Crash and Burn (Back Down Devil MC #2)(50)

“Do it,” Griffin said.

“Wait,” Landon said. “They’re not…”

“I said f*cking do it,” Griffin bellowed.

Landon pressed the button.

On his end, nothing happened. There was no click or pop sound.

The car, however, instantly blew up. Landon watched a billowing fireball lift into the sky. Then it turned into a black cloud, matching the night sky.

Landon dropped the black box and ran to Avery. They hugged and he scooped her up.

“All good, brother,” Shay said, punching Landon as he kept running by.

Landon squeezed Avery tight, inhaling the scent of her hair and feeling her grip on him.

“What did he do to you?” Landon asked.

“Nothing,” Avery said. “I kept him on a string.”

“Fuck, Avery, I love you.”

“I love you,” Avery said.

Landon put her feet on the ground and stared at her. The car on fire casted dancing shadows on Avery’s beautiful face.

“You killed that other man, didn’t you?” Avery asked.

“Yes,” Landon said. “It’s done. He and Bry will disappear forever and nobody will care. You’re safe now, Avery.”

“I’ve been safe from the moment I landed in your arms, Landon.”

“You did amazing for the MC,” Landon said.

“I did it for you.”

“Let’s get out of here. I want to take you to the clubhouse and f*ck you.”

“That’s the best thing I’ve heard all night.”

Miller and Griffin stayed to clean up the scene a little and get Shay to his motorcycle. Then they all came to the clubhouse to celebrate being alive. And now, they were at the table.

The door opened and Erik walked in.

One by one, the guys all stood and cheered.

The table was finally going to be complete again.

“What a f*cking sight,” Blaine said.

“Welcome back, brother,” Miller said.

Erik walked to his chair and pulled it out. He stared at it and nodded.

Landon noted how somber Erik’s face and eyes were. The guy was more beaten up on the inside. That was the hardest shit to deal with.

“I have to admit,” Blaine said, “this is starting to make me hard. Seeing this. You know?’

“No, nobody knows what the f*ck that means,” Shay said. “Just sit down.”

The table laughed and they all took their seats.

Miller looked around the table for a few seconds. “To say it first… we welcome back to our brother, Erik.”

Everyone clapped and whistled again. Blaine started to bang his beer bottle on the table and soon everyone else did to. Miller waved his hands.

“Now that we’re back together,” Miller said, “we can finish something someone else started. But I’ll get to that in a second. I want to talk about tonight. We voted on a favor for Strokner. That’s all done now. The impact on the club directly isn’t much right now. What it does is provide protection to our land. I know we don’t want to share space with this guy, but for now, what’s done is done. I have to give a hand to Landon’s woman, Avery, for playing along perfectly.”

Landon nodded. “Thanks. I appreciate everyone putting their trust in Avery. She belongs here. With us.”

“She’s f*cking beautiful,” Blaine said.

“Not going to happen,” Landon said.

“Back to business,” Miller said. “Now with that behind us, we are going to find the group that tried to take one of our brothers out. Only Erik didn’t die. He fought and beat death. We’re close. I can feel it.”

“Have we heard from Jonesy?” Landon asked.

“We have some information,” Griffin said. “I expect more soon.”

“We will get this,” Miller said. “For you, Erik.”

“Thanks,” Erik said. “Thank you all for welcoming me back. But I want to get out there and do something.”

“Just hang,” Miller said. “Rest and recover. Enjoy it.”

Miller looked around the table again and then called the meeting.

While everyone stuck around to talk, Landon slipped away and charged out of the room. Nothing mattered more than getting to Avery.

He unlocked the door to his room, but Avery wasn’t in the bed. It took a couple seconds for Landon to pick up on the sound of water running. Then he noticed the clothing leading to the bathroom. The pants. The shirt. The bra. the panties.

“Yes,” he whispered.

He locked the door.

Landon walked to the bathroom and slowly opened the door. Steam hit him and he found Avery standing at the shower with the door open, one hand under the water. His eyes studied the amazing curves of her body. He knew he was taking a chance at scaring her, but he didn’t give a f*ck.

He touched her hips and said, “Naked without me… is unacceptable.”

Avery jumped and then she smiled. “I wanted to clean up…”

“I’ll be the judge of that,” Landon said. “Turn that f*cking water off.”

Avery turned the water off and stood before Landon, fully nude. He touched her face and then moved down to her shoulders. His fingers traced lines to her breasts where he cupped her. His thumbs flicked her hard nipples and she jumped. Landon slid his hands down her stomach, feeling her fast breathing. Finally, he cupped her ass with his left hand and allowed his right hand between her legs. His middle and ring fingers cut between her wet lips and he slipped his fingers in her warm, welcoming body.