SAVAGE LOVE (A Back Down Devil MC Romance Novel) (28 page)

twenty-four.

Ella wasn
’
t sure how it all happened. And how it all happened
so fast.

She heard the door open. She turned
and couldn
’
t believe what
she saw. Jerry standing there. A gun in his hand.

“
Say
a word and I
’
ll fucking
shoot you.
”

Ella stood and held Beck tight.

“
Where
is he?
”
Jerry asked.

“
Outside.
”

“
Come
here right now. We
’
re
leaving.
”

“
He
’
s going to kill you.
”

“
Don
’
t make me fucking shoot you
right now.
”

Ella moved toward Jerry. Once in
range, he grabbed her arm and dragged her out of the cabin. Beck had started to
doze off after eating. They went down the steps and Beck
’
s pacifier fell out of his mouth, hitting the step.

“
Don
’
t do this,
”
Ella pleaded.

“
Shut
up, bitch. You
’
re mine. I
have my fucking family again.
”

“
This
is a bad idea.
”

“
Let
him come after me. Watch what fucking happens.
”

Ella shut her mouth and looked
around. They were going into the woods. She slowly reached down and took off
one of Beck
’
s socks. She
let it fall to the ground.

Jerry stopped walking. He lifted
the gun.

“
Shit,
”
he whispered.

Jerry pulled the trigger.

The boom made Beck jump in Ella
’
s arms. He started to scream.

“
Miller!
Help!
”
she yelled.

Jerry
’
s
hand came across her face.

Ella almost fell over. She touched
her mouth and tasted blood.

“
Hurry.
I swear I
’
ll kill you.
”

Ella followed Jerry again. She
stuck her fingers in her mouth and wiped blood on the trees. She then took Beck
’
s other sock off and dropped it.
Bouncing the baby, she did her best to console him.

“
You
hurt his ears,
”
Ella said.

Jerry looked back.
“
I don
’
t care.
”

“
Then
why are you taking us? You don
’
t
want us. You don
’
t love us.
”

“
But
he does,
”
Jerry said.
“
I
’
m
taking everything from his life. He gets nothing. And when he watches you and
that kid suffer
…
then he
’
ll go.
”

They trampled through the trees and
a cabin suddenly appeared. Just like the cabin with Miller.

“
He
didn
’
t know about my secret
place,
”
Jerry said with a
grin.

He dragged Ella up and into the
cabin.

With the slam of a door, Ella
feared for her life more than ever before. This was going to end badly
…
so fucking badly.

It only got worse when Jerry tied
Ella to a chair. And he took Beck from her. When the baby cried, Jerry got
louder and madder. So Ella screamed. Jerry quickly took care of that, shoving a
towel in her mouth.

He then stood holding Beck in one
arm and a shotgun in the other.

Ella cried.

Please
…
Miller
…
please
…

twenty-five.

Miller
’
s knuckles were swollen from punching the walls.

Hands grabbed his shoulder and he
turned and pushed, throwing Gaige off the porch. He hadn
’
t realized it was Gaige.

“
Gaige
…”

A second later Blaine appeared.

“
Blaine.
”

“
We
’
re here,
”
Blaine said.
“
Just
like you need.
”

“
What
the fuck did I do?
”
Miller
asked.

“
Nothing,
”
Gaige said.
“
Miller, listen. He
’
s got the PD out searching.
There was a shootout in the lot and we lost two prospects. But they fought
back. Jace, Landon, and Nate are coming up next. This is going to end.
”

“
He
took her into the woods,
”
Miller said.
“
We have to
track her now.
”

Miller handed out shotguns and
handguns, then bolted from the porch.

“
How
the hell do you know where to go?
”
Blaine asked.

“
I
don
’
t,
”
Miller said.

A few seconds later, he saw
something bright and blue on the ground.

It was a sock. A baby sock.

“
Look
at this,
”
Miller said.
“
She did this on purpose.
”

“
Smart
woman,
”
Gaige said.

“
Keep
quiet and spread out a little. Look for signs.
”

They all kept walking. Miller
couldn't calm himself down. He was so mad he left the cabin without Ella and
Beck. Just to get firewood, but still. Of course Jerry would track them. Regret
settled in fast, Miller telling himself he should have just let anyone make the
kill shot on Jerry.

A whistle sounded.

Gaige pointed to a tree.

“
What?
”
Miller asked.

“
I
think it
’
s blood,
”
Gaige said.

It was blood. But that could have
been anything.

Then there was more. On a different
tree. A small trail of blood on a few trees, followed by another baby sock.

“
This
is definitely the way,
”
Miller said.

Miller felt a hand clamp on his
shoulder. Blaine pulled him down.

“
He
’
s up ahead,
”
Blaine whispered.
“
He has a fucking cabin.
”

Miller squinted and saw through the
trees there was another cabin.

Crawling forward, Miller saw Jerry.
Walking back and forth holding Beck and a shotgun.

Getting closer, Miller wanted to
shoot Jerry but couldn't risk Beck. No fucking way in hell.

“
You
gotta go,
”
Jerry said.
“
I
’
m
sorry, kiddo. I never wanted this. She was supposed to be on the pill or
something. I had no idea I was shooting full into her like that. I
’
m really sorry.
”

Jerry opened the trunk of the car.

Miller felt his heart pound even
faster. He patiently waited and watched Jerry place Beck in the trunk of the
car. Then he pulled the trigger and purposely missed Jerry.

Jerry jumped back, leaving the
trunk open. He scrambled up and into the cabin. The door slammed shut and
Miller jumped to his feet. His eyes were locked to the car. When he got there,
Beck was already turned around, propping himself up, wanting to get on the
move.

“
Come
here, little man,
”
Miller
said.

He took Beck out of the trunk and
then hid on the side of the car.

“
Christ,
”
Gaige said.

“
What
now?
”
Blaine asked.

“
Ella
’
s inside,
”
Miller said.
“
I
have to get in there and end this. Gaige, I need you to stay right here with
the kid. Keep him close and keep an eye out for anyone else coming. If someone
does come, just cover Beck
’
s
ears and fire your gun.
”

“
I
’
m on babysitting duty?
”
Gaige asked.

“
Goddammit,
brother, it
’
s for me. And I
don
’
t trust Blaine
’
s hands. Or what they
’
ve touched.
”

“
Aw,
thanks,
”
Blaine said.
“
You must really love that kid,
huh?
”

Miller looked at Beck.
“
Yeah. I do.
”

Gaige took Beck.

Miller darted for the porch while Blaine ran along the cabin. There was no time to waste so Miller kicked the door,
shattering it open. He hated to see what he saw next, which was Ella tied to a
chair and a gun to her head.

“
I
’
ll do it!
”
Jerry yelled.

“
This
is between us, man,
”
Miller
said.
“
Fight me like a man.
Right now.
”
Miller slowly
put his gun down.
“
Look.
That
’
s my weapon.
”

“
It
wasn
’
t supposed to be like
this,
”
Jerry said.
“
I have to take you all down now.
I have no choice.
”

“
Call
your men and raid the clubhouse,
”
Miller said.
“
Just don
’
t hurt Ella. I
’
ll tell you where anything is.
You can tie me, Blaine, Gaige, anyone you want to any crime in Frelen. But Ella
has to live.
”

Jerry swallowed hard.
“
I want to take her with me then.
I
’
ll leave that fucking kid
here. You can have him. Or just get rid of him.
”

“
That
’
s your son,
”
Miller said.

“
No.
That ain
’
t my son. He looks
too much like Ella. I bet she fucking cheated on me!
”

Jerry brought the gun up like he
was going to hit Ella in the head.

“
No!
”
Miller bellowed.

A gunshot went off and Jerry
stumbled to the side. Miller looked around and then before he could piece the
puzzle together, Jerry fired his weapon, hitting Miller in the shoulder. Miller
collapsed in fiery pain and watched as Blaine stormed the side window, shooting
at Jerry.

Jerry dropped and the bullets
missed him. He hid behind Ella.

Miller held his shoulder, feeling
the blood pulsing.

“
Shit,
”
he growled.

“
You
fucker.
”

It was Jerry, pointing his gun from
behind the chair. He rose up just enough to put his face next to Ella
’
s. He then put the gun to Ella
’
s head.

“
We
’
re all going to die then,
”
Jerry said and smiled.

Miller had a split second to make a
decision. He grabbed his gun, lifted it, looked Ella dead in the eyes, and
pulled the trigger.

Ella screamed through the towel in
her mouth as Jerry flew back. Blaine came through the window a second later and
rushed to Miller. He helped Miller up and then took the towel from Ella
’
s mouth.

“
Sorry,
babe,
”
Blaine said.
“
Miller needs this.
”

“
Miller!
”
Ella yelled.
“
Where
’
s Beck?
”

“
He
’
s right here,
”
Gaige said as he came into the
cabin.

“
Untie
Ella,
”
Miller said,
swatting Blaine away.

He walked behind the chair and saw
Jerry on the ground, a bullet hole between his eyes.

“
You
got your kill,
”
Gaige said.

Beck let out a cry.

Miller turned and saw Ella on her
feet. She grabbed Beck and hugged the baby, crying. Miller put his unwounded
arm around her and pulled her close.

“
It
’
s over,
”
Miller whispered. He kissed the top of her head.
“
It
’
s
fucking over.
”

“
He
was going to hurt us,
”
Ella
cried.

“
Look
at me
…”
Ella looked at him.
“
But he didn
’
t.
”

“
Hey,
Miller,
”
Blaine said.
“
What do we do now?
”

Miller looked around the cabin.
“
Burn it all down. Make it look
like an accident. I don
’
t
give a shit.
”

Miller walked Ella out of the
cabin. He made a line for the woods, not caring about anything else behind him.
By the time he reached his cabin, there was a line of black smoke starting to
rise up.

At the steps to the cabin, Miller
felt his legs start to give.

“
Miller!
”

“
I
’
m good,
”
he whispered.
“
Just
…
a lot of blood
…”

“
I
’
ll call for help,
”
Ella said.

“
No.
The fire. Jerry
…
fuck.
Ella, I love you. I love Beck. I want to be a family with you. I need you,
darling.
”

“
You
have me. You have us.
”

Miller tried to kiss Ella but ended
up on the ground.