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I watched as Amy smiled, then mouthed,I love youbefore she closed her eyes as the monitors started beeping and going off.
“NO!” August yelled, pumping her chest, trying to get her heart beating again.
I knew it wouldn’t work.
Twenty years after the accident that should have killed her, Amy Lansing was finally at peace.
I found August quietly sitting on the front steps as the police, paramedics and the coroner did what they needed to do. Sitting next to him, I looked out over the sprawling estate as August Lansing silently cried.
“I called the brothers. They are on the way. The club will take care of everything. Mom reached out to the hospital. You are on mandatory bereavement leave for the next six weeks. I’m locking you down at the clubhouse, Bane. While there, you will sit down with Malice and talk. I don’t care what the fuck you talk about, but you will talk. You need help brother, and you are going to get it.”
“I didn’t blacklist,Tessa, Montana.”
Taking a deep breath, I let it out before I replied, “I know.”
“What am I going to do now?”
“You are going to live. It’s what your sister would want.”
“I’ve been so angry all these years. I don’t know how to be any other way.”
“I can handle your anger, Bane. I get it. I’m angry too, but I can’t handle seeing you like this anymore,” I stated, as pipes roared into the drive. Looking up, I watched as the brothers arrived. My father and the Retirement Rejects with them.
“I wasn’t going to tell you, but I found something when I ran the DNA test on York.”
“Excuse me?” I growled, turning to face him.
“You know I run all the blood work for the club. I keep meticulous records. Anyone who joins the club or works for the club sees me before they’re allowed free rein.”
“Get to the point.”
“My point is, you know, I have a database of everyone who has ever come in contact with the club, including Tessa. When you started seeing her exclusively, she had a physical. I took her blood. I was so angry at you at the time that I didn’t put it all together until I ran York’s DNA. He is your son, I am sure of that, but when I put his results into the database, I noticed something. Tessa matched to someone.”
“What? Who?”
“Snoopy.”
“I don’t understand. What are you saying?”
“Tessa is the biological daughter of Snoopy, Montana. There is a 99.8% match. How is that possible? Snoopy was born and raised in upstate New York. As far as I know, he’s never been to West Virginia. I think whatever is going on with you and her stems from her past.”
Looking over at my dad and the Rejects, I stared at my dad’s enforcer. The man I’ve known my whole life. For a man in his sixties, he still looked strong and healthy. Yet, when he saw me looking at him and he smiled, that was when I saw it.
The familiar resemblance.
Tessa had his eyes.
“August, they are ready,” Kansas said, coming up behind us.
Getting to our feet, the club brothers lined the sidewalk as the coroner wheeled out Amy’s body. Standing next to August, I couldn’t take my eyes off Snoopy. One of my dad’s trusted and best friends. I wondered how he met Tessa’s mom. Did he even know about Tessa? From what I knew of the man, he never married. His life was all about the club and protecting my dad.
As the ambulance carrying Amy’s body pulled out of the driveway, I signaled to Malice. “Take August back to the clubhouse. Get him settled in his room. He’s on lockdown until I say otherwise. Then get with Storm and pull the records on Snoopy. I want a thorough search on both Snoopy and Tessa’s mother. Full background checks. Everything, Malice. Dig deep. Find me a connection.”
Malice said nothing as he stepped aside, waiting for August. My former best friend turned to look at me and whispered, “Do better, Montana.”
Saying nothing, I watched as Malice escorted Bane back to the clubhouse. Walking over to my dad, I leaned over and whispered, “I want you and Snoopy in the boardroom in the next hour. We have something to discuss.”
Not waiting for a response, I got back into my vehicle as Kansas rushed over, hopping in beside me. “What’s going on?”
