SAVAGE LOVE (A Back Down Devil MC Romance Novel) (47 page)

“
That
won
’
t happen,
”
Miller said. He put a hand to
Chief Jerry
’
s back.
“
Go home, Jerry. Comfort your
wife. Give us a chance here, okay?
”

“
A
chance,
”
the chief said.

“
I
can call him,
”
Emily said.
“
Arrange to meet.
”

“
To
exchange kids,
”
Gaige said.

“
I
thought you said she didn
’
t
have a kid?
”
Blaine asked.

“
She
doesn
’
t,
”
Gaige said.
“
But we
’
ll fucking kill him before he knows what
’
s happening.
”

“
Not
now,
”
Miller growled. He
put an arm around Chief Jerry and walked him to his car.

Gaige looked at Emily.

“
I
’
m so sorry,
”
Emily said.
“
I
’
m
a fucking mess
…”

“
We
all are,
”
Blaine said.

“
We
’
re all in this together,
”
Gaige said.
“
Okay? You need to calm down and
make the phone call.
”

Emily took a deep breath. She
reached for her cell and then made a startling realization.

She was about to become an
accomplice to murder.

twenty-four.

Gaige sat at the table, his hands
folded as the rest of the members placed their votes on the protection of
Emily, the death of Max, and making sure the chief got his son back before all
hell broke loose for Back Down Devil MC.

“
We
’
re not going to discuss
how
or
why
,
”
Miller
started.
“
I hear that once
and you
’
re out of here. Got
that?
”

Everyone nodded.

“
Aye,
”
Shay whispered.

“
Emily
made the phone call,
”
Gaige
said.
“
I listened to it.
This Max guy is alone and he
’
s
an asshole. His mind is fucked. He was running with a crew in northern
California that fell apart. He
’
s
been looking for Emily since she left. Like I said, he used to beat the fuck
out of her, okay? One night he went after her and she told him she was
pregnant. It was the only way she managed to save her life. She took off and he
kept chasing her, looking for their child.
”

“
And
he doesn
’
t believe there
’
s no kid?
”
Blaine asked.

“
No,
”
Gaige said.
“
He
’
s
going to be out at the edge of town. Right where Strokner wants to poach our
land. He said he
’
s there
now, waiting.
”

“
For
what?
”
Nate asked.

“
For
Emily to show up with their son,
”
Gaige said. He took a deep breath.
“
Or
for a semi truck to pass by so he could throw the chief
’
s baby in front of it.
”

“
Dammit,
”
Miller said.

“
What
do we do?
”
Griffin asked.
“
Seems sitting here is a waste of
fucking time.
”

“
Vote,
”
Miller said.
“
Anyone against this?
”

Nobody protested.

“
Get
it straight,
”
Gaige said.
“
We
’
re
going out there to face this guy. Emily and I take the lead with Miller and
Blaine for protection. The rest of you create an ambush. I get the kill shot on
him.
”

“
What
if it goes bad?
”
Jace
asked.

“
I
get the fucking kill shot,
”
Gaige said.
“
I made a
promise to Emily. She and I will do it. We get the baby from him and then let
us take care of him.
”

“
Anyone
against killing this guy?
”
Miller asked. Silence filled the room.
“
Okay
then. Let
’
s get moving.
”

“
Shay,
bring the ride. We need to make sure he thinks there
’
s a kid with us.
”

“
Aye,
”
Shay said.

The room cleared out. Gaige
finished his smoke and found Emily waiting at the bar for him. He took her hand
and didn
’
t say a word.
There was nothing left to say. Either this would go right or it would go very
wrong. Death would be dealt; Gaige just hoped it was at the hands of Back Down
Devil.

The crew loaded up on their
motorcycles and set off. Miller and Gaige were side by side, leading the rest
of the crew. Gaige didn
’
t
like the idea of Emily sitting behind him. He worried she would feel too
vulnerable, but there was no other option. It was risky going out like this,
considering Gaige had killed a member of Eight Under and had another member
alive in the underground garage. But if they couldn
’
t save the chief
’
s
baby, then Back Down Devil would have to face investigations from the police
and from Strokner.

All the thoughts caused Gaige to
grip the handlebars of the motorcycle tighter. The ride felt like days, chasing
the horizon with two wheels and the open road.

Once they started to approach the
bend where Max said he would be, everyone except Gaige, Miller, Blaine, and
Shay took a left and went up into the bare land. They knew where to go, when to
stop, and how to approach Max with caution.

Soon Miller and Blaine began to
slow down, hanging back so Gaige and Emily could take the lead. Shay stayed
close to Gaige. The dark car windows would keep Max from seeing that nobody was
actually in the car with Shay.

This would have to somehow work.

Gaige rode alone with Emily. It
felt right, even if they were moving straight into a dangerous situation. Once
around the long bend, Gaige saw a figure standing on the side of the quiet
road. Gaige went to the opposite side of the road and stopped the motorcycle.
He climbed off and Emily handed him the helmet. He looked at her and gave a
quick nod indicating it was Max. There was no opportunity now for words of
hopefulness. It was time to end it all.

As they crossed road, Max stood
holding the baby in one hand and a gun in the other. He bounced the blue bundle
in his arm, his eyes wide and bloodshot. This guy was high. Really high. The
situation was much more dangerous now. A clouded fuck of a mind would only make
Max act crazier.

Max pointed the gun at Gaige. Gaige
put his hands up.

“
Take
out your gun,
”
Max ordered.
“
Your knife, too.
”

Gaige moved slow, reaching into his
leather. He took out his gun and put it to the ground. He then took out his
long knife and placed it next to the gun.

“
What
about you?
”
Max asked
Emily.

“
Max,
I don
’
t carry anything,
”
Emily said.

“
Come
here, baby, I want to feel.
”

Emily swallowed and sidestepped
near Gaige.

“
Go,
”
Gaige whispered.
“
Now.
”

“
Come
on,
”
Max yelled.
“
I
’
d
hate for something to happen here
…”

He looked at the bundled blanket in
his arms and smiled.

Emily stepped forward and stared at
Max. Gaige wanted to ambush the scene. But he couldn
’
t. Even if Max just dropped the infant, he could be
hurt. Gaige didn
’
t want
that on his soul and he wanted to prove to the chief that Back Down Devil could
take care of the outlaw justice that was sometimes needed in life.

“
I
’
m going to put my gun in my back
pocket,
”
Max said.
“
Then I
’
m going to search you, baby. If anyone dares to try
a fucking thing, I
’
ll blow
this baby's head off.
”

“
I
thought you wanted to be a father,
”
Emily said.
“
Is this how
you treat
…”

Max put the gun to Emily
’
s forehead. Gaige jumped forward
and Max met eyes with him.

“
Come
on," Max said.
“
Walk
one more fucking step. I
’
ll
paint you with her brains.
”

Gaige curled his lip and stayed
put.

Max put the gun behind him and then
ordered Emily to turn around. Gaige then endured the sight of Max rubbing Emily
with his free hand. Her shoulders, her arms, and waist. He touched her ass and
smiled, making Gaige
’
s
blood boil. Max continued down to her ankles and then up between her legs,
making it obvious he was rubbing Emily.

“
Hey!
”
Gaige yelled.

“
Oh,
is that wrong?
”
Max
laughed.

He stood and moved his hand along
Emily
’
s side. When he
touched her breast, he groaned.

Gaige took a step and said,
“
No more. We
’
re here for a trade.
”

Max put his nose to Emily
’
s hair and inhaled.
“
Yes, we are.
”

Max pushed Emily forward and
hurried to take the gun out of his back pocket. He pointed it at Gaige and
Emily.

“
Where
’
s the fucking kid?
”
Max asked.
“
Our kid.
”

“
Coming
right now,
”
Gaige said.

Gaige pointed and Shay came up the
road in the black car. Max
’
s
eyes lit up. He wiped his face with the back of his hand holding the gun.

“
Windows
down,
”
Max said.
“
I want to see
…”

Gaige backed up and knocked on the
driver
’
s window. It slowly
came down, revealing Shay.

“
Everything
good?
”
Shay asked.

“
Perfect,
”
Gaige said.

“
Show
me my son!
”
Max yelled.
“
I
’
m
getting
…
it ain
’
t good here, man.
”

“
Okay,
”
Gaige said.
“
Put the windows down, Shay.
”

Shay gave Gaige a look. Gaige made
his way around Emily. Max
’
s
eyes were glued to the car. Gaige would have one shot at this.

The back window came down and
showed nothing.

“
Where
is he?
”
Max called out.

“
He
must be afraid,
”
Emily
said.
“
Let me check on him.
He
’
s probably hiding on the
floor. He does that when he
’
s
afraid, Max.
”

“
Why
’
s he afraid of me? I
’
m his fucking father!
”

“
Maybe
it
’
s the gun,
”
Emily said.

“
It
’
s not for him. It
’
s to protect him. Help him.
”

Gaige smiled. Emily was doing this
perfectly. Gaige was almost next to Max. Again, if Max wasn
’
t holding the baby, this would
have been simple. Gaige could easily tackle him and beat the fucking piss out
of him. But  Gaige needed to protect the baby.

Emily walked to the car and looked
inside.
“
Hey buddy. Can you
sit up for me?
”

“
He
’
s really there,
”
Max said.
“
He really is
…”

Gaige saw Max lower the gun and
this was his opportunity to move. Gaige kicked Max
’
s hand, sending the gun to the ground. When Max
turned his head, Gaige threw a timed fist, connecting with his jaw. It sent Max
spinning and when he opened his arms, Gaige caught the blue bundled blanket.
Gaige was on his knees and Max was on his ass.

“
Liars,
”
Max said.
“
I knew it. Now we all can die.
”

Gaige heard cries in the distance
and looked to see Griffin holding a baby. Landon and Erik had their guns drawn
as they rushed through the bushy area.

Gaige
’
s
head spun. When he put the blanket down and opened it, everything came
together.

It wasn
’
t a baby in the blanket
…
it was a bomb.