“I get that.”
“You want me to quit?”
“That isn’t my decision. The problem we have is you hit the SOS button. People here have a vested interest in the consequences of that.”
Which is dad’s not-so-subtle way of saying King knows and he’s not happy. Dad will fill him in when I’m gone. Nothing is sacred around here, especially given one of King’s tech guys developed the app in order to keep his people safe.
I’ve brought down a shitstorm on myself.
“Where is she?” The shout comes from outside the room.
And it’s not fucking over. In fact, my night just got worse. Dad finally shows some emotion at the sound of his wife’s voice, but it’s a sympathetic look as he gets to his feet. He’ll never talk down to her, no one controls my mom.
“Do what you have to, Cassie. Whatever happens, the club has your back. If you want to continue, then understand, it has become our business.”
“Dad,” I groan. “You’re not taking him to the shed.” His lip twitches and I roll my eyes.
How many people can say their dad would literally take someone to pieces and dispose of their body without batting an eyelash, for thinking about hurting their daughter? Very few. I don’t know if that makes me lucky or not.
“Cassie!” Mom knocks on the door. “You better get out here right now.”
Dad pats my shoulder. “It’s your choice.”
Damn right it is. I have to figure out how much to tell my mother to prevent her going to Harry and quitting on my behalf.
Chapter Eleven
Dominic (Mace)
After Handlebars shock revelation and viewing the situation with very different eyes, I stalked back up to the van, reluctantly telling Handlebar to handle the idiot who started all this.
No one questions me verbally when I tell them to take their guns off the two people kneeling on the floor, or when Marshall hurries over and pulls his sister into him. She curls against him, shaking and crying and I feel like a fucking shit for doing this to her. Everyone is eyeing me, wanting to know what the fuck this is.
I’m still pissed, someone should have fucking told me. Handlebar and I are going to be having a serious fucking conversation when we get to the drop off. There are people meeting us at the other end to unload the van, I’ve got no idea how Marshall was going to get his sister out, or if the buyers are aware of her, if they even are true buyers.
Everyone watches Handlebar with open hostility and confusion as he moves to stand with them and talks in quiet whispers. It looks suspicious as fuck. Even the men who came to us from the Sussex chapter don’t understand. No one questions anything. That will come later.
The woman finally calms down and despite my reservations, I agree for Marshall to stay with her.
While he does that, I check the rest of the cargo to make sure we are transporting what we are supposed to be, and they just hitched a ride. I kick myself for not doing this before we left, but this is a protection run, we’re not buyers or sellers, we’re getting paid to get the van from point A to B.
When I pop the crates, I root through them until I find the guns. This is a convenient way of moving her. And having us as protection along the way.
The last thing this woman needed was to be confronted by angry bikers pointing guns at her.
There is a lot of shit to unpack here. Handlebar reacted like he didn’t know what was going on, but once he openly admitted being a part of this so-called network, my first thought was he got on this job because he knew what we were transporting and fucking lied to me.
Which in turn makes me wonder if King knew and the switch from Felix coming to Handlebar was all a ruse. I intend to find out the truth.
As much as I don’t like it, having Handlebar speak to the woman helps. I’ve come across abused women before. Seen enough of that shit at the Kingsmen’s clubhouse towards the end of their reign.
None of it ever sat right with me and I did what I could to steer women away if I thought they were in danger. But I couldn’t help them all, some of them kept on coming back.
Handlebar eventually walks back to me, his expression is hard.
“The plan is to take her to a small hair salon in the town where we’re dropping off the cargo. She’ll be collected there by the Veil representative.”
“I take it no one else is allowed to be there to confirm this.”
