Page 41

Dragon

I jump off my bike, more than pissed. I’m about to go apoplectic.

It has been over an hour since Diesel called to tell me King announced to him that he and Gabby were moving to Denver.

He further told me King told him he appreciated the offer, and he liked the club, but he would not join a club where his woman had shit thrown up to her at every gathering and had to take shit that was no longer hers to take.

He shared King said he was a man who was married to the life of being in a club, but that meant he wanted his old lady at his side.

He also couldn’t put Gabby through that if it brought her discomfort or pain.

I couldn’t say shit because there was a time in my life when I imagined setting fire to the compound in Kentucky and watching the club I built from the ground up with my brothers go up in flames.

I understood the emotion King was feeling, but I also refuse to lose my boy.

I just got him in my life and there was no way in fucking hell I’m going to let him walk away.

It was more than that, though. I’d watched King yesterday.

Even with the anger and the shit that was flying around, he embraced Nicole and gave her sweet words.

King also pleaded with T, and I could tell he cared about Kayden.

My boy is finding a home in our family. Dom still has his head in his ass—as Dom often does —but eventually that will sort itself out.

Though it might take a bit because yesterday I discovered Dom was a fucking asshole at times.

It’s a fact I knew already, but the reminder was jarring.

Still, it would eventually clear away. Thea was helping Dom to grow up in ways he really should have, but never achieved without her.

Taz would help bring that to fruition sooner, and if that didn’t work, by God, I’m going to knock some sense into that thick head of his.

Then King would have his whole family. I want that for him.

Fuck, I want it for me and for my old lady and my other kids.

I want us together and I’m going to get it.

So, with that in mind, I drove to the Devil’s Blaze clubhouse.

Which, quite frankly, is a fucking mess.

Torch was there, but it was clear they were low on members, low on energy, and low on direction.

Skull wasn’t only losing his family, he was also losing his club since the death of his son.

I couldn’t pass judgment on him completely, because if I were suffering from that blow, I’m pretty sure I’d quit breathing.

Still, I hope like fuck someone would beat some sense into my head before it was too late.

I’d decided the time had come for me to deliver that message to Skull.

He wasn’t at the clubhouse. Torch said the man hadn’t been there since his son died.

I nodded and walked out. Torch called and asked where I was going, and I told him I was going to go beat some sense into his brother before I lost a son and he lost a daughter to fucking Denver.

I don’t know if Torch understood anything I said. I also didn’t give a damn. Still, he must have figured a little of it out because I knew he and at least three others—which could be their whole fucking club at this point, for all I knew—were following me.

I pulled into Skull’s house and noticed he hadn’t even had prospects mow his fucking grass or weeds. Jesus. They were over knee deep. If he couldn’t have gotten a prospect to do it, then the lazy fuck should have done it himself.

“Dragon, man,” Torch murmurs, coming up behind me.

“Get some fucking men with a damn bush hog to mow this grass,” I order.

“We have very few men. Most of the younger members and what prospects we had left about a week ago. Shit’s not getting done, so the money wasn’t flowing as freely.

We still have some businesses, but that money can only stretch so far before it’s next to nothing.

Our other endeavors stopped paying off because Skull just closed down shop. ”

“You’re his second. Why in the fuck didn’t you wade in?”

“I’ve tried, but the man has just given up. I’m doing what I can to keep my old lady and Skull’s going. I’m too old for this fucking shit.”

“Call my club. Tell them I said to send some prospects up to see to shit,” I growl, walking up on the front porch of Skull’s big-ass farmhouse that looks like something out of a Norman Rockwell picture.

His old lady had to pick this shit. It sure as fuck didn’t scream Skull lives here .

I don’t know what would, but this sure as fuck isn’t it.

I open the old-fashioned white screen door and knock on the main one, shaking my head.

I found I was even more thankful for my old lady, who loves our house and doesn’t give me shit about it.

The yard is small and the garage is big.

The door opens and Beth looks at me and Torch, and what I see makes my gut churn. Grief has decimated her. She’s pale, she’s lost weight, and mostly her eyes look sunken and dead.

“Dragon? Torch? Has something happened?” she whispers.

“No, sweetheart,” I say as gently as I can. “I just need to talk to your old man. Is he around?”

Her lips thin out, and she shakes her head. “He’s where he stays these days. He’s in the garage drinking.”

“Fuck,” Torch whispers. “Bethy, how about you go with me, and we visit Katie?” he asks.

“I don’t want to leave him alone, Torch. The last time I did that, he shot the windows out of the garage and took a baseball bat to the old Impala he and the boys were rebuilding.”

“He won’t be alone, Beth. You go with Torch. I’m going to stay and get him sober.”

“It won’t do any good. He’ll just find another bottle when you leave,” she warns.

“Not once I find them all and slam them over his head, trying to wake up his fucking brain,” I grumble. I figured she’d get pissed, but that didn’t happen.

“Hit him a few times for me,” she says quietly.

“You got it, sweetheart. Go with Torch. I’ll get his shit sorted and then I’m going to need you and him to go to your daughter and convince her that moving to Denver isn’t what she needs to do for her and her family.”

“Denver? Her family?”

“Long story, but a short version—your daughter and my oldest boy, King, are together and they’re going to have a baby.”

It’s not my place to tell her about the baby and King already made it clear he plans on everyone believing the child is his. I’m not messing with that. Besides, the woman in front of me has been broken enough. She doesn’t need more shit piled on her.

“My baby is pregnant?” she says, her eyes round.

“Very and it’s fucked, but my other two boys didn’t take the news that well. King has a protective streak, and he’s decided his woman wants to see Denver and he wants to make sure she doesn’t have to put up with bullshit, so they’re going there to start over.”

“A protective streak? He cares about her?”

“He loves her, Beth. He’ll be good to her—better than good.”

“And you’re okay with that? Even with all the past?—”

“We’re all good. You’d be proud of her. She could use having her parents’ support, though.”

“Will you take me to her?”

“If your old man refuses to make that play, then absolutely,” I promise.

She nods. “Okay.”

“You ready to go now, Bethy?” Torch asks.

“I’m thinking it’d be more fun to watch Dragon club Skull over the head,” she murmurs.

I grin. I like Beth. She’s sweet and a little soft.

I haven’t seen a backbone in her like my Nicole has.

I think she’s a little soft for this life, but she’s sweet and definitely a good woman.

Even if I wasn’t going to drag Skull’s head out of his ass so I can keep my son close, I’d do it for her.

Which means I’m going to start that operation now.

“I’m headed to the garage.”

“Be there in a bit,” Torch says, going inside with Beth. I don’t respond.

I don’t give a fuck if he’s there or not. I have a job to do and a son to keep close to home, and by God, I’m going to do it.