Page 10 of His Claim

“How the fuck did you get all the way up there? I know where Gravel’s cabin is, and it’s in the middle of nowhere.” Leo demanded.

“And that’s how I like it,” Gravel hollered.

“We’ve been searching everywhere between Rockton and Chicago for you. We would never have found you if you hadn’t gotten away.” Leo sighed heavily. “Tell me what the hell happened.”

I ran through the story of Brandt getting the drop on me when Larry, Kitty’s dad, went missing. “I woke up tied to a chair, and then he tossed Tatum at my feet.”

“Tatum?” Leo asked. “The girl you dated years ago?”

“Yeah, her.”

“How the hell did Leo find out about her?”

I didn’t have a clue. “Must have really dug into my past.”

“So, how the hell did you get away?”

“I managed to break a window, and we took off. The strange thing is, Brandt hasn’t come after us. It’s like he wanted us to get away. It’s fucking weird.”

“Shit is always weird when it comes to Brandt. I wish the fucking weasel would just die already.” Leo paused. “He didn’t try anything when you busted out?”

“Nada. We fucking waited for a bit once we were far enough away, and it was like the place was dead. No one there.”

“You think you can get back to the place?” Leo asked.

“I don’t know. I remember what the place looked like, but it’s not like we took roads to get to Gravel’s place. We hiked through the fucking woods for hours before we found this place.”

Leo clicked his tongue. “The fucking odds of you stumbling into Gravel are fucking slim, Murphy. You guys got fucking lucky.”

That was the damn truth. “So what do you want me to do?” I asked.

“Hang tight there if it’s okay with Gravel, and I’ll send Creed and Apollo your way.”

“Just a heads up, Gravel is calling King once I get off the phone,” I offered.

Leo chuckled. “I wouldn’t expect less. Say hello to the old man for me and be careful.” Leo ended the call, and I tossed the phone to Gravel. “Call your kid and let him know we’re here.”

“My kid,” Gravel chuckled. “King will have your ass if he heard you call him kid. Pretty sure he’s older than you, son.”

He was only a few years older, but I still liked to yank his chain by referring to him as Gravel’s kid. “Why weren’t you ever prez of the club?” I asked.

Gravel shrugged and grabbed his coffee cup from the table beside his chair. “Never wanted it. Thought I was going to be stuck with it when Storm got restless, but King stepped up. Showed that he wanted to take over, and I was off the hook.”

“Storm?” I asked. I thought I had met every guy in the club.

Gravel waved his hand. “He was the founding prez of the Devil’s Knights. Stuck around for about fifteen years before he wanted more than what the club could give him. He took off as soon as King was set to be prez, and I haven’t seen him since.” Gravel chuckled low. “For all I know, he’s been dead and gone. He was older than I am. It’s a miracle I’m still kicking.”

“Hush your mouth,” Ethel called. She walked into the kitchen and put her hands on her hips. “No one is dying around here.”

Gravel rolled his eyes and sipped his coffee. “We’re all gonna go some time, darlin’.”

Ethel waved her hand at Gravel. “You’re too ornery to die.”

Gravel shrugged. “She’s not wrong.”

“I set your lady up with some clean clothes, and she’s showering.” Ethel moved to the coffeepot. “She’s got a few cuts on her face that should heal fine once she cleans them up.” She grabbed two coffee cups and filled them both.

I nodded. “Thank you, Ethel. I don’t know what we would have done if this wasn’t your place.”

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