Page 24 of Colt’s Betrayal

“She looked real good sitting across from me. Asked all kinds of questions. Couldn't stop talking about you, though.”

I say nothing and the final weapon disappears behind our line. Judge gives Kane a small nod. Done. Raze still hasn't worked out that the situation has changed. “She didn't fight much when I kissed her either.” The image from the parking lot flashes through me. His hand on her hip, his body pinning her against the car and Jayne shoving him away.

Kane glances at me and this time he doesn't warn because he knows where my head's at. I step forward and Raze's grin widens. “Want to hear the best part?”

“Not particularly.”

He laughs. “Your ex is a biker whore. She'll spread her legs for whichever cut looks toughest I reckon.” I hit him before the smile leaves his face. My fist catches him square across the mouth and sends him backward hard enough that he loses his feet. He lands on the road with blood already running over his chin.

One Perdition brother lunges forward and Wilder intercepts him before he gets two steps. That's all it takes. The road detonates into fists, boots and bodies. Kingdom Come has the numbers and everybody knows it. Perdition still fights because they're bikers and humiliation apparently isn't complete until somebody loses a tooth, but there is no question which way it is going.

I don't waste time watching anyone else. Raze gets up and I put him back down. He comes at me harder the second time, one fist catching my cheek before I drive my shoulder into his middle and take him onto the gravel at the edge of the road.

He tries to roll and I hit him again. “Touch her again.” Another punch. “Go near her house.” He throws an arm up too late. “Say her fucking name like that one more time.” My next hit lands across his jaw. Someone grabs the back of my cut and I turn ready to swing. It's Chains. Of course it fucking is. He shoves me away from Raze. “She went with him willingly.”

I stare at him. Chains points toward Raze as if the bleeding bastard on the ground is somehow his defense. “She agreed to the drink. Nobody dragged her there. Raze would've treated her right if she'd stopped acting like she was too fucking good for—” I hit Chains, not as hard as Raze but hard enough that he staggers back and looks genuinely shocked.

“You brought him to her house.”

“She ain't a kid anymore.”

“She told you he scared her.”

His face shifts, though barely. Enough for me to know Jayne told him exactly that.

“You knew he scared her,” I say. “And you still pushed her at him because he's VP and you thought keeping him happy might get Cyrus to put a patch on that empty fucking cut.”

Chains's eyes go flat. “That ain't what happened.”

“Then tell me what did.”

“He liked her. I figured one drink wouldn't hurt anybody.”

“You figured your daughter was useful to you after you fucking betrayed your club.”

“Fuck you.”

“No, fuck you, Chains.” I step closer. “You sold out brothers who would've died for you, and when that still wasn't enough to get you what you wanted, you started using Jayne too. The VP just called her a whore and you're fine with that?”

His fist comes at me, but I see it early enough to slip most of it. My return punch drops him to one knee.

The fight around us is already dying, though it was never even. Raze is on the ground holding his ribs. Two Perdition men are sitting against the tree line, another bent over with blood dripping from his nose. One Perdition man is still on his feet, but he isn't looking for another fight now that there is nothing left to prove. Kane's voice cuts across the road. “Enough.”

Kingdom Come stops, not instantly because men aren't machines, but fast enough to show exactly whose word matters here. I wipe blood from the corner of my mouth with the back of my hand. Raze glares up at me and Chains gets slowly to his feet. Kane walks toward them. “You're going back to Cyrus.”

Raze laughs once, then winces because apparently I did something useful to his ribs. Kane looks down at him. “I want him to see you.” Raze's laugh disappears.

“I want him to see exactly what his plan bought him, and I want him to hear that the only reason you're riding away is because I decided you were more useful carrying the message than bleeding out on my road.”

Kane points toward the Perdition bikes. “Leave the guns and fuck off.” Raze pushes himself upright. “This ain't over.” Kane's expression doesn't change. “Didn't say it was.” Perdition collects itself badly. Chains reaches his bike last and Griz watches him all the way. Chains looks back once, maybe expecting something after all. But Griz gives him nothing.

The Perdition engines start and I watch them ride until the last taillight disappears around the bend. Only then does the pressure in my chest ease enough for one thought to get through everything else. Jayne. I told her I'd be back, and now I get to keep the promise.

The compound gates are open before we reach them and Jayne is already outside the clubhouse. I see her from halfway across the yard and she sees me at the same time. There are people around us, bikes pulling in, brothers talking over engines, but none of it matters once she starts walking toward me. I barely get the bike onto its stand before she reaches me. Her hands go straight to my face.

“You're bleeding.”

“Not much.”