“Privilege gets power,” Smoke says.
New anger fills me at the retelling of the story, at their audacity and the way they just expected to get away with something so heinous, and then it hits me.
I look at the men. “How did you get that footage from Brad’s beach house?”
My question hangs in the air with each man exchanging looks, trying to decide who would answer my question.
“Come to think of it, wouldn’t that be the first thing the police would look for after the murder?”
Again, the sideways glances.
“Please don’t say this is club business.” I gaze at each of them. “Brad may have been a bastard, but I did live with him.”
Smoke clears his throat. “Let’s just say I still have some pull in California.”
“But if the police had it in their possession and looked at it, they clearly saw Clark stab Brad, so why didn’t they just?—”
“‘Cause, as you know, Clark has the top officials on the force in his pocket,” Smoke adds. “According to my sources, he had the Chief of Police bury the tape, then bribed the cops to arrest you. He got you out on bail so he could lull you into thinking he was on your side.”
“Yeah, they thought they had it all figured out until you fucked it up and ran,” Blood adds.
I shiver, and Bolt notices. “You all right?”
“Just realizing how things could have turned out.”
“Seeing how unhinged he was,” Bolt adds, “who the fuck knows what he would’ve done if you hadn’t escaped that night?”
“But why didn’t you tell me you had the tape when we set this up?”
“The Royal Bastards have a chapter in L.A., so having that surveillance tape go missing wasn’t that big of a stretch, but we weren’t sure they could secure it until last night.” Smoke smirks. “I had faith in my L.A. brothers, but I didn’t wanna get your hopes up.”
I turn to Bolt. “Did you know about it too?”
“Of course.”
I let that settle, then, “Good thing you got it, or Clark would’ve had everyone believing I was crazy and trying to set him up.”
Smoke spreads his arms wide. “It’s what we do for family, babe.”
My throat tightens, and I swallow hard. I draw in a deep breath. “There’s no words to explain how grateful I am to all of you.”
“Ahhhh, fuck,” Diesel mumbles. “I hope you’re not gonna give some sappy speech.”
Bolt shoulder-butts him. “After what she’s been through tonight, she can do whatever the fuck she wants.”
“No speech, just that I owe you all my life.” I mash my lips together. “And just for the record, as it turns out, Clark Williams is not my biological father.”
Everyone except Bolt just stares and waits.
“Seems my mother was pregnant with me before she married Clark and told him I was his.”
“Yeah, and if the bastard is right, supposedly her old man was a criminal too.” Bolt laughs around his words. “So, now my girl really fits in.”
They all nod their approval.
“But no more for tonight.” Bolt pushes out of his chair. “Time you get you some rest.”
“Rest means sleep,” Blood shouts out.
