Page 13 of King’s Reckoning (Blind Jacks MC #5)

The Seven Devils clubhouse sprawled across several acres of industrial wasteland, a fortress of concrete and steel rising from the ruins of an abandoned factory complex. Rowan perched on a nearby rooftop, studying it through high-powered binoculars, cataloging security measures and patrol patterns. The place practically screamed trap, but that hadn't stopped the Devils from sending thei.

"invitation."

"Negotiate a truce,"

the message had said.

"End this conflict before more blood is spilled. We have information you need."

"They know about the historical artifacts,"

Rowan muttered, tracking another security team's movements.

"Which means either Blackwood told them, or..."

"Or they've known all along,"

Reed finished. He lay beside her in their observation post, close enough that she could feel his heat even through their tactical gear.

"Maybe they've got their own collection. Their own connections to these discoveries."

The theory made too much sense. The Devils' sudden organizational sophistication, their targeted grave robberies, their connection to Blackwood's operations—it all pointed to deeper knowledge than a normal MC should possess.

"The original territories were divided for a reason,"

Rowan said, remembering Flash's research.

"The founding families, the first MC chapters... What if they were all connected? All part of whatever historical secrets are buried in this land?"

"And now Blackwood is trying to uncover everything."

Reed's voice was grim.

"Coming after all of us."

Rowan's hand went unconsciously to Elena's journal, tucked securely in her tactical vest. The pages were filled with references to other families, other historical connections that had bee.

"tied to the original settlements."

Had her mother known about the Devils' connection? Was that why she'd run when she did?

"Movement at the gate,"

Reed reported suddenly.

"Their president just arrived. Mason Cole himself."

Rowan trained her binoculars on the incoming motorcycle convoy. The Devils' president cut an impressive figure—tall and broad-shouldered, with silver threading through his dark hair and beard. His presence commanded respect, even from this distance.

"He's serious about this meeting,"

she said.

"Presidents don't usually handle negotiations personally."

"Which makes their proposal more than just MC politics."

Reed's hand found hers in the darkness.

"Whatever they know, whatever they want from us, it's important enough to bring out their leadership."

"And we need to know what they know,"

Rowan said, thinking about the artifacts they'd recovered, the historical connections they were only beginning to understand.

"Hence this plan of ours."

"You really think you can get close enough at their gathering?"

Reed's voice held equal parts admiration and concern.

Rowan smiled.

"Mom didn't just teach me to fight. She taught me to gather intelligence, to observe without being noticed."

She pulled out her phone, checking the time.

"Tiffany should be ready with my cover by now."

The Devils were hosting a gathering—multiple chapters coming together to discuss the growing conflict. The perfect opportunity to slip someone inside, assuming they could get past the security.

"I don't like this,"

Reed said softly.

"Letting you go in alone."

"Not alone."

Rowan tapped her earpiece.

"I'll have you watching my back. Besides, they're less likely to look too closely at someone posing as a potential business associate."

The plan was risky but calculated. The Devils had legitimate business operations alongside their more questionable activities. Elena had taught her daughter to use every available advantage.

"Just..."

Reed's hand tightened on hers.

"Be careful. These people are dangerous. And desperate."

"I know."

Rowan met his eyes in the darkness, saw the emotion there that neither of them had dared name yet.

"Trust me?"

"Always."

The word was barely a whisper, but it carried the weight of everything between them.

Her phone buzzed. Tiffany's signal that her cover was in place. Time to move.

The transformation from MC prospect to polished business representative was dramatic but carefully calculated. The tailored suit Tiffany had chosen was expensive but subtly so, designed to suggest professionalism and competence. Rowan's natural beauty needed little enhancement. Just enough makeup to soften her features without hiding them completely.

"You clean up nice,"

Tiffany said as she made final adjustments to Rowan's hair. They were in a hotel room near the Devils' compound, preparing for her entrance.

"Almost didn't recognize you without motor oil under your nails."

"That's the idea."

Rowan checked her concealed knife one last time—a thin ceramic blade hidden in a specially designed belt.

"Any last-minute intel?"

"Cole runs a tight ship,"

Tiffany said.

"He's smart, observant. Doesn't miss much. And he's been asking questions about your mother. About Elena's research specifically. Just be careful what information you share."

"No chance of her sharing anything critical,"

Reed's voice came through Rowan's earpiece.

"We'll extract you at the first sign of trouble."

Rowan touched the delicate necklace at her throat—a sophisticated recording device disguised as jewelry. King had insisted on multiple backup plans, multiple escape routes. No one was taking chances with his daughter's safety now that the truth was known.

The Devils' security was thorough but not insurmountable. Rowan's cover as a potential business partner came with proper documentation, credentials that would check out thanks to Barbara's meticulous preparation. She made it through the initial checkpoints without raising suspicion.

The gathering was in full swing by the time she entered the main building. Multiple chapters' worth of Devils filled the converted warehouse space, along with their various associates and business connections. Rowan cataloged faces as she moved through the crowd, noting which members seemed to hold positions of authority.

"Target acquired,"

she murmured, spotting the Devils' president near a quieter area of the venue.

"Moving to make contact."

"Remember,"

Reed's voice was steady in her ear.

"you just need to get close enough to plant the listening device. Barbara's software will do the rest."

Rowan made her approach indirect, circulating through the gathering until she naturally drifted toward Cole's position. When she finally moved within his orbit, she maintained a professional demeanor—confident but not aggressive.

He noticed her immediately.

"I don't believe we've met,"

Cole said smoothly, his attention shifting fully to her. Up close, he had an intensity she hadn't expected. Intelligent, watchful eyes that missed nothing.

"I make it a point to know everyone in my territory."

"Just visiting,"

Rowan replied, offering the cover story they'd prepared.

"I represent interests that might align with yours."

"Do you now?"

His smile didn't reach his eyes.

"And what exactly might these interests be?"

"Historical preservation,"

Rowan said carefully.

"I understand you've been acquiring artifacts relevant to the region's original settlements."

Cole's expression shifted subtly.

"You seem well-informed for a visitor. What did you say your name was?"

"I didn't,"

Rowan replied, letting her free hand rest casually near where she needed to plant the device.

"But my credentials are legitimate, I assure you."

"Indeed."

Cole stepped closer, using his bulk to crowd her subtly against a quiet corner. The move might have intimidated someone else, but Rowan had been trained for moments like this. She held her ground, meeting his gaze steadily.

"You seem...familiar somehow,"

he said thoughtfully.

"Something about your eyes..."

Rowan's pulse quickened, but she kept her expression neutral.

"I get that a lot,"

she said lightly.

"Just one of those faces, I suppose."

Cole's hand came up to touch her arm, the gesture seemingly casual but actually controlling.

"You know,"

he said quietly.

"you remind me of someone I knew a long time ago. A woman named Elena Matthews."

The name sent a chill through Rowan, but she maintained her composure.

"The name doesn't ring a bell."

"No? That's odd, because you have her eyes. Her bone structure."

His grip tightened slightly.

"Her daughter would be about your age now."

Before she could respond, commotion erupted near the entrance. Rowan used the distraction to step away from Cole, heart racing with adrenaline. She'd managed to plant the device, but her cover was compromised.

"Blackwood just arrived,"

Reed reported in her ear.

"His men are heavily armed. They're moving in."

"Time to go,"

Rowan said quietly. But as she turned to make her exit, Cole's hand closed around her arm.

"Wait,"

he said, voice urgent.

"I know who you are. What your mother was protecting. We need to talk about—"

The first explosions cut him off, rocking the building's foundation. Private security teams breached multiple entry points simultaneously, filling the air with smoke and chaos. Rowan used the confusion to break Cole's grip, years of training taking over as she moved toward her primary escape route.

"Rowan!"

Cole's voice carried over the chaos.

"Your mother wasn't the only one protecting these discoveries! There are things you need to know!"

But Rowan was already moving, letting the crowd's panic cover her retreat. Behind her, she heard Cole barking orders, organizing his men to repel the attack. Whatever he knew about Elena, about the historical artifacts, would have to wait.

"Cover intact,"

she reported, reaching the exit point where Reed waited with a motorcycle.

"But Cole knew who I was. Knew about Mom somehow."

"Details later,"

Reed said, gunning the engine as more explosions rocked the compound.

"Right now we need to—"

Movement caught Rowan's eye. A familiar figure ducking into a side building. Even through the smoke and chaos, she'd recognize that silver hair anywhere.

"Blackwood,"

she said.

"He's here personally. This isn't just an attack. They're after something specific."

Reed followed her gaze, cursing softly.

"We need to go. Now."

But Rowan was already moving toward the building, drawn by instinct she didn't fully understand. Something important was inside, something Blackwood wanted badly enough to risk a direct confrontation.

"Rowan!"

Reed's voice held real concern now. "Don't—"

"Trust me,"

she said softly. Then she was running, letting her intuition guide her through smoke and confusion toward whatever Blackwood sought.

The side building had once been some kind of storage facility, its interior now converted into what looked like a research space. Advanced equipment filled the room, monitoring devices that reminded Rowan of Barbara's archaeological tools. But it was what stood in the center that drew her attention.

A table, covered with artifacts similar to the ones they'd found. And on it, another wooden box—larger than the others, its surface carved with intricate designs that matched the patterns from her mother's notes.

"Beautiful, isn't it?"

Blackwood's voice came from behind her.

"Another piece of the historical evidence, hidden right under our noses. The Devils have been protecting it for generations, just like your mother protected hers."

Rowan turned slowly, hand moving to her concealed weapon. But Blackwood wasn't alone. Cole stood beside him, his expression unreadable.

"I told you she'd come,"

Cole said softly.

"Elena's daughter. Just as determined, just as resourceful."

"Indeed."

Blackwood studied Rowan with clinical interest.

"Just like her mother. The same intelligence, the same dedication to protecting these historical secrets. But with King's determination as well. A remarkable combination."

"What are you talking about?"

Rowan demanded.

"What do you know about my mother?"

"Only what she allowed us to know,"

Cole said.

"She wasn't the first to discover these artifacts, Rowan. Wasn't the first to try protecting them. The Devils have been guardians just as long as your club. Longer, maybe."

"Which is why this meeting wasn't just about territorial peace,"

Blackwood added.

"You and the Devils have more in common than you realize. You're both protecting pieces of the same puzzle."

Understanding hit Rowan like a physical blow.

"You're working together,"

she breathed.

"The Devils, your corporation... You're all connected to this."

"Smart girl."

Blackwood smiled a shark’s smile.

"Just like your mother. She understood what was at stake. The historical significance of these discoveries. Until she decided to run, to keep you away from all this."

"To protect me,"

Rowan corrected coldly.

"From people like you."

"To protect everyone,"

Cole said.

"These artifacts contain evidence that could destabilize entire industries, challenge established historical narratives. Without proper control..."

He gestured to the monitoring equipment.

"We've been documenting everything. Building a case that can't be dismissed."

"Which is why we need you,"

Blackwood added.

"Your mother's research, combined with what the Devils have preserved, could complete the picture. Help us present this evidence properly."

Rowan's mind raced, processing implications. The Devils' sophisticated equipment, their targeted grave robberies, Blackwood's personal involvement—it was all connected. All part of some larger plan.

"And if I refuse?"

"Then this evidence disappears forever,"

Cole said simply.

"Starting with what your club has gathered. We know where you're hiding, Rowan. Know about Elena's tunnel network, about the artifacts you've recovered. Work with us, help us complete the historical record, and everyone benefits."

Rowan thought quickly, her mother's training taking over. But she also felt something else. Reed's presence moving into position, following her despite her reckless charge into danger.

Always following. Always protecting.

"Here's the thing about historical truth,"

she said quietly.

"It belongs to everyone. Not just those who want to control it. My mother understood that. So do I."

The explosion Reed set caught them all by surprise—a precise charge that created a diversion without threatening lives. Through the smoke and confusion, she caught glimpses of brothers arriving to provide backup.

"Rowan!"

Reed's voice carried over the chaos. "Move!"

She grabbed the wooden box, feeling its solid weight as she clutched it to her chest. Cole's angry shout followed her as she ran.

"You don't understand what you're dealing with!"

he called after her.

"What these artifacts could reveal!"

But Rowan was already gone, letting Reed lead her to safety as more of Blackwood's security forces engaged the Devils. Whatever alliance the Devils and Blackwood had formed, whatever they knew about her mother and the historical discoveries, it would have to wait.

She had what she came for—not just the artifact, but confirmation that this went deeper than anyone had realized. The Devils weren't just rivals anymore. They were part of something bigger.

Something that wanted to control historical truths better left to public knowledge.

"You okay?"

Reed asked as they roared away on his bike, the box secured between them.

Rowan thought about Cole's words, about Blackwood's claims regarding her mother's research. About historical truths buried beneath their feet, waiting to be revealed.

"Ask me tomorrow,"

she said softly, a phrase she was coming to use often.

His laugh vibrated through her chest.

"Tomorrow then."

As they rode through the night, Reed's solid presence against her chest was the only thing that felt real. She'd come looking for answers about her father, about her mother's death. Instead, she'd found something far more complex—a conspiracy spanning generations, multiple MCs protecting pieces of a historical puzzle that powerful interests wanted to control.

And somewhere in the middle of it all was Elena's daughter and King's blood, carrying forward a legacy she was only beginning to understand.

The ride back to their safehouse was quiet, both of them processing what they'd learned. When they finally arrived, the adrenaline that had carried Rowan through the mission began to fade, leaving her hands trembling slightly as she set the wooden box on the table.

"You should rest,"

Reed said quietly, noticing her exhaustion.

"King and the others won't expect a report until morning."

Rowan nodded, suddenly aware of how drained she felt. But as she turned toward the bedroom, she found herself unwilling to be alone with her thoughts.

"Reed,"

she said softly.

"Stay with me tonight?"

The question hung between them, loaded with meaning beyond the simple words. His dark eyes met hers, searching her face.

"You sure that's what you want?"

"I've never been more sure of anything,"

she said simply.

There was no need for more words. Reed's arms encircled her, drawing her close in an embrace that spoke of protection, desire, and something deeper neither of them had dared name yet. Their kiss began gently but quickly deepened, years of training and discipline giving way to something far more primal and human.

That night, in the quiet darkness of the safehouse, Rowan Matthews finally stopped being Elena's daughter or King's blood. She was simply herself—a woman finding connection in a world that had denied her that for too long. Reed's hands and lips mapped her body with the same intensity he brought to everything, learning her, cherishing her, breaking down the last walls between them.

And in those quiet hours, with moonlight spilling through half-drawn blinds and the world outside temporarily forgotten, Rowan found something she hadn't known she was searching for—not just answers about her past, but hope for her future.

Whatever dangers tomorrow brought, she would face them with Reed at her side.

Together.