Road Demons Novel – Finding my ex-boyfriend Wren with another woman in his bed, only a week after I confessed that I loved him, had broken my heart. “Blue Eyes?”My ex-boyfriend Wren says. “Don’t call me that.” “Are you going to hate me forever? It’s been eight years since that happened.”His jaw clenches tight. “Babe, tell me how to fix this.Tell me what to do here, Al, because this is killing me.”He continues. “Oh, woman. It’s been years. I get it, I screwed everything. I’ve apologized over and over again. Why can’t you get over it?” He’s right, it has been years. Eight years, to be exact. But I can’t, and I never will just get over it. Because I lost everything because of this man. I lost him. My sweet baby boy. My son.
ALORA I swirl my fifth spirit and cranberry, enjoying the slight fog in my brain as I watch Riggs and Salem dance under the soft glow of the lanterns hanging from the trees above them. They look blissfully happy; marriage definitely suits them. My gaze moves around the backyard reception, landing on Jenna. She’s leaning back against Kellan as he strokes a hand over her flat stomach. He just found out she’s pregnant, and hasn’t stepped two feet away from her since Cypher unknowingly called out her secret. With the bombshell Jenna and my best friend Mia just dropped, I wonder how long it will be before Salem announces she’s pregnant as well? Everyone is happy. Everyone is moving on with their lives, and I’m just…stuck.
Like I have been for years. Like I fear I will be for the rest of my life. Finding my boyfriend Wren with another woman in his bed, only a week after I confessed that I loved him, had broken my heart. “Hey,” Mia says as she slips into the chair next to me.Snapping from my dark thoughts, I sit up straighter, giving her a forced smile. “Hey.” Her mouth turns downward as sadness settles over her face. It’s the same look I’ve gotten from her so many times over the years. Sympathy. Because Mia knows my secret. She reaches over and grabs my hand, offering a supportive squeeze. “I didn’t want to spring my pregnancy on you like this. I wanted to tell you myself. Ryder is just overly excited. I should have—” “No, Mia. Do not make light of this because of me.” I squeeze back, giving her a genuine smile this time. “I’m happy for you and Ryder.
You both deserve this. You’ve waited so long to be together. You’re finally getting your happily ever after.” Her eyes shimmer. “Yeah, I really am.” Her gaze drifts across the yard. “You deserve a happily ever after too.” I follow her eyes, already knowing where, or rather who, she’s looking at. Sure enough, I find Wren standing on the other side of the yard, watching me. He’s a vision in his dark jeans, white button-up shirt with the sleeves rolled up to showcase his muscular forearms, and his black leather cut. I shake my head as I turn my attention back to Mia. “I don’t think that’s in the cards for me.” “Wanker, Al. Everyone deserves to be happy.” She squeezes my hand again. “Especially you.” “Love doesn’t always work out for everyone.” I down the last of my drink, drowning my sorrows like I have for the past few weeks.
“Besides, who needs a man when I have a best friend who’s willing to fight for—” I pull my hand from hers as something suddenly registers in my brain. “How far along are you?” “Fourteen weeks.” My brain scrambles to do the math. “You were pregnant when you were kidnapped? Did you know?” Her shoulders rise and fall with her heavy sigh. “I suspected. I had them test me in the hospital to be sure.” Anger rips through me. She sacrificed herself when she knew she could have been pregnant? “Are you stupid?” Her head jerks back like I just slapped her. “You risked your life to save me when you thought there was a chance you were carrying a baby?” Her eyes pool with tears and she wraps her arms around her waist as she slumps back into the seat, looking wounded. “You were all I was thinking about at that moment.
You’ve already been through enough. I couldn’t let them hurt you.” I love this woman. I throw myself at her, wrapping my arms around her, and squeeze. “Mia,” I sniff. “I love you like a sister, but that baby you’re carrying should’ve come first. We all know I’m expendable.” Her body stiffens just before she lurches away from me, tears streaming down her face. This isn’t the first time she’s heard those word come out of my mouth. “You are not expendable.” She brushes the tears from her cheeks. “Don’t say that words, Al.” “Say what?” My entire body goes tense as the sound of his deep and husky voice wraps around me. It’s the kind of voice that makes panties wet with one growled word. The kind of voice you want whispering in your ear as he claims your body and takes it to heights it’s never been before. I really can’t be around him.
Without a glance in his direction, I push away from the table, staggering a little as I wipe the tears from my own cheeks. “I really am happy for you,” I tell Mia. Her eyes bounce between Wren and me, and with a sad nod, she gives me permission to walk away. “Al?” A jolt shoots up my arm when Wren’s hand wraps around my wrist. I’ve always had a strong reaction to his touch, but here lately, it’s like holding my skin to an open flame. I turn my head to look at him, and the pleading look in his eyes makes me weak in the knees. “Can I talk to you a minute?” My heart races at the thought. We’ve spoken to each other since I came back, but no more than a few words at a time. Now he wants to have an actual conversation? I’m not sure I can handle that. I shake my head as I gently pull my hand from his. “I’m tired. I think I’m going to head home.”
He takes a step towards me, and the vibration shoots right through me as he lowers his voice. “Let me drive you.” My eyes widen. Alone in a car with the man who broke me years ago? My face must show my panicked state because Mia jumps to her feet and takes my hand. “It’s okay, I’ll take her. You’ve been drinking,” she says to Wren. She places her hand on her belly. “I haven’t been, obviously.”Wren’s brows draw together. “But I—” “Thank you, Mia,” I say, cutting him off. I can’t look at him, I simply can’t. “Good night, Wren,” I mumble, then tug my best friend behind me as I hurry away from the table, no doubt leaving a pissed off man behind. We hurry into the house and collect my things before heading out the front door.
The moment I step outside, I freeze. Wren is leaning against my Equinox with his arms folded and a determined set to his jaw. Ryder is standing beside him but walks towards us the moment Mia closes the door behind her. He climbs the steps and wraps his arms around his woman. “Hey, Darlin’, I need you for a few minutes. King and Jenna need to have a word with us.” Her brows draw together as she glares up at him. “About what?” He shrugs. “The baby, I guess. I don’t know.” Mia’s eyes narrow as they move from Ryder to Wren. “I’m taking Al home; they can talk to us when I get back.” Ryder takes the keys from her hand and tosses them across the yard where Wren catches them like a pro. “Wren can take her.
He’s only had three beers.You know it takes at least a case to hit his big hips.” When Mia opens her mouth to respond, Ryder presses his lips to hers and effectively shuts her up. He mumbles something against her lips, and I watch as the magic of Ryder overtakes her. Mia is putty in his hands. “Okay,” she whispers. When he pulls away, her sorrowful eyes land on me. “I’m sorry, Al, King insists.” I swallow hard as I watch the club’s Road Captain guide her back into the house and shut the door. Ryder is Wren’s best friend, and this situation reeks like a setup. I feel his presence without even turning around. He clears his throat, and I close my eyes at the thought of spending the next twenty minutes in a car alone with him.
His large hand closes over mine as he takes my bag from me. “There was a time when you couldn’t keep your hands off me,” his syrupy voice rumbles. “Now you can’t stand to look at me?” My eyes slam shut at the smooth baritone of his voice. Jesus, how is this fair? Haven’t I taken enough of a blow tonight? Straightening my spine, I slowly turn my head. I’m on the top step and he’s on the ground, putting us at eye level. “That was a long time ago,” I mumble, my voice nothing but shakes and cracks. He pulls my hand until I’m forced to take a step down, which puts me even closer to him. The heat in his eyes has my pulse racing. His gaze drops to my lips, and he takes a deep breath in. “Too long,” he mutters. When I don’t respond, he pulls me again and I have no choice but to climb down the last of the steps and follow him to my car.
He opens the passenger door and I carefully squeeze by him to climb inside. After closing my door, he places my bag on the backseat, rounds to the driver’s side, and climbs in. He takes a few seconds to adjust the seat to his mile long legs, then pulls out of the driveway. My house is technically owned by the club; I’ve just been renting it for the past two years. I had to give it up and stay first at Breaker’s, and then at Wren’s, when the club was on lock down after Mia’s attack. But now with construction started on the new clubhouse, which Inferno’s Henchmen burned to the ground, the guys who were living in the motel behind it have been able to move back in. The only one still crashing with me at my place is Cypher. His room was above the clubhouse, and everything he owned was lost in the fire. To say Wren is pissed about my new, yet temporary roommate, is an understatement, but I was so done crashing at his place. That was inferno on earth.
“Blue Eyes?” Wren says, snapping me from my thoughts. I cringe at my old nickname. Turning my head to look at him, I practically scowl. “Don’t call me that.” His jaw clenches tight. We’re stopped at a red light, so he’s looking directly at me. “Are you going to hate me forever?” Well, that didn’t take long. I shake my head, turning my face back towards the window as I stare out into the darkness. “I’ve told you a million times, Al, I’m sorry. I was a kid. I was a stupid, and I was only thinking with it.” I wrap my arms around myself. I’ve heard this speech so many times I have it memorized. Do I believe him? Yes, I truly think he’s sorry. But it doesn’t erase anything. “Typical,” I whisper. Someone honks behind us, and we both glance up to see the light has turned green.
He curses under his breath and pulls away from the light. We drive in silence for several minutes, and all I can do is watch the dark shadows fly by my window while I silently pray he’s done trying to talk. “Al?” No such luck. When I don’t respond, he lets out a deep sigh. “Babe, tell me how to fix this.” My heart pounds as I wait for him to say more. “I know I screwed everything, Blue Eyes,” he says softly. “But screw it, woman, I miss you.” A sob catches in my throat and I swallow hard to get it down. “Tell me what to do here, Al, because this is killing me.” Silent tears roll down my cheeks as my entire body shakes.
If I don’t say something to break this moment of weakness I’m about to have, I’ll crack. So, I do the only thing I can think of. I say something that I know will start a fight. It always does. “Except her, apparently.” His hands clench the steering wheel as he pulls into my driveway and throws my SUV into park. “Oh, woman. It’s been years. I get it, I screwed everything. I’ve apologized over and over again. Why can’t you get over it?” He’s right, it has been years. Eight years, to be exact. But I can’t, and I never will just get over it. Because I lost everything because of this man. I lost him. My sweet baby boy. My son.