Sentinel - Devil Riders MC Book 1 (MC Romance Novel with FREE Bonus Novel!) (23 page)

Chapter Ten

Eli

Eli stood outside the workshop and ran his hands over his face. He had barely slept and he hadn’t shaved, his stubble sharp and his eyes sore and gritty. He took a deep breath and looked around him, his eyes very briefly coming to rest on an abandoned old house that sat across the road from Mike’s Workshop, before flickering away again. He didn’t want to draw attention to himself.

Because while the house looked like it hadn’t been lived in for years, Eli knew that it wasn’t completely abandoned, not right now. He remembered from his days in the Sons of Flame that it was a hideout for the gang, sometimes used when they needed to keep someone hidden away, or lay low if they brought too much heat on themselves.

And if Eli knew Tex, and he did, he knew that the wily old gang leader wouldn’t leave unguarded as expensive a product as whatever was sitting in the trunk of that old car in the workshop. He’d stake his life that someone was sitting in that old house, watching, making sure that nobody went into the workshop who shouldn’t be there.

Which was going to make Eli’s plan that much more difficult to pull off.

As soon as Tex and the Sons had turned up with that briefcase the previous day, Eli had known what was inside. Drugs. It wasn’t guns this time – the case was much too small. Heroin, most likely, maybe coke. Whatever it was, there was a lot of it, and it was worth a lot of money. A lot of jail time, too, if someone was caught dealing it.

Tex thought he had Eli caught, trapped. He’d promised that once he returned to collect the product, Eli would be free, his obligation finished. Eli wasn’t stupid though. What was to stop Tex from making him go to do the deal, take all the risk? With the threats to Tess and his Grandma, Eli would have no choice but to obey.

Only, this time, Eli was ready to fight back. It was a risk, a huge risk, but one that he felt he had to take. This would never end if Eli kept on giving in to Tex’s demands. They’d keep coming and coming, for as long as Tex had control over Eli.

And Eli had had enough. He’d driven home quickly the previous night after locking up the workshop, and Mike had been there waiting for him. Despite the risks involved, to Mike and to Grace, Eli had told him everything. He needed Mike’s help.

Eli had packed a case for his grandma that morning, and when he returned he’d bundled it into Mike’s car. Grace seemed puzzled at first – Eli hadn’t told her anything.

“I’ve booked you a trip for a few days, Grandma,” he’d said. “I know you get bored sitting around here all day, and my first paycheck came in, so I thought I’d do something for you. Mike’s gonna take you, and I’ll stay and take care of the shop.”

Grace had looked from Eli to Mike, eyes narrowed in suspicion.

“What are you two up to?”

Mike had laughed, an easy, practiced laugh.

“C’mon Grace,” the grizzled old mechanic had wheezed. “It’ll be just like old times, me and you. What do you say?”

Grace had smiled despite herself.

“Well…a few days away
would
be nice.”

She’d held up a finger and wagged it at Mike.

“But don’t you think you can try anything with me, Michael Wrentham. We’re both too old and too washed up for any of that romance nonsense.”

Eli had given his grandmother a kiss on the cheek as she’d climbed slowly into the car.

“Have a nice time, Grandma. I’ll see you in a few days, OK?”

Eli had watched them drive away into the fading sunlight, hoping that he’d been quick enough, that Tex hadn’t sent someone to keep watch. He didn’t think so, though. As far as Tex was concerned, he had Eli, hook line and sinker.

Eli smiled sadly to himself as he stood there the next morning, thinking about how happy Grace had looked at the surprise. Thank God she didn’t know the truth.

He took a deep breath and pulled his hands out of his pockets. It was time to go, time to put the plan into action.

Eli unlocked the shutter door and lifted it, wincing as it squealed in protest. If there
was
someone watching the workshop, they'd definitely know now that Eli was there if they somehow hadn't before.

But there was nothing to do about that now. There was no going back - he had to do this, and had to do it fast. It was the only way.

Eli stepped into the workshop and made his way over to the old rusty car where the drugs were hidden. He unlocked it and was lifting the trunk when he caught movement out of the corner of his eye. He whirled, adrenaline flaring, only for his jaw to drop when he saw who it was.

"Tess? What the hell? How long have you been in here?"

She looked dishevelled and tired as she eyed him up warily, looking from Eli to the entrance, obviously trying to gauge if she could dart past him and make an escape.

"Tess," he began, "Listen."

He saw something snap in her, then; her face went dark, like a thundercloud just before the heavens opened. She stepped towards him, all thoughts of escape temporarily forgotten.

"No, Eli Flint,
you
listen to
me
."

Each word was punctuated by a stab of her finger, poking him in the chest. She looked so fierce, so angry, that Eli had to fight the instinct to back away from her.

"I
trusted
you. I thought you were
different
. I thought you were genuinely trying to turn your life around, actually trying to work with me to put your past behind you and move on."

She deflated suddenly, looking sad and forlorn and lost.

"But you're just the same as all the others. You lied to me, over and over, and I was stupid enough to believe you. Well, I'm done. I'm fucking done."

She turned away from him, shoulders sagged, and began to trudge out of the workshop.

"Wait!" Eli hissed. "You've got it all wrong!"

He stepped towards her and tried to grab her arm. She whirled, fury in her eyes.

"Don't fucking touch me."

Eli swallowed. If she walked out of this workshop, everything was ruined.

"Look, Tess, I don't know what the hell you're doing in here, or what you saw, but you
need
to listen to me."

She stopped moving, and looked at him, hands on her hips, waiting.

"If you walk out of that door, you'll be putting your life in danger. Both of our lives, actually."

She frowned in confusion.

"But -"

Eli cut her off.

"Did you think I really just went back to work for Tex and the Sons of Flame like nothing had happened? After everything that man did to me? After he stole the last few years of my life?"

Eli laughed bitterly.

"If so, you don't know me as well as you think you do. Tex forced me. He threatened my grandmother, hell, he threatened
you
after he saw us together that day we had lunch. I couldn't see a way out, so I had to agree to let him keep this stuff here."

He tapped the trunk of the car.

"But I've decided. Enough's enough. I'll never be free of Tex if I don't do something about it. Here and now. If you walk out now, Tex will know that you saw everything. Him and his boys will be here in minutes, and we'll be in a whole world of trouble."

As she'd been listening to Eli speak, Tess' expression had changed, from one of pure anger to a dubious curiosity.

"OK," she said. "Assuming you’re telling the truth, what do we do now? What was your plan?"

He looked at her.

"I didn't really have one, to be honest. I was going to take the drugs, get on my bike and just drive - then think of something later."

The withering look that Tess gave him made Eli want to shy away.

"Yeah..." he mumbled, "maybe I didn't really think it through properly...I just had to do something, anything, to stop being pulled back in."

Tess brushed her hair away from her eyes and took a breath.

"I'm a witness now," she said. "I don't want to be, and I wish I could just drive away from here and forget all about it, but I can't."

She narrowed her eyes, deep in thought.

"Here's what we'll do," she eventually said. "I'll call the police; tell them that there are drugs hidden in here. Their first assumption will be that they belong to you, but I'll testify to what I saw last night. In court, if I have to."

Eli took a step towards her.

"Tess, no," he began. "It's too dangerous. At the first sniff of cops Tex and the Sons will be gone. They'll never get caught, and they'll never forget. You'll be in danger for as long as they're out there, and I won't let that happen. I have to do this alone."

At his words, Eli saw a stubborn look cross her face, one that he was already becoming familiar with him.

This woman really doesn't like being told what to do.

"And what will happen when you just drive out of here with Tex's drugs, Eli? Do you think he'll just shrug his shoulders, write off the loss, and carry on with his life? No! He'll hunt you down and he'll probably kill you."

Eli set his jaw and crossed his arms.

"Not if I hide. And not if I get him first."

Tess gave him a pointed look.

"So, what? You're going to hide for the rest of your life, always looking over your shoulder? Or are you going to take on the whole Sons of Flame gang, all by yourself, somehow win, and then somehow avoid jail for murder or manslaughter?"

She rolled her eyes.

"Great plan, Eli. Really great. It really sounds like you've thought this through."

Anger suddenly blossomed inside him, red hot and uncontrollable.

"And what would you have me do, Tess? Just go back to working for him, until the next time he decides to throw me under the bus? Run to the police and have him murder my grandmother? I. HAVE. NO. CHOICE. Can't you see that?"

He laughed bitterly.

"Of course you can't. To you, I'm just another subhuman criminal, another idiot who doesn't know any better. Look how quick you were to assume that I willingly went back to work for Tex. And now you think you have all the answers, when you don't know anything at all."

He saw how his words had wounded her, but it was too late now, too late to stop.

"Wait in here until I'm gone, Tess. They'll see me, and they'll chase me. Once that happens, make sure nobody is around, go and get in your car, and leave. Leave and don't look back. All I ask is that you wait until you get to the city before you tell the police. Give me some time to get away."

Tears were running down her face. Eli had the urge to reach out to her, pull her into an embrace, tell her that he didn't mean it, that everything was going to be OK. But he couldn't, because it wasn't.

With a supreme effort of will, he wrenched his eyes from hers and took out the briefcase from the trunk. She stood there like a woman lost.

"I don't have time for this," Eli said. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you. It's been a stressful few days, and I'll try and make it up to you when it's all over. I promise."

He reached out to her, but she flinched and drew away from him.

The first good woman to ever take an interest in you, Eli Flint, and you push her away. Smooth. Real smooth.

Eli turned to the task at hand and popped the trunk, lifting the suitcase out. It felt heavy in his hand - heavy with drugs, heavy with consequences, too.

Tess was still standing there, staring into the middle distance. When Eli spoke, he tried to make his voice as soft and gentle as possible.

"Tess, I'm going to go now. I need you to wait in here out of sight for a little while once I'm gone, like I said. Can you do that for me? Please?"

She turned away from him without acknowledging his words.

Good enough, I guess.

Eli pulled his keys from his pocket, took a deep breath, and made for the door. It was getting bright outside - it was going to be another hot, clear day, like usual.

But then, he saw something.

Eli swore under his breath.

"Shit."

It was one of the Sons of Flame. Eli couldn't make out exactly who, but that leather jacket was unmistakable. Eli knew that he didn't have much time. He had to make a decision, and fast. Everything depended on this moment.

He grabbed Tess' arm, who immediately tried to struggle away from him.

"Get the fuck off me!" she shouted. "Just go!"

Eli grimaced. He'd have time to explain all of this later. Right now, all that mattered was getting out of here, putting as much distance between them and this town as possible.

"Tess. I need you to listen to me. You can hit me, punch me, do whatever to me later. Get behind the car again, and stay there until you hear me call your name. When I do, you run to me, and you get on my bike. No questions, no nothing. Just do it, or we're both dead. Understand?"

He didn't have time to see if she was going to cooperate. He shoved her roughly behind the car, and then tried to affect as calm an air as possible. The guy was approaching the entrance to the workshop now, casual, not concerned. Yet.