Asher: Heartless Devils MC (31 page)

“How is he?” Asher asked the HDs standing around.

“It’s not good, Asher,” Skeel said. “They are still running tests. He’s going to live, but they think the knife cut his spinal cord. They are trying to determine how bad he is.”

“Fuck…” Asher breathed.

“Yeah,” Skeel agreed. “The docs said he might never walk again.”

“What did you tell them when you brought him in?”

“Bar fight.”

Asher nodded. “Good thinking. That cover should hold. Does Kenny know?”

“Yeah. It was his idea. It happened at the Liquid Lizard over a woman.”

Asher nodded again. “Okay. I’ll pass the word around. Have you gotten any sleep?”

“No, but I’m good. Someone is supposed to come relieve me in an hour.”

“Okay. Hang tough until then. Chains, Jenny, and I need to get home and get some rest.”

Skeel pulled Asher into a hug. “We’ve got it. Kenny told me how it went down. Don’t sweat it. He doesn’t blame you. This is just some nasty shit, that’s all.”

“Yeah,” Asher murmured.
Easier said than done,
he added to himself.

Three weeks later, Kenny Slovoski arrived back at the Heartless Devils clubhouse. He had a little feeling in one foot, but it was unlikely he would ever walk again. He greeted Asher warmly, pulling him down into a back-pounding hug. Asher had been to see him almost every day he was in the hospital, checking up on him, and Kenny knew Asher was blaming himself for what happened.

“Stop beating yourself up,” he whispered as he held Asher close. “It’s not your fault. I knew better than to turn my back on that bitch, but I did it anyway. I must be getting old.”

Asher nodded, but said nothing, and Kenny let him go. This was a conversation they had several times already. Maybe someday he would come to believe Kenny’s words.

“John!” Kenny bellowed, also pulling his old friend into a hug.

“How are you doing, Ken?”

“Pretty good. The nurses were pretty, but I couldn’t get even one of me to give me a hand or blowjob to see if I still worked.” Kenny smiled as John laughed and backed off. He had been saving that line for when he got back, but there was business that had to be tended to. “Let’s get this over with. The sooner we get this behind us, the sooner everything can get back to normal.”

John nodded. He hated to lose Kenny, but if he couldn’t ride, he couldn’t be a Deacon. It was a long-standing rule that had to be upheld. “Yeah, okay. Let’s do this.”

Asher wheeled Kenny into chapel and the doors were closed. Jenny knew what was going to happen and she sat down to wait.

“I haven’t had a chance to thank you properly,” a voice said from behind Jenny, making her start.

“For what?” Jenny replied, turning to face Rachel and motioning to another chair.

“For what you did with Hearts.”

Jenny nodded. “Yeah, well, not my finest hour. But it had to be done. What happened to her anyway?”

“I don’t know. We boxed up her stuff, but it is still here, waiting for her to call for it. If she does.”

Jenny shrugged. It was no longer any of her concern. “Who’s taking over the clubhouse?”

“Mandy and Silk are taking turns for now. We are still trying to work out something permanent.”

“I’m sorry if I put anyone out,” Jenny said.

Rachel giggled. “Are you kidding? This is great! We’ve been talking about having you teach us how to do some of that chop-socky stuff you were doing.”

Jenny grinned. “I would, but I don’t know that I would be very good at it. We can talk about it sometime maybe. After what has happened, I’m more in the mood for shopping instead of fighting. We still need to do that shopping trip.”

Rachel nodded and grinned. “I know how you feel, sister. You ready for this?” she asked with a nod toward the chapel door.

“Are you?”

Rachel nodded. “I think so. I know Gator is looking forward to it. He told me he hoped he could do half as good a job as Asher did.”

Before Jenny could answer, the doors to the chapel opened and Asher pushed Kenny out. “Shall we go meet the new Vice-President and Sergeant-at-Arms?”

Rachel grinned. “Yes. Let’s.”

Epilogue

“Lucy! I’m home!” Asher called in his best Desi Arnaz imitation.

“Back here, Asher!” Jenny called from the back of their house. “You’re home early,” she said as he entered their bedroom and she gave him a quick kiss.

“It’s not every day you graduate
Valedictorian
from the University of Miami School of Law.”

“No,” she agreed. “And thank God. I’m sick of school.”

“Your Dad’s here.”

“Dad? Why?”

Asher rolled his eyes. “Maybe he came to see his daughter graduate?”

“Yeah, but that’s not for hours yet,” she said as she moved out of the bedroom toward the front of the house. “Dad? Is everything okay?”

John gave his daughter a crooked smile and a hug. “Yeah. I guess. I can’t believe you’re graduating. Melissa would be so proud.”

Jenny smiled a bit wistfully. It had been almost a year since her mother had been killed and a lot had changed. She had moved into Asher’s house, giving up her apartment. After Asher’s elevation to Vice-President, he had slowly taken on more and more responsibility for running the club. With investments from the Bucs and the Trifectas, the HDs had been expanding. They dominated the strip club and escort business in Miami, and had expanded aggressively into Boca Raton, Fort Lauderdale, and had just completed a deal to buy six clubs in Tampa. They were also starting an x-rated video production company to further diversify their income stream. While they may never rub elbows with respectable bankers and real estate barons, the HDs were now a fully legal operation.

“I wish she could be here,” Jenny said softly.

“Me too, baby,” John replied.

“Are you going to join us for dinner?” she asked.

“No. I have some other things to do. But I wanted to stop by and give you the news first.”

“What news?” she asked.

Asher nudged her on the shoulder and when she turned he handed her a wine glass with barely any liquid in it. He handed a beer to John, keeping another for himself. John nodded in thanks and held his bottle out. “To my beautiful daughter, Jenny Lynn Carter, Miami’s newest and brightest lawyer.”

They clinked their containers together. “I haven’t heard if I passed the bar yet,” Jenny said after she had taken tiny a sip of her wine.

John spluttered. “Like you would fail it. Please.”

Jenny grinned. She didn’t think she failed it either, but she didn’t want to get her hopes up too high. “You mentioned some news…” Jenny reminded her father.

“Yes. Another toast! To Asher Randall Lowe, the new President of the Heartless Devils Motorcycle Club!”

Jenny gasped. “Really? When?”

“I announce it tomorrow at chapel. But I wanted to tell you first.”

“Dad! Are you sure?”

“Of course I’m sure. He’s ready. Hell, he’ll be twice the President I ever was. Look at everything he has done in the past year. Besides, I’m getting too damn old to be worrying over shit like payroll. I’m ready to leave that for the young bucks.”

Jenny giggled and then held her glass out. “To Asher Lowe, the next President of the HDs!” Once again they clinked their containers together. “I’m so excited for you, Asher,” she gushed, giving him a kiss before taking another tiny sip from her glass, leaving a taste in case there was another toast on the way.

“Thank you, Boss. I’ll try to do you proud,” Asher said to John.

“You won’t be able to call me that much longer,” John said with a smile. “I’m glad. I have more important things to do… like walk my daughter down the aisle in a couple of months and play with my grandkid.”

Asher smiled and rubbed Jenny’s stomach softly. She wasn’t showing yet, but it wouldn’t be true much longer.

THE END

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Growing up the youngest daughter in a family of three, I had always been the baby of the family. That meant I was pretty much left to learn things either on my own or from my two older sisters. They were the ones who got me interested in writing and I owe so much of my accomplishments to them. Megan and Raissa, I couldn’t have done it without y’all!

I like stories with alpha males who can show a surprising streak of passion, even in stories as dark as Night After Night. Characters like that allow us to jump into and explore their world—even if only for a short while!

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Short story description:

She's the law and he's the lawbreaker

As a cop, Detective Flora Daunt meets the worst types but Terry Brandt is unique.

And it's not just Terry Brandt's offbeat looks. His deep set blue eyes, the chiseled body, the stride, that awesome cockiness - and that smoldering, inviting look...

Each time they speak, it seems like their roles are reversed. As he plies her with question after question that leaves her feverishly looking forward to the next session, it's only a matter of time before he asks her the one question she's been waiting to hear this entire time...

OTHER BOOKS BY KATHRYN THOMAS

MONSTER

A president’s got a reputation to keep.

Blake

I’ve got blood on my hands, more scars than tats.

I don’t love. I f*** and forget.

When I see Lauren on that auction block…

Something inside of me snapped.

I’m the last thing she wants.

But I’m the only hope she’s got.

Because out here, might is right.

And she can either jump in bed with a monster to live...

… or get tossed to the devils to die.

Lauren

I wasn’t supposed to end up here:

On an auction block in front of a jeering crowd.

And then I see him.

The monster who’ll claim me.

A man whose hard tattooed body is matched only by his ruthlessness.

A man who terrifies me.

And when he looks in my eyes…

I can practically hear him growl.

Feel his rough hands on my curves.

His scarred body pressed against mine.

And the words keep echoing in my ear:

“Don’t forget. You’re MINE”