Steel Temptation (Back Down Devil MC #6)(30)

“Sometimes they’re not bad guys. I’m the bad guy. Just remember that.”

Nate pulled back and Mia hurried to grab his leather as she tried to keep him close.

“You have no idea,” Nate whispered. “I’m not…”

“I don’t care. Right now, you’re all I have.”

“Fuck.”

Nate leaned down and pressed his lips to Mia’s. The kiss was wicked slow, even hotter than the last time they kissed. Mia slid her hand along Nate’s stomach, over his shirt, feeling the hardness of muscle. She inched her hand down, ready for another round right here in the shitty underground room.

Nate growled and pushed away. He went to the door and looked back. His nostrils flared with his anger, but his eyes spoke something very different.

Whatever his past was, Mia knew it was dark and sad.

But that was perfect… so was hers.

The door slammed shut and locked.

Mia licked her lips.

Getting to kiss Nate made it so worth trying to run.

Now she just needed to make sure she could survive all this.

Yet Nate’s words stuck in her mind.

I’m the bad guy. Just remember that.





thirteen.



Nate punched the stone wall and felt his hand ricochet back. The pain momentarily took Mia out of his damn head so it was well worth it. He walked up the ramp and found Gaige, Griffin, and Miller standing near a table, talking. They each had a drink in their hands. The rest of the lot was empty. Almost too empty. Too quiet.

They all stopped talking when they saw Nate.

“You f*ck her again?” Griffin asked.

“Fuck off.”

“You f*cked her?” Miller asked.

“No. I did not f*ck her. Today, yesterday, ever. Got it?”

“Bro, what’s the connection?” Gaige asked. “You’re on this bitch…”

“Seriously?” Nate asked the Back Down Devil VP. “You’re going to question me? Didn’t you bring a woman here? Demand she stays? You brought enough heat on this club…”

“I get it,” Gaige said, closing in on Nate.

Soon they were nose to nose.

Nate felt like he was getting damn attacked from everywhere.

“Gaige, stand down,” Miller ordered. “You and Griffin go inside. Right now. Leave me to deal with Mia.”

Gaige backed up, his chest puffed out. Nate made fists, released his hold, and made fists again. He could go for a fight right now. A good fight. Fuck, put him with two, three guys.

“I’m sorry,” Gaige said. “We’re all heated.”

“It’s good, brother,” Nate said. “Just keep your eyes on the enemy.”

“You do the f*cking same,” Griffin warned, pointing at Nate. “I’m telling you…”

“Griffin,” Miller snapped. “Inside.”

They walked away and Miller jumped up on the table. He nodded for Nate to sit. So Nate sat next to the President of Back Down Devil. They were in silence for a little bit before Miller started talking. For Nate, he had nothing to say, unless approached.

“This is going to get bad,” Miller said. “I keep playing this out and it’s not good.”

“I know that. Without Chief Jerry…”

“Eh, we’ll survive. We always do. People fall into line when they need to. Yeah, someone new will come in with a big dick and a purpose. Then there will be some kind of turf war bullshit that can’t be controlled, you know? Before you know it, the new guy will be sneaking into the compound with a phony warrant just to talk to us.”

Nate grinned. “That simple, huh?”

“Like clockwork, Nate. Like f*cking clockwork.” Miller took a swig of beer. “You’ve got a real hard on for this woman. Just admit it.”

“Maybe I do. Whatever.”

“You just met her.”

“Yeah? Need I go through some of the women the club has picked up lately?”

“Fuck,” Miller groaned. “You want to do that right now?”

“What?”

“You’re putting her face on everyone else you lost,” Miller said. “Hey, I’m not judging. I swear, I’m not. What you had to go through and endure… you’ve got bigger balls than I do. Not a bigger dick though.”

“Yeah, right. Now you sound like Blaine.”

“Blaine’s an *,” Miller said and laughed.

Nate laughed. It almost felt good to do so.

“Nate, you’ve got to keep yourself in check.”

“I am,” Nate said. “Mia has nothing to do with this. It’s dumb luck. Christ, I’m just trying to do her a favor. That son of a bitch judge… she’s convinced he killed his own kid. You believe that?”

“I could. Sure.”

“How would you feel if Chief Jerry did that? Made his wife and kid disappear?”

Nate watched anger creep over Miller’s face. It was a dark anger. A real deep anger. Miller lunged from the table. He then swung his beer bottle down to the ground, letting it shatter.

“This is all f*cked,” Miller yelled. “We took care of everything. There’s no reason for this.” He looked back. “No reason at all.”