Crash and Burn (Back Down Devil MC #2)(41)

“I want you to seduce him. Beg him to take you home to f*ck you. Then when you get into the car with him, you just have to keep him on a leash.”

“What if he touches me?” Avery asked.

Landon turned his head and closed his eyes.

Of course she would ask that f*cking question.

Landon hadn’t thought about Avery’s past until now. What it would be like for her to have someone touching her. Grabbing her. To have someone trying to force themselves on her.

“He’s going to touch you,” Landon said. “He’s going to make advances. You have to keep him happy but don’t let him do anything.” Landon made fists, trying not to think about some fat businessman touching Avery.

“You’re angry right now,” Avery said. “Your hands are in fists. Why? What are you hiding?”

Landon spun around and took Avery by the arms. “I’m not hiding a f*cking thing, sweetheart. Okay? I’m telling you what you’re going to do. I’m sorry for what happened to you, but today is reality. Today matters. Without today, there’s no tomorrow. You want to be here, sweetheart? Then you do this. You’ll show your respect for the MC, and that goes a long way around here.”

Landon hated the look of fear in Avery’s eyes. He hated himself for building a wall like this. But what choice did he have right now? This was his life and if Avery was going to be part of it then, this was simply the journey.

“Whatever you need,” Avery said. “I’ll do it. I’ll help.”

“Good.”

Landon went to his nightstand and made sure his guns were loaded and that he was ready to go. With such a large crew riding to get Erik, it sent with a message but it also left made them a large target. It would take a complete and total idiot to try and take out the MC while they rode in a large group, but that didn’t mean it wouldn’t happen. However, Eight Under hadn’t exactly been making the smartest decisions lately.

“Let’s go,” Landon said as he pulled on his leather cut.

He put a hand out for Avery. He led her through the clubhouse, through the crowd of bikers as they finished their drinks, smokes, and stories. Landon skipped all that bullshit and went right outside. That’s where the core of the MC waited.

Miller, Gaige, Griffin, Nate, Shay, Jace, and Blaine. They were all on their motorcycles, helmets on, faces stern. This was a celebration, but it was a protection run at the same time. They needed to get Erik safely to the clubhouse and then everyone could celebrate.

Landon walked to Miller and before he could say a word about Avery, Landon noticed Emily on the back of Gaige’s motorcycle.

“You good with this?” Landon asked, nodding to Emily.

“I need everyone safe,” Miller said. “If she’s going to help the MC, then we all need to keep her safe.”

“She wants to help, so it’s all good.”

“Good. We talked to Jonesy again and he’s digging into that dump house. There’s a lot there, brother. This thing isn’t just a simple car bombing meant for Shay. I think it’s more. Much more. We need our last brother at the table so we can prepare.”

“For what?” Landon asked.

“War,” Miller said

He started his motorcycle and the rest of the guys followed.

Landon got on his motorcycle, Avery behind him, and soon the clubhouse started to empty out. These runs were done with a system in place. The main table would ride first and in front of everyone else. The rest of the guys would from a long line behind them. They were more for show, but if something went down, the MC would have numbers.

The guys from the table rode side by side in rows of two.

Miller and Blaine.

Gaige and Nate.

Landon and Griffin.

Jace was the tail, solo.

Shay drove the car so he could take Erik back to the clubhouse.

The ride through town was loud and fast. Landon looked down more than once and saw Avery’s fingers interlocked. He had fallen for her. Beyond fallen for her. Landon loved Avery. And now he needed all this little shit to work out. He needed Erik back with the MC. He needed Avery to prove to the MC what she could do. Then all focus could be on revenge, and Landon could have Avery to himself forever.

Landon couldn’t stop looking around, waiting for a mess to present itself. The last time Landon was at the hospital, those punks from Eight Under had taken shots at them. This time, however, there was nothing. Not even any traffic. Things never went this smoothly.

At the hospital, they made a line with their motorcycles basically almost on top of the front doors. Miller and Blaine got off their motorcycles and went inside. Everyone else sat and waited, their engines rumbling, waiting for their brother. When the doors opened and Erik came walking out on his own, they all cheered and clapped. Erik had a visible limp and his face still looked like hell, but damn, it was good to see him in his leather cut. He was tall and thick. He could definitely take a beating… and a bombing.

Miller hugged Erik and pointed to the car. The look on Erik’s face wasn’t very happy right then, but he knew there wasn’t a motorcycle for him. Landon would have given up his ride for Erik, but he wasn’t sure if Erik had been medically cleared to ride yet.

Shay rushed out of the car and hugged Erik, patting his back. Erik spotted Landon and Landon gave a thumbs up. Erik nodded but didn’t smile. There was still a lot of emotion and shit running through his head. That would begin to end when they find who did this and gut the son of a bitch.