by Jen Davis
“So, we have justice,” Pete said grimly.
Kane pulled a water bottle out of the refrigerator. “No.” He took a gulp, then wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “David Bennett and Billy Meers. They’ve got a hand in this.” He didn’t mention Mandy’s father. He wasn’t ready to share every detail with the club.
Malcolm jumped to his feet, forcing Mama V to stumble back. “Meers? You know this for a fact?”
“It was the last thing Sergei said before his brains met the wall.” He paused, waiting for the enormity of killing a man to hit him, but…nothing. “The Soldiers were in queue to take over the guns from us. They’re the ones who tipped off the Russians we were selling to Ace.”
“I’m gonna kill him.” Malcolm’s teeth clenched so tightly, his words were almost unintelligible. He stuck a cigarette between his lips and lit the end. After a deep drag, he laughed darkly. “No. I’m gonna gut his son right in front of him. Then I’m gonna kill him.”
Kane had no objection. He wanted to burn the whole goddamn world.
Frank stumbled in, his left arm in a sling. “Whatever you guys are planning, I’m in.”
“No offense, brother, but you look like a stiff wind could knock you over.” He shook his head.
Frank opened his mouth to argue, then stood with his jaw hanging open. “The fuck you do to your hair, man?”
He ran his hand over the shaggy, uneven pieces. “Yeah, well, I guess I missed my chance at a modeling career.” The scar on his cheek pulled tight with his mocking smile. “Last time I checked, though, I didn’t need to be pretty to get justice for my brother’s murder.”
Mama V choked back a sob at the stark reminder. She looked like a ghostly shell of herself, her hair unteased and no make-up on her face. Without her high heels, she seemed so much smaller.
And, he realized grimly, this would be the first year she’d miss the after-Christmas sale to shop for his father.
“We need to strike before they realize we’re onto them,” he said briskly. “But first, we need a plan.”
Maybe plan was too strong of a word. They only needed an alibi, a time, and a formation. The location of the club’s headquarters was common knowledge. They were likely too cocky to be concerned about retaliation, but he didn’t want to take chances with the brothers he had left standing.
“We cut the head off the dragon. Yes, we want to get them all, but Meers and Bennett are our priorities.”
“Meers is mine,” Malcolm seethed. “I’ll make him pay, one president to another.”
Kane ignored him. “First thing we need to do is be seen out and about. Preferably somewhere with cameras. The bank, the hospital parking garage. Maybe some of you can go light some candles at St. John’s. Folks will remember seeing you there.” The church wasn’t far from the Soldiers’ base in Druid Hills.
Everyone got an assignment, then agreed to meet back in the woods near the Soldiers’ property around five-thirty. Frank and the prospect were the exceptions. They’d keep watch over Cue Ball in case he got any unexpected visitors at the hospital.
When they arrived on Meers’ property, though, they found the house dark and deserted. So, they waited. It couldn’t have gone smoother. Men arrived one at a time, and the Skulls picked them off like low-hanging fruit, hiding each body and bike behind the tree line. They took out six Soldiers in succession.
Meers, himself, showed up afterward, flanked by two big bastards. Two big bastards who dropped like flies thanks to Pete’s unfailing aim. To his credit, Meers didn’t try to run or even reach for his own weapon as his men fell at his feet.
Malcolm left the cover of darkness to face him in the driveway. Kane followed two steps behind. “You’re lucky your boy isn’t here,” Malcolm rumbled.
Meers grimaced. “I heard about Scott. He wasn’t the target.”
“He was collateral damage, so it’s okay he’s dead?” Malcolm moved closer. “Tell me, Billy, who was the target? Me? My other son? My club?”
“You.” Meers didn’t hesitate. “You were supposed to be home. The idea was to cut the head off the snake.”
Kane smiled grimly at the irony.
“We figured your death would drive the club into chaos. One son without the discipline to lead in your absence, the other without the desire.” Meers looked meaningfully at Kane and the Glock clutched tightly in his hand. “Guess we were wrong about a lot of things.” He folded his hands in front of him, like in prayer, closed his eyes, and dropped his chin to his chest.
Waiting.
Malcolm raised his gun and blew a hole in the center of the man’s forehead.
They waited another hour, but no one else showed up. The guys rolled up the bodies in tarps before tossing them in the back of Scott’s old pick-up. Hopefully, there would be room in those barrels of sulfuric acid where they’d disposed of Sucre’s crew a few weeks back.
He wasn’t sure how long it took acid to eat through bones, but he had no doubt his brothers would figure something out. He lined all the bikes up behind the house, as if the owners had just parked them there for the night. Then he doubled back through the trees to where his bike waited about a mile away. They hadn’t killed Bennett, but Kane would find him soon enough, and when he did, the man was dead.
***
Kane woke up the next morning to a gentle hand running over his hair. When he opened his eyes and saw Mandy, for a moment he forgot his resolve to leave her. He wrapped his hand around her slender arm and pulled her against his chest.
She smelled of hope and lavender. Her skin was silky and soft, her lips so close and irresistible.
Without thinking, he captured her mouth. She tasted like coffee and chocolate, delicious and warm and perfect. Her tongue curled around his own, coaxing his dick to attention.
Pulling away, she whispered, “Where have you been? I’ve been so worried.”
And with her innocent question, the brief respite from his life crumbled into a puff of smoke. “Scott is dead.” No use sugar-coating it.
Mandy gasped, her hand covering her mouth in horror. He didn’t doubt her sincerity for a second. As much as she disliked his brother, she never wished for his death. “How?”
“How do you think?” he growled. “Your father made good on his promise. He made me pay.”
“My father? He killed Scott?” She shook her head in disbelief.
“He didn’t pull the trigger, but yeah. He set the wheels in motion.” He climbed out of the bed and pulled on a pair of jeans over the boxers he’d slept in. “One of my other guys is dead too. Two are hurt. The shit’s hitting the fan.”
She rose to her knees on the mattress. “What can I do?”
Turning to the dresser, he started digging for a clean shirt, then froze. His face burned with the knowledge she could see her name inked across his back. Had she known it was there? He couldn’t remember giving her his back before.
It was too late to hide it now. He turned back, the shirt clutched in his hand. She didn’t mention it, though; she didn’t say anything about his hair either. “You need to go. It’s not safe to be around me right now.”
She moved forward and put her palm over his heart. He flinched back at the contact. “What are you saying?” she whispered. “Are you in danger?”
He dragged the shirt over his head. “No. I am the danger.”
She stood to face him. “I’m not afraid of you. You would never hurt me.”
“I killed a man,” he said harshly, and her eyes widened. “After I left you. Merry fucking Christmas. You still want me now?”
“Always.” She touched his arm, and he shook her off.
“You’re not listening to me. I killed someone. I blew his fucking brains out, and I would do it again. I probably will do it again, if I can get my hands on the rest of the bastards responsible for what happened to Scott.” He wrapped his hands around her upper arms and shook her gently. “You do not want me in your life, baby. Right now, I’m poison.”
He
r fingers clutched the necklace he gave her for Christmas. God, it felt like a lifetime ago. “But you love me,” she whispered.
“God, woman, of course I love you. I always have and I probably always will.” The words felt ripped from his chest. “It doesn’t mean we can make this work. Sometimes, love isn’t enough. Or maybe, I love you too much to let you near this toxic life of mine. Either way, the end result is the same.”
“Don’t do this, Kane.” Her green eyes shone with unshed tears. “We’re better together. We’re stronger together.”
“No.” His voice was implacable.
She made a broken sound in the back of her throat. “It was supposed to be forever this time.”
He walked past her into the living room, where he pulled on a jacket and stuffed his feet into the boots beside the door. “You can’t be involved in this world, Mandy.” He summoned the words that refused to leave his memory, even after years of trying to chase them away. “Don’t call me; I won’t answer. Don’t try to see me. I love you, but you are no longer part of my life.” He opened the door and spoke without looking back. “Leave the key under the mat on your way out.”
Heart in his throat, he walked away and closed the door, leaving the love of his life behind him.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Amanda
Amanda managed to hold it together until Kane closed the door behind him. Only then did she walk woodenly back to his bed and curl up into a ball. His pillow still smelled like him. Would she have to go the rest of her life without smelling him again? Would the memory of it melt away as it had before?
Would she have to go back to the half-life she’d been living without him in it? The idea of it opened the floodgate of tears she’d held back in front of him. Clutching his pillow to her, she let her agony escape in heaving sobs.
It wasn’t fair. They’d just found their way back to each other. And once again, her father was getting his way. He always did.
She cried for what felt like hours until all her tears ran dry. When she sat up, her insides felt hollow, like someone had scooped her out and left only the shell in place. She’d hoped never to feel such emptiness again.
There had to be a way to stop all this. God knew Kane wouldn’t listen to her, but maybe there was someone else who could get through to him. She picked up her phone and scrolled through her contacts until she found the name she was looking for.
Brick’s voicemail picked up.
“Hi. This is Amanda Griffin. First, I want to thank you for your help at the site last week. If you and the other guys hadn’t been there, I don’t know what would have happened to me. I’m calling because I need your help again. Kane needs your help.” She drew a shaky breath. “Someone killed his brother. I think my dad had something to do with it. Now, Kane—he’s not himself—I’m afraid for him. And he wants nothing to do with me. I’m begging you. Please help him. He needs a friend. I’m going to go deal with my dad. Maybe between the two of us, we can keep this from getting worse.”
She disconnected without saying goodbye. There was no way to know when Brick would get her message or if he’d take her seriously, but it was time to do her part.
Climbing from the bed, she stood in front of the mirror and put herself to rights. She wouldn’t give her father the satisfaction of seeing her disheveled. Fresh lipstick and a comb through her hair left her looking almost as good as new.
She fought the urge to take the pillow with her when she walked out of the room. Instead, she stopped to scribble a short note and left it on the table. As he’d asked, she put the key under the mat on her way out.
***
No traffic slowed her down on the way to her father’s house, so Amanda made it there in quick time. Normally he wouldn’t be there during the week, but his office was closed between Christmas and New Year’s.
She let herself in the front door, and Terrence scuttled over in dismay. “Miss Griffin. Is your father expecting you?”
“No. Where is he?” She hated putting the kind old man in the center of her family problems, but she knew him well enough to recognize he wouldn’t simply leave her alone.
“He’s in the study, ma’am, but—”
No longer listening, she marched straight back to the room her father used as an office. He was bent over the desk, rifling through some papers.
“What did you do, Dad?” She was proud her voice didn’t waver at all.
He didn’t pretend to misunderstand. Straightening, he looked at her coolly. “I did what needed to be done. Kane Hale has been a burr on the heel of this household since the day you met him. I tried to be patient. I tried to let you find your way on your own, but you couldn’t see past your schoolgirl infatuation.”
“It’s not an infatuation. I love him. I always have. Your unwillingness to accept it doesn’t make it any less true.” All it did was reinforce her decision to cut her father out of her life.
“I still have the video, you know.” He gestured vaguely toward his computer. “I warned you way back then there was no statute of limitations on murder. Did you think I was bluffing, darling? Obviously, Mr. Hale made it through the confrontation with his rival motorcycle gang. He’s like a roach,” he muttered. “So obviously, I need to come at this another way. The way I should have years ago. I’ll turn the video over to the authorities.”
“You’ll do no such thing,” she warned.
“Won’t I?” He chuckled. “Tell me, dear daughter, why would I not? You have shown me your word is meaningless. You backed out on our agreement for you to stay away from him, not to mention how you reneged on our deal about Nathan.” He looked over her shoulder. “And speak of the devil.”
Fear pulling her muscles tight, she whirled to face the man she’d hoped never to see again.
“Amanda,” he said smoothly. “So lovely to see you, pet.” All signs of the bruising on his skin had faded to muted yellows and greens.
She took a step back and bumped into her father’s desk. “Stay away from me. There’s a restraining order against you.” Her eyes flicked to her father. “He tried to kill me the last time we saw each other. I told you what happened!”
Nathan laughed and it was a chilling sound. “You do love to exaggerate. Obviously, you’re fine.”
Her dad picked up his keys from the desk. “You two obviously have a lot to work out. I’ve got an appointment.” He narrowed his eyes at Nathan. “I’m sure she’ll still be breathing when I return.”
“I think I can manage.” Nathan patted her father’s shoulder as he passed. “And you can count on my support next November, Governor.”
The door clicked closed after her dad walked out, leaving her alone with the man who almost strangled her to death.
He advanced toward her. “You’ve been a very naughty girl, Amanda. I think it’s time for a long overdue talk.”
***
Kane
Kane stared, dumbstruck, at the small, wrapped package on the clubhouse kitchen table. His mother, even in the depths of her grief, found a way to buy Malcolm a birthday present.
How long had it been sitting there?
He wanted to hurl it against the wall just for existing. He wanted to shake his mother. Punch his father. What the fuck kind of circular pointless existence did they all live in where this shit never, ever changed?
His hand curled to snatch it, when someone beat on the front door. Was it the cops? David Bennett? The Russians? Only one way to find out.
He pulled open the door. “Brick? What are you doing here?”
“Repaying a favor.” The big man barged in. “I heard about your brother, man. I’m sorry.”
He gaped. “How do you even know? How did you find me?”
“You forget I used to be part of this world,” Brick scoffed. “You weren’t really hard to find. Listen, your girl called me.”
“Mandy?” An irrational jolt of jealousy shot through him.
“Don’t look at me like I’m trying to steal her, dumbass. I
have my own woman.” Brick pushed his shoulder. “Listen, you came to me once when Olivia was scared for me. I was in a world of hurt, and you really helped me out. Now your girl is worried about you. You’re in a dark place, a very dark place. The thing is, there’s a bigger reason I’m here. I think you might need to be worried about her. She went to go confront her father.”
He had cocked his arm back to return the forceful tap to Brick’s shoulder, but he dropped his hand when the words registered. “He wouldn’t hurt her.”
Brick shrugged. “I wouldn’t put anything past him.” He rubbed his neck uneasily. “I didn’t get into the details of this with you before because I didn’t think it would help any. But after I dragged her ex off the build site—the day he hurt her—he was spouting off in the truck, saying the mayor was his bitch. Apparently, Amanda’s dad wants to be governor, and he thinks her ex can give him the keys to the kingdom. The dude said flat out he could do anything he wanted to her as long as she was still breathing when he was done.” His hands balled into fists. “Took all I had not to beat his ass all over again, but I thought he was only making noise, you know? Now your girl’s walking back into her father’s house. You trust him not to sell her out again?”
Not a chance.
“C’mon.” Brick tilted his head toward the door. “I’ll drive you.”
***
Amanda
Amanda pulled the phone out of her coat pocket, holding it low behind her father’s desk as she dialed 9-1-1. Putting it on speaker, she dropped it face down on the chair beside her. With the volume low, she couldn’t be sure someone answered, but she could hope. “Stay back, Nathan. Leave me alone.”
“Ah, pet, you know I can’t. You’ve been a bad girl and you need to be punished.” He took a menacing step toward her.
She backed away quickly, and he pursued. “My father is the mayor. We’re in his house, for God’s sake. You can’t plan on hurting me here.” Please, please God let the police figure out where to go.