Owned & Untamed (Back Down Devil MC #11)(19)

I couldn’t explain it but I didn’t want his f*cking apology. Who was this *? He shows up, picks a fight with my handicapped brother, talks about my life, won’t tell me about his criminal life, kisses me, then suddenly stops like he’s some kind of gentleman… and then he wants to apologize?

Fuck you, Duke.

Only I didn’t say that.

I had a different way to take a shot.

“No worries,” I said. “My boyfriend was with me.”

A sly smile crept across Duke’s face. “Well, I hope your boyfriend doesn't mind what just happened. Last thing I need is another bullet coming at me.”

I opened my mouth to blurt out I was single, but I couldn’t find the words.

Then Duke said, “Have a good night, sweetie. If anything else happens, don’t be afraid to call me.”

My mouth was still open as I watched Duke walk to his motorcycle. He climbed on it, fired up the engine, and left. The roar of the motorcycle cried out into the night and cried out even longer in my memory and heart.

I wished right then to never see Duke again.

That wish… that wish would never come true.





eleven.



(duke)



We stood outside in the midday sun. Cash, Hudson, Kye, and Xavier all had their heads back, sunglasses on, soaking up the sun, trying to let the heat burn off their lingering hangovers from the night before. The clubhouse had been rowdy the last few days, mostly my fault. I couldn’t get Belle out of my mind and my destructive personality bled into the MC.

The party seemed to never end. We only took breaks to nap before we’d start up again. Booze, guns, fights, strippers, gambling, you name it, we did it. Trev put Jasper in charge two nights ago when Eden called with stomach pains. I started an early celebration for the birth of their baby only to find out later that it was just some kind of fake contraction stuff going on.

I found any reason to party. The harder the better.

Yet I hadn’t f*cked a single woman.

That was the kicker.

I took plenty to bed, but didn’t f*ck them. Hell, I had them in my bed while I stood at the door and watched them handle their business together. And even that didn’t do it for me. When they finished, I booted them out and jerked off into the bathroom sink. Did I think about two women on top of each other, their tongues slicing up and down each other’s *? Nope. I thought about Belle. About pinning her against the wall in the bathroom. About touching those full tits of hers. About showing her what a real man was. A man who had seen death, faced it and won; a man who could handle any of her pain, worry, fears, and doubts.

Trev came out of the clubhouse and all attention went to him.

Eden was next to him, the woman wobbling like a penguin as she walked.

“How’s Mama?” Cash asked.

“Big,” Eden said with a frown.

“Still beautiful,” Cash said.

“Thank you, Cash.”

“Does Prez tell you that enough? If not…”

“Easy,” Jasper said.

“Max, Austin, I’m relying on you two to stay here with the prospects and take care of Eden.”

“And Harlee,” Trent added.

“We’ve got it,” Trev said.

Harlee and Eden had a strong friendship going. I figured it was only a matter of time until Harlee was all knocked up too. What a f*cking MC we had, huh? We went from almost getting wiped out because of the old Prez and his bullshit to now having guys fall in love, getting engaged, their girls getting knocked up.

Fucking time was a weird thing.

Max and Austin came forward and each hugged Trev. They then led the way for Eden to go back inside the clubhouse.

Trev then walked to his ride and grabbed his helmet. “You guys know I can’t go in there. I don’t like it.”

“We’ve got your back, Prez,” I said.

“I want in.”

“We voted,” Jasper said. “Not sending you into that bar. You’re an easy target.”

“And the rest of you?” Trev asked.

“We do what we do best,” Cash said. “Fuck shit up.”

All of us let out a cheer.

“Jasper and Hudson hang back with me,” Trev said. “I want Cash, Trent, Kye, and Duke going inside.”

We all nodded.

The only one missing was Cade. He had some meeting with our lawyer and accountant to make sure the front business was all intact. He was also helping to ensure our fifty large payment from the Russians was properly put away without any eyes getting on it.

Once we hit the road, my adrenaline got going. Happened every time I got on the road, knowing we were heading into a war zone. Shit, it used to happen when I was overseas. Too many times we’d load up whole and come back broken.

Not this time. Not this time.

Belle flashed in my mind, as though she had become some reason to fight harder to ensure my own safety. That was just f*cking stupid.

There was always a big risk cruising into another club’s territory. While we controlled all of Daurian, there were chunks that were overrun with other crews. We called them the weeds. They didn’t belong and they didn’t leave. Heading to north and east, we crossed into Hell Five territory. You’d never know it staring at a regular map because this shit - the outlaw life - that wasn’t listed on any county lines or mile markers.