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“No?” I asked.
“Nope. Hellfire was started by Enigma, a good man who wanted a motorbike club based on family and respect. The club ran well, keeping out of trouble until someone shot Enigma and killed him. From reports, a suspect was never identified. A guy called Zeus took over and given his name; you can imagine the ego he had. The man literally thought he was a God,” Kelly said.
“That doesn’t sound too good.”
“Nope, the man within a year had Hellfire involved in every illegal activity he could find. But Chance began making a move to take back Hellfire. From what I could piece together, two brothers got killed. The suspects were members of Hellfire themselves. Those killed were on Chance’s side and shared the desire to get the club clean and legal. It caused a war, and Chance’s side won, although there were many missing bodies.
Once Chance got President, he expelled most of the old members and began breaking ties to the illegal stuff. Former brothers found themselves charged and locked up as Hellfire started gaining speed. They helped another club get clean too, and the time was called Battle of the Brothers. Local newspapers wrote feverishly about it.” Kelly paused and took a drink.
“And now?” I asked, knowing where this was heading.
“They’ve been clean for over fifteen years. Totally legal, they’ve worked on lots of charity events in the last few years, mainly for the Trusts. They are one of the few male-orientated clubs to have a sister, and that’s Phoenix Michaelson. Phoenix is married to Chance’s cousin Drake, who runs Rage MC. They’ve put back into the community.
They are all trained Mountain Rescue, all of them trained EMT’s and are relief firefighters. A forest fire starts; they’ll ride and help the SFD. They’ll hand over information on illegal shit, and it’s a well-known fact you don’t mess with Hellfire. Karma will come calling if you do. Chance Michaelson is well thought of by the city council and the SPD; he’s friendly with the congressman and senator for South Dakota.
Hellfire owns several legal businesses. They own half a bar in Rapid City, the garage which makes a fortune, a parts shop and a Hellfire MC store that sells clothing and stuff. Hellfire fronted the money for Clio’s tearoom, and when Chance married Clio, he signed it over and paid out of his own pocket to give Hellfire their money back. Their investments are out of this world. Chance has an account with PT Investments, and you and I know how exclusive they are.
Hellfire and Chance command respect wherever they go. They are trouble solvers and don’t mess about with shit. What Clio said about being saved was true. I found several reports relating to what she told us. Chance and SPD kept Clio’s name out of it, but they brought down a damn trafficking ring. They’ve got influential people in their corner and aren’t afraid to use them,” Kelly said, and I groaned inwardly.
“Anything else?” I asked, and Kelly looked shifty.
“Yeah, Clio doesn’t need the ten million dollars. Chance wasn’t lying when he said he owned fifty and Clio will get half. And it’s no secret that Chance Michaelson is completely in love with his wife and will kill anyone who lays a hand on her. When she was kidnapped, six MC’s rode for her, trying to track her. No one else could call that firepower to find a missing woman. A lesson was learned not to touch Clio or a Hellfire woman. No one had seen the like. Chance Michaelson will go to hell and fight the devil if it meant keeping Clio safe,” Kelly said and sat back in the chair. He waved a hand towards the inside of the room.
“Hmm?” I murmured.
“I printed everything so you can read it yourself. But you fucked up Thal and need to fix it,” Kelly said. “Your preconceptions come from watching Sons of Anarchy and Hellfire aren’t nothing like that. Sure, I bet they’ve killed and will kill again, but for justice, not for illegal things. I can’t condone it, but that is the type of men they are; they’ve fought to become what they are and won’t let it slip easily. I don’t think even Fort Knox could keep your sister safer than those men. Rough and ready they may be, but I’m telling you, Thal, they are good men.”
“Shit,” I said and cupped my coffee. I’d been so convinced I was right, and Clio was wrong and in danger. Kelly was right. I knew little about MC’s and watching Sons of Anarchy had prejudiced me. I thought it was based on real-life, with a lot of drama thrown in, but my interpretation of MC’s was based mainly on a tv programme. And I’d been so desperate to claim a sister that I hadn’t listened but gone ahead like a bull in a china shop.
Bear’s actions had frightened me. I honestly thought Kelly might have got shot. But seeing it through Bear’s eyes, which were distasteful but true, I could see where he was coming from. Sadly, remembering last night when I thought Kelly had betrayed me, made me realise how Bear must have felt believing Clio had betrayed Chance. A man who’d suffered a lot of pain and, by the sounds of it, visited hell and clawed his way back. If someone did that to Kelly, I’d want blood too.
An icy shiver ran down my spine as full recognition of how wrong I’d been hit me. I’d acted in a way that I’d condemned others for behaving. Kelly had been right; I’d acted like my paternal grandparents and judged everyone around me. No wonder Clio had thrown me out of her home, and Chance had looked at me with such distaste. My desperation for my siblings had overcome any common sense I’d had.
If someone had judged one of my street kids like that, I’d have ripped their throats out. My kids came from the same background Clio and Hellfire did, and there I was, sitting in judgement on them. It was disgraceful behaviour; I’d been so convinced I was right; I’d ignored the warning signs. My heart sank as I wondered whether Clio would forgive me for my sheer arrogance.
Bear’s actions had helped my prejudice, but in brutal honesty, I’d been prepared to see darkness, anyway. The moment I’d set eyes on Clio, I’d judged everyone around her by his actions. While I didn’t like the big man, he was genuinely sorry for his hot-headed deeds. The proof was in the way he looked at Clio and the bribes he’d brought her. Most men making such an error wouldn’t grovel, and Bear was grovelling.
Also slapping me in the face was Chance’s sheer protectiveness of my sister. He made no bones about who he was, and Chance wouldn’t let anyone hurt Clio. The brief glimpse Clio had shown me of her life spoke words about the fear and anguish she must have suffered. Instead of offering comfort, I’d offered condemnation of the man who had saved her.
“I’ll read the articles,” I muttered, refusing to look at Kelly in shame.
“Yeah, Thal, and take a deep look at yourself and your behaviour. The way you acted last night shamed us both,” Kelly said and rose to his feet.
“Where are you going?” I asked.
“To your sister’s tearoom, the food smelt wonderful yesterday. If you can stop being the bitch and channelling your paternal grandmother, then maybe you can join me,” Kelly said and left. Damn it, I’d ordered him breakfast and Kelly was so annoyed that he didn’t want to eat in the same room as me. Guess I got told.
Room service knocked at the door, and I opened it and allowed them to set the small table and tipped the server. When he left, I sat and picked up the folder Kelly had left for me and, chewing bacon, I began reading.
???
Desperate to clear my mind from everything I’d read, the horror didn’t want to seem to leave my mind; I dressed for running. Nodding at the concierge as I left, I began jogging aimlessly, not paying much attention to where I was going. I allowed my feet to take the lead and emptied my mind of nothing but fresh air and the beat of my feet running. Most people ran to music; I preferred the songs of birds and the sound of the wind in my ears.
I turned a corner and discovered a park, and jogged in its direction. A bike sped past me and then slowed, and my gaze caught on it as it pulled over. A man sat on it who I didn’t recognise, and as I approached, his blank face gazed at me. The words on the back of his cut said, Unwanted Bastards. The man tipped his head as he stared at me.
“Clio?” he asked, sounding confused. I slowed and stopped a little way away from him. He had long brown hair tied back that was peppered with grey. Astute brown eyes studied me, and he had a well-kept goatee.
“No, I’m her sister,” I replied, still keeping my distance. His eyes widened as he checked me over and settled on my face.
