“Tell me what happened,” she whispered.
“Someone shot him, sniper style. Okay? Bullet to the neck, he bled out fast. Probably barely felt any real pain. He went down wearing the cut he lived to wear. He died an honorable man. A member of this club. He was given the proper send off. The guys then voted for me to take the vacant seat. If you knew me, sweetheart, you’d know I never wanted to patch in again.”
“Again?” Eden asked. She wiped the corner of her eye.
“I was a member before. I gave it up and went outlaw. Ran with The Lost Men. Miller called me down for some help and I stuck around. Then the offer came.”
“Why’d you take it?”
“Because of what Griffin did for me. He was a good man. I miss him.” Trev put a hand to Eden’s leg. “And I’m goddamn sorry he’s gone. I’m sorry you had to find out this way. I had no idea he had a daughter.”
There was silence again.
Eden put her hand on Trev’s. “I’m sorry for trying to hit you.”
“I get it, sweetheart. I’m not worried about it.” Trev reached for Eden’s face and touched her cheek. He brushed away a tear. “I’m your only chance at this. We’re not going to let you leave. We’re not going to let you talk to anyone outside this club. You’re ours from here on out. But I will claim you and let you stick by my side. That means nobody will bother you. When you ask for something, the prospects will do it or I’ll fucking shoot them.”
“And in return for that?” Eden asked.
Trev grinned. “You know exactly what the fuck I want.”
A second later Trev’s lips were against Eden’s again. The kiss was more aggressive than their first. They were also in a bedroom. Trev’s hand cut down to her inner thigh and slid up, touching against her body, over her jeans. Eden felt herself jump. The emotions racing through her body and mind were still so raw. She had no idea what she wanted. The truth hurt and she wanted comfort. Comfort was good. Comfort was really fucking good right then.
Trev was strength, power, and protection. He could take away her pain with his body. He could save her from the men that attacked her with his club and his desire to kill if need be.
Eden reached for Trev, grabbing at his neck, pulling at him.
They started to ease back on the bed, Trev’s fingers digging between her legs. The pressure was good, Trev forcing Eden’s panties to rub harder against her sensitive core. She felt herself bucking a little, wanting Trev more.
Eden scratched at his neck, feeling herself losing control.
What the hell did it matter? She was going to start a war, right? Or she had already started…
Someone cleared their throat.
They sat up fast as though they were two teenagers getting caught.
“You done here?” Miller asked, standing in the doorway.
“Yeah, I guess,” Trev said, standing up.
“Might want to ease up there, soldier,” Miller said and nodded. “I’ll be at the table.”
Eden turned her head and was faced with the biggest bulge against jeans she’d ever seen in her life. Where the bulge began and ended had to be impossible.
“Stop staring,” Trev said. He touched her chin and forced her to look up at him. “You’ll get that later… if you survive Miller’s questions.”
__
eight.
Trev knew he was entering the deep end of the water with this one. He held Eden’s hand out to the table and then picked up the chair she knocked over. He went to the fridge and opened it, taking out a couple beers. He twisted off the caps and gave Miller one.
“Cheers,” Trev said.
“Goddamn, I wouldn’t be cheering about much just yet,” Miller said. He looked at Eden. “You want a beer?”
“No thank you.”
“Trev told you?”
“My father is dead.”
“I’m afraid he is. He sat at my table for years. I knew him long before I was a President and before we were both at a table. He had his demons, as all of us do. But this… this is touchy. Now I need to know everything.”
“You know everything.”
“So he sent you a letter out of the blue?”
“I guess. Maybe he didn’t think he was going to get murdered.”
“Or maybe someone was waiting for him to die to send that letter.”
“Why?” Trev asked. “You think she’s fucking with us?”
“Which she?” Miller asked.
Trev touched his forehead. If Ripper’s old lady was trying to pull a stunt, this was going to be a bloodbath. Fuck, it already is going to be a bloodbath.
“What does that mean?” Eden asked.
“Nothing,” Miller said. “Look, I’m going to trust Trev to watch over you. You do as he says. I’ll make sure nobody else in the clubhouse fucks with you. I’m sorry for all of this. It must be a lot to take on.”
“I expected to meet my father and change my life.”
Miller stood up. “Your life is changed. If you want my opinion, someone knew Griffin was dead and then sent the letter to you to get you here. It took a goddamn year though.”