Steel Temptation (Back Down Devil MC #6)(63)

“You’re a f*cking pig.”

Uncle Jake slapped her across the face. It stung and Mia sucked in a breath, refusing to scream. She then looked at her uncle again.

“What? What else do you have to say?”

“How can you do this? With Jacob in the van behind me.”

A barking laugh escaped Uncle Jake’s mouth. “You think he’s still in there? Please.”

He grabbed Mia by the shoulder and threw her out of the way. He opened the van and pointed. “Look. All gone.”

The van was empty. And the sight of the empty van hurt almost worse than if Jacob was in there.

“Where is he?”

“Oh, Mia, he ran away. Remember?”

Mia stepped back. She shook her head. “You’re sick. So f*cking sick. You can’t get away…”

“What? I can’t get away with it? I did. I’ve been. I’ll get away with anything I f*cking want. Stand in my way and I’ll take you out. Got that?”

“You’ll pay.”

“You know what? Fuck this.” Uncle Jake whistled. The Coast Road guys turned around. “Hey, Mav, come here. Why don’t you show my niece what it’s like to have a gun shoved up her ass.”

Mia screamed. She shook her head and screamed.

Uncle Jake charged at her. He had his hand around her throat, stopping her scream and cutting off her air. He then walked her around to the van. He pushed and Mia went into the back. She instantly began to kick, picturing Jacob’s corpse there. The entire thing freaked her out. Even with Uncle Jake’s hand away from her throat she still couldn’t breathe. It was like a panic attack.

He was then on top of her. Crawling up her body. His hand moving along her side.

“Relax, Mia,” he said. “And nothing will happen to you. And when it comes time for you to disappear, it’ll be quick. You’ll shut your eyes and be…”

A gunshot rang out.

Uncle Jake kicked off Mia and out of the van. Mia sat up and looked out. The guy that Uncle Jake had called - Mav - lay on the ground, dead.

“What the f*ck?” Uncle Jake yelled.

The other two men were spinning in circles. Looking for the shooter.

Another gunshot rang and another guy fell to the ground.

Mia huddled at the edge of the van, her knees drawn up, wishing she could hug them.

“Get them!” Uncle Jake cried. “Fucking get them!”

The Coast Road MC guy ran toward a gate and that’s when Mia saw Nate. He kicked open the gate, gun drawn, eyes on fire. The biggest, sexiest, most powerful man she had ever met. The man she loved dearly. He was here to save her.

Uncle Jake reached back for a gun.

Fearing Nate’s life being cut short, Mia jumped up and lunged from the back of the van. She landed on Uncle Jake’s back, wrapping her legs around him, still unable to move her hands. He dropped the gun. He then bent over and threw Mia over his head. She landed on the ground hard, her hands behind her back hitting first and hardest.

She gasped for air, the wind knocked out of her.

She strained to look back as Uncle Jake bent to reach for the gun. That’s when Blaine appeared, ramming his shoulder into Uncle Jake, sending him flying back.

Blaine then hurried to Mia’s side.

Another gunshot rang out and that was the last one. Nate had taken out all the Coast Road MC guys.

“Fuck,” Blaine said. “I’m not going to lie… I’ve been fantasizing about you tied up like this… but under the circumstances…”

“Cut my f*cking hands free,” Mia growled.

“Christ, she’s feisty now.”

Nate scooped Mia up. Blaine cut the ropes and she was finally free. She quickly turned and threw her arms around Nate’s neck.

“I’m so sorry,” she cried. “I should have never went outside. I should have never…”

Nate kissed her. Stealing her words. Stealing her apology. Stealing her breath.

Mia opened her mouth, wanting to taste Nate. His tongue darted into her mouth, and for a second she forgot about all the destruction around her.

“Stay the f*ck down!” Blaine’s voice yelled.

That’s when the kiss ended and Mia realized Uncle Jake was still alive.

Nate got her to her feet and then he turned, addressing Uncle Jake.

“You’re done,” Nate said.

“Fuck you, *. You have no idea how powerful I am. I’ll bury you.”

Nate grinned. “Actually, I’m going to bury you.”

Uncle Jake let out a scream and Blaine was right on him. He reached for the rope and tied Uncle Jake’s arms behind his back. Nate kept a knee to Uncle Jake’s back and a gun to his head.

In the back of the van Nate found a shovel. There was some dirt on it. The sight let Mia shivering with hateful fear, knowing that her uncle had buried his son somewhere.

Nate then brought Uncle Jake to his feet and walked him out of the abandoned lot to where the dirt began. Ten feet in, Nate swung his foot and dropped Uncle Jake. By now the man was crying his eyes out. Begging for forgiveness.

“I’ll work with you,” he said. “I’ll call all the deals off. It’ll be us together. We’ll take out that f*cking chief and it’ll be us. The ultimate power.”

Mia stood and watched as Nate dug a hole. He moved efficiently and with purpose. It told her this was something Nate had been used to doing. Blaine stood next to her, a gun pointed at Uncle Jake, just in case.