Page 15 of Pain (Kiss of Death MC #6)

The room smelled faintly of motor oil and sweat, a mix that helped settle me by surrounding me with all the familiar things I’d left behind.

Knuckles was already there, leaning back in his chair with a half-empty bottle of Jack on the desk.

His thick arms were crossed over his chest, and that permanent scowl carved into his face like someone chiseled it out of stone was firmly in place.

“Pain,” he grunted as I stepped in, shutting the door behind me. “Took your sweet fuckin’ time.”

“Had shit to do,” I said, dropping into the chair across from him with a grin. We both knew I wasn’t coming to see him before I got Nadine settled.

Knuckles grinned back, warm and inviting. It wasn’t a look I’d have associated with Knuckles before, but things were different now. “Good to have you back, Pain.”

“Good to be back.”

“I still think your brother could have gotten you off.”

I shrugged. “I didn’t deserve it. I did the crime; I did the time.

Besides, if you’ve talked to Wyatt about this, he’d agree with me.

Otherwise, he would have gotten me off. I’d still be working at the hospital, and I’d never have met Nadine.

” I took a breath before meeting Knuckles’ gaze.

“She’s mine, Knuckles. I’m sure I can convince her to stay with me.

She wants to, though she’s being cautious. ”

“Given she worked in a prison, that’s not unexpected. She’s just been thrust into what could be her worst nightmare if we were like some clubs.” Knuckles picked up a pen and twirled it absently between his fingers. “How’s she holdin’ up?”

I shrugged. “Not bad. She had a rough time processing everything that happened at her home, but she’s trying. I think with some time, and getting to know the other old ladies, she’ll fit in here perfectly.”

There was silence and I knew there was another reason Knuckles wanted to meet with me.

“We might have a situation. We’re trying to take care of it, but this was something that hit us out of the blue.

I’m telling you privately because this literally just happened.

While you were on your way here from Iron Tzars last night. ”

OK, that didn’t sound good. “What’s going on?”

“The city just hired a new police chief. He’s coming in from Memphis. Bringin’ his core officers in the department, who also happen to be his muscle on the inside.”

“I don’t understand.”

“His name’s Benjamin Roscoe. He’s as corrupt as they come and hell-bent on cleanin’ us out of the area.”

That surprised me. “Seems pretty sudden.”

“Yeah. Even your brother got taken by surprise on this one.” Knuckles scrubbed a hand over his face before slamming the pen back on the table in frustration.

My brother, Wyatt Raven, was my lawyer. He was affiliated with Iron Tzars, but he was my older brother.

Which meant anything and everything going on around me, Raven -- his road name in the Tzars -- knew about and had at least a modicum of control over.

Why? Because he was a bastard control freak who constantly had to have his nose in other people’s business…

because he had a fear of losing more people close to him.

Like he had our parents, our younger sister, and then me.

“Not to mention, Tonio is furious.” He was talking about Antonio Miles, a major player in the family who controlled the Nashville underground.

Nashville was his city. Kiss of Death was the muscle.

I didn’t think Antonio was the head of the family dynasty, but he was definitely in the upper echelon.

I sat up straighter. “ He didn’t know?”

“Nope.”

“Sounds serious.”

“It could be. Roscoe has his men watching our every move. His excuse is that we’re a bunch of ex-cons gathered in one place.

He has no evidence to back up claims we demand protection money from the dock workers, or that we basically have our pick of shit we want coming into Nashville, but that’s not stopping him. ”

“So he’s just throwing shit out there?”

“Yep. The media picked it up because why not, and ran with it.”

“And given the city’s current political environment, it was easy to get everyone to believe we’re causing a problem.”

“Yep. Which means this Roscoe is making a concerted effort to take out the Miles family’s muscle.”

“The fact is, he’s not wrong about us being a menace. We’re just not a menace in the way he’s painting.”

Knuckles sat back in his chair and shrugged. “True. But I’m pretty sure he’s making this move on someone else’s payroll. Little cunt’s not smart enough to do it on his own, though it’s obvious he thinks he is.”

“Which means there’s someone new making a move.” I crossed one ankle over the opposite knee. “Great. This isn’t the calm, carefree environment I’d hoped to show Nadine.”

“Yeah, we’re gonna scare the poor girl to death.

Keep her in the center buildings as much as you can.

The other women are gathering there. They’re making use of Oasis One a lot.

Given the heat -- both literally and figuratively -- the officers all agreed it’s better to keep the women and kids inside the inner protection of the compound. ”

“Not gonna get a disagreement from me, Prez.”

“Not you I’m worried about. It’s your girl.

” Yeah. Knuckles might be a hard ass, but he wasn’t a monster.

We all loved women, but Knuckles had extended his protective streak to all the women in the club.

Old ladies or club whores, it didn’t matter.

Our women were treasures, and we did our best to treat them as such, so this expression of concern didn’t surprise me now like it might have when I’d first come here awaiting my trial.

“If anyone can put her at ease, it’s the old ladies. Nadine’s in her apartment cleaning up and getting some rest. I’ll explain things to her. With the help of the other girls, I’m pretty sure I can get her to do what we tell her to.”

The smug grin on Knuckles’ face said he knew everything to be already under control.

“I wouldn’t count on it.” I chuckled, thinking about Nadine’s stubborn streak. “She’s got a mind of her own.”

Knuckles laughed, a sound almost like gravel in a blender. “All the good ones do. That’s what makes ‘em worth all the shit they put us through. All the women in this club have a mind of their own, in case you’ve forgotten.”

I rubbed my beard, thinking about how to handle this. “I’ll talk to her tonight. Let her know what’s going on but ease her into it.”

“Good. Now, you got her property cut in the works?”

“Nope.” I grinned. “Already done. I’m giving it to her tonight when we --”

A sharp knock interrupted us. The door swung open and Diesel, a prospect Knuckles had brought in sometime while I was in prison, filled the doorframe.

“Sorry to interrupt,” he said, not looking sorry at all.

I didn’t know the guy, but I’d been hearing from the others he was a quiet, solid guy.

Figuratively as well as literally. “We’ve got movement on the east side wall.

Unmarked car, two men taking photos. If they’re not police, I’ll eat his shorts.

” He nodded at me, and I barked out a laugh.

Knuckles didn’t acknowledge the byplay. “Make sure we got good eyes on them but don’t engage. I expect this is just the beginning.”

Diesel gave Knuckles a curt nod. “Already on it. Knight has a good view of the car all the way around. Probably has an ID on the occupants already.”

“Good.” Knuckles stood. “Tell him to have the information ready for me. I’ll be there in five.”

“On it, Prez.”

After Diesel left, Knuckles stood and came around his desk and I followed suit. He stuck his hand out to me. “Good to have you back, man.”

I gave him a lopsided grin, the pressure in my chest finally easing. I was all too aware I’d let the club down by getting my ass busted on the biggest night of my life. “Knuckles…” I reached out and took the hand he offered. “I’m sorry.”

“Nothin’ to be sorry for. Yeah, the timing could have been better, but, whether you wanted him to or not, your brother came through with flying colors.”

“Yeah. I berated him for that.”

“’Cause you felt guilty.”

“I am guilty! I didn’t mean to kill the bastard, but he grabbed my date’s ass. I had to do something.”

“You don’t have to justify yourself to me, Pain.

As far as I’m concerned, you don’t have to justify yourself to anyone.

Any man who won’t defend a woman when she’s touched against her will ain’t much of a man, in my opinion.

In some ways, I’d classify that person as worse than the one doin’ the touchin’. ”

That statement threw me. Yeah, it had been my first date with Sondra -- Shonda?

Sonda! -- but she’d still been with me. I’d shoved the guy, then punched him when he’d laughed and tried to make a grab for her again.

He was too drunk to keep his balance and fell, his head landing on the corner of a brick step inside the bar.

The impact of the landing caved in his skull at the temple and he later died.

At the same hospital I’d just been hired on as a full-time surgical attending.

“You ever hear from your date again?” Knuckles’ question caught me off guard.

“No.” And that had hurt more than I’d expected. I hadn’t been in love with the woman. It was our first date! But I’d defended her. She had barely made a police statement before she’d hightailed it out of the bar. “But I learned better than to date from the nursing pool.”

“Shoulda known that from the start.”

“I did. But I thought I was the shit.” I shrugged. “Thought I could handle myself on one date. I’d already decided we weren’t going to fit anywhere. Not even in bed. The woman had a voice that simply to God grated on my last nerve.”

“Then why the fuck did you ask her out to begin with?”

“Heard she had good pussy. If that makes me an asshole, so be it. I told her what I wanted up front. Probably why I never saw her again.”

“Sounds about right. Tell me you’re not glad she split.”

“Nope. I don’t lie. By her giving me the kiss-off -- and probably rightfully so -- she saved me the trouble of dumping her after I met Nadine. Because no one is keeping me from Nadine but Nadine. And only if I can’t sweet talk her into keeping me.”

“She’ll stay. She’s a little reserved now, but you’re right. The women will bring her around.”

“Speaking of which, I need to go check on her. I don’t want to leave her alone too long. She’ll start questioning her decision to come with me and I’m not fighting a battle I’ve already fumbled my way through.”

“Good plan. Church will be at eight tonight. I think Hannah and Pippa are getting together a barbeque for afterward.”

“That a good idea? You know, with eyes on us?”

“They’re setting up in the center warehouse by the pool.

I’ll make sure there are lookouts all around the perimeter and a couple up on the roofs at each corner.

We’ll have a good warning if they decide to breach the place.

We’ve all prepared the women, and they know what to do.

Best get Nadine filled in. Hannah will make sure she’s taken care of if we get hit. ”

“Ain’t likin’ this.” I scrubbed the back of my neck.

“Me neither.” Knuckles clapped me on the shoulder. “Go see to your woman. Get her firmly on your side so you can protect her. She’s got to trust you to keep her safe before she’ll let you.”

“On it, Prez. On it good and proper.”