Steel Temptation (Back Down Devil MC #6)

Steel Temptation (Back Down Devil MC #6)

London Casey & Karolyn James



one.



Night had finally settled upon the town of Frelen, but there had been darkness inside Nate for much longer than a night could provide. Standing in the lot to the Back Down Devil MC clubhouse, he looked out to the only town he knew as home. From the depths of hell to the most beautiful days at the beach, he’d seen everything the town had to offer. Hell, even recently with the MC needing to take out a business man and deal with some backdoor dirty deals, this was worse than anything Nate knew of.

A rival club was smuggling drugs in and around Frelen. That was honestly just normalcy for the club, always someone wanting in to f*ck things up. Then Back Down Devil would find out who and have to dig some holes for fresh bodies. This time it was Coast Road MC, a club that belonged on the beach in their cut off shirts, ‘roided up muscles, and pathetic images.

They were suddenly smarter, able to move product.

But they weren’t alone.

Nate had seen it.

The judge that tried to put Jace away for a long time had his hands in it. But even he wasn’t alone. The guy who was supposed to be the contact for Back Down Devil - Chief Jerry - had his hands in the mess. The betrayal was hard to comprehend.

Not to mention, the second Nate saw what was happening he had been attacked. Something metal slammed to his head, knocking him out cold right on the beach.

When Nate came to, it took him a few minutes to stand up. People had gathered around to help him. Most people were afraid of the guys in the MC. Rightfully so. After all, they were all a bunch of wild, murdering bikers. But without Back Down Devil doing what they did, Frelen would have been a shit hole of a town. Overrun by dealers, pimps, and whores, bodies showing up everywhere. The police department completely corrupt. Everyone in town with their lives on the damn line.

People didn’t understand it. And that was fine.

Nate touched his head and it f*cking hurt. When he blinked, he still saw a little white spot at the right side of his eye. Gaige and Blaine forced him to the hospital where they told him he was lucky. His skull was unusually thick, meaning nothing broke. If whoever hit him had been an inch lower, Nate would have been dead.

That’s how far away death was for Nate and the guys in Back Down Devil MC.

Literally a f*cking inch.

With his hands balled into fists, Nate tried to figure out how to do this. How to make things right. He had watched Jace try to tell the Back Down Devil MC President, Miller, and the guys about Coast Road MC, but they were preoccupied. Now he was supposed to tell Miller that Chief Jerry was working against the MC? After all they had gone through with that businessman, Strokner.

“Nice night out here, brother.”

Nate didn’t realize Griffin had snuck up on him. He was holding two beers, both full.

“What are you doing out here?” Griffin asked. He offered a beer to Nate.

Nate pushed it away. “No need for that bullshit in there.”

“What? You don’t want to see Blaine play pool with his dick?”

Nate raised an eyebrow. “What?”

“You heard me. He’s having the relievers keep him hard. So he gets behind the cue ball and thrusts forward…”

“Jesus Christ,” Nate said. “I’m never playing pool again.”

Griffin laughed a rough laugh. “Brother, you know how much stuff that guy’s dick has touched in there? We’re better off burning it down than cleaning it.”

Nate grinned. “Good to know.”

“You gotta shake this one off,” Griffin said. “We’re just getting done with this Strokner shit. We have to make sure there’s no fall out from it, okay?”

“You make it sound so easy,” Nate said. “You’re not the one who was attacked.”

“Hey, we’ve all been attacked, okay?”

“Not like this, man. There’s…”

Griffin touched Nate’s arm. “What? You remember something?”

Nate gritted his teeth. When the guys were hounding him about what had happened he made a comment that he didn’t remember much. That he saw the white seafood van and then someone attacked him. They said, “You’re f*cking dead… and so is your entire club…” and then it was all darkness.

If there was one thing Nate knew about life - in and out of the MC - was that sometimes dumping too much information at once could cause major problems. Griffin was right, the club was trying to get over the Strokner stuff.

But this was worse.

This was betrayal right in town. This could end the club.

Nate shook away Griffin and went for his motorcycle. Some people had church, Nate had his ride and the open road. But tonight wasn’t about going out to find a religious experience or anything like that.

“Where you going?” Griffin asked.

“To the beach.”

“Bro, do you remember anything?”

“I want to see.”

Nate started his motorcycle and gave Griffin a few seconds to decide what he wanted to do.

Griffin dropped the beer bottles, letting them fall over, foaming out of their skinny necks. He hurried to his motorcycle, put on his helmet, and fired it up. He gave the thumbs up and Nate started to move.

They left the compound and went right to the beach. Right to where Nate had parked his motorcycle that day, when he broke away from the guys. It was always risky and dumb to travel alone. Nate paid the price for that. Hell, going out tonight like this, there should have been more than just the two of them.