An Outlaw Monster (Back Down Devil MC #10)(62)

thirty-one.



(trent)



Trev closed the phone and turned and threw it against the wall. He then stomped on it, over and over, until it was shattered into pieces. When he looked at me I saw a man who had a little bit chipped off him. The last thing this club needed was another broken President.

“Prez,” I said. “Tell me something. How’s the family?”

“Eden is fine,” Trev said. “So is the baby. Harlee and Duke saved her.”

I nodded. “Good. I can’t believe this shit.”

“It was Daxton,” Trev said.

I had the confirmation. I made fists. “He’s got to be killed.”

“He will be killed,” Trev said. “I’m trying to figure out if Night Soul knew or not. Right now Rocco isn’t talking much. He’s cut off all conversation until we get his guns.”

“We have the cash,” I said.

“I talked to Garvan too. The Russians were playing games with them. Long story but they’re not happy with the money now.”

“Fuck them,” I said. “Money is green. Green is good.”

“They’re taking the cash,” Trev said. “But they still want you to do what they asked.”

To kill my own father.

“Fair enough,” I said. “I’m not pulling back on that.”

“Garvan is trying to dictate how this all goes down,” Trev said.

“He’s got to meet us halfway at some point. We’re the ones out there. Prez, we need a table meeting. I have to speak my mind on all of this. It’s gone too far. Fuck, we almost lost our old ladies. Your baby…”

Trev put a hand to my shoulder and grinned. “Shit, brother. You really love her, huh?”

“What?”

“Harlee.”

“Yeah. Yeah, I do. I love her.”

“I knew you were f*cking with me,” Trev said. “The ring and all that. You were covering her ass. I get it. But you do love her. You crossed a line, Trent, that you can’t come back from.”

“I know that,” I said.

“The monster… tamed.”

I ripped Trev’s hand off my shoulder. “No. I’m not tamed. I’m more irritated than I’ve ever been in my life. This is beyond the thrill of killing or to help out the MC. This is about family. My family. Your family. Life outside the MC. And I cannot believe I’m saying that.”

“Okay. I’ll call a meeting. But before that, Trent, you have to take care of something for me. Man to man.”

“Name it,” I said.

Trev gave a nod for me to turn around.

When I did, I saw Duke standing there.

The message was loud and clear.

I had to settle my shit with Duke.

Maybe we could do it without fists.

**

“Want to fight again?” Duke asked as he sat next to me.

I was leaned forward, hands folded, staring at the wall across from us. “Look, brother, I don’t do this situation too well.”

“No f*cking way,” Duke said. “We could have been done here ten minutes ago.”

“I’m taking it all in, man. I really care about her.” I looked at Duke. “And I’m well aware she was supposed to kill you. I’ve been torn up about it since it was going to go down.”

“You put a ring on her finger to save her ass,” Duke said. “That’s when I had to respect what was happening. Listening to everyone talk, I was taking it in myself. I’ve always been the kind to observe and act. That’s what kept my ass out of the flag draped coffin, got it?”

“Got it, soldier,” I said.

“Don’t call me that, Trent. You don’t know the f*cking shit I saw. The way I feel on a daily basis. When someone at home wants to take my head off, it matters. But I get it. She was pushed into this shit. That’s why I apologized to her already. And that’s why I went to your place. I had a feeling.”

I looked at Duke. “A feeling?”

“Yeah. I didn’t like the idea of prospects over there. Daxton was like me. Except it was all a game to him. He was in basic training with me. He couldn’t get through it. Too wild and crazy. And throughout his years with Night Soul, he was always the same. One thing he loved? Fire. I can’t explain it, Trent. Maybe it’s good instincts. Just like the feeling I had over in the desert… that goddamn convoy going down that road… I just had that feeling. I pulled back, tried to radio it in…”

Duke lost his words. I saw the visions climb across his eyes. Shit, if he went back there, things would get dark.

I reached out and grabbed his shoulder. “Stay here, Duke. Don’t go there. You don’t need to go there.”

“I got there and saw the fire. Two of the prospects were freaking out, trying to call it in and find a way in. Me? I went to the front door and kicked the son of a bitch in. It was a cloud of smoke. I went into survival mode. It wasn’t the first time I had to do that kind of shit. I found Harlee first. I hovered over her and for a second… I thought about leaving her. But I knew she was your old lady, Trent. I wouldn’t want you to face that pain. Then I saw Trev’s old lady. I got her out then got Harlee out.”