RUTHLESS HOLD (A Back Down Devil MC Romance Novel) (8 page)

“
Not
claim,
”
Eden said.
“
It
’
s
the truth.
”

“
Sit
down.
”

“
No.
”

Miller turned his head.

Trev came forward and walked to
Eden
’
s chair. He pulled it
out a little more.
“
Don
’
t fuck with us, sweetheart. We
’
re your last hope to get out of
this shit alive.
”

“
What
shit?
”
Eden asked.

Miller pulled out a chair and
turned it around. He straddled it. The other guy,
Vice President
, stood
with his arms folded. Eden looked over at Trev.

“
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 vacant 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.
”