Page 18

Chapter 18

Untrustworthy Revelations

Ryder

Everything is fucked and I need Jade and Ace to get back to the States, ASAP. I don’t know if this was a direct attack from Kai or a new player, but I’m sick of this fucking shit. I can’t fucking find Slash. No one has heard from him in twelve hours. Jameson is busy with the kids, and I’m not sure what the fuck to do at the moment as I stand in a pile of fucking rubble at the clubhouse.

Thankfully, no one was here, but fuck, the clubhouse is no more; it’s a pile of fucking ash with a message spray painted on the metal gates. “Boom.” Jameson is working on amping up the security at home and at all our businesses. We knew this was going to happen, but we didn’t think it would be this fast. Spade said they would get on the first flight out, but Jade’s going to have to go back to help Flynn. We need to get things settled here before my sister starts traveling pregnant. We have to be on super high alert for now until we figure out who attacked us.

Kicking a piece of wood, I pace the grounds, waiting for the others to get here. The cops said it was a gas leak from someone leaving the burners on, but I know that’s bullshit. How did they not see the message out on the gates, or is it because the clubhouse is in the shitty part of town that they are none the wiser? Who fucking knows at this point. My phone pings and I reach into my pocket, taking it out. Reading the text, I tighten my grip around my phone.

Teagan:

Get my message?

I growl. Slamming my fingers down on the screen, texting her back.

Me:

You did this?

Teagan:

Only way to get your attention since your boy toy isn’t available to play with.

Me:

Well, Teagan, you have my mother fucking attention. What is it that you want?

Teagan:

Meet me at the warehouse and come alone.

Me:

Why so you can kill me? I’m good, crazy lady.

Teagan:

Your boy toy arrives in two hours. It would be a pity to have his SUV blown up before he can even take his phone off airplane mode.

Me:

You’re playing with fire.

Teagan:

I am the fire. You just need to make the choice. You're either the water to put me out or the gasoline to set me ablaze. Choose wisely.

Me:

Fuck you.

Teagan:

Tick-tock. Twenty Minutes.

Getting on my Harley, I start her up, throw my helmet on, kick it in gear, and hightail it out of the compound. I need to end this shit once and for all. I’m sick of lying to the ones I love. I just want everyone safe. Is that too much to fucking ask for? I didn’t even want this life. Ryker knew that. We’ve had conversations upon conversations about me leaving. He saw I was backing away from Kayla, and most of all, Cillian. When I was first thrown into this club, I thought I was hot shit. Got all the girls I wanted, made a name for myself, but once the killing started and I watched those that I care about get hurt, it wasn't fun anymore. Being a drug mule wasn’t what I signed up for, but being the club's Sergeant at Arms, I had orders and was expected to do things I didn’t want to do.

Approaching the warehouse, which isn’t far from the compound, I see she’s sitting on the trunk of her car waiting for me. Rolling in, I come to a stop and shut off my bike. Pushing the kickstand down, I climb off and remove my helmet, placing it on my handlebars. I walk over to her and fold my arms over my chest.

“I’m here. What do you want?” I spit, wanting to get this over with. I hate looking at her because of how much she looks like my mother, and I know for a fact it isn’t her for multiple reasons. One being that my mother wasn’t this ruthless evil cunt and two, she had a tiny beauty mark under her left eye. If you didn’t look close enough, you wouldn't see it.

“I’m glad I finally got your attention, Ryder. It’s just a pity I had to blow up your clubhouse to get you here.” She smirks. I take a step closer to her, but she retrieves her gun, cocking it and pressing it against my chest.

“If you value your life, you will rethink that move,” she warns.

“You would take the life of your blood? Do you have no loyalty in your bones? Or is it just black smoke?” I say, raising a brow.

“You're no blood of mine. So why the fuck would I care about your pathetic life; you’re just a piece of the puzzle,” she says, but I stopped listening after she said I’m not her blood. It’s like a knife to the chest hearing those words.

“You’re my fucking aunt. My mother’s twin sister. Your fucking blood runs through my veins. How can you spit such vile nonsense to your own nephew?” I ask, pressing my chest against the barrel of the gun.

“I’m not your aunt. Don’t you know?” she says, and my brows furrow. “You don’t. Oh, forgive me. I thought you knew where you came from,” she says, and I swallow thickly.

“What the fuck do you mean? My mother is Tessa and my father is John,” I say, but she shakes her head. What the fuck?

“Maybe you should ask your sister,” she says, and now it’s my turn to shake my head.

“If Jade knew, I would know. We don’t keep secrets like that. She didn’t even know her entire life that John wasn’t her dad. So start explaining before I snap your fucking neck.” I growl, and she removes the gun from my chest, sliding it into her holster.

“Has Jade told you anything about her birth?” she asks, and I shake my head. “Let me give you some history,” she says as I reach into my pocket and take out a joint, lighting it. I take a deep pull and pass it to her, but she declines. I shrug and raise a brow. “Long story short, Tessa had multiple boyfriends and got pregnant by Flynn with twins. She birthed two healthy baby girls, Fallon and Jocelyn. One night someone stole Jocelyn from the Ireland castle and she was never seen again. Tessa decided it wasn’t safe for Fallon and left Flynn to rush back here to the States and have a fake relationship with John. He left me for her, just like I always knew he would. Anything she wanted, she got. My man, my life. Everything,” she spits, and I yawn.

“Get to the point, Teagan,” I say, and she snarls.

“She came back and kept Fallon hidden from the world. Her and John created this false life while I was kicked to the curb,” she states as I take another hit off my joint.

“Okay, and what does any of this have to do with me and Ryker?” I ask, and she smirks.

“Everything. One of the Crow Eaters fell pregnant by one of the club members who was under age at the time. She kept it a secret for as long as she could, until she couldn’t anymore. Tessa needed another baby to call her own. People knew she was pregnant with twins, so when she found out this girl was about to give birth to these twins, she took it as an opportunity to get everything she wanted so she wouldn't have to hide anymore,” she says, and I laugh.

“Bullshit. So what she do? Shove her down the stairs? Put a gun to her head and force the girl to hand over the babies,” I say, shaking my head as I take another hit off the joint.

“She killed her and delivered the babies herself. With the help of others, of course. She was the club's queen. As always, anything she wanted, she got.” She says.

“So what you’re telling me is, my dad, who's a club member, probably a prospect at the time, knocked a Crow Eater up and the only mother I’ve ever known killed her and took us for herself? Have I got that right?” I ask, taking another hit off the joint before stomping it out with my boot.

“Yes, that’s exactly what I’m telling you,” she says, and I roll my eyes.

“And how do you know all of this?” I ask, and she sighs.

“I loved John. He wasn’t meant to be with her, and he didn’t want to see how she kept manipulating him. He made so many promises to me. She took my fucking life right from under me and now I want it back,” she says, and I laugh.

“You sound like a child with this shit. Again, why would I trust you? How can I believe anything you fucking just told me is true?” I say, and she smiles.

“Just go ask your dad,” she states simply, and I fold my arms over my chest.

“And who would that be?” I ask with a raised brow.

“Donovan ‘Slash’ Michaels,” she states, and I stumble back a bit, shaking my head. My phone buzzes in my pocket and I take it out, seeing the name on my screen.

“Go ahead, answer it. See that I’m telling the truth,” she states.

This has got to be a fucking joke. There’s no fucking way. No. This is a lie. Just like everything fucking else.