And do all the things,henever got to do. That was how she would thank him.
****
One week. Seven days. One hundred and sixty hours. Ten thousand and eighty minutes.
And it still felt as though time stood still in an eternity of darkness. The grief hadn’t lessened. The shock hadn’t worn off. The anger had only intensified. Life as he and the Killcreek Drifters MC knew it had forever been altered. They would never be the same. Life would never look like it had a week ago.
Cross grasped the empty beer bottle in his fist and threw it against the brick outbuilding behind the clubhouse. It shattered into pieces from the force. The remnants were starting to pile up. He was using this outlet as a way to release some rage. A week and ten cases of beer later, it still hadn’t worked. There was only one thing he craved. Revenge. And he’d get it soon enough.
He bent down, grabbed another bottle, twisted off the top, and dropped it beside him. He stared at the brick wall and chugged half the beer. Loss was hard for everyone. Cross had dealt with death plenty of times. He’d lost his family, friends through the years, and more brothers than he could count.But this?Knox’s death hit differently. It hit harder in a place he didn’t even know existed. It was as if he’d lost a part of himself. In a sense, he had. Knox had been more than a member of the club. He’d been Cross’s closest brother. Cross had brought Knoxinto the club, vouched for him, and together they’d helped build the MC into a solid organization.
Well, not unbroken anymore.
Cross rolled his neck, shifting his gaze to the wooded path. Knox’s final resting place.
The club had been ambushed in an elaborate scheme to steal product from their onsite warehouse. It’d been a well-planned attack. They’d done their homework. The club had been scheduled for a long haul with every member and prospect in attendance. Except Knox. He didn’t want to leave his sister alone. He’d gotten a lot of pushback, and initially Knox relented, following the orders of Ace, their president. Knox made arrangements for Cleo to spend the weekend at the local motel with Minnie and Ralph, the owners. The irony? It wasn’t about her safety. Everyone knew better than to come into Killcreek without an invitation. Knox worried she would be lonely.
They’d been on the road for a few hours when Knox changed his mind. He would sit this one out in favor of hanging with his sister. None of the brothers agreed with his decision. He got opposition from everyone, Cross included. The only exception was Wraith, who backed his choice. Either way, after a roadside discussion, Knox had made up his mind. He was going back to Killcreek.
And he did.
No one will ever know why he went to the clubhouse first instead of the motel to pick up Cleo. Maybe it was a premonition. Knox had always been intuitive, more so than anyone he’d known. And in the end, it had cost him his life.
Cross whipped back his arm and threw the bottle against the brick without even bothering to finish his beer. Glass shards scattered, and the alcohol wet the wall, dripping down slowly.
“Gonna have to get all the prospects out here to clean up this shit when you’re done.”
Cross didn’t even bother acknowledging his president. He bent down, grabbed another bottle, and flicked off the top.
“Not done yet,” Cross said and took a long swig.
“Yeah, I figured.” Ace stood next to him, staring at the building.
Even drowning in his own grief, Cross was aware he wasn’t the only one who’d lost a brother. They all had. And the clubhouse reflected the mourning. In different circumstances, for fallen brothers they’d plan a celebratory party for remembrance and reflection on the member and what he’d meant to Killcreek. It was tradition. The world viewed them as ruthless, heartless, violent, and careless. It was what the club wanted everyone to see and think. It was their shield, in a sense. They’d lived up to their reputation, but what the outsiders didn’t see was their unity as a true family. Fucked-up and dysfunctional, but a family nonetheless.
But there wasn’t a party being planned in Knox’s honor. Not yet. They had a more important task to complete. Vengeance. They would make sure everyone involved in his death would pay the ultimate price, with their own lives.
“What do we got?”
Ace sighed and folded his arms. “The crew. Cypher’s been on it all week. Not sure the brother has even slept. Wraith, Hyde, and Jekyll made contact with a few associates. Took a ride out to Lawry. Got confirmation.”
Killcreek had made a lot of enemies through the years. Most were smart enough to not take a chance attacking them. It had happened in the past, and the MC had proved they were not to be messed with. Of course, not everyone heeded those warnings. They’d get their revenge. They just needed clearance from the highest ranking.
Cross gripped the bottle. “Talk to Inez?”
Ace nodded. “Yeah.”
“What did she say?”
Ace’s gaze darkened. “You take one of my boys. I’m gonna fucking takeallof yours.”
Cross expected nothing less.
“Waiting on Gent, Cue, and Oak to get back,” Ace said.
“Where’d they go?”
“Pick up supplies,” Ace said, and Cross glanced over. “We’re gonna take our time with these guys.”
