Saber's Surrender (Imperial Knights #2)

Chapter 19

CHAPTER

NINETEEN

Saber

RiffRaff brought all of the kids with him today to give Jillian a break. Spending some extra time outside of our scheduled visits with them has been uplifting. Egypt is helping me stock the shelves with things that’ve been donated and Canyon is over to the side, unboxing the donations and adding them to the inventory sheet.

Getting to know my daughter-to-be has been a sobering enlightenment, and I’m not sure if I like the fact that she’s already interested in boys and makeup at her age. “Boys have cooties,” I state, my face serious. “Their germs should be avoided at all times.”

“You’re silly,” she claims, shaking her head. “Dad used to tell me that he wanted me to play Barbies and still have tea parties until I was old enough to vote.”

“Smart man,” I mumble, barely holding back my snicker. “As a matter of fact, let’s go with that. I’ll take you shopping when we’re done here and stock you up on dolls and a kitchen set.”

“I’m not interested in any of those things,” she argues, looking up at me as if I’ve disappointed her. “If we’re going to the mall after this, I’d rather check out one of the beauty supply stores.”

I hear sidesplitting snickering off to the side and glance at Canyon, shaking my head. “Do you seriously support this? You’re her big brother; you’re going to be the one who has to chase off all the boys.”

“There won’t be any boys,” he tells me. “I’ll kick all their asses.”

“I’ll help!” Callum exclaims. “Because Kimber and her friend Katie are all gooey eyed about boys too!”

Canyon high-fives the little boy who breaks out in giggles. “We gotta stick together, little man,” Canyon tells him, crouching down as if he’s imparting a state secret. “Sisters should be protected, so I’ll help you until you’re old enough to handle it by yourself, how’s that?”

“Thanks, Canyon,” Callum replies, his voice now serious. “Daddy says Kimber can’t date until she’s forty, I think.”

I lose the battle with my mirth and turn away, my shoulders shaking as I muffle the sounds trying to explode from my gut. Who knew kids could be so fucking funny? I honestly had no clue because Roxy and I were so focused on surviving the hell we were in, there wasn’t much time for joy.

“Canyon,” Egypt whines. “You’re supposed to be on my side. You have girlfriends.”

“You little tattle tale,” Canyon hisses, his eyes narrowing into threatening slits. “Anyway, it’s different with me.”

“Is not!” Egypt hollers. In protest, she stomps her foot and rushes out of the room. Probably to let the women know we’re talking shop and figuring out ways to keep little boys with peckers far away from her and the other girls.

The rise in her voice has me reaching up and using my fingers to plug my ears. This being a dad thing is going to be harder than I first thought it would. I didn’t think it through because now I have to worry about little dicks swinging in my girl's direction on top of teenage pregnancy.

Nope. I’m gonna have a chat with Foxy and tell her we need to invest in getting her a chastity belt. I’ll be in charge of holding the key too. I wonder if Brick has ever considered a gun and ammo store. If not, I think I’ll be bringing that up as well. No sense in waiting for any of the little girls to grow up.

Of course, they’ve got plenty of leather-clad uncles to keep any asshole who thinks they’re gonna get in there with one of our girls in line.

“I know what you’re thinking and I’ve looked into it. They don’t exist anymore, brother,” RiffRaff says, popping my bubble.

“We could find a blacksmith and have him make them for us,” I parry. “Cost is no object.”

“I’ve been considering investing in an armory at the house,” RiffRaff shares. “Nothing like having a young punk come and pick up your girl and showing him how much buckshot you have stored so you can shoot his ass if he gets handsy.”

“Do you think the club could support a gun and ammo store in this town? There’s not one nearby, except the shit you can get at the big box store. We would have the better stuff stocked.” I leave out the description I wanted to use—lethal.

“If memory serves, and you’ll have to double check with him, I think the day the nurse put that pink blanketed little girl in Brick’s arms he decided that was a good club business to invest in,” RiffRaff replies, grinning at me. “As for the other, we can have Hawg do a search since that’s his area of expertise.”

“See, Callum, this is how it’s done,” Canyon tells the little boy. RiffRaff and I were so intent on our discussion, we didn’t realize they had finished with what they were doing.

“Why do we do this?” Callum asks, pointing at the various shelves.

RiffRaff crouches down so he’s at eye level and replies, “Because sometimes, people need a helping hand in life. That could be food, or clothes, or at Christmas time, toys for good boys and girls.”

“Do you think Egypt is really mad?” Canyon asks me. “I mean, our parents weren’t going to let her start dating until she was sixteen and then, it was still going to be a group date.”

“We’ll have to wait and see how that plays out, bud,” I reply. I’m about to say something else when my phone rings and I see it’s Miranda from work. “Miranda? Wait, slow down and repeat what you just rambled out.” I listen intently to what she’s saying and once it computes, my blood runs cold.

As soon as I hang up the phone, I whistle loudly, getting the attention of the members who are there helping. “Brothers, we need to ride now to the hospital. Ladies, y’all lock the door behind us. Python, can you stay behind and watch over the old ladies and kids?”

“Don’t stress, I’ve got things handled here,” Python assures me. “Go to the hospital and take care of whatever it is that has you looking as white as a ghost.”

I nod my head in thanks and let my feet carry me from the building. I can hear the men marching behind me, and Wrecker places his hand on my shoulder to force me to slow down. “Give me a quick rundown of what we’re fixing to face.”

Brushing his hand off, I turn my head and say the only name I know will have him keeping up with me, “Jiovanni Pena.”

His eyes darken and his mouth tightens. “Fucking finally.” He points his finger at me before placing it across his throat and mimicking a knife. “He’s mine.”

“You can fucking have him once I get Foxy away from him,” I state, not giving a fuck what fate has in store for my foster cousin once I whisk my Foxy Roxy back to the clubhouse.

I throttle my bike as I turn into the employee parking lot. The scan code on my bike immediately opens the gate and it stays open long enough for my brothers to follow me in. I come to a skid and shove my kickstand down, not even shutting the motor off as I swing my leg over the saddle and rush in my woman’s direction.

Once I make it to her, I step in front of her and stare Jiovanni down. “The fuck are you doing here, Ji?”

“You and Roxanne sound like a broken record, cousin. She just asked me the same exact thing,” he conveys, a slight chuckle tacked on. “I’m here for what’s mine.” Those words, however, are not directed at me, they’re aimed at Wrecker.

“You have a death wish?” Wrecker asks, stepping forward. “Of course you do, seeing as you're standing in Imperial Knights territory. But let's say for shits and giggles I don’t know what you’re referring to. Care to share with the class?” Wrecker’s arms spread out wide, indicating he wants Jiovanni to tell them why he’s here and who he wants.

“I’m here,” Jiovanni starts, acting like his balls have dropped as he steps into Wrecker’s space. “To get what I paid for. I’m here for my property. I let you have your fun with Harper, but I’m not going to let you continue to play house with the woman I bought and paid for. She’s mine. I even stayed away long enough for her to give you an heir.”

My brows raise at the sheer audacity that Ji’s currently displaying. He has no fucking clue that with minimal effort, Wrecker could destroy him from the inside. I smirk at the thought of Ji wandering around aimless, a blithering, blubbering idiot. However, I’m well aware that Wrecker wants his pound of flesh for everything Harper endured at Ji’s machinations. He’s a cruel, vindictive asshole and while he may have ‘paid’ for Harper, he’s about to get a refund from Wrecker that’ll put him in his place. Permanently.

“You aren’t going to touch her,” Wrecker grinds out, his jaw tight as his hands fists at his sides. “She’s not your possession, motherfucker.”

“But she’s yours?” Jiovanni queries. “I’ve been patient, Wrecker but I’m growing tired of waiting.”

“You’ll be waiting a lifetime, you piece of shit,” I hiss. “People aren’t for sale. If I were you, I’d take that as a lesson learned and move on.”

“People have been selling people for generations, cousin. It’s nothing new, and Harper’s father owed me a debt and it was paid in trade.”

“Seeing as we’re in the twenty-first century, family members are not obligated to settle their family’s debts,” I retort.

Wrecker is barely holding onto his control and every word out of Ji’s mouth puts another nail in the metaphorical coffin. Granted, he’ll get a literal one, but not before Wrecker plays a bit. And while our old ladies may be considered ‘property’, they’re not possessions. They all have their own minds and as long as they’re respectful to us, they can spout whatever they want behind closed doors.

“You sick bastard,” Foxy cries. “Stay away from my family, Ji.”

My old lady’s willingness to confront this bastard has me practically beaming with pride. Roxy isn’t one to deal with confrontations, but this is one she’s jumped headlong into and I know it’s because she’s formed a bond with Harper.

“I’m your family, Roxanne,” Jiovanni literally spits, his saliva landing before my boots. “Seems we have a common friend.”

“Don’t give a shit if we share the same mother,” Wrecker growls. “You are a dead man, Jiovanni.”

“And what army is going to take me out, Wrecker?” Ji taunts. “You think I’m scared of you and your little biker posse here?”

“Maybe not, but you should really learn to pay attention to your surroundings,” Miranda says, taking a tire iron that I suspect she pulled out of her trunk and swinging it at the back of his head, knocking him out cold. “There. I shut him up, can y’all handle the rest?”

“Yes, ma’am,” I answer, a grin spread across my face. “Who knew you had it in you?”

“I didn’t know I had it in me until I heard about him buying women. Did I overstep?” Miranda asks.

“No,” Wrecker says, a mirthful smirk aimed her way. “We appreciate the assist.”

I reach out and remove the steel bar from her hands so I can get rid of any evidence that she was in the proximity. She nods her head, wipes her hands on her scrub pants, and huffs, “Good riddance.”