Secret Mayhem (Back Down Devil MC #4)(58)

“That’s why we’re here,” Blaine said. “She hasn’t left the hospital since you got here. She demanded I wipe the blood off your cut and give it to her. She loves you, Shay. I mean, true love kind of bullshit. Kind of gross. But lucky for you.”

“Yeah, lucky me,” Shay said. “I’m glad this is all done now. No more bombs. No more secrets.”

“It’s over. Look to your right. That’s your future. Heal up because we got business to tend to.” Blaine smacked Shay’s foot and then started to walk away. He paused and looked back. “Oh, I wanted to ask… is her ass as tight as it felt when she was rubbing against me?”

Shay growled. “Are you really asking me that?”

“What?”

“Blaine… get out.”

“It is. I'm right,” Blaine said. He puckered his lips and exhaled. “A tight ass like that… mmm…”

Blaine left the room. When Shay clenched his fists, pain shot through his shoulders and he groaned. He took a deep breath and forced himself to sit up. When he swung his feet off the bed, he groaned again. His left arm throbbed and he looked at the bandage covering the wound where he’d been stabbed with cutters.

Sliding to the edge of the bed, Shay managed to get his feet on the floor. He balanced and stood, then eyed the IV’s running from his hands. He wouldn’t be able to really walk far, if at all. Still, Shay reached forward. He touched his leather cut on Ava and then ran his hand through her hair. He moved it out of her face and watched her stir.

Her eyes opened and she quickly sat up.

“Shay? What the hell… get in the bed.”

“No,” Shay said. “I’m okay, love. I’m standing. I’m alive. Nothing to worry about.”

Ava hurried to her feet, tears in her eyes. “I didn’t know what to do.”

Shay touched her face. “Heard you tried to escape and dry humped Blaine.”

“Oh, gross,” Ava whispered. “Don’t remind me. I felt his… ugh.”

“Yeah, Blaine gets hard for anything. Not that your ass isn’t worth getting hard for, but I’ve seen him get drunk and dry hump the corner of a wall because it felt good.”

“I don’t want to talk about Blaine.”

“Neither do I, Ava. I… I’m sorry I didn’t tell you what was going to happen. Miller called the shots."

“The Lost Men are gone,” Ava said. “Trev took the guys and left. He wasn’t happy. I apologized for lying, but he was still pissed.”

“Fuck those guys,” Shay said. “This is about us. And Ava, I f*cking love you.”

“I know.”

“No, you don’t. I never said it. Now I am. I love you. I want you with me so I can protect you for the rest of our lives. And that could be a few seconds or a few years… hopefully longer.”

“Much longer.”

“All I want is each day with you to matter,” Shay said. “It will be okay now. There will always be a war to fight. You have to understand that. Life is about fighting, Ava. If you stop and get knocked down, you’re dead.”

“You were shot,” Ava said. “That’s scary.”

“No. Scary was falling on my face and having darkness sweep over me… because the last thought I had was about you.”

“Why’s that scary?”

“Because I think it means I have a heart.”

Ava smiled. She moved to her toes and kissed Shay. “You have a big heart, Shay. Not as big as your cock, but I can live with that.”

Shay slipped a hand to Ava’s back and pulled her close. She felt warm. Her mouth tasted delicious. He always thought his life's purpose was to serve his club. Looking into Ava's blue eyes, he realized that the club had brought him to his life's purpose. Ava.

He owed his life to them, and he would never keep a secret from them again.

*

Jace, Gaige, and Nate were out on a ride. They needed to sweep through the building one more time before they released everything back to Chief Jerry and hopefully over to Strokner. If he picked up the building, it would provide some space for the MC. Then again, they’d be even more indebted to the rich businessman. When they left the building, Gaige and Nate took the lead, riding back into Frelen. At a red light, Jace pulled between them and motioned for Gaige.

“I’m f*cking hungry, bro,” he yelled. “I’m grabbing a slice and a beer. Need to clear my mind of all this shit. You in?”

“No,” Gaige said. “I’m heading back to the clubhouse. I’ve got a naked woman waiting for me.”

Jace looked to Nate and Nate shook his head. When the light turned green they split up. Jace went to the left and got as close to the ocean as he could. The look of the beach, the small shops and restaurants, and the people reminded him what he was working so hard to protect.

After a slice of pizza, a cold beer, and flirting with a few women in small bikinis, Jace jumped back on his ride and kept going. He crossed into Coast Road MC territory. He had no business being there, but the ride was nice. The sun glistened off the water. The breeze was cool. And it took his mind off everything that had happened with Shay and Caius.

As Jace made a turn to head back toward the clubhouse, he noticed something in the water. It looked like a small boat. He came to a stop and watched the man standing on the back of the boat. He didn’t look out of the ordinary, but it did seem interesting that he was talking to a member of Coast Road MC who was on the dock. The two men quickly shook hands and the man on the boat pointed to the water.