Savage Love (Back Down Devil MC #7)(87)

“No, I’m okay,” Emily said. “I’m not working long today. Just two meetings.”

Gaige reached for her. “Come close, beautiful.”

Emily looked at him, then moved her eyes away.

“I know what you do,” Gaige whispered. “I know the building. I know the business. Are you hired help or paid to f*ck?”

“Is that your business?” Emily asked.

Gaige lifted Emily to the sink and looked at her. “It is my f*cking business. If you’re going to be out running around with horny businessmen, I’m going to need to get some protection for you. Can’t have anyone else getting shot. If you stay put inside then I’m not so worried.”

“You’re worried about me?”

Gaige touched her chin and smiled. “I can’t imagine that * being passed around. I want it all for myself. So… do I owe you for last night, beautiful?”

“No,” Emily said. “I work between the two parties. I’m in the office and that’s it. It’s easy money because I’m good at it.”

“I can live with that,” Gaige said. “Come on, there’s breakfast waiting.”

As they ate, Blaine came walking out, holding himself. He looked uncomfortable.

“Get that taken care of?” Gaige asked.

“Fuck yeah,” Blaine said. “But it came back.”

“What came back?” Emily asked.

“My hard on. I can’t get rid of it. I think one of those whores slipped me a pill or some shit.” Blaine smiled. “I should find out what it is…”

“Hurry up and eat,” Gaige waved him off.

They ate and left the clubhouse. Gaige gave Emily his helmet and then they were off. The motorcycle roaring, the road flying by, and Gaige with the chance to think as he rode. He thought about all the places to check for Eight Under. They could just go down and bust into their shithole clubhouse but that could end up starting a bullet for bullet war. As much as Back Down Devil MC controlled the town of Frelen, they didn’t want to bring blood and violence right onto the main streets.

The situation needed to be handled carefully… and as painful as honesty came, it didn’t make it any easier to have Emily involved. She was an outsider and maybe that’s where she should have stayed. But when Gaige licked his lips, he still tasted her. He wanted her. And goddammit, he needed her.

At the edge of town, there was a long, plain building. No logos. The parking lot was empty, telling Gaige that there was a second parking lot in the back. There was a clearing behind the building, a genius move because it probably meant rich men were able to drop their helicopters down and pick up their dates. Money and sex. What else mattered in life?

Gaige stopped the motorcycle and climbed off. Emily handed him the helmet and he grabbed her wrist. “Want me to walk you in?”

“No,” Emily said. “There are no problems here.”

“I want to go in,” Blaine said.

“You’d go broke,” Emily said.

Gaige laughed. “Plus, these women don’t do what Blaine wants.”

“Ah, f*ck you two then,” Blaine said. He peeled around and took off back down the road.

“I have to go,” Gaige said. “Give me your phone.” Emily listened and Gaige programmed his number into it. “You call me if you need anything. I’ll be right here when you’re done. Give me a heads up on your hours. If anything feels off, you f*cking call me. Got it?”

“What would…”

“Fuck, beautiful,” Gaige growled. “You saw what you saw yesterday, okay? No f*cking around.”

“Okay. I won’t. I’ll text you.”

“Now f*cking kiss me.”

Emily fell into him and he groaned as he kissed her, wishing he could just make a team of guys deal with the Eight Under problem. Then he could take Emily back to his bed and have her all day.

Gaige gently pushed Emily away and nodded to the building. He waited until she was inside before getting back on his motorcycle and leaving. He shook his head. It was clear, Emily was going to probably cause more harm than good… but in the end, she’d be worth it all.





eleven.



Gaige turned into the compound and saw the police cruiser. His grip on the handlebars increased and he curled his lip. He f*cking hated dealing with the local police. They were such dicks with everything, never understanding what Back Down Devil MC did or what it meant to the town. The badge governed the police under a much different set of laws than the MC.

There was balance between the two, but it was a very loose and unstable balance.

Gaige slowed as he passed by the cruiser. He saw the chief sitting behind the wheel. Barely closing in on forty. He was tough and generally a complete * to the MC, but the last year they began to find common grounds. It was simple… as long as Back Down Devil didn’t warrant the attention, the chief wouldn’t give it to them.

Gaige parked his motorcycle and by the time he got off his bike, Blaine was walking toward him, obviously pissed off.

“What the f*ck is this about?” Blaine asked.

“What do you think? Shooting. Bodies. A dead girl. Your fingerprints all over the dead girl.”

“Ah, f*ck,” Blaine said.