Savage Love (Back Down Devil MC #7)(18)

Ella felt something she hadn’t felt in a long time.

She was wet.

She thought of Miller busting into the house. Chasing her into the kitchen. Her hands clutching the edge of the counter. Miller putting his hands to her hips, lifting her. A hand… his big, strong hand… moving right up her shirt. Cupping her breast. Squeezing her achy, tender breast.

As Ella started to lose her breath, she had a wild urge race through her.

She wanted to touch herself.

Her right hand was jittery as she actually tempted herself to do so. Touching her leg for a second, moving down, inside, then up. Yeah, she was over her jeans, but whatever. Just the pressure alone…

A door slammed with a thundering boom.

Fuck. Jerry was home.

Ella hurried to collect herself and rushed to the stairs. She went down as casual as she could, putting a smile on her face. In the kitchen, she saw Jerry was in plain clothes, a gun hanging off his hip.

“Hey,” she said.

He turned. His eyes were big, bloodshot, weary. “There you f*cking are. What the f*ck were you doing?”

“Putting the baby to sleep.”

“I didn’t hear any noise.”

“That’s the point. He’s sleeping.”

Jerry squinted. “You giving me lip?”

“No, Jerry. What… I haven’t seen you in days.”

“I’m working.”

Ella sighed. “Just so you know, there were cops and bikers passing through. Like you said.”

“That’s right. I take care of my shit.”

“Let me get you a drink. You want a beer?”

“No. Nothing. I’m f*cking good, okay?”

“Okay. What… I mean… you probably can’t tell me.”

“No, I can’t,” Jerry said. “You don’t want to know. I got back to the station to get settled for one damn second and those f*ckers messed with me.”

“Who?”

“Miller.”

The name sent a gushing wave through Ella’s body. “What happened?”

“They goaded one of my deputies into a chase. They slashed his tires and broke his radio. To get back at me. I arrested one of their prospects on an old gun charge.”

This was the most conversation Ella could remember having with Jerry in weeks.

“Wow,” she said. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll get them. I think it’s time for this town to start thinking bigger.”

“Meaning?”

“Look, I love my job and all, but maybe it’s time to move on.”

“Quit the force?” Ella asked.

Jerry shrugged his shoulders. For a flicker of a second, he looked sincere. “Maybe it’s time. If I can take it to city hall and give it a nudge, we can merge with another local PD and let someone else deal with it. Bring in a bigger force. That way the pressure is on the MC to move. They’re no good.”

“Did something happen?”

“They’re outlaw bikers, Ella. What the f*ck do you think happened?”

“I don’t know. I know you’ve been close to them for a long time.”

Everything comes to an end,” Jerry said. “Remember that. Everything.”

Speaking of which, Jerry. I have something I want to talk about. Can we sit? Can we…

There was silence.

Ella knew this was her chance. She could blow this whole thing open right now. She could speak her mind and try to have an open and honest conversation with Jerry. Then they could talk about the papers upstairs. Or maybe not. Maybe for the sake of Beck they could figure something out. After all, if Jerry was going to get away from the force. Take early retirement. They could sell the house. Move out of Frelen. No, f*ck that. Move out of California all together.

“Why the hell are you smiling?” Jerry asked.

“Nothing,” Ella said. “Just… if you do retire…”

“Retire? I’m not old.”

“Okay, not retire. But if you leave the job. If we can…”

“Oh, so it’s we now?”

“Is it not supposed to be?” Ella asked.

“You f*cking tell me.”

Now Jerry was pissed. He stared at Ella, his eyes going from slightly defeated to evil and beady.

“What does that mean?”

“Oh, like I wouldn’t f*cking know,” Jerry snapped.

“What?”

“Goddammit,” Jerry yelled.

“Don’t yell. The baby.”

“Fuck that baby! Fuck it. That’s why this shit is going down. You used me. You wanted this so you could f*cking leave and take my money.”

“I’m not… who said…”

Jerry reached into his back pocket. Ella cringed, fearing he was going to pull a gun on her. It wasn’t a gun, but it was almost just the damn same though. It was folded up papers.

Divorce papers.

Ella looked up. Then back at Jerry. “How…”

“Where’s your copy?” Jerry asked.

“They were delivered to you?” Ella asked.

“I got a phone call about it. That they were being processed. A concerned friend. You know what that f*cking felt like?”