I closed my eyes. “That’s why you looked upset,” I said.
“What did she do?” Ravage asked.
I shook my head. I wouldn’t tell him, and I hoped Karlyn wouldn’t either. I didn’t blame Grace. She was hurting when shemoved here. We talked about it so many times, and I told her to let it go, but she wouldn’t. I didn’t know why she would open up to Karlyn.
“She wanted me to know I could trust you. She said it might sever any friendship between her and I, but your relationship with Jackson was more important.”
“She’s so fucking stubborn. I told her to let that shit go.”
“What did she do?” Ravage growled.
“It’s not important, Jackson.” Karlyn tried to soothe my brother’s temper, but I knew I might have to tell him. “Give her time, King.”
I nodded, unable to say anything more. Karlyn left the room, and Jackson glared at me. “I saw the video, King. Whatever Grace said upset my woman.”
“I’ll tell you some other time. Right now, we have shit to deal with.”
“King,” Ravage warned.
“I can’t, Jackson.” I stood up and paced the room. “I can’t think about her right now. I have three fucking clubs upstairs, two of which want to kill each other. Oh, and two more assholes to add to the mix in three days and a fucking traitor possibly in mine. I hope to God it’s not one of my brothers.”
“What happened?”
I told him what happened while he was in Lincoln with Nav. He growled when I mentioned Lynch’s name and smiled when I told him about how Indie snuck up behind him and sliced his throat. I explained everything that happened after that. My taking over as president, Diamond Creek now being the Mother Chapter, and putting Zombie in place as interim president of the Arkansas Chapter. I ran through Zombie’s plan to take out Stone, his SAA, and any others loyal to them, and what he found when he got home.
“So someone tipped him off?”
“Yeah. I have a guy in a cell. Someone Steele sent up here to spy. He’s been down there since I called Steele. It wasn’t him. I wish to God it was. Then I wouldn’t have to question the loyalty of my men.”
“I don’t think it was one of yours,” Ravage pondered out loud.
“You think it was one of Zeus’?”
“Maybe Zeus himself. Or Kronos.”
“I thought about that,” I said as I sat back down. “I’ve kept an eye on them since Nav called from Lincoln. I honestly don’t think it’s Zeus. Not after the way he reacted to Eros being in F.I.R.E. Maybe Kronos, but what would he have to gain?”
“What do any of them have to gain? Power, money, fucking greed? It’s always the same shit. Someone had to have tipped off the Death Dogs that Grace and Karlyn were in town. It sure as hell wasn’t Indigo or Eros. And I’ve seen the way your men treat her. I don’t think they would have done it either.”
“When Banshee was taken, he killed his old lady’s husband.”
“Her husband was a Death Dog?”
I shook my head. “Long fucking story, but yes. Anyway, he assumed Banshee would be the one dying, so he told him some shit. Skinner had a rich backer trying to take over the Federation. Zeus has a right to the seat; he wouldn’t need to take it by force. But Kronos doesn’t. And he’s no longer a president.”
“We talked about that with Sypher and Phantom. Nav suggested Kytten.”
“I already talked to Cash and Mimic. They both hate it but conceded. I’m gonna talk to Kytten today when I go upstairs.”
“It will put a target on her back.”
“She already has one. Fucking Dakota Stone is after Mimic, probably her too.”
“Why?”
“Another long fucking story. I swear to fuck, my life was supposed to be quiet in the Midwest,” I snapped. “Skinnerwanted my club ’cause it’s in the middle of the fucking country. And Steele was ready to give it to him.”
“Well, Steele’s dead. What about Skinner?” he asked.
