Page 30 of Cross’s Reckoning

This is the gamble Kane made. He bet on Cyrus eventually asking for more than fear could buy him.

Raze finally straightens beside his bike. "Enough, Cyrus!"

Cyrus turns toward him. "What?"

"You heard me."

"I'm your president."

Raze's expression doesn't change. "And this was supposed to be a club, not twenty men dying because one brother decided he was done taking your shit."

Cyrus looks around at the others. "You letting him speak for you?"

Nobody answers, because nobody needs to.

Raze glances along the line of Perdition men. "They're not moving, Cyrus. They want no part of your bullshit."

"You fucking cowards."

"Maybe." Raze shrugs carefully around his ribs. "Still not dying for this."

Cyrus's face changes. I've seen him furious before, but this is different. My leaving the club and ending up behind Kingdom Come's gates was humiliation. Now an entire road full of patched men has watched him give an order and nobody obeyed.

Raze looks him straight in the eye. "You don't have the club anymore."

Cyrus reaches for his gun. Fast enough that half the road reacts, but Raze is faster.

The shot cracks through the night.

Cyrus jerks once and hits the ground, and for half a second everything stops.

Then weapons come up everywhere. I grab Lola and pull her against me as Kane roars, "Hold fire!"

Kingdom Come obeys.

So does Perdition.

Nobody shoots.

Raze stands with his gun still pointed at the place Cyrus fell, breathing hard but not firing again.

Chains starts shouting somewhere behind him. Two Perdition men catch him before he gets near Cyrus or the gate, and I stop paying attention because Lola has gone completely still in my arms.

"Dad."

I turn her away from the road. She fights me for one second, trying to look back, then the strength goes out of her and she folds against my chest.

"He was still my father." Her voice breaks on the last word.

I wrap both arms around her. "I know."

That's all there is to say. I wanted Cyrus stopped. Ten minutes ago, if he'd come through those gates and tried to put his hands on Lola, I would've stopped him myself.

None of that means I wanted this for her. So I don't tell her he deserved it. I don't tell her she's free now. I don't even tell her Perdition did this to itself.

Right now, I hold the woman who stood in front of her father and finally told him no. Behind us, Kane and Raze deal with what comes next. Men lower weapons. Voices carry across the road. Somewhere Chains is still shouting.

Lola cries against my stripped cut and grips the leather at my back.