Chapter Twenty-Two
Cleo tightened her hold around Wraith’s waist and shivered under the cool breeze.
It had been two days since her excursion to Lawry and her belated birthday celebration.
Thankfully, without living at the clubhouse anymore, she wasn’t subjected to a verbal scolding from Ace.
Wraith had done just fine with his own speech.
However, she was now about to enter the lion’s den.
Cleo had no idea about the party until he sprung it on her a few hours ago.
It was meant to commemorate Knox’s life on the anniversary of his death.
It was a sweet gesture, but not how she’d intended on remembering her brother.
Cleo would’ve preferred to stay at home, look through her old pictures, and reread his letters.
It had become a sort of tradition since his passing. But she wasn’t given a choice.
Wraith pulled up in the driveway, and her stomach twisted, scanning the area. There were more people than she’d expected. It was a usual MC party but on steroids.
Wraith parked, and she got off his bike, peering around the lot. The area was at full capacity with a line of bikes pulling in the driveway. All for Knox? Her eyes welled and she sucked in a breath. It was obvious, he was loved and remembered by so many.
“Come on.” Wraith said.
As they walked up the path, he grabbed her hand, clasping their fingers.
She tried to keep her smile at bay. Impossible.
There was just something about hand-holding.
It was a statement and intimately public.
It was a claim over one another. I’m his, he’s mine.
Maybe she was reading too much into it, or maybe, it was exactly as it seemed.
She squeezed his hand, and Wraith tightened his grip.
I choose to believe the latter. They walked in, and she scanned the room of wall-to-wall people.
Cleo expected him to stop at the bar, but Wraith led her through the room. Clearly absent were the core members of the club. She could’ve missed them, or they’d been upstairs or out back, but a strong sense of foreboding struck her like a ton of bricks.
Oh shit!
She tightened her hold and stopped. Wraith glanced over his shoulder and knitted his brows.
“Let’s get a drink.” Her voice hitched.
“After we talk to Ace.”
Dammit, I knew it.
“But it’s a party. Maybe we should wait until another time.”
His lips twitched, and he leaned closer. “What’s that saying?”
She nibbled on her bottom lip. She could only think of one pertaining to this situation.
“Play stupid games, win stupid prizes?”
Wraith’s lips spread into a wide grin. “I was thinking every action has its consequences. Or your favorite.” He shrugged. “Better to beg for forgiveness than ask for permission.”
Yeah, that’s one of mine.
He tugged on her arm, and she begrudgingly followed as he led her down the hall. It wasn’t a surprise most of the members were gathered in the room. She forced a smile, greeting everyone. Ace pointed to the chair across from him, and she sat.
“Heard you had some fun in Lawry?”
She grasped the edge of her seat and shrugged her shoulders to her ears. “I’m sorry.”
No, I’m not. She had so much fun hanging out with Taryn and Regina. She regretted nothing.
Ace cocked his brow, smirking. “Sorry you got caught?”
Yes!
The president snorted and glanced over her shoulder. She sensed Wraith stayed close behind her. Ace sighed and settled back in his seat.
“Look, we get your need for freedom. We all fucking get it, Cleo. But you gotta be safe.” Ace shared a look with Wraith.
“I will, I promise.” Could it be this easy? She expected a severe scolding but all she got was a fair warning. Perfect. She grabbed the arms of the chair and started to stand.
Cross cleared his throat and pointed to the seat. They weren’t done with her yet. She lowered down and drew in a breath.
“Need to talk to you about something.” Ace said.
“Okay.” She said.
“Have you heard from Reyna?”
Cleo shook her head. She’d tried to reach out several times, but all her calls had gone to voicemail at first. Then, her line was disconnected.
“Neither have we, and we are having a hard time tracking her down. We shut the motel down after your adventure to the poker house because we got some information. And it ain’t good.”
What? Cleo straightened her back and glanced over her shoulder to Wraith. He gave no reaction but she noticed the tension in his face. His jaw squared and the lines in his forehead deepened. She turned back to face Ace and Cross.
“That ‘date’ Reyna told you about?” Ace paused. “It never existed. We talked to that guy Evan, and he had no idea about any of it.”
What?
Cross tapped his fist on the table. “And it looks like Reyna cleared her things out from the motel, the days before you two went to the poker house. She took all her shit as if she was never coming back. We’re not exactly sure what to make of it, but it’s fucking suspicious.”
It was.
But why would Reyna lie? None of this made sense. We’re friends, right?
“We’re telling you because we promised Knox we’d protect you.
But since you don’t like following the rules, we need you to be aware.
” Ace circled his finger. “It could be nothing, but it could be something, and we aren’t taking any chances when it comes to you.
So, for fucks sake, can you please tell us the next time you decide you need a fucking adventure? ”
It was the least she could do. After all, they were just trying to keep her safe.
“I promise.”
Ace slapped his hand on the table and stood. “Now, let’s go celebrate our brother.”
The men filed out of the room, but Cleo sat for a few more minutes, watching them tap their hands on the helmet on the shelf.
She’d never seen this ritual. After Knox had passed away, she’d kept many of his belongings.
She liked the idea of always having a piece of him. But the club took his helmet.
“Come on.” Wraith slid his hand down her arm and clasped her hand. Cleo stood, staring at the helmet as they walked to the door. Her eyes welled, and the lump in her throat grew thicker.
Wraith’s hand came into the frame as he tapped the helmet. She looked over at him, and he lifted his chin to the shelf. She slowly lifted her hand, sliding it over his helmet.
I miss you, Knox.
*
The party was still going strong hours later.
She stayed close to Wraith most of the night but had wandered outside a few minutes ago.
This was Knox’s life with the club and probably how he’d want to be celebrated.
Cleo had overheard so many stories of her brother.
Some made her laugh, some made her smile and others had her cringing slightly from all the dirty details, mostly shared by a few women.
Her brother was no saint. But all the stories had one thing in common, Knox was loved, adored and respected.
But she didn’t feel his spirit. Not inside the clubhouse walls, among his people. She knew him differently.
The firepit had a large crowd gathered, and she turned left, walking down the dirt path leading to the old storage building. His final resting spot. Cleo usually avoided this section of the property. This night it was as if it was calling to her. I feel you, Knox.
She weaved through the brush, pushing away the overgrown branches until she reached the clearing.
Cleo never allowed herself to remember the night he died.
She’d blocked it from her mind. The call from Ghost, the waiting room at the hospital, and the doctor walking out, knowing just by the look on his face, Knox was gone.
And suddenly being in this spot had all the memories flooding back into her mind. I thought we had more time.
A few short years, that was all she got with him.
It wasn’t enough. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she ambled down to the opening.
There were no remnants of the building. It had been cleared away.
But the area lined with trees served as a reminder.
He took his last breath, possibly whispered his last prayer and saw his last image… ..right here.
His final resting place. And there was only one way to remember him.
Cleo gathered two logs from the brush and centered them in the dirt. It had been years since she’d lit her own fire. She dug into her bag, pulling out the lighter. His lighter.
It took a little while for it to get started. It was a small fire. Knox would’ve done it better.
Not bad, Cleo. She could almost hear his voice.
Cleo drew in a breath, embracing the calm, washing over her. She walked to the log and sat, popping her earbuds in and tapping the playlist on her phone. She’d made it after he died. Songs that reminded her of him. Music was powerful, and comforting.
The cruelest part of grief was all the what ifs. What could have been. What should’ve been. Every moment missed, big and small. Every voice, laugh, and cry that’ll never be heard. Every touch that’ll never be felt again. The plans that would never come to fruition.
We didn’t have enough time.
But she had this. Cleo was zoned into the fire and wasn’t sure how long she’d been sitting there.
Seconds, minutes, hours… When the playlist ended, she turned to her phone resting on the log next to her.
Cleo stiffened, knitting her brows. She wasn’t alone.
Several pairs of boots came into her line of sight.
She slowly looked up. Ace, Cross, Ghost, and Cypher stood shoulder to shoulder, holding a beer, staring at the fire.
She angled her head in the opposite direction.
Oak and Gent, taking the same stand, focusing on the fire.
A tremble rolled over her skin. She shifted on the log, glancing over her shoulder. Wraith was standing behind her. He didn’t look at her. Like his brothers, he was staring at the fire. Her fire. The one she’d built.
For Knox.
Our brother.
****
Wraith and the others stood with Cleo at the fire until it completely burned out. They would’ve remained longer had she needed it. When she got up, they all fell in line walking back to the clubhouse. No one said a word, including her.
He wasn’t surprised when they walked in and the house was empty. It was part of their ritual. They celebrated Knox with everyone then cleared out the house, leaving it only for those closest to him. Tonight that included Cleo.
“Where is everyone?” Cleo asked as they entered the main room.
Wraith led her to the table as Cue walked over carrying a bottle of whiskey. Knox’s favorite.
“Tradition.” He planted the bottle on the table and set up the glasses. Twelve. Eight for the brothers at the table. Two for Jekyll and Hyde. One for Knox. And the final glass…for Cleo.
Gent pulled out his chair and sat across from Wraith, eyeing his woman.
“We all tell our favorite Knox story. And you, darlin’” —Gent pointed to her— “Are in for a real treat ’cause I got one involving a bar fight and a fivesome with a rival club’s girls.
And if you can’t quite figure out how that went down, I’ll explain in detail. Your brother was a hell of a guy.”
Fucking asshole.
To her credit, Cleo listened to them all, even Gent’s. When he was done, he pointed to her.
“Your turn.”
“I don’t really have a lot” —she glanced down at her glass and muttered— “Not like you all.”
“All we need is one,” Ace said, sipping his whiskey.
“Okay, um,” Cleo nervously shifted in her seat and a small smile emerged.
“Knox left when he was eighteen, and we had a large age gap, so we weren’t super close, but um, the day before he moved out, he made plans to take me out for burgers.
It was a Saturday, and he got into a huge fight with my mom.
She kicked him out that day, and he left.
I figured that was probably the last time I’d see him.
On Monday, I was in school and got called to the office.
The secretary said there was an emergency at home, and I was being signed out.
” She smiled, which rolled into a laugh.
“Knox?” Cross asked.
She glanced up, nodding. “Yeah, he said my mom was in an accident, and he needed to take me to the hospital. We spent the day at the arcade, got lunch, and saw a movie. He dropped me off at the bus stop so my mom wouldn’t suspect anything.”
“She ever find out?”
Cleo lost her smile. “Yeah. She wasn’t happy.”
Wraith could imagine what Cleo’s punishment would’ve been for that infraction.
“But it was worth it.”
Worth the beating.
“Anyway.” Cleo waved her hand and reached for her glass. “That’s the best one I’ve got. I told you I didn’t have great stories.”
Cue scoffed. “He busted you outta school. That’s a great fucking story.”
When the room grew quiet, Gent was a welcome distraction.
“I got another one.”
“Is everyone clothed in this story?” Cleo asked.
Gent scoffed. “Where’s the fun in that?”
Ah, fuck, it’s gonna be a long night.