STEEL TEMPTATION (A Back Down Devil MC Romance Novel) (11 page)

“
What?
”
Nate asked.

“
We
have a problem. A big fucking problem.
”

“
Which
is?
”

“
Mia
is missing.
”

eleven.

Mia watched the guys ride away and
she gripped the steering wheel of her car and let out a deep breath. Her body
and heart were twisted. She should have been damn terrified. Angry, hell bent
on revenge, ready to tell Uncle Jake everything and let him handle things
accordingly. But that
’
s not
what was going through Mia
’
s
mind. She kept thinking about Nate. She wanted to trust Back Down Devil MC.

But they were the bad guys, right?

They were the ones who wanted to
hurt and kill.

Yeah, so does Uncle Jake. And
anyone else he deals with.

Knowing she didn
’
t have time to waste -
We
’
re all over you. Don
’
t fuck this up.
Miller
’
s words to her, Mia
started the car and pulled away. She went straight to Uncle Jake
’
s house. Bad enough she
’
d have to think of something and
make the lies work, she didn
’
t
want to cruise around and piss off Miller, Gaige, Nate, or any of the other
guys.

The sad part was that Mia came to
town just looking for some extra cash. She was supposed to be working at the
club tomorrow night. What would happen then? How could she focus with so much
around her?

By the time she parked and walked
to Uncle Jake
’
s backdoor
and knocked, she felt ragged and winded.

The door opened and Uncle Jake
stood there, ten feet tall. He grabbed her by the arm and pulled her inside. He
spun her around and slammed her against the kitchen counter.

“
Let
me smell your breath,
”
he
ordered.
“
Now.
”

Mia opened her mouth. Now she was
terrified.

Uncle Jake sniffed. He then put his
thumbs to her eyes and pulled.

“
Let
me see your eyes.
”

“
I
’
m fine,
”
Mia whispered.

“
I
’
ll be judge of that.
”
Then he snickered.
“
Judge. Get it?
”

Mia swallowed hard.
“
I get it. Funny.
”

Uncle Jake then backed up. He put
his hands to his hips.
“
Drunk?
High? Stupid?
”

“
No,
”
Mia whispered. She looked
around.
“
Where
’
s Jacob?
”

“
At
a friend
’
s,
”
Uncle Jake said.
“
There
’
s dangerous business here. I want to know where you
were and why. Open up.
”

“
Do
you have any coffee? A bite to eat?
”

“
Where
’
s your fucking money?
”

“
Can
I leave and go get something to eat?
”

“
Are
you getting an attitude with me?
”

“
No,
”
Mia said.
“
I haven
’
t eaten yet. I came back here.
”

“
Where
were you?
”

“
I
followed them, like you said. They left Frelen. There was a few other guys they
talked to. I didn
’
t really
see anything, okay?
”

“
Who
was there?
”

“
I
heard names.
”
Mia swallowed
harder.
“
Miller. Gaige.
Griffin. Jace.
”

Uncle Jake
’
s lip curled.
“
Jace.
The rest. Who did they meet with?
”

“
I
don
’
t know.
”

“
What
did they look like?
”

“
Them,
”
Mia said.

“
Other
bikers?
”

“
I
guess so.
”

“
You
guess? Were there other fucking bikes there?
”

“
Not
that I saw.
”

Uncle Jake rubbed his chin.
“
Maybe they called in another
charter. Maybe for some help. If that son of a bitch remembers
…”

“
Who?
”

Uncle Jake stepped at her. He put a
finger at her.
“
Don
’
t question me. Or what I do. You
have no fucking idea what
’
s
happening in this town.
”

“
You
’
re right. I
’
m sorry. What happens now?
”

“
Now?
I make some phone calls. You sit and eat. You know how to cook?
”

“
Not
really.
”

“
Then
get cereal.
”

Uncle Jake walked away.

Mia let out a breath. She hurried
to the fridge and then made herself a bowl of cereal. A sad, lonely breakfast.
She had a second bowl and then looked around the house a little. There were no
signs of a kid. It was scary to see. Not a toy, video game system, nothing. It
was like a black, steel testament to Uncle Jake
’
s
prestigious life.

Mia worried for Jacob though.

She crept to the stairs and slowly
climbed them. She could hear Uncle Jake
’
s
booming voice from his private office off the living room.

At the top of the stairs, Mia saw a
family portrait. Uncle Jake, Aunt Theresa, and Jacob. A serene autumn
background, obviously fake since there really wasn
’
t the good kind of fall here in California. Mia
spent a few years in Connecticut during a different part of her life and
experienced real fall seasons.

Mia touched the picture, knowing
something bad happened with Aunt Theresa.

She walked down the long hall and
opened the doors one at a time. There were two spare bedrooms, and the third try
showed her Jacob
’
s room. A
baseball comforter on the bed. Matching curtains. The room had the aura of a
young kid. But it wasn
’
t
messy or anything. So proper and clean. Almost
…
fake.

It bothered Mia that Jacob wasn
’
t there.

He
’
s at a friend
’
s house
…
that
’
s all.
Just a friend
’
s
…

“
Find
what you
’
re looking for?
”

Mia screamed and jumped. She turned
and saw Uncle Jake standing behind her.
“
I,
uh, I wanted to, uh
…”

“
He
’
s at a friend
’
s house. You believe me, right?
”

“
Yes.
”

“
Then
why are you up here?
”

“
I
…
the childhood thing. You know?
I never really had one.
”

“
True,
”
Uncle Jake said.
“
I really tried to save things,
Mia. I really did. But your family are real pieces of shit. But not you though.
”
He reached out and touched her
shoulder.
“
Not you. You
survived. Smart enough to look beyond the horizon. That
’
s why I
’
ve
always trusted you. And I
’
m
going to say this once. If I ever catch you walking around my house again, I
’
m going to hurt you. I
’
ll break your fucking legs so
you can
’
t walk up the
stairs. Got it?
”

Mia started to shake.
“
I
’
m
sorry. I
…”

“
Done.
Now get back downstairs. We have business to tend to.
”

“
Like?
”

Uncle Jake just smiled. His hand
moved to Mia
’
s neck, her
throat. He pressed, just a little. Just enough to give Mia the sensation that
she couldn
’
t breathe.

“
You
need to stop asking questions.
”

“
I
…
I came here to help you. I
swear. But those guys are scary. They seem
…”

“
What?
What did you see? Did you talk to them? Are you fucking holding back from me?
”

Mia shook her head.
“
No. But they just seem to look
that part. Like they
’
d kill
someone and bury them. Like they have. They don
’
t
care. And you want me to follow them?
”

Uncle Jake laughed.
“
You
’
re going to help me set them up. That
’
s what I need from you, Mia.
Okay? And as far as our other arrangement goes, yes, I do have an event coming
up soon.
”

“
Wait.
Set them up?
”
Mia asked.

“
Yes.
”

Mia stretched her neck.
“
Can you take your hand off my
neck?
”

“
Make
me,
”
Uncle Jake said.
“
Try me.
”

Mia shuddered.
“
Please
…
I don
’
t
understand what
’
s happening
…”

Uncle Jake got close to Mia. Way
too close for comfort.
“
You
’
re going to keep following them.
You
’
re going to find a way
to learn anything you can. What they
’
re
doing. What they know. About everything, Mia. You don
’
t ask me questions. You just give me answers. Get it?
”

“
Yes,
”
Mia said.
“
Yes. I get it.
”

Now she was pitted between both
sides even worse.

Fuck
…
what do I do?

Uncle Jake kissed Mia
’
s cheek.
“
Good girl. Such a good girl.
”
He kissed her cheek again. He rubbed his cheek to
hers. She felt his body moving closer to hers, pressing against her.
“
You want to play upstairs, Mia?
”

“
Get
away from me,
”
Mia said.
“
I don
’
t do that.
”

“
What?
”
Uncle Jake pulled back a
little.
“
You don
’
t want to be a whore? Why not?
”

Mia threw her right hand up and hit
Uncle Jake
’
s hand off her
neck. His other hand flew across, smacking her. Mia stumbled and almost fell
into Jacob
’
s room. She
hurried and lunged forward, pushing Uncle Jake out of the way.

She got to the stairs and Uncle
Jake grabbed her by the hair. He had a fierce grip and pressed his body to
hers, dangling her right at the stairs. Mia had a wild image of herself as Aunt
Theresa. As if this was what happened before she
“
left.
”

“
You
listen to me,
”
Uncle Jake
growled.
“
You do everything
or you get nothing. And by nothing I mean
nothing
. You
’
ll be gone forever, Mia. Gone.
Right now I want you out of this fucking house. Stop meddling with Jacob. He
’
s my son. I do what
’
s best for my family. Just like
I did for my wife.
”

Mia felt tears fill her eyes. The
stinging of having her hair pulled and the rush of emotion, knowing Uncle Jake
had to have killed Aunt Theresa, was just too much.

“
Go,
”
Uncle Jake said.

He let Mia go. She stumbled down
two steps and caught herself on the railing. She looked back and saw Uncle Jake
reaching into his pocket. She feared he was going to produce a gun and kill
her. Then again, would that be a bad thing?

Uncle Jake took out another wad of
cash. He counted off five bills and stuck his hand out.
“
Take it. It
’
s
two-fifty. That should let you get a bite, more gas, and find somewhere to take
a shower. Clean up. Change. Don
’
t
go to your place. You stay right here local so I can keep my eyes on you.
”

Uncle Jake turned and walked down
the hallway.

Mia took the money and felt like a
whore. Tears filled her eyes again as she walked down the stairs. She came to
just work an illegal gambling night. Pick up some extra cash, pay some bills,
get caught up on the rent and stuff. That was it.

Now she was being followed and
watched. Stuck between her step uncle and Back Down Devil MC. A pawn,
constantly threatened by death.

Mia left the house and when she got
to her car, she looked in the mirrors. She couldn
’
t
see anyone around her, but she felt it.