Page 10 of Knot So Sweet (Leather and Lace #1)

Chapter 9

Candi

T he tension in my muscles slowly began to ease as Pixie turned his attention to me. "You alright, Candi?" His tone had softened, the threat dissipating along with Gears.

I nodded, rubbing my arm where Gears had gripped me. "I’ve had worse." I shrugged. "Thanks for that. You have fantastic timing. I was about to kick him in the balls if he didn’t let me go," I said sweetly.

"Breaking his nose wasn’t enough?" Pixie cackled, the sound light and oddly reassuring. It was the same energy he had the day we first met. "I was watching the cameras. Saw you pull up and figured I should come make sure you didn’t cause too much trouble."

"I didn’t start shit. Gears—"

"—is an asshole, I know." Pixie’s voice carried more amusement than apology, though there was a hint of understanding beneath it. "But he’s been through a lot. We all have."

I frowned, feeling the weight of his words. "Doesn’t fucking matter. We all go through shit. The next time he touches me, he’ll regret it."

Pixie chuckled softly, though his eyes remained sharp. "Easy, killer. I’m sure he already does."

I grinned, rubbing the soreness in my arm. "Is he always such a dick-wad?"

"Pretty much," Pixie admitted with a shrug. "But he’s got a lot on his plate. Being the VP and all. It’s not exactly an easy job. He takes the club’s safety personally, especially since the Hounds haven’t retaliated yet for what happened at the docks. Everyone's on edge."

My brows shot up in surprise. I knew the MC had been behind that bomb at the docks, but I hadn’t expected anyone to actually talk about it in front of me.

Owen’s deal with the Cromwells resurfaced in my mind, reminding me I still had no idea of the price my brother paid to have them help us.

"What exactly happened at the docks, Pix?" I asked boldly.

He paused, his kind, honey-colored eyes searching mine. For a moment, I thought he wasn’t going to say anything. Not that I blamed him—club business wasn’t something I was privy to.

He knew about Owen’s plans to work with some of the ‘strays,’ as Viper called them. Vaughn had told them as much. I mean, that was when I'd found out too. So Pixie had no reason to tell me anything. Or to trust me. I could easily use this information against them if I wanted to.

Against Viper’s club.

"All Viper wants is Heat out of our city. He heard the stimulant was being smuggled in from Port Angeles, using the docks as a way in. We planned to…" He blew out a breath, his eyes darting around the hallway as we walked.

"Get rid of it," I finished for him.

Pixie nodded, and my heart ached.

"I wish you had been successful. Too many omegas have suffered because of Heat," I admitted, thinking about Kay. About her best friend who had died because of Heat. About Linc and Sean’s mom. Even Creed had been forced by his mother to take that abomination. Too many omegas had been ruined by that drug already.

We walked in silence for a moment, the quiet hanging between us like a shroud before Pixie continued. "Anyways, we didn't know the shipment wasn't the stimulant from Port Angeles and shit went south fast. We lost a brother in the flames. Chaos tried to stop the explosives, but he was too late. He burned along with all of those omegas."

His voice held a weight I hadn’t heard from him before. Gone was the easy-going, tech-savvy Pixie I was used to. In his place stood an alpha who had seen too much, carried too much. The loss etched deep lines in his face.

It made me pause, realizing just how much the MC had sacrificed to try and take Heat off the streets. And just how easily Michelle manipulated the narrative on the gang violence in our city. Maybe the Serpents weren't as bad as I thought they were.

"I’m sorry about Chaos," I said quietly.

Pixie nodded, but his gaze stayed fixed ahead, distant, as though he was reliving the flames all over again. "Ghost, Gears… they haven’t been the same since Chaos died. Losing him broke something in them. I mean, we’ve all been through hell, but that… that was different. My best friend lost his son that day. And now, Viper thinks helping you open The Den will atone for our mistakes."

I frowned, my heart heavy as I absorbed Pixie's words. "Ghost took it the hardest, though. He’s not a bad alpha, Candi." He paused, meeting my gaze. "Give him a chance. Ghost's just… broken. Chaos was his brother."

My mind spun as I processed this new information. Ghost, Gears, Chaos—they were a family. My heart ached for their loss. I couldn't imagine losing Owen. He was everything to me. The only family I had.

"So Gears is Ghost’s father?" I asked, just to make sure.

Pixie nodded, gesturing for me to follow him as he led me through the clubhouse. "Yeah, and Gears is fiercely loyal to the club, even if he is an asshole. Don’t let him get under your skin."

I wasn’t so sure about that, but I kept my thoughts to myself. "You seem a lot more laid-back than most of the alphas here," I said, giving him a sidelong glance.

Pixie chuckled softly. "I like to think of myself as the voice of reason around here. Someone’s gotta be, right?"

"And you’re okay with that? Playing peacekeeper between a bunch of alphas with massive egos?"

"Someone’s gotta do it," Pixie repeated with a grin, letting the heavy conversation turn lighter. I was grateful for the shift. "Besides, I’ve been with the Steel Serpents long enough to know when to push and when to pull back. It’s all about balance, Candi. You’ll learn that if you stick around."

"Not sure I plan on sticking around," I replied, my tone guarded.

Pixie just smiled knowingly. "We’ll see about that." But he didn't say it in a challenging way. It was more like he had additional information then I did and he was waiting for me to figure out what he already knew.

What was he wanting me to figure out?

I wasn't sure, but as we walked, his presence was a calming influence. He spoke with an easy charm that made me lower my guard, if only slightly.

"So, you’re here to talk to Viper about The Den?" he asked, glancing over at me.

"Yeah," I replied, my voice steadier now. "I need to have a discussion with him about upgrading the security systems. The Den needs to be up to code before it reopens."

Pixie nodded thoughtfully. "Viper’s a straight shooter. If you’re clear about what you want, and you’re not afraid to stand by it, he’ll respect you for it. Hell, he might even admire it."

There was an undercurrent in his words that made me pause. Was Pixie talking about more than just this conversation with Viper? The idea settled into my thoughts, leaving me wondering if Viper would see through me the way Pixie seemed to.

"And what if what I want doesn’t line up with what he wants?" I asked quietly, though my question carried weight.

Pixie’s gaze met mine, steady and knowing. "Then you stand your ground and make him see it your way. This club, these alphas—they respect strength, but it’s not just about muscle. It’s about knowing who you are and what you’re worth. Viper gets that better than most."

The way he spoke made it clear—this wasn’t just advice on how to deal with working with the club president; it was about something deeper, more personal. Pixie was telling me to be unafraid of what I wanted, even if what I craved was Viper himself.

As we approached the president's office, I took a deep breath, steeling myself for what was to come. Pixie’s words echoed in my mind, encouraging me to reach for what I desired without hesitation.

"Thanks, Pixie," I said, offering him a small, appreciative smile as he opened the door for me.

"Anytime," he replied, his eyes twinkling with a knowing warmth. "Good luck in there, Candi. And remember—don’t be afraid to push back. You have more sway here than you think."

My stomach churned with guilt. I had walked into this world thinking I knew who the bad guys were. But now? Now it felt more complicated. These weren’t just criminals—they were fathers and brothers, broken by a loss so deep it had scarred them all.

With one last deep breath, I stepped into the office.