FOREVER DECEMBER: GODS OF CHAOS MC (BOOK 15)

by Honey Palomino

  “Go on,” I said, my curiosity piqued.

  “Okay, so both the clerk and Leo were killed, right?”

  “Yes.”

  “And there was no surveillance, so all the investigators had to go on was forensic stuff, which was just bullet casings and shit like that.”

  “Right.”

  “Well, something doesn’t add up. Not with the story you told me when you first joined up with the Gods.”

  “Like what?”

  “Well, you said that Leo and Shane went in to rob the place. And you said that the clerk shot Leo and Shane shot the clerk with his own gun, right?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Well, the thing is, man — the bullets shouldn’t match. But they do.”

  “What?” I asked, confused.

  “The same gun that shot the clerk is the same gun that shot Leo.”

  It was like time stopped in that moment. I’d spent years staring up at the ceiling wondering how it had all gone down. When Shane got back in the car that night, he specifically said, “He shot him.” It only made sense that he meant the clerk shot Leo. I just assumed that Shane shot the clerk after that.

  “And well, brother, the clerk did have a gun. It was found right next to his body, on the floor behind the counter.”

  “I saw it,” I said.

  “Yeah, but that gun was never fired. And the gun that shot them both was never recovered. Just the bullet casings were left behind.”

  The rage that had been living inside of me was rattling like a beast in a cage. The only thing this could mean is that Shane shot Leo, and the clerk, too. I’d never thought he would have shot his friend, my friend.

  “Why didn’t any of this come out before?”

  “Probably because you confessed, man. Cops and investigators are fucking lazy. Once you confessed, nobody fucking cared about paying any attention to the facts. I took a look at your confession, too. I know it was a long time ago, but it said you told the cops that showed up that the clerk shot Leo, so you shot the clerk, right?”

  “Yeah, that’s right.”

  “So, as far as they were concerned, it was an open and shut case. Hell, they never even did an autopsy on either of the bodies, if you can fucking believe that. That’s some lazy ass police work.”

  “Yeah, well, Lincoln County isn’t exactly known for their superior skills.”

  “I guess you’re right there.”

  My head spinning, I tried to reconcile this new information with what I’d believed for over a decade. I was reeling, my body pouring sweat as I stood on the deck, soft snow cascading onto my shoulders.

  “I’m so sorry, man. I know this is a lot to take in,” Riot said.

  “It is,” I said. “But I’m grateful you looked into it. The truth is always best.”

  “What are you going to do?”

  I paused, his question catching me off guard. It didn’t take but a second to reply, though, because I knew now, more than ever, what I needed to do.

  “I’m going to fucking kill him.”

  Chapter 36

  DECEMBER

  When Wolfe came back from talking to Riot, something had changed in him.

  “Everything okay?” I asked, feeling the tension rolling off his body.

  “Yeah,” he said, his voice gruff. “Riot heard on the scanner that the Coast Guard lost touch with one of their officers. Not sure if it's related, he just wanted to let me know.”

  “Oh.”

  He turned away, avoiding my eyes. I couldn’t help but wonder if there was something he wasn’t telling me, but I didn’t want to push. Since waking up in his arms this morning, my body was still tingling from his delicious touch and I had never felt more connected to him.

  I’d never felt more alive.

  He brushed a kiss across my forehead and pulled away.

  “I need to go talk with the guys,” he said, heading up to the deck and leaving me alone in the cabin.

  I needed to stay busy — with my body on fire from his touch, and my heart full of worry for Leo, I was a hot mess of emotion. To combat the urge to break down completely, I started making lunch. I filled a huge platter with several different kinds of sandwiches, before going up to get the guys, who were so deep in conversation, they didn’t notice my presence.

  “You sure about that, man?” Slade asked Wolfe.

  “I’m sure,” he nodded.

  “Well, you know we’ll have your back, before and after,” Wreck said.

  “I appreciate that,” Wolfe said.

  My curiosity got the best of me and I couldn’t help but pipe in.

  “Sure of what?” I asked.

  They turned to me in surprise, and Wolfe gave them all a glance. They shut their mouths quickly and turned to him, waiting for him to explain.

  Wolfe came over and wrapped his arms around me, leaning down to whisper in my ear. “I'm sure that I love you, babe.”

  I squinted up at him, knowing full well they weren’t talking about that.

  “Right,” I nodded, my tone laced with obvious skepticism. “I made lunch. Sandwiches.”

  “Oh, shit yeah,” Slade said, jumping up and gingerly walking past us so he wouldn’t slip again. Wreck followed him, leaving us alone.

  “Thanks, babe,” Wolfe said, kissing me quickly before going down with them, avoiding any chance for me to question him further. I shook it off, figuring whatever was going on, he’d tell me eventually. I trusted him not to keep something important from me.

  I walked into the wheelhouse and joined Storm there.

  “Hey,” I greeted him with a smile.

  “Hi, December.” Storm was warm and kind, just like the others, but he was much quieter.

  “I made lunch. Want me to bring you a few sandwiches?”

  “Sure,” he shrugged. “That’d be great. How are you holding up?”

  “I’m okay,” I replied. “I just want my boy back. Do you think we’re getting close?”

  “I really do. We’ve made great time, and are probably right on their tail.”

  “How will we know when we’re close?” I asked.

  “When we see Shane’s boat. I’ve been on the lookout.”

  “Right,” I said, feeling disappointed. “Are we just looking for a needle in a haystack here?”

  “If it were summer, then it might be a lot harder. But most people stay off the water this time of year, so the traffic is light. I’m actually very confident we’re going to find them, most likely by the end of the day.”

  “I’m so glad you think so,” I said. “I’ll go get those sandwiches and be right back.”

  “Chin up, December. You’ll have your boy back soon,” he winked at me and flashed me a crooked grin, his hopefulness a sliver of light piercing my dark, worried heart.

  Chapter 37

  WOLFE

  “Everybody on deck!”

  Storm’s call jolted us all to attention. We’d been hanging out in the cabin watching a movie, but at his words, we all scrambled to our feet and ran upstairs.

  “What’s going on?” I asked, my heart racing in my chest. I’d been struggling to contain the fury I was feeling since I’d talked to Riot. I hated doing it, but I kept the information he’d given me from December until I could process my feelings.

  But all I really felt was pure, burning rage and the only way I could think of processing anything was burning Shane alive with it. December had enough to think about right now and the knowledge that her son’s father had killed her twin brother was not something I felt like she needed to take on. She was strong, she could handle it, but why put her through that kind of suffering?

  I kept my mouth shut and did my best to stay calm.

  Inside, a storm was brewing, though. I was itching to get my hands on Shane and I knew Storm wouldn’t call us up here for nothing.

  “Look!” He pointed at a boat in the distance. With its all-round light visible, it was obvious they’d anchored in place for the night. “It’s them.”r />
  Storm handed me his binoculars and I peered out at the boat.

  “It’s definitely them, the numbers match the title and registration.”

  “Sure do,” I said, nodding. My palms started sweating and my heart began pounding in my chest, as a rush of adrenaline pulsed through my veins.

  “Oh, my god,” December said. “Can we get closer? How do I get on his boat?”

  “You don’t,” I growled, a surge of protection mixing with all my other emotions.

  “What?” she asked, looking at me defiantly.

  “I’m going to handle this,” I said.

  “I need to get to Leo!”

  “And I need to get to Shane first,” I said. “I’m not going to let him near you, December.”

  “But —.”

  “But nothing!” I said, looking down at her gently. “Shane’s unpredictable. I’m not allowing you to put yourself in a dangerous situation. Do you trust me?”

  She looked up at me in tears, slowly nodding. “Yes.”

  “Good.” I kissed her firmly, before turning to Storm. “How close can we get?”

  “Pretty close,” he said. “I don’t see anyone on deck and I don’t think they’ve spotted us yet. I’m turning off our lights and we’ll inch a bit closer.”

  “I can swim over,” I said.

  “It’s fucking freezing, dude,” Slade said.

  “I don’t care,” I replied.

  “Wait!” Wreck said. “I spotted a few wet suits in the closet. Maybe one will fit.”

  “I’ll make it fit.”

  I walked downstairs as Wolfe turned the lights off and slowed our boat to a crawl. The wet suit looked impossibly small, but I went into December’s bedroom and stripped, forcing my limbs into it. Once I had it on, I took a minute to look around.

  December’s clothes were piled in a corner and the covers were still tangled up from our night in her bed, and I knew that it would be a long while before we got to enjoy a night like that again.

  Even if everything went well, she would need to attend to her son. He would surely be traumatized from his father’s actions and she might not have time for me for weeks. I closed my eyes, flashing through the night in my head to engrave it into my memory one last time before I went to face my enemy.

  Chapter 38

  DECEMBER

  Of course, I trusted him.

  That didn’t mean I didn’t want to get to my son as fast as possible.

  It killed me watching him jump in the water once we were much closer to Shane’s boat. I held my breath as he swam over quickly, his strong limbs maneuvering easily in the water.

  I felt like my heart was going to burst from my chest. Slade, standing next to me, threw an arm around me and pulled me close. I leaned into him, thankful for his support and warmth.

  “I’m terrified,” I whispered.

  “Don’t be,” Slade said. “Your man there is fearless. He’s strong. Smart. And he’s got a waterproof backpack full of firearms and ammunition, if he needs it. Shane’s the one that should be terrified.”

  I took a deep breath, unable to reply as we watched Wolfe approach the boat and pull himself aboard. He crouched down, waiting for a moment before opening his backpack and pulling out a gun.

  Fear gripped me, despite Slade’s reassurances.

  It was then that I realized just how much I truly loved Wolfe.

  If anything happened to him, or Leo, I knew I’d never be able to go on.

  They were everything to me and I just needed them both safe.

  Chapter 39

  WOLFE

  Silence blanketed the boat, the darkness lending a stillness to the night like some delicate veil I tried not to pierce.

  I wanted to surprise Shane. I needed to have the upper hand.

  But first, I needed to make sure Leo was safe.

  I crept forward, doing my best not to make a sound. The lights were on in the cabin and I looked through the little window leading down to it.

  Shane sat on a small couch, watching television with a bottle of Patron on a small nearby table and a shot glass in his hand. My eyes scanned over the rest of the cabin, looking for Leo.

  He was nowhere in sight.

  I inched down to the stern, hoping he might be on deck and I could get him off the boat quickly. In the distance, I could see our boat inching closer towards us in the dark.

  Leo wasn’t on deck anywhere, though.

  I looked in the window again, waiting for him to appear. It was possible he was in the bathroom or a corner, but I could see the bed was empty and no other movement seemed to be happening.

  Shane laughed at the television, breaking the silence.

  Worried by Leo’s absence, I decided I had no other choice but to confront Shane head on.

  With my finger on the trigger of my gun, I started down the stairs.

  Chapter 40

  SHANE

  I didn’t even hear him coming.

  “Hello, Shane.”

  It was his voice that alerted me to him when he was inches away and I jumped to my feet in surprise.

  “You!” I shouted. I’d have known those eyes anywhere, even though he looked like a completely different person than when I’d last seen him. “What the fuck are you doing here?”

  I looked behind him, completely confused. He seemed to be alone. I’d have heard, or even felt it, if another boat approached. So, how the hell was he on my boat now?

  “I came to see you,” Wolfe said, his voice a deep growl.

  He was monstrously huge. Jacked up like fucking Schwarzenegger. I guess prison will do that to anyone.

  “In the middle of nowhere in the fucking ocean?” I asked.

  “Where’s the boy?” he demanded.

  “The boy? Leo? You mean my son?”

  “Where is he?”

  “Oh, I get it,” I laughed. “Of course, she’d send you. That fucking bitch!”

  He moved closer, getting in my face.

  “Where is the boy?” he asked, repeating himself.

  I laughed again, shaking my head.

  “You’re way too late, asshole.”

  Chapter 41

  WOLFE

  I didn’t believe him. I couldn’t.

  If Leo was gone, then I’d lose December, too.

  I took a step forward, closing the distance between us.

  “I had high hopes for you, Shane,” I began. “I thought maybe, after the shooting, you’d do the right thing. Be a fucking man. But you were never capable of that in the first place, were you? You’re nothing but a spineless piece of shit. You always have been.”

  “Fuck you,” he said. “You’re a fucking idiot.”

  “I used to be,” I agreed. “That night, when I thought you had it in you to grow up. To treat December and Leo like they deserved. If I had known what a prick you’d end up being, I would have let you take the fall.”

  “I never asked you for anything!”

  “No, you didn’t. And that’s on me. For giving you the benefit of the doubt. But the rest of the shit — that’s all on you, Shane. I know what you did.”

  He looked up at me in surprise and I saw the truth right there in his eyes.

  “That’s right, you murderous bastard. That night, when you got in the car, you said the clerk shot Leo. But it wasn’t true, was it? You’re the one who shot Leo.”

  “You don’t fucking know that!”

  “I do,” I nodded. “The ballistics reports told the truth. You got so lucky, didn’t you? I was a chump for taking the fall. I never should have. I should have let the cops fucking have you that night. But December had just told me she was pregnant. I did it for her.”

  “Oh, like there was ever any doubt about that! You were in love with her!”

  “You’re right about that. I was. I still am, in fact. And before I kill you, Shane, you need to know that she’s mine now. You’ll never get near her again. You’ll never lay eyes on her again, let alone a hand.”

&n
bsp; “You won’t kill me,” he said, lifting his chin. “You don’t have it in you. And fucking Leo deserved it, goddammit!”

  “No, he didn’t,” I said. “Leo was a good man.”

  “We were fucking kids, Wolfe! Look, it was Leo’s idea to steal the beer. I had a gun in my pocket, but he didn’t even know that. When the clerk pulled out his gun when we tried to run out with the beer, I shot him to protect Leo.”

  “Cut the bullshit!” I shouted, my anger rising like a flame to the surface.

  “It’s true!” He insisted. “But Leo freaked out, man! He said he was going to tell the cops I did it. He was a fucking pussy.”

  “And so you shot him, too.”

  “I had to kill Leo! To shut him up! I had just saved his life and he was going to rat me out?” He cried, his eyes wild. “There was no fucking way I’d survive in prison.”

  “That’s true, they would have eaten your weak ass alive.”

  “Look, man, I’m grateful for you. I never said that, did I? You didn’t have to do that, though. I would have gotten off, no matter what. But you had to be the big man. You had to step up and protect a woman that didn’t even belong to you. How fucking stupid was that? To confess to a killing you didn’t commit? Who does that?”

  I pulled out my gun, aiming it straight at his ugly, murderous face.

  “Oh!” he said, taking a step back with a laugh. “Does this mean you enjoyed prison? You want to go back? For life this time?”

  “I’m never going back,” I growled, cocking the hammer.

  Chapter 42

  LEO

  I’d been trying to pick the lock on the door for an hour straight. I had a toothpick and it was almost shredded when I heard the lock finally click open.

  Dad had locked us in the bathroom after he shot the guy on the Coast Guard boat and I was desperately trying to get out. I was terrified, and Lucy could tell. She’d been leaning into my legs and staring up at me with her big black eyes. When the lock finally opened, she began dancing around my legs.