He rubbed the back of his neck, watching the security camera views while he considered what he’d learned. After several minutes of contemplation, Elias reached a conclusion he didn’t like but knew in his gut was the truth. The realization sparked even more anger toward his father.
“What’s wrong?”
He glanced at Iona. “My father did this.”
She tilted her head. “A few minutes ago, you said this situation wasn’t his handiwork.”
“My mistake. When Mom divorced Dad, he fought her for me, not because he had any great love for me. I was just a tool he could use to hurt her. I was his plan for the future. In his demented mind, he wanted me to step into his shoes and assume leadership of the Reckoners.
“He thrust me into all kinds of situations where I had to fight my way out. It was his way of toughening me up. What he hadn’t counted on was how much I hated his MC and the MC life. I wouldn’t cooperate except to fight my way out of trouble because I didn’t want to lose my one chance to get into the military. I knew that would be my only way out. So I waited and made friends with Seth. We were going to enlist together, and we planned it down to the minute. Seth told me there was no other way, and he was right. If Dad found out, he would have locked me up after he beat me senseless.
“So we planned it together. Seth’s family was supportive of him joining the military. We begged them not to tell anyone until we were gone. What I didn’t consider was my father’s anger over me turning my back on the family legacy.”
“He punished you by taking away the heir to the throne’s position, didn’t he?”
“He chose Dutch as his successor.” Elias blew out a breath. “Dutch should have been thrilled by that because he’d been jockeying for my father’s approval since we were kids. But inthe end, even Dutch disappointed my father because he started his own MC instead of falling into line with my father’s plan for succession.”
“I don’t understand what the big deal is.” She frowned. “It’s just an MC. It’s not like he’s the King of England planning to hand off the royal throne to a distant relative.”
“In a way, Dad is MC royalty. Clubs all over the country have great respect for the Reckoners. They’re a strong MC, one that other clubs want to copy.”
“Then it sounds like your father did his job too well.”
“What do you mean?”
“He trained Dutch so well that he learned how to create and run his own club. Successfully, too.”
He stared for a beat. “So now that his succession plan blew up in his face, he’s gone back to the original plan, forcing me to become President of the Reckoners.”
Could his life be any more complicated? He shook his head. All he wanted to do was romance Iona Byrne. How had he fallen into his father’s trap when Elias had spent the past two decades evading even a hint of trouble from his past?
His jaw hardened. He would not let his past impact Iona or his friends. No matter what the cost.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
“MY FATHER HASbeen setting this in motion for years.” Elias paced to the other side of the room and back as his teammates watched him move. He couldn’t sit, not with this much fury burning in his veins. How could he have been so stupid?
“Explain.” Seth leaned one shoulder against the wall. “Make it good, Elias, because it’s two in the blessed a.m., and my watch shift doesn’t start until three.”
Right. He gave his teammates the short version of what he and Iona had hammered out since the phone calls to Zane and Maddox.
“Wait a minute.” Andre scowled. “Your father groomed Dutch to be his successor, and Dutch bailed to be his own man?”
“Essentially.”
“Well, I really wanted to hate the guy, but at least he has enough smarts to get away from Eddie Knight.”
“Maybe,” Noah said. “Maybe Dutch feels obligated enough for Knight’s training that he wants to appease the old man.”
“How?” Grant asked. “From what I can see, Knight isn’t in the picture, just Dutch.”
Elias grimaced. “Dad is probably the one pulling the strings from the shadows. From what I’ve read of Zane’s file, Dutch doesn’t have the clout or acquaintances to pull off this sale of the weapons and ammo. That has to be Dad’s doing.”
“So why bring Dutch into it?”
“He’s the scapegoat,” Seth said. “I should have seen it sooner.”
“We all missed it.”
