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CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

Declan

I’m going to pay for that later.

Violet was terrified. It’s not unusual for things to get heated between the Pres and Parisi. Just about every time they get around each other, it’s like a giant pissing contest. They take turns disrespecting each other. Guns get drawn. Then, once it’s out of their system, they’re able to talk.

But the look that came over Violet’s face as everyone pulled their weapons, the fear I saw in her eyes, it’s not something I’ll tolerate for her.

As soon as we’re all in the sanctuary, I turn on Vincenzo. Matteo and Santiago are immediately at my sides with weapons drawn. I don’t give not one single shit. I know my brothers have drawn their weapons again too, but it won’t come to that.

“You promised you’d protect her.” I point at the door. “My woman is fucking terrified in a place that is meant to make her feel safe because of you, asshole.”

Parisi frowns. “I didn’t threaten Violet in any way. Her fear is not because of me.”

“Wrong.” I turn, pointing between both him and Gabe. “Every time you show up here, you two piss each other off to the point guns are drawn in the clubhouse.” I wave around the room to all the weapons, which are out in answer to his men pulling theirs on me. Each one is loyal to their own.

“This shit needs to stop. Our women are meant to feel sheltered, guarded, and comfortable here. They don’t feel that way when they have to constantly be thrown behind their men because you two assholes can’t have a respectful conversation. And I, for one, will not have my woman being scared for her life or that of our son. Not here. Not in our home. This clubhouse is a place for family. If you can’t respect that, then call Pres and set up to meet somewhere else. Don’t pull that shit here. Next time, I’ll fucking shoot. Consequences be damned.”

“Declan.” Gabe calling me out is a warning, but I don’t back down.

“No, Pres,” I address him face to face. “With all due respect, your daughter is trembling out there because of this bullshit. You think she’s cool with having guns drawn after she was recently shot?” I sneer. “Jayde, Sadie. Hell, Skyler’s fucking pregnant, for Christ’s sake. We’re all willing to risk their lives. For what? A dick measuring contest. This shit has to stop, or you can take my fucking cut. You asked me to be an enforcer for this club. To protect our interests and our loved ones. How can I do that when you this shit keeps happening inside the goddamn clubhouse? I promised Violet I’d protect them no matter the cost. If that cost means giving up my club, then so fucking be it.”

“Think about what you’re saying, Dec.” Hawk growls from behind me.

“Maybe we should all consider what he’s saying.” Ethan puts his gun away. “He’s right. I have a wife and kid on the way out there. This is fucking ridiculous.”

The gavel slams down several times. “Everyone, shut the fuck up.” Gabe throws his hands out. “Put the fucking guns away and sit the fuck down. Dec,” I nod but don’t take my eyes off the predator in front of me. My brothers may be willing to put their weapons away and find a less threatening solution, but I don’t trust Vincenzo or his men to not take advantage of our weapons being laid down.

“Declan.” Gabe calls again.

“Yeah, Pres.”

“Although I agree with you, to some degree, I won’t ever allow anyone to come into my clubhouse and threaten my family, this club. We will all go to the grave to protect our own.” Gabe turns his attention to Vincenzo, who’s still staring at me. “Respect goes both ways, Parisi. You want to come into my clubhouse and throw your fucking weight around, then we can go toe to toe. Declan, you ever pull a stunt like this again, overstepping my authority, and I won’t just take your cut. You got me?”

“Got you, Pres.”

“Huh.” Vincenzo looks at me, seemingly amused. “You are an honorable man, Declan O’Malley. Reckless and unwise, but honorable nonetheless.” He turns to Matteo, then to Gabe, and gives a curt nod. “I approve of this relationship.”

“The fuck?” I’m about to beat his fucking head in. “I don’t need your approval for shit. Especially not where Violet is concerned.”

He raises a finger in the air as if to make a point. “Actually, you do. Or, rather, you did.” He smiles. “I have a contract that says as much. You know, your friend who rescued Violet? We have a deal. It states that I am responsible for her and her son. To ensure their protection and prosperity. If I didn’t approve of your relationship—it wouldn’t happen. It’s that simple.” Parisi shrugs.

My fists balled at my sides, I lean in enough where Vincenzo can hear, and no one else, then whisper, “What would you do to keep your son safe?”

His eyes flare with rage, but he says nothing.

Yeah, fucker. I know some things too.

“I’d be very careful with my next words, Mr. O’Malley,” Vincenzo warns, his voice hard, cold, free of all emotion, but the threat is clear.

“I’m simply making a comparison.” I put my hands up, taking a step back. “Men who are pushed go to irrational lengths to keep what they love protected. At all costs. I’m just saying, the lengths you’ve gone to for your son are no different from the lengths I will for mine.”

My son.

I know it’s not official yet, but saying it feels right. Carter will be my son when all is said and done. Something settles deep in my gut. A hole I never realized I had feels like it’s been filled. By them. There’s no discussion needed. The boy, like his mother, is mine. End of.

Vincenzo scrubs the scruff on his face, contemplating my words. He doesn’t know the information I have on him. I could be bluffing for all he knows, but I’m not. The secrets of his past I’ve uncovered, I’ll keep so long as he backs the fuck down.

It’s part of my job as enforcer to know our enemies. Vincenzo hasn’t proven himself to be our enemy yet, but he’s a cunning fucker and will do whatever is in his best interest in the end. Like hiding the true identity of his son’s mother and what happened to her. Why she’s no longer in the picture.

“You understand what I’m saying?” I word it as a question, but Vincenzo knows it’s no such thing. It’s a threat. A promise to expose him if he pushes me too far.

“Are we done? Can we get on with whatever the fuck you’ve come to ruin my day with?” Gabe snaps, leaning forward on the table. “I’d like to get this shit over with and get back to my bottle of whiskey if it’s all the same to you fuckers.”

Vincenzo’s eyes are still narrow and locked on mine, but he knows I have him. He wants to fuck with my relationship, then I’ll fuck with his. It’s that simple.

“Yes,” Parisi draws the word out. “Perhaps we should get this over with. I have other places to be. People to care for.”

Everyone finally takes their seats.

“Fine. Get on with it then. To what do I owe this migraine?” Gabe huffs. Sitting back in his chair, rubbing his temples. “What do you know?”

“I’m sure you are all aware of the break-in at Violet’s apartment, since you chose to change out the security system for one of your own.” Vincenzo smirks, his eyes wide as if he’s just caught us in some big secret. “It’s my building. I own it. The system you upgraded was mine.”

“I thought you said it was owned by a company named APRM?” Hawk looks at me. I nod because it’s what Wyatt told me when he researched the owners and reached out to get approval to upgrade the system.

“APR. Anthony Parisi Real Estate Management. It’s a shell company in my son’s name. An investment for his future.”

Hawk tilts his head. “I guess we should’ve dug a little further.”

“Ya think?” Jake slaps the back of his head.

“Ow. Hey, Wyatt was in charge of that one, not me.” Hawk flips Jake the finger.

“It’s not a problem. My property manager agreed to the upgrades, and I figured it was a good deal financially. The system is not of importance. What is, is the fact someone broke into her home. I’m not comfortable with her returning to the apartment without my men being there to guard the premises,” Parisi states, as if he has a final say in this situation.

Fuck that.

“She won’t be returning to the apartment except to collect her and Carter’s things,” I answer before Pres can dispute the idea. “They’ll be moving in with me.”

“You sound sure of this decision,” Vincenzo teases. “Has Violet agreed to this? It seems a bit fast for her. She’s usually very calculated in her decision-making.”

“It’s been discussed and decided,” I state firmly. “You can call your men off.”

“Hmm. Very well.”

“Is that all?” Gabe asks. I can tell his patience is wearing thin.

“No. Unfortunately, there’s more.” Vincenzo crosses his ankle over his knee, leaning back in his chair like he owns the fucking place. Gabe’s eyes narrow as he taps his knuckles on the table.

After a moment of silence, Gabe’s arms suddenly shoot out his hand slapping the table in front of him. “What the fuck else, Vincenzo?”

Parisi smirks. “You should be careful, Gabriel. So much stress can’t be good for your heart at this age.”

“Then maybe you should tell me what it is you came here to tell me and leave so I can relieve my stress.” Gabe’s smile is more fuck-around-and-find-out than friendly.

“James Swanson,” Vincenzo says his name on a growl. “He has a date with karma. Perhaps we can all deliver the justice the pig deserves.” He grinds out the word pig, as if it’s too good a word for the man. I don’t disagree.

“What do you know about him?” Mack asks. “What are we walking into if we go after him?”

“He’s a dirty cop, which I’m sure you know. He’s been dirty for years. Has a fetish for young children. It used to be girls, but he’s since crossed the line and ventured into little boys.” Parisi’s eyes cut to mine. “Keep Carter as far away from the human excrement as possible. If he gets his hands on the boy, he will wish he had died in that fire two years ago.”

“The what?” Caleb asks, his attention set on me for answers.

“Violet and Carter escaped the asshole by setting fire to their home and faking their deaths,” I supply. There are several low murmured responses, none of which I pay attention to. “But you’re not here to tell me to keep Carter away. You already know I will. It’s why Violet gave me guardianship, so Carter would have the protection of the club. So, what is it you want us to help you accomplish? What’s the ask?”

A wicked smile curves Vincenzo’s mouth as his eyes light with malice. “I want him dead. But first, we have to verify who he works for. I want to kill Swanson, but not before I have the head of the Leviathan. I need to know who is running this trafficking ring. It’s bigger than a simple cop and some pieced together biker club. No offense.” He waves his hand through the air. “Your club is far more respectable than the Devil’s Order.”

“Hmph,” Gabe snorts. “Who do you think is responsible, and what is it you want us to do to help?”

“What’s in it for us?” Mack adds. “You don’t do shit for free, but neither do we. This has blowback written all over it.”

Parisi stubs his cigarette into a nearby ashtray. He tips his finger at Mack. “I knew you were a smart man. I will continue to protect those I’ve sworn to do so, and I will deliver to you not one, but two traitors to your family. In exchange, I want your help to find the Devil bastards who attacked Emilia and deliver them to me—alive.” He cracks his neck and rolls his shoulders. “Their punishment is mine alone to deliver.”

“Emilia?” Hawk asks. “The doctor? She’s someone to you?”

“Yes.” Vincenzo doesn’t give any more than that on the subject.

“All right. Let me get this straight.” Gabe looks around the room at each one of us. We each nod, subtly, already agreeing to whatever the Pres decides to do. We want the Devil’s gone, and the trafficking ring shut down. And in order for Violet and I to live out our life without having to look over our shoulders all the time, I need the cop eradicated.

“You want us to find the Devils responsible for the doctor lady’s injuries and kill a cop? Then you’ll deliver two traitors to my doorstep?” Gabe narrows his eyes and furrows his brow. “Who is it you think has wronged my club that would be of interest to us?”

Vincenzo sighs, his hands raised in a placating manner. “I can’t tell you where Thomas is, but I can tell you he’s safe.”

“What do you know about his disappearance?” Gabe growls. “I’m sure you know something, since your ass seems to be all up in my club’s business.”

Vincenzo sighs. “I don’t know where your brother is, as I said. Nor do I know how he got off your farm, but I know he’s safe and he will contact me again soon.”

“And how do you know that, exactly?” Gabe asks through gritted teeth. All the guns are on the table. It won’t take much for this to all turn to shit.

Fuck.

“He reached out to let me know he was in hiding and would contact me when he’s finished his job,” Parisi replies.

“What job? For who?” the vein in Gabe’s neck looks like it’s going to pop at any moment.

“For me. Thomas made a deal with me a long time ago. He has yet to fulfill the requirements on his end.”

“And what is it he’s supposed to do for you?” Mack asks. Gabe gives him a disapproving look. He’s overstepping, but Gabe won’t correct him in front of Vincenzo.

“I’m afraid that’s between myself and Thomas.” Vincenzo pulls another cigar out of his jacket pocket and lights it, breathing in deeply.

“What did Thomas get out of the deal?” Gabe snaps, his fists clenching and unclenching on the table in front of him. “Did you promise to grant him freedom from his crimes? Because you don’t get a say in how that son of a bitch dies. He took my wife and played a part in the hell my daughter has lived through for years. My uncle’s blood is on his hands. He owes far too many debts for anyone to promise him his freedom. Death will come for him, and by my hand.”

Vincenzo smirks, blowing out a cloud of smoke. “I didn’t promise anything to do with his freedom or forgiveness for his sins. His life is yours to do with as you see fit, but the fact remains, he still owes me a debt. So, keeping him alive until he has repaid it is a benefit to us both.”

“What then, did you promise him? Because as Mack said, everything comes with a price. There’s nothing I can see Thomas valuing more than his own life.” Gabe glances up at Vincenzo curiously.

“Oh, but there is,” Parisis says smoothly. “His daughter.”

Mack damn near comes across the table for the son of a bitch. Matteo is on his feet, putting himself between Mack and Parisi. If Jake hadn’t been there to stop Mack with Caleb’s help, we would be pulling them off each other.

“The fuck do you mean? Does Sadie know any of this?” Mack bellows. “If you let that motherfucker near Sadie—if he hurts her in any way—I’ll skin you alive.”

Vincenzo shakes his head, chuckling. “This is why I like you all. You’re so expressive and protective of your loved ones. Again, reckless and unwise, but loyal to a fault.”

“Mack, sit the fuck down!” Gabe bellows. Jake says something to his dad to get him to calm down and take his seat.

“I would never harm Sadie, nor would I allow anyone else to, including her father.” Vincenzo states. “I gave my word to protect her, and that includes from her father. I am, after all, a man of my word.”

“All right. If we do this, you bring Thomas to me.” Gabe’s voice is thick and full of ire. “Who else is it you think has wronged my club that would be of interest to us?”

Vincenzo doesn’t smile. He looks directly at Hawk, and says, “Nate Hawkins Sr.”

Ah, fuck.