“Maybe I am,” I petulantly replied. “Maybe I’m going to stay right here until I figure out who the traitor is.”
Louisa’s mouth twisted up as she fought a grin. “You know she’ll do it too, don’t you? She’s as stubborn as a damn mule.”
Molly nodded. “Oh, I don’t doubt it. Just thought you’d want a last meal before freezing to death.”
“I can’t eat,” I admitted. “And if one more person tells me how sorry they are, I’m going to snap. I don’t want sympathy! What I want is for someone else to be as angry as I am!”
“You think we’re not angry? Bear has been working around the clock to find the rat. The club won’t rest until they know who’s responsible.”
Swirling flakes of ice struck my face, and I swatted at them before snapping, “Nice of them to step up now that my husband is dead. Would’ve been nicer had they done it, oh, I don’t know, maybe before he was shot to death?”
“Celia, please.”
A truck pulled into the driveway, and I brushed past her, my shoes sinking further into the mud with each step I took toward the front porch.
Dakota bypassed the running board as she jumped from the passenger seat of Zane’s truck, landing on her knees in a puddle with a groan.
“Dakota, wait!” He yelled as she scrambled to get to her feet. “You can’t just—”
“What’s going on? Dakota, are you alright?”
The baby.
I should’ve been thrilled at the prospect of becoming a grandmother, but we were at war with men who didn’t fight fairly.
Men who preyed on innocents.
Her pregnancy would only make her a bigger target in their eyes.
I’d lost my baby at the hands of monsters, but I would hand over my own life before letting her suffer the same fate.
“Mama,” she panted. “You need to sit down…”
Another truck pulled down the driveway, the wheels churning up a wall of mud on either side.
“Mike’s my brother,” she hurriedly finished before clapping a hand over her mouth with a choked sob. When Zane shook his head, she added, “I’m sorry, I had to tell her at least that part!”
The truck screeched to halt just inches from the bumper of Zane’s vehicle, and Mikey got out. “Jesus, Dakota! I told you to wait!”
Lou hurried toward us. “Is everything okay? Did something happen?”
Dakota nodded. “Mike is my dad’s son. We just found—” She froze and looked toward the porch to where Comedian sat on the porch swing with a clenched jaw.
The atmosphere shifted, and I leaned into Lou’s side when Mikey drew his gun, calling across the yard, “Thought you’d be running, old man. Isn’t that what a traitor does?”
I reached for Dakota, but she moved toward the porch with her chin high in the air, planting her feet like one of the superheroes from her comics. “We got this, Mama. We’ll protect you.”
Lou pursed her lips, eyes darting from one person to the next. “Celia,” she whispered. “What—”
“The fuck’s goin’ on?” Bear demanded, coming around the side of the house.
With a sigh, Zane drew his gun and held it on him. “Stay where you are. This is club business.”
I pulled in and slowly released a deep breath, wondering what had happened after I left the cemetery that warranted a stand-off in my front yard.
And since when did the comic club members carry guns?
“Mikey?” I tried.
“Not now, Celia. Gotta deal with my old man first, and then we’ll talk.”
Comedian ran a hand over his face and stood up with a nod. “‘Bout time we had this talk. There’s no need for the gun… I ain’t stupid, Junior. Knew when you were born that the timing didn’t add up—”
“You knew I was Grey’s kid. It’s why you went after him,” Mike snarled. “Admit it! For once in your worthless existence, tell the goddamn truth!”
“No.” My legs buckled beneath me at the revelation, sending me down into the muck.
I was yanked up at the last second and pulled into a broad chest. “I got you, girl,” Angel said firmly. “Kota-Bear, get your ass back here.”
Dakota turned around, mouth already opening to object. When she saw who it was, her posture sagged, and she stomped back over to stand at his side. “I could’ve handled it,” she hissed.
“Ain’t a doubt in my mind you could’ve, but you ain’t got a gun. You remember what I taught you when you girls were kids?”
“Don’t go running into things with your dick out,” she recited proudly before her eyes widened. “Oh! I get it now!”
Comedian loosened the collar on his dress shirt before bringing his arms down to rest against the railing. “Just because I knew I wasn’t your daddy don’t mean I knew that Grey was. And, as I recall, Sons came after you that night too. How’s that work out, detective?”
“Did you do it?” I croaked, freeing myself from Angel’s grip. “You?”
Somehow, I managed to remain upright as I stumbled toward him, but inside I was reeling. Comedian had ridden with Jamie for even longer than I’d known him.
Fury ignited in my bloodstream as I climbed the steps, bringing my body temperature back up.
“Celia,” Mikey called. “Get away from him!”
“No,” I seethed. “Not until he looks me in the eye and tells me what he did to my husband.”
Comedian lifted his head and met my gaze, nostrils flaring. “I’ve done a lot of fucked-up things in my life, but I swear to you, I didn’t lay a hand on your old man, Celia.”
The porch felt as if it were tilting beneath my feet, like a boat on rough water. I latched onto the railing with clammy hands, blinking to clear my vision. “Then who did?” My words came out on a whimper, but my eyes remained dry.
“I don’t know, darlin’.”
Mike’s boots connected against the porch steps with reverberating thuds. “Gave you an opportunity to come clean—”
Comedian dropped to his knees. “You wanna put me down, son? Do it. If you think it’ll make you feel better, pull the goddamn trigger! Just know that I would never sic a bunch of deranged bikers on you and Lauren. You think I ain’t hurtin’ here? Grey was my best friend—”
“Your fucking calling card was on the casket. Explain that,” Mikey ground out through clenched teeth, pressing the barrel against Comedian’s forehead.
“What are you saying, Mikey?” I stared up at him, acutely aware that he was no longer a little boy, convinced I was giving birth to an alien. The lines on his face were more pronounced, his accusations more damning.
The sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach threatened to capsize what little of me still remained.
It had been right in front of my face the entire time, but I’d refused to see it, never imagining that the man who’d been so gentle with me after the attack was capable of destroying my family.
He kept his eyes on Comedian. “Tell her. Tell her what you did.”
Comedian jerked his chin up and looked at me. “I didn’t kill him—”
Bear shoved past Zane and put himself in front of me. “You got two seconds to tell me what the fuck is goin’ on, kid” he snarled at Mikey. “From where I’m standin’ it looks like you’re holdin’ a gun on one of my brothers. Tell me I’m wrong.”
Mikey ran his tongue over his teeth with a grin. “From where you’re standing? Bear, sweetie, might be time for you to invest in a pair of glasses. Maybe if you’d had some, you would’ve seen that this piece of shit rolled over on the club. Now that I’m in charge, I’ll be taking care of it for you. Okay, pumpkin?”
Bear’s body went taut, but he remained where he was, clearly holding himself back. Whether it was out of respect for Jamie or me was anyone’s guess.
“In charge? How the fuck do you figure that… sweetie?”
Mikey cracked his neck and rolled his shoulders. “I was named Pres about…” he looked down at his watch. “An hour ago. So, from where I’m
standing, I call the motherfuckin’ shots.”
Still on his knees in front of us, Comedian lowered his head, shoulders shaking with laughter. “Jesus Christ, I needed a laugh. Kid’s got better jokes than me.”
He wiped at his streaming eyes and got to his feet, ignoring the gun trained on his head. “You ever consider that I might’ve been set up when you saw my card or was the idea of sendin’ me to the Reaper just too good to pass up?”
“You aren’t important enough to be set up, old man. Oh, and one more thing. If anyone here has a problem with me taking over, speak the fuck up now,” Mikey demanded.
“I do. I’m the VP—” Bear began, only to be cut off.
“No… Comedian’s the VP,” Mikey said slowly.
Comedian chuckled again. “Nah, son. I’m the SGT at Arms. Bear’s the VP, well, actin’ Pres now.”
“That’s right.” Bear said in a low voice. “So, I actually call the motherfuckin’ shots. Any changes within the club have to be approved by the officers. Seeing as to how every ranking officer was here, whatever the fuck was decided in the graveyard don’t mean shit—”
“Was this why you came here?” I asked, and the laughter around the yard stopped immediately. “You didn’t come to pay your respects, but to take over the club?”
Mikey holstered his weapon, shaking his head. “No, Celia. Just listen to me. I’ve got a plan to go after these guys—”
“You ever ridden in a club?” Bear asked. When he didn’t get a response, he sneered, “That’s what I thought. You badges are all the same… assumin’ you’re above everyone else, or that you know more. Why don’t you leave the big boy stuff to the grown-ups, okay?”
Mikey licked the flakes of ice from his lower lip with a smirk. “Big boys? Is that what you call yourselves? Jesus Christ, no wonder you couldn’t defeat the Sons. You gonna hop on your Power Wheels motorcycle and take out the bad guys?”
He held up his thumbs and drove his forefingers into Bear’s chest with a snarky, “Pew, pew! Pew, pew!”
Bear grinned and grasped Mikey’s shirt in his fist before dragging him into the yard. “Seems no one ever taught you respect, kid. I’m gonna remedy that right the fuck now.”
“You got him, Bear,” Rick called out. “Just take his legs out from under him!”
I flinched when Comedian touched my shoulder, extending my hands out in front of my body as I backed away. “Don’t touch me—”
“Celia—”
“Don’t—he trusted you.” I looked to where Bear and Mike were circling each other like boxers in a ring. Dakota’s mouth hung open in shock as she watched grown men fight over Jamie’s club like starving dogs being thrown a steak.
Take a good look around you, baby girl. This is the last of your father’s legacy going up in flames.
“He trusted you!” I screamed hoarsely. “All of you! You two want to have a pissing contest, do it somewhere else. Not here. Not today.”
Bear lowered his fists and took a step back. “You’re right—”
Taking advantage of his momentary distraction, Mikey glanced a blow off the side of Bear’s jaw just as he turned to face me. “That feel respectful, motherfucker?”
Shock gave way to anger as I stormed down the steps and planted my palms in the center of his chest, sending him stumbling back. “How dare you! After everything that he did—just go.”
“Wait.”
I shook my head and wrapped my arms around my body before walking away. The damage was done. My only comfort was that Jamie wasn’t around to see the club imploding and the people he loved at each other’s throats. My jaw tightened. He wasn’t around because one of them had wanted him gone.
“Celia, wait a fucking second,” Mikey snapped. “This concerns you too—”
“Does it?” I roared. “Because to me, it looks like the men that my husband trusted more than anyone couldn’t wait for him to die so they could take over!”
The screen door slammed shut, and Wolverine walked out onto the porch, surveying the scene with cold eyes. “Anyone wanna tell me what the fuck is goin’ on?”
“Yeah.” Dakota stepped forward. “Um, so Mike is my brother, and he’s going to take over the club, which is great because I have some ideas on nicknames—”
Zane shook his head and gestured for her to get on with it.
“Oh, right. So, Mike declared, in his first order of business as Pres that…” She lowered her voice dramatically. “Comedian is club enemy number one and should be shot on sight.”
Wolverine’s eyes narrowed. “Okay… anyone else care to explain it to me?”
Angel stepped forward. “Kid says Comedian had somethin’ to do with Grey’s death.”
He popped a toothpick into his mouth before glaring at Mikey. “Better explain yourself, kid. And do it quick, before I lose my shit.”
“Comedian’s calling card was hidden under the flowers on the casket. With the way the Sons had been targeting people, it just made sense. They didn’t bust into my house that night to kill me; they came for my girl.”
“Why the fuck would I come after you or your family?” Comedian snapped.
“Celia…” Wolverine looked to me, his scowl deepening. “What do you say?”
I shook my head. “I don’t know—it just doesn’t make any sense. Wasn’t Comedian with the club the night he was—the night that it—”
I couldn’t say it.
It felt wrong.
Bear pulled me into his side, his chest vibrating against my cheek as he spoke. “She’s got a point. Comedian was with us the entire night. Fuck, he even helped us get him to the hospital. There’s only one of us here that looks guilty as fuck, and it sure as hell ain’t Comedian.”
“What are you saying?” Mikey growled. “You think I’m the traitor?”
“That’s exactly what I’m sayin’, detective.” Bear led me back to the porch. “Who better to dismantle a club from the inside out than a motherfuckin’ cop? What are they givin’ you for takin’ us down? A bigger badge? Gonna give your dick a couple of extra tugs? What’d you trade his life for?”
“Fuck you, Bear!” Mikey spat. “You wanna look at every possible suspect? Great. Let’s start with Grey. He told me he’d do it—night Carnage was shot. He said he had a plan… what if this was it?”
Wolverine rubbed at his temple with a sigh. “How exactly is gettin’ killed a plan?”
Mike looked up at the heavy clouds, nervously tapping his index fingers against his thumbs. “You’re tellin’ me that Comedian had nothing to do with what happened… maybe we need to consider the possibility that Grey worked a deal with the feds—”
“That’s impossible! Wolverine, you were with me at the hospital when the doctor came in and told us he didn’t make it. There was no deal.”
There’d only been one plan, hurriedly discussed on the dance floor at our daughter’s reception.
Fuck the plan. Let’s kidnap the kids and run.
“Bear?” Wolverine asked, gnawing on the toothpick.
“No fuckin’ way. Who would voluntarily take a bullet to the chest as part of a plan? There’re too many variables. Given that he’s no longer with us, I’d say if there was a plan, it fuckin’ failed.”
Mikey crossed his arms over his chest with a laugh. “I can’t believe I didn’t see this before. I told him to wear a vest that night.”
“He did,” Rick and I exclaimed at the same time.
“The bullet…” I tapped my fingers lightly against my chest, shifting my jaw back and forth. “The bullet went through. He lost too much blood…” my voice tapered off.
“Maybe you’re the mole,” Bear growled at Mike. “How else would they have known to use armor-piercing bullets? We’ve already established that you had the most motive out of any of us. Now you wanna rule it all.”
Wolverine moved the toothpick up and down with his tongue, regarding the two of them thoughtfully. “That’s a damn good question, Bear. They hadn’t used ammo like that
before… why’d they suddenly change their MO the night Grey went down?”
“What if it wasn’t the Sons?” Zane asked.
Wolverine cocked an eyebrow before turning back to Bear. “Instead of sittin’ around, measurin’ dicks, I’d start there. I, for one, don’t believe for a second that Grey had plans of rollin’ over, but if I were in charge, I’d look into everything. Then again, I’m just an old man. What the fuck do I know?”
Losing Jamie had damn near killed me. To even entertain the idea that he would’ve turned on his own club was unfathomable.
“I just put him in the ground, and you’re already ready to dig his body up and crucify him all over again.” I dropped onto the bottom step, wishing like hell that I could shed my rage in the form of tears. I dug the heels of my shoes into the mud; wanting to coat myself in it until the soft earth swallowed me whole.
I’d done my time above ground.
It was time to go home.
Mikey’s blue eyes met mine, and the chasm in my chest widened. There was so much of Jamie in him that it left me aching. He chewed on his lower lip and looked over at Dakota, who nodded as if giving her approval. “Casket was empty, Celia—”
Blood roared in my ears and slivers of black clouded my vision as I took in the admission; turning it over and over in my head, struggling to make sense of it. Voices rose all around me in disbelief.
Panic.
“Oh, Jesus. Celia!” A deep voice shouted. It was distorted, like a slow-motion scene in a movie. The frozen earth that I’d longed for only moments ago now came up to greet my face as my heart pounded a furious rhythm in my chest, warning me that I was in danger.
Convincing me to run.
He’d promised me.
I tried lifting my head, but oblivion won, sending everything into darkness.
If he was still here, I should’ve felt him.
I would’ve known.
Chapter Two
Grey
My head shot up as the door swung open, and I surged forward. The metal that encircled my wrists bit into the skin, warning me to back off. Instead, I pushed my body to its limit, tendon and muscle straining in a futile attempt to break free from my restraints.
Savior: Silent Phoenix MC Series: Book Five Page 3