Page 54 of Loki’s Spellbinder (Hunters Creek Archangel’s Warriors MC #14)

I was still in a daze from my earlier talk with Braelyn. I’d checked on Xander and stayed in his room talking for a good twenty minutes. I permitted him to finish up a show he was watching and then go to sleep. I told him I’d see him in the morning.

Back in our bedroom, I found Braelyn had showered and was curled up in bed in her nightgown.

She was reading something on her e-reader.

She put it down when she saw me. I spooned her for a good hour, discussing our future and what we’d do if she were pregnant.

Brae kept warning me not to get ahead of ourselves and not to say anything until we knew for sure.

I promised I wouldn’t, but it would be hard.

The thought of it being true had excitement and a small amount of apprehension growing in me.

I wanted children, and prayed I’d be a great dad like my dad and fellow Warriors were.

I remained there, holding her as she slept, waiting for the text that it was time. It came at a quarter after midnight.

We were to meet at the Cellar. While Bull didn’t make it mandatory for every member to attend what was about to happen, he let them know it was happening for those who wanted to come.

And like we did most of the time, just about everyone came to observe.

The only ones absent were our prospects.

They’d stay alert to anything unusual kicking off around us and send out a warning.

As I made my way to the Cellar, I remembered how easy it was to nab Nelson.

He’d been hanging in his apartment, watching a documentary, when Iceman, Payne, and I busted in.

Before he had time to react or even call out for help, we’d been on him and forced zip ties on his wrists and duct tape over his mouth.

His apartment situation was odd, but it worked in our favor.

Instead of being the type that had neighbors attached to his unit on all sides, he only had one.

It was easy to hear a ruckus in the other kind.

In his, they were double units set up in a circular configuration.

His apartment was attached to one that was empty at the moment.

It meant no one heard us force our way inside or saw us take him.

The cameras in the surrounding buildings and his own were remotely dealt with by Outlaw.

In the Cellar, I found Nelson seated in a chair.

There was not a mark on him. That was Iceman’s request. Nelson’s arms were still zip-tied behind his back, and the duct tape was on his mouth.

Whoever put him there left his legs free.

Iceman’s dad scanned all our faces. I wasn’t sure what he was hoping to find, but if he believed one of us would be on his side, he was in for a big disappointment.

Finally, his gaze landed and stayed on his son.

Nelson gave Iceman an imploring look. There was no other word for it.

Bull was the one to get the conversation started.

“Do you know who we are?” he asked Nelson gruffly.

Our cuts advertised it, but we hadn’t worn them when we took him. Nelson nodded.

“Do you know why you’re here?” our president asked next.

This question made Nelson shake his head emphatically, and he made some babbling sound from behind the tape.

“I’ll take that as you don’t know and you want to talk.” Bull said, then turned his head to meet Iceman’s eyes. “Brother, do you want him to be able to speak, or keep the tape in place?”

Iceman slowly circled his dad, causing Nelson to crane his neck to avoid losing sight of him. When a full circle had been made, Iceman answered.

“I know whatever comes out of his mouth will be a lie, but sure, we’ll go ahead and let him expel his hot air and lies.”

Iceman stepped close enough to rip the tape off without asking anyone to do it. That shit stuck like glue, so Nelson’s painful moan told us the tape had taken skin or hair off. Settling, after having his face burned from the tape, Nelson flew into his denial speech.

“I’m not a liar. I know my past has left me as a man you believe you can’t trust. However, I’ve changed.

All those years in prison gave me time to think and to recognize, with help from my counselors, that I was a terrible person.

I didn’t cherish and love my family like I should’ve.

I let alcohol and drugs rule me. I hated myself.

Therefore, I projected my hate on everyone else.

“The things I put my wife and son through were beyond hell. I don’t recall much of the day I lost my wife, but I do recall my son crying and begging me to stop beating him. I live with that memory every day.”

He paused as if he expected someone to respond. We didn’t. I watched Iceman. His face was an impassive mask. Nelson continued.

“I’ve prayed for years that one day I’d be free to establish a true father-son relationship with my son and be a part of his life. And since he has a family, I want one with them. I’m looking forward to having grandkids to spoil and treat differently than I did their father.”

Nelson’s mention of Iceman’s family and future children prompted my brother to speak.

“I want you to listen carefully. I don’t care what you spout about how you’ve changed, found God, or whatever in prison.

I will never forgive or forget what you did to us, especially Mom.

As for a relationship between you and me, never.

And if you were to ever go near my family, I’d kill you. My kids will never know you.”

“Come on, son, that’s not the way to be. The Bible says to honor thy mother and father,” Nelson reminded him. I thought he was pushing it to see if Iceman would snap.

“That’s one commandment I won’t keep. It’s not the only one I’ve broken repeatedly. And I know when I face judgment, I’ll be headed south. However, I’ll gladly go as long as I can see the eternal torment you exist in. I know that I’m a better person than you,” Iceman hissed.

“Please, don’t say that. I’m here only to re-establish our bond and help you and your immediate family, as well as those you consider your chosen family. Let me tell you about what I mean and earn my right to be a part of your life and your woman’s.”

My ears perked up. Could it be that easy?

Would Nelson tell us what he knows if Iceman misled him on the possibility of them repairing things?

Surely, the man wasn’t that stupid or crazy to believe it.

Or was he? I had never asked Outlaw what he had discovered about Nelson when he dug into his time in prison. It didn’t seem important. Had Iceman?

The rest of us remained quiet. It had been agreed upon in church that, other than Bull throwing in an occasional word here and there, Iceman would dominate the conversation.

He would let us know if he wanted others to participate.

There would only be a few times that weren’t the case.

Iceman appeared to be thinking over what his dad said.

The way he scrunched up his face and changed his expression suggested he was considering what Nelson said.

“Don’t listen to him,” Payne interjected. A few others begged him not to do it. Again, all staged.

“Quiet! Let me think. It’s my decision, not yours,” Iceman snapped at us.

“What do you mean you can help my family? Meadow, Sage, and Aspen are doing great. So am I. And the club has been relatively stable, except for a small issue we’re working to resolve.

I don’t see how you can help me. You’re a convict who’ll be lucky to get a mediocre job.

That doesn’t help take care of me or my family.

” Iceman’s tone was dismissive and condescending.

“That’s where you’re wrong. I have connections, and if you allow me to talk to you about them, you’ll see why you can’t pass them up. Untie me and let’s talk about this like real men. I’m not your enemy, Jake.”

“It’s Iceman. I haven’t been Jake for a long time. I don’t know. What do you think, Pres? Should I listen or get on with it?” Iceman glanced at Bull. Our president took a few moments to contemplate what Nelson said before he answered.

“If he can give us something concrete to prove he’s not lying about his connections, then we should sit down and talk. If he can’t, let’s get this done. My old lady is home waiting for me.” Bull smirked when he said his old lady.

We knew he was insinuating he wanted to go home to make love to Jocelyn. If anyone thought he wasn’t still getting it up and having sex often, they should see the satisfied smiles on his and Jocelyn’s faces. Bull would hit sixty in a couple of years, but like Rage, there was no slowing down.

Iceman’s following words got my mind back on Nelson.

“You say you have connections that can benefit me and my family, including my club. I don’t understand how you can think that. You know nothing about an MC. You were never a part of this life. How can you have a deal or whatever it is that will be good for us?”

“You’re right. I didn’t know anything about clubs.

It wasn’t until I went to prison that I learned about them out of necessity.

On the inside, you either made alliances or exchanged favors to stay alive.

If you were alone, you ended up dead. I was fortunate that some guys took me into their group and protected me. ”

“What did you bring them, other than your mouth and asshole?” Iceman snickered, causing some of us to chuckle.

His dad’s mouth tightened, but he didn’t respond.

He kept explaining. “I discovered soon after they helped me in the yard to avoid a beatdown that they were members of motorcycle clubs. There was more than one group in there, so you had to know who were friends and who were enemies. They taught me about the life. I won’t go into details about what we faced there.

Just know it wasn’t easy or pretty. However, the leaders of the group who befriended me were from a large, powerful club.