Page 36

Sunny

C allie’s question made me think. “No, I’m sure he muttered Levi.”

“Could he have said something else? Remember, Primal’s throat was dry. What about a word that sounds like Levi? Skivvy, Libby, Livvy…”

“Livvy!” Levi sat up and winced.

“That mean something?”

“Shit, I never considered it,” Levi cursed.

“What?” Sunny demanded.

“It wasn’t something talked about. But I’ve got an Aunt Livvy. Her name was Lithana, and she hated it and shortened it to Livvy. My family doesn’t talk to her. She got in with a biker by the name of Carnage, ring a bell?” Levi questioned.

Sunny let rip as he got to his feet and paced.

“Sunny?” Callie asked.

“Nobody had much to do with Carnage. He was dark even for Zeus’s lot. Carnage was killed just before the war, and trust me, he was no loss. His woman was your aunt?” he asked Levi incredulously.

“Yeah, according to my family, Livvy was a nasty piece of work. I’ve never met her, hell, I don’t know what happened to her.”

Sunny wracked his brains. “She was pensioned off after Carnage died.”

“Pensioned off?” Callie inquired.

“If a brother dies when wearing a cut, then the club pays his cut to his old lady. It’s our way of looking after a fallen brother’s family. It reassures us all that our families will be looked after.”

“Pretty decent idea,” Callie said begrudgingly.

“What happened to Livvy?” Levi answered.

“She took the money and ran. I think she stayed in the region a few weeks after Carnage’s death. Nobody that I know from the club is in touch with her,” Sunny replied.

“What has Livvy got to do with the traitor? No offence, this doesn’t help your innocence,” Callie asked, and Sunny had to agree.

“I ain’t sure. Is Primal not awake yet?” Levi questioned.

“He was stirring when I left him before. Primal might be up now,” Sunny said.

“Then let’s go visit him. Primal must have answers,” Levi insisted.

Sunny sent him a look but saw only genuine honesty reflected at him.

“Sunny, I do not want to be looking over my shoulder for the rest of my life. I ain’t the traitor, but someone clearly is. Hellfire is going to be searching for you. Let’s get them some answers before the club makes another mistake,” Levi stated.

“Okay.” Sunny knew they were close.

Callie.

I stared at the man who had sired Sunny. There was little to say he was Sunny’s sperm donor. They didn’t look alike, and Sunny had clearly taken after Cherry.

Primal’s wife and son watched them closely.

“Has he said anything else?” Sunny asked.

Belinda sent him a dark glare. “He’s still not stable, thank you for asking.”

“I don’t have time. Lives are at stake, and that asshole has answers we need.”

“Like a guy called Levi’s life?” Belinda demanded.

“I’m Levi, ma’am, and Sunny’s right. Callie here was attacked and nearly killed because we do not know who is trying to hurt us.

I know this is a difficult situation all round, this is the man you love, and Sunny hates.

But Primal has important information. We think Primal said the name Livvy, not Levi.

” “You’ll harm a woman?” Belinda asked, aghast.

“No. Stop twisting our words. I can see what you are doing,” I snapped. “I don’t know why you’re trying to delay us, but it’s obvious you are. If you answer their questions, we can get out of here and out of your life.”

“Jed hasn’t said a word apart from your name,” Belinda explained, and I realised what was wrong.

“I’m sorry he has not asked after you or your children,” I murmured, and Belinda sent me a nasty glare.

Sunny looked surprised, and then realisation crossed his face. That was why Belinda was being a bitch.

“What would you know of pain?”

“I know it intimately,” I replied, and Belinda snorted.

I swapped a look with Sunny, turned around, and pulled my top up at the back. Belinda’s gasp echoed through the room.

“Jesus!” Ronnie exclaimed.

“As I said, pain and I are old friends.” I faced Belinda.

“What happened to you?” she whispered.

“My foster mother liked beating kids with chains. This is meant to be my beautiful life, but it’s not. Someone is hunting Sunny, and Sunny’s hunting a ghost. This shit needs to end. Primal is the key to everything.” “You’re Callie Dixon,” Ronnie said. “I didn’t know you were a foster kid.”

“It is not important to what I do now. Are you going to help us, or, I repeat, keep delaying us?”

Belinda and Ronnie swapped a glance before Ronnie spoke again. “We were asked to call Chance if you arrived here. I sent him a text a couple of minutes ago.”

“Fuckin’ wonderful,” Sunny complained.

“Primal hasn’t said anything else.”

“Church… bugged,” a croaky voice announced.

“What?” Levi exclaimed, spinning to check on Primal, who was watching us. His mouth worked as he tried to form words.

“Bugged. Livvy… revenge.”

“You’re saying Livvy is behind this?”

“Yeah… I’m sorry, Sunny…” Primal wheezed.

His body shook, and Ronnie headed for the door and called a nurse.

“I… love you…” Primal stated, his gaze on Belinda.

“Jed,” Belinda sobbed with relief in her voice.

Sunny stepped back as she moved forward and held his hand.

“My… life… you and the kids… best thing.” Primal said, and his eyes closed.

“Jed? Jed! ” Belinda screamed. Alarms sounded as the door flew open, and nurses rushed in with a doctor and Ronnie behind them. Sunny moved Belinda to one side as doctors and nurses began working on Primal frantically.

“Get out of here,” a nurse ordered, and Sunny walked the sobbing Belinda out of the room. She fought him at first, but when Ronnie took her in his arms, she collapsed in them, clinging to him.

“Don’t mean to be rude. But this is a time for family, and you’ve made it clear we’re not yours. Please leave,” Ronnie said, his eyes on Sunny.

“If shit had been different, I’d have been proud to call you brother, I think. You have my condolences.”

With that, Sunny took my elbow, and we hurried from the ward. Sunny didn’t even glance back as the man who’d helped create him died.

Sunny

“We need to resolve this,” Sunny said. “Primal gave us what he had. I reckon he had more, but it’s no good. He’s dead. How could the clubhouse be bugged? Chance has it scanned once a week.”

“That would mean there is a traitor in the club. How could Livvy be behind this?” Levi replied with a frown.

“There’s only one way to resolve this. Where is this blasted woman?” Callie said as she bit into a burger.

It was hitting late evening, and we’d stopped for a bite to eat.

“The only person who’d know is Tati. She kept an eye on all ex-old ladies.” Levi shoved a fry into his mouth.

“Didn’t know that.”

“Oh, yeah. Tati had issues with most of them, so kept a beady eye on them. She’d know where Livvy is,” Levi said. He yanked his phone out and dialled.

“Tati? Can you tell me where Carnage’s Livvy is…? Really…? Okay, thanks… no, I’m fine, don’t worry.”

“Seems Livvy runs a flower shop that Tati orders from weekly.”

Sunny felt a sinking feeling. Had he been buying Callie’s flowers from a woman who was trying to sabotage Hellfire?

“Where?” he demanded. Relief hit him when Levi told him, and it was a different one to what Sunny used.

He sat up straight. “Tati always has fresh bunches delivered every Saturday for church. She says we all stink, and something should smell nice in there.”

“So, Livvy could be bugging the flowers each week,” Callie drawled.

“No. Chance’s sweep would find one. He does it just before church,” Sunny refuted his own idea.

“Not if the damn thing isn’t switched on. If it is remote-controlled, Livvy can turn it on as church starts. And it’s always started at six on a Saturday.” “Sorry, but doesn’t this seem a bit far-fetched for a woman who’s a florist?” Callie asked, and Sunny nodded.

“You’ve got a point, but it all makes sense,” Levi agreed.

“Then let’s head to church and scan for one,” Sunny suggested.

“No offence. You set foot there, Chance won’t be letting you go. I will go and call you with the information,” Levi said.

Sunny hesitated before nodding. “I’ll trust you. In the meantime, I’m going to pay Livvy a visit.”

“Okay, we’ve got a plan.”

“Sure as hell have.”

Callie

There’d been a fight, but Sunny eventually agreed to take me with him. It was doubtful that the shop would be open this late, but we’d discovered Livvy lived above it. As we pulled over and parked, Sunny’s phone rang, and he answered.

Levi spoke, and Sunny said thanks before hanging up.

“A bug was found when Levi scanned church. He’s explaining everything to Chance and Bear right now. Let’s see where Livvy fits into all this.”

We had pieces of the puzzle, and things were becoming clearer, but we didn’t have all the answers. Hopefully, this wicked bitch would fill the gaps. Sunny checked the shop, and it was locked, so we headed down the alley and up a flight of stairs and knocked on the door.

It took a few moments, but a woman opened it, and Sunny shoved in. “Long time no see, Livvy.”

I followed Sunny inside and kicked the door shut.

“Sunny?” Livvy sounded surprised, but also worried.

“Wanna tell me why you’re bugging Hellfire?” Sunny demanded without preamble. Okay, then, we were heading straight for the jugular.

“Because she does what her old man tells her,” a guy said, and there was the sound of a shotgun being primed.

Sunny’s face took on a disbelieving look. “Doesn’t any cunt stay dead?”

“Seems not. Throw your weapon down, Sunny.”

“Fuck you, Carnage. Why don’t you tell me what’s going on?” Sunny hissed.

I blinked as Sunny stepped in front of me. Carnage? Wasn’t he meant to be dead?

“Always slow to understand shit, you and Chance, two fuckin’ peas in a pod. Not anymore, though, I did you both damage,” Carnage crowed. “Livvy, take his weapon.” Livvy moved forward and took Sunny’s gun from his waistband.

“Move into the living room and sit down,” Carnage ordered.

“That ain’t happening,” Sunny stated.

“Because your little lady would be exposed. Pretty dumb of you to bring her. This time, she won’t survive me,” Carnage promised.

“You pushed me?” I exclaimed, trying to get around Sunny. Sunny held me back.

“Yeah, you fought, but I was stronger. I’ll have my cross back,” Carnage said.

“The cross you stole from Tiny to frame him?” Sunny demanded.

“That what you think? I took that cross because I liked it,” Carnage replied.

“Sounds about right, but the police have it,” I muttered. Tacky likes tacky.

“You were behind my shooting?” Sunny asked.

“Jesus, boy, ain’t you worked anything out?” “I’m missing pieces of the puzzle,” Sunny admitted.

“Number one, weren’t Zeus who killed Enigma. I did that because he was a sanctimonious prick.” He lifted a hand and swiped at the air. “Livvy, get me a beer. Seems I gotta explain shit to clueless here.”

“Why did you kill him?” Sunny ground out.

“Because I did not like him or the way he ran the club. The fucker ran me off and told me to black my ink. Instead, I faked my death. When Zeus took over, I contemplated coming back to life, but I’d started a new career,” Carnage said as Livvy handed him a beer.

“As what?” Sunny asked.

“I was a hitman. Didn’t care who I hit, just as long as I got paid.

I’ve blood on my hands, boy, and I couldn’t give a fuck.

I let Livvy have the pension, and she saved it and opened her shop.

Perfect cover for her. And Tati, bleeding heart she is, placed an order every week for years.

She’d no idea I was watching her from the back.

That bitch aged like fine wine.” Carnage smacked his lips together, and I shuddered.

Livvy sent him a dirty stare but didn’t say anything.

“So, you killed Enigma for shits and giggles?” Sunny said.

“Yup.”

“Why me?”

“I fuckin’ hated you and Michaelson. Snotty-nosed kids.

Seriously, boy, you thought you were better than everyone else.

I proved you wrong. Hurt both you and Michaelson.

I shot you because I wanted to. Simple as that.

I took Tiny’s phone. He never learned how to hide things properly, and I sent you the text. ”

“For nothing other than the fact you didn’t like me?” Sunny sounded incredulous. I could understand why. Sunny was shot for no real reason?

“Yup. Ain’t hard to understand. Hated your fuckin’ spoiled guts, so killed Enigma and set the ball rolling on a world of pain for you both. Really thought you were dead, though, that was a good deception,” Carnage said, amused.

“And you’ve been spying on Hellfire? Why?”

“Didn’t bother until you came home. I wanted to know what you’d been up to and what your story was. Of course, I missed the initial explanation, but I pieced things together over time.”

“You told the cops where the bodies were,” Sunny stated, and Carnage nodded.

I squeezed Sunny’s waist, and he stiffened slightly. I think he’d forgotten I was there.

“Why come after me again?”

“Because you wouldn’t stop prying. Dig, dig, dig.

You were like a fuckin’ mole. I knew you’d find out the truth in the end, but you weren’t that clever.

Fuck me, you nearly tore Hellfire apart, which is something I’d not succeeded in doing.

You set brother against brother. Had everyone looking at each other. Congrats on that.”

“Ain’t something I’m proud of. So basically, this was just a game to you?” Sunny spat.

“Yup. Even shooting your pa was fun. Primal sure straightened himself up. Got himself a good life, but the man kept an eye on the club. Seems he knew shit I wasn’t aware of.

As soon as Chance got your call saying Primal had returned and had information, I got my ass over here and shut him up.

” “You didn’t succeed. You failed. Now what? ”

“You think I’m going to let Hellfire take me in? I know what you boys do to those who piss you off. One thing, Sunny, this ain’t the end. My son will come for you,” Carnage said.

With that, he turned and blasted Livvy in the head. I screamed as blood splattered me. Then, using Sunny’s gun, which Livvy had passed to him, Carnage ate a bullet.

I stared at their bodies in shock.

“Fuck!” Sunny roared as the front door blew open, and Chance rushed in.

“Are you okay?” he demanded. He grabbed me roughly and checked me over.

“He killed her and then himself,” I babbled. “Sunny!” his name escaped me in a wail.

Sunny hugged me tightly. He turned my face away from the bodies. “Did you hear it all?” he asked Chance.

“Yeah, and Rooster recorded it. You were both right and wrong.”

“It’s over,” Sunny said.

“You got repercussions to face,” Chance announced.

“I ain’t got shit to face. I was correct, you had dirt in Hellfire still.

It just wasn’t a brother. You can have my cut, this shit was not worth it, and I don’t feel the same way as I did about it.

” Sunny kissed my forehead. “Callie is the life I want, and that’s final.

When the cops get here, give them Callie’s address, and they can talk to me there.

For now, my girl needs looking after. Chance, the club is truly clean. ”