RUTHLESS HOLD (A Back Down Devil MC Romance Novel) (9 page)

“
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 thinking
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
…”

“
Christ,
”
Miller said. He looked back.
“
I don
’
t think he was fucking her ass, Trev. If he was,
Eden wouldn
’
t be here.
”