Ruthless Hold (Back Down Devil MC #9)(48)

Trev grinned. “That’s okay.” He turned Eden around. One hand slid up her shirt, cupping her breast. The other down between her legs. “I’ll just have to enjoy the view from behind.”

Eden turned her head. Her cheeks were flushed. “What is this? Between us?”

“It’s everything you feel, beautiful.” Trev started to unbutton Eden’s jeans for the second time that night. “Shit, it’s everything I feel too.”

Trev stripped Eden’s jeans down again and touched her hips. She thrust herself back at him, making him laugh and making him painfully hard.

She had his ink. She had his heart.

Trev opened his jeans and stroked himself as he prepared to devour Eden again.

In his mind, he wondered how many times he’d have to f*ck Eden before she finally got pregnant.

__



nineteen.



The evidence was starting to add up, and fast.

Trev listened as Miller stood at the head of the table, hand on a map. “It doesn’t make sense to me either. I was letting it roll off my back, trying to focus on the Griffin situation. But then Jasper called me. He’s beat up over it. He said that Ripper wanted him to take a run and Jasper fought back. He thinks Ripper is in bed with a gun deal and the O’Nuall family.”

“Jesus Christ,” Blaine said. “That’s the mafia. That’s some dark shit.”

“They have legit business from Nevada to the coast, Miller. Lots of desert, lots of graves.”

“They expanded to the east coast too,” Nate said. “Heard they were scooping up real estate after the market crash. Even getting into hotels and shit.”

“They love their legit businesses,” Miller said. “They love their crime, too. We’re talking big stuff here. Not just towns and police. This is bigger. Judges. Politicians. I’m talking huge here. Something this MC needs to be far away from.”

“What’s the play?” Jace asked. “Ripper working for them?”

“Christ,” Blaine said. He leaned in. “Giovanni.”

“What about?” Trev asked.

“His name. He’s Italian. Came from rich blood, right? Old country shit. His family beefed with the Irish.”

“Fuck me,” Gaige said.

“You think the O’Nuall family hit Giovanni?” Miller asked.

“With Ripper’s help,” Trev said. He then thought about it and he stood up. “Fuck.”

“What?” Miller asked.

“Griffin.”

“Griffin?” Gaige asked.

“He was working with Ripper and guns years ago. I remember it when Griffin was outlaw. He’d come to The Lost Men for space and some time. He was never actually patched in with the Daurian charter but he was always there.”

“Yeah,” Blaine said, “f*cking Ripper’s old lady and knocking her up.”

“I’m worried it was more,” Trev said. “Maybe that’s why the letter was written and given to Eden when it was. Griffin’s dead and he can’t protect her anymore. Shit. Then someone shows up and tries taking her out.”

“Wait a second,” Miller said. “We have nothing to connect any of this.”

“You said Jasper called you,” Trev said.

“Jasper was drunk and grieving. He’s trying to make sense of it.”

“He’s beefing with his President,” Gaige said. “That’s not good.”

“The bartender, West,” Trev said. “He made a couple comments.”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” Miller said. He folded up the map. “Everyone at this goddamn table shut their f*cking mouths. Right now.”

The table went silent.

Miller looked like a rattlesnake ready to attack. “We don’t do this in this club. We don’t shoot first and ask later. We have to approach this smart. That means keeping an open line of conversation with all those willing to talk. Gaige, you stick with Jasper. VP to VP. Bring in Griffin’s death and help Jasper. I’ll handle Ripper.”

“Boss,” Blaine said, “if he’s dealing with the O’Nuall family…”

“Then we reaper vote it,” Miller said. “Both charters get a vote. All patched in members.”

“Unless there’s deadly cause,” Gaige said.

“Christ,” Shay said. “Taking out a President of the MC. That hasn’t been done in years.”

Miller nodded. “If it comes to it, so be it. We’ve been through it all, guys. We can take this on.” Miller pointed to Trev. “How did Eden do with seeing Jenn?”

“She figured it out fast. Jenn played it off. She’s devastated. But she’s calm. She understands. She’s wearing my ink now. No more bullshit with her.”

“Hey!” Blaine yelled. “You locked down some good * for real.”

Blaine stuck his fingers into his mouth and whistled. Miller grinned and knocked on the table.

Trev waved it all off. “Hey. Show some f*cking respect. The seat I’m filling… remember that.”

“What’s the status of Griffin if this goes south?” Landon asked. “Not to bring up a tough subject, but shit, he was tapping another brother’s old lady. Got her pregnant. Gave up the kid. Maybe he was dealing with Ripper and setting up this O’Nuall thing.”