His Last Chance : Sons of Lost Souls MC Book Seven

by Ellie R. Hunter

  “That’s not what I meant,” I grind out, trying real hard to curb my tone with him.

  “What did you mean, then, huh?”

  “You say you’re fine, but you’re only distracting yourself with the club. At some point, it’s going to come crashing down around you, and then where will you be?”

  Sitting up, he stares me dead in the eyes. The look causes a shiver to run from the top of my spine, all the way down to my toes.

  “When I say I’m fine, I’m fine. Now, finish packing. We’re leaving in ten minutes.”

  With that, he storms out of the room, slamming the door behind him. Falling onto the bed, a tear falls from my eye. He’s never spoken to me like this before, and every day that passes, he does it more frequently. When I wake up in the mornings, I don’t know who I’m going to be waking up to. He’s slipping away from me, and I have no idea how to bring him back.

  Zachery

  Following her outside, I watch her car drive away from the club, sighing heavily. She was the last person I expected to see today, because she’s never come to the club unless she’s been with me.

  “Brother, what the fuck did you just do?”

  I flinch at Leo’s snarky tone from behind me. I’m surprised he’s even here, seeing as Cas gave him time away to get his head straight. But I know from first-hand experience, it doesn’t matter where you are. Death doesn’t let you get your head right. It cripples you no matter where you are.

  “Brother?”

  I finally turn to face him. “It’s none of your business.”

  Whatever state of mind he’s in, he’s at least looking more put together. His hair’s longer and tied back away from his face. His beard has also grown out, and looks like he’s ran a comb through it.

  “She could drop your kid any day now, and you’re telling her it’s over? What’s your fucking problem?”

  The words are lodged in my throat. I couldn’t explain it even if I wanted to, especially with the father of my niece. Our relationship has never been a close one. Before he fell in love with my sister, we were cordial, but we weren’t afraid to call each other out. After he and India got together, and after she was… taken from us, we’ve grown closer, but we’re not best fucking buds or anything.

  “You said you wanted it all with Nina, so what the fuck’s changed?” he urges.

  Everything’s changed. He’s the one person who shouldn’t have to ask me that, so I’m not going to give him an answer. He knows as well as I do, time makes shit worse.

  “What’s brought you back?” I question him instead.

  It’s been over a month since he’s stepped inside this bar, and while I don’t want to talk about me, I’ll happily talk about what’s going on with him. He goes along with it and shakes his head, letting me know he’s on to what I’m doing.

  “With this new deal we’ve got with the Haywards, I decided it was time to come back. I need the cash, and I might as well lose my damn mind here rather than at home where it’s too fucking quiet.”

  Talking of the sharp suits and British accents, a Bentley drives slowly through the gates and rolls to a stop in the middle of the lot. It looks out of place amongst our motorcycles, and I hang back with Leo as the driver climbs out to open the door for a Hayward king.

  We’ve already met with Jamie Boy and Ritchie, and today it looks like we’re meeting with Cody, King of the North Quarter of London.

  He tugs on his suit jacket as he steps out, standing at his full height. Just like his brothers, he exudes power, and his smile is full of cockiness and underlying danger as Cas and Sparky walk toward him.

  “When your dad had me dig for information on their family, I came across his medical records. He was beat so bad, his family thought he was dead. Then, a few months later, the family that held down the North Quarter of London disappeared. Rumours are, he had every male over the age of eighteen captured and slit their throats while they hung from a tree. The next day, he and his family took over their Quarter.”

  Leo lets out a low whistle and cocks his brow. “He doesn’t look so dangerous to me.”

  “Appearances can be deceiving. I’d advise against you trying to find out.”

  “Pussy,” he snorts.

  “Fuck you.”

  I’d hit the fucker, but another person climbs out of the car. Even Leo straightens at the sight of the blonde-haired woman. This is unexpected. Neither Jamie Boy nor Ritchie ever brought their women with them.

  “Who’s she?”

  Me being the walking Wikipedia page on their family, I inform him, “His old lady, Natalee Hayward. She’s a writer who’s written true crime books on their uncle and Ritchie.”

  “What’s she doing here?”

  “Like I know.”

  As they make their way toward us—well, to the bar—I stand taller as they pass us by and take up seats in the middle of the room. He can’t be here to discuss business, because that would be conducted in the back room with all the brothers being called in.

  Following them inside, Leo and I perch ourselves at the bar. Tipping my head at the prospect, he slides us a few beers and takes the cash from my hand. Turning, I take in the scene before me.

  Cody Hayward scopes out the place while Cas calls out for drinks. Kyle, the prospect, is quick to serve beers to Cas and Sparky, and two glasses of scotch to our guests. Mrs. Hayward thanks him in a voice as smooth as honey.

  “This place is just like I imagined it’d be,” Cody croons, making Cas smile proudly.

  “Ritchie said it was straight out of a film, and he wasn’t wrong,” Natalee muses, getting everyone’s attention. She’s definitely not afraid to speak in front of men she doesn’t know, especially ones with our reputation.

  “Let me introduce you all to my wife, Natalee. I know you don’t involve your women in your business, but as we’re not conducting such today, I didn’t think you’d mind. Plus, she wouldn’t get off my back until I agreed she could come.”

  By the looks on my brothers’ faces, I’m not alone in thinking it wouldn’t matter to this family if he were here to talk deals or not. His arm sits protectively over the back of his wife’s chair, his shoulders tense, ready for anything that may come their way.

  Cas addresses her with a guarded smile. “It’s good to meet you, Natalee.” Looking to Cody, he adds, “You’re right. We don’t involve our women, but that’s not to say they don’t have their opinions.”

  Cody chuckles. “What’s a man without a good woman behind him, anyway?”

  Cas nods. “I hear you.” After a slight pause, he turns serious. “I must admit, Cody, when I heard you were dropping by, I did wonder why.”

  “When you deal with one king, you deal with us all. For reasons you can understand yourself, none of us leave London all at one time, as it opens us up to threats and people taking advantage in our absence. In time, you’ll meet our brother, Austin, and eventually, our father. This deal between us belongs to the whole family, so I wanted to personally meet you all and see this place for myself.”

  “Excuse me, but I have a question,” Natalee interjects, looking directly at Cas. “I know all too well about the secrecy of clubs and families like yours and my husband’s, but would you be interested in working with me? You know, having your tales spun into a book?”

  The silence is deafening. Everyone in the bar halts whatever they’re doing and stare at her. Most women—hell, most men—would wither under the club’s uncomfortable silence at being asked a question like that, but not Natalee. No, she sits there with her head held high, waiting for a response. It goes to show how powerful her husband is for her to feel comfortable enough to ask such a question.

  Cas laughs. The sound echoes off the walls before dying out.

  “Darlin’, we have a good deal going with your husband and his family. I don’t want to cause you any offence, but the idea of you writing a book about my club doesn’t exactly fill me with excitement. Like the family you belong to, you should know the wo
rld we live in is a world we don’t share with anybody.”

  “I’m fully aware of that, Mr. Jackson. But I assure you, if you ever change your mind, I would write it in such a way that no one would be any wiser to your activities. Yet, readers would relish in reading about your way of life.”

  Cody smiles warmly at her. “It’s true. My wife is good at what she does. You only have to ask my uncle and brother.”

  Cody and Natalee wouldn’t notice, but Cas is losing his patience with her insistence. I know this by the way his shoulders broaden fractionally, and his lips pinch.

  “Still, I’d rather not. If I ever change my mind, you’ll be the first to know,” Cas assures her. With that, she sits back and finishes her drink.

  Cas will never change his mind, I guarantee it.

  “Can I ask you a question?” Myles pipes up, taking a seat closer to the main table.

  “Go for it,” Cody encourages.

  “Is it true you annihilated an entire family because they nearly killed you?”

  Trust Myles to be the one to ask the question none of us would, but all want to know the answer to. If you weren’t watching the Hayward closely, you’d miss him tense for a fraction of a second. His wife, on the other hand, narrows her eyes at Myles, obviously not liking the subject being brought up.

  “It wasn’t an entire family,” he counters, his wife. “What I will say is, there’s nothing better than hearing your enemies as they choke and drown in their own blood.”

  Brothers cheer, lifting their drinks in agreement. Their world may be a bit different from ours, but there’s one thread that binds our ways together, and that’s the blood we seek when anyone wrongs us.

  “My brothers tell me you know all about it, so you should know there’s no limit to what me or my family would go to if tested. The same goes for whoever we’re dealing with. If you ever find yourselves in trouble, all you need to do is call. You have your brothers, but we have an army of men at our disposal.”

  “All with passports,” Natalee chimes in, making the brothers laugh.

  Cody’s phone rings in his suit pocket, and when he sees who the caller is, a slow smile forms on his lips.

  “Cas, is there somewhere we can take this call alone?”

  “Sure. Follow me.”

  The two of them walk into the back room, and Sparky offers Natalee another drink.

  “No thanks. I’ll finish Cody’s, since he doesn’t drink in public.”

  I tune them out when they begin talking about London.

  I know for a fact Sparky doesn’t give a shit, but he’s keeping things civil for the sake of our new friendship with her husband’s family.

  “I’m taking Rayna to see your mom. You going home or coming with?” Leo asks, hearing Rayna’s whimpers from a monitor behind the bar I didn’t know was there.

  For ten minutes, I forgot about the shit at home with Nina, and the crap pile of frustration with my parents. Out of the two, I know where I’ll be going.

  “I’ll come with.”

  I need to check in with them, anyway. I made it as clear as I could to Nina I wouldn’t be home, and I plan to stand by it.

  She’s better off without me, and I get to wallow in my pity party for one without stressing her out.

  The only time my mom shows any signs of life these days is when Rayna’s in her sights. More importantly, in her arms. Rayna’s the only one who can get her out of bed.

  It’s the piece of India she needs to make it through the day, and the only reason she allows Leo Jackson into the house. She knows if she doesn’t, she won’t see her granddaughter.

  Leaving them in the living room, Leo and I join my dad out back. Once outside, we both light up, and I relish in the hit when it flows through my lungs. Stretching my legs out as I sit on the patio chair, I feel relaxed. Dad’s on the beer today, and for once, he isn’t passing out from the liquor. It makes for a nice change.

  His eyes roam over Leo’s cut. “Did you come from the club?”

  “Yeah. New business brings new people to meet.”

  “How is everyone?”

  While it’s natural to talk about the club with Dad, technically, we shouldn’t. He laid down his cut and walked away. As of now, he has no business hearing about what’s going on or asking how anyone is. If he wants to know, he should set shit right with the brothers.

  Hope ignites, though. This is the first time he’s mentioned the club since Thanksgiving, and even Leo has perked up a little.

  “You should come back, see everyone for yourself,” Leo advises.

  I already know his answer before he speaks. He lifts the bottle to his lips and drains the last of his beer.

  “No,” he huffs, slinging the empty bottle on to the lawn.

  “What’s your plan, then, Slade? You gonna sit out here and drink yourself stupid for the rest of your life?”

  Listening to their back and forth is killing my buzz, so I take another hit on my joint.

  “That’s exactly my plan, boy.”

  Sighing, Leo murmurs, “India wouldn’t want this, and you know it.”

  “Don’t tell me what she would’ve wanted—she was my daughter. I know I’m letting her down, but you lose your daughter, and then you can come tell me how I should be.”

  The anger in dad’s voice is rising, but I can’t bring myself to calm him down. This is him grieving, and he needs to express it by whatever means he can. At least he’s acknowledging his sins.

  “I lost her too.”

  A sickly smile replaces Dad’s frown, looking all sorts of wrong.

  “Losing your fiancée is nothing compared to losing a child, and I hope you never have to feel that kind of pain for yourself.”

  Lifting himself out of his chair, his legs wobble as he makes his way inside, leaving Leo and I out in the cold.

  “It’s fun here, isn’t it?” I grunt, taking another hit.

  “You’re not helping the situation.”

  Here it comes, Leo knowing better than everyone else.

  “And if I find out you’re using India in some way to break Nina’s heart, I’ll kill you and send you to your sister myself so she can kick your ass too.”

  What the fuck? I wasn’t expecting this from him. He knows fuck all about me and Nina.

  “You know, Leo, you’re hurting now, but in time, you’ll move on, meet someone else. You’ll feel guilty at first, might even fight it, but there will come a day when you’ll fall in love with someone else, and my sister will become a memory of the past you don’t look back on all that much. I can never replace her. She was my fucking sister, and the hole in my soul can never be filled with someone else. You weren’t the only one who failed her that night. All I’m doing is making sure I don’t fail someone else in the ultimate way.”

  He’s on his feet before I can blink, hovering over me. Reaching down, he fists my hoodie and yanks me half off my ass.

  “Fuck you, Zach. Maybe if you felt for Nina half as much as what I felt for India, you wouldn’t be fucking her around. The first thing I did when your sister told me she was pregnant was think of the future, but you fucking pussy out like a true asshole. Just because it looks like you can replace your old lady, doesn’t mean I ever will.”

  He shoves me back, releasing his hold on me, and my joint is jolted from between my fingers.

  “India would be disappointed in you running out on your kid like some deadbeat. Don’t you ever sit yourself above me when you’re acting lower than scum.”

  He storms inside, and I jump up. Not sure why or what I plan on doing, I smash my fist into the railing post, enjoying the pain shooting up into my wrist.

  Once again, I’m the one who has no idea about anything or anyone, yet I know my own fucking feelings and thoughts.

  Yanking the back door open, I follow the sound of Leo’s voice into the hall, and find Mom crying as she kisses the top of Rayna’s head.

  “Try to keep it together in front of her. She doesn’t understand wh
y you’re upset,” Leo urges.

  Her eyes narrow.

  “You don’t speak to me. You’re in my house because of her. Never mistake it for anything else.”

  “You’re the one who’s mistaken, Kristen. I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for her. You think I want to see the blame in your eyes when I fight every day not to see it in my own? Hand her over, it’s time to go.”

  Mom clutches Rayna a little tighter before giving her up. The light Rayna sparks in her dims as Leo adjusts the kid on his hip and swings open the front door. Then, it completely vanishes when he slams it shut on his way out. Her chest deflates, and her shoulders sag with her absence. She holds herself, and that’s when I notice how small her wrists are. She’s lost a lot of weight since India’s death, and it doesn’t seem to be getting any better.

  “Do you want me to cook you something, Mom?” I offer.

  She doesn’t even hear me. Instead, she heads for the stairs, dragging herself slowly up each one until she disappears at the top. It’s always the same. She perks up around Rayna, and then returns to bed when she leaves.

  Sighing, I walk into the living room and fall onto the couch. Dad’s staring at the television, but he’s not watching anything.

  So, here I sit, wallowing in heartache with my parents, and I sink into my head. It’s seems to be working for them, so that’s just what I’ll do.

  Nina

  I’m so tired I could cry, but that would take more energy than I have right now. My lower back aches more than I ever imagined it could, and my feet are swollen to the size of balloons because of water retention. To make matters worse, I haven’t been able to sleep for more than an hour at a time in the last three days. It’s either the baby kicking me, stretching against my organs and ribs, or it’s because Zach’s not lying next to me. I can’t lie flat on my back, nor on my side. And sleeping sitting partially up against a mountain of pillows and cushions doesn’t really help either, but it’s my only option at this point.