RUTHLESS HOLD (A Back Down Devil MC Romance Novel) Page 3

Miller burst into laughter and put a hand to Blaine’s shoulder. He sat Blaine down. “Now that we’ve all lost our appetite, maybe we can talk business.”

  “Yeah, right,” Blaine said. “Sorry.”

  “Ethan is on our ass even worse now,” Miller said. “Two prospects got themselves spooked and couldn’t make the kill the right way. They took the gag off Emilio and he ran his fucking mouth.”

  “Jesus Christ,” Gaige said. “Where are they now?”

  “Garage,” Nate said. “Waiting on the punishment call.”

  “Which is what we’re here to vote on,” Miller said.

  Trev rubbed his chin. Truthfully? This was Miller’s fault. He put too much trust into the prospects. Inside, Trev knew he should have just shot the asshole between the eyes when he made the drop with the car. But Miller had wanted to test the prospects. Not like the MC needed anymore patched in members. They were functioning fine.

  “Trev, you look deep in thought,” Miller said. “Have your say.”

  Trev nodded. “It was a fucked up mission. I blame myself.”

  “Why you, bro?” Shay asked. “What did you see?”

  “I saw weak prospects,” Trev said. “I should have popped the trunk and killed Emilio myself.”

  “That wasn’t command,” Gaige said.

  “Fuck command,” Trev spat.

  The table instantly tensed up.

  Miller looked at Trev. “Maybe you haven’t looked at yourself in the mirror lately, Trev, but you’re wearing the cut. You have a title. A purpose. You take direction.”

  “Your direction was wrong on this one, Miller. I’m sorry.”

  “Jesus,” Blaine said. “Okay. Shit got fucked. Now we fix it.”

  “He’s right,” Miller said. “I put too much into those two idiots now chained up. Because of their actions, they left a goddamn blood trail right to the car and right to this table. It’s only a matter of time before Ethan bursts in with a warrant and does all but search our assholes for something to connect us to it. It’s been quite lately and this is going to stir the pot.”

  “So then they die,” Trev said. “Kill them both. Make it look like retaliation from Eight Under. Push it on the other MC.”

  “And start that war?” Erik asked.

  “What war?” Shay asked. “They’re weak and beat up. Peddling bags of heroin around, trying to collect on dollars. Fuck them.”

  “If they’re that weak, won’t it look suspicious?” Landon asked.

  “Then what do we do?” Trev asked. “If those prospects are let go and live… they’ll rat. They’ll never make the cut.”

  “Is this how you dealt business back east?” Nate asked, staring right at Trev.

  “Yeah, it is,” Trev said. “Only we didn’t have leather cuts keeping us warm. We didn’t have direction. We followed our hearts and our balls. You got a problem with that, Nate?”

  “Fuck you, Trev.”

  “Fuck all of you,” Gaige bellowed. “This isn’t personal. This is business. We have to keep our noses clean with Ethan. We can fuck with him, but we have to stay clean on things. There’s plenty of noise in the other charters if anyone feels like a transfer.” Gaige looked at Trev. “If not, then we tackle this problem.”

  “They’re the example,” Miller said. “They couldn’t take direction and they have to go.”

  “So we just murder prospects?” Nate asked. “You know how many times we’ve all fucked up?”

  “Not like this,” Trev said.

  “The crime scene…,” Miller shook his head. “I talked to them both. They cried like babies over it. They jumped Emilio after he escaped and stabbed him. They fucked everything. You put on the leather cut, patched in or prospect, and you know the fucking risks.”

  “Aye,” Shay said. “Then we do what Trev said. Set it up.”

  “Not Eight Under,” Gaige said. “Landon had a point about their weakness.”

  “Coast Road,” Jace said.

  “Those fucking meat neck fucks?” Blaine asked.

  “Dump the bodies in the water,” Trev said. “Let the tide bring them in. It’ll be a message from us to them.”

  “What message is that?” Miller asked.

  “Whatever you want to tell Ethan. My advice? We approach Ethan and say that we have two prospects that took off. Went rogue after we confronted them talking to another crew.”

  “That’s risky,” Gaige said.

  “The bodies wash up and makes our story believable,” Trev said. “Best case, Ethan believes us. Worst case, he doesn’t, but at least the evidence is all gone.”

  The table was silent.

  Miller slowly sat down and grabbed the gavel. “It could send a clear message to the other prospects around this fucking place. The last couple years have really gutted us. We need to step up and put some fucking warriors in this clubhouse.”

  “So we’re voting on it?” Blaine asked.

  “What’s your rush?” Gaige asked. “Getting thirsty again?”

  “I’m always thirsty,” Blaine said. “A beer in one hand, a tit in the other.”

  “Just take the fucking the vote,” Nate said. “I can’t hear anymore talk about tit milk.”

  “Let’s vote,” Gaige said. “We take out the prospects, dump them, talk to Ethan, and push this off our backs.”

  “All in favor?” Miller asked.

  Everyone gave a nod to it.

  Nobody opposed the notion.

  Miller smacked the gavel and Trev felt his stomach turn a little. Not because he just sealed the death of two guys, but because he was hungry for more of that bacon and sausage.

  Nate opened the door to the conference room and Trev saw the women were all standing, looking scared. He reached for his gun and glanced at Blaine.

  “Get to Jessa and your kid,” he said. “Protect them.”

  “What the fuck is going on?” Miller yelled.

  A prospect rushed from behind the bar. “Someone’s out there with a gun.”

  “I’ll fucking kill him,” Trev said. “Everyone move.”

  “You mean her.”

  “What?”

  “It’s a woman.”

  “A woman with a gun?” Trev asked. He looked back. “Which one of you fucks pissed off the wrong woman?”

  “It’s not that,” the prospect said.

  “Then what the hell does she want?”

  “She wants to talk to Griffin.”

  Trev felt his heart sink a little. “Griffin? He’s…” - dead - “… why does she want to talk to Griffin?”

  “She keeps saying Griffin is her father and he’s going to protect her.”

  *

  Trev tucked his gun away and walked across the lot. Sure as shit, there was a woman wielding a gun at the two prospects at the front gate to the compound. Sticking his fingers into his mouth, Trev let out a loud whistle, gaining attention to himself. When he did, one of the prospects tried to make a move and the woman moved quicker. She pulled the trigger and Trev flinched for a second.

  When he saw the fear spread across the woman’s face he knew he was going to do just fine with her. She was scared and nothing else.

  The bullet hadn’t smashed through the skull of the prospect but rather his right boot. He was jumping up and down calling the woman a bitch.

  Trev got close enough and pointed to the gate. “How about we move this party inside here? Not draw attention to the police?”

  “Fuck this bitch,” the other prospect said.

  Trev swung his hand and cracked the prospect in the mouth. “I gave you a fucking order, prospect. Bring her ass inside here and then take your fucking friend inside the clubhouse to get patched up.” Trev looked at the woman. “You never shot a gun before, have you?”

  She raised the gun and pointed at Trev. “Want to find out?”

  Trev grinned. “Ah, sweetheart, I have two guns on me and I could have you dead in a second. For all you know, you’re on surveillance and there are snipers on the roof re
ady to take you out.”

  She looked around, getting more nervous.

  Trev noticed a mark on the right side of her face. He took out a smoke and lit it up. He exhaled and pointed to her face. “What happened to you?”

  “Where’s my father?”

  Trev saw the prospects walk away. He then reached for his gun and showed it to the woman. She stepped back and put her back to the gate.

  “Please don’t hurt me.”

  “I’m not,” Trev said. He took out the clip. “I’m just hanging out. I’d love to talk to you. Hard to concentrate and help you when a gun is being pointed at me. I don’t respond to that.”

  “Then get me someone who will,” she said.

  Trev gritted his teeth, knowing what he had to do.

  He tossed the clip toward the woman, knowing she’d watch it. Trev quickly slipped around and behind the woman, putting an arm around her throat. His smoke hung from his lips, still burning. With his other hand he slid it down her arm and grabbed for her weapon. She quickly let it go and with one hand, Trev let her clip fall to the ground and then dropped the gun. He then grabbed the smoke from his mouth and dropped that to the ground, stepping on it.

  “There,” he said. “Now we’re even, sweetheart.”

  “You said you had multiple guns.”

  “Exactly. We’re fucking even. I’m in control at all times. Nobody comes into my lot in my club and fucking pulls a gun on my prospects.”

  “Are you… Miller?”

  Trev felt his heart jump. “How do you know Miller?”

  “I don’t. I know he’s the President of this charter. Please don’t hurt me. Okay?”

  “Sweetheart, I live by a few rules as an outlaw and I can promise you that physically hurting a woman without us being naked first ain’t on that list. But we’re going to take a walk together. We’re going to go to my motorcycle and introduce ourselves and move forward.”

  “Are there really snipers?”

  “Sweetheart, you try anything stupid and a sniper will be the last of your worries.”

  “I’m not talking until I see my father,” she said. “Where is he?”

  “You’re dead serious that Griffin is your father?”

  “Yes.”

  “Why haven’t we seen you before?”

  The woman hesitated.

  Trev thought about tightening his hold on her, but he did live by his own rules not to harm a woman. For some reason, this woman socked him in the gut. She was naturally beautiful, dark hair and eyes, curves in all the right spots, a great set of tits pushing against her shirt. Hell, the front of her shirt even pulled up just enough to show a sliver of bare skin and it was driving Trev mad.

  He guided the woman to his motorcycle like he said he would. He then spun her around and lifted her by her curvy hips and sat her on the ride.

  “Now, look at me,” Trev said. “I’m you’re saving fucking grace. There’s a gang of bikers in there with their families all trying to enjoy a Sunday brunch. Anyone who poses even the slightest danger will end up in the garage.”

  “The garage?”

  “That’s where bad things happen. You don’t want to go there.”

  “Then don’t take me there.”

  “Then fucking cooperate.”

  “I am,” she said.

  “Let’s start small. I’m Trev.”

  “Eden.”

  “Eden,” Trev whispered.

  I’d love to get lost in her garden…

  Trev shook his head.

  “And you’re here to see your father? Griffin?”

  “Yes,” she said. “He’s my father. I need his help.”

  “From what?”

  “I’m not talking to you.”

  “You’re not talking to me? What do you think is going to happen?”

  “My father is going to come out of that door and save me,” she said.

  Trev felt his heart twist. He actually felt a little bad for her. She was dead serious that Griffin was her father. Worse yet, Griffin was fucking dead.

  “This isn’t a negotiation, Eden,” Trev said. “This is my actually being nice. Damn me for that. So I’ll give you a choice. I can show you the gate, the garage, or you can give me something to work with here. Because inside that clubhouse there are some pissed off guys. Nobody fucks with this club and nobody fucks with us on a Sunday when we’re having breakfast.”

  “Bikers having breakfast?” she asked. “That doesn’t sound exactly tough.”

  Trev laughed. “I agree, sweetheart.” He put a hand to his motorcycle and leaned in on Eden. “I fucking hate it. I don’t do family shit. I got patched with this charter about a year ago. Took over an empty seat at the table. Before that, I ran complete outlaw. You know what that means?”

  “What?”

  “That means I ran with a leather cut but not patches. No loyalty to anything but the steel between my legs… my motorcycle…” Trev winked. “… and open road. So whatever rules they follow inside, I’m still getting used to. So right now I’m saving your ass but I’m really thinking about tearing your ass apart.”

  Eden swallowed hard. She put a finger to Trev’s chest and pushed. “You don’t scare me.”

  “Sure I do. You’re terrified to be here. Something happened and you don’t want to talk about it.”

  “I want to tell my father. My mother too. She’s here.”

  “Your mother is part of Back Down Devil?”

  “Yeah.”

  “You’re wrong, sweetheart.”

  “Maybe I have proof. Maybe I have a picture.”

  Trev took a breath and stood tall. He towered over the beautiful woman. Her eyes were dark and wild. For a second he thought about kissing her, just to see her reaction. Pinning her down on his ride and giving her a real ride

  “How’d you get here, sweetheart?”

  “I drove myself.”

  “From where?”

  “South,” she said.

  “You’re not going to give me shit, are you?”

  “I’m here to talk to my fucking father,” she said.

  Trev saw her left leg twitch. She tried to kick him in the balls and Trev bent a little and grabbed just below her knee. His massive paw of hand easily stopped her and could almost fit around her leg.

  He was eye level with her and she jumped and let out a whimper.

  “Am I hurting you?” he asked.

  “No. You’re tickling me.”

  Trev squeezed her leg and she jumped. A smile broke across her face. Her hands gripped the motorcycle and she thrust, trying to wrestle herself away.

  Trev felt his dick fill up, throbbing with a halfie. He licked his lips and gritted his teeth.

  “You really picked the wrong day and person to fuck with, sweetheart.” He let her leg go. He had no choice. If he got any harder, he would have to fuck her. Trev stood tall again. “I’m giving you one last chance. Give me the fucking picture. Tell me what happened to your face. Tell me who said Griffin was your father.”

  Trev saw the look in her eyes. She was going to keep battling him. He slid a hand around her back and pulled her body close to his, knowing damn well she’d feel the bulge of his cock. When she did, she let out a whimper. She leaned back on the motorcycle and her jaw dropped.

  “You already made your decision, sweetheart. And now you’ve got me fucking hard. And pissed off. Hopefully you believe in something upstairs, because today is going to be anything but holy for yourself. You did this, not me, sweetheart.”

  Trev grabbed the back of Eden’s pants and lifted her up. He put her on her feet and walked her forward.

  She let out a scream and asked, “Where are we going?”

  “To the garage,” Trev said. “So you can see where people who fuck with us end up… hope you have a strong stomach.”

  __

  five.

  Eden realized she had screwed herself bad. Showing up and pulling a gun was supposed to get the attention of her father, not from
Trev. This big, thick, rough looking biker guy. A guy with a face that was too chiseled, scruffy, and eyes that were evil yet had some hidden secrets within them. That was one thing Eden knew she was good at. She could read people without really trying. That came from hours of time spent with different people, hearing different stories, trying to bring those stories to life in the form of ink.

  As Trev led the way across the lot, Eden looked around, really trying to figure out where she was and why. Sure, this had been a big mistake to do it like she did. The MC was tough and protected themselves. It would have been better to show up with a little kindness.

  Whoops.

  Eden was done with kindness though. She needed action and results right now. The police would find her eventually to question her about what happened at the tattoo shop. She thought about confessing that to Trev, but that wasn’t the reason why she came to Frelen and to see Back Down Devil MC. She needed to see her father. Show him the picture and make it known she got his letter and that it was time for them to start a relationship. The MC would then welcome her. Life would somehow figure itself out.

  Glancing over her shoulder, Eden knew her father had to be in the clubhouse. Maybe even looking out a window, seeing her.

  Would he even recognize my face? Probably not. But he knew where I was. He sent The Letter to me.

  Trev walked Eden around to the back of a small building. He grabbed an old doorknob and looked at her. “Ready to talk yet?”

  “To my father, yes.”

  “You realize I could have shot you ten times by now.”

  “But you didn’t.”

  “Which symbolizes something like trust. So why don’t you just trust me a little and give me something to work with.”

  “No.”

  “Suit yourself.”

  Trev opened the door and grabbed Eden’s arm. As he pulled her forward, her body brushed against his. He was rough yet gentle, knowing his own strength but not stepping too far over the line. His body was rock hard, obviously laced with muscle, not to mention he had been turned on and pressed it against Eden.

  She stumbled forward, half turned on, mostly hating herself for the position she was in. When she looked at the center of the garage, she let out a scream.

  A hand covered her mouth and Trev’s hard, outlaw body was against hers. His front to her back. His stuff still kind of hard… or maybe it was just that big all the time.