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“I knew,” Uncle Jet was the first to speak up.
“Me too,” Uncle Hawk said with a shrug.
“I suspected,” came from Uncle Raider.
Uncle Spider sighed heavily, pulling my eyes to where he sat in what everyone referred to as the Originals’ booth. “I suspected, but I didn’t know for sure. It was weird. Mav never flirted with anyone. Never even looked twice at any other female. But then he would get around you, River, and I could see he had feelings for you. I didn’t think you two were together, but yeah, I knew he was in love with you.”
I sucked my bottom lip between my teeth for a moment before swinging my gaze back to Dad. “It was the best-kept secret that half this fucking town knew about for years. Everyone knew about it but you, until my birthday. I begged all the people I was aware of who knew not to tell you, because I knew you would freak out and try to keep us apart. At my party, I shook the whole time, because I was scared you would kill him just for asking to be my boyfriend. When I blew out those candles on that ridiculous pink cake, I wished for you not to break my heart. Only…you did exactly that.” My heart hurt just remembering, and I had to swallow the knot that tried to choke me before I could go on. “But tonight, you went beyond that, Dad. You didn’t just break me. You shattered a part of me that I will never be able to put back together!”
“Why are you here, yelling at me?” he demanded, his nostrils flaring as his own anger grew. “He’s the one who cheated on you.”
I threw my head back and laughed out loud. It was a hilarious punch line that he didn’t quite get. As he continued to glare down at me, my laughter abruptly dried up, and I looked up at him in disgust. “You’re an idiot. A selfish, worthless idiot. I knew as soon as I got that picture that it was a setup.”
“Honey, I’m sorry. But you should know that Maverick isn’t worth your time.” His green eyes filled with faux remorse, his voice almost cajoling, and I wanted to slap him. Instead, I replaced the ring on my finger and stepped back. “I know it hurt to see him with those girls, but I couldn’t let him continue to lie to you. He’s been seeing both of them for weeks, and I—”
“Stop lying to me!” I screamed, fed up with all of it. “I know everything, Dad.” Doubt crossed his face, but it quickly cleared. Before he could speak, I whispered, “And so does Mom.”
This time, his face paled.
“No,” he quickly denied. “She’s been so busy lately, she doesn’t know anything. She’s barely been home. How could she possibly know…?”
The sound of another vehicle pulling up outside the front door reached me, and I lifted my brow at my father. “That will be her. And the hookers you paid. Also, Aunt Raven and Aunt Quinn.”
His throat bobbed as he looked over my head just as the door opened and Mom walked in. Aunt Quinn was right at her side, the two working girls behind them, with Aunt Raven bringing up the rear.
“Kell,” he began, but she lifted her hand, holding up her index finger and effortlessly shushing him without saying a word.
“Maverick is home,” Aunt Raven informed me, and my shoulders relaxed. “He’s going to have a hell of a headache tomorrow, but he will be fine. Willa and Elias are watching over him until you get home.”
Relief made my knees weak, thankful that he was going to be okay. He’d been so out of it after I’d had a little chat with the hookers that I’d called Aunt Raven before I called my mom. Knowing Aunt Willa and Elias were watching over him for me made me feel a little better, but I wanted to be the one taking care of him.
“Why will he have a headache?” Uncle Spider demanded, getting to his feet.
“The hooker twins shot him with a tranq,” Aunt Raven told him with a shrug. “From what they showed me, it was strong enough to bring down a horse. But don’t worry. He’s going to be fine once it wears off.”
Mom snorted derisively, causing Dad to flinch. “It’s what Colt is notorious for. Drugging people to get what he wants.”
I could feel the atmosphere in the room becoming more charged. I didn’t know if Dad was going to get tossed out of the MC for what he’d done, and I honestly didn’t give a fuck. It would be nothing less than he deserved.
But the murder in Uncle
Spider’s eyes as he took a step toward Dad told another story. Expulsion from the MC wouldn’t be enough for him. He wanted blood.
Uncle Bash put his arm out, stopping the enforcer from taking another step. “No. River asked to deliver his punishment.” He glanced around. “All in favor of River handling this?”
There was a hesitant pause before the majority of the brothers gave their affirmation, including my uncles and Maverick’s dad.
Twenty-One
River
After I’d first found Maverick at the motel, I’d thought about what punishment I would dole out if Uncle Bash and the brothers gave me permission. But I hadn’t let myself completely believe they would actually allow it.
Now that I stood in front of them all, the power to do as I wanted to my dad at my fingertips, I realized that while he deserved to be stripped of his cut for going against the brotherhood code the MC always strived to uphold, I couldn’t do that to him. Because I knew that Angel’s Halo was too much a part of who he was. While he’d had no qualms about hurting Maverick and me—and breaking my heart—I couldn’t do the same to him.
I felt Mom, Aunt Quinn, and Aunt Raven step up behind me, the three of them offering me the support I suddenly felt desperate for as I stood there in front of Dad. For a moment, I saw a flash of real dread in his green eyes, and I knew he was wondering just how vengeful I was going to be.
“Don’t worry, Dad,” I told him as I willed my heart not to ache as I delivered his punishment. “I’m not going to make you turn over your cut. After all, Maverick and I kept our relationship from you for years. What you did tonight, do you think that cancels out his not telling you about us?”
