Locke grumbled under his breath and hauled himself to his feet, tipping his beer down his throat before he stomped off in the direction of the chapel. I caught Orla’s eye and saw empathy swimming in her dark gaze and wondered how much he’d shared with her. He was Orla’s bodyguard. They were together every day. And Locke was the kind of dude it was hard to be around without him becoming your best friend.
Rocco had told me that. In an email that had reached me on the other side of the world. I’d felt so far away from him then. Now he was gone forever, and all I had left was a scratchy, righteous need to fix everything he’d left behind. An undefined quest for revenge that left me as weary as the handsome object of my obsession.
After checking River had no plans to be anywhere else, I crossed the yard and joined Locke at the chapel door. I didn’t share his unease about facing the men inside, but anticipation fluttered my pulse all the same. That heat in my belly. The tingles in my nerves that were all aboutSeth. “Come on.” I put a hand to Locke’s back and guided him forward. “Let’s get it over with.”
We entered the chapel and naturally drifted to the side of the room we were most affiliated with. Me to the left where Saint and Mateo sat, Locke to the right with Nash and Rubi.
Decoy sat alone in the middle, the chairs either side of him empty, Embry and Alexei absent.
For Locke’s sake, I took Embry’s seat, tipping Mateo a respectful nod.
Locke remained standing, big arms folded over his chest. “Is this about Mateo’s runs?”
“No.” Cam lit a cigarette and blew the smoke away from Saint. “But while everyone’s here, it’s probably a good time to talk about why that’s happening.”
He jerked his head at Mateo.
Mateo heaved a sigh. “Em’s having more surgery. Something’s not right how they left it before, and they need to go back in and fix it. Don’t know how long he’s going to be out for, but with Lili and the baby to take care of too, I’m not gonna be around much.”
A beat of silence cloaked the room. Only Cam seemed at peace with what he heard, making it obvious he’d been the only man with forewarning. There was no surprise around the table, though. Embry hadn’t been okay since me and Locke had got here. He’d fallen asleep at his own wedding.
Rubi leaned forward. “Canthey fix it? What’s the prognosis?”
“I don’t know.” Mateo ran a shaky hand through his dark hair. “And I can’t even think about it. The only reality I can handle is that everything works out, so don’t ask me to consider anything else.”
Saint got up—he often did when things in this room became emotional. He disappeared into the tiny kitchen and came back with a bottle of rum and a glass for Mateo, pouring him a shot. I guessed it was Saint’s version of a hug.
Rubi was less subtle. The big man got up and came around the table, embracing Mateo with the fraternal warmth Locke needed so badly. “Whatever you need, brother. We’re here for you.”
The whole room shared the sentiment and Locke chilled out enough to sit down. With him settled and the rum bottle being passed around the room, my focus zeroed in on the quiet man beside me. We’d been together ten minutes ago, but every time I was close to him, the effect on me was a confusing mix of newness and nostalgia. The thrill of it all. That hot shock I’d felt so often before.
His thigh was an inch from mine, heat radiating from the denim-clad muscle, ketchup smeared on his jeans. He smelled of fresh timber andman.
He smelled of everything I’d ever wanted.
“All right.” Cam called the table to order again. “I’m going to make this quick because I don’t know the details, and that’s not going to change. I got a call today. Several, actually. There’s trouble up north and some of our chapters have decided to go to war.”
Beside me, Decoy shifted uneasily, already halfway to standing.
Cam raised a hand. “Let me finish, then you can go.”
Trusting him, Decoy sat down again, and Cam continued.
“Like I said, I don’t know the specifics because I shut that shit down the second I answered the phone, and that’s how it’s going to stay. Whatever’s going on up there, it’s a game we’ve already left. I won’t stop any brother who wants to go and fight, but this chapter and any other chapter that wants to continue in our legitimate business is staying put.”
Nash stole Cam’s cigarettes. “Which chapters are already involved?”
“Bolton. Newcastle. Probably Sunderland too, but I haven’t taken that call yet.”
Rubi snorted a humourless laugh. “Give a shit. We’ve been trying to get rid of those cunts for years.”
“Agreed.” Cam scanned the table. “I’m happy to cut them off if it comes to that. Draw a line between the past and the future. It’s the nomads I’m worried about. I spoke to Ranger this afternoon. He’s all in and there wasn’t much I could say to talk him out of it.”
And the mystery revealed itself. Ranger was one of ours, a former Dog Crow, like me and Locke, but he hadn’t patched into an official Kings chapter. A wanderer true to his name, he’d left last year to ride with their nomad crew. “What’s his motivation? Ranger doesn’t care about money.”
Cam shrugged. “You might want to ask him yourself.”
“Not really.”
