White Knuckles

by Autumn Jones Lake

  “Where’s your girl?” Loco asks me while keeping an eye on Teller.

  I narrow my eyes, considering whether I want to answer. “Somewhere safe.”

  From behind Loco, I catch Rock nodding.

  Loco jerks his head toward Kidd. “He hurt her?”

  “I don’t think so. I haven’t had a chance to talk to her yet.”

  He nods slowly. “Business. Brotherhood first. Yeah.” He bobs his head up and down a few more times like now he respects me or whatever.

  Fucking asshole.

  I glance at Rock and this time he shakes his head, as if he knows I want to put a bullet in Loco’s face. Or at least a fist in his throat.

  Unfortunately, Loco storms over to Kidd next. “You went behind my back to work with that fuckin’ slob. You serious, cuz?”

  Kidd, of course, can’t answer. Whatever he mumbles at Loco doesn’t sound all that respectful, though.

  He rips the gag off Kidd’s mouth and pistol whips him. Murphy comes up next to me. “This should be entertaining.” He chuckles softly, his shoulder bumping against my arm.

  “Teller okay?” I ask in a low voice.

  Murphy’s laughter stops. “He’ll be all right. Eventually.”

  Rock strolls over, shaking his head. “I really don’t have all night for this bullshit,” he grumbles.

  “No kidding.” I have a wedding tomorrow.

  He gives me a sympathetic nod and returns to Loco’s side.

  “I been tryin’ to teach him how to focus. Lay low. But he gotta be flamboyant all the time, ya know?” Loco shouts to Rock.

  “Yeah,” Rock agrees.

  Murphy and I join Rock. We have some questions for Kidd. Who else was working with Ransom? What else were they planning? I’m so irritated, I’m ready to beat the information out of him and anyone who gets in my way.

  “Fuck you,” Kidd spits. “You lettin’ these fools run your business. It’s bullshit.”

  “So you go behind my back? Outside the family?”

  “Loco,” Rock says, trying to grab the gangster’s attention. I guess he feels the ranting has gone on long enough.

  “What?” Loco asks, whipping his head around.

  “We need to wrap this up. You takin’ him with you?”

  “No. Fuck that.” Loco pulls out his pistol, and none of us are close enough to stop him from shooting Kidd in the face.

  The blast is deafening. The aftermath, gory.

  “Jesus Christ,” Rock snaps. “What the fuck’d you do that for? We needed more information from him.”

  Loco stares at his gun as if he just noticed it in his hands. “Shit. Sorry. I’m a little worked up.” He glances at his dead cousin again. “Shit. I shoulda found out if anyone else in my crew was helpin’ him.”

  “Ya think?” Rock growls.

  Embarrassment’s a big thing to a gangster like Loco. Only one thing’s worse than being criticized by the people you do business with—having them laugh at you. He takes a step back, smooths his hands over his hair and down his sides, trying to magically erase the hot-headedness we all witnessed.

  Rock shoots a look my way. I guess checking to make sure I won’t open my mouth and make the situation worse. Behind Rock, Z has his pistol in hand—watching Loco’s every move.

  “Fuck,” Loco says. “I told your boys the other day. He and I were tight. This betrayal—”

  “I understand,” Rock says, setting aside his irritation for the good of getting this night over with.

  “What can I do?” Loco asks.

  “Well, now we got another body to bury,” I say stepping forward.

  Loco’s face twists in disgust. “That’s a lot of work.”

  I flick my gaze at Rock, who’s rolling his eyes. “You can go. We’ll handle it.” Then Rock explains in detail how exactly we plan to handle it, and I swear Loco sways on his feet—close to passing out.

  “No. No. My cuz. My mess. I’ll help. Just seems…excessive.”

  “We’re not afraid to get dirty,” I say.

  “Especially if it keeps us out of jail,” Rock adds.

  Loco stares at us for a few seconds, like it finally dawned on him this isn’t the first time we’ve disposed of a few bodies. “Good point.” Nervous laughter follows his words. “So this is why enemies of Lost Kings go missing. Never seen or heard from again.”

  The cold smiles we give him instead of an answer wipe the silly grin right off his face.

  Hours pass while I wait with Sparky in the car. A vehicle I don’t recognize passes us, heading down the driveway. Not long after, there’s a gunshot that makes Sparky reach for his revolver and a blunt. Before he lights up, I pluck it out of his hands. “You need to drive home eventually.”

  Ignoring his pleading eyes, I tuck the blunt inside the pocket of my hoodie. “You can have it later.”

  Nothing happens for so long, anxiety creeps up on me and I wish I’d let Sparky light up. I could’ve used the contact high.

  “I’ll text Z,” he says, as if he read my mind. A few minutes later he receives an answer. “They’re whole.”

  I recognize LOKI’s van drive in next and figure someone brought up something to help bury a body or three.

  “This was the perfect wedding present for him, Trin,” Sparky blurts out.

  A snort flies out of me. “I think a watch would’ve been easier.”

  “Yeah, but this means more.”

  I doze for a while.

  A few hours later, the unfamiliar car leaves. Three dark figures come jogging down the road. One’s so big it can only be Wrath. I fling open the door and run to him. He catches me, pulling me tight to his body, but not saying a word. While we’re holding on to each other, the scents of earth, smoke, and something else much more unpleasant fill my nose. I back away, coughing and his mouth flattens into a grim line.

  “You’re riding with me,” he says when I stop gagging.

  I wheeze a relieved breath. God, I hope that means this night is almost over.

  The rest of the guys join us. While Wrath talks to Rock and Z, I notice Teller standing by himself at the edge of the group. Sliding up next to him, I nudge his arm.

  “You all right?”

  He turns his head slowly and glances down at me. He seems off. Fuzzy and unfocused, so I wrap my arms around him for a quick hug. After a second, he returns the embrace. “I’m good, Trin.”

  Pulling away, I tap his chest. “You’re one of the best.”

  “Did they…hurt you?” he asks.

  “Nope.” I force a smile for his sake. “You guys got there in time.”

  Before I’m able to say anything else to Teller, Wrath jogs over. “Let’s get out of here.”

  “Fuck yeah,” Teller mumbles.

  “T, you’re with me,” Rock calls out.

  Wrath punches his shoulder lightly. “Go have a chat with Dad. It’ll do you good.”

  Teller finally smirks and lets out a quick laugh. “Thanks.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

  I’ve never been so happy to see the clubhouse.

  If I’m this bone-weary, I can’t imagine how the guys feel. Z drove us home and barely said a word. Wyatt tossed his stained sweatshirt on the floor, then wrapped himself around me in the back seat of Z’s SUV and held me the whole way home.

  I’m empty. Can’t think about anything that happened. Or what could have happened.

  Tonight I shot a man, and I don’t have a speck of remorse.

  One of the guys most likely finished Ransom off. I’m not bothered by that, either.

  Ransom made it clear what he planned to do to me. Plus, I know how he treated Mariella and who knows how many other women over the years. I don’t feel anything over his death. Except maybe relief that there’s one less evil person in the world.

  No, I do feel something—gratefulness to be part of this large family who protects its own with everything they have. No matter how fucked up things were tonight, every time fear crept in, my faith that Wy
att would rescue me never wavered.

  I let myself be dragged to the edge of hell, because I knew Wyatt and the club were coming for me.

  In the living room, Hope’s curled up on one of the couches sound asleep. Someone covered her with a blanket, probably Ravage, since he’s sitting at the other end of the couch keeping watch over her.

  Rock steps in behind me and surveys the scene in front of us. Immediately, Ravage jumps up. “She wouldn’t go home, prez.”

  “It’s fine.” He strides over and sits next to her, gently running his hand over her arm. “We’re back, baby doll,” he says softly.

  She blinks and sits up, throwing her arms around him. I catch her wrinkled nose when she pulls away and assume Rock’s covered in the same dark scents Wrath brought back with him.

  “Trin?” She tosses off the blanket and hurries over, throwing her arms around me. We stand there like that for a while, not saying anything. Finally she pulls back and looks me over. Surprised I’m not covered in blood maybe.

  Well, not too much blood anyway.

  Rock stands and motions Ravage and Dex to the war room. “I need you two…” their voices trail off as Rock closes the door behind them.

  Wyatt steps into the clubhouse. “I’ll be back in a few,” he says, touching my side on his way to the war room.

  Hope watches him for a second, then turns back to me. “You’re all right?”

  “I’m solid.”

  Her gaze strays to the door. “Is everyone else…okay?”

  “Yes.”

  “Good.”

  We had planned to have our version of a slumber party the night before my wedding, but now I can’t even think of it. “I need to sleep in my own bed.”

  “I figured. I just…needed to make sure you came home safe.” Her voice catches on the last word.

  I grab her for another hug then stumble down the hall to my room.

  It’s not too much later when Wyatt enters our bedroom. I’ve been drifting in and out of sleep while I waited for him.

  “You can turn the light on,” I whisper.

  “Nah, I’m fine.”

  The bathroom door closes and the shower starts up. I must drift off again, because what seems like seconds later, Wyatt’s warm solid body is behind mine, pulling me against him.

  “Got your alarm set?” he whispers.

  “Mmmhmm.”

  His arm flexes, anchoring me to him. Reminding me he’ll do anything in his power to keep me safe.

  He kisses the side of my head and whispers in my ear, “Big day tomorrow.”

  Despite the grizzly business we took care of tonight, there’s a festive atmosphere in the war room.

  Sparky lights up as soon as he steps inside.

  “Your woman owes me a blunt,” he informs me.

  “Thanks for sticking around and staying with her.”

  He drops the goofy smile and pulls me in for a quick embrace. Because I’m feeling celebratory myself, I pick him up, holding him off the ground for a big bear hug.

  “Put me down, motherfucker!” he yelps, kicking one of the chairs over.

  He laughs as I set him down. Each of my brothers makes a point of coming over to give me a fist bump or back slap.

  Everyone except Stash, who’s the last one to stumble into the war room. Since we had the situation under control, after the cops let him go, we told him to head home.

  “I’m so sorry, brother,” he says as soon as he sees me. “I was so focused on not losing sight of her, I wasn’t thinking—”

  He looks so miserable, I can’t even ream him out. “It all worked out.”

  Rock asks us to sit down at the table for a few minutes.

  “Kidd was the one helping Ransom?” Dex asks.

  “Yeah. Loco’s such a fuckin’ hothead, he put a bullet in Kidd before we were able to question him.” Rock’s clearly still fuckin’ pissed. So am I. It would have been nice to know what other shit Ransom might have set in motion.

  “That explains how Ransom got away with hiding out in Ironworks,” Murphy says. “Kidd musta been feeding Loco bullshit when we asked for their help, too.”

  “He better pray that’s all that was going down,” Teller grumbles.

  A niggling thought that’s been hovering in the back of my mind fully forms. “Rock,” I say to get his attention. “Ransom knew stuff Kidd wouldn’t have been able to tell him.”

  Z sits forward, pinning me with a fierce expression. “Like what?”

  I try to remember exactly what it was he said, but it won’t come to me. Closing my eyes, I go over all the details from the night. “I don’t know.”

  “Sleep on it,” Rock says. “It’ll come to you when you’re not expecting it.” He takes in the rest of the guys. “Glad no one was hurt.” He nods at Stash. “Or thrown in jail.”

  Couple of the guys punch Stash’s arms. It’ll be a long time until he lives tonight down.

  Rock finally claps his hands together. “Big day tomorrow.” He grins my way. “He’s finally crowning his queen.” His stare turns more serious as he glances at each one of us. “You all owe Trinity for puttin’ herself on the line for this club.”

  Z reaches across the table and slaps my hand. “She’s one badass little bitch. Don’t ever piss her off.”

  I finally shake off the rest of the darkness that followed me home and laugh. “Fuckin’ A.” That’s when it hits me. “The wedding. Ransom knew our wedding was this week. That’s why he hit the gym.”

  Rock drops back into his chair. “That’s right.”

  “I don’t even think Loco knew.”

  Outside the war room, Hope’s waiting. Without asking, she wraps her arms around me. After a minute she looks up. “You know I’d be pissed if you got hurt, right?”

  “Is that your way of saying you don’t think I’m an asshole anymore?”

  She chuckles and pulls away from me. “No. You’re still a big jerk. Just a kinder, gentler jerk.”

  I laugh so hard, my eyes water.

  “Go,” she says, smacking my chest. “You got your way after all. Ruined our slumber party.”

  “Doubt he’ll be able to do much about it,” Rock says, slipping an arm around her waist.

  “No kidding. Night.”

  Trinity’s asleep, and although I try to be careful not to wake her, she ends up mumbling a few words at me before turning over.

  There aren’t many emotions I experience with much intensity. Love for Trinity. Love for my brothers, my club family. Those are about the only civil feelings I have.

  Before Trinity, violence calmed me. Fighting. Unleashing my anger on others in a semi-controlled place.

  Now, she’s my peace.

  Tomorrow, she’s mine forever.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

  Five hours before the wedding…

  What feels like only minutes later, I’m woken up by my phone ringing. Rolling over to grab it, I realize I’m alone. A shot of panic jolts me until I hear the shower running.

  “What?” I snarl into the phone.

  “Mr. Ramsey? This is Investigator Brand.”

  “Oh.” I crane my neck to check the time. “It’s fuckin’ early.”

  “Yeah. I need to meet with you.”

  “Now?”

  “Sometime today.”

  “It’s a busy day for me.” Never mind that I’m getting married in five hours, I’m wary of how insistent this prick is. The thug in me is worried it’s a set-up so they can arrest me.

  “I can come to you.” I hear him shuffling through papers in the background. “Except all I got is a p.o. box over in Sterling.”

  Yeah, he ain’t coming here. “You know where Hog Heaven is?” I ask.

  “That’s way the fuck out in the boonies.”

  His annoyance makes me chuckle. “Best I can do.”

  “Fine. I can be there in an hour.”

  The shower’s still running when we hang up. I sneak into the bathroom, prepared to give my bride an early, or
gasmic wedding present, but she shuts the water off as I’m pulling my shorts down.

  “Hey,” I call out.

  She yelps and opens the shower door, steam escaping into the bathroom. “What are you doing in here?”

  “I want to fuck you.”

  An innocent smile curves her lips. “No sex before the wedding.”

  “I need to meet with Investigator Brand in an hour.”

  She steps out, wrapping her body in one towel and her hair in another. “Now?” She meets my eyes. “I don’t like it. Sounds like a set-up.”

  “I thought so, too.”

  She stands there chewing on her lip. “What are you going to do?”

  “I want to find out what he thinks is so fucking important this early on a Saturday morning.”

  Her worried honey eyes finally meet mine. “He couldn’t…there’s no way he knows…about last night, right?”

  “Doubt it.” I hate upsetting her on our wedding day with this shit. “Hey, it’s probably nothing. I’m meeting him down at Hog Heaven. I’ll be at the park before you even get there.”

  “Hog Heaven, huh?” Her lips quirk. “Brand tries to arrest you there, crusty old Frank might shoot him.”

  I snort at the way she describes Hog Heaven’s owner. “Yeah, that’s what I was thinking.”

  Rock doesn’t have the same faith in Frank that Trin does.

  “No fucking way. You’re not going by yourself,” he snaps as soon as I explain where I’m headed.

  “I gotta go see what he wants. Last thing I need is him puttin’ out a warrant.”

  “Christ,” he says, stepping back and opening his front door wider. “Get in here. Let me make a call before we go.”

  I don’t bother arguing with him. It will take longer, and in the end he’ll get his way, so I might as well chill for a few minutes.

  Turns out I didn’t wake anyone. The whole house is already up. I have a feeling it has more to do with Alexa’s unhappy wailing than wedding prep. That’s confirmed a few minutes later when Murphy carries a red-faced Alexa into the kitchen. “Hey, she okay?”

  He turns as if he hadn’t even noticed me there. “No. Can you hold her a sec?” He thrusts her into my arms before I answer, which is fine. She stops screaming in favor of pulling at my beard and drooling on me.