Page 30

Sypher

November 29, 2024, Diamond Creek, Nebraska.

“I don’t give a flying fuck,” I calmly whispered, holding my sleeping baby girl in my arms while Dante took off with several of the club wives to pick up some essential items for Danika before we headed home. As it was, the clothes she had on were borrowed, thanks to Jackass’ woman, Sam. But with winter in full swing, my little girl didn’t have shit to protect her against the cold, and I fucking flat out refused to take her anywhere without the proper attire.

“Hold still, Sypher,” Patch grumbled, placing his stethoscope on her back, listening to her heartbeat and lungs.

“Look, Sypher,” King, the president of the Silver Shadows began. “We can’t just blow up the place. My brother is the damn town sheriff. It’s a federal installation. We get caught and all of us will do hard time. I’ve got brothers here with pregnant wives.”

“It’s right across the damn state line. I can make sure nothing points to you or your club, but I’m not fucking leaving until that place is wiped off the fucking map.”

“I can do it,” a six-foot one brother spoke up. Taking a better look at him, I noticed his dirty blond shaggy hair hung low, covering his eyes. The man looked more like a tall, slim baseball player than a biker, but who was I to judge? I was a former goth growing up and still listened to death metal.

King leaned forward in his chair. “Stocks, you get caught, it’s life in prison. Not gonna stop you but fuck, man, think of the consequences.”

“What if that little girl was Tabby, Prez? That woman they also rescued is in the infirmary, sedated because she’s too damn afraid to be around anyone else. Got love for this club and what we do, but I ain’t gonna stand by and do nothing while those in power continue to do that crap to someone else. I can’t.”

“Let him go, King,” a brother named Blade spoke up. “Stocks is right. That place needs to evaporate. We do nothing and eventually someone else will take over, and then we will be back right where we are now. I’d go with him, but I can’t risk leaving Becca to raise our kid by herself.”

A brother named Jackass nodded. “Same.”

Matthew Law spoke up, “If there was anyone else, King, I would use them, but my demo guy is overseas and won’t get here in time. I have the ordinance with me, but I need someone to tell me where to plant it. As it is, we only have a short window of opportunity here. We either destroy the place now or leave and take the chance of someone darker taking over.”

Sighing, King leaned back in his chair, rubbing his hand across his beard. I knew I was asking a big favor from the man. One I didn’t take lightly. So, going with my gut, I reached over and ripped my Golden Patch off my arm and slid it toward King.

King looked at the patch, and no one moved.

Yeah.

They fucking knew what that meant.

It wasn’t every day that someone from the Golden Skulls handed off their Golden Patch. In fact, in all my years growing up in the club, I’d only ever heard of it happening once, when the club arrived in Louisiana to get Remi back and Massacre rescued a woman in one of the cells underground. None of us knew who the woman was. All we knew was she was scared and flat out refused to leave the cell that had been her cage for who knows how long. Massacre sat with her for hours, trying to calm her down, and only when he removed his patch and handed it to her, telling her what it meant, did she allow him to escort her out of the place. Weird thing though, when Massacre went to check on her at the hospital the next day, the woman was gone.

She disappeared and the club hadn’t seen or heard from her since.

“Whatever you need, big or small, the Golden Skulls will ride.”

Nodding, King reached out and picked up my patch, his thumb slowly moving over the golden thread and said, “Ghost, go with Stocks and watch his back. When it’s done, I want your asses home fast. Got me?”

Both brothers left with Harbor Security, leaving me alone with King when Patch spoke up, “She seems fine, Sypher, but she’s severely malnourished and underweight. Montana’s woman is a doctor, right? Call her when you arrive back in the city. She can meet you both at your place and bring everything you’ll need to put some weight on her. Maybe she will have better luck and get a full workup on her. I’d also suggest contacting Malice as he’s the best child therapist on the east coast. Your little girl is going to need a lot of therapy to get her back on track.”

“I’ll set it up.” I nodded while laughter filtered into church, alerting us to Dante and the others’ return.

“We’ll table everything for later when Stocks and Ghost return,” King stated, slapping his hand on the table and getting to his feet.

The second I walked back into the main gathering room, Dante smiled, rushing over to take Danika from me. Poor girl hadn’t touched the ground since she was rescued. Not that I think Danika minded, nor I, for that matter.

I loved holding my little girl.

“Jesus Christ,” King groaned. “Did you buy out the entire store?”

“You think this is a lot.” An obviously pregnant woman huffed, as Blade rushed over to help her sit on one of the sofas. “You should see the shit I bought last week. We only got what she absolutely needed.”

“Don’t worry, Becks, I’ve got everything back home,” Dante assured, rocking our girl before he frowned. “Though, I’m thinking another trip to Neiman Marcus might be useful. I don’t think any of the clothes I bought her will fit.”

I groaned, rolling my eyes while I scanned the multitude of bags, when two prospects carried in more. How much more could a little girl need? Her room back home was busting at the seams as it was. Girl had more clothes in her closet than Dante or I did put together.

“Oh, this is nothing.” Sam, Jackass’ wife looked up at the club president. “There are more bags in the SUV, along with a traveling stroller, a traveling sleeper bed, and a car seat. I left nothing to chance.”

The sweet motherly woman smiled as she walked over to Dante and played a cute game of peek-a-boo, which had Danika smirking. I watched in shock when Sam reached for Danika, and she went happily to the woman. Poor Dante looked heartbroken.

“That’s Momma for you,” Mimic whispered. “She’s pure love and has the magic touch that makes everything better.”

I had to agree. Sam was magic, because we all stood watching as Sam easily had our little girl giggling. The club doors opened, and a prospect stumbled, fumbling with the boxes in his arms as two little girls rushed in giggling, and a familiar pretty blonde woman chased them.

God damn. It had been years since I’d seen her, but I’d know that smile anywhere.

“Chrissy, you get back here right now, young lady!” She grinned, not really mad as the older girl’s shoulders slumped, looking defeated when she walked over to her. “You need to apologize for bumping into Archie.”

“It’s alright, Ellie. Chrissy didn’t do anything wrong,” the prospect quickly defended the little girl. “It was my fault really. I started it.”

“Archie’s my friend, Momma,” the girl explained. “We were playing tag. I couldn’t let him catch me.”

The younger girl bobbed her head in agreement.

Sighing, Ellie stood, shaking her head. “Fine. But you be careful when Archie’s working.”

“Yes, Momma.” Chrissy grinned, taking her sister’s hand and running off.

“Still a pushover, I see.” I smirked, crossing my arms over my chest as Ellie’s head snapped up and her eyes widened.

“OH.MY.GOD! DANNY!” Ellie screeched loudly while she ran over, jumping into my arms. Stumbling back a step, I held on to my friend for dear life, hugging her tightly before putting her back down on her feet.

“Got one of those for me, too?” Dante asked, walking over as Ellie damn near tackled him, and I heard a woman gasp. Turning quickly, I saw the club girl who was in the room with Aunt Donna and Phantom stiffen and her face pale. King was at her side immediately, leaning over to whisper something in her ear.

In the next instant, the woman fled the room.

Frowning, I looked at King, but the man gave nothing away. Not that I ever thought he would. He was a lot like Montana and Reaper in that way.

“What are you two doing here?” Ellie asked, grinning from ear to ear, as a brother in the club I hadn’t met yet walked up behind her and gently pulled her back toward him, wrapping his arms around her.

“Could ask you the same thing, Ellery.” I huffed, glaring at the man who held tightly to one of my closest friends. Ellery Livingston was hands down one of the sweetest, kindest women I had ever had the privilege of knowing. She was also the first friend I made when I started college. She was shy like me, and we just hit it off. Like two peas in a pod, we stuck like glue. No one would ever be good enough for my bestie, especially not some second-rate fucker I hadn’t vetted yet.

However, when the fucker refused to back down, I reached for Ellie’s hand, and the bastard actually had the nerve to snarl at me. “Mine.”

Ignoring the fucker’s threat, stepped closer. “She was mine first, asshole,” I clearly said and smirked when he took what I said completely out of context and stiffened. Letting the bastard believe whatever he wanted, I heard someone laugh loudly.

“Oh God, this is fucking perfect. Fucking sucks, doesn’t it, Ryder? Piss off a Golden Skull. I dare you.”

“Shut up, Cash,” the man sneered. “I don’t give a fuck who this fucker is. Ellie’s my wife.”

“And Rachel’s my fucking old lady. Payback’s a bitch.”

“You got married!” Dante gasped. “Bitch! Why wasn’t I invited to the wedding? We had a pact.”

“It was spur of the moment,” I vaguely heard Ellie say as Ryder and I faced off.

“Alright, you two.” King stepped up between the two of us. “No one is going to start a fucking club war in my house. Ryder, back the fuck off. Sypher, chill the fuck out.”

“Girl, you have to tell me everything,” Dante said, pulling Ellie away as they started talking a mile a minute.

Standing firm in my spot, I refused to move first when King growled, and Ryder backed down.

I smiled and blew the fucker a kiss.

Jack and Blade moved fast to contain the fucker as King hung his head, groaned, then walked off, muttering, “Fucking children. I’m surrounded by fucking children.”

“So how do you all know each other?” Becks asked, eyes wide with mischief, eager to get the lowdown. Looking over her shoulder, I saw Ellie’s old man sitting at the bar, snarling my way, while Jack, Blade and Gunner surrounded him, refusing to let him move.

Winking at the fucker, I chuckled when Gunner slapped his hand down on his shoulder, preventing him from moving.

Punching my shoulder, Ellie leaned close. “Stop it, Danny.”

“He started it.” I grinned, leaning close, kissing the side of her head, when a glass shattered from across the room.

Reaching for my phone, I raised it up, snapping a picture of the fucker, and my phone started running a facial recognition trace on him. Within minutes, I would know everything there was to know about the fucker my best friend married.

“We were all in school together,” Dante spoke up, shaking his head, knowing damn well what I was doing, and I knew he was okay with it because he didn’t stop me. We both cared for Ellie like a sister and considered her family.

No one fucked with my family.

Ever.

“I bumped into Danny on orientation day. I was so lost and had no idea where I was going. I looked up and saw Danny. He looked so out of place and just as lost.”

“Because I was,” I muttered, scrolling through my phone.

Hugging my arm, Ellie continued, “We were, weren’t we, but we got through it together.”

“And what about Dante?” Sam asked as she rocked our sleeping girl in her arms. “When did you meet him?”

“Oh, that was a few days later in computer science class. Danny and I realized that we had a lot of the same classes together, even though we were both different majors. I was at school to learn business, and Danny was there for computer technology. But as incoming freshmen, we had a lot of the same general classes to take. Though Dante had already finished his undergraduate program at Texas A&M, he was there because he got accepted into an advanced Computer Technology program, and when Danny and I walked into class, I met Jesse.”

“Speaking of which, what has Jessabel been up to?” Dante asked.

“Ask her yourself.” Ellie smirked. “She will be here any minute.”

“NO!” Dante grinned from ear to ear as the front door slammed open, and in walked Jessabel herself.

“Gerd your loins, ladies,” I muttered as Ellie chuckled, ‘cause in the next instant, Dante jumped to his feet when Jessica Naomi Montoya walked into the clubhouse and stopped dead in her tracks.

“Jessabel,” Dante snarled.

“Lint licker,” Jess clipped.

“You look like dog shit.”

“You look rode hard and put up wet.”

No one moved while everyone watched, but when Dante smirked, Jess ran to Dante, jumping into his arms then wrapping her little legs around him, hugging him tight.

“What the fuck are you doing here? Last I heard you were in New York, bumping uglies with some biker.”

Dante roared with laughter as he turned her around and pointed. “Be a nice bitch and say hi.”

Upon seeing me, Jess slowly dropped her legs to the floor and gasped. “I FUCKING CALLED IT!” Jess shouted, then added, “What did I tell you, Ellie. Do I fucking know my gaydar or what?”

“You called it, Jess.” Ellie snickered.

Walking over to me, Jess didn’t hold back when she punched me in the arm. “If you break my boy’s heart, I’m gonna fucking cut off your balls. Got me?”

“YOU’RE GAY!” Ryder yelled from across the room as everyone broke out in merry laughter.

Knowing that Ellie and Jess would monopolize Dante, I walked over to King, who was sitting at the bar talking with his VP, Cash. Cash seemed like a nice enough guy, but I didn’t know him well enough for what I needed to discuss.

Taking a seat at the bar next to King, I whispered, “We need to talk.”

“Then talk.”

“Privately.”

King nodded. “Cash, gather the brothers.”

“No, King,” I firmly said. “Alone.”

King frowned, then sobered when my eyes trailed over to one of the club girls. I didn’t have to say anything more as he nodded.

Following him into his office, he closed the door behind me and went to sit behind his desk. “Before you say anything, I already know.”

Something bugged the crap out of me regarding the woman King spoke to earlier. From the moment we showed up at the Silver Shadows clubhouse, she seemed fine, relaxed even, until Ellie spoke my given name. After that, the woman avoided me like the fucking plague. It was only at dinner when I heard the woman speak did I put two and two together, and when I did, I about fucking blew my fuse. That woman wasn’t where I fucking left her. Which begged the fucking question: How the fuck did she end up with another fucking biker club?

“Do you? Really? How the fuck did she end up here?”

“She hasn’t said.”

“Do you have any fucking idea who she is?”

“I know she hasn’t had a good life.” The president of the Silver Shadows groaned, rubbing his hands down his face. “She doesn’t talk about her past, Sypher. I only know bits and pieces.”

The man looked tired, but I didn’t give a fuck. This wasn’t something I could let slide. Sighing, I shook my head and took a seat. Leaning forward, I muttered, “King, I need you to listen to me carefully here. There is shit going on that you really don’t want your club to be involved in. I don’t know what you’ve heard, but the biker world is gearing up for a war. You’ve got a really sweet setup here, and I’d hate to see blood hit your front steps.”

King growled. “We can protect our own.”

Shaking my head, I leaned back in the chair and added, “No, you can’t. Not with her here. She changes everything.”

Staring directly at me, he demanded, “Then tell me what I need to know.”

“I tell you, I’m putting a bullseye on your club’s back.”

“Like I said, we can protect our own.”

“If I tell you, I need you to promise me something. If shit gets too hot, I need your word that you will get her the fuck out of here. You can’t tell anyone. Not even your brothers. Just get her the fuck out of here, fast.”

King slowly nodded.

Getting to my feet, I reached for my switchblade and flicked it open. Slicing down my palm, King slowly stood when I handed it to him.

“Blood pact or I walk out of here and take her with me.”

King took my blade and sliced his hand, before reaching for mine.

Gripping my hand tightly, he growled, “She stays.”

Nodding, we both sat back down, and I began, “Her birth name is …”

King was standing in front of his window, looking out into the dark landscape while I told him everything he needed to know. I left nothing out, giving him the full lowdown on what would happen if anyone discovered who he had in his club. When the last word slipped from my lips, the man hung his head and sighed. “God forgive me.”

“She doesn’t know any of this, King. Not one damn thing.”

“I had Nav investigate her when she showed up. All he could find was that her dad was murdered when she was sixteen and she ran. Then nothing for years before she showed up here in Diamond Creek. She told me about what her father had done. She was the one who killed him. She lived on the streets for a bit until she hooked up with an older guy who eventually beat her and pimped her out and then sold her to one of his johns, who took a shine to her. Then your club found her in Louisiana, but between then and when she showed up here, we don’t know anything. After what she did share, I didn’t press for more. I had reservations after hearing about what she went through, but fuck me, Sypher, she was so fucking adamant. She didn’t want my help that way. She said if we didn’t want her, she would find another club that did. I let her stay. She makes her own rules and the brothers respect them.”

“You couldn’t have known. I erased her existence and buried her identity deep.”

Nodding, King walked over and retook his seat, looking older as the weight of what I told him weighed heavily on his shoulders.

Getting to my feet, I headed for the door when King spoke. “Sypher, does Reaper know?”

Looking over my shoulder, I shook my head. “Only one other person on the planet knows, and if anything happens to her, you won’t have to worry about Reaper or anyone else, because a fury unlike anything you’ve ever seen will rain down hell upon you and this club.”

Leaving King’s office, I walked back into the main room, looking around for Dante. When I didn’t see him, Ryder piped up, “He’s with Sam and Ellie. They are giving Danika a bath and getting her ready for bed.”

Taking a seat at the table he was sitting at with Blade, Jack and Jingles, he passed me a beer.

“Thanks,” I muttered, taking a long swig while I looked around the room.

“So, you’re Sypher? The boogeyman of the biker world everyone is afraid of?” Jack snickered.

Smirking, I muttered, “Guess that’s me.”

Blade leaned forward and asked, “So, is it true you know everything about everyone?”

“Why?” I smirked, looking at the man. “You got something to hide, Justin Cimorelli, born August 12, 1999, at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, to Kara Gallagher and Eduardo Cimorelli. Parents deceased. From age two, you spent your entire life in WITSEC because your dad got greedy and stole from the Irish Mob. Too bad for your dad, the Irish never forget.”

Blade growled while Jackass grinned. “Do me next!”

Ignoring the goofball, I looked at Ryder, who stiffened. “Awfully quiet over there, Ryder Montgomery Thomas. Got something on your mind?”

“Yeah, I do,” the man sneered, sitting up straighter. “If you’re such a good friend to my wife, then why didn’t you help her?”

“What the hell are you talking about?” I asked before taking a large swig of my cold beer. “Help Ellie with what?”

“When I met her, she was living in a fucking trailer, under an assumed name, hiding from her parents because they wanted her to marry some fuckwit. When they found her, they showed up with papers declaring her mentally unstable.”

Slowly sitting up, I snarled, “What the fuck are you—”

“Danny!” Dante shouted, running down the stairs, causing everyone to stop talking. “It’s all over the news. Satan’s Angels… the Rockefeller Tree Lighting ceremony. Steele killed… Oh God, Danny. Someone shot Montana!”

“Turn on the TV, Prospect,” King ordered, walking into the room.

It was on every fucking channel. It had made national news. Satan’s Angels attacked the Soulless Sinners publicly. There was no fucking way I could sweep this under the rug.

The war had begun.

There was no stopping it now.

Getting to my feet, I walked over to King. “I need a computer.”

“Go see Nav. He will hook you up.”

“Are you sure you still want in on this?”

King turned and stared me dead in the eyes. “She fucking stays.”

“Then call church. I need to make a call first.”

King nodded, looking at Cash as I walked over to Dante. Cupping his face, I could see the worry in his eyes. “Babe, I need you to go with Danika and the girls.”

“We are going back, aren’t we?”

“Not right now. But eventually we will.”

“Danny, we can’t go back there. Not now,” he whispered.

“Right now, we are going to ensure our baby girl gets the help she needs. I did some digging and there is a world class therapist in Oklahoma City named Dr. Melissa Jefferson. She specializes in children with severe trauma. Nav is trying to see if she can get Dani in. If she can, he will set us both up in Oklahoma for the time being. Everything is going to be alright. I will talk more later.”

When Dante nodded, I leaned forward and gave him a quick kiss, before hugging him like my life depended on it.

“Come on, Dante.” Ellie appeared at our side. “We’re gonna let the girls have a slumber party and watch a movie.”

“Yeah, bud,” Jess whispered as she looked at me, her eyes narrowing slightly. I knew she saw the truth. Jess always did see more than she let on. “You love Cinderella. I’ll even let you wear the tiara.”

Dante chuckled as he, Jess, and Ellie walked back upstairs.

The second they were gone, I reached for my phone and dialed Reaper. It didn’t take him long to pick up.

“They safe?”

“Working on it.”

“Work faster. Shit kicked off in New York.”

“I’m watching now.”

“I want to watch this play out. I need to be sure. Not gonna start a fucking war because I wasn’t patient.”

“I need more time, Reaper.”

“Can give you a week, but then I want your ass back in the city. I need eyes and ears there.”

“What about Vicious?”

“He’s out. Fucker dropped his cut. Kids showed up here late last night. I need to know where he’s going, Sypher. Not leaving my brother to hang when I can save him.”

“I’ll see what I can find and get back to you. Anything else?”

“For right now, we wait. His back is against the wall. He will either ask for help or come out fighting. The next move is his. One week, Sypher, then I need your game face on, regardless. Understood?”

“Yeah. One week.”

The line went dead. I pocketed my phone and headed into church.