Page 1 of Brandishing Betrayals (Devil’s Psychos MC #2)

Maya Henderson

I slammed my eyes shut as I crashed into a brick wall. Not an actual brick wall, if the muttered, “Shit,” was anything to go by. Heavy hands landed on my upper arms, steadying me.

I snapped my eyes open and gasped when I saw the leather Motorcycle Cut, with the patch on the front that read Devil’s Psychos. Fuck.

My heart pounded in my chest and blood rushed through my ears. My eyes widened in disbelief. How was this possible? I looked up into the darkest brown eyes I’d know anywhere.

“Maya,” Marcos Candela breathed, his grip on my upper arms tightening. Astonishment and disbelief filled his face as he stared down at me.

“Marc,” I whispered, unable to gather words.

I looked up at the love of my life, with wide eyes.

I trailed my gaze over him, taking in every detail.

His hair was still buzzed short against his skull, his eyes were such a dark brown they were almost black, and a dark goatee framed his plump lips, looking every bit as kissable as I remembered.

My gaze raked over him, before I glanced over his shoulder and saw another sight that sent my heart racing. “Jase,” I gasped softly, my eyes raking over the second love of my life.

“Hey, Darlin’,” Jason Langford drawled smoothly as ever. Whether he had been affected by my sudden appearance or not, he didn’t let on.

His steely gray eyes bore right through my soul.

He was tall, a good foot taller than my five-three frame.

He was lanky too, with a slim muscular build.

Athletic build. His blond hair was cut short and styled into a messy, bed-head fashion that suited him.

He wore a silver chain around his neck, and a plain, gray fitted t-shirt under his Devil’s Psycho Cut.

A barbell was pierced through his left eyebrow.

There were gauges in his ears, along with several other piercings.

He was still as fucking hot as he was ten years ago, even if he did seem to have more hardware. He had aged well and his face was clean shaven. His smooth voice made me shiver, like it always used to. It was like honey, a smooth drawl that set my core on fire. Always had.

“What are you guys doing here?” I asked, looking between the two of them. My heart racing.

“Dagger’s in surgery,” Marcos answered softly. He finally let go of my upper arms and I felt cold and unbalanced, immediately missing his touch.

I shivered slightly and tucked a stray hair behind my ear. “Is he okay?” I asked, fear plaguing my heart. The third and final love of my life was hurt and in surgery.

“He’ll be fine,” Stone answered, giving nothing away.

My eyelids fluttered; his voice always got to me. For a man that didn’t talk much, he used to have me eating out of the palm of his hand whenever he spoke softly to me. Some ten years later, and his voice was still napalm to my soul.

“Mom!” a young boy’s voice called out from behind me, breaking me out of my stupor.

I froze, my heart pounded in my chest. Blood rushed my ears, as my whole world was caving in around me. I didn’t want them to find out this way. I had planned on telling them, telling Marcos, but I wasn’t ready yet.

“What the fuck ?” Jason’s voice was a booming crack in the silence.

I jumped, not used to hearing that tone from Jason, ever , even Marcos startled at his tone. Marcos stared over my shoulder, in disbelief and awe.

“How?” Marcos asked, his voice soft. His eyes locked on my son, Lucas.

I squeezed my eyes shut in panic. How the hell would I ever explain this? I needed time. This wasn’t supposed to happen this way!

“Mom,” Luke called again.

I quickly glanced over my shoulder to see my little boy, staring at me with wide eyes. He had dark black hair and deep brown eyes, just like his father. His left arm was in a sling, and he was sitting back on the hospital gurney he’d been brought in on from school.

I gave him a pained smile. “Just a minute, honey,” I said.

“Maya?” Marc’s voice was sharp, her name a question.

“Mom, I want to meet him,” Lucus said. His voice was steady and sure. He may be just a nine-year-old boy, but he knew what he wanted.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. Fuck . I needed more time. I couldn’t do this. They were going to hate my When I opened my eyes, I couldn’t meet Marc’s gaze. “Would you like you meet your son?” I asked him softly, staring at the Devil’s Psycho patch on his cut.

“I would love to meet my son,” Marcos said softly. He brushed by me without saying another word, and walked into the exam room beyond.

I watched him extend his hand to Lucas and introduce himself. “I’m Marcos, what’s your name?” he asked gently.

“Hi,” Lucas said. He put his hand in Marc’s and maintained eye contact while he shook his father’s hand. “I’m Lucas, my friends call me Luke,” my son answered.

I gasped softly, and quickly covered my mouth, as tears welled in my eyes. I’d always known Marcos would be a great father, I felt horrible denying him all these years. I would never be able to explain why.

“What the fuck is this, Maya?” Jason growled quietly. His hand wrapped around my bicep and pulled me toward him.

I faltered as I was jerked forward. Jason Langford was not one to fuck around, ever. My heart raced; I couldn’t do this.

“Did you know you were pregnant when you left us?” Jason demanded, cutting right to the heart of the matter, his slate gray eyes bore into mine.

I gasped at the intense anger I saw in those eyes; anger, hurt, betrayal, all of it clear as day on his beautiful, handsome face. At least it was to me. I’d always been able to read him when no one else could. The club had given him the road-name of Stone, because he was usually a stone-cold mask.

I’d always been able to read him, though. And he always saw through my bullshit.

Until now.

I nodded slowly. “Yes,” I murmured and lifted my eyes to meet his gaze. I needed him to believe the worst in me. I needed him to want nothing to do with me. It was safer that way, safer for all of us.

His glare intensified, the vein in his jaw throbbed as he clenched his teeth. Even after all these years, he was sexy as hell when he got worked up. “Why?” he snapped.

“Do I need a reason?” I shot back and raised an eyebrow at him. I put my hands on my hips, brushing off his grip on my bicep, and glared up at him. I knew I was being unfair. It had been ten years since I last saw him. I didn’t know anything about the man before me, not really, not anymore.

Jason growled deeply again. He never was one for game playing. He had patience for a lot of things, but lies and bullshit were not one of them. “You’ve changed,” he snapped, his gray eyes rolled over my face.

I rolled my eyes and shrugged a shoulder. “Sure have,” I said, nonchalantly.

“Not for the better,” Jason added, his eyes narrowing in contempt.

I glared back him. I forced myself to appear angry and disgruntled, rather than the hurt and anguish I really felt.

All I wanted to do was lean into him and let him wrap those strong arms around me.

I wanted to hear him tell me everything was going to be okay, and that he would take care of me, protect me from here on out.

Instead, I met his glare and crossed my arms over my chest. I squared off with the big bad wolf and steeled my spine. I had to keep the distance between us. My safety and my son’s depended on that distance. “Don’t worry, Stone ,” I drawled. “I’m not here for you.”

He stepped closer to me, like he was trying to intimidate me. “Don’t worry about that, doll face. You proved your worth in the end. Less than nothing.”

It took everything inside me to not break under those words and his distance. The pure venom in his tone rattled me to the core. This was not my Jason. My Jase, would never look at me with such contempt in his gaze.

Tears welled in my eyes at his words. Pain stabbed my chest, like a physical blow, as my heart shattered into pieces over his words. Thankfully I was saved from answering as the doctor walked up, clipboard in hand.

I turned from Jason as the doctor glanced my way and nodded once, before he walked into the exam room.

“Alright little dude,” the doctor spoke loudly. “Are we ready to get a cast on and get out of here?”

Luke looked at the doctor nervously.

I walked over and grabbed my son’s hand. “We sure are, aren’t we Luke?” I said and forced myself to push through the pain and tears and smile at my son. I could be strong for him. I would be, strong for him. I had to be. I had no other choice.

Luke eyed me, seeing my pain. He squeezed my hand before he turned to the Doctor. “Let’s do this,” he nodded.

“That’s what I like to hear. Why don’t we get out of here? I’ll wheel you out, your parents can follow me and we’ll head up to orthopedics on the second floor,” the doctor said.

No one bothered to correct him.

I held my son’s hand as the doctor wheeled the gurney out of the exam room and they headed for the elevator.

Halfway down the hall, when it was clear that Marcos wasn’t following, Luke told the doctor to wait.

I glanced back to see Marcos and Jason in a discussion, before both men did a manly hug with a back slap, before Marcos was striding toward us.

Jason didn’t follow.