Steel Temptation (Back Down Devil MC #6)(52)

Nate’s eyes scanned down her body, tracing her curves with his memory. Looking between her legs, they were just a little open, enough for him to see the curve and beauty of her slit.

Instead of reaching between her legs, he reached up and touched her cheek. “Don’t promise anything you can’t control, babe.”

Mia opened her mouth and Nate shook his head.

No more words. We’ve already crossed the line, putting it miles behind us. We just can’t…

Mia leaned down and kissed Nate.

One quick and perfect kiss. Wrapped in enough romance to make anyone sick. It pissed Nate off that he let it become this. Too late to turn back now, so he walked Mia out of the clubhouse and to her car. She got in the car, started it, and started to creep forward. Nate let her go without going for another kiss. There was a sense of control he demanded of himself.

Guided by heart was not the way to get through this fight.

The car left and Nate set out for prospects. Part of him wanted to fight a couple, just to relieve some stress. Instead, he grabbed two by their cuts and put them against the wall.

“Get on your ride and follow Mia,” he growled. “You don’t let her see you. You don’t let anyone see you. If anything seems wrong, you call me. Got it?”

“Yes,” they both said at the same time.

“And if you get tagged… swallow a bullet. This is warfare. There’s no prisoners.”

Nate walked away. He cracked his knuckles. The last time he felt this tense was right before shit hit the fan with the family.

He jumped up on a table and sat there, hands folded, just thinking.

Thinking of what it was like being chained up, getting beat up and cut. Waiting to bleed to death. The sound of the garage door peeling open and seeing Miller standing there. How it changed his entire life. Working for the family was hell. Living on the edge, being an outlaw, that was heaven.

Now there was a different kind of heaven… the feelings Mia provided.

Nate started to slide from the table, needing to find Miller and a drink. They needed a plan, right now. The second Mia checked on things, it was time to take out the judge.

With one foot on the ground, Nate heard a sound. He watched as a police cruiser - lights flashing - made a sharp turn into the lot. Even from the distance he could see Chief Jerry behind the wheel.

“Fuck,” Nate growled.

Chief was here. Mia was gone. All hell was breaking loose.

And death… it sat right on the horizon.





twenty-two.



This time, Mia didn’t give a shit. She had a gun next to her on the passenger seat. The little thing terrified her though. She had no experience with guns. She wanted nothing to do with holding a gun or firing a gun. Bad enough the image of Nate shooting that Coast Road guy was fresh in Mia’s memory. The guy’s stomach being ripped open. The guy sticking his own fingers in the open wound. The blood, dark red, thick, like syrup…

Mia pulled into Uncle Jake’s driveway and hurried to park. She shut her eyes and licked her lips. Her stomach pulled, twisted, wanting to unload. She took a few breaths, refusing to throw up right now. She chased away the sights her memory would never forget and stayed focused. She needed to make sure Uncle Jake was happy and she needed to find Jacob. To make sure he was okay.

To help him… but how?

That was the hard part. Mia had nothing to offer. Unless she could get Jacob to go with her and throw him into the arms of Back Down Devil MC. Maybe Jacob could grow up…

“Jesus,” Mia whispered.

That’s what she wanted for her young cousin? To be thrust into that kind of life? To grow up drinking, smoking, f*cking anything with a *, and murdering like it was a common thing?

Sadly, that life would be better than anything Uncle Jake could offer.

Mia got out of her car. She knew Uncle Jake didn’t like her parking in the driveway. Her beater car didn’t match the luxury vehicles that lined the street like the perfectly placed trees. A postcard of the upper class life. Mia wondered if anyone else on the street was as twisted and sickening as her uncle.

She walked to the door and knocked. She put her hands to her sides and went into instant panic.

The gun.

She forgot the f*cking gun in the car. On the seat. Mia turned, and took a step.

The door opened. “Leaving so soon?”

She stopped and stiffened. Taking a breath, she calmed herself.

When she turned, Uncle Jake shook his head. “You look like shit. You look scared to death. Are you high?”

“High? No. I’m not…”

“Why are you nervous?”

Mia swallowed hard. She had no protection right now. From anything.

“Can I come in?”

“Why did you come to the front door?”

“I don’t know,” Mia said. “I’m in a hurry…”

“Where you going next?”

“I… they, uh, the guys… Back Down Devil… what happened… they didn’t know about the other bikers. Right? They’re worried about… it… all…”

Holy shit, I’m ruining this. I’m ruining everything.

“Oh?” Uncle Jake asked.

“Hey, where’s Jacob?” Mia asked. “Is he home? Can I see him real quick?”