Page 65 of All That Glitters

“What the hell happened to you?” I blurt out. Kruger looks at me and clenches his teeth, but he doesn’t speak. He nods to Havoc. I turn to look at the man, who is now glaring at me.

“If you give me a fucking minute, I’ll tell you.”

I bite my tongue as he looks around, daring someone else to interrupt. When they don’t, he continues. “When Driller attacked Nevaeh, he admitted to her that he raped Lola.”

He holds up his hand before anyone says anything, but I think none of us are surprised. Disgusted, sure, but not surprised. We’d already figured out he was hitting her. It was all about control for the asshole.

“I went to talk to Lola and find out exactly what happened when I was inside.”

He rubs a hand over his face. He starts the story by telling us how she had no idea Driller planned to take Havoc’s place. In fact, she had no idea Havoc wasn’t coming home at all until Driller turned up and told her. She was made Driller’s old lady without her consent.

“He tried to rape her so she told him she was pregnant, something she hadn’t had a chance to tell me yet. And Driller decided to solve that problem for her by—” He swallows hard, each of us hung up on his words.

“He kicked the baby out of her. I won’t tell you about all the other instances he raped or beat her. I’m not sure Hannibal even knows everything. Kruger’s bruises are from him. Kruger opened his mouth, and Hannibal filled it. The thing is, Kruger was only saying shit everyone was saying. No one failed that woman more than I did, but every man and woman at that chapter had a hand in her abuse because they turned their back on her. Same here to some degree. That ends today. If one bad word is spoken about her, I’ll end you myself. I can never go back and make things right. I can’t fix what I broke, but I can make sure she has the club at her back from now on.”

G stands up and slaps him on the shoulder. “I stand with you. I’m sorry, Havoc. It doesn’t mean much, but we’ve got yours and Tink’s backs, and we’ve got Lola’s too.”

Probe eases to his feet, his hand on his chest. “I stand with you.”

I stand up, and every other brother follows suit as we stare at Havoc. He’s holding it together far better than I would be. Jesus Christ, what a fucking mess.

“Lola gave birth this week to my nephew,” he chokes out, and fuck, every man in this room feels that razor blade of pain in his voice. “As far as Hannibal is concerned, that boy is his, and I dare any of you to tell him differently.”

A few people snicker, but I’m stuck on his words. How is it that simple for Hannibal? Or maybe it is that simple, and I’m the one complicating shit.

“I’m going to give them some space. I owe them that much. But when the time’s right, I’m going to head back down there and try to…I don’t know. Make amends or fix things. I have to do something. I don’t know if I can ever make things right, but I’m gonna try.”

“I say we come with you. Like you said, you aren’t the only one who fucked up. Maybe it’s time we show Lola what Ravens are supposed to be about,” Capone adds, earning a lot of agreement from the others.

“So it’s settled. I’ll let you know when I have a date in mind. Dismissed.”

I stay where I am as everyone else files out, leaving just me, Havoc, and G, who stares at me with cool detachment. He’s still pissed with me for the way shit went down. Hell, Havoc is too, but he’s been distracted with everything else going on.

“You need something, Midas?” Havoc asks.

“Yeah. I need you to get Legs to do a DNA test.”

They both look at me with cold eyes, but G answers. “No.”

“A brother has a right to know if he’s going to be a father.”

“Does he? I don’t see any of the brothers beating down the fucking door asking for the test. Seems to me, yet again, this shit is about you. You want to know who the father is, that’s all.”

“He should be paying child support,” I snap. “She’s living in a shitty apartment?—”

“And how do you know that, Midas?” Havoc asks, folding his arms across his chest.

“I just wanted to make sure she was safe.”

“She’s fine,” G argues. “And until a brother comes asking for a test, you have zero say in this.”

“Fuck you, G.”

He jumps up. “No, fuck you. What makes you think the father doesn’t already know? And while we’re on the subject, why assume the baby daddy is a brother, anyway? Legs is single and has been the whole time she was here. She can fuck whoever she wants, just like you did.”

I move to grab him, but Havoc gets between us. “Enough!” he roars. Both of us step back, chests heaving. “You want to fight this out, you take it to the fucking ring. But hear this, Midas, Legs is not a Raven anymore. She’s not an old lady or club property. You saw to that. I let it pass because I knew it’s what she needed. You got what you wanted so I suggest you sort your fucking head out before every other brother here drags you into the ring too.”

I drop my head and sigh. The room goes quiet as I pull myself together.