Mason held up a hand, silencing his son.His gaze locked on Conner.“You’re done here.Get the fuck off my lot before I decide you’re not leaving at all.”
Conner looked like he wanted to argue, but even he wasn’t stupid enough to push Mason.He shot Vic one last venomous look.
“This ain’t over, little brother.”
As Conner and his men retreated to their SUV, Vic stood breathing hard, adrenaline still surging.Chase moved to his side, looking between him and his father.
“You okay?”Chase asked quietly.
Vic nodded once, wiping blood from his lip.“Yeah.Sorry about this.He’s...my half brother.Different moms.He’s had a problem with me since we were kids.”
Mason stepped closer, eyes sharp.“Family don’t get a free pass to fuck with mine.You handled yourself.But next time something like this comes knocking, you tell us first.”
“Wasn’t time to call anyone, Mason,” Hurley cut in.“They just rolled up and started tryin’ shit.”
“Then it’s a goddamned good thing Pinto made sure I showed up when I did.”Mason shook his head.“Doesn’t change the fact that if you’ve got trouble, I need to be your first call.”
Vic met the older man’s gaze.“Yes, sir.”
Mason studied him for a long moment, then gave a short nod.“You’re one of us now, Montrose.Friend of the club.Act like it.”
As the tension slowly bled out of the men on the lot, Vic felt the weight of that statement settle over him.
Conner was blood.
But Bear, Hurley, Pinto, Chase, Benny, Slate, and the rest of them...theywere his family now.
And he’d be damned if he let the ghosts of the past hurt them.
***
Vic sat on the backsteps of Bear’s house long after the others had gone inside.The adrenaline from the fight had burned off, leaving behind a bone-deep weariness and the metallic taste of blood where he’d bitten the inside of his cheek.His split lip throbbed in time with his heartbeat.He stared at the dark yard, phone heavy in his hand, and finally dialed the one number he knew would still be answered no matter how late it was.
Grams picked up on the second ring.
“Victor?”Her voice was instantly alert, the way it always got when one of her boys called after dark.“Everything okay, baby?”
He rubbed a hand over his face and winced when his fingers brushed the swelling on his lip.“Hey, Grams.I’m...mostly okay.Just wanted to hear your voice.”
There was a short pause.“What happened?”
Vic let out a tired breath.“Conner showed up tonight.At the MC’s clubhouse.Brought a couple of guys with him.Started shit with a couple of the guys who’ve been only good to me.Threw some punches, and then one of Conner’s crew pulled a baseball bat and went after one of the guys.It got ugly for a minute, but the Rebels handled it.Nobody’s hurt bad.”
Grams inhaled sharply.“He came looking for you?”
“Yeah.”Vic stared at the ground between his boots.“He knew exactly where to find me.Said he was ‘catching up with family.’But then he started off on a tangent, talking about something Rosie had left to him that I had somehow stolen.”
Another silence, heavier this time.Grams’ voice was small and guilty in a way that twisted something in his chest.
“Victor...he was here.Two weeks ago.Showed up on my porch acting all concerned, asking where you were living now, how you were doing.I didn’t want to tell him anything, but he kept pushing.Said he was worried about you being mixed up with some trouble.I...I gave him the name of the town.I’m so sorry, baby.I should’ve known better.”
Vic closed his eyes.“Grams, it’s not your fault.He showed up in Meg’s life too.Sounds like he had the same questions for her.He’s always been good at getting what he wants, no matter the cost.You don’t owe him anything.”
“I know, but I still feel terrible.I never wanted him dragging trouble to your door.I didn’t mean to send him your way.”
“You didn’t,” Vic said firmly.“He made his own choices a long time ago.Listen to me—my people here are safe.The club stepped in.They’ve got my back, and I’ve got theirs.Conner doesn’t get to touch that.Not anymore.”
He heard her sniffle and hated it.“You sure?”
