RUTHLESS HOLD (A Back Down Devil MC Romance Novel) (22 page)

“
Aye,
”
Shay yelled.

“
Aye!
”
the table yelled.

The room got loud again and Ripper
cracked the gavel again.

“
Let
’
s do this in order,
”
he said.
“
It
’
s
time to ride. Let
’
s honor
Giovanni. When we get back here, the whiskey will be room temperature. The beer
will be ice cold. The women will be naked. And we
’
ll
have our tattoo guys up here, spilling ink to anyone who wants some. Tomorrow
we can start dealing with the retaliation.
”

Ripper hit the gavel one last time
and motioned toward the door.

They all started to leave and
Miller grabbed for Trev and held him back. He had a handful of Trev
’
s shirt and put him against the
wall.

“
You
don
’
t talk out of line up
here,
”
Miller said.
“
You
’
re not outlaw anymore. You
’
re in a cut. Remember that.
”

“
He
’
s full of shit,
”
Trev said.
“
Something bad is going on up
here. And it
’
s going to
filter down into us. You remember that.
”

Miller showed his teeth and looked
ready to strike.

“
You
two okay?
”
Ripper asked as
he came back into the room.

“
Fine,
”
Miller said.
“
Just keeping my men in check.
”

Miller broke away and Trev adjusted
his leather cut. He looked at Ripper and saw the President eyeing him.

“
Got
something to say?
”
Trev
asked.

“
No.
You just don
’
t seem like
you fit in here.
”

“
I
’
m filling a seat,
”
Trev said.
“
I used to run with
The Lost
Men
.
”

“
Thought
you looked familiar,
”
Ripper said.
“
You ever want
to run outlaw again, you give me a call.
”

Ripper winked and walked away.

Trev worked his way to the bar and
found Eden sitting there. The guy behind the bar - West - had a shotgun up on
the bar and stood there.

“
Protection?
”
Trev asked and pointed to the
gun.

“
She
’
s Griffin
’
s daughter?
”
West asked.

“
Yeah,
”
Trev said.

“
Good
man,
”
West said and looked
at Eden.
“
Knew him well.
”

“
Did
you send me the letter?
”
Eden asked.

“
What
letter?
”
West asked.

“
Christ,
”
Trev said. He put a hand to
Eden
’
s back.
“
Come on, beautiful. We
’
re going to ride. To the
cemetery. Hold strong for me.
”

Trev turned and offered his hand to
West.
“
Thank you.
”

“
Sure,
”
West said. West didn
’
t let Trev
’
s hand go.
“
Hey, it
’
s good to see fresh faces up here. Things are
rocky.
”

“
A
dead brother will do that.
”

“
Long
before Giovanni took the bullet,
”
West said.
“
Trust me in
that, son.
”

“
What
are you thinking, old man?
”
Trev asked.
“
You
’
re behind the bar. You observe.
”

West touched his leather cut.
“
I
’
m
still wearing this. I still honor it. I just don
’
t
think all that is appearing before our eyes. I don
’
t know you from shit, but we
’
re wearing the same cut. That makes us brothers,
right?
”

“
Of
course.
”

“
Remember
what I said then. I have no proof of anything. I just pour the whiskey and
clean up the puke.
”

West grabbed the shotgun and walked
away, putting it up on a gun rack behind the bar.

The front door to the bar was open
and all the guys poured out.

It was time to give Giovanni his
last ride.

*

Eden clung tight. Trev hung with
her, standing in a long line as the hearse came to a halt. Jasper, Duke, Cade,
and Xavier all came forward and carried the casket to the grave. They then
backed up and stood, waiting.

A motorcycle roared in the distance
and everyone looked to see that it was Ripper approaching. When Trev realized
Ripper wasn
’
t alone, he
knew the risk he took by bringing Eden with him was about to hit the fan in a
big way.

That was okay though.

Trev wanted to see how people
reacted and how things panned out. Right or wrong, it didn
’
t fucking matter. What did
matter was finding out the truth about Griffin and the truth about Ripper. The
shit stunk really bad and chances were it was all going to fall on the Frelen
charter
’
s lap.

The motorcycle came up the dirt path.

Ripper rode right up to the grave
and killed the engine. He climbed off, dressed in black, head to toe, a black
bandana over his bald head. The woman on his ride stepped off and Trev felt
himself tense up.

It was Jenn. Griffin
’
s secret lover. Eden
’
s mother.

She was always a naturally pretty
woman, even if the lifestyle added years on her that weren
’
t kind. She had long jet black
hair and a skinny figure with curves in the right spots. Her skin was tan and
wrinkled like leather, a combination of the life, stress, tanning, smoking, and
drinking. She took off a large pair of sunglasses and looked around.

Her eyes were glossy and when she
saw Trev, she stopped. There was an awkward second between them, but then it
got worse. Jenn looked at Eden. And she just stared. The seconds ticked by and
felt like minutes.

Ripper went to the casket and put a
hand to it.

“
We
’
re here to say goodbye to our
brother. I
’
ve brought
everyone one last drink and we throw our glasses into the grave. We forever
drink with our fallen
…”

Ripper
’
s voice trailed off as Eden dug her nails into his
hand.

Trev wanted this to happen, but not
here. Not right now either.

Jenn
’
s
eyes went wider.

She then mouthed
…
Eden
…

Eden sank into Trev
’
s arm.

“
Tell
me,
”
she whispered.
“
Right now, Trev. Tell me. Or I
’
m going to freak out.
”

“
Freak
out, beautiful,
”
Trev
whispered back.
“
I have to
go take a shot with my brothers. Don
’
t
move an inch.
”

“
I
want to hear you say it.
”

Trev stepped forward and looked
back.

Another piece of the puzzle had
fallen into place.

“
Beautiful,
that woman
…
Ripper
’
s old lady
…
that
’
s your mother
…”

Trev watched as Eden put her hands
to her mouth.

A second later she was falling
back to the ground, her head aimed to smash against a tombstone.

__

seventeen.

“
Let
me help her.
”

“
Hey,
back the fuck up an inch. Give her some space.
”

“
Goddammit,
she almost killed herself on the headstone.
”

“
I
got her. Everyone relax. She
’
s
afraid of cemeteries. I shouldn
’
t
have brought her.
”

“
Is
…
is she okay?
”

The last voice was a woman
’
s voice.

Jenn. Ripper
’
s old lady.

My mother.

Eden fought hard and her eyes
popped open.

The first person she saw was Jenn.

It was the woman from the picture,
just older. Much older. Her hair and eyes were the same. But her size, skin,
they were different. She aged like hell
…
but what did that matter? It was Eden
’
s
mother. Her blood mother. Her real mother. The woman who carried her for nine
months.

She was also the woman who gave up
Eden for adoption.

Slowly, Eden reached up for Jenn.

Jenn took her by the hand and Eden
felt a surge race through her body. It was an instant connection. So intense
that Eden started to cry.

“
Oh,
baby,
”
Jenn whispered.
“
No. Don
’
t worry. You
’
re
okay.
”

“
Beautiful,
look at me.
”
Trev
’
s voice.

Eden turned her head.
“
Trev
…”

“
I
’
m right here. You just got a
little faint. That
’
s all.
Do you want to sit up?
”

Eden realized she was the center of
attention. She felt embarrassed.

“
I
’
m ruining the funeral,
”
Eden whispered.

“
Hey,
”
Miller said.
“
Everyone back off her. Give her
space.
”

Everyone listened and Trev helped
Eden up and to her feet. She collapsed to his chest and then made fists. She
pounded against his chest and slowly looked up at him. She was enraged with
Trev. He knew this all along. He knew what he was doing to her. Why didn
’
t he say something sooner? Why
didn
’
t he prepare her for
it?

Trev grabbed her arms.
“
Time and place, beautiful.
”

“
Let
me get her a ride back,
”
Jenn said.
“
Take her to the
house. So we both can catch our breaths.
”

Jenn glanced at Ripper.

“
Yeah,
do that,
”
Ripper said.
“
Don
’
t need to be digging a second hole here.
”

“
I
’
ll go with her,
”
Trev said.

“
No,
”
Ripper said.
“
All brothers bury the fallen
together. Got it?
”

Trev gritted his teeth. He glanced at
Miller and then looked at Eden.

“
I
’
ll be okay,
”
Eden said.
“
I hate cemeteries.
”

“
I
know you do,
”
Trev said. He
touched her face. He leaned in and kissed her cheek.
“
Do not ask questions. It
’
s dangerous.
”

Eden felt her heart start to race.
She watched as Trev pulled away and turned to face the funeral. Jenn touched
her arm and that surge went through her again. She knew
…
they both knew
…

“
Come,
”
Jenn whispered.
“
Let the men finish their work.
”

Eden went with Jenn. Every few
seconds she looked to the woman and thought only one thing.

You
’
re my mother
…
but do you know it?

*

“
West,
get her a drink. Water with ice.
”

“
Any
booze in it?
”
West asked.

“
No,
”
Eden and Jenn said at the same
time.

Eden grinned and Jenn winked at
her.

West gave Eden a glass of water.

“
Thanks,
”
Eden said.

“
Sure
thing,
”
West said.

“
There,
”
Jenn said.
“
Get yourself some water and
relax. They
’
ll be back
soon. Don
’
t mind the
activity as it rolls in. Hope you don
’
t
mind seeing lots of tits.
”

“
Excuse
me?
”

“
It
’
s how they grieve. Enough
strippers and glitter to last you a lifetime.
”