Secret Mayhem (Back Down Devil MC #4)(46)

The bullets continued to fly.

Shay looked when he could and took shots just to say he did. He struck one of Eight Under's men in the leg. The guy fell to one knee and someone was right there to grab him and pull him away.

Jimmie had retreated behind his men as they climbed on their bikes. They knew they were no match for Back Down Devil, at least not without Caius. It was admirable to see how their club protected their president, but if Shay and his crew wanted Jimmie dead, they would have killed him already.

Eight Under took off, and Back Down Devil and the Lost Men stood in the kicked up dust until it settled. When it finally did, they looked around at the damage that had been done. Three men lay motionless on the ground. One Eight Under member and two Lost Men.

“Fuck,” Miller said. He kicked the ground and then lifted his gun and shot in the direction Eight Under had been going. “Fuck!”

He emptied his clip and then threw his gun to the ground.

“I’m sorry, Trev,” he said.

“We're here to do what's needed,” Trev said.

“And what is needed?” Blaine asked, sounding surprisingly sane.

All at once, everyone turned and stared at Shay. They were expecting answers.

“He’s going to keep setting us up,” Shay said. “That’s what he does. He's never been man enough to fight face to face, because he would lose. But as long as he has the surprise element, he is going to keep winning this war."

“And those *s are going to run right back to him. They’re going to fall for everything he has to say and offer.” Miller growled and climbed on his bike.

Trev pointed to the bodies on the ground. “Go bury them. No markers.”

The rest of Back Down Devil got on their bikes too, except Shay. He still didn't feel right riding Jon's bike, and he needed to talk to Miller. The Lost Men would hang back with Trev.

Shay approached Miller's motorcycle and grabbed Miller’s shoulder.

“We have to engage him,” Shay said. “Play his game.”

Miller’s lip curled. “I’m done with attacks. And I’m done with you holding shit back from the club.”

“I only…”

“I know, Shay. I know.” Miller's phone vibrated. He put it to his ear and yelled, “Hello…”

Miller hung his head, and when he looked up at Shay his eyes were wide and he swallowed hard.

“What’s wrong?” Shay asked.

“That was one of the prospects,” Miller said. “We got another delivery.”

“Fuck. Another finger?”

“No. This time… it’s Jonesy himself.”





twenty.



They took off as fast as they could.

Jonesy was at the clubhouse. Alive or dead, Shay didn’t know.

Shay's stomach was sick. They had hired him to track down the person responsible for Erik's explosion, and he got kidnapped and tortured for it. By Caius.

Back Down Devil arrived at the compound. Miller led the way and once they were all parked, Miller shouted to two prospects to watch the gates because the Lost Men were coming back once they buried their dead.

The entire crew ran to the clubhouse and burst inside.

Shay looked around on the ground and on the table tops, expecting to see a mutilated, dead body.

Instead, Jonesy was sitting at the bar.

“Holy f*cking hell,” Blaine said. “He’s alive.”

“Jonesy,” Miller said.

“You made it, man,” Shay said.

Jonesy looked tired and beaten up. He was obviously scared half to death. He lifted a hand and waved. His hand was puffy and infected where his two fingers were missing.

Landon groaned and turned his head. “Motherf*cker.”

“I am going to puke,” Blaine said. “I swear on it.”

One of the guys behind the bar put a shot glass in front of Jonesy. He grabbed it with his good hand and threw it back. The whiskey barely went into his mouth. It spilled all down his cheeks and onto his clothing.

“What the hell is wrong, Jonesy?” Miller asked.

Jonesy opened and closed his mouth, over and over, the liquid splashing and dripping everywhere.

It was like he couldn’t swallow.

Shay went to the bar and sat down. “Christ, man, talk to us. Talk to me. What happened? What…”

Jonesy opened his mouth.

There was teeth… and nothing else. His tongue was missing. It took Shay a few seconds to realize what he saw. His fingers curled on the bar, as he tried not to get sick.

Jonesy knocked at the bar and pointed to the empty shot glass. Another shot was poured and Jonesy grabbed the drink. He threw it back and just like before, most of the shot leaked from his mouth as he tried to swallow it.

“Christ,” Shay said. He looked back and saw the blank look on Miller’s face. “We have to move this into the meeting room, Miller.”

Miller nodded. He shook everything away and started to shout orders. Shay and Jace helped Jonesy stand up.

“Let’s go into the meeting room. So we can…”

Shay almost said talk, but Jonesy wouldn't be doing any talking. Shay looked at Jace. His face was white. This was what Caius wanted. Fear. Pain. Worry. It’s all that mattered to Caius.