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The way they screamed her horror.
The way they condemned me for her child’s death.
This really wasn’t the day for anyone to fight me on any-fucking-thing.
This was the day for me to stand the fuck up and take control of this fucking city.
Jen was right in her condemnation. I may not have put that bullet in her child, but I may as well have. No fucking way would I allow that shit to happen again.
13
King
* * *
“Uncle Zac!”
Annika’s daughter, Rebecca, threw herself at me after coming screaming down the hallway of the clubhouse to the office where I was going over shit with Hyde. Her little arms circled my legs as she hugged me, her blonde curls bouncing all over the place.
I scooped her up, and she wrapped her arms tightly around my neck while nuzzling her face in there too. For a tiny six-year-old, she was strong. “You been a good girl?”
She lifted her head and met my gaze, nodding with wild energy. “Yes!” Her eyes widened with expectation. “Do I get a treat?”
I narrowed my eyes at her, making her work for it. “You think you really deserve one? How good exactly have you been?”
Tiny fingers dug into my neck while she wriggled in my arms. When she answered my question, she did it with her signature style of enthusiasm. If I had to describe my niece in one word, it would be spirited. A huge contrast to her brother, Keith, who was mellow and a little shy.
“I’ve been the best. Ask Mummy! I even put all the books you bought me away in the bookcase this morning!”
“Mmm… was that before or after Mummy asked you to?”
Devil’s voice sounded from behind Annika. “King, hate to butt in, but Bronze just arrived.”
My eyes cut to his, and I nodded. “One minute.” Giving my attention back to Rebecca, I raised my brows signalling I was waiting for her answer.
Her little lips pressed together in the way they did when she had to tell me something she didn’t want to. She then nestled her head against my neck again while admitting softly, “After.”
Tipping her face up to mine, I said, “You promise to do it before from now on?”
Her curls bobbed as she nodded. “Yes.”
I bent to deposit her on the floor. “I’ve got a new book for you, but if I hear you’re not sticking to our agreement, I’ll take it back.”
The excitement in her eyes couldn’t be mistaken. I fucking loved her love for books.
Annika placed her hand on her daughter’s head while giving me her eyes. “Thank you.”
“Where’s Keith?” Even though he was eight, two years older than his sister, he didn’t have her confidence when it came to being around people, so he usually shadowed his mother.
“He’s coming in with Nitro. I guess they got talking about bikes.” She sighed. “You know what he’s like. He’s got that love of bikes you always had.” He did. And I knew it concerned her, but I ignored that. Keeping a man from his bike was like taking his fucking air from him. I encouraged Keith’s interest in bikes whenever I could.
“I’ve gotta deal with some stuff. I’ll come find you once I’m done. Skye’s studying in my room if you wanna hang out with her.” My sisters knew their way around the clubhouse, but Annika preferred the quiet, so I figured she’d choose my room over the bar.
“How bad is this, King?”
I’d been a member of Storm for seventeen years, and we’d been through some shit with the club in that time. I kept my family close, so we always stuck together in these times. While Skye grumbled her way through them, Annika just dealt. Always practical in her life, she understood the need to get on with shit and do whatever it took to survive. But that didn’t make it easier for her. I knew that while her strength ran deep, the effort to achieve it was great.
“Bad. Skye will fill you in.” I didn’t want to discuss this in front of Rebecca.
