SAINT: Kings of Carnage MC - Prospects

by Nicole James

  Mary Elizabeth and Joe return. She breezes in, looking concerned.

  I whirl on her. “Have you heard from Kami?”

  “No, I haven’t. Joe told me you two had a fight?”

  “Yeah.” I run a hand over the back of my neck and pace some more. “She thought I didn’t want her, but that’s bullshit. I have to talk to her. I have to make her see it was all a misunderstanding.”

  “Do you love her?”

  “Yes. I know I’m no good for her, but I love her, and I need her. Did she call you?”

  “No, I swear. I haven’t heard from her.”

  “I went by the prison and saw her mom. I told her I love her daughter. She told me Drake escaped.”

  “What? Oh, my God.”

  “So, you haven’t seen it on the news?”

  “I haven’t watched, I guess.” She bites her lip. “Shit. This is bad. If he finds her…”

  “What? What do you think he’ll do? What is he capable of? I need to know what I’m dealing with here?”

  “I just know I heard he was pulled from the courtroom, yelling he’d get Barb for what she did. And he knows Kami is everything to her.”

  “Have you seen anybody at her old house? Do you think she’d go down there?”

  “Maybe. If she is there, there’s a window in the basement. The alarm is jimmied so it’d never trip. It’s how she used to sneak out at night.”

  “I’ve got to go check it out.”

  “I’ll go with you,” Joe offers.

  “Me, too,” Mary Elizabeth says.

  “I’ll get some flashlights.” Joe disappears, and I’m left alone with Mary Elizabeth.

  “You really love her, don’t you?”

  “Yeah. I do.”

  “I’m glad. I think you two are great together.”

  “Now I just need to remind her of that fact.”

  “What’d you do to make her leave?”

  “It’s complicated, but she saw this girl hanging on me and thought… Hell, don’t look at me like that. I wasn’t and I’m not interested in this girl. She’s nothing to me. I haven’t touched another girl since I married Kami. I swear it to you.”

  “Okay. Let’s go find her.”

  Joe returns and we head out, jogging down the road toward Kami’s old home.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

  Kami—

  I’m up in my old room, only now it seems like a lifetime ago that I slept here. The house is completely empty now. I stand on the thick cream carpet, and stare around the built-in bookcases, bare of all books and the window seat. At least the cushion on it is still attached.

  I curl up on the soft pink and cream striped velvet, remembering all the times I sat here reading a favorite book, and sometimes staring out the window, daydreaming, sometimes sneaking a glimpse of Santos.

  I stare up at the moon. It’s full and its shimmering light reflects off the water in the pool. I look around the room at the marks on the walls where picture frames once hung.

  This has been my bedroom since we moved here when I was six years old. The art has changed over the years from posters of princesses to boy bands to Carrie Underwood.

  I think of Saint, too. The favor to my mother, taking me on, taking me into his home…. And I remember all the special things he did for me. Treating my injuries. Drawing me a candlelit bath. Cooking Tamales for me. Giving me a fun day at the lake. Opening a closed store in the middle of the night so I could play piano again.

  Did it all mean nothing?

  A light in the pool house draws my attention, and I strain to look, frowning. It’s a small, moving light, perhaps a cell phone light. Fear flashes through me. It could be a burglar.

  I have the small gun that Ghost gave me for protection. It’s in my purse.

  I dig inside and feel it there, and it gives me some sense of security. I pull out my phone and turn it on to call Mary Elizabeth. When it powers up, I see a million missed calls and most recently a text from Saint.

  I pull it up.

  Saint: Kami, Drake escaped prison. I need to know you’re safe.

  Oh my God. I look to the pool house and I know its him. It has to be. And suddenly I want this nightmare to be over. He’s the reason we lost this house. He’s the reason all our things were sold off. He’s the reason my mother is in a prison cell. He’s the reason for all of it.

  And I know what I have to do. I pull out the gun, and go over in my head everything Ghost taught me about shooting it. Don’t forget the safety. Keep your finger off the trigger until you’re prepared to fire. Breathe. Aim carefully, Squeeze the trigger gently; don’t jerk it. Aim small; miss small.

  I look to the pool house, and head toward the staircase.

  I make my way outside, around Saint’s pickup, and across the courtyard, pressing my back to the cold stone of the structure. I peer inside the window. He’s sitting in a chair, talking on the phone. His back is to me.

  I move to the door, and find it ajar with the lock busted in. I push it open, praying it doesn’t creak, and slip inside. I see him and creep across the black and white tiled floor.

  I lift the gun and take careful aim. “Well, well…. Look who we have here.”

  He whirls, coming out of the chair, then grins when he sees its me.

  “Kami. You saved me the trouble of having to hunt you down. I thought you’d be too smart to return here.”

  “Then what are you doing here?”

  “I needed a place to crash for the night. Figured the law would never look for me here.” He lifts his chin. “Put the gun down, sweetheart. Let’s talk.”

  I adjust my grip, keeping it aimed at his heart. “I can talk just fine with it aimed at your heart.”

  “Kami, please. You don’t want to shoot me.”

  “Don’t I? Why not?”

  “Because I can help you. I’ve got some money stashed in the Caymans. You didn’t think I’d let the Feds find it all, did you? We can go there, just you and I. We can live a good life off what I have stashed there.”

  “And my mother?”

  He shrugs. “She cut her own deal. She’ll be out in a year and can join us.”

  I laugh. “You must really think I’m stupid.”

  “Not at all.”

  I lift my aim from his chest to his head. “No, I think I’ll just blow your brains out right here.”

  There’s a sound behind me, and I turn my head, shocked to see Saint standing there, a gun in his hand, also aimed at my stepfather. “Saint.”

  “On your knees. Now.” His eyes bore into Drake, who with two guns on him isn’t so smug anymore.

  “What are you doing here?” I stare at him, hardly believing he came after me.

  “When you walked out, you walked away with my heart and soul. I’m not gonna let that happen.”

  “Saint—“

  “Drop the gun, baby,” Saint says softly to me.

  I hesitate, then adjust my grip, pointing it at the my stepfather’s head. “No.”

  “You don’t want to do this.”

  “Yes, as a matter of fact I do. He’s ruined everything. Because of him, my mother is in prison right now.”

  “Please, baby. You don’t want to pay this price.”

  “I don’t see any cops. You’d turn me in?”

  “Hell no, but you’ll have to carry the weight of this on your shoulders the rest of your life, and that’s a weight I don’t want for you. It’ll ruin you, eat you from the inside out.”

  “I’ll manage.”

  I see more movement, and Mary Elizabeth and her brother step quietly inside the pool house, shock on their faces, but Saint draws my attention back to him.

  “This is not who you are, baby. This is not the woman I know—the woman I love. You pull that trigger, you’ll be throwin’ your life away. You’ll be throwin’ us away.”

  “There is no us.”

  “Yeah, there is.”

  “It was all a lie. A temporary one at that.”

  “W
hat we have is not temporary by any stretch of the imagination, Kami. I don’t know what you think happened between me and Asia, but I don’t want her. I haven’t touched another woman since we said our vows. You’re the one I want—the one I love. You. Only you. You tear us apart—I’d rather that bullet took me out.”

  “Don’t say that.”

  “It’s true.”

  My eyes glaze.

  “I’m not giving up on us. You’re mine, and I don’t give up what’s mine.”

  “I’m yours?”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  I swallow, and then lift my chin. “And?”

  He grins, his eyes still on my stepfather, but his whispered admission is all for me. “Damn, you’re not easy.”

  “Never claimed to be easy. And?” I prompt again.

  “And I’m yours, baby. Until they put me in the ground.”

  His words mean everything to me, and I feel like I’ve waited my whole life to hear them. I need him, so badly, and suddenly I want nothing more than to feel his arms locked around me, giving me his strength.

  “Baby, look at me. You can do this. Just put the gun down, and everything’s gonna be all right. I’ve got you.”

  I nod, my tears rolling down my cheeks. I drop the gun and press against his side, burrowing close. He lifts his arm, locking me tightly to him, while still holding his gun on Drake.

  “Go ahead, asshole, give me an excuse to take you out. I can have you buried in the backyard with a peach tree planted on top before the sun rises,” Saint growls at Drake.

  I look over his shoulder and see Mary Elizabeth, tears in her eyes as well, as she presses her phone to her ear and speaks with the 911 operator.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

  Kami—

  We’re at the Kings’ clubhouse, and everyone in the club is there. Chaos, Bash, North, Bouncer, Jinx, Sly, Ruin, Sterling, Crow, Mako, Bear and all the ol’ ladies.

  I stare around, self-conscience because Saint has tugged me out to the center of the room, and everyone is staring at us.

  “Baby, I wanted everyone here to witness this. I love you, Kami. Come hell or high water, I know its you I want by my side. You got your whole life ahead of you and I’ll back whatever you decide you want to do with your future, but it better include me, cause I’m not letting you go. Deal?”

  “Deal.” I grin at him, total happiness flooding through me.

  Everyone claps and cheers.

  Crow pulls a drink straw he’s chewing on from his mouth. “Wait, he’s marrying his sister?”

  Everyone laughs, and Sly slaps his chest. “I’ll catch you up later, prospect.”

  “Kiss her already, Saint. You’re holdin’ up Church,” Ruin yells out.

  “Hang on a minute. I want to do this right, okay?”

  And then my man gets down on one knee at my feet, making me feel like his queen. I press my hands to my mouth.

  “Baby, I’ve made some mistakes. Lord knows I have. I can’t promise you a prefect life, Kami, but I promise I’ll do my damnedest to make it a happy life. I love you, baby. Will you remain my wife, and never leave me again?” He holds out a wedding band, and it matches my mother’s ring perfectly. I’m so stunned, that I freeze, staring at it. He cocks a brow at me. “You gonna just leave me hangin’ here, woman?”

  I fling my arms around him. “Yes! Yes! A thousand times yes!”

  He stands, lifts me clear off my feet and swings me around. Then kisses me thoroughly, as his brothers all whistle and make catcalls.

  Finally, Chaos yells out. “Wrap it up, boy. We got a vote to take.”

  We break apart, and the patched members all slap him on the back, and then head into Church. Saint told me they were going in to vote on whether he got his patch today. I know he’s nervous, but from the grins on the men’s faces, I don’t think he has a thing to worry about.

  We sit at the bar, waiting. Saint does a shot, then drums his fingers on the bar top. It takes a lot longer than it should for a simple vote of that number, and I can’t help thinking they’re dragging it out just to torture him.

  I reach over and squeeze his hand. “If you don’t get this because of me—”

  Saint meets my eyes. “Don’t. Whatever happens, babe, I don’t regret a moment with you.”

  My eyes fill, because I know he means that—every word of it. “I love you.”

  “Love you, too, babe, and I want to give you a proper wedding, one where you get to spend that dress money on the prettiest gown you can find.”

  “I don’t need all that; not anymore.”

  “You sure?”

  “Yes. But when my mother gets out of prison, we’re going to throw a huge party.”

  He grins and lifts our hands to his mouth, kissing the back of mine. “Absolutely.”

  The door opens, and Ruin sticks his head out, pinning Saint with his eyes. “Hey, prospect, get your ass in here.”

  I squeeze his hand one last time, and he moves off. He slips past Ruin, who stands in the doorway grinning at him, and just before he closes the door, I hear him mutter, “Last time I get to call you that.”

  It doesn’t take long for them to come back out, this time Saint has his center patch, and they all drag him to the bar for shots. I fade back with the other women; giving him his moment with the men he now can call his brothers.

  It’s everything he’s worked for, everything he’s wanted, and seeing how ecstatic he is, I’m so happy.

  They make a toast, all holding shot glasses up, and shouting at the top of their lungs, “Kings forever, forever Kings.”

  They slam them back, and then all take turns giving Saint backslapping bro hugs. After the last man moves away, Saint finds me with his eyes, and winks.

  And I blow a kiss to my husband—my ol’ man.

  EPILOGUE

  Nine months later—

  Saint—

  Tomorrow we pick Barb up from prison, and like I promised, we’ve got a huge party planned for next weekend. But today is all about Kami. We took a long ride on the bike, stopping for a nice picnic lunch up at the overlook that I first took her to so long ago. We rolled on the blanket, and made love under the sun. Afterward, we quietly stared up at the sky, and she surprised me by telling me she was pregnant. She was shy when she said it, and I sensed she was worried how I’d respond. I think my shout of joy let her know exactly how happy I am about that news.

  Now, as we roll up the drive, I know this little cottage that I ended up buying outright, will soon be filled with even more love. But right now, I’m excited to show Kami something, because I’ve got a present waiting for her.

  We climb off the bike, and I take her helmet from her, setting it on the seat.

  “I know we never had a real wedding, but I have a wedding present for you.”

  “Is it my property patch?” She squeals.

  “That’s coming. But this is something else. No peeking.” I cover her eyes and walk her into the house. I get her into position and pull my hands away. In the corner is a baby grand piano. Her mouth falls open. “You can’t afford this, can you?”

  “Hell, no. Those suckers cost a mint, even used. I found this one online. A theatre company was getting rid of it. They said it was free to whoever would haul it out, which, since it was on the second floor, was a bitch. We had to lower it out of the window with a winch. Got the boys to help me.”

  “Remind me to thank them.”

  “Later. Come here. First you get to thank me.” I pull her toward the piano, grab her by the waist and lift her up on top. “Been wantin’ a repeat of that little scene we reenacted since the night I saw you play. You gonna give me that? You gonna give me this anytime I want?”

  She giggles. “Anything you want, lover.”

  “Lay back, shortcake, and let your ol’ man take care of you.”

  Her smile is radiant as she complies, gazing up at me with all the love a man could ever dream of having. She’s my love. My heart. My life.

  “I
love when you take care of me, Saint.”

  “I’ll always take care of you, baby. Got my oath on that.” She reaches for me and I lean over her and kiss her, then brush the hair back from her face. “I love you, Kami. Ain’t ever gonna quit lovin’ you, girl. Not ‘til the day my heart stops beating.”

  Her eyes fill with happy tears, and her legs tighten, reminding me I’ve got a promise to keep. I grin down at her, kiss her, and then move to keep that promise.

  ***

  Thank you for reading Saint.

  Don’t let the fun stop now!

  Here’s a link to the next book in the Kings of Carnage MC – Prospects series!

  BEAR by Carmen Jenner

  Amazon:

  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B095JKDDHS

  Other Retailers:

  https://books2read.com/BEARKOCMC

  If you’d like to read SLY’s story from the Kings of Carnage:

  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B085HH8GDJ

  And if you’d like to read more about the EVIL DEAD MC…I’ve got an entire series for you to dive in and binge away!

  Amazon:

  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B074C5GSZJ

  You can also find all my books and sign up for my mailing list on my website:

  https://www.nicolejames.net

  Enjoy this first Chapter of BEAR…

  BEAR

  by

  CARMEN JENNER

  Chapter One

  Bear

  Fuck.

  My bike coughs and sputters, dying out in the middle of bumfuck nowhere. I push forward with my legs and steer it toward the shoulder. Then I flip the stand down, climb off, and kick rocks in a fucking toddler-sized temper tantrum before parking my ass in the dust on the side of the road. I pull out my phone and stare at the spot where the bars should be. Fucking AT&T.