Hard as an Outlaw (Book 1): Devil's Fighters MC, #1

By Paula Cox

This is book 1 of the Devil's Fighters MC romance series! Books 2 and 3 of this dark motorcycle club romance are available everywhere now!

 

No one does it as hard as an outlaw.

 

I broke her to save her.

She might never forgive me, but I know what I did was right.

But seeing her again rekindles the inferno of my desire.

And I'll set the world on fire to claim her once again.

 

PRINCE

 

Leaving her was the hardest thing I ever had to do.

But it was the only way to truly protect her.

The feelings I left behind never died, however.

 

And now that she's back, I'm determined to finish what I started.

This time, no one is going anywhere.

 

And if my enemies think they can pry her away from me, they'd better be armed and ready.

Because I'll fight a war to protect what's mine.

 

ALYSSA

 

My parents' funeral brought me home.

But memories of heartbreak in my hometown are threatening to overwhelm me.

And Prince is the devil starring in my nightmare.

 

He tore my heart to pieces when he left.

No goodbye, no explanation.

Just vanished into an MC underworld where I could not follow.

 

I swore every day that I'd never give him a second chance.

But when he takes me in his arms again, I'm forced to admit the truth to myself:

 

I'll never stop loving him.

Even if it takes me to the very gates of hell.

 

• Language: English
• Publisher: eBook Publishing World
• Release date: Apr 14, 2020
• ISBN: 9781393364658

Book preview

Hard as an Outlaw: A Motorcycle Club Romance (Devil’s Fighters MC Book 1)

By Paula Cox

NO ONE DOES IT AS HARD as an outlaw.

I broke her to save her.

She might never forgive me, but I know what I did was right.

But seeing her again rekindles the inferno of my desire.

And I’ll set the world on fire to claim her once again.

PRINCE

Leaving her was the hardest thing I ever had to do.

But it was the only way to truly protect her.

The feelings I left behind never died, however.

And now that she’s back, I’m determined to finish what I started.

This time, no one is going anywhere.

And if my enemies think they can pry her away from me, they’d better be armed and ready.

Because I’ll fight a war to protect what’s mine.

ALYSSA

My parents’ funeral brought me home.

But memories of heartbreak in my hometown are threatening to overwhelm me.

And Prince is the devil starring in my nightmare.

He tore my heart to pieces when he left.

No goodbye, no explanation.

Just vanished into an MC underworld where I could not follow.

I swore every day that I’d never give him a second chance.

But when he takes me in his arms again, I’m forced to admit the truth to myself:

I’ll never stop loving him.

Even if it takes me to the very gates of hell.

Chapter One

To Alyssa Kelley, the world was a horrible place. There was something about the Louisiana heat that did that to people; no matter how used to it you think you are, the heat will stick to you in such a humid, clingy, horrid way that you simply will not be able to think about anything else. You will not enjoy the swampy landscape, because swamps equal heat and, in the Louisiana summer, heat equals misery.

Alyssa hated everything about it. She hated that her clothes clung to her skin as if she were standing under a downpour—if only! She hated that the hair at the back of her neck was constantly wet with sweat. She hated that her hands were glued to the steering wheel, so much so that her palms would make a syrupy sound whenever she would remove one hand, like peeling a sticky label off a fruit.

She hated the river and the endless expanse of the moor-like landscape as she drove down the highway towards the last place on Earth she ever wanted to be again.

Most people would celebrate coming home, but not Alyssa. To Alyssa, home was anywhere but the small Louisiana town she was from. In fact, the farther away she was from there, the better she felt. There was nothing about this unbidden, unplanned trip that even remotely resembled a homecoming. Usually, when people came home, it was to see their families after some time. Alyssa was going to say goodbye to hers.

On cue, her stomach clenched and her eyes filled with tears that promptly cascaded down her cheeks. Quickly, she wiped them off and blinked rapidly to clear her vision; the last thing she needed right now was to cause a car crash. Her stomach spasmed again. The last thing she needed right now, she reflected on second thought, was also to think about car crashes.

One often hears about tragedies, but until tragedy strikes in one’s life, one really doesn’t know anything. Alyssa had learned that the hard way, and she was still trying to wrap her mind around the lesson. It wasn’t that she had not tried, over the last twenty-something hours since she had gotten the news. She needed to be rational about it; it was her way of coping. She needed to dissect it and look at it from all angles, and find a way that it could be beaten. But it couldn’t, not this time. This kind of gut-wrenching, all-consuming sorrow was not made to be beaten—not so easily, anyway.

Alyssa took a few deep breaths and tried to keep herself in check. She couldn’t break down yet. After all, she wasn’t even halfway there. The next few weeks would be hard enough without her succumbing to her pain before this godawful ordeal even began. She needed to be strong in order to take care of everything. Once all was said and done, then she would allow herself the luxury of a complete meltdown.

Mercifully, the sudden ringing of her phone took her away from her thoughts. It would only be a momentary distraction, of course, but Alyssa welcomed it with open arms.

She hit the Bluetooth button and took the call eagerly.

’lo? Her voice came out horribly rough with the sound of unshed tears. She cleared her throat and tried again. Hello?

Hi, sweetie, Anna’s voice drifted back to her, warm and friendly and familiar. Alyssa clung to it like a safe-line. Are you nearly there?

Sort of, Alyssa said, staring hopelessly at the monotonous scenery around and ahead. I just drove out of the airport. Another 150 kilometers to go. After eight years spent out of the States, the conversion came as easy to her as breathing.

Yikes.

Not nearly as ‘yikes’ as it’s going to be when I actually get there, Alyssa replied before she could stop herself. She hated feeling sorry for herself, but this time she figured she was entitled.

I’m so sorry, Lyssa, Anna said. Alyssa had lost count of the times her friend had said it, but she didn’t mind. Anna’s compassion wasn’t pity, and she welcomed it; it made her feel less alone in a world that had gone suddenly, desperately lonely. Are you absolutely sure you don’t want me to fly over?

No, Alyssa said quickly. It’s fine, really. I’ll be fine. But thank you.

Sure, Anna said, uncertain.

Alyssa knew her friend didn’t get it. She had refused Anna’s offer to be with her during this difficult time over and over again, as politely and as vaguely as she could. She