Chapter Eighteen
King
Everyone followed Matlock out of church. When we got outside in the cold, a single black SUV sat idling at the gate.
“Billy said he wasn’t alone.”
Matlock looked at me. “You can fit eight of those fuckers in that SUV. I wasn’t taking any chances.”
I stood by the front door, surrounded by brothers, as Matlock slowly walked through the gate, stopping to lean against the vehicle, looking in the window.
He had conversation I couldn’t hear, but knowing who Fury was, I had a suspicion as to why he was here. Steele kept me in the loop regarding the bullshit in the biker world. Despite us no longer being a 1% club, there were still rules that had to be followed.
Matlock stepped back, and the SUV pulled into the compound, parking a few feet away. When the vehicle continued to sit there, I made my way over, and as Matlock and me both stepped closer, the door finally opened, and out climbed Fury, the SAA of the Soulless Sinners MC.
Fuck my life.
As if I didn’t already have enough shit going on. When Declan found out, he wouldn’t just yell, he would kill me. I would make sure to give Mom and Dad a hug for him when I saw them.
“You gonna bring heat down on my club?” I asked him.
“That’s not my intention.”
“Never is,” I growled, shaking his head. “How many of you?”
“Two adults and four kids.”
Snapping my fingers, knowing she wouldn’t be far away, I called out, “Amber, help the woman get the kids inside. Movie night.”
Maybe Dec was right, I thought. Every fucking time a new woman came into town chaos followed.
“Sure thing, King.”
Amber had become more than a club girl over the years. Especially since Charlie, Chrissy, and Tabby had become regular fixtures at the clubhouse. She was always ready to help in any way she could.
I wasn’t sure she would stick around much longer. We’d all noticed she didn’t spend time with the brothers like she used to. Instead, she spent more time with the old ladies and kids.
“You two, come with me,” I ordered once we were inside.
“You’ve got the entire underworld looking for you, Fury.” Walking into church, I took my place at the head of the table and glared at the man. “If I had half a fucking brain, I would turn you over to Montana and wash my hands of you.”
Fury sat up, glancing at the woman beside him, who stiffened. When he opened his mouth, I held up my hand. “But since I don’t take orders from your prez, you both are safe here. Just tell me one thing. Is what’s happening in New York gonna spill over into my territory?”
Fury rubbed his hands down his face, and admitted, “It might. It’s a clusterfuck back home. No other way to describe it. We just need a place to lie low for a day or two. I noticed a tail the moment we left Chicago.”
“What?” the woman gasped, looking at Fury.
“Any idea who?” Cash asked.
Shaking his head, he answered, “Fuck no. Could be one of my brothers, the Irish Mafia, anyone. I didn’t leave on the best of terms, if you catch my drift.”
“The Irish Mafia,” I growled. That got my fucking attention, and I quickly glanced at Blade. “What the hell do they want with you?”
“I just recently learned that I’m the grandson of Casper O’Malley.”
“WHAT THE FUCK!” Blade roared, jumping to his feet. “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me! Is there a fucking family reunion I wasn’t aware of?”
“Blade, shut the fuck up and sit down,” I growled. Keeping my eyes on my niece’s old man to ensure he stayed where he was, I said to his childhood friend, “Ryder, tell Billy to go get Beck and bring her over here. Until we know who is following him, I want her inside the gates. Then get Ellie and the girls, too. Everyone stays here tonight.”
Ryder didn’t hesitate to rush through the doors. He would be a great brother. He should have patched in years ago, but Blade said no. He didn’t want the shit in his past to touch his childhood friend. I guess he was right. ’Cause his past, my past, hell even Dec’s past, had all come back to bite us in the ass.
“Are you serious, King?” Blade sneered. “This isn’t a fucking coincidence, and you fucking know it.”
“What’s going on?”
I took a deep breath and said, “I just learned today that Braesal O’Malley is my brother.”
“And my fucking old lady is O’Malley’s niece,” Blade angrily added.
Fury laughed.
“You think this shit is funny?” Blade shouted. “That motherfucker killed my parents.”
Shaking his head, he took a deep breath and said, “No, this shit isn’t funny, but you have to admit, everyone’s family seems to be coming out of the woodwork fast.”
“I don’t have to admit shit,” Blade snipped, sitting back down. “It’s not my fucking family.”
“What do you mean, everyone’s family?” I asked, sitting up straighter.
Fury leaned back in his chair and said, “It’s all connected, according to my woman. The clubs, the table, the underworld. It’s like one big fucked-up dysfunctional family, and this shit just proves it. You should also know that Carly is the daughter of Shane Keller and Angela Goldman.”
Closing my eyes, I groaned, as did a few of the older brothers. I did not need this shit right now.
“Holy shit,” Ghost muttered. “You’re Sandman’s sister?”
She nodded and added, “And Savage’s sister, who is currently the President of the Tennessee Chapter. So, I don’t need to tell you how important it is that no one knows where we are.”
“Does Reaper know?” I asked as my phone pinged with a text message.
“Don’t think so, but it’s only a matter of time. We ran into a bit of trouble in Chicago with the Valentinetti’s, but they’ve assured me that our secret is safe with them.”
Reaching for my phone, I read the message.
Steele: Montana’s out. Reaper was given the seat at the table.
Placing my phone on the table, I looked at Fury. “I’m sorry, Fury, but you know I have to call him. The Golden Skulls are one fucking club I won’t go up against.”
“You call him before I can explain everything, and you might as well sign my death warrant. Reaper knows Montana fucked up. The tree lighting ceremony was proof of that. Information is fluid right now. Montana’s back is against the wall. The Soulless Sinners are splintering. You call Reaper and tell him I’m in possession of a Golden Princess, and he won’t think twice before declaring war against your club.”
I leaned back in my chair and said nothing as I studied the man. It wasn’t every day I had a Soulless Sinner in my club. An officer at that, even if he was hiding from his brothers. I figured he hadn’t heard that Montana had been replaced, but he was still a Soulless Sinner, and there were rules. As for the woman, I had no choice. The entire biker world knew how Reaper felt about Golden blood. Add in the animosity between the Soulless Sinners and the Golden Skulls and well, that was one shitstorm I refused to step into. Montana I could get passed, Reaper was an entirely different story. I had to notify his club.
“You still wearing the brand?” I asked, knowing he would understand what I was saying.
He snapped his gaze to mine then slowly looked around the table, before he narrowed his eyes, and snarled, “You do this, and he will order you to kill me. He’s still the head of the Biker Federation, and you know it.”
I smirked, confirming my belief that he hadn’t learned of the new development.. Leaning forward, I crossed my hands on the table, then tapped my phone’s screen, making a call. “Let’s test that theory.”
Mercy answered immediately, “Not a good time, King, unless you’re calling to affirm your allegiance to Montana.”
“No,” I scoffed. “Staring at a Sinner, Mercy.”
“Shit?” Mercy whispered, then we all heard muffled words as a door slammed before the Soulless Sinner VP said, “Grant him sanctuary, King, and I will owe you a marker.”
“And why would I do that?” I smirked, my eyebrow raised as I watched Fury intently.
“Because as of an hour ago, the table voted Montana out. Reaper is now the head of the Biker Federation,” Mercy clipped angrily before adding, “Montana is losing his shit. Fucker has declared war on any club who sides with the Golden Skulls. It’s fucking bad here. The club is fragmenting. Montana’s doing everything he can to keep what’s left together.”
“And the Sinner before me? What’s Montana’s plans for him?”
Mercy groaned. “Montana ordered Blood of a Sinner for all three of them. As soon as they are captured and returned to the city, Montana won’t waste time punishing them.”
“Three?”
“Fury, Vicious, and Storm.”
“I see.” Taking a deep breath and leaning back in my chair, I asked, “And his old lady?”
“Old lady? What old lady?”
I looked at Fury.
If she wasn’t his old lady, then who did she belong to?
Shaking his head, I hit the mute button, glaring at me, he quickly admitted, “They don’t know she’s with me. That’s why we need to get to California before Reaper finds out she’s with me.”
Holding up my hand, I silenced him before unmuting the call.
“What old lady, King?”
“Sanctuary granted.” I replied, ignoring Mercy’s question before hanging up the phone. Leaning back in my chair, I assured him, “You can stay the night, Fury, but when you leave, Carly will stay here because, like I said, I won’t go up against Reaper. Unless you want to change the narrative.”
There was only one way out of the shit he fell into by bringing her here. I knew it, and so did he.
“Wait a damn minute!” Carly spoke up. “Why can’t I leave with Christian?”
“You are biker royalty, Carly,” Cash cautiously informed. “If you were any other woman, we would let you leave with Fury, but because of who you are, we can’t. I don’t know how much you know about the biker world, but there are rules.”
“I don’t care about the rules. I have nothing to do with the clubs. I wasn’t even raised in them. Christian, tell them.”
“It doesn’t matter, Carly,” he solemnly stated, shaking his head as Carly stared at him.
Sighing, he looked at her and said, “Because of your father, you are considered off-limits. Persona non grata. Untouchable. If it were just your dad, King could let it slide, but you have two active half-brothers. One who is the president of the Tennessee Chapter, and the other... well, your other brother is just plain fucking scary. No one wants to go up against Sandman.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Carly,” Gunner stated. “There are rules in the biker world, and because of who you are, we don’t have a choice unless...”
“Unless what?”
“Don’t,” Fury growled.
“Unless Fury marries you,” I clearly said.