My veins burn with the taste for vengeance. Tonight this bastard is going to die executioner style but not at her hands. I won’t let my wife have that on her heart no matter how I feel about her. I created this madness and sadness that exists between us. Look up pain in the dictionary and you’ll see our marriage. We’ve done nothing but hurt each other.
Placing my hand over Ruthie’s on the gun, I tell her, “Take Alexa and get out of here. This is between your old man and me.” The fear shining back at me through Alexa’s eyes nearly cuts me in two. He put his fucking hands on her for the last time.
Lion chuckles. “Never have liked you. You think you’re man enough to take me on?”
“Let Alexa go. It’s me you want. You’ve got me.”
He shoves Alexa into Ruthie and she eases her grip on the weapon but refuses to relinquish it to me. “Take her out of here,” she grits through her teeth. Alexa moves to my side clinging onto me for dear life.
I have a choice to make. Save the woman I love or defend the one I married. Ruthie is Rochelle’s mother, and I made a vow to love and protect her. It’s no choice. Not one anyone should have to make.
“No. This is club business. Let him answer for his sins. Drop the knife or I put you to ground without a fair trial.”
“If that’s how you want to play it.” The knife hits the floor, and he holds his palms out. “They’ll never side against me.”
I kick the knife away.
“Are you sure?” Ruthie asks.
“You and Alexa will stand as witnesses. He disrespected me by coming into my house and hurting what’s mine.” Ruthie shoots me a funny look, and I correct myself. “Alexa’s under my protection.”
“You sure that’s all it is?” Lion motions head toward Alexa curled into my side as though I’m her lifeline.
I ignore his accusation. Ruthie doesn’t need to know about Alexa and me. Not tonight. “He threatened you. Daughter or not you’re my wife. I won’t stand for anyone harming you. My family is my world. You know that. Your father doesn’t care about you or Rochelle. He spits on his patch and club. If he moves, shoot him.”
Ruthie strengthens her stance and clicks the safety off.
I squeeze Alexa’s hand, but don’t take my eyes off the enemy. “Go to the garage. There’s rope on the utility shelf.” I want to reassure her that everything is going to be fine, but the club could vote against me. Lion’s been Prez a long damn time. This shit could backfire and go sideways. It could be me who is cast out and not him.
**
Emergency church is in session. Lion sits at the head of the table, but he’s in chains. Ruthie and Alexa are sitting at the bar under the watchful eye of a prospect. This isn’t ideal or how I planned to take the bastard out, but here we are. Nickel, Lion’s right-hand man and VP glances around the room counting heads.
“I call this meeting to order. Brothers you have been called here tonight under unusual circumstances. I’m not going to waste anyone’s time. Let’s cut straight to it. Lion, you stand accused of breaking our code, of disrespecting a brother and his property. Murder claims you went to his home uninvited twice and assaulted someone under his protection. You are charged with not only sexual assault and battery but conspiring to deal Cloud Nine with the Dry Ridge Sinners after we voted against the deal. Do you deny these charges?”
“Fuck you. This is my club. None of you would be shit without me. I did what the rest of you were too pussy to. That girl was in the way. Murder had no right to offer her protection. We’re only here because he’s pissed I fucked his little cunt first. She begged me for it. Bitch was fucking dripping she wanted it so much.”
Grinding my teeth, I ball my fists, finding it hard to resist the urge to take him out right here. He’s baiting me, but I’m not playing his game.
“That true?” Nickel turns his questioning on me.
“No.”
Lion smirks. “He’s fuckin’ her all right.”
“Where I stick my dick has nothing to do with what you did. This isn’t about me. It’s about you and what a sick fuck you are. I went to prison for killing the worm food who hurt my sister. I have no problem doing time if it means I get to put you down and ensure you never touch another hair on Alexa’s head, but I wanted to do this right so there’d be no doubt that when you take your last breath it’s for good reason. You’re a traitor to that patch and don’t deserve to wear it.”
“And you think you do?”
“No, but someone better than you does.”
“Enough. Grudge, bring in the girl.”
The room goes quiet. Women are never allowed in on club business, but this is a rare exception. Grudge returns with Alexa and seeing her in the light...it’s worse than I thought. Holding ice to her mouth she’s brought to the front of the room. One glance around the table at their faces tells me my brothers don’t like what they are seeing any more than I do.
Bruised and spirit broken she stands before us with nothing to gain for it but everything to lose. If the club takes Lion’s side, it could mean a death sentence for not only me but Ruthie and Alexa. Papa knows if I go down Colter is to get Rochelle out of town. I may not be much of a father, but I won’t let her die in my name.
Blood related or not if Lion makes it out of this, he’ll wipe my family out.
“Do you understand what’s being asked of you?” Nickel begins
