Ethan's Sky (King's Of Fury MC Book 1)

20. Ethan

20

*********

An eerie feeling settles over me as I walk into church. Right away I feel it. Something’s wrong. I can’t quite put my finger on what it is, but I know I don’t like it. Everyone seems to be glaring at one another until I take my seat, then all eyes are on me.

Everyone’s here except Eli and Walker. Gabe, Ghost, Caleb, and Mack who are huddled at the front of the room stop talking in hushed voices and turn their eyes on me, glaring. Cash is scowling at me with clenched fists. Hawk and Xander are doing something on their computers, comparing information it looks like. Even they stop to look at me as if waiting for me to say something. Jameson, Jake, and Declan are all watching me closely, though they seem more on guard, ready to intervene should need be.

What the fuck is going on?

I take my seat, nodding, waiting for someone to tell me what the hell is going on.

Gabe calls the meeting to order, pointing to Mack who gets right into it.

“This disc arrived at Garrison Security yesterday via currier. It’s addressed to Gabe, Ghost, and Ethan. It’s from George.”

“What is it?” I’m more than curious and somewhat hopeful I’ll find answers, only now I don’t know what answers I really want anymore. After talking to Kieran, I don’t know if I want Skyler to be guilty or if I’m hoping she’s not. I know I need to talk to her, hear her side of what happened when she left. Why she left. But if I’m honest with myself, I don’t know that it truly matters anymore.

“Hawk.” Gabe hands the disc over, and Hawk does his keyboard voodoo and the tv on the wall comes to life. There’s a thumb nail file that says, “Skyfall Protocol.”

Hawk waves the curser over the thumbnail and a video of George starts to play on the screen. It’s so surreal to see him there in his flannel shirt and jeans, talking.

“If you’re watching this, I didn’t make it out and Skyler has hopefully found her way back home. I don’t know what y’all will think about me when you find out what I’ve done, but I hope you’ll understand I had no choice. I’ve never gone against the Kings. I would never betray our friendship or the loyalty you’ve shown my family. But please understand, these men, they threatened my baby girl and I’ll do anything I have to in order to protect her. Even make a deal with the Vincenzo Parisi.

“I’m not sure how I’m going to tell her I’m never going to see her again.” He sniffles, then clears his throat. “She’s all I have left in this world that matters, Ghost. Skyler’s going to be your responsibility now. You do as you promised Elizabeth and me, and you take good care of her. See to it she lives a long, happy life.”

George clears his throat again then curses under his breath.

“You make sure whoever she marries is worthy of her kind of love. She’s a lot like her Mama. She’ll put him first and think of herself last. I lost her Mama because she put my feelings first and kept the truth from me, not wanting me to know she was sick so I wouldn’t worry. Damn foolish woman,” he scoffs, then smiles. “But she was the best damn thing to happen to me, and Skyler is the best part of both of us. She’s going to be heartbroken. Oh, she’ll play tough. Hide her tears. Tell everyone she’s okay. But I know my girl. She’s going to be broken inside, believing this is all her fault. I’m trusting you to make sure she knows she’s not to blame.”

He takes a few more deep breaths.

My gut sinks. I told her those very words.

“If that dope dealing bastard Chase hadn’t found a way into our lives, things would be very different for her, but he did. She was forever changed that night. A child should never have to face such things. He took what innocence she had left,” he growls. “At least I have the satisfaction of knowing he’ll never get to her again. He took a life from her, one she dreamed about, she so desperately wanted to have. It broke something in her to let it all go. To leave everyone behind. Don’t let them take anything else from her. I hope someday she’ll realize she wasn’t at fault and forgive herself. My greatest dream is for her to allow herself to feel loved and be happy.”

“A man named Spider came to me a while back wanting me to run an unmarked load for his boss. Didn’t tell me who he was working for. Offered to pay me cash under the table. I didn’t know what the cargo was, I didn’t ask. I turned him down and kept walking.”

“He has a Devil’s Tattoo on his forearm. I know what happened all those years ago with Maggie and that precious baby. I remember how angry Elizabeth was when Ghost came home with his leg all mangled up after a run, he made for the club the same night Maggie was killed. I also remember Caleb going to jail the very same night, for a confrontation that went bad. So, I hope you’ll understand why I didn’t come to y’all about this.”

George plays with the button on the cuff of his flannel shirt. When he looks up at the camera again, he says, “I couldn’t have you going off to war when it would leave my baby girl unprotected. She can’t lose you. Any of you. You’re all the family she’s going to have left on this Earth. You can’t be stupid and go looking for trouble until you have all the facts…and people who will have your backs. It’s why I called Vincenzo and made a deal with him. He’s sworn to protect Skyler with whatever resources he has. Which means you now his resources at your disposal. In return, I had to do something for him. I weighed the cost. I understand the ramifications of my choices. But Skyler is worth whatever happens to me. I know she won’t believe it, but I know what I’m doing. What I’m walking into.

“The Spider kid, he came back to the harbor where I was set to pick up a load for West. He had a video of Skyler walking out of Eli’s repair shop. Then another of her coming out of the Bare Trap. And another of her pulling out of Eli’s clubhouse.” He growls. His breathing is ragged. George is struggling with his emotions. Everything he’s feeling is written all over his face.

“He was having her followed. That’s why I moved her into Vincenzo’s apartment building. Hopefully, we’ll have talked about all of this before anything bad happens to me, and Sky will already be acclimating to being back in Oak Ridge and being accepted back by y’all.”

Shots fired!

I feel sick to my stomach with how shitty I’ve treated Skyler. Since the moment she showed up at the clubhouse, I’ve been a colossal dick to her. Trying to convince her she has nothing here. No family. No friends. Pushing her to leave. Calling her a whore. Blaming her for her father’s death.

“This Devil asshole found her. Knew who she was to me. Threatened to kidnap her. He described how he would drug her, rape her, and then turn her into a strung-out money-making whore for their club if I didn’t do this haul for him.” He speaks through clenched teeth. “I can’t let that happen. I won’t.”

He’s silent for a few minutes before speaking again. His eyes are red rimmed, glassy. George is one of the strongest men I know, and he’s breaking down in front of my eyes on the screen.

“I need you to know I didn’t betray the Kings. I am protecting my daughter. Gabe you promised me you would watch out for her and keep the Devil’s from ever finding out what she did. What we did. I don’t know if they know, or if they’re using her to force me to do the drop off. They’ve threatened me into doing this one run and have promised if I continue to work for them, they’ll leave Skyler alone. They’ll hold her for safe keeping. Motherfuckers.”

“She knows what she’s supposed to do. We’ve gone over the Skyfall protocol enough times, she’ll be ready. She’ll do what she has to survive. But you know her heart. How she feels about bringing trouble to the Kings, especially now Ethan is a patched member. She’d do anything to keep her boy from losing anymore of his family. Stubborn child. Just like her mother. Always putting others before her own safety and well-being. But you were her family first. Ghost, you understand what I’m saying.”

“If that isn’t the pot calling the kettle black.” Ghost sys under his breath. “Goddamn fool.”

George’s words hit me like a punch to the chest. “Especially now Ethan’s a patched member.”

Skyler knew I would be at the clubhouse when she came back. Xander said she had followed my fighting career.

Then it’s her words twisting my heart, “I never stopped.”

Glancing around the room, everyone’s eyes are on the George’s video except Cash and Hawk who are both glaring at me. Cash seems angry with me. Skyler probably told him everything about our conversation outside O’Malley’s.

I wouldn’t blame him for wanting to throttle me.Hell, I want to kick my own ass for the things I said to her.

Hawk, however, looks guilty.

What the hell?

“When you get this, tell Eli I appreciate him taking her in and watching over her all these years. I know I’ll never be able to repay him for all he’s done. Or you and your men either, Gabe. Skyler’s lucky to have all of you. I hope she can work past her pain and amends can be made so she can find her way back to the happy life she once dreamed of as a girl. Either way, I need you to keep your promise to me. “

“There’s one more thing you need to know, Vincenzo is working with someone outside his organization to put an end to the sex trafficking ring, but the Devil’s aren’t the ones in charge. They’re working for someone else. Someone who has a farther reach.”

There’s frantic knocking on the door.

“Hawk. Pause.”

“Pres! Open up! We’ve got problems!” Declan opens the door, and no sooner as he steps in does Blake blurt out, “The Devils are at Magpie’s and so are Jayde and Skyler! Austin needs back-up. Now!”

“Let’s go!”

We all file out to our bikes and hit the road.

Minutes later, we pull up to the front of Magpie’s. Patsy and Misty are fussing over Austin who appears to have been beaten and stabbed.

“It doesn’t look to be too bad, but he should get checked out,” Patsy says through her tears. Misty is holding onto Austin’s hand, tears streaming down her face. Frank comes through the swinging door from the kitchen and nods his head at Gabe.

“Prospect! Get him to the clubhouse! Call Doc.”

“Use the truck out back.” Frank thumbs over his shoulder, pulling keys out of his front pocket and handing them to Mason who heads for the back door.

“Where are Jayde and Skyler?” Jake roars. Knowing someone came this close to his little sister has him walking a fine line of sanity. Mack doesn’t look like he’s doing much better. He looks ready to murder someone, which is most likely what’s about to happen.

“They left in Jayde’s car. There were only two of them.” Austin rambles. “The one who stabbed me, his cut says his name’s Spider. Has a Devil’s tattoo on his forearm and a spider on his neck. He took off right after he heard the bikes pull up.”

“The girls haven’t been gone long,” Patsy says quietly.

“I told Skyler to go to the clubhouse on lockdown. I’ll text her when we were on our way,” Austin tells Gabe.

“Check in with Blake, see where they’re at. I sent him to follow Jayde’s car. Call Colt. As soon as Jayde’s vehicle is inside the yard, I want shit locked down! No one in or out unless it’s a brother!” Gabe’s shouting out orders.

“Got something for you in the back freezer. Might want to have someone take it out for you. Put it somewhere for safe keeping,” Frank says wiping his hands on his apron. Mack stomps past Gabe tapping a hand on his shoulder.

“I got this,” he says in passing “Declan! Help me take out the trash!” Mack shouts over his shoulder as he rushes through the kitchen door. Declan follows without question.

“Colt says they’re not back yet.”

“Jameson,” Gabe calls out.

“Pres.”

“Make sure everyone in the diner is okay. The cops are on their way. I need you to handle it.” Jameson nods, then starts making his way around the diner talking to customers.

“Jayde’s not answering her phone.” Hawk growls.

“Skyler’s not either.” Cash grunts.

Fuck!

“Where would they go if they weren’t going to the clubhouse? Did Sky have anywhere she used to hide out here as a kid?” Cash asks, looking to me and Gabe for answers.

“She might go back to the house,” Ghost offers.

“She used to hide out in the library when shit got to her as a kid, but I can’t see her going there with Jayde. Her car would stand out. There’d be no way to hide,” Hawk says standing beside me.

“Can you track their phones?” I ask, grasping for straws.

“Yeah, Jake can track Jayde’s phone. Sky still has a burner.” Hawk turns to Jake who’s talking to Austin while both are trying to comfort Misty. “Need you to pull up Jayde’s phone on your ap, brother.” He stands up.

Mack and Declan pull out of the parking lot in what looks to be Gus’s SUV. Mason pulls up in a truck at the front door. He and Gabe help Austin into the back seat.

Gus comes striding through the kitchen shouting, “Patsy! Where the fuck are you woman?”

She jumps up and scurries into his arms. “I’m okay, baby. Frank and Austin took care of us.” He holds her tight, kissing her head. He pulls back enough to inspect her face and body for any visible marks. Wiping her tears, he kisses her lips and asks in a low growl, “Did any of them touch you, Darlin?” She shakes her head. He nods, then pulls her back into his chest.

“They’re at the cemetery,” Jake says looking at Gabe confused. “Why the hell would they go there?”

“Because Skyler always went to talk to her mom when she didn’t know what to do,” I say, looking to Ghost who curses under his breath.

“I’ll go,” Cash says, eagerly.

“I’ll go,” I growl, not leaving any room for argument. Ghost and Gabe exchange a look then Gabe gives the go ahead for me to leave. I waste no time. “Cash, you coming with me?”

“Cash!” Jake calls out as our asses hit our seats. “Have Blake take Jayde to the clubhouse and tell her she’s not to leave until Pop or myself comes to get her. Then tell him I want Blake standing watch. Colt needs to bring a cage with a trailer for Pop and Declan’s bikes.”

As we pull into the cemetery a few minutes later, we arrive in time to see Jayde pulling away, with Blake hot on her ass. But it’s the movement on the hill that catches my attention.

Skyler.

“Cash, follow Jayde and the prospect. I’ve got Skyler.”

*********