Chapter 5
Rogue
“Just wanted to let you know that the permits finally came in,” King states. It took the fucker long enough. I was about ready to pay daddy dearest another visit. “But we still have a problem.”
My head cocks, waiting to hear what the fucker did now. “What’s that?”
“I got a call from the fire inspector. Keith said your dad showed up at his office today with a hefty wad of cash, telling him he needed to look more closely into our properties because he doesn’t think they’re up to code.
” And just when I thought my dad knew what was good for him.
“The bastard obviously doesn’t know where Keith’s loyalty lies.
I paid the inspector double for informing me of the fact, but now it’s time to send your dad a real message. ”
“I’ll handle it.” My jaw locks so tight a pain starts to throb at the corners of my cheeks.
“I know you will. And Rogue…” His eyes narrow in further.
“One thing I don’t want you to ever forget is that we’re your family now.
That good-for-nothing son of a bitch who brought you into this world can’t see past his own nose to spite his face.
He has no fucking clue about the man you are. Just remember that.”
I tip my head, already knowing where my true blood lies, and William Zegman is about to learn that too. There’s no longer an ounce of loyalty or forgiveness that runs through my veins toward that man. He’s dead to me.
“I’m riding into town,” I tell him. I need to clear my head and think about how to handle this situation.
It’s time to resort to other means. I just don’t know what’s going to hurt him the most. Taking his two legs will take away his ability to play golf, but then he’ll earn sympathy from everyone at the club, and that man doesn’t deserve an ounce of reverence.
No, he needs to be taken down. “You need anything while I’m there? ”
“Can you get an apple pie from the diner and the donuts Rory likes?” He smirks.
I swear, that girl has the biggest sweet tooth I’ve ever seen. “Will do.”
“And Rogue…” He stops me on my way out the door. “Take Bones and Dagger with you. With Montoya still out there, I don’t want any of my men riding alone.”
I know that’s not the only reason he wants them to join me.
“I just need to stop in here to get Rory a pie and some donuts.” I lock my kickstand in place and climb off my bike. “You two need anything?”
“I’ll come in. Need to use the pisser.” Dagger dismounts his bike and tugs his helmet off.
“I’ll watch our rides,” Bones grunts. He doesn’t trust a soul in this town. Neither do I.
The noise in the diner simmers as soon as we enter through the door.
You could hear a fork drop, it grows so quiet.
The townsfolk look nervous. All heads are turning in our direction.
I scan the room, clocking every set of eyes in the place.
As soon as I spot the table at the back, my gut fucking twists.
Look what we have here. It’s the happy little family out for their Sunday lunch.
“Xander, dear,” my mother calls out, trying to prevent any scene before one occurs.
Despite her hope that everyone in this town would forget we’re related, she hasn’t gotten her wish, so this is her attempt to head off any drama before she becomes the talk of the town.
She’s always been one to worry about appearances more than her own kids, which is why she was quick to shun me when Dad decided I was no longer worthy of carrying the family name.
“It’s good to see you.” She plasters on her fake smile. “Come say a quick hello.”
If it weren’t for the fact that I need to have a word with my father, I would be walking straight to the counter and ordering the pie and donuts, ignoring the woman. But I have a message for my dear old dad.
“Look who came into town.” Mom tips her chin toward Kara and my brother.
The two people I hate most in this world.
“Hey, Xan. You’re looking well,” Kara says as her eyes travel over me slowly.
If I were Davis, I’d be concerned with the way his wife is checking me out.
It amazes me that back in the day, I actually found her to be attractive.
Now, I can’t even stand the sight of her.
She looks just like all those girls I grew up with at the country club.
Fake eyelashes, big fake lips, too much makeup to hide any beauty she has left.
Bleached blonde hair and clothes way too damn fancy for this diner.
She’s managed to morph into my father’s mold of the perfect daughter-in-law.
Now that she’s with the right son, he approves of her.
Davis wraps his arm around her shoulders, and it looks like that stiff collar buttoned around his neck is getting tighter. God, he’s such a fucker. I should’ve killed him when I had the chance.
“It looks like you’re still slummin’ it, brother.” His tone and his glare are smeared with the same disgust.
“I’m not your brother,” I grit. My true brothers would never betray me the way he did. It’s our club’s most sacred law. You never touch another man’s woman. My brother of all people should’ve honored that law.
“Xander,” my mother admonishes like I’m five.
My eyes snap to hers. “Still defending the wife fucker, huh?”
“You need to watch yourself,” my dad snaps.
I step forward, bracing my arms on the table and leaning in real close to his nasty face. “You ever speak to me like that again, and I’ll cut your tongue out and flush it down the toilet.”
“You need to calm your ass down, Xan, or we’ll have to call the cops.
” Davis has the nerve to even speak to me with such a tone.
He’s half my size in strength and half my weight in anger.
He has no idea who the fuck he’s messing with.
He’s been gone from this town too long to know who holds the power here, but he’s about to find out.
“Go right ahead.” I smirk. “I’d love for you to get the cops here. That would make my fucking day. And while you’ve got them on the line, tell the Sheriff that Rogue says hi. I’m sure he’ll be on his way to make sure you’re not causing any trouble for us men.”
I hear Dagger chuckle in the background. It’s a wicked rumble void of humor for the assholes who still think they’re the fucking model of a family. They don’t even know the definition of the word loyalty.
I look toward the head of that family, ignoring the glare Davis is trying to cut me with. If he wants to take things outside, I’ll gladly finish the job this time.
“Got a call from the fire chief,” I seethe, watching his eyes flare while those cheeks of his turn even redder.
Looks like he wasn’t expecting us to find out about his plan.
“He had an interesting story to share with us. Said you tried to bribe your way into gettin’ him to do you a favor.
Guess I shouldn’t be surprised. You’ve always been a snake.
But this little stunt is going to cost you now.
We tried to play nice, but it looks like you’re a dumb shit.
Now, you’re going to find out what happens to those who cross us. ”
Gasps break through the strained silence of the room while everyone listens with rapt fear. Let this be a lesson to them all. We don’t take kindly to anyone who tries to stab us in the back, even if we share the same DNA.
“You better watch your back, Pops. You’ll be getting what’s owed. And if I were you, I’d be kissing ass from now on.”
I’m not sure when we’ll strike, but I’m going to make him feel every ounce of my hatred. I’ve got thirty-six years of it heading his way.
“Xander.” My mother’s whisper has me dropping my eyes to her. I no longer feel an ounce of warmth for the woman. The day she told me that Davis was better suited for Kara and defended their affair, is the day I lost all respect for the woman who brought me into this world.
“It’s pathetic that you’re still defending these assholes.”
Even when I stormed into her house broken over what I’d witnessed, devastated by the betrayal, she sat there and told me I should have played football if I wanted to keep my wife.
Hearing that shit from my own mother’s mouth almost cut as deep as my brother’s betrayal. She’s no better than the rest of them.
I rise to my full height, shaking my head at the four people who I can’t even stand to look at. When Davis opens his mouth again, spewing more shit—“You aren’t going to get away with this”—I turn my hatred on him.
“It’s not just Dad who’s going to feel my wrath. You will also get what’s owed. Whatever you cherish most in this world, I’m going to take it from you and make you watch me destroy it.”
Kara lets out a nervous squeak at his side, and my eyes cut to the cheating whore, shaking my head.
“It’s not you, bitch. I can tell you that.”
His love for her is as shallow as his evil heart.
No. I think it’s his reputation in the medical world that he values most. His job and his wealth.
The respect he gets from everyone in his life, thinking he’s an incredible man—that’s what matters most to his callous soul.
The only reason he jumped into bed with Kara was because she was mine.
My entire life I’ve had to deal with his jealousy.
He didn’t like the fact that I brought pride to our family.
Or that I had the size and respect from the football coach.
I was loved by everyone at our school for being the football star.
But the way I saw it, he was the brains of our family, and I was the brawn.
The way Davis viewed it, I was stealing his limelight, getting the accolades and the girls, all of which, he wanted.
“But don’t worry, Kara. You’ll pay too.” Because once I destroy his career, she’ll be the wife of a nobody, with no means to provide for all those fancy things she loves so much.
I’m not sure what I ever saw in the woman.
Honestly, I feel like he unveiled her true colors and saved me from a life of misery.
But I’ll go to my grave with that secret before I ever do the honors of thanking the man.
Another chuckle rumbles from behind me, this one full of amusement.
I see what Dagger finds so funny. The bitch looks shocked, like she actually thought I’d never do anything to hurt her.
Up until this moment, I think she believed I was still in love with her.
Now, I think she’s finally realizing that my hate runs deeper than my love ever did.
I cut each of them one last look before I tip my cheeks up in a smile. “Enjoy your lunch, Zegman family. And don’t forget to order yourself a slice of cherry pie. It’s the best in town.”
I turn and walk straight to the counter, acting as though the last five minutes never happened. Once I have King’s pie and donuts, having left a few hundred in tip for causing a scene in Magda’s diner, we’re out the door.
“Shit, man,” Dagger calls to Bones upon our exit. “You missed one hell of a showdown in there. Fuck. Did you see the looks on their faces?” He turns to me, chuckling. “They all wanted to piss themselves.”
“What the fuck happened?” Bones grunts in that deep timbre that always sounds like he’s pissed about something.
“Just ran into the folks,” I state. “Killed two birds with one stone. Told my dad we’re coming for him and got Rory’s donuts and pie.” I hook the bag to the back of my bike.
“So that was your brother?” Dagger asks, strapping on his helmet.
I cut him a glare. “No. You and the Knights are my brothers. That bastard is the scum who stole my wife and made sure she raked me over the coals in the divorce.”
The courts treated me as if I’d been the one to have the affair.
She got the house and most of my savings, along with half of my military retirement.
Not sure what the fuck she did to earn any of that, but after I joined with the Savage Knights, King tracked down her divorce attorney, and now I’m the one getting monthly payments, double of what the bitch got.
And that house that I’d bought with my hard-earned money was burned to the ground, along with the haunting nightmare of what I’d witnessed within those walls.
“You want me to kill the bastard?” Bones asks as though he’s asking whether I want cream in my coffee.
“Nah.” I shake my head. “That’s too easy. I’m going to rip it all away from him and make Davis feel every ounce of pain.”
They all will get what’s coming to them. One day when they least expect it, when they feel like my words meant nothing and was just an empty threat, is when I’ll attack. When they grow so comfortable in their cushy lives, they’ll be stripped of everything.