Diesel: Dark Falcons MC, #4

By Em Petrova

A woman in peril. A man willing to ride through the flames for her.

He believes she walked away…

Bad ass member of the Dark Falcons Motorcycle Club, Diesel, doesn't think anything could be worse than the sweet and caring angel who tumbled into his life walking out on him—but he's wrong. Learning she's embroiled in a dark and criminal game and needs his help threatens to send him over the edge.

She never thought it would hurt so much.

Loyal to her family to the bitter end, Selena answers a cry to help her sister—then finds her world ripped to shreds. Losing Diesel is the worst part. Their fleeting nights of passion seem like a dream, and just when she's about to give up all hope…

Diesel will challenge any man who tries to stand in his way of reaching Selena. He may not know a lot about love, but he does understand the word revenge.

A standalone damsel in distress romance with enough heat to rev your engines!
 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Em Petrova
• Release date: Dec 22, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223495642

Book preview

Prologue

The minute Judd spotted Selena, he knew something was wrong. Off.

Her shoulders slumped, and some of the life seemed to have drained out of her. He pulled away from where he leaned against his Harley and ate up the space between them with long strides.

When she looked up and spotted him, even Selena’s usual bright smile was missing. As he approached, though, she conjured one. He couldn’t help but feel her expression was more grimace than happy to see him.

What happened? he asked without preamble. He looked past her to the men filing out of the office building where she worked. The government office had more men than women working there, and Selena told him on a regular basis how imbalanced everything was.

If it was one thing Judd knew—from high school football to his current position running a diesel mechanics shop—it was that men were assholes. As one exited and shot a sneer at Selena, Judd clenched his fists.

What the hell are you lookin’ at, dickhead? he called out to the guy in dorky loafers with little tassels on them and a dweeby sweater.

Oh my God! Selena grabbed Judd by the arm and towed him away from the building, through the parking lot to his bike. I have to work with these people. You can’t call them names!

Shit. You’re right. I’m sorry, honey. But I can’t allow them to think they’re better than you are.

Well, I didn’t get the promotion, so it doesn’t matter, does it?

He studied her beautiful face and the devastation written there. Fuck. That’s not right. You went above and beyond.

It’s more of a popularity contest. What head of department likes who best. She tried to wave it away with a simple explanation, but he knew better.

It’s because you’re a woman, isn’t it?

She met his stare. The Tennessee breeze ruffled her warm brown hair and sent a lock skittering over her cheek. She hooked a finger in the tendril and directed it away from her face. Please let it drop, Diesel.

Her use of his nickname threw him. She didn’t always call him by his Christian name of Judd, but when she didn’t, it was typically when they were at the motorcycle club and with his brothers, the Dark Falcons.

He clenched his jaw but forced his fists to loosen. I won’t allow you to be trampled on here by a bunch of bastards who believe they’re better than you because they have a set of nuts swinging between their legs.

Diesel. Please don’t. I’ll handle the situation. Your reaction is the reason I didn’t want to tell you at all. Why are you here, anyway?

I was coming to surprise you. Her tone bugged him—a lot. Stress or not, she didn’t sound happy to see him.

Her shoulders slumped further. Oh. Well, thank you for the surprise.

I hoped you’d go for a ride with me. We can return for your car.

Her deep, expressive blue eyes slipped to his Harley and back to him. That sounds nice.

He nodded and handed her a helmet. When they were both settled with her thighs wrapped around his hips and her arms crossed over his waist, they had nothing but the open road before them.

While he wanted to take out his frustration and anger at what just passed between them, and the fact that his woman had been hurt by being passed up—again—for a well-deserved promotion, he let the open road work to relax him.

One of his and Selena’s favorite spots to spend time was at a local lookout. In the five months they’d been seeing each other, he knew that the stunning view of the Smoky Mountains would soothe her too. Plus, he’d brought her favorite wine and sandwich from the local deli.

He slowed his bike as they approached the spot. A few picnic tables dotted the area, but nobody occupied them. Good—he wanted to be alone with Selena.

After parking, he cut the engine. She dismounted from the bike first, and he followed and moved to pull the wine and sandwiches from his pack behind the seat.

She watched this wordlessly, but her face softened as she saw the bag with the deli logo. He slashed a grin her way and raised the bottle of wine in his grip. I thought we’d have dinner and watch the sunset.

That sounds wonderful.

They moved to the nearest picnic table and settled with the wine and food. He opened the wine by producing a corkscrew from his rear pocket. Selena’s eyes sparkled. You came prepared.

That’s the kinda guy I am. He shrugged.

I know. You always have a solution and a plan.

Across the table from her, he met her gaze. That’s why it pisses me off so much that those guys treat you that way at work. You deserve better, Selena.

She looked down at the table. I don’t want to talk about it, Judd.

You want me to wait for that department head and have a talk with him—

She tossed down her sandwich. No! Do not do that. You’ll mess things up for me.

Why do you work at a place that doesn’t appreciate your efforts anyway?

Her brows shot up and her eyes were wide. Where do you expect me to work?

Don’t work at all. I make enough for both of us.

She went dead still. Even the breeze seemed to stop toying with her hair. One look into her eyes and he knew he’d fucked up. Stuck his foot in his mouth by suggesting she allow him to take care of her rather than him supporting her the way she needed.

Selena, he began.

She jumped up. Take me back to my car, Judd.

You know I respect your work.

Do you? She glared. It doesn’t sound like it. It sounds as if you want me to give up everything I love. All my goals I’ve set for myself.

I didn’t mean that. I meant—

Why don’t I do your sink full of dishes and have a few of your babies too? She took off walking to his bike.

Dammit! Selena, wait. He grabbed the sandwiches and wine and dumped all of it into the nearest trash can before catching up to her. She was already seated on the bike with her helmet on.

He reached for the strap to pull it off so they could talk. But she jerked her head away.

"This isn’t the old days when women stay home to support their man, with nothing of their own to care about. I’m not one of those honeys at the club!"

His temper ruffled. Is that what you think I’m looking for? A honey? The women who hung out at the Dark Falcons clubhouse cooked and cleaned for them, sure. But he’d never been involved with one and wanted more depth to his woman than someone who was willing to kiss up in exchange for a patch that declared she belonged to a club member.

When you say I should quit the job I love and let you take care of me, it sounds like that’s what you’re looking for.

He spread his hands. He opened his mouth to speak, but it hit him that maybe he did want her to quit and be by his side. Maybe he was a selfish motherfucker because he didn’t want her working late hours or attending conferences with those jerk men who didn’t view her as anything but a piece of ass.

With those thoughts circling his head like a cyclone, what else was there to say? He obviously needed to get his head on straight before he said something else that damaged their relationship and insulted her.

Take me to my car, she said quietly. Please.

What choice did he have? He swung his leg over the bike and pointed it down the road.

Chapter One

Judd parked his Harley in front of the long brick-fronted roadside motel and cut the engine. One look at the place screamed bedbugs, but he didn’t give a damn.

It was unlikely he’d