Steel Temptation (Back Down Devil MC #6)(26)

“Who?”

Uncle Jake stepped at her. He put a finger at her. “Don’t question me. Or what I do. You have no f*cking idea what’s happening in this town.”

“You’re right. I’m sorry. What happens now?”

“Now? I make some phone calls. You sit and eat. You know how to cook?”

“Not really.”

“Then get cereal.”

Uncle Jake walked away.

Mia let out a breath. She hurried to the fridge and then made herself a bowl of cereal. A sad, lonely breakfast. She had a second bowl and then looked around the house a little. There were no signs of a kid. It was scary to see. Not a toy, video game system, nothing. It was like a black, steel testament to Uncle Jake’s prestigious life.

Mia worried for Jacob though.

She crept to the stairs and slowly climbed them. She could hear Uncle Jake’s booming voice from his private office off the living room.

At the top of the stairs, Mia saw a family portrait. Uncle Jake, Aunt Theresa, and Jacob. A serene autumn background, obviously fake since there really wasn’t the good kind of fall here in California. Mia spent a few years in Connecticut during a different part of her life and experienced real fall seasons.

Mia touched the picture, knowing something bad happened with Aunt Theresa.

She walked down the long hall and opened the doors one at a time. There were two spare bedrooms, and the third try showed her Jacob’s room. A baseball comforter on the bed. Matching curtains. The room had the aura of a young kid. But it wasn’t messy or anything. So proper and clean. Almost… fake.

It bothered Mia that Jacob wasn’t there.

He’s at a friend’s house… that’s all. Just a friend’s…

“Find what you’re looking for?”

Mia screamed and jumped. She turned and saw Uncle Jake standing behind her. “I, uh, I wanted to, uh…”

“He’s at a friend’s house. You believe me, right?”

“Yes.”

“Then why are you up here?”

“I… the childhood thing. You know? I never really had one.”

“True,” Uncle Jake said. “I really tried to save things, Mia. I really did. But your family are real pieces of shit. But not you though.” He reached out and touched her shoulder. “Not you. You survived. Smart enough to look beyond the horizon. That’s why I’ve always trusted you. And I’m going to say this once. If I ever catch you walking around my house again, I’m going to hurt you. I’ll break your f*cking legs so you can’t walk up the stairs. Got it?”

Mia started to shake. “I’m sorry. I…”

“Done. Now get back downstairs. We have business to tend to.”

“Like?”

Uncle Jake just smiled. His hand moved to Mia’s neck, her throat. He pressed, just a little. Just enough to give Mia the sensation that she couldn’t breathe.

“You need to stop asking questions.”

“I… I came here to help you. I swear. But those guys are scary. They seem…”

“What? What did you see? Did you talk to them? Are you f*cking holding back from me?”

Mia shook her head. “No. But they just seem to look that part. Like they’d kill someone and bury them. Like they have. They don’t care. And you want me to follow them?”

Uncle Jake laughed. “You’re going to help me set them up. That’s what I need from you, Mia. Okay? And as far as our other arrangement goes, yes, I do have an event coming up soon.”

“Wait. Set them up?” Mia asked.

“Yes.”

Mia stretched her neck. “Can you take your hand off my neck?”

“Make me,” Uncle Jake said. “Try me.”

Mia shuddered. “Please… I don’t understand what’s happening…”

Uncle Jake got close to Mia. Way too close for comfort. “You’re going to keep following them. You’re going to find a way to learn anything you can. What they’re doing. What they know. About everything, Mia. You don’t ask me questions. You just give me answers. Get it?”

“Yes,” Mia said. “Yes. I get it.”

Now she was pitted between both sides even worse.

Fuck… what do I do?

Uncle Jake kissed Mia’s cheek. “Good girl. Such a good girl.” He kissed her cheek again. He rubbed his cheek to hers. She felt his body moving closer to hers, pressing against her. “You want to play upstairs, Mia?”

“Get away from me,” Mia said. “I don’t do that.”

“What?” Uncle Jake pulled back a little. “You don’t want to be a whore? Why not?”

Mia threw her right hand up and hit Uncle Jake’s hand off her neck. His other hand flew across, smacking her. Mia stumbled and almost fell into Jacob’s room. She hurried and lunged forward, pushing Uncle Jake out of the way.

She got to the stairs and Uncle Jake grabbed her by the hair. He had a fierce grip and pressed his body to hers, dangling her right at the stairs. Mia had a wild image of herself as Aunt Theresa. As if this was what happened before she “left.”

“You listen to me,” Uncle Jake growled. “You do everything or you get nothing. And by nothing I mean nothing. You’ll be gone forever, Mia. Gone. Right now I want you out of this f*cking house. Stop meddling with Jacob. He’s my son. I do what’s best for my family. Just like I did for my wife.”