She presses her fingers to her lips, barely holding it together. “He died a hero, and I will never forget what he did for me. For us.”
“Just be happy. That’s what he would want,” Circus says before getting to his feet. “I’ll be back. I just need a minute.”
He walks away as Midas gets up and follows him. “I’ve got him.”
I take the spot Circus vacated, leaving space for Havoc to move in closer.
“I’m sorry I couldn’t save him.”
“No. That’s not on you, little sister. You do not take the blame for this. I need to ask you something else. Did Michael mention anyone else? I find it curious that his PI wasn’t in the thick of things.”
She shakes her head. “Only Pig. Michael planted him here so he could get information on the MC. Pig, owed him a favor.”
“Prospects don’t know shit,” G grunts out.
“As he pointed out, he might not have had access to your secrets, but he had access to your women and kids. He knew where we were and how to get to us.”
“Shit,” G curses, running his fingers through his hair.
“He did say something, though, which confused me. He said he was surprised when he found me and Star at the house instead of Kruger.”
“He thought Kruger lived there because that’s what was implied, and that property is in his?—”
“No, I know all this. It was what he said afterward. He said the first time he was at the house, he should have realized that Star and I lived there, not Kruger. He remembered the picture on the fridge, the children’s books on the bookshelf, but he was too focused on Kruger to see the truth.”
Havoc blinks, then frowns. “But he didn’t come to the house then. It was his PI.”
“That’s just it, Kruger. I don’t think there is a PI. I don’t think there ever was. I think the PI is Michael, like he was my therapist.”
“Like he was the guy in the park,” Legs murmurs.
I look at her, stunned, before turning to Kruger. “Is that possible? I mean, we know now that Jack, Sam, and Michael are the same guy. Why not James too?”
I see Kruger thinking back to their interactions. “Bulky coat, stooped frame, some prosthetics to change the shape of his nose and face? Yeah, it’s possible. And the note he left in the car with Star. It said, ‘Have you foundmywife yet? Find Lilac and return her tome.’Fuck me, this guy has been playing us for fools all along.” He jumps up and pulls out his cell, hits a couple of buttons, and holds it to his ear.
“Nathan? Yeah, I know. I’ve got a lot of shit going down. I need you to do me a favor. That new software?” He nods at whatever Nathan says. “I need you to run Jack Davis and Sam Davenport against James Taylor. Yeah, that’s the guy. This is a top priority, okay? I need this done ASAP. Call me back when you have something.”
He hangs up and looks at Havoc. “He’ll get back to us when he has something, but it fits.”
“Yeah. Shame we didn’t figure it out fucking sooner.”
I tune them out and focus back on Citi. “It’s time to get you both cleaned up now, Citi.”
She looks down at her bloody clothes and nods. “I know.” She tugs at the T-shirt, her eyes pleading with mine to understand. “But this is all we have left of Capone.”
“No, baby. We have Star. You’ll never forget Capone because every time you look at her, you’ll think of the man who saved her.”
I fold my arms around her as she cries, taking in everyone’s devastated faces. Capone was a good man. A hit like this is a hardone to heal from. But heal we will because it’s the only way we’ll be able to avenge him.
Chapter Thirty-Nine
EPILOGUE
CITI
There wasno use pretending that what happened didn’t take its toll on me. On all of us. Despite things returning to normal, everyone knew nothing would be the same. The loss of Capone was akin to losing a limb. I don’t think I, in particular, realized what an integral part he played in our lives until he was gone.
Everyone turned out for his funeral, including a stream of bikers from the other chapter of Raven Souls, along with clubs friendly with ours. I don’t think I’d ever seen a sea of leather before, steeped in such a variety of patches and colors, all gathered for a man who earned a hero’s send-off with every fiber of his being.
