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RATTLER'S RELEVATION: CHAPTER ONE

“Max, come with me. Wildcard called. He wants us at 1%,” Chill says from the doorway into the reptile room Viper and I built within the clubhouse. I don’t question my SOA, but put away the tools I use to milk the venomous snakes. Chill uses the venom when she wants to give a victim a painful death with the bonus of Medical Examiners usually labeling the deaths as accidental.

I follow Chill through the common room. When Viper spots us, she follows. We’re heading outside, Chill and Viper to their bikes, while I’m stuck driving the SUV.

“Wildcard sounded pissed. What did you do?” Chill asks me once we’re outside.

I shrug. “No idea. I haven’t been to the casino since the day that asshole kidnapped Angelica and my sisters.”

“What’s going on?” Viper asks, grabbing her helmet.

I keep walking and slide behind the wheel of the SUV to wait for Chill and Viper to pull out ahead of me. I watch my sister arguing with Chill before they mount their bikes. As we ride to the casino, I consider the possible reasons for Wildcard wanting to see us, but I’m drawing a blank. Seems like he’s always finding a reason to bust my chops. Fuck, all the members do, except for Viper. Comes with the territory though, when you’re a prospect. Not for the first time do I consider handing in my prospect kutte. I only joined the club to be close to Viper and to protect her from our asshole father and his friends. But now that she’s a patched member and with Rafe, I can focus on my future. Better than focusing on the past. No. Fuck. Not going there. I shake my head and stop myself from thinking about the asshole who fucked up my childhood. Literally. Nope, not thinking about him.

Instead, I consider my options. My favorite part of being a prospect is taking care of the kids. Being around them gives me hope. Their chaos and laughter keep me from losing myself in thoughts I’d rather forget. Without the club, I don’t know what I’d do, but I also feel trapped. All around me, I’m watching the brothers and sisters fall in love and start families. What about me? I’ve yet to feel attraction to anyone. In some ways, I’m still a virgin. In other ways, I’m not. NO! Shit. I’m not going there!

I park the SUV and catch up to Chill and Viper, who can park closer to the entrance since they’re on their bikes. The 1% Casino and Hotel caters to bikers. The parking closest to the entrance is motorcycle only parking. Those driving cages have to park further away. Inside, we take the elevator to the Executive Level. I glance at Viper, who seems upset. “What’s wrong?” I ask her.

“Nothing,” she shrugs, but she can’t look at me.

What’s going on?

I find out as soon as Wildcard sees me. He wraps his fist in my shirt and slams me up against the wall. “You attacked that girl?” He yells at me. I glance around the room, my eyes landing on the only stranger. She’s gorgeous, no denying it. She’s close to Viper’s height, with skin the color of coffee, and eyes the color of gold. The kutte she’s wearing tells me she’s an employee, but I’ve never seen her before. Not surprising since I spend little time at the casino.

“What girl? I didn’t attack anyone!” I choke out.

“Don’t fucking play dumb,” Wildcard snarls.

“Wait. That’s not him.”

Her soft voice draws our attention. She’s staring at me as I stare back. The hint of fear in her eyes is a jolt. She shouldn’t be afraid of me. I’d never hurt her. Wildcard question her, but my focus is only on her as she explains.

“That’s not him. He looks like him. But that isn’t the same guy. The guy who attacked me was a few years older, and he has blue eyes, not green.”

“Wait, I know you,” Chill says. “You came to file a complaint against—” She turns slowly and looks at me. “Max.”

“Fuck that, I didn’t attack her!” I protest. “You know me. I’d never hurt a woman.”

Chill nods. “That’s what I said. I thought you were lying. How do we know she isn’t?”

I tune out the argument between Brigit and Chill as I consider the girl’s comment. Someone who looks like me? Fuck, could it be? Did my bastard father have another kid out there? I glance at Viper, but she’s focused on the conversation.

“But, he said his name was Max?” Brigit asks drawing my attention back to the room.

“Was he wearing this kutte or one like mine?” Wildcard asks.

“Umm, neither, he wore a 1% kutte,” she replies, then her eyes go wide. “I’m an idiot. I’m sorry, I didn’t put that together until now. If he was a member of the Demon Dawgs, he would have been wearing your kutte.” She shifts closer and stares up into my face. “You’re not him. I got a good look at him when he had me up against the wall with his hand up my skirt.”

The room explodes, as does my temper. I don’t know who the fuck hurt her, but I’m going to find him and destroy him. He assaulted this beautiful girl, touched what wasn’t his to touch. I see the curiosity in her eyes as she looks at me, but I also see a remaining flicker of fear. I hurt knowing that she fears me, even though I did nothing to harm her.

After she leaves, I’m lost. What the hell is going on?

My mind stays on the girl named Bianca. I half-listen to Chill, Viper, and Brigit as they figure out that the HR temp Chill fired has been cheating the casino. They also figure out that Walt Turner is the guy impersonating me. I share a look with Viper when she wonders if Walt is another sibling. If he is, he isn’t as nice a surprise as Angel had been.

I stay with Viper and Brigit while Chill and the others hunt down Walt. They’re hoping to find him and take him to the Pit so Chill and Viper can work their magic. I’m not a fan of watching my sister torture people, but I think I might enjoy watching them demolish Walt after what he did to Bianca. So, I’m thrilled when Chill calls me to bring the SUV so we can transport the asshole.

In receiving, we grab a trussed up Walt and dump him in the back. He’s out cold, probably Chill’s doing. On the way, I call Splint and ask him to meet me outside with an empty vial. When I reach the clubhouse, Walt is just waking up. I pull up next to Splint and circle to the back of the SUV where he hands me the vial.

“What’s this for?” he asks.

“You’ll see.” I pull Walt out and hold him by the shirt. I punch him hard and break his nose. Blood pours out. I scoop some up in the vial and hand it back to Splint. “Can you test the DNA?”

Splint frowns at the blood, but then takes a hard look at Walt. “Fuck, he could be your brother.”

“That’s what we want to find out.”

Splint nods and disappears back inside while I drag Walt to The Pit. He’s unconscious while I string him up and strip him down. Now, I wait. Not my favorite activity, but part of being a prospect. When Chill, Viper, and Puma arrive, I learn what took them so long. They captured Mikel and cleared Brigit of murder. I’m glad. Colt is the latest addition to the kid squad. He needs his mother Brigit and his father, Wildcard.

While Chill works on Walt, Puma comes to stand next to me.

“I remember Chill telling me about the girl who claimed I harassed her,” I admit to him. “If I had followed up…”

“That’s something Chill should have done, not you. Something a real HR Manager would have done. She’s not. Thank god for Brigit. Wildcard said she’s taking the job. We’ll make sure all the employees know who was really at fault. We’ll clear you.”

I shrug. “I should have…”

“Can’t change the past, can only work for the future. Maybe you can work at the casino a few days a week. Meet the employees and let them get to know you. I know the kids will revolt, not having you around as much, but you should get more work experience.”

I nod, knowing that Puma won’t let me dwell on what might have been. I don’t know how I feel about working at the casino. Maybe it’s time I figure out what I want to do with my life. Decide if being a member of the Demon Dawgs is what I want. I’m coming up on a year, which means Puma might decide to patch me in. Is that what I want? I force my head back into what’s happening in The Pit because Chill and Viper got Walt talking.

We learn the HR temp, Pamela Clark is his mother. But my world implodes when he gives us the name of his father. Wade Turner. My father’s twin brother and the bastard who destroyed my childhood. I’m barely hanging on as Walt spews his white supremacist bullshit. Seems like my uncle and my cousin are members of the fucking Keepers of the Third Reich. I shudder when I think of Wade and his friends. How many of those bastards did my dad let use me? Shutting down those thoughts, I follow Viper back to the clubhouse. I’m living a fucking nightmare. One I thought I escaped. But I haven’t. I’m lost when we enter the clubhouse and everyone yells out, Congratulations! What are we celebrating? Who are they talking to?

“Get the fuck over here, Max,” Puma bellows.

I jerk before walking through the sea of people to get to the bar and Puma. He gives me a speech that I don’t hear and then hands me a new kutte. I shake myself out of my nightmare to hold what I once thought I wanted. My member’s kutte with the road name ‘Rattler’ embroidered on the front. Fuck me. I play the part and remove my prospect kutte to put it on. I did it. But is this what I want? Is it what I deserve?

A sense of family and belonging washes over me as everyone approaches and offers their personal congratulations. The kids envelope me in hugs and proudly show the banner they created just for me. I grab a cupcake and shove it into my mouth to stop myself from making a fool out of myself as I study the tableau. They drew pictures of all the activities they’ve done with me. Colt hands me another cupcake, and I bite into it, just as I register a commotion behind me.

“What?” Brigit cries out, putting the call on speaker. Wildcard calls out for silence. “Bianca, you’re on speaker. Where are you? What’s going on?”

“I just left work, and I was on my way home when I realized I was being followed. He’s been behind me since I left the casino. I think it’s Walt.”

“It isn’t Walt, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be careful. Where are you? Maybe you can drive to us.”

She tells us where she is, which isn’t close to the clubhouse.

“Okay, how about a police station?” Viper chimes in. “There’s a station further up ahead on the right.”

“Okay, I’m heading there,” Bianca says, but then the sound of squealing tires and Bianca’s scream fill the room.