Kiss_Bang (Lost Devils MC #1) - Madison Faye Page 0,38

few other counties in the area.

Some of those that have found their way here who had money, like Vlad, the former Bratva hitman, or Austin and Dallas, the twin brothers who happen to be with the same woman, ended up buying up a lot of the land and basically just holding it a trust for the “town.” Which works out great for a community of people who tend to come from backgrounds where they sort of want to stay off the grid a little.

I mean, believe me—as the daughter of one of the world’s most brutal cartel kingpins, who also happens to be in this country under dubious legality, I get it.

But not being a real town means not having real town things, like a police force. That’s sort of where the Lost Devils step in. It’s a protection unit for the families that call this place home. After all, get enough former outlaws and roughnecks together, and sometimes those skeletons from people’s closest come calling or looking for blood. This time, Hush, Shepherd, Rowan and his wife Lucy—yes, this MC has women, or at least, one woman for now—Oliver, Bishop, Bastion, and a handful of new pledges will be ready for them, though.

I mean, there are hiccups, of course. There’s the whole thing with Oliver and, well, she’s a whole other story. And then that scandal with Bastion and Bishop and… well, it was a scandal. Even up here, where it’s not even scandalous to find two men with one woman. And it was still the talk of the mountain.

But, I digress, and I’m getting ahead of myself into stories that are best told by those who lived them.

Blackthorn is amazing, and it’s all because of the people who call it home. Some of us came from privilege, others from hell. But here, we’re all equal, and we’re all basically one big family. I mean, my God, I even have friends now, and I’ve never had friends. I clicked instantly with Lucy, Stone’s wife, Jackie, Axe’s wife, Larkin, and Ryker’s wife, Addison, and now we’re as thick as thieves.

Basically, I’m catching up fast in the friends department.

My father checks in from time to time, and he and Hush have even come around to being friendly, which is weird. But Hush just shrugs whenever I bring it up.

I fucked up, I paid for it. Maybe more than I should have, but the past is the past, and the future is you, even if that means your family, too.

It was a little strange the first time Jorge Del Campo, renowned cartel kingpin, made an appearance in Blackthorn to check in with me, and Hush, but it is what it is. He’s stayed true to his word, too—he keeps his distance, but he makes it known that I’ll never be without him if I need him, either. It’s a good balance we’ve struck.

Elena visits now and again, and she’s gone from wrinkling her nose the first time she came to not wanting to leave when she comes now. Maybe it’s the mountain air, or the woods. Or maybe it’s that this whole freaking place is inhabited by gorgeous, growly, muscled, tattooed outlaws, bikers, mountain men, military vets, ex-mafia, and more.

And like I said, my father checks in here and there, but he also keeps his distance, because he knows I’m building something of my own here.

…I’m building a life, with the love of my life.

I step out onto the porch of our small cabin, and I grin. I don’t need shopping accounts, or unlimited credit cards, or desert palaces. I look out over the view, and breathe in the clean air, and pure happiness flows through me. Yeah, this is all I need. Well, this and—

As if on cue, the sound of his bike rumbles up the road that winds down through the trees. He comes into sight in a cloud of dust, and my heart beats a little faster as he comes to a rumbling stop in front of our place. Hush grins as he steps off the bike, and I smile widely right back.

Yeah, he’s really all I need.

The scars of his past life are still there, as are the ones from his time in the fighting ring—both physical and mental. But, he’s healing, and I make a fantastic nurse, if I do say so myself.

I giggle as he rushes into me, scooping me into his arms and kissing me wildly, like it’s been a week since we last kissed and not three hours ago when he swung by in the middle of the afternoon to screw my brains out before heading back out for some club business. I moan into him, hugging him tight and kissing him deeply as he carries me back into the house for round two.

This is all I need.

He’s my beast, I’m his rose, and we’ve got a love as strong as a mountain and as loud as a motorcycle engine. Now, forever, and come what may.

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