Gravel's Road

Gravel’s Road

A Devil’s Knights Series Novella

Winter Travers

Copyright © 2015 Winter Travers

ISBN-13: 978-1515234722

ISBN-10: 151523472X

Gravel’s Road: A Devil’s Knights Novella

Editor: Brandi Beers

Cover Designer: Winter Travers

All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduction, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) utilization of this work without written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.

For questions or comments about this book, please contact the author at [email protected]

Cover Images

Black Harley © Beriliu | Dreamstime.com

Man Silhouette in Fog © artush | Dollarphotoclub.com

Contents

Devil’s Knights Series

Dedication

Acknowledgments

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Battling Troy (Coming Soon)

About the Author

The Devil’s Knights Series

Loving Lo

Finding Cyn

Gravel’s Road

Battling Troy (Coming Soon)

For second chance romance.

You never know when you will find love again.

Acknowledgements

Wow, here I am writing acknowledgments for my third book. This is beyond surreal. The same people that stood by and helped me with my first book, are still there cheering me on, waiting for more.

Here goes:

Wood and Carter. I love you boys to the moon and back. You are my support and solid ground.

To my family. You all support me more than you even know. I have to laugh every time we do something, and you ask, ‘Is this going to end up in one of your books?’ Ninety percent of the time, the answer is yes.

My Author Gone Wild Ladies. We’re doing it, ladies. We are following our dreams and bringing our stories to life. AGW always.

Lizette Palleschi. Where do I even begin? Not only are you my PA but you have become one of my most trusted friends I have. I thank you beyond words for your encouragement, loyalty, and your ability to know what I think before I even say it. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.

My lovely Karla Beers. Gravel’s story is for you. You have been my number one supporter from day one, and I wouldn’t have hit publish on that first story without you. I am forever indebted to you for your unwavering support.

Bonnie Trujillo. I seriously had no idea how you were going to make my teasers and such for Gravel’s Road sexy and eye catching, but you did it. I am, as always, amazed at your graphic wizardry. Thanks, Bonbon.

All my Wicked Women. You ladies sure do know how to pimp a girl out. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Thank you to everyone who has bought one of my books. You are making my dreams come true.

Gravel’s Road

Chapter 1

Gravel

“Let me the fuck out of here!”

The nurse looked at me, boredom written all over her face. “The doctor will be in within the hour. Just like I told you the last three times,” she droned on as she looked down at her clipboard.

“I don’t need a fucking doctor telling me when I can leave; I’ll fucking decide,” I barked.

She flipped her clipboard shut without a second glance at me and flounced out the door.

I grabbed the pillow from behind my back and threw it at the shutting door. I needed to get the fuck out of here. It had been two days since I had been shot, and I was like a fucking caged animal.

“Dude, what the fuck did you say to the nurse?’ I glanced up and saw Meg’s friend, Troy, walk through the door. ‘She about ripped my fucking head off when I asked where I could find you.”

“I need to get the fuck out of here,’ I bit off, ‘what the hell are you doing here?”

“Um, well, Meg called me and asked if I would pick you up,” Troy said as he took his hat off and ran his fingers through his hair.

“Where the fuck is Crowbar or Turtle? One of their asses could have picked me up,” I growled. Why the hell was someone who wasn’t part of the club picking me up?

“I guess your sunny disposition isn’t going over well with the guys in the club. I’m your last hope at getting sprung from here,” Troy replied as he plopped down in the chair next to the bed.

“So I’m stuck with the fucking cowboy,” I sneered as I took in his dark blue jeans, plaid button-down shirt and cowboy boots. Thank god he was wearing a baseball hat and not a cowboy hat.

“I guess so. That ok with you?” Troy smirked at me. I had never really spent any time with the kid, but for some reason he just rubbed me the wrong way. I still felt that he had something for Meg. As much as I had brought it up to King, he said Troy had no interest in Meg. All I knew from my experience was that a guy can’t be friends with a woman without trying to get something more from her.

“I guess I can handle the fifteen-minute car ride with you,” I grumped, tossing the sheet back and swung my legs over the side of the bed. They had been pumping me full of the good fucking drugs and I barely felt the pain in my shoulder. The doctor had said the bullet had gone straight through and hadn’t left any lasting damage. I just needed to take it easy and let it heal. That also meant I wasn’t able to ride my bike for a while. That was what was pissing me off the most.

“Jesus Christ man, have your legs ever seen the sun?” Troy said as he shielded his eyes, laughing.

“Fuck off,” I growled. I stood up, testing my legs, pleased to find the drugs weren’t fucking me up too much, and I was still able to walk. I slowly made my way to the bathroom, grabbing my bag on the way and shut the door behind me.

I took a piss and then washed my hands while looking at myself in the mirror. I had always thought that I looked fucking good for my age, but this getting shot had made me start feeling my age. My body was not springing back as it used to. I grabbed my brush out of my bag and dragged it through my long gray hair and tied it back, out of my face, one handed.

My years of hard living and long nights had weathered my face, but I still looked good for fifty-seven. I was the oldest one in the Rockton chapter, but I could still keep up with those young bucks for the most part.

My left arm was in a sling, holding my arm and shoulder immobile and there was a big bandage where the bullet had entered and exited. I was wearing the hospital gown given to me that tied in the back, but my fucking ass was still hanging out.

I grabbed my duffel off the floor and set it on the toilet and dug out a clean shirt and jeans. I struggled to pull my jeans on and was sweating fucking bullets by the time I had them pulled on. I tried to button them, but I couldn’t do it with one arm.

“Son of a bitch,” I cursed. I couldn’t even get myself dressed.

I leaned on the bathroom sink and hung my head down. I was too fucking old for this shit. I pushed off the sink and threw the door open. “Either call that fucking nurse back in here, or you’re going to have to fucking help me get my god damn pants on,” I snarled, annoyed with my helplessness.

“Aw, fuck no. I didn’t sign up for dressing the old guy,” Troy called as he held his hands up. Fucking punk.

“Just button the fucking things up and help me get my shirt on,” I replied.

“Meg fucking owes me big for this,’ Troy complained as he walked over to me. ‘You tell anyone I helped put your damn pants on, I’ll punch you in the fucking face,” he said as he pulled the zipper up and buttoned the fly.

“Trust me, it isn’t on the top of my list of things to talk about,” I said as I walked back into the bathroom and tossed my shirt at him. He helped pull the hospital gown off and threw it on the bed.

I worked my arm out of the sling, and Troy helped work the tee over my head and arms. By the time I had it on, I was sweating again and ready to lay the fuck down.

“I need to put your fucking socks and boots on too, don’t I?” Troy asked, outraged.

“Yeah. Just shut the fuck up and do it,” I shot back as I sat down on the edge of the bed. He crouched down in front of me and made quick work of pulling my socks on and lacing up my boots.

“I’m going to find the doc and see if I can’t get you out of here a little bit faster,” he said as he got up and headed out the door.

I laid back on the bed, throwing my feet up, not caring my boots were on and shut my eyes. Everyone had come to the hospital to see me. Everyone but the one person who I had come to realize was the only person I wanted to see.

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*

Ethel

I don’t know why I had let Lo talk me into taking care of Gravel. I hadn’t seen the man since the Devil’s Knights had moved to Rockton, and I had no interest in seeing him now.

Lo had called me after they had loaded him into the ambulance, asking me to meet the ambulance when it got there, but I hadn’t. I couldn’t.

I thought Gravel and I were friends, but when I repeatedly asked him to come over or called him with no answer, I had given up on him. I couldn’t compete with the club and all the girls who came and went, and that was what it all boiled down to. I wasn’t what he wanted.

Now, I had to take care of a man who didn’t want me. A man who I had made a fool of myself of in front of repeatedly. Oh joy, this was going to be fun. Maybe I’ll keep him knocked out on pain meds the whole time.

I was sitting on my front porch in my favorite rocker, waiting for Troy to pull up. Meg had called me this morning, telling me Troy had drawn the short straw, and he was stuck with retrieving Gravel and bringing him to my house. Lo and Meg had both complained to me about how much of a bear Gravel had been since he had gotten shot and how no one wanted to be around him right now.

I stretched my legs out, looking down at my pale pink ballet flat slippers I loved to wear and wiggled my toes. I always tried to look my best, but when I was at home, I let it all hang out so to speak. I was a fifty-eight-year-old woman who still felt like a twenty-year-old inside.

I looked up and saw a jacked up truck rumble up my driveway. I lived on the outskirts of town along a ridge of woods that provided lots of privacy. Troy hopped out and threw a wave to me as he made his way around the truck and threw open the passenger door.

I couldn’t take my eyes off the man who sat in the passenger seat. His face was weathered from the countless years of riding his bike during hot summers, but his body was still as fit as I remembered it. I had known Gravel for fifteen years, and he still looked as good as the first day I had seen him, if not a little tired.

He struggled down from the truck, swatting away the hand Troy offered him and slammed the door behind him. “Keep your fucking hands off me. I’m not a fucking invalid.” I heard him growl at Troy.

I shook my head, a laugh escaping from my lips. This was going to be interesting.

He slowly made his way up the stairs and turned to look at me. Still as handsome as the first day I had met him. “I didn’t ask to come here,” he said.

“I know. Lo insisted,” I replied as I got up from my chair and walked to the front door.

“If you don’t want me here, I can go,” he said as I pulled the door open.

“I don’t care what you do, Gravel. Stay or leave, it’s up to you,” I said as I breezed in the door, not caring if he followed.

I walked into the kitchen, grabbing the pitcher of iced tea out of the fridge and three cups out of the cabinet. I was filling them up as Troy walked into the kitchen and set Gravel’s bag next to the refrigerator. “You sure about this?” Troy asked as he grabbed a full glass and sat down at the kitchen table.

“No. But Lo asked, so I’ll do it. He said it would only be for a month or so. I can handle that.” I said with a smile as I took a seat next to Troy.

“I got to get my fucking tea?” Gravel humphed as he walked over to the counter and grabbed his glass.

“I didn’t know I had to wait entirely on you,” I replied back, trying not to show my annoyance. The thing with Gravel was he always attempted to get a rise out of me. I wasn’t going to give it to him, though.

He leaned back against the sink and sipped on his tea, just staring at me.

I cocked my eyebrow at him and waited for whatever crap that was going to come out of his mouth. I didn’t have to wait long. “You still always got that radio on, don’t ya?” He said, almost accusing me.

He always gave me shit about the music I listened to. Said ‘it showed my age.” Well, I didn’t have a problem with being in my fifties. I wasn’t like him trying to be younger than I was.

I listened to the music and heard England Dan and John Ford Coley singing ‘The Nights are Forever without you’. I loved this song. I loved any late seventies and eighties music. I listened to modern music, but I always came back to my oldies.

“I like my music,” was all I said. I didn’t need to justify myself to him.

“Meg’s the same damn way. She’s always got to have control of the radio at work. Freaking music Nazi,” Troy laughed as he finished off his tea.

Gravel grunted from over by the sink, and just shook his head. I had no idea what the man’s problem was. I’m pretty sure you could tell him he won the lottery, and he would find something to complain about.

“That’s probably why Meg and I get along so well, we both love music,” I said, smiling at Troy as I grabbed his empty glass and headed to the sink.

“I’m going to head out. Apparently I’m on Gravel duty, so I’ll be out next Monday to take him to the doctor.’ Troy said as he stood up. I was standing next to Gravel when I heard him growl at Troy. What an ass. ‘I’ll see ya next week,” He said with a wave and headed out the front door, the screen door slapping shut behind him.

“Do you think you could be nice to the boy for five minutes?” I scolded as I bumped him out of the way and set the empty glasses in the sink.

“No. I don’t like him. I know he’s after Meg, and I don’t fucking like it,” Gravel said as he set his glass in the sink and looked at me.

“That boy has no interest what so ever in Meg. They’re friends.”

“No.”

“Is that the only word you know?” I asked, annoyed with his ignorance.

“No. I got a whole bunch more for that kid. You aren’t friends with a woman for that long and not have feelings for her. He’s just biding his time, and I know he’s going to go after her. I. Don’t. Like. Him,” Gravel said, punctuating each word.

“You’re wrong. Get your head out of your ass. Just because you
can’t be friends with a woman without trying to get in her pants, doesn’t mean that everyone else thinks the way you do.” I said as I walked to the fridge and swung the door open. Gravel had only been here for fifteen minutes, and he was already driving me crazy. If Troy were after Meg, I would drop dead on the spot. He was wrong, pure and simple.

“Yeah, we’ll see won’t we?” Gravel said, and I heard the fatigue in his voice. I’m sure he had to be exhausted.

“Why don’t you lay down until dinner. It won’t be ready for a couple of hours,” I said as I grabbed the chicken I had set to marinade this morning.

“What are you making?” Gravel asked as he watched me grab potatoes and onions.

“Fried chicken, mashed tators, and corn casserole,’ I rattled off as I grabbed a cutting board. I grabbed the bowl of chicken I had marinated in buttermilk and hot sauce and stirred it, making sure all the chicken was submerged. I set it back in the fridge and turned back around to see Gravel staring me down. ‘What?” I asked.

Gravel shook his head and laughed. “That’s a lot of food for just the two of us.”

“Meg, Lo, and Remy are coming over. If it were just you and me, you’d get peanut butter and jelly.” I shot back. Gravel seriously needed to lay down before I smacked upside the head with my frying pan, giving him a concussion to go with his gunshot wound.

“Don’t think we could have a quiet night tonight? I did just get shot,” he said, reminding me. What an ass.

“Well, this dinner had been planned long before you got thrown on my doorstep. Suck it up or stay in your room,” I said grabbing a potato and sliced into it.