakes his head, looking disgusted. “Like I’ve told you before… no good will come of playing with your food. Only animals do that.”

“Cats you mean,” I snap and glare at him. He might be at least twenty years my senior, but I am his president and I’m due some respect. “And we all want this revenge to be as sweet as possible.”

“We do,” Sarge says and lowers his eyes. “But the guys are getting antsy. They’ve waited long enough.”

“Tell them to start clearing this place out,” I say. “We can’t leave anything behind that might tell the Devils where we’ve taken Eden.”

He nods and I turn to the others. “You four are going to get Eden. Wait until three AM and then go. Make sure it goes without a hitch.”

Scorpio gives me a look I can’t interpret.

“What are you waiting for?” I ask. “A written invitation? Get to it.”

The others leave the office, but Scorpio hangs back.

“What brought this urgency on now?” he asks. “A couple of hours ago you were still all set on riding into Justice with her on the back of your bike?”

I sit in the groaning leather chair behind my desk, wishing I had something fiery to drink in one of the drawers.

“If I’m honest… “

He interrupts me with a loud scoff. “Yes, please, be honest.”

“It’s time to stop playing with my food, as Sarge put it.”

He rolls his eyes. “Or you’re afraid you’ll change your mind and decide to keep her.”

I slam my fist against the tabletop, enjoying the sharp pain that passes along the nerve straight to my shoulder.

“Enough of this shit, Scorpio. I’m gonna enjoy her, don’t you worry about that. Now go prepare. I’m done answering your stupid questions.”

He chuckles and backs out of the room, nodding like a man who thinks he’s got me all figured out. No one has me all figured out. Least of all me.

But I did figure out why I was so excited to see Eden tonight.

And it wasn’t because I was looking forward to bringing her to my headquarters in Justice, so I could break her before giving her back. Even though handing her destroyed body back to her daddy is all I’ve wanted to do since I learned she existed.

I also realized I’m the only one who can fuck up our plan.

And that’s not gonna happen.