OWNED & UNTAMED (Back Down Devil MC #11) - London Casey Page 0,46

lose the table. I can’t have a war inside my clubhouse or enemies in my lot, killing prospects.”

I simply nodded. There were no more words worth willing to speak.

It was time for action… no matter the consequence.

**

I pulled into the driveway just before sunset.

The front door opened to the house and Belle stood there. Her arms were crossed as I approached the old porch. I notice something different about her. She was holding a pack of smokes.

I cocked my head to the side and pointed to them.

“Thinking about smoking them all,” she said.

“Didn’t know you still smoked.”

“I don’t,” she said.

I walked up the porch and looked left to right. There was no way to really know if someone was watching or someone was going to wait and attack. All I could do was prepare on my own, which I felt I had done.

“Going to tell me why I need a gun?” Belle asked.

“Because your brother sold land to a group of men that would kill you without thinking twice. And because there’s another group that thinks we’re affiliated, and they’d do things that would make the toughest man break down and cry.”

Belle shivered. She slowly peeled back the top of the cigarettes and I grabbed the pack out of her hands.

“You don’t need that shit, sweetie.”

“No? I called you for help and now I have people wanting to kill me and my brother.”

“To be fair, I had nothing to do with Jim and his decision.”

Belle rolled her eyes. “What’s going to happen here, Duke? Should I call the police?”

“You could do that,” I said. “But there’s nothing they could do for you. If you let me help you…”

“Why would he do this?” Belle asked. She blinked fast as her eyes filled up with tears.

“Do what?”

“Sell. This was our home. This was… this was what they left for us. And he just wants to give it up. He doesn’t care…”

I touched Belle’s face. “Ah, sweetie, you can’t look at it like that. I’m so sorry for what you and Jim have gone through and are going through. I can’t make excuses for him and won’t. His dreams might not be yours. Right now, we need to get through this mess.”

“Am I going to end up in trouble?” Belle asked.

Her eyes were as beautiful as ever. “Hanging around me is trouble. But I’m going to protect you. Jim too. I thought I was doing the right thing then when I didn’t come back, but I won’t make that same mistake twice.”

Belle touched my shirt. I could see the fear in her eyes.

Our lips started to get closer. We were an inch away from crossing that line again. I pulled back a little.

“Sweetie…”

“Duke, I need you. I fucking need you.”

Her lips quivered as she tried to pull at me, wanting to kiss me.

I knew it was treacherous for our lips to touch again.

“You’re scared, Belle,” I whispered. “That’s okay. Trust me, you’ll be taken care of in all this. I just need your brother to work with me and the club.”

“He’s getting all the information together. I told him you were coming up here tonight.”

“Maybe I should go talk to him.”

“Maybe you should,” Belle said.

I didn’t move.

Her hands pulled at me, desperately wanting me.

Fuck, who was I fucking kidding? I wanted her just as bad. We had years to make up for and a lifetime to look forward to.

Only if we crossed that line.

Seconds ticked by as we just stood there in silence. The night falling outside. The reality of danger all around.

Then we crossed that line.

chapter twenty.

(duke)

Her legs were wrapped tight around my body as I carried her up the stairs. Our lips and tongues battled, but I always fucking won. She dug at the back of my leather cut, my hands cupping her ass.

I knew my way around that fucking house so I had no problems kissing her while hitting all the steps and finding the bedroom.

When we got inside the bedroom, I grabbed her legs and stood her on her feet. My hands went to her hips and I put a foot between us. It was the last chance to put this thing to a final end. A chance to walk away. A chance to realize how crazy and dumb it was.

Belle slid her hands into my leather cut and I let it drop to the floor. She grabbed my shirt and pulled. I lifted my shirt up over my head and Belle’s hands were against my chest a second