Chapter 13
Legacy
It felt like I was forever doomed to lose the people I loved. My mother, my brother and my best friend had all died, all left me, and now it looked like my father was going to as well.
I wasn’t particularly close to my dad. I never had been, but to hear the doctors talk about tumours and months at most to live was…words couldn’t describe.
I was about to lose my father.
And it would be a slow, agonising death. The kind of death that he wouldn’t want. I knew my father, the asshole that he was. He would want to go out swinging, throwing his fists and swearing like a trooper. The mass growing in his skull wouldn’t allow that.
By the end, he would be a shell of a man.
As much as I disliked him, I didn’t want that for him.
“How long has he…” To my right, my sister”s voice broke. She had flown in this morning, coming instantly when I had called, leaving her husband on his world tour behind her. She liked our dad even less than I did. But he was still our dad.
Under the table, I reached for her hand and squeezed. Elodie had built an amazing life for herself. Married to a rockstar and living the dream, she had finally left all the pain of the past behind her. I hated dragging her back in.
“How long has he known?”
“He just didn’t want any of you to worry until it was time.”
“How long, Domino?” she snapped, her eyes flashing.
He met her angry gaze with quiet acceptance. “A few months. I didn’t find out straight away.”
A few months? I swallowed the news. Ghost had been dealing with his impending death for a few months alone. Hiding it from even his own family. Unwilling to ask for help.
“What treatment is available?” My voice came out strong. Much stronger than I felt. No matter what, Ghost was my dad, I had a responsibility to him.
Slowly, Domino turned his face to meet mine. He didn’t need to answer. I could read what he was going to say clearly on his face.
At my side, Elodie began to shake her head so violently that her dark curls hit her in the face. “No, I don”t believe that. Medicine has come a long way.”
“Maybe six months ago he could have been helped, but not now. All we can do now is respect his wishes.”
“And what are they?”
“That he can die in peace. With dignity.”
I wanted to scoff, to argue how improbable, how impossible that was, but at the last minute, I shut my mouth. “Ok.”
Elodie glared at me. “Ok?” She tore her hand out of mine. “Is that all you have to say, Elliot?” She used my real name, which was never a good sign. “You’re just okay with dad dying and—” A sob ripped its way out of her mouth. She clamped her hand over her lips before any others could escape. That was Elodie all over. She hated showing any form of weakness. We were very much alike in that way. Maybe it was something in our DNA, or maybe it was the way we had been raised.
“You’re a heartless son of a bitch.”
I stared at her. She was angry, but I couldn’t guarantee that she didn’t mean that. It wasn’t like I was exactly white and fluffy around people. Well, apart from around Kate.
Kate. I glanced at my watch. She would be expecting me, and I was already late. Late on her birthday. On the one day of the year that I should be on time. No, that was wrong. For her, I never wanted to be late.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that. I’m just in shock.” Reaching out, she hugged me awkwardly. “Ok.” Taking a deep breath, she set her shoulders. “Well, what happens now?” She glanced around the table, her eyes moving to all the Savage Sons that had gathered. Decisions needed to be made. Decisions that could affect every man around the table. Our president was sick; he was dying.
“Will there be a vote?” A voice spoke out from the other end of the table.
Domino didn’t react. “Ghost wants the next president to be his son. Legacy.”
I shook my head and addressed them all. “I don’t want to run the club. I don’t care if my father and grandpa did. This isn’t how we work. Domino is VP.” I nodded towards the older man. “He’s in charge until a vote can be called.”
“I’ll call no vote yet.” Domino looked at each man in turn before letting his eyes fall on me and Elodie, who shouldn’t even really be sitting at the table. She wasn’t club. The only reason she was allowed was that everyone respected her. She was Ghost”s daughter and that came with a little wiggle room. “Ghost remains our president.”
The same man who had spoken up, grumbled, and I pushed my chair back angrily.
Domino held up a hand. “Sit down, Legacy. Ghost isn’t dead yet, there will be no damn vote. Is that agreed?” He looked around. The faces around the table nodded in agreement. “Good.”
An uneasy silence fell around the table. No one spoke.
“I’m going to phone Jax.” Elodie stood up. Reaching down, she touched my shoulder. “And I need to shower.”
“Use my room.” I barely looked in her direction. Of course, Elodie would want to check in with her husband, but she also knew that we had business to discuss, and it was business she had no part of.
“I’m going out to dinner with Kate later if you want to join us?”
For a minute, my little sister stared down at me and then she gave a small smile. “I”m going to go and see Dad, but tomorrow I want to meet this lady of yours, big brother.” Bending, she kissed my cheek. “I’ll see you all after church.”
Domino waited until the door shut behind her to speak. I listened quietly, but my mind was miles away. On a pretty redhead that would be all dressed up and waiting for me to take her to dinner.