Chapter 11
“ F inn.” I stare at Davy’s son when I step out and see him, alive and fuckin’ breathing in my clubhouse.
The guy was supposed to have killed himself while he was locked up in Solano.
“Ain’t no one here gonna offer me a drink? I came a long way,” he asks sarcastically, readjusting the Stetson on his head.
“I’ll say. Dragging your ass back from the fucking dead must have been quite the fuckin’ journey.” My VP steps in front of his sister like this man is some kinda threat. Finn was just a prospect when I left here ten years ago, but I know that during my absence he earned his cut. He also got let down by his club brothers when they left him and his dying father in the middle of the road to save themselves from getting arrested. That’s not how a brotherhood works and I guess Wrath is right to be wary. If I were Finn I’d be looking for some vengeance.
“Jimmer Carson always was full of surprises.” Finn chuckles as he taps Wrath on the shoulder and makes his way to the bar.
“You still serving that cheap nasty vodka, Pol?” he asks, taking the Stetson off his head and placing it down next to him.
Polly looks at me for permission and when I nod back at her she gets to work serving him.
“Are you telling me that all this time, Jimmer knew you were alive?” I move across the room to stand beside him, ensuring that Peyton is standing a safe distance behind me. I have no idea how this is gonna go down and if fists start flying I want her clear of ‘em.
“That's what I’m telling ya,” he confirms, knocking back the vodka and turning back to face everyone.
“You're wearing his cut.” I hear my father’s scratchy voice come from the corner and watch as he drags himself up off his chair in the corner and shuffles his way over.
Davy and him were both members of the Dirty Dozen, the original Twelve members who helped Jimmer form the club. There are a few ‘em that are still alive and suddenly I feel real lucky that I convinced my old man to stay. Even if he is a pain in my ass.
“Vex, I was not expecting to see you here.” Finn takes his hand and shakes it.
“Not half as much as I wasn’t expecting to see you. Polly… I’ll take a shot of that cheap vodka, ain’t every day your godson comes back from the dead.” He shakes his head and chuckles. I guess when you get to his age, nothin’ much surprises you anymore.
“I take that since you’re wearing the cut, you still consider yourself a member?” I test the water.
“Jimmer gave it to me.” His face turns serious, then when he notices the picture we got of him and his father on the wall next to Griller I see his jaw tick. “It’s good to see that ya ain't forgot about us.” He heads over to take a closer look at the picture. It’s one of them standing together on what I assume is the day he got his cut. I had it put up on the wall after I found it in one of the motel storage rooms. Our fallen brothers should all be remembered.
“What happened to your father won’t ever be forgotten,” I assure him.
“You're right about that.” Finn knocks back another shot and hearing the threat in his tone makes me wish the girls would get the hell outta here.
“So what brings ya back here?” I ask, looking at Wrath and seeing that he’s as guarded as I am.
“Is it true he’s dead?” Finn focuses his eyes on him too. “Did ya really kill him?” It was never proven, but we all know Cliff was behind what happened to Davy. Davy was gettin’ far too suspicious of his actions.
“He’s dead.” Wrath confirms, stepping up beside me and folding his arms.
“And that’s why you came back, to make sure?” I frown.
“One of the reasons.” Finn shrugs.
“So where have ya been?” Polly asks, sounding her warm and welcoming self, it’s a stark contrast to the vibe in the room right now.
“Well, after my dad got left bleeding out on the roadside and the cops arrested me, I had the sense to call Jimmer instead of a lawyer,” he explains.
“Finn, before you start assuming, you should know, there ain’t a single brother here that was involved with what happened. Raze has ensured that,” Polly informs him as if she can see where this is heading. “Everyone knows that the run you went on was a set up, and no one here condones it.”
“I know that, Pol,” Finn assures her, his eyes scoping the room just to be sure. “Jimmer knew that me ratting on Cliff put me in danger, so he used his connections and got me out, then he came up with the suicide story so Cliff wouldn’t suspect anything. Solano was crawling with people looking to do Cliff a favor, it was only a matter of time before I got popped off too.”
“Men don’t just disappear, where ya been, Finn?” Wrath asks, still looking on edge.
“Jimmer sent me to work for his brother, small town in Montana. No charters nearby. Disappearing was the easy part, them early mornings and hand blisters took some real gettin’ used to.” He laughs as if all this is some kinda joke.
“Jimmer hasn’t spoken to his brother in decades.” I cross my arms over my chest when I find a flaw in his story.
“No one speaks to Bill Carson anymore. He’s dead.” Finn sniggers, “But Jimmer never lost touch with Mitch Hudson, and it’s Mitch who runs the Carsons’ bunkhouse.”
“So Jimmer put you into his own version of witness protection.” My girl speaks up, glancing across to Eden and no doubt thinking the same as everyone else is. Finn isn’t the first person Jimmer has protected by making them appear to be dead. I’m starting to wonder how many others are gonna rise from the grave.
“Guess you could say that. Jimmer gave me a new life, a new home, friend’s that became family.” He smiles fondly. “Now, he’s given me my father’s legacy too. He wants me to start up a charter in Montana.”
“Course he fuckin’ does.” My dad looks up at the ceiling and shakes his head.
“It was always a part of his and my father’s big plan, and he’s putting his faith in me to see it through. That’s the real reason I’m here.”
I smile at what I’m hearing, because it’s exactly the kinda thing Jimmer would do.
“Jimmer’s nephew, Garrett, runs the Carson Ranch, and Fork River now. I’m loyal to him. I got the same brand that my dad came to the Souls wearing and I’m proud of it.” He pulls down his shirt and shows us all the brand burned onto his chest, I do not like the way my girl’s eyes linger on it.
“I’m young and I know that not many other charters are gonna respect me, I’ve heard rumors that you're different. Jessie tells me you’ve turned this place around and…”
“Hold up, Jessie knows about this?” I check I’m hearing him right.
“Everyone in Colorado knows, and they were sworn to silence by Jimmer until we knew for sure Cliff was no longer a threat,” he informs us and me and Wrath look at each other and shake our heads.
“Now don’t you go judging Jessie.” My dad points his finger at me. “If your founding member swears you to secrecy, you fuckin’ honor it.”
“Jessie’s young, there ain’t a man who don’t take him serious,” I point out.
“Not one who’s fuckin’ breathin’.” My dad’s smug laugh turns into a coughing fit, and when my sister moves over to stroke his back he swats her away.
“I need more than just Jessie’s help, I need alliances within the club and I need guidance. I’m not afraid to stand here and tell you that I’m in over my head, but I won’t fail. I want to make Jimmer and my dad proud,” he assures me, and I show my respect by stepping up and offering my hand.
The door swings open and when Rocco steps inside, his attention is fixed on his phone screen. “I didn’t miss breakfast, did I? You will not believe what I just saw on the strip—” His words tail off when he looks up and sees his dead brother standing at the bar.
“Finn.” His voice is weak as he stares him up and down.
“What the fuck are you doing wearin’ that?” Finn charges at his brother and grabs hold of his prospect cut. “What the hell are you even doing here, you promised Dad you’d nev?—”
“What am I doing here?” The kid shocks us all when he shoves Finn away. “What the fuck are you doing here? I came to your fuckin’ funeral. I cried at your graveside.” Rocco’s eyes are popping outta his head.
“You made him a fuckin’ prospect?” Finn looks at me as if he’s about to swing and Wrath immediately puts himself between us.
“Hey, you must have been gone too long to remember to show your president some fuckin’ respect.” He slaps his palm over the Long Beach patch that's still sewn onto Davy’s leather cut. “Rocco was already here when Raze took over. It was Cliff who accepted him.”
“Sick fuck.” The vein in Finn’s temple pulses as he turns his head back to his brother. “Dad didn't want this for you. You knew that, and yet you came here anyway.” He sounds furious.
“Yeah I fuckin’ came here, I wanted to know what it was that you both fuckin’ died for.” Rocco stands tall and frames up to his brother. “It’s a free fuckin’ country, Finn, and in a world where you can come back from the dead, I can be a fuckin’ Soul too.”
“Holy shit.” Finn looks away from him and scratches the back of his head. “Do you have any idea how dangerous this could have been for you?”
“Yeah, I fuckin’ knew, and guess what? I wasn’t fuckin’ scared. I saw how much our father loved the life, I saw that it meant everything to you to follow in his footsteps and so here I fuckin’ am. Desperate to earn the cut, prepared to do whatever it takes.” Rocco uses that same line his father always used with such pride and determination that it puts tears in Finn’s eyes.
“I’m not a stupid kid anymore, Finn, you’d know that if you weren’t busy playin’ dead.” Rocco turns around and storms out the door, leaving us all shocked into silence