Page 51 of Lost King

One thing I don't notice are the rest of the men. "Logan, where are the rest of the guys?"

"On the backside of the property. They should be showing up in a minute," he reaches into the cooler back behind the bar and pulls out a cold beer, then takes a seat on a barstool. Okay? The only thing on the backside of the property is the old barn with a rusted-out tin roof. It's original to the place. The property behind the clubhouse was once farmland. However, we don't use it for anything, and it leaves me curious.

Kissing the girls on top of their heads, I release them and wait for them to skip back across the room to where they were before. Just as I'm about to ask Logan why the guys were out there, the front door swings open letting in the afternoon sun.

"Damn, brother. It's good to see you movin' around," Prez strides over and clasps his hand on my shoulder.

"That goes for us as well," Reid echoes the same sentiments as he gestures to the rest of the men behind him, which includes our brothers from the Louisiana chapter.

"Quinn," Prez waves a hand towards the back of the crowd and a face I don't recognize steps forward. "I want to introduce you to Ian. If it wasn't for this man, we might not have found you," he says the last part with a crack in his voice.

Ignoring the fact my hands are throbbing from all the activity today, I stick out my hand. "Thanks, I owe ya."

"You don't owe me anything, friend," he shakes my hand.

Logan passes beers around. I don't join them. Not because I don't want to share a drink with my brothers, but I can't have one due to the medication I'm taking.

"I hate that we can't stick around, brother," Riggs walks up and greets me with a handshake, "but we need to get on the road."

The magnitude of the past few days hits me like a punch to the gut as I look at every face of every brother standing in the room with me. All of them rallied together for me. I stand here with no words to properly thank them, but I know no words are need.

A few minutes later, lunch is announced and served outside. I welcome the warmth of the sun as we sit and eat. As I'm biting into my meal, I feel a tug on my shirt. Looking down, I take in Ava holding a box in her tiny hands. I'm close with all the kids in the family, but Ava here thinks her Uncle Quinn put the stars in the sky just for her. Not that I told her so or anything.

"Hey, princess."

With a serious look on her face, Ava doesn't wait for me to scoop her up. She places the box next to my plate and without a word climbs onto my lap. "Uncle Quinn, I have a present for you."

Mila and Reid happen to be sitting across from Emerson and me. Mila smiles at her daughter then explains. "She heard you were sick and trying to get better, so she used some of her bad word money—" Ava interrupts her mom. "I have a lot of bad word money too," she confirms bobbing her head, which causes everyone to laugh including myself.

"She used some of it to buy you something," Mila finishes.

Ava's hands clasp together with excitement as I push my plate to the side and lift the lid off the box. Inside underneath mounds of pink tissue paper lays a teddy bear—A teddy bear that looks almost identical to hers except he's wearing a tiny leather cut. I pick it up. All the women gasp at the same time followed by the sounds of "Aww."

Turning the bear over, I take in The Kings Logo on the back of the tiny vest. I blow out a breath to ward off the emotions trying to break free.

"My Mr. Pickles always helps me feel better, and he helped daddy. Now you can have your own Mr. Pickles," Ava assures me. I have to swallow several times past the knot in my throat.

"I love it," I tell her and hug her close. "I feel better already."

With lunch over, Riggs and his men head out. Ian didn't stick around long either and left shortly after. It's been a long day, and my body is feeling it. Emerson notices me rubbing my head.

"You ready to lay down. You've pushed yourself a lot today," she looks at me with concern.

I tug on the belt loop of her jeans and bring her to stand between my legs. "I'm okay, Sunshine."

"You sure?"

Peering around her, I notice Prez, Logan, Gabriel, and Reid, walking towards us. In Jake's hand—My cut. Emerson turns her head to see what I'm looking at, then turns back around. "I'm going to go inside and help the women get all these kids bathed and ready for bed." Kissing me, she takes her leave.

"I have somethin' that belongs to you," Jake announces.

He waits for me to stand then helps me slide it on. It smells freshly cleaned. I smooth it out. The weight of it feels good on my back and shoulders. Then I remember the bullet. The one I never got the chance to use. Reaching into the inside pocket, I dig around shocked to find it still there and pull it out. Holding it between my fingers, I study it.

"We got somethin' to show you. Walk around to the front and hop in Reid's truck, and hold onto that bullet," Logan says.

I trust my brothers. I don't ask why. I make my way to the truck and climb in. The others pile in the back, and we take off towards the backside of the property straight towards the old barn. Grey and Blake are standing outside of it.

"Before we go in. I'll tell you now, that the other fuckin' Reapers are dead," Prez informs me.