Outlaw Revenge (Back Down Devil MC #1)(40)

Gaige shook his head.

What a sick f*ck…

The three left with Gaige leading the thunderous fury of motorcycles. Their eyes were set on killing.





twenty-one.



Emily kept her eyes moving along the bar. Next to her Griffin had a folder full of papers. He opened the folder and began to scan the files. The clubhouse was getting loud and rowdy. Shay was throwing back shots like they were water. Landon and Erik were in a heated game of darts, playing for the company of a woman who sat on a couch with her legs crossed, looking at the two big bikers with starry eyes. Jace nursed a beer in the corner of the bar, causally looking at Emily, making her feel uncomfortable.

“I can’t work here like this,” Griffin finally said. “Come on, let’s go for a walk.”

Griffin stood and Emily had to follow. She met eyes with Jace and then hurried to catch up with Griffin. They went down the hall and Griffin stopped at a large set of doors.

“I would go in there,” he said, “but I can’t with you. The meeting room isn’t for relievers and old ladies.”

Old ladies?

Emily wasn’t sure how she felt about that. Is that was she was? An old lady to Gaige? What the hell did that mean?

He stopped at another door and opened it. It was another small bedroom. “I only have one chair and a desk,” Griffin said. “I need to work so help yourself to the bed to relax.”

Emily didn’t want to sit on a biker’s bed, unless it was Gaige’s. Griffin stared at her and sensed her worry. He walked to a nightstand and with the swing of his foot, he knocked over a lamp, empty beer bottles, and a frame. He then handed Emily the folder in his hand and he lifted the nightstand and walked it to the desk. He put it down and pointed to the empty chair.

“There, you can sit,” Griffin said.

“Thanks.”

“Now let me have that folder.”

Emily sat and put the folder down. Griffin sat on the nightstand and opened the folder.

“This is all the paperwork to keep us legit,” Griffin said. “It’s all our legit paperwork and club dues. We have dues to keep the clubhouse in order and to make it seem like we’re just some bad dudes looking to drink and f*ck.”

Emily smiled.

“But you know it’s more than that,” Griffin said.

“I know,” Emily whispered.

“And it’s not about fighting and shooting each other. That’s the kind of shit we try to keep from happening. If it wasn’t for the MC, there would be more of that shit all around here. It’s too lucrative to just enjoy drugs and *, right?”

“I guess so.”

Griffin nodded. “It is. But we are grounded. If that’s what you call all this shit around us. The shooting at the fights… that was a step over the line. Big time. That’s going to get dealt with. Your friend should have never suffered that kind of death.”

“I’m more worried about her father now,” Emily said.

“Well, he can do what he has to do to get over the loss of his daughter. We won’t stand in the way. Hell, I’m sure Gaige would take a beating from him if it helped. We get pain. We get loss. We aren’t heartless people, we just have hardened hearts.”

Emily swallowed fresh tears.

“Now, what else is on that mind of yours?” Griffin asked. “Did Blaine freak you out too much?”

“Actually, no. But Jace…”

Griffin waved a hand. “Don’t mind Jace. He and Gaige always had rough times crossing each other’s paths. He’s been through hell and back, maybe more than the rest of us. I don’t know. We all deal with pain in our own way around here. He’s feeling you out, wondering what the f*ck you’re doing here because Gaige… well, he’s never acted this way around a woman before.”

Emily felt her cheeks flush. “That’s a lot to hear.”

“It’s the truth. Let him figure this out, okay? Go for the ride… if you get what I’m saying.”

Griffin set his attention to the paperwork. Emily offered to help and Griffin laughed. He opened the top drawer of his desk and took out a stack of invoices and tossed them to Emily. Matching orders and invoices was nothing but a big pain in the ass but it killed time.

As Emily settled, she heard a commotion outside the room. Voices were yelling. Then Emily’s cellphone started to ring. She reached for the phone and saw it was Max. She dropped the phone and covered her mouth. Griffin looked at her and then down to her phone.

“An old friend?” Griffin asked.

“I can’t… I…”

Miller appeared in the doorway, his eyes on fire. He pointed to Griffin and Emily.

“You two, out here. Now.”

“Got it,” Griffin said. He touched Emily’s arm. “Come on, love. We have to move now.”

Emily barely managed to stand. Just seeing Max’s name on her phone terrified her. She needed Gaige. He could rescue her.

They walked out of the room and followed Miller until he stopped in front of the large doors to the room where the guys all met. He punched the door and growled.

“We can’t f*cking do this in there,” he bellowed.

“What’s wrong?” Griffin asked.

Emily saw Landon, Shay, Erik, and Jace walking down the hall. Behind them were two big men with what looked like machine guns. And, behind then was Mr. Strokner. Emily’s heart sank.