Page 51

Remi

Why Max thought I could babysit Solomon was anyone’s guess. The man never listened to anyone, and the one person he did listen too was back in California with their daughter.

God, what I wouldn’t give to have Sunny here right now.

“Come on, Solomon,” I pleaded as I damn near had to run to catch up with the brooding man. “Let’s go find an ice-cream shop. I’m sure this city has a few. We can test them all out and see who has the best ice cream.”

“No.”

“Are you hungry?” I asked, spotting a diner up ahead. “How about some pancakes and bacon? You love bacon.”

“No.”

No. That was the only word the big guy had spoken to me since Reaper and the others left me in charge of Mr. Grumpy. I got that he hated being away from Sunny, but as the only relative to Delany, he had to be here. All I had to do was keep him happy until Max sent word for us to head to the clubhouse. He should have known that Solomon wasn’t going to wait for shit.

He never did.

Running ahead of him, I stopped, holding my hands out to halt him.

“Solomon.” I firmly stood my ground. “I need you to think for a minute. You go into that clubhouse without Reaper and anything can happen. I promised Sunny that I would make sure you returned home without a scratch. You don’t want to make a liar out of me, do you?”

The big guy huffed, slowly shaking his head.

“Then let’s go back to the hotel and wait for the others. Your cousin isn’t going anywhere. She is safe for the moment.”

Solomon narrowed his eyes, then walked around me like I was just a leaf blowing in the wind.

“No.”

Groaning, I ran to catch up with him again.

“What do you mean, no?”

“She’s not safe.”

“Yes, she is!” I cried loudly as he refused to listen and marched right through the gates of the Soulless Sinners’ compound and headed for the front doors.

Shit.

This was not good.

“Dammit, Sandman! You can’t just charge into another clubhouse like you own the place. Wars are started that way.”

The big guy growled.

Running in after him, I heard Linsey gasp, “Solomon?”

Delany got to her feet. “Remi? What are you doing here?”

I sighed, shaking my head. “They know. Sypher spilled the beans. Time to grow those balls I told you about.”

“Oh crap,” Delany muttered, taking a step back.

“That her?” Solomon asked.

I groaned, rounding on the big guy. “Yes. And before you scare her to death, calm the fuck down.”

And wouldn’t you know it, Storm chose that exact moment to walk down the stairs. “What the hell is going on?”

The big guy turned and growled menacingly.

“Oh shit,” Storm said when Payne, Vicious, Torment, and Pippen walked into the room.

No one moved.

No one breathed.

Bane stumbled through the front door drunk, and when he looked around the room, he laughed. “Oh God, this is too fucking good.”

Slapping Sandman on his shoulder, Bane pointed at Storm. “Here, let me help you. That’s the fucker you want.”

Sandman snarled, as Storm high-tailed it up the stairs like his ass was on fire.

The second Storm bolted, Payne, Vicious, and Torment moved to intercept Sandman.

“Now, Sandman. I’m gonna need you to think about this,” Vicious quickly reasoned, trying to get the brother to calm the hell down. Since he was the only one here, besides me and Linsey, who knew the man. “I know you want to kill him, but you can’t do that without hurting Delany.”

“Move,” Sandman sneered.

“Can’t do that, brother,” Vicious said, shaking his head. “Look. Linsey is here. I’m sure she would love to catch up with you. Why don’t you go visit with her and tell her how Sunny’s doing?”

“No.”

“Uncle Solomon!” Elizabeth, Vicious’ daughter, ran into the room, headed right for the big gnarly guy. The second she reached him, the big guy picked her up, hugging her.

Thank God for little girls!

“Dad didn’t tell me you were visiting. Dad, why didn’t you tell me Uncle Solomon was coming?”

“Didn’t know, baby girl.” Vicious sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “But since you’re here. Why don’t you take Uncle Solomon into the kitchen so he can see Ari, Bri, and Charlie? I’m sure he would love to see them, too.”

“Come on, Uncle Solomon. Dad gave us snacks. The good kind, too.”

Linsey walked over, taking Solomon’s free hand.

Smiling up at him, she sweetly coaxed, “Come on, Solomon. I’ll go with you.”

With no choice, the big guy left with Linsey and Elizabeth. The second he was out of earshot, Vicious bent over and gasped, taking deep breaths as he glared at me. “Woman, what the hell is he doing here?”

“The club knows.”

“Of course they do,” Vicious quipped, looking at Payne. “You better text Montana and let him know that the Golden Skulls are in town. Torment, take Pippen and go find Storm. Keep him hidden until the coast is clear.”

“Montana already knows,” Payne said, looking at his phone before he held it up for Vicious to see. “Reaper and the others showed up at the meeting. Malice said it’s a clusterfuck over there.”

“Of course it is.” I rolled my eyes, taking a seat at the nearest table. “Stupid fuckers aren’t happy unless they are beating or shooting something.”

Tessa snickered, reaching her hand across the table. “We haven’t officially met. I’m Tessa. Montana’s wife.”

I took the offered hand and nodded. “Remi. Reaper’s wife.”

“Should I break out the liquor?” a pretty woman with dark hair and silver tips asked.

“Can’t.” Tessa smiled, patting her stomach.

Delany rubbed her growing belly. “Me either.”

“I could use a beer.” A beautiful brunette grinned.

I grumbled, “Rat bastard wasted no time knocking me up the second I forgave him.”

“Okay then. Guess that means only Largo, Linsey, and I are drinking.”

“Uh,” Vicious piped up. “Actually, she can’t either.”

“I thought you got snipped?” Tessa asked, looking at the smiling man.

“Yeah, so did I.”

“Dude.” Payne smiled, slapping Vicious on the back. “Congrats, man.”

“I’ll drink with you,” Bane slurred, lifting his head from the bar.

“You’ve already had too much,” the pretty woman snarked, looking at the drunk lush. “You’re cut off.”

“I don’t give a flying fuck what you say!” Montana roared in the next instant, storming into the clubhouse. He headed straight for the bar, only to stop dead in his tracks upon seeing that no one was behind the bar. Looking around, his eyes landed on the pretty woman with silver tips before he pointed to the bar. Rolling her eyes, she walked over to the bar while the brooding man took a seat.

Leaning against the bar, she smiled at him. “Good evening, boss. How can I turn that frown upside down?”

He growled, narrowing his eyes at Max, who took a seat next to him. “Shoot that motherfucker.”

Looking at the smiling lunatic, the woman offered, “I will. Just say the word and give me your gun.”

I snickered at that while Vladmir walked over to me, giving me a quick kiss on the top of my head. Looking up at him, I asked, “Busy night?”

“You have no idea,” my father groaned as he went to stand off to the side and watch the fireworks.

“I like her.” Reaper chuckled, sliding his gun toward the woman. “I’ll give you a Golden Pledge if you pop a cap in his ass for me.”

Mercy stepped between the two bickering men, grabbed the gun, and groaned. “Silver. Get them drunk. Fast.”

Nodding, she smiled. “Hell’s Inferno coming right up.”

“I’ll take a vodka on the rocks,” Maxim Fedorov asked nicely as he sat next to Montana.

“Whiskey for me, Silver,” Giovanni said, sitting next to Max while I watched Malice and Massacre drag an unconscious man through the club, followed by several others along with Illyria Valentinetti, who, for the first time since I had met her, didn’t look perfectly coifed. Her clothes were disheveled, her hair was loose, and from the look she was sporting, I’d say she just fought a wild cat and lost. Trudging over to the table, I stood and hugged her before sitting back down.

“What the hell happened to you?” I asked. “You look like shit.”

Illyria glared at the bar. “They happened.”

“The Gentlemen’s Club still standing?” I heard Tessa ask.

“Barely.” Illyria frowned when I heard, “You know boys, a kind word goes a long way.”

Looking at the bar, I rolled my eyes as all four men sat there saying nothing.

“Just saying.”

“You’re right, Silver.” Giovanni grinned and turned to Montana. “Montana, you’re being a dick.”

“Hear, hear!” Maxim smirked, raising his glass.

“I think what Reaper asked is reasonable,” Giovanni added.

“I said no,” Montana snarled, downing his drink in one gulp before sliding it toward the bartender for another. Pouring him another, he added, “I’m not letting that psychopath go anywhere near my brother.”

“He just wants to meet him,” Gio groaned. “That’s all.”

“Yeah.” Max grinned, antagonizing the asshat. “I just want to meet him.”

Montana slowly turned toward Max and sneered, “Fuck off.”

“Then give me Graves.”

“Hell no!” Montana shouted when Sandman happily walked out of the kitchen, drinking from a juice box, while Linsey smiled up at him, talking a mile a minute.

“What the fuck is he doing here!” Montana jumped to his feet, pointing at Sandman.

Leaning against the bar, Max grinned, enjoying Montana’s misery.

“Well, he is the blood relative, dickhead. He has a right to be here.”

Delany chose at that moment to stand, getting everyone’s attention. “Enough,” the sweet, shy, reserved woman said, stepping forward as she looked at Max.

Mercy and Fury moved to stand right behind her.

“I am Delany Calloway. Storm is my husband. I know why you are here and I won’t let you hurt him. I never asked for any of this. I don’t care about club rules, princesses, legacies, or whatever this is. All I care about is my family. I just want to live my life in peace and raise my children. Now, I am more than happy to get to know all of you, but not at the expense of my husband.”

“You tell them, Delany!” I chuckled.

“Shut it, woman,” Max growled, then quickly shut his mouth when I glared at him. Turning to my father, I smiled. “Dad. Next time Reaper opens his mouth, please shut it.”

My father smiled happily, stepping forward.

Montana chuckled.

“I would shut up too.” Tessa glared at her husband.

“What I think all of you are failing to understand is, I never asked for this life. As someone who grew up an only child, then lost her parents, being alone is not something I would wish on anyone. It’s a lonely existence without family and friends. The Soulless Sinners may not be what you want for me, Mr. Doherty, but they are what I want. Even Montana and his snarky attitude.”

“Thanks, Del.”

Delany sneered, “I wasn’t done talking, Mr. Stone.”

Montana shut up and sat back down.

“I don’t know what caused this riff between both clubs, but it has nothing to do with me. I don’t care and I don’t want to know. So whatever cockamamie scheme both of you have planned, forget about it. I am not a bargaining chip and never will be.”

“What my cuz said.” Sandman smiled happily as he walked over to Delany, wrapping her in a big hug.