Savage Love (Back Down Devil MC #7)(99)

“Then we keep that up for now,” Gaige said. “He wants exactly what we want. The person who killed his daughter dead.”

“Whoa, whoa,” Shay said. “You can’t be serious. You’re going to pull him in on this?”

“Like f*ck I will,” Gaige said.

“What’s that mean?” Shay asked.

“It means we need to let these pieces fall into place,” Miller said. “I’ve arranged a meeting with our friends in Coast Road MC.”

“For what?” Nate asked.

The fire burned in his eyes. Nate had a long, brutal history with Coast Road MC. Gaige looked at Nate and nodded, hoping to keep him calm.

“Relax,” Miller said. “We have common ground here. For the moment. Eight Under swung their little dicks near Coast Road a couple months back. One of the guys in Eight Under f*cked an woman in Coast Road territory. They’ve been waiting for a chance to strike back.”

“Christ,” Shay said. “We’re going to deal with those *s over *?”

“Nothing wrong with *,” Blaine said.

“Come on,” Gaige said. “We need to focus on Eight Under. If this gets us anything… it’s worth it.”

Miller nodded. “They might know something we don’t. Plus, we know they don’t like to get their nails dirty, right?”

Everyone laughed. Coast Road preferred to look tough and spend their days on the beach getting tans. It was odd to have a beach club, but they did have big guys and a way of earning cash.

“We tell them what happened at the fights,” Miller said. “They’ll spread it around. It’s no secret that Eight Under did what they did, but maybe the more they hear, the more they’ll get pissed off. We tell Coast Road to keep their eyes open and then we do our own research on the side.” Miller made a fist and slammed it against the table. “We will find these *s and make sure they know not to f*ck with us again.”

“Alive,” Gaige said. “I want the guy who did this alive.”

“Gaige,” Blaine said. “You can’t put that on us.”

“The best we f*cking can,” Gaige said. “I made a promise to someone…”

“* stays in the bedroom,” Shay said.

Gaige pointed to Shay. “If it wasn’t for that girl who took those bullets we would have been burying Blaine.” Gaige let that sink in and then slowly turned his head and looked at Blaine. “Get it?”

“Yeah, bro, yeah,” Blaine said. “Gaige is right. Those *s had us pegged. Right in the middle of the fight like that. He shot that poor girl. Before I could even get to her and show her what it’s like to be with a real man.”

“Okay,” Miller said. “We approach the situation with a plan to kidnap. I don’t care right now how much blood we spill of others in Eight Under. But the shooters, take them alive.”

Miller looked around the table and then stood up.

The meeting was over.

The table cleared out and Gaige went to the bar for a drink. He had a shot and then took out a smoke. Down the hall Emily was tucked into his bed. She was safe there. Inside, Gaige had no real idea how he was going to find this Max guy and take him out. He couldn't allow Emily to live in fear and look over her shoulder all the time. She wasn’t even safe at work anymore.

“You are deep in thought,” Nate said as he sat next to Gaige.

“Fucking deep,” Gaige said. “Too f*cking deep, maybe.”

“Women will do that to you, man.”

“Yeah. I keep telling myself that Blaine has the right idea in life.”

“No. Blaine is a f*cked up guy with a big heart. You don’t want to be Blaine.”

Gaige laughed. “Good point. You good with what we talked about in the meeting?”

“Maybe I won’t go,” Nate said.

“Like f*ck,” Gaige said. “We need you there man. You’re the one who could really rattle their chains, right? They take one look at you and it means business.”

“Or bullets,” Nate said.

“They won’t draw on us,” Gaige said. “You have to be there.”

Nate slowly nodded. “Yeah, okay. I’ll be there.”

Miller approached Gaige and Nate and put his arms around both of them. “We’re suiting up within the hour. I want to do this today. I’m sick of waiting.”

“Got it,” Gaige said.

Miller walked away and Gaige stood.

“I hope this f*cking works,” Nate said. “Too much going on right now. I like it calm and quiet.”

“Don’t worry. We’ll get it. I’m going to get Emily. She’s coming with us.”

“The girl? Seriously?”

“Yes,” Gaige said. “Let them see the look on Emily’s face when we say what Eight Under did. Plus, I don’t want her alone if I can help it.”

“Bigger problems?” Nate asked.

“She has an ex threatening to kill her. Some f*cking biker. You heard what happened with the hotel and Blaine, right?”

“Yeah. That poor woman.”

Gaige laughed. “This Max guy is f*cked in the head. He needs a bullet to even things out.”