Owned & Untamed (Back Down Devil MC #11)(36)

“Why don’t you let us talk this out?” Jasper asked.

“No more,” Ivan said. “When we come back, it’s all over.”

They turned to walk away and that’s when I caught sight of the prospect. Ivan shot him. That was the gunshot. Right through the chest.

“Fuck!” I screamed.

I started to lean forward but then felt hands grab the back of my leather cut. Next thing I knew I was hoisted up into the air by both Trev and Jasper. Trent then grabbed me and threw me into a motorcycle and I knocked the damn thing over. I lunged forward at Trent, ready for a goddamn fight, when Kye jumped into the picture.

I was inches from hitting him.

He shook his head at me.

“It’s time,” he whispered. “Tell them everything you know.”

“Tell us what?” Jasper asked.

“Fuck this,” Trev said. “I don’t play these games.”

Trev - the Prez - ripped out a gun and put it right under my chin.





chapter eighteen.



(belle)



“That was scary,” Maggie said.

“Scary?” I asked. “What my brother did is scary.”

I turned and saw Jim approaching the door. He had a folder in his hand. He stepped out onto the porch and tossed the folder to the table. He pointed to it.

“It’s all there,” he said. “I’m going to sell all the acres out back. Down payment was delivered. It’s all up to whatever legal shit that needs to be done. I don’t really care.”

“You don’t care,” I said. “That’s the problem, Jim. Do you realize what you’ve done…”

“What have I done?” Jim growled.

“Jim,” Maggie said. “Just come sit down and talk to us.”

I couldn’t believe when Jim listened. He grabbed a chair and plopped himself down.

I leaned against the railing. “All I know is that you sold land to some really bad guys.”

“And like Duke isn’t a bad guy himself? Running with that club?”

“So, what, this is revenge?”

“Fuck no, sis,” Jim said. “I have no idea what’s going on. Someone approached me about selling the land. Made an offer and I took it. And what bad guys? This is for some environmental corporation buying it. Not street thugs.”

I opened my mouth but had nothing. It didn’t make sense. Duke couldn’t have been wrong. Right?

I grabbed the folder and opened it. There was a survey of the house, the original piece of land, and then all the adjacent pieces.

I held the paper up. “Which one did you sell?”

“Sis, the land on the sides is all yours,” Jim said. “I can’t sell that.”

“So this back piece?”

“Yes.”

“And it touches our land?”

“That’s the one.”

“I’m confused,” I said.

“Look, I don't know what anyone wants from me. I’m doing what’s best for me. I’m sorry if you don’t want new neighbors. I can’t be here for the rest of my life, Belle. You can’t either. Cash in and get away. Get away from it all. You want Duke crashing here every night with you?”

“You going to stop trying to hurt yourself?” I shot back.

“What I do with my life…”

“But it’s my f*cking life too!” I screamed.

I slammed the paper into the folder and shut the folder. I then grabbed it and threw it at Jim. Papers started to scatter and Jim couldn’t move fast enough to collect them all.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” Jim yelled.

I saw myself hitting him a second before my hand slapped his face. It hit with a loud smack and it was years of relief being let go. I grabbed my hand and started to tear up. After all Jim had gone through…

“No,” I said. “You don’t get what you’ve done. Not just with this land. But everything. I gave up my life for you, Jim. I didn’t have to do that. I only called Duke because I was desperate.”

“And lonely,” he said, cocky.

“Of course she’s lonely,” Maggie said. “You’re an *, Jim. A f*cking *.”

Just like that, I had Maggie on my side. Only for a second because then she charged into the house.

“I have nothing else to say here,” I said. “Think what you want about Duke and right and wrong. I don’t care. But if you let criminals buy land and you’re bringing a war from town up here…”

“Duke’s a criminal too,” Jim said. “You know that. I’m no better myself.”

“Whatever,” I said.

I followed Maggie’s path.

I made a few steps into the house and stopped at one of the pictures of me and Jim. We were so young. Not even ten. Sitting in a wagon together, Jim with his lanky arm around me. His big smile, innocent eyes. I had curly hair. And then Dad pulling us along, his arm looking almost as big as Duke’s.

My life was this house, all the land.

And now it was going to be a war zone.

**

The day rolled on. I spent far too much time looking out the window to the backyard of the house. We used to play without recourse there. We crossed lines because there were no neighbors. And then Dad eventually bought everything. But now Jim was selling a portion of the land? That alone hurt but to think he did it behind my back and was now potentially pulling himself into something dark…