Page 17

MADMAN

I slam the gavel against the table and glance around at the men filling each chair. Tinman nods, wanting to talk, so I give him the go.

“Autopsy said the dead woman from the Wilsons’ property was strangled to death and dumped.”

“Motherfucker,” I growl. I thought it was nothing, just a freak fuck up, and now it’s turning into more.

“Strangled?” Smoke echoes, thrown for a loop like the rest of us.

Death stands, beginning to pace back and forth, his brows furrowed in deep thought. “We don’t know this woman. None of us has any ties to her that we can find. However, the fact staring us in the fucking face, that she was strangled and dumped like trash, sends a loud ass message.”

Brass scrubs his hands over his face, releasing a heavy sigh. The mystery of the female’s death lingers in the air, like a heavy cloud that won’t leave us all the fuck alone.

Reign leans forward, “I think I may’ve found a connection.”

“Give it to us, Techy,” I rumble, as all of our attention is pinned to our computer-savvy brother.

“I did a deep dive and hacked into each of their financial accounts. The women had a wire transfer from Canada sitting in each of their accounts.”

Shadow leans back in his chair, deep in thought, while I scan the faces of the men in the room. We’re all in our heads at the moment, trying to figure out where in the fuck a Canadian source comes in with all of this.

“Good work, Reign. Keep digging. It’s been weeks, and we’re barely scraping by.”

“You got it, Prez.”

“Maybe it’s some fucking Russians,” King suggests, his voice filled with suspicion.

Slasher shakes his head, “Nah, not their style. This feels personal somehow.”

I rock back in my chair, contemplating the possibilities. I’m just as lost as everyone else, as much as I hate to admit it. At this rate, I’m going to be day drinking. I didn’t think this was shit I’d be facing while having my baby momma and kids on the property.

War offers, “Could be a rival club trying to muscle in on our territory.”

Brass scoffs, “As if anyone would be dumb enough to openly fuck with the King’s.”

Kilo chimes in, “What about the cartel moving in? Surely, they’d want to steal our supply customers.”

Havoc narrows his eyes, he flicks his blade open, cleaning his short, stubby nails as he claims, “Or maybe it’s someone from within our ranks, looking to cause a bit of chaos.”

“Then maybe someone wants to motherfucking die,” Death responds immediately.

The tension in the room is stifling, enough to make me take a drink to wet my throat as we each weigh the different theories.

It’s clear that we need to act fast before things spiral even further out of control.

I can’t have this shit going down with my family here.

They could be in danger, and I won’t stand for it, let alone the threat to my club.

I stand up, my decision made. “We need to increase our reach. We have endless sources at our disposal within the King’s network. We have charters in every Goddamn state. If someone wants to shake things up, they’ll get rattled in the process.”

“They’ll get fuckin’ dead, is what they’ll get.” War grumbles, already on the hunt to take some bodies down, should they challenge us.

Spade catches my eye as I stand behind my chair and offers his opinion. “We all need to stay cool while we figure this out. It pisses me off too, but we have to keep our heads clear to figure out who is at the bottom of this and not go off half-cocked, killing innocent folks.”

Shadow shakes his head, “We don’t kill innocent people, but obviously whoever started this shit doesn’t mind, or we wouldn’t have a dead chick knocking next door.”

“Alright, enough,” I huff. “I’m torn the fuck up over this too. I don’t want any of this shit touching my kids or Audrey. That’s another issue altogether, I wanted to discuss before we went off the rails.”

I release a breath, my shoulders dropping as I come clean to the overwhelming feelings I’ve been carrying around for far too long in secret.

“Timing is shit, but I’m in love with her.

I confessed as much to her, and she admitted she’s in love with me too.

I know ol’ ladies aren’t a thing around here, and I don’t think she could ever live the MC wife life, so putting my ring on her finger most likely won’t ever happen.

However, I want you all to know that as long as she’ll have me, I want her in my life.

Same with our kids. I need to know you’re all on board with having them around when they can be here.

She’s been trying to get pregnant again, so she won’t be working as much here soon, hopefully. ”

The room falls completely silent, the brothers still, not even the chairs squeak from their weight.

It’s unnerving as they exchange glances that speak volumes.

None of them has to say a thing. I know what everyone’s thinking already.

They’re remembering the unspoken rules of our business, the warnings echoing in their minds.

We don’t date our clients.

We don’t fuck them outside of scheduled breeding appointments.

We damn sure don’t love them.

“I get it. I fucked up and fell. Everyone else has played by the rules, yet here I am, supposed to be your leader, and I’ve gone against the most important set of rules of our business.”

Their silence is strong enough they may as well have struck me.

I continue, trying to rationalize how I’m any different from anyone else in this club, how it’s somehow acceptable for me to break the rules.

Audrey, she’s…” I release a sigh, fists clenching at my sides as I meet their stares full on.

“She’s different. She’s everything to me. They’re everything to me.”

Brass is the first to break the silence. “Everything, as in more than the club, is to you?”

It kills me inside to come to terms with this truth, because it’s not what I want to do.

I have no choice, I have to. My brothers deserve to know the truth.

“Yes. At the end of the day, she and the kids are more to me. I have never put the club second before, but no matter how hard I try, they’re coming in first now.

I will always protect my brothers and do what is best for the club, but I have to be real with each of you. You all deserve as much.”

Spade holds his hands up, “Look, I don’t know how everyone around this table feels about what’s going on with you and Audrey, but I do know the truth.

You’ve devoted your adult life to this club.

You’ve done everything in your power to keep us all on the straight and narrow.

Not only have you helped provide us with a place to call home, but you’ve made us successful while living the type of lives we want to live.

Look around at other clubs, Madman, they’re addicts, thieves, and much worse.

Somehow, you’ve managed to run a club and keep that sort out of it. ”

He glances around; his questioning stare is met with small nods from each of the brothers.

Our chaplain continues, “I know that you’ve sacrificed .

You’ve lived this life a long time, and it has its lonely moments.

You have a house full of children now, and you get to be a part of their lives.

You have a woman, not only willing, but wanting to have more, and love you all in the same breath.

Doesn’t seem like any reason to be worried about breaking rules, you fell in love, brother.

You deserve that love and happiness along with it.

Can’t think of more of a success story than our prez running the MC, finding true love, and having a houseful in the process. ”

His spiel is met with the brothers slamming their palms on the tabletop and grunting out their agreement. I won’t lie; the noisiness is a welcoming relief after being shaken up by what they could’ve said to my admission.

“I appreciate that, brother.” I acknowledge and glance around, asking, “Does anyone object to my family being on the ranch for the long run? To me, making Audrey my ol’ lady someday, if she’ll ever want that spot?”

Brass shakes his head, “Nah, Prez, but if y’all keep having kids, maybe start naming them after us?”

“Oh fuck off, Brass ass,” I mutter, and the table is back to their shit talking towards each other, and everything seems right somehow.