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SEVEN

“ B ut how could you just leave him there?” I could still hear her voice, the sharp edge of betrayal cutting through every word.“He’s my brother, and I know you’ve had your differences, but there was a time when he was your best friend?”

“It wasn’t my choice to make.”

She’d looked at me like I was someone she didn’t recognize, like I was some kind of monster, and she could barely stand to breathe the same air as me. And maybe she was right.

Maybe I was a monster.

But I’d done what I had to do.

Rooks was a dead man the second he tried to steal from the Volkovs. The club lived by the same code. So, I got it. I understood why they wouldn’t let him get away with it. They had to set an example so no one else would think they could get away with doing the same.

Still feeling the weight of Tallie’s glare, I ran my hand down my face and sighed. I hated seeing her so upset with me. Hell, her entire body trembled with anger and heartbreak. I hadn’t even tried to defend myself. There was no point. Nothing I could say would’ve taken her hurt away. She had to process it on her own, and once she did, she’d see that I’d had no other choice.

“He had consequences to face.”

“Consequences for what?” she gasped. “He didn’t have anything to do with any of this.”

“But he did.” I tried to keep my tone calm as I told her, “He tried to steal their money, but that was only after he’d tried to steal your father’s.”

“What?” she gasped. “But why?”

I should’ve broken it to her gently.

I should’ve found a way to soften the blow, but she needed to know the facts. And there was no gentle way to say, “His business had gone south, and he was looking for a way out.”

She didn’t respond, but I could see the wheels turning in her head. She was starting to piece it together. “So, he asked Dad for money, and he wouldn’t give it to him?”

“That’s right, so Rooks decided to take it.”

The realization hit her all at once. Her face went pale as she muttered, “Oh, God. Please tell me he didn’t have something to do with Dad’s death.”

“I wish I could. I really do.”

“No.” I watched as the truth settled over her like a weight too heavy to bear. It was too much. I knew it would be, and I hated that I was the one who had to break the news to her. But it had to be done. Defeat in her eyes, she muttered, “I can’t believe it. He was behind it all the whole time.”

“Afraid so.”

“Oh, Rooks. Why would you do this? I just don’t understand.” Tears started streaming down her face, and her voice cracked as she said, “And he knew that he’d put Mom and me in danger, and he still…”

“His bad choices caught up with him, Tal, but that doesn’t mean they’re going to catch up with you. I’m not going to let that happen. Not now. Not ever.”

When her tears started to fall even harder, I stepped over and wrapped my arms around her, holding tight as she started to sob. She cried and cried some more, and my heart ached for her. She’d been through so much, and I wanted nothing more than to take all her hurt away.

When she finally collected herself, she stepped back and looked up at me with worry in her eyes. “What am I supposed to tell Mom?”

“I can’t answer that for you, but she’s a smart lady. She’ll figure it out sooner or later.”

“What about the case and Detective Joyner?”

“I can’t say for sure, but the Volkovs are powerful men. They’ll pull some strings and make your father’s case go away.” Since she was no longer in danger, we’d moved Tallie’s mother from the safe house and put her back up at the hotel. We figured she’d be happier there, especially with Rooks being gone. “And when that happens, your mother can go back home, and life will go on as you’ve always known it.”

“Can it really be that easy?”

“None of it is easy, Tal. But people like them make things happen.”

“So, that’s it. Dad and Rooks are gone in one fell swoop.” Tears started to pool in her eyes as she said, “I’ve lost them both.”

“I know it has to be rough, but you aren’t alone in this. I’ll be here every step of the way.”

“I’m good as long as I’m with you.”

“Feelings mutual, babe.” I leaned in and kissed her on the forehead. “I need to get over to the club and check in with Prez. You and Ford good for a bit?”

“Yeah, we’ll be fine.” She let out a breath. “You think we could talk to him about everything when you get back? I think it’s time.”

“Yeah, that’d be good.”

“Great.” She held my gaze for a moment, then whispered, “I really do love you.”

“And I love you.” I gave her a wink before saying, “I’ll be back.”

She nodded, and I headed out the door. I wasn’t exactly thrilled about leaving her. She’d been through so much over the past few days, and I wanted to be there for her. But before I could do that, I needed to check in with Prez and the brothers and make sure the drop with the driver and guard had gone off without any issue.

They would’ve called if something had come up, but I wanted to be sure. The drive over was a bit of a blur. I hadn’t slept, and my head was all over the place. One minute I was thinking about Tallie and how good her mouth felt on my cock, and then, I jumped to thinking about Rooks and whether or not he survived the night. It was a thought that was still clinging to me as I pulled into the clubhouse parking lot.

I pulled around back and parked. I pulled off my helmet, and I was about to head inside when I spotted Preacher talking to Kay and Memphis. I could tell right away that something was off. Kay wasn’t crying, but she looked like she had been or was about to.

Her hands were tucked in the back pockets of her jeans, and her back was stiff, like she was trying to put on a brave front. But even from where I stood, I could tell she was hanging by a thread.

Memphis didn’t look much better. His jaw was tight, and his arms were crossed. It was clear he wasn’t happy. I wasn’t sure what was going on, and then I saw all the bags in the back of the car.

That’s when I knew it was finally happening.

Prez was sending her home.

I got off my bike, but I didn’t say anything. I just stood there for a moment, watching as Kay turned to Prez and offered him a small, grateful smile. “Thank you for everything you’ve done. It means more than you know.”

“Don’t gotta thank me. That’s what I’m here for.” His face was unreadable as he told her, “You know the door’s always open.”

“I know.”

Her gaze shifted to Memphis then, and I watched as something flickered between them. Something heavy. Something unspoken. He sighed, then reached out and gave her a hug. “I’m gonna miss having you around.”

“I’m going to miss being around, but you have my number. Just give me a call whenever you want some of my motherly advice.”

“I’ll do that, and you call me any time you need me to set you straight.”

She nodded against his chest, then stepped back as she answered, “I will.”

“Love you, Mom.”

“Love you, too.”

She looked back over at Preacher, and then, without another word, she climbed into her car and started the engine. Seconds later, she was pulling through the gates, but none of us moved. We just stayed put, watching as she disappeared down the road.

After a few moments, I walked over to them and asked, “So, where’s she running off to?”

“She’s going to stay with her sister for a couple of weeks, and then, she’s headed back home to Memphis.”

“What about her house? I thought it was torched?”

“Insurance came through, and they’re rebuilding.”

“Don’t see why she couldn’t just wait here until it was done.”

Prez exhaled, glancing at Memphis before looking back at me. “She needed to go.”

That was all he said.

Memphis’s fists were clenched at his sides, which told me he wasn’t pleased about how things had played out, but he knew better than to go against his father. So, he shook it off and did his best to accept what had to be done. Figuring he could use a change of subject, I asked, “How’d the drop go with the driver and guard?”

“As good as could be expected,” Prez answered. “We cleaned them up and sent them on their way. Haven’t heard anything more, so I’d say that’s the end of that. What about Tallie? How’s she making it?”

“She’s still coming to grips with some things, but she’ll be okay.”

“She know about her brother?”

“Yeah, that was a tough one.” I shook my head. “Had to be hard to hear that your brother was a lying, cheating, murdering asshole.”

“It was, but it is what it is.” I shrugged. “At least, now she can move on and put all this behind her.”

“So, you really think Rooks is done for?”

“No way to know for sure, but it certainly sounded that way.”

“So, what happens now?”

“Tallie and Ford are gonna be staying with me. I’ll get a couple of the prospects to help me move her stuff over from her apartment, and then, we’ll figure out something with her shop.”

“Sounds like you got it all figured out.”

“No, but we’re trying.”

“So, when are you gonna be ready to take back control of the Vault?” Memphis asked, sounding overly hopeful. “Cause that shit’s about to drive me up the fucking wall. I don’t know how you do it. If it’s not the girls bitching about the schedule, it’s some asshat starting shit and causing a fucking brawl. And then, you gotta deal with all the broken chairs and glasses.”

“I was thinking about passing the reins to you.”

“Fuck no,” Memphis groaned. “I don’t mind helping out here and there, but no way I’m stepping into those shoes.”

“Ah, I’m just fucking with ya. Just give me a few more days to get things settled, and then, I’ll be back.”

“You got it.”

I turned my attention to Prez as I said, “I appreciate your help with all this mess with Tallie. I know it was asking a lot.”

“That’s what we’re here for.” Prez gave me one of his nods, and that was that. He was ready to put it behind us. “You gonna be up to put together next week’s run?”

“Absolutely.”

“Good deal. Then, go home to your woman, and we’ll start putting a plan together at the end of the week.”

“Sounds good.” I gave him a pat on the shoulder. “Thanks, Prez.”

With that, I got back on my bike and headed straight back to the house. When I pulled up in the drive, I couldn’t help but notice that Mable and Percy were waiting for me at the barn. I hadn’t gotten around to feeding them, and they both let me know as soon as I got off my bike.

Mable started baahing and Percy started barking, and they put on quite a show. You would’ve thought they hadn’t been fed in days, and they kept at it until I made my way into the barn. I started over to the feed, and Mable almost knocked me off my feet.

“Hold on a damn minute, Mable!” I fussed. “I’ll get to you in a minute.”

I poured Percy some food, then grabbed her bag of pellets and started pouring them into her trough. I was about to get them both some fresh water when I spotted Ford standing in the doorway. He was just standing there, staring at me with this strange expression on his face. When he didn’t say anything, I started towards him and asked, “You alright, kid?”

“Is it true?” he asked in barely a whisper. “Are you really my dad?”

Damn.

She finally told him.

She must’ve talked to him while I was gone. I couldn’t tell if he was angered or relieved by the news. Either way, there was no denying it. “Yeah, I’m your dad.”

“Oh.”

“I wanted to tell ya as soon as I found out, but…”

“I know. Mom told me.” His eyes dropped to the ground as he added, “She said we would talk more together, but…”

“What? You can say it.”

“I just don’t get why didn’t you come and find us?”

“Well, for starters, I didn’t know there was an us. I didn’t know anything about you until I saw you in that hotel.” I knelt in front of him. “Had I known, I would’ve been there on day one. I promise you that.”

“You kind of look like me.”

“I think it’s the other way around, but yeah. We certainly favor one another.”

“You think I’ll be a biker like you one day?”

“It’s possible, but that’ll be up to you.”

“I think I want to.”

“Well, you have plenty of time to decide.”

“Mom said we’re gonna live with you.”

“Yeah, as long as that’s okay with you.”

“Do I get to keep my room?”

“Absolutely.” I smiled. “And you can do whatever you want to it.”

“Okay. That’d be cool.”

“And if you’re up for it, I’m gonna need some help with Mable and Percy. Mable’s gonna be getting a couple of friends soon, and it’d be great if you could give me a hand.”

“I can help feed ‘em and stuff?”

“Absolutely.”

“That’d be awesome.”

“Glad you think so, because your momma wants more goats and a baby cow.”

“A baby cow would be soo cool.”

“You say that now, but it’s no fun cleaning out a stall when it’s five below.”

“I’ll help.”

“I’ll hold you to that.” I gave it a minute for the dust to settle, then asked, “So, you okay with all this? You know, with me being your dad and all?”

“Yeah, I think it’ll be cool to finally have a dad.” His brows furrowed as he asked, “What about me? Are you okay with me being your son?”

“I’m more than okay with it.”

“Cool.” Ford nodded, then it was back to life as usual. “So, what’s for dinner?”

“Good question. Let’s head inside and see what your mom’s thinking.”

Ford gave me a small nod, like we had some kind of silent agreement, and without another word, we headed inside. The second we stepped through the door, we were hit with the smell of garlic and tomatoes. Tallie was at the stove, stirring a pot of sauce. Ford stepped up next to her and glanced down at the stove, and his eyes lit up as he said, “We’re having spaghetti! Awesome!”

“Go wash up. It’ll be ready in a minute.”

Ford didn’t argue. He just bolted down the hall and straight into the bathroom. When the water kicked on, Tallie turned to me and asked, “How’d it go?”

“Good.” I exhaled. “Couldn’t have gone better.”

Her lips parted like she wanted to ask more, but I gave her a small nod, letting her know that everything was okay . Better than okay.

She smiled, then went back to cooking dinner. “I talked to Mom.”

“Oh?” I started making our drinks as I asked, “How’d that go?”

“Not great.” She shrugged. “She had a lot of questions about Rooks, and she refused to believe that he had anything to do with Dad’s murder.”

“She’s going to need some time to process everything.”

“I think it’s more than that.” There was hint of sadness in her voice as she explained, “She’s lost a lot over the past couple of weeks, and things with us are still strained. That doesn’t really help matters.”

“You guys just need some time.”

“Maybe, but I’m not sure things will ever be right again.” Tallie shook her head. “I love my mother, and I will always want her in our lives. But I don’t think I’ll ever be able to truly forgive her for what she did to us.”

“And that’s completely understandable. And to be honest, I feel the same way.”

“So, I’m not being dramatic?”

“Not in the least.”

“I love you.” She smiled. “I really do.”

“Love you, too, babe.”

Once it was ready, we carried it over to the table, and we ate together, just like a family.

It was easy. Comfortable. Right.

As soon as we finished eating, Ford and I carried our plates to the sink, and Tallie rinsed them off and put them in the dishwasher. After everything was put away, Ford stepped over to me and asked, “Wanna play a round of Fortnight?”

“I don’t know, bud. It’s kind of late.”

“Come on. Just one round.”

I glanced over at Tallie, and once she gave me a nod of approval, I told him, “Okay. Just one.”

In a blink, we were all piled up in the living room. Tallie was on the sofa, sound asleep, and Ford and I were sitting on the floor, having the battle of our lives. “Get him! Get him! No! Build! Build! ”

Ford’s whisper was barely a whisper, and his entire body tensed with excitement as he clutched the controller. His eyes were glued to the screen, and his fingers were moving as fast as they could. And he was biting down on his lip, trying his damnedest not to yell.

“On your left,” I whispered, leaning in. “He’s in the bush.”

Ford’s fingers flew over the buttons. A second later, a gunshot rang out through the speakers, and the words Victory Royale came across the screen. Ford gasped, and his arms shot up in the air. “We won!”

“Damn right, we did.”

Tallie stirred on the sofa, and we both froze.

She stilled, and her breathing stayed slow and steady. Ford let out a breath of relief, then whispered, “I better hit the bed, or she’ll know I was up late.”

“Good call.”

He got up and tossed the controller onto the coffee table before whispering, “’Night, Holt!”

“Night.”

With that, he disappeared down the hall. Once he was gone, I turned my attention to Tallie. She was curled up on the sofa, and she was out cold. Her hair had fallen loose around her face, and there was something about the way she looked, so peaceful and angelic, that made my chest tighten.

For so damn long, this house had been just a house.

It was a place to sleep, to eat, and to just get by.

But with her and Ford here, it felt like home.

I pushed to my feet and leaned down, sliding my arms under Tallie’s back and legs before carefully lifting her into my arms. She sighed in her sleep and curled closer to my chest, but she didn’t wake. As I carried her to our room, something settled inside me, something deep and certain.

I had her. I had Ford.

I had my club and a roof over my head.

I didn’t need anything else.