Page 34 of My Veteran Biker

I lead her to the center of the room. The talking dies down as brothers notice, the attention shifting to us. Clint steps forward, and the room goes completely silent.

"Francis," Clint says. "Knox is claiming you as his woman. That means you're family. You're under Vigil protection. Anyone threatens you, they're threatening all of us. You understand what that means?"

"I understand," Francis says.

Her voice is steady, clear. I feel pride move through me sharp and unexpected.

"Then welcome," Clint says.

The brothers nod, murmuring approval. Sydney comes forward and hugs Francis. Then Natalie, then Anna, then Katherine, then Carina, then Sienna.

The women integrate her quickly, pulling her into their circle with a warmth that makes something in my chest ease.

I find Clint afterward, standing outside on the porch where it's quieter.

"You look different," he says.

"I am different."

"Good different or complicated different?"

"Both."

He lights a cigarette, takes a long drag. "Perry's death hit you hard."

"Hit all of us hard."

"Yeah. But you especially. You've been restructuring defensive positions for three weeks. Haven't slept more than a few hours at a time. Started looking at the rest of us like you were cataloging who might be next."

I don't deny it. "Perry died alone. No one waiting. No one who noticed for two hours."

"And now you've got someone waiting."

"Yeah."

"That'll make you more prudent or more reckless. Haven't decided which yet."

"More prudent," I say. "I've got something to come home to now."

Clint nods, drops the cigarette and grinds it under his boot. "Chuck's got a lead on Crane's property. House in the next county, rural area, registered under his late wife's maiden name. We're confirming the address tomorrow. If it checks out, we move on it Tuesday night."

"Understood."

"This is endgame, Knox. We go in there and Crane dies, it's over. Marrow scatters. But it has to be clean. No witnesses, no evidence, no way for this to come back on Bloomfield or the club."

"Who's going?"

"Me, you, Tate, Cain, Chuck, Axel. Six of us. In and out in under an hour."

"What about the women?"

"They stay here. Roan and Holt on security. We're not leaving anyone unprotected while we're gone."

I nod. Tuesday night. Three days from now. Three days to prepare Francis for the fact that I'm riding out to kill a man and might not come back.

"She know?" Clint asks.

"That we're planning to kill Crane? Yeah. When it's happening? Not yet."