Chapter 16 #2
Country leaned over to me as he added, “He’s right, babe. Braylon is in good hands with Doc. He’s the best.”
“I certainly hope you are right.”
The words had barely left my mouth when the doors opened, and Viper walked inside with Hawk and Shotgun.
It was clear by his expression that the Ruthless Sinner president wasn’t pleased as he walked towards us.
Without saying a word to anyone, he walked over to Jackal and knelt down beside him.
He placed his hand on his back, then whispered something under his breath.
After several tender moments with his fallen brother, Viper stood and shook his head as he let out a stream of curses.
After inhaling a deep breath, he finally made his way over to Country and me.
“Someone gonna tell me what the fuck happened here?”
“We’re still trying to figure that out, Prez.”
Grayson removed his hand from my waist and walked over to Hawk, Shotgun, and Viper.
I couldn’t make out what any of them were saying, but they all kept glancing over in Drake’s direction.
Even though he’d come there for me and my business, I didn’t discuss their club’s business with anyone—including their loved ones.
I stood there with Duggar, watching silently as Viper’s face grew redder and redder with anger.
After several long, heated moments, I heard Viper ask, “When will they get here?”
I wasn’t sure, but if I had to guess, he was asking about the brothers of Satan’s Fury. With all the security cameras and sensors being tracked by Riggs, I had no doubt that they knew about the attack. I leaned over to Duggar as I whispered, “Are you okay?”
“Yes, ma’am. I’m good. Just hate all this shit went down like it did.” He ran his hand through his long, shaggy blonde hair and sighed. “Timms was a good guy. Didn’t deserve to go out like this.”
“No, he didn’t.” I looked around at all the destruction and mayhem Drake had brought to our doorstep, and it was difficult to hold back my emotion.
I’d worked so hard to get this place up and running, and things were going so well.
It was amazing how quickly it could all change.
I was on the brink of crying once again as I told Duggar, “If I’d just known what Drake was up to, then maybe I could’ve done something to stop it. ”
“You couldn’t have known that he was going to pull this, Kiersten, and even if you did, there wasn’t anything you could’ve done to prevent this. The guy was off his fucking rocker.”
Our conversation came to an abrupt end when Viper and the others started walking over to us. Viper seemed to have cooled off when he came up to me and said, “We’ve got a real mess on our hands with this.”
“I know, and I’m really sorry about that.”
“You and me both.” Viper tugged at his beard as he glanced over at the demolished office, then over to the dead bodies on the floor. “We’re going to have to make some real changes around here, but before we get into all that, we’re gonna have to get this mess cleaned up.”
“Okay. Even though I dreaded hearing the answer, I asked, “What do we need to do?”
“This is more than we can handle on our own, Kiersten. We’re gonna have to call in Billy.”
“What?”
“He’s the only one I trust to do this and do it right.”
My father had always been a meticulous man—from the way he dressed, to the way he kept the house.
I had no doubt that he was even more so with his work which was the main reason why Viper and the Sinners used him.
It only made sense that he would want to bring him in now, but the thought of my father coming to the Manor sent in me into a tailspin.
I’d wanted to find a way to talk to him and tell him about my work on my own.
I didn’t want him to find out like this, so I told Viper, “But I didn’t want him involved with my work. ”
“If you feel that strongly about it, then he doesn’t even have to know you’re a part of all this.
” To my surprise, Viper seemed to understand how upset I was about my father coming there and was willing to do whatever he could to make things easier for me.
“You can just back over to your place and stay put while he’s here. We can handle things, and...”
As tempting as it was to just hide and carry on with my charade of being the perfect daughter, I couldn’t do it anymore.
It was time my father knew who I was and what I was capable of.
I gathered all the strength I could muster and said, ““I appreciate the offer. I really do, but I can’t let you do that.”
“You sure?”
“I am.” I cleared my throat as I asked, “Do you mind if I borrow your phone?”
Viper nodded, then took his burner out of his back pocket. He looked down at the screen, then pressed a few numbers before he offered it to me. “He has a different line he uses for cleaning calls. It’s ready when you are.”
My hands were trembling as I took the phone from him and pressed the button.
Grayson and the rest of the brothers were watching as I stood there waiting for him to answer.
Seconds later, I heard my father’s voice come on the line and say, “Hey there, Viper. It’s pretty late.
I’m guessing that means you’ve got a job me. ”
The words were right there on the tip of my tongue, but I felt like my throat was closing up and I couldn’t speak. I suddenly regretted telling Viper that I would be the one to call my father. I was trying to think of what I should say when I heard my father ask, “Viper, are you there?”
“It’s me, Dad.”
“Kiersten?”
“Yes.” Having everyone’s eyes on me was only making it hard to talk, so I stepped away from them and started walking down the hall as I said, “It’s me.”
“But this is Viper’s number. How did you get his phone?” Sounding utterly confused, he asked, “Is he there with you?”
“Yes, but that’s not important right now.
” I glanced over my shoulder, and just as I expected, everyone was still watching my every move.
I tried not to think about it as I continued, “Right now, I need you to listen to me. I’m in serious trouble here, and I need your help.
I need you and your men to come here and do what you do. ”
“What do you mean by do what we do?”
“I know, Dad. I know all about what you do. I’ve known about it for years, but right now, none of that matters.
Right now, I need you...There’s been trouble here tonight, and I need you to come and make it go away.
Can you do that for me?” I heard my voice tremble, and I feared I might break out into tears again.
I didn’t want that to happen. Not now. I swallowed hard, pushing back all the emotions that were raging inside of me as I asked once more, “Can you come and help me?”
“Send me the address, and I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
“Okay. Thank you, Dad.”
He didn’t respond. He simply hung up the phone and ended the call.
In all the years I’d known my father, he’d never once fussed at me or told me I had disappointed him.
I’d never really given him a reason to—until tonight.
I feared once he’d seen the Manor and all the mayhem that had ensued, he might never look at me the same.
Feeling completely lost, I carried the phone back over to Viper and said, “He’s on his way. ”