Ruthless Hold (Back Down Devil MC #9)(42)

“Yeah,” Trev said.

“Good man,” West said and looked at Eden. “Knew him well.”

“Did you send me the letter?” Eden asked.

“What letter?” West asked.

“Christ,” Trev said. He put a hand to Eden’s back. “Come on, beautiful. We’re going to ride. To the cemetery. Hold strong for me.”

Trev turned and offered his hand to West. “Thank you.”

“Sure,” West said. West didn’t let Trev’s hand go. “Hey, it’s good to see fresh faces up here. Things are rocky.”

“A dead brother will do that.”

“Long before Giovanni took the bullet,” West said. “Trust me in that, son.”

“What are you thinking, old man?” Trev asked. “You’re behind the bar. You observe.”

West touched his leather cut. “I’m still wearing this. I still honor it. I just don’t think all that is appearing before our eyes. I don’t know you from shit, but we’re wearing the same cut. That makes us brothers, right?”

“Of course.”

“Remember what I said then. I have no proof of anything. I just pour the whiskey and clean up the puke.”

West grabbed the shotgun and walked away, putting it up on a gun rack behind the bar.

The front door to the bar was open and all the guys poured out.

It was time to give Giovanni his last ride.

*

Eden clung tight. Trev hung with her, standing in a long line as the hearse came to a halt. Jasper, Duke, Cade, and Xavier all came forward and carried the casket to the grave. They then backed up and stood, waiting.

A motorcycle roared in the distance and everyone looked to see that it was Ripper approaching. When Trev realized Ripper wasn’t alone, he knew the risk he took by bringing Eden with him was about to hit the fan in a big way.

That was okay though.

Trev wanted to see how people reacted and how things panned out. Right or wrong, it didn’t f*cking matter. What did matter was finding out the truth about Griffin and the truth about Ripper. The shit stunk really bad and chances were it was all going to fall on the Frelen charter’s lap.

The motorcycle came up the dirt path.

Ripper rode right up to the grave and killed the engine. He climbed off, dressed in black, head to toe, a black bandana over his bald head. The woman on his ride stepped off and Trev felt himself tense up.

It was Jenn. Griffin’s secret lover. Eden’s mother.

She was always a naturally pretty woman, even if the lifestyle added years on her that weren’t kind. She had long jet black hair and a skinny figure with curves in the right spots. Her skin was tan and wrinkled like leather, a combination of the life, stress, tanning, smoking, and drinking. She took off a large pair of sunglasses and looked around.

Her eyes were glossy and when she saw Trev, she stopped. There was an awkward second between them, but then it got worse. Jenn looked at Eden. And she just stared. The seconds ticked by and felt like minutes.

Ripper went to the casket and put a hand to it.

“We’re here to say goodbye to our brother. I’ve brought everyone one last drink and we throw our glasses into the grave. We forever drink with our fallen…”

Ripper’s voice trailed off as Eden dug her nails into his hand.

Trev wanted this to happen, but not here. Not right now either.

Jenn’s eyes went wider.

She then mouthed… Eden…

Eden sank into Trev’s arm.

“Tell me,” she whispered. “Right now, Trev. Tell me. Or I’m going to freak out.”

“Freak out, beautiful,” Trev whispered back. “I have to go take a shot with my brothers. Don’t move an inch.”

“I want to hear you say it.”

Trev stepped forward and looked back.

Another piece of the puzzle had fallen into place.

“Beautiful, that woman… Ripper’s old lady… that’s your mother…”

Trev watched as Eden put her hands to her mouth.

A second later she was falling back to the ground, her head aimed to smash against a tombstone.

__



seventeen.



“Let me help her.”

“Hey, back the f*ck up an inch. Give her some space.”

“Goddammit, she almost killed herself on the headstone.”

“I got her. Everyone relax. She’s afraid of cemeteries. I shouldn’t have brought her.”

“Is… is she okay?”

The last voice was a woman’s voice.

Jenn. Ripper’s old lady.

My mother.

Eden fought hard and her eyes popped open.

The first person she saw was Jenn.

It was the woman from the picture, just older. Much older. Her hair and eyes were the same. But her size, skin, they were different. She aged like hell… but what did that matter? It was Eden’s mother. Her blood mother. Her real mother. The woman who carried her for nine months.

She was also the woman who gave up Eden for adoption.

Slowly, Eden reached up for Jenn.

Jenn took her by the hand and Eden felt a surge race through her body. It was an instant connection. So intense that Eden started to cry.

“Oh, baby,” Jenn whispered. “No. Don’t worry. You’re okay.”