RUTHLESS HOLD (A Back Down Devil MC Romance Novel) Read online

  “Something’s wrong,” she said.

  “Yeah, there is,” Trev said.

  “You said Griffin sent you that letter about a year ago?” Miller asked.

  “Yeah,” Eden said. She slowly sat down. “Why?”

  “What took you so long to respond?” the VP asked. “Why now?”

  Eden looked at the VP and said, “Because the only person I could trust in the world was murdered last night. And when the guys saw the letter and picture, they wanted to hurt me bad. I had been thinking about it for a long time, wondering what to do. Going back and forth. Yeah, I wanted to meet my mother and father, sure. But then again, they gave me up for adoption. Why?”

  Miller looked at Trev and nodded.

  “Ah, shit,” Trev whispered. He then crouched down. “Listen, Eden, we need some information and then we can talk about your parents. Okay?”

  “Trev,” Miller said.

  “Hold on,” Trev snapped.

  “What do you want from me?” Eden asked.

  “The guys that attacked you,” Trev said. “What did they look like?”

  “Everything black. Black leather jackets. Black masks on their faces. Steely eyes. I’ll never forget his laugh. A rough laugh. I can’t describe it but I’d know it if I heard it again.”

  “The leather jackets,” the VP said. “Did they have any writing on it?”

  “No,” Eden said.

  She watched as Trev looked at Miller. They were talking with their eyes. Then they both looked up at the VP.

  “Shit,” the VP said. “Let me go make a call and see what I can do.”

  He left the apartment and Miller slowly rose up.

  “What now?” Eden asked.

  “I’m going to go outside and have a smoke,” Miller said. “And Trev here is going to talk to you about something.”

  “What?” Eden asked.

  “Thanks, Miller,” Trev said.

  “Hey, you stuck up for her. She’s your problem now.”

  Miller walked away as Eden’s mouth fell open. When he left the apartment, Trev slithered into a chair.

  “Listen…”

  “You stuck up for me?” she asked.

  “Yeah, I guess you could say that. They were talking about what to do with you. You don’t understand…”

  Eden lunged forward out of her chair and into Trev’s chair. Her arms were around his neck. She couldn’t believe she just did what she did. Better yet, she couldn’t believe the way it felt when Trev put his arms around her. She broke away, just enough to look at him.

  “I warned you,” he whispered. “You have to be careful near me. I’m about to break your fucking heart.”

  Eden grabbed for Trev’s hand and slid it up her body. “Then be gentle.”

  A second later Trev’s mouth touched hers. “Fucking hell…”

  His hand eased over her breast, squeezing. Their lips flirted for a few more seconds before they actually kissed. Lips and tongues meeting, instantly battling, Trev’s tongue taking control. His hand squeezed tighter against her breast, almost hurting, but feeling so good at the same time. It sent a warm rush down through her body, her panties soaking wet, pulling tight against her body. It was almost uncomfortable and certainly crazy.

  Eden quickly put her hands to Trev’s shoulders and pushed at him. Their kiss broke and she moved away.

  “I shouldn’t have done that,” she said.

  “You’re right. Now I’m going to have to claim you.”

  “What?”

  “I’m going to have claim you. To protect you. And when I claim you, that means I’m the one fucking you and nobody else. Got it?”

  “No, I don’t. That’s not how I work.”

  “Please, I can smell your sweet tight pussy from here. You haven’t been touched in forever.”

  “Fuck off,” Eden said.

  “Too late now.” Trev then sighed. “Now sit down and let me get this off my chest.”

  “Get what off your chest?” Eden asked.

  She wiped her mouth, disgusted at herself for kissing Trev. Maybe it was some pathetic way of saying thanks. Maybe it was something more.

  “You need to listen carefully. This is far from being over. The picture you brought here today is going to start a war within this club. If anything, that picture should be burned and you should be killed. That’s the truth. But neither is going to happen. It’s too sensitive to do. There’s more at stake. You waited a long year to do this and maybe it’s the right time. And now I have to be the one to tell you something… but before I do that, when you got the letter, was it in your mother or father’s hand writing?”

  “I assume my father’s,” Eden said. “I mean, it was scribbly. Like a guy.”

  “And the envelope?”

  “The same.”

  “Okay. Last year, there was a big thing going on in Frelen. We had a big problem with the local PD and some outside crews pushing through town. It got messy and it got really bloody. One thing we’ve always done together is keep the table alive. That might not make sense to you, but it’s the reason I’m here and patched in. Eden, I took your father’s seat at the table.”

  Eden swallowed hard. “And what exactly does that mean?”

  Trev’s face was like stone. “Griffin… Griffin is dead.”

  *

  Silence.

  It was like the moment before Eden started a painting, drawing, or tattoo. Complete and total silence, freeing her mind of everything. Then she’d take a breath and get to work.

  Griffin is dead.

  Her father was dead.

  From the corner of her eye she saw the glass of water. Her hand shot for it and she threw it at Trev. The water splashed all over him and the glass smacked him against the face. Of course the glass didn’t shatter and cut his face.

  Trev jumped up and kicked the chair back. Eden did the same. She then turned and made her run. When Trev grabbed at her, she spun and clawed at his face, feeling her nails dig into his skin. He let out a groan and ducked driving his shoulder into her stomach. He did it with a tender toughness and lifted Eden up like she weighed nothing.

  “Fuck you!” she yelled, pounding at his back. “You’re a liar! I don’t believe you!”

  Trev carried her to a bedroom and threw her on the bed. She quickly tried to get up and Trev was there, hands out, touching her shoulders. Eden slapped at his face and Trev growled, showing his teeth. She knew she was pushing him too close to the edge.

  She didn’t care.

  “Kill me then,” she yelled. “Just kill me.”

  She wrestled a hand and swung hard at Trev. Her fingertips scratched his face and then he had his hands to her wrists and pinned her down. His body was on top of hers, right there on the bed. Then they just froze, staring at each other.

  “I didn’t fucking do it,” Trev said. “I didn’t kill him. We killed the man who did it though, okay? Goddammit.”

  Eden took heavy breaths. “No. I don’t believe it.”

  “You don’t believe it?”

  “No. You’re lying. Where’s my mother?”

  “That’s even harder.”

  “Is she dead?”

  “No.”

  “Then what…” Eden felt it catch up to her. Her eyes filled with tears.

  “Ah, sweetheart,” Trev said. “I’m so sorry, okay? I didn’t realize anything until you showed me that goddamn picture. This is a big mess for all of us. I’m sorry, but he’s gone. He’s really gone. I saw it myself.”

  Eden felt tears escape her eyes. “Let me go. Right now.”

  Trev eased away from Eden and sat on the edge of the bed. She sat up and wiped her eyes.

  “Tell me what happened,” she whispered.

  “Someone shot him, sniper style. Okay? Bullet to the neck, he bled out fast. Probably barely felt any real pain. He went down wearing the cut he lived to wear. He died an honorable man. A member of this club. He was given the proper send off. The guys then voted for me to take the vac
ant seat. If you knew me, sweetheart, you’d know I never wanted to patch in again.”

  “Again?” Eden asked. She wiped the corner of her eye.

  “I was a member before. I gave it up and went outlaw. Ran with The Lost Men. Miller called me down for some help and I stuck around. Then the offer came.”

  “Why’d you take it?”

  “Because of what Griffin did for me. He was a good man. I miss him.” Trev put a hand to Eden’s leg. “And I’m goddamn sorry he’s gone. I’m sorry you had to find out this way. I had no idea he had a daughter.”

  There was silence again.

  Eden put her hand on Trev’s. “I’m sorry for trying to hit you.”

  “I get it, sweetheart. I’m not worried about it.” Trev reached for Eden’s face and touched her cheek. He brushed away a tear. “I’m your only chance at this. We’re not going to let you leave. We’re not going to let you talk to anyone outside this club. You’re ours from here on out. But I will claim you and let you stick by my side. That means nobody will bother you. When you ask for something, the prospects will do it or I’ll fucking shoot them.”

  “And in return for that?” Eden asked.

  Trev grinned. “You know exactly what the fuck I want.”

  A second later Trev’s lips were against Eden’s again. The kiss was more aggressive than their first. They were also in a bedroom. Trev’s hand cut down to her inner thigh and slid up, touching against her body, over her jeans. Eden felt herself jump. The emotions racing through her body and mind were still so raw. She had no idea what she wanted. The truth hurt and she wanted comfort. Comfort was good. Comfort was really fucking good right then.

  Trev was strength, power, and protection. He could take away her pain with his body. He could save her from the men that attacked her with his club and his desire to kill if need be.

  Eden reached for Trev, grabbing at his neck, pulling at him.

  They started to ease back on the bed, Trev’s fingers digging between her legs. The pressure was good, Trev forcing Eden’s panties to rub harder against her sensitive core. She felt herself bucking a little, wanting Trev more.

  Eden scratched at his neck, feeling herself losing control.

  What the hell did it matter? She was going to start a war, right? Or she had already started…

  Someone cleared their throat.

  They sat up fast as though they were two teenagers getting caught.

  “You done here?” Miller asked, standing in the doorway.

  “Yeah, I guess,” Trev said, standing up.

  “Might want to ease up there, soldier,” Miller said and nodded. “I’ll be at the table.”

  Eden turned her head and was faced with the biggest bulge against jeans she’d ever seen in her life. Where the bulge began and ended had to be impossible.

  “Stop staring,” Trev said. He touched her chin and forced her to look up at him. “You’ll get that later… if you survive Miller’s questions.”

  __

  eight.

  Trev knew he was entering the deep end of the water with this one. He held Eden’s hand out to the table and then picked up the chair she knocked over. He went to the fridge and opened it, taking out a couple beers. He twisted off the caps and gave Miller one.

  “Cheers,” Trev said.

  “Goddamn, I wouldn’t be cheering about much just yet,” Miller said. He looked at Eden. “You want a beer?”

  “No thank you.”

  “Trev told you?”

  “My father is dead.”

  “I’m afraid he is. He sat at my table for years. I knew him long before I was a President and before we were both at a table. He had his demons, as all of us do. But this… this is touchy. Now I need to know everything.”

  “You know everything.”

  “So he sent you a letter out of the blue?”

  “I guess. Maybe he didn’t think he was going to get murdered.”

  “Or maybe someone was waiting for him to die to send that letter.”

  “Why?” Trev asked. “You think she’s fucking with us?”

  “Which she?” Miller asked.

  Trev touched his forehead. If Ripper’s old lady was trying to pull a stunt, this was going to be a bloodbath. Fuck, it already is going to be a bloodbath.

  “What does that mean?” Eden asked.

  “Nothing,” Miller said. “Look, I’m going to trust Trev to watch over you. You do as he says. I’ll make sure nobody else in the clubhouse fucks with you. I’m sorry for all of this. It must be a lot to take on.”

  “I expected to meet my father and change my life.”

  Miller stood up. “Your life is changed. If you want my opinion, someone knew Griffin was dead and then sent the letter to you to get you here. It took a goddamn year though.”

  “I was afraid,” Eden said. “I didn’t know what to expect if I came. Did I mess up bad?”

  “No,” Trev said. “You didn’t mess up at all, sweetheart. You’re here now. Keep telling the truth.”

  “Tell me about the shooting. Your friend was killed?”

  “Close friend. Dimitrio. He was a good man.”

  A good man? What the fuck did that mean?

  Trev drank his beer, trying to keep his calm. Getting jealous over a dead guy would do nobody any good at all.

  “They just shot?”

  “Yeah,” Eden said. “They just shot him. Then they saw me and came after me. When they saw the letter and the picture…”

  “Okay, okay,” Miller said. “You didn’t recognize them?”

  “No,” Eden said.

  “She remembers the laugh,” Trev said. “So we can run with that.”

  “What are you going to do?” Eden asked.

  “What do you want me to do?” Miller asked. “Want me to ask the cops for help?”

  Miller started to laugh.

  “What about my mother?” Eden asked.

  “That’s enough for now,” Miller said. “I need to digest all this. I appreciate your honesty here, Eden. You can live through today. I’ll make sure the prospects bring you food, okay? Anything you want. Your father was a good man. A great outlaw. I think about him every single day. The man who replaced his seat…” Miller pointed to Trev. “This son of a bitch is a tough guy. Listen to him. If he’s kept you alive this long, I trust his decision.”

  Christ…

  Trev was basing his decision on his cock getting hard.

  That was never a good thing.

  Miller drank the rest of his beer. “Let me go talk to Gaige and we’ll get a game plan going here. This is going to get real dirty.”

  “Why?” Eden asked. “I won’t say anything to anyone. If my father’s dead, then what do I care?”

  “I want to believe you, but trust is hard to come by these days,” Miller said.

  “Sweetheart,” Trev said, “what Miller means is that if someone did this because of Griffin being dead, it has a deeper meaning. Okay?”

  “Like what?”

  “That’s what we’re going to find out,” Trev said.

  “Maybe I will take a beer,” Eden said.

  “Trev, get her a beer and then walk me out,” Miller said.

  Trev got Eden a beer. He stared into her eyes for a few seconds and felt something connecting. She didn’t mean any harm. She was here on an honest mission with heartbreaking results. That wasn’t her goddamn fault.

  Outside, Miller shut the door. He offered Trev a smoke and Trev declined.

  “Fuck,” Miller said. “The club is going to shake up after this mess.”

  “You think Griffin and Ripper’s old lady…”

  “Years ago, brother. Years ago. But you know how Ripper is. We voted against him with some major deals. This blows back on us, this charter right here, it looks like we’ve been covering up Griffin’s secrets.”

  “That won’t go over well.”

  “And that attack? That’s desperation… someone looking for cash.”

  “You’re t
hinking The Lost Men,” Trev said.

  “Black leather, untouched.”

  “Could have been anyone.”

  “They saw the picture and letter. Where is the letter?”

  “They burned it,” Trev said. “That’s what she told me.”

  “She’s lucky she got out of there. Find out how. Give me everything on her, okay? I need to make some calls and figure this out going forward. Christ, we don’t need this. Internal stuff? That never goes over well. Charter to charter? Shit. Up in Daurian, they have as much influence as us. This could get really bad really fast.”

  “One day at a time, Miller,” Trev said. “Focus on what we can.”

  “What are you thinking? About her?”

  “I don’t know. If she’s tied to Griffin, we owe him and her that much. The guy died in his leather cut. He took a bullet meant for you. The least we could do is show respect to his family.”

  “Agreed,” Miller said. “Do me a favor, Trev. Take care of those two prospects, okay? I don’t want to make this into a scene. Normally I’d have Blaine do it, but he’s busy being a father. You’re the last true crazy outlaw around here.”

  “I’ll take care of it,” Trev said. “I’ll leave them there and you can run an initiation with the other prospects. Then have Nate dump them in the water.”

  “You know, you’d make a great President someday.”

  Trev laughed. “Why, you got a target on your back?”

  Miller patted Trev on the back. “Not as big as yours, brother. Not as big as yours.”

  “Thanks, Miller.”

  “Just don’t fall in love with her,” Miller said. “I need you tough and ruthless, the way I’ve always known you.”

  Miller walked away, making it down two steps.

  “Miller,” Trev said.

  “Yeah?” Miller said without turning around.

  He knows what I’m going to say.

  “If this shit is true with Griffin…”

  “Ever hear the saying dead men tell no tales?”

  “I don’t do fucking sayings, Miller. He fucked up bad. I remember him when I was just coming up. He was larger than life and not just his big gut either. I knew he was fucking around with the Daurian charter. Working something with guns, long before you had the gavel, Miller. I’m not sure if he was still hitting it then or not. This means whatever he and Jenn had, it goes back years. I was probably learning how to wipe my ass when he was fucking Jenn’s…”