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Mine, Kansas and the kids.
“Welcome,” I walked over and hugged Hope, who returned the hug.
“Wow,Kali. Just wow,” Charity gasped.
Laughing, I linked my arm with hers. “Built right after the Oklahoma Land Rush, the house was then turned into an indigenous school for girls. Wait until you see the inside. It’s beautiful. And later today, the local Tribal Chief is going to come by and bless the house. It’s a big deal.”
“I’ve heard of those,” Hope said. “Is he smudging or doing the traditional healing ceremony?”
Shrugging my shoulders, I replied. “No clue. Guess we’ll all find out together.”
“I’ve always wanted to see the ceremony,” Hope said excitedly. “Anyway, we didn’t know what to bring, so we brought a little bit of everything from baked goods to baskets of fruit and vegetables. Faith sends her apologies, but she sent along a few bottles of lotion and a new candle that’s supposed to be calming and welcoming. She said to place it near the front door, that way visitors will feel the effects when they walk in. You know, to keep all the bad vibes out.”
“I like that,” I smiled. “Leave everything on the bed. I’ll get Trigger to get it. Come inside and I’ll introduce you to everyone here. The brothers are still at the clubhouse, but they will be here before the ceremony starts. Kansas doesn’t want to miss the ceremony, either.”
Twenty
Kansas
“Don’t care what you say to them. I just need them to talk,” Payne said, taking a seat at the table.
Before going to bed last night, I sent off a text message to Officer Taylor asking if he could bring his father by the clubhouse first thing in the morning, telling him it had to do with the massacre five years ago. While I wasn’t opposed to lying, I knew Mr. Taylor. Straightforward and honest was the best way to go.
As for Monk, he never responded. Not that I expected him to.
“I also texted Conroy. He will bring the club massacre file for you to look over. It’s one of the open cases he’s still working on.” I said, placing my coffee cup on the table before sitting down. It was too damn early for this shit, but I knew Payne wouldn’t wait.
I didn’t want to be here.
I promised Kali that I would be at the house to help her set up for the barbeque and the house cleansing ceremony. I wanted to tell Payne it could wait till Monday, but when he looked at me, I gave up.
Everything felt off. Weird, like I was looking in a mirror. One person me, the other someone I used to be.
Any other person and I would have told Payne to go to hell. The Diamondback M.C. was my club. I was the President. Yet, Payne was a board member of the Soulless Sinners. I was a branded member. A legacy brother, but not active. Technically, Payne was ranked higher.
I felt as if I was being pulled in two directions. One as the President of the Diamondback M.C. where my voice ruled and the other as a branded member of the Soulless Sinners where I had to follow directions.
It was confusing as hell.
“Remind me again why Monk didn’t take the chair after the massacre? He was the highest-ranking officer, correct?”
I nodded, taking a drink of my coffee. “Yeah. We had another brother, Jinx, who survived only because he was out of town at the time. Someone murdered him six months ago.”
“Who?”
“A brother from the Golden Skulls, Shadow. It was a fucked-up situation all around. Wrong place at the wrong time, kind of deal. Alcohol was involved, which blurred reality. In the end, a woman was beat to hell, Jinx was dead and Shadow damn near lost his mind over it.”
Payne shook his head as I heard him mutter, “Fucking Golden Skulls. That club is a scourge on humanity.”
“They’ve definitely had their fair share of bad luck.”
“Don’t even know the half of it.”
“Montana getting involved?”
Payne looked up. Smirking, he asked, “Why? You want back in?”
Shaking my head, I replied, “Hell no. Got love for my mom and pops, but Montana can go fuck himself. As long as he’s the President of the Soulless Sinners, I want nothing to do with that club. Besides, I like it here in Oklahoma. Finally got brothers who would take a bullet for me and I them. There’s no pissing contest and I don’t have to worry about one of them trying to stab me in the back.”
