Page 9 of Kane's Kingdom

Putting her in my room isn't generosity. It's survival, mine maybe more than hers.

I've known the shape of her life from the edges for years. The cafe she opened after Red died, the house she bought herself.I stayed away because wanting her felt like reaching into the wreckage my father left and taking whatever still belonged to Red. Now she's standing in my clubhouse because somebody tried to drive her into the river. Distance isn't protecting her anymore.

"Judge will show you where everything is," I say. "I've got church to prepare for."

Her expression hardens at the word. "Of course you do."

She starts down the hall without waiting for Judge.

He looks at me. "She remembers the way." He shrugs.

"Yeah." That's the problem.

Judge closesthe church door behind us.

Every chair around the table is filled. Every single patched member is here, and the room feels smaller for it. My father's chair at the head remains empty while I stand behind it, palms resting against the scarred wood. Judge takes his place at my right. Griz sits three seats down, with Chains opposite him, quiet as usual.

"Bella Rourke's under club protection," I say. "Effective now."

The reaction moves around the table in small ways. A glance, a shift, one man leaning back while another folds his arms. Griz doesn't bother hiding his.

"On what grounds?"

"She was run off River Road tonight."

"That's not what I asked, you know what I mean."

"Yeah, I do."

His mouth hardens. "Red lost his patch." He looks around to see which brothers will agree with him.

"Red wore the club patch for thirty years," I remind him.

"Yeah, then King stripped it. Club law says she ain't kin and not our problem."

There it is. King's rules still walking around in men who survived him.

"She grew up here," Judge says.

Griz turns toward him. "So did a lot of people who don't get a guard detail."

A few men murmur agreement, though not many. Most of the younger brothers sit still, watching me. Tank's expression gives nothing. Cash looks bored in the way he does when he's paying attention to every word. Gray rubs a thumb along the edge of the table, while Wilder keeps his eyes on Griz.

"King settled Red's standing," Griz says. "You reopening every decision your father made?"

"Only the ones he got wrong."

The room quiets. Griz's eyes sharpen. "And what's the hold she's got over you?"

Judge glances toward me, but I don't look away from Griz. "That's your one."

"My one what?"

"Your one chance to test me to see if I'm weak."

His jaw works while I keep my voice level. "Somebody picked Bella because they think this club won't protect Red Rourke's family. They're testing us. If they squeeze her, and nothing happens? Then every business in Ransom knows they'll be next."

That lands differently. These men understand territory, reputation and the price of letting weakness become public.