Broken (Soldiers of Darkness MC Book 1) Read online

  Broken

  Soldiers of Darkness MC

  #1

  Copyright © Michelle Betham 2016

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form, or by any means, without the prior permission of the author.

  The story, characters and events in this book are a work of the author’s imagination, and are entirely fictional. Any resemblance to any person, place, name or actual event is entirely coincidental.

  Cover image – iStock.

  Table of Contents

  Also by the Author

  About the Author

  Playlist

  Dedication

  Prologue

  One Year Earlier…

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Chapter Thirty

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  Contact the Author

  Also by Michelle Betham

  Titles published through HarperImpulse (A division of HarperCollins Publishers)

  Striker – The Striker Trilogy Book #1

  Extra Time – The Striker Trilogy Book #2

  Final Score – The Striker Trilogy Book #3

  The First Christmas Without You

  Shirley Valentine Goes to Vegas

  Self-Published titles

  No Matter What (All that Glitters… Book #1)

  Illusions of Love (All that Glitters… Book #2)

  See You At The Show (A rock star romance)

  Unbreakable

  Revolution – The Lone Riders M/C Series Book #1

  Retribution – The Lone Riders M/C Series Book #2

  Resurrection – The Lone Riders M/C Series Book #3

  Allure – The Forbidden Series Book #1

  Obsession – The Forbidden Series Book #2

  Surrender – The Forbidden Series Book #3

  About the Author

  Michelle Betham is an ex-media technician turned author of hot, edgy, gritty romance, usually involving rock stars, sports stars, and bikers. But not usually all in the same book. Yet. She is both self-published and published through HarperImpulse, a division of HarperCollins Publishers.

  Addicted to binge-watching TV dramas she struggles to think of a life before Netflix or Amazon Prime, loves rock music, tattoos, spicy food, superheroes (and that includes a particularly unhealthy obsession with Iron Man), and Keanu Reeves – a crush that's lasted well over twenty years, and one she blames entirely on 'Point Break'. The original. She refuses to acknowledge any remake exists…

  Her dream is to ride a Harley. And visit Las Vegas. And be able to eat any amount of chocolate without putting on weight.

  She lives in County Durham, north-east England, with her husband and West Highland Terrier, where she can be found most days drinking tea and making up stories.

  Playlist

  Cut the Cord - Shinedown

  37 Stitches - Drowning Pool

  Down in the Delta - Delta Deep

  Ain’t Got No - Black State Highway

  Something From Nothing - Foo Fighters

  You’re No Good - Linda Ronstadt

  Nothing To Do With Love - Kenny Wayne Shepherd

  Apocalyptic - Halestorm

  2 Sides of Me - Hinder

  Deal with the Devil - Pop Evil

  Do I - Emphatic

  Bullet In My Hand - Redlight King

  The Worst Way - Cinder Road

  Shoot to Thrill - AC/DC

  I Miss The Misery - Halestorm

  There’s No Way Out of Here - David Gilmour

  S.F.C. - Silvertide

  Blood on Your Hands - Philip Sayce

  Can’t Get Enough - Winger

  Born This Way - Thousand Foot Krutch

  Alive - Pearl Jam

  The complete ‘Soldiers of Darkness’ playlist can be found on Spotify

  http://spoti.fi/1xaON3D

  Dedication

  For everyone who loves a bad boy…

  Prologue

  Wrong place, wrong time. We’re all familiar with that old adage. But when it happens – when you actually are in the wrong place, at the wrong time, the consequences can be devastating. Heartbreaking. Life-changing.

  I was in the wrong place, at the wrong time.

  It was the day my world changed forever.

  And nobody paid the price.

  I’m about to change that…

  One year earlier…

  I look down at my left hand, tilting it just slightly so the neon light above the bar catches the perfect diamond solitaire that sits comfortably in the center of the white-gold band. The smile on my face has been pretty hard to shift since Aiden slipped the ring on my finger less than twenty-four hours ago. I’d thought I was deliriously happy before, but now I’m positively walking on air!

  Aiden Franklin, the love of my life. We’d grown-up together, known each other since the day we were born, which just happened to be the same day. It felt almost like fate; as if everything, our whole lives, had been mapped out for us. We were destined to be together, I truly believed that, and I never once questioned it.

  Our fathers had been best friends. They’d met on the Superbike circuit, becoming inseparable as the years had gone by, almost like brothers they were that close, until a heart attack had cruelly taken Aiden’s dad’s life two years ago. He’d only been fifty-three. No one had seen it coming, and I know Aiden still misses him so much. We all do. As far as my dad is concerned, it really was like losing a brother.

  They’d both married girls who were as much into bikes as they were, and they too had become best friends, doing everything together, including falling pregnant at the same time, hence mine and Aiden’s almost synchronized arrival.

  So it stood to reason that Aiden and I would grow up together, around the one thing that had brought all of our parents together – bikes. He’d followed in his father’s footsteps and become a regular competitor on the Superbike circuit, winning various titles and becoming a pretty big name on the scene, especially back home in the UK, not to mention most of Europe. I became a team mechanic, working with Aiden and my dad as we traveled the world taking part in tournaments and rallies. And I’m not saying my life is perfect; I’m not sure anyone’s ever is. But I’d like to think it comes pretty damn close.

  And now, with Aiden’s proposal still ringing in my ears, I don’t think I’ve ever felt happier. Tomorrow, here in North Carolina, he’s competing in a race he’s being tipped to win, which, if he pulls that off, could make his name much more prominent here in the US. And I know that’s Aiden’s dream – worldwide domination. He talks about it a lot; his ambition is infectious. I have every faith in him, my wonderful, beautiful fiancé.
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  ‘What’re you smiling at?’ Aiden asks, noticing the dreamy expression that’s been permanently fixed on my face since yesterday. I can’t help it. I’m a tomboy, yes, but even tomboys aren’t averse to a little bit of romance now and again.

  I look up at him. He’s so handsome with his dark, messed-up hair and deep green eyes. No. That dreamy expression could well be here to stay. ‘I’m just happy, that’s all.’

  He smiles too, and I let my stomach indulge in another round of breathtaking somersaults. Why not? Tomorrow I’m going to be back in my overalls, up to my eyes in grease and engine oil, so I’m making the most of every last second tonight has to offer me.

  ‘One more for the road?’ Dad asks, turning to face Aiden and I. I’m so close to my dad. My mum died from cancer when I was just twelve years old, and having no brothers or sisters meant it was just me and my dad from then onwards. So, yeah, I’m a daddy’s girl, but I’m no princess. He brought me up to love bikes and beer and hang out with the boys. A former Superbike champion, my dad – along with Aiden – is my world. The only men I’m ever going to need.

  ‘Do you want to stay for one last drink?’ Aiden squeezes my hand and I nod and throw my dad a smile before he turns to give our order to the bartender, a friendly young man with a myriad of tattoos who’s been super-charming to us all night, even more so after he found out we’d just gotten engaged.

  We’ve been celebrating for hours now, in this small but friendly local bar. We’d been joined earlier in the evening by some old friends of my dad’s who live here in this small town in North Carolina, but they’ve gone home now, and we should really be doing the same. We all need a good night’s sleep so we’re ready for tomorrow. But it’s been such a lovely night, full of laughter and reminiscing, and it’s going to take me some time to come down from cloud nine. But we really should be heading back to the hotel after this last drink. Aiden’s got a big day tomorrow and he needs to be at his best.

  ‘I love you, Izzi,’ he whispers, leaning forward to kiss me gently, and just the touch of his lips against mine – a familiar feeling, but one I know I will never tire of – sends my heart racing and my stomach flipping all over again. ‘I love you so much.’

  I place my hand against his cheek, my fingers stroking his skin, my eyes locking with his. We’ve known each other our whole lives, yet sometimes it feels as though we’re seeing each other for the very first time. The connection we have is something I’m not sure everyone experiences even once in their lives, and I never take that for granted. We’re very lucky.

  ‘I love you too,’ I whisper back, returning his kiss, his fingers tightening around mine as the kiss deepens. And then we suddenly pull back, remembering where we are, and we laugh like the teenagers we’d once been when our dads had caught us kissing behind a burger van at a bike rally that summer we’d finally realized the whole brother/sister kind of relationship we’d had as kids wasn’t working anymore. We’d moved on.

  We were laughing so much I hadn’t even noticed the music stop, hadn’t realized everything had gone quiet. But now a whole different kind of noise fills the bar; shouting, screaming, something that sounds like a gun being fired… more than one gun.

  More screams.

  So much screaming…

  Chapter One

  Mack

  ‘Mack! Mack, come on, wake up!’

  ‘Jesus Christ, what the fuck’s the matter with you?’ I open my eyes and fix Duke with a look that could kill. At least, I hope that’s how it comes across because, right now, I’m still feeling the effects of last night’s party. ‘I’m trying to sleep here.’

  ‘You said someone had to wake you before two.’ Duke sweeps a collection of empty cans and bottles from the table in front of me into a black refuse sack. The noise it makes is way too loud for my somewhat delicate head, and I wince as I haul myself up into a sitting position. Yeah. Probably moved a bit too quickly there. ‘You’ve got a sit-down with Viper and his crew at half past, remember?’

  ‘Yeah,’ I sigh, standing up and running a hand over my hair. ‘I remember.’ I look around the clubhouse at the carnage surrounding us. Must’ve been one hell of a party. Just wish I could remember it. ‘Hey, Duke, go make me a coffee. A strong one. And stick a bourbon shot in there, too.’ Might as well go down the old hair-of-the-dog route.

  Duke throws the refuse sack over his shoulder and heads off to the kitchen at the back of the clubhouse. He’s a good kid is Duke. One of the best prospects the Soldiers of Darkness have had in a while. It’s about time he was patched in, and I make a mental note to organize that as soon as possible. I can’t see there being any objections. Everyone likes Duke. He does as he’s told, and his loyalty is unquestionable.

  I head off down a long narrow hallway towards one of the rooms away from the main part of the clubhouse, the ones we use when we need or want to crash here at the compound. I could do with a shower. I feel like crap, but I don’t have to look like it. This sit-down with Viper and his crew is an important one. It’s business we desperately need, and I’ve got to have my head in the right place or they’re gonna look elsewhere for another MC to work with. Viper makes good money dealing drugs and guns, along with all the other shit he does on the side, whereas we’ve had a pretty slow year on that score. On any score. So far. I’m determined that’s going to change.

  Nudging the door open with my shoulder I roll my eyes as I’m faced with Odi, my VP, sprawled naked on the bed, sporting a hard-on any man would be proud of. And then I look to his left, and I understand why. An also-naked, dark-haired young woman is lying next to him, her legs slightly spread, and I feel my own cock start to kick into action. Shit! I’ve got an overwhelming urge to go over there and ram it straight into her; it wouldn’t be the first time I’ve woken a woman up that way. And none of them complained. But the thought of fucking someone next to a naked Odi is enough to make my cock retreat. Instead, I walk over to the bed and literally kick his ass.

  ‘Wake up, shithead. And put some fucking clothes on.’

  Odi’s eyes spring open, his embarrassed expression making me chuckle as I fling his jeans and boots at him. His companion’s awake now, too, and her expression verges on nervous as she pulls the sheet up over her naked body. She got nothing to be nervous about. She’s going nowhere, I’ve already decided that. My cock’s taking charge again, telling me I need something to chill me out before the sit-down, and she’ll do just fine.

  ‘Where’s the fucking fire?’ Odi mumbles, pulling on his jeans and raking both hands through his dirty-blonde hair.

  ‘Go help Duke with my breakfast.’ I turn to look at his companion, throwing her my best smile, the one all the women fall for. It never fails to reel ‘em in, I mean, come on! I’m one good-looking son-of-a-bitch, not to mention President of the MC that, basically, runs this town. I’ve never had a woman turn me down yet. And this one, she’ll be no different. I can already see her expression changing, her eyes staring me down as she slowly lets the sheet drop a little more. ‘What’s your name, darlin’?’ I haul out the full-on Kentucky accent, because I know it gets them wet.

  ‘Shit, Mack…’

  I don’t look at Odi, I don’t even acknowledge his presence. He’s done here, and he knows that.

  I wait until the door closes behind him before I unzip my jeans and set my throbbing cock free. I almost sigh with relief, but instead I let my smile grow a little wider as her eyes fix on my dick.

  ‘Come here, honey.’

  She throws the sheet aside and kneels up, stretching her arms up above her head, which means I’m treated to a front-row view of her pert, round tits – they might be real, they might not be, at this moment in time I don’t give a fuck – her nipples hard and inviting. But it’s her pussy I’m after. I need to be in there, and quick. I need to piss real bad, but I need to fuck her more.

  ‘I said, come here.’ I almost growl the words out, and I can actually see her shiver, her breasts shuddering slightly, which does not
hing to stop the growing ache in my groin. And then she leans forward and crawls towards me on all fours, her eyes never leaving mine and I’m so fucking ready I almost come there and then. But I wait, because I know what she’s gonna do, and I didn’t even need to instruct her. She knows what I want.

  I close my eyes, my heart beating wildly in anticipation, and the second her mouth wraps around my cock I let out the longest groan of utter relief. Her tongue’s working its magic as it flicks lightly over the tip before she pulls me further in, an invitation to do my worst, and I thrust against her, not too harshly, I’m not a complete asshole. I keep my eyes closed, my fingers buried in her dark curls as she grasps my balls, and I let out another groan. This won’t take long, I can already feel it starting, feel the blood pumping so fast around my body I’m this close to passing out. Jesus! She’s pulled me so far in I can touch the back of her throat, and as she gently squeezes my balls again, causing me to give one last thrust, I feel that relief I so badly need start to rush out of me. I’m coming, so fast and so hard it’s making my head spin, but I can’t stop. And she’s swallowing as fast as I’m coming, Christ! This one knows exactly what she’s doing.

  I feel her pull away from me and I finally open my eyes, watching as she wipes her mouth with her forearm, licking her lips just in case she’s missed anything. And then she lies back and spreads her legs wide. I can see heaven and beyond, and my cock ain’t complaining. I smile, a slow smile I’ve perfected ‘cause I know it gets them hot, before I kneel between her long, tanned legs and ram it into her with a force that makes her scream out loud, but she loves it. They all do. Like I said, nobody’s ever complained.