Ruthless Hold (Back Down Devil MC #9)(15)

“I warned you,” he whispered. “You have to be careful near me. I’m about to break your f*cking heart.”

Eden grabbed for Trev’s hand and slid it up her body. “Then be gentle.”

A second later Trev’s mouth touched hers. “Fucking hell…”

His hand eased over her breast, squeezing. Their lips flirted for a few more seconds before they actually kissed. Lips and tongues meeting, instantly battling, Trev’s tongue taking control. His hand squeezed tighter against her breast, almost hurting, but feeling so good at the same time. It sent a warm rush down through her body, her panties soaking wet, pulling tight against her body. It was almost uncomfortable and certainly crazy.

Eden quickly put her hands to Trev’s shoulders and pushed at him. Their kiss broke and she moved away.

“I shouldn’t have done that,” she said.

“You’re right. Now I’m going to have to claim you.”

“What?”

“I’m going to have claim you. To protect you. And when I claim you, that means I’m the one f*cking you and nobody else. Got it?”

“No, I don’t. That’s not how I work.”

“Please, I can smell your sweet tight * from here. You haven’t been touched in forever.”

“Fuck off,” Eden said.

“Too late now.” Trev then sighed. “Now sit down and let me get this off my chest.”

“Get what off your chest?” Eden asked.

She wiped her mouth, disgusted at herself for kissing Trev. Maybe it was some pathetic way of saying thanks. Maybe it was something more.

“You need to listen carefully. This is far from being over. The picture you brought here today is going to start a war within this club. If anything, that picture should be burned and you should be killed. That’s the truth. But neither is going to happen. It’s too sensitive to do. There’s more at stake. You waited a long year to do this and maybe it’s the right time. And now I have to be the one to tell you something… but before I do that, when you got the letter, was it in your mother or father’s hand writing?”

“I assume my father’s,” Eden said. “I mean, it was scribbly. Like a guy.”

“And the envelope?”

“The same.”

“Okay. Last year, there was a big thing going on in Frelen. We had a big problem with the local PD and some outside crews pushing through town. It got messy and it got really bloody. One thing we’ve always done together is keep the table alive. That might not make sense to you, but it’s the reason I’m here and patched in. Eden, I took your father’s seat at the table.”

Eden swallowed hard. “And what exactly does that mean?”

Trev’s face was like stone. “Griffin… Griffin is dead.”

*

Silence.

It was like the moment before Eden started a painting, drawing, or tattoo. Complete and total silence, freeing her mind of everything. Then she’d take a breath and get to work.

Griffin is dead.

Her father was dead.

From the corner of her eye she saw the glass of water. Her hand shot for it and she threw it at Trev. The water splashed all over him and the glass smacked him against the face. Of course the glass didn’t shatter and cut his face.

Trev jumped up and kicked the chair back. Eden did the same. She then turned and made her run. When Trev grabbed at her, she spun and clawed at his face, feeling her nails dig into his skin. He let out a groan and ducked driving his shoulder into her stomach. He did it with a tender toughness and lifted Eden up like she weighed nothing.

“Fuck you!” she yelled, pounding at his back. “You’re a liar! I don’t believe you!”

Trev carried her to a bedroom and threw her on the bed. She quickly tried to get up and Trev was there, hands out, touching her shoulders. Eden slapped at his face and Trev growled, showing his teeth. She knew she was pushing him too close to the edge.

She didn’t care.

“Kill me then,” she yelled. “Just kill me.”

She wrestled a hand and swung hard at Trev. Her fingertips scratched his face and then he had his hands to her wrists and pinned her down. His body was on top of hers, right there on the bed. Then they just froze, staring at each other.

“I didn’t f*cking do it,” Trev said. “I didn’t kill him. We killed the man who did it though, okay? Goddammit.”

Eden took heavy breaths. “No. I don’t believe it.”

“You don’t believe it?”

“No. You’re lying. Where’s my mother?”

“That’s even harder.”

“Is she dead?”

“No.”

“Then what…” Eden felt it catch up to her. Her eyes filled with tears.

“Ah, sweetheart,” Trev said. “I’m so sorry, okay? I didn’t realize anything until you showed me that goddamn picture. This is a big mess for all of us. I’m sorry, but he’s gone. He’s really gone. I saw it myself.”

Eden felt tears escape her eyes. “Let me go. Right now.”

Trev eased away from Eden and sat on the edge of the bed. She sat up and wiped her eyes.

“Tell me what happened,” she whispered.

“Someone shot him, sniper style. Okay? Bullet to the neck, he bled out fast. Probably barely felt any real pain. He went down wearing the cut he lived to wear. He died an honorable man. A member of this club. He was given the proper send off. The guys then voted for me to take the vacant seat. If you knew me, sweetheart, you’d know I never wanted to patch in again.”