Savage Lies: Savage Angels MC #7

by Kathleen Kelly

  I pull her to a stop and wrap my arms around her.

  “Penny for your thoughts?”

  “I was just thinking about home and how much all small towns can feel the same.”

  “This isn’t Tourmaline. There are way too many bad memories in this town.” I look around and spot one of the sheriff’s deputies sitting on the hood of his car staring at us. “Come on, love. Let’s head back.” He smiles at me and gets in his car.

  Walking more quickly, I take Cassia back to Doc Green’s house. As we get to it, the deputy’s car drives slowly by.

  “Goddammit,” I mutter as I drag Cass into the house.

  “What’s wrong?” asks Cass.

  “I shouldn’t have paraded you around town.”

  Cass tugs on my hand, stopping both of us in Doc Green’s entryway. She shuts the door and places her hands on her hips.

  “Honey, I might look like a lady, but I can shoot and fight with the best of them. I grew up in a household full of men. So, if you think for one minute that I can’t take care of myself, then you’re delusional.”

  “Guess that’s better than saying you’re dumber than you look,” quips Kade.

  We both glare at him.

  “Cass, look at my face. It won’t be one on one. It won’t be a fair fight, and you are a woman.”

  Cass huffs at me and looks at Kade. “Give me a gun. Something small so I can conceal it.” Her gaze returns to me. “I may not be able to fight them off, Zeke, but I sure as hell can shoot their asses.”

  Kade chuckles and gives Cassia the thumbs up while Cassia smiles smugly at him.

  “A gun?” I ask, jerking my head back.

  “Cass is right. She should be able to defend herself,” agrees Kade.

  I give him a scathing look, and he backs up, hands raised.

  “I know how to handle a gun. My daddy has a huge collection. We were both taught from a young age how to shoot.”

  I blow my cheeks out. I know she’s right, but I don’t have to like it.

  “Kade!” I yell.

  “Yeah, brother?”

  “Get her a gun.”

  Kade snorts and exchanges a look with Cassia. “I can do that.”

  I’m not amused with their inside joke, so I grab her by the arm and go back to our room. Once inside, I hold her at arm’s length.

  “You will be careful. This is only a preventative measure. I’ll not lose you,” I say, clearing my throat as it feels constricted.

  Cassia puts her head on my chest. “I know, and I’ll be fine.” Cassia straightens up, shoulders back, chest out. “I can handle myself.”

  She has a gleam in her eye, and I know she believes what she’s telling me, so I do the only thing I can do and nod.

  Zeke

  I left Cassia with Doc at his house. Dane, Kade, Dirt, Rebel, and myself are headed to the Sheriff’s Office. We need to have a conversation with the all-powerful Sheriff Sharp. When we pull up, all crammed into the Fiesta like sardines, the deputy from the other day is walking out. He gives us a smirk and tips his hat as he gets into his car. I don’t like the fucker—he enjoyed beating the shit out of me.

  Dane goes through the doors of the office first, and I bring up the rear. Sitting behind the desk is the officer who discharged me the last time I was here. The man’s eyes drop to my chest as he’s unable to lock eyes with me. He hunches over, and sweat forms on his brow.

  “Deputy, is your sheriff available?” asks Dane with contempt.

  The man pushes his chair out, nods, and says, “Let me check,” Then he scurries away.

  Dane grins at me. “I think he’s feeling remorseful.”

  We all chuckle as we know that local law enforcement must be feeling inadequate when faced with the Kings of Death MC. Those boys aren’t as civilized as we are. Sheriff Sharp comes out of his office, pulls his pants up under his gut, and frowns. Clearly, he’s excited to see us.

  From the back of the office, he yells, “What?”

  Dane clenches his jaw, opens the gate to the bullpen, and walks toward him.

  “We want a minute with you, Sheriff, if you’re not too busy?” Sarcasm drips off every word, and the sheriff squints at him.

  “Fine!” He turns around and goes back into his office.

  The others all file in. When I get to the deputy, I stop and straighten his name tag and smile at him. The guy stands stock still, and I think he even stops breathing. I slap both sides of his face.

  “Looking good, deputy,” I say smugly to him as I enter the office.

  Rebel snorts and puts his hand over his mouth as he looks at the shock on the deputy’s face.

  The sheriff sits down behind his desk and asks, “What can I do for you?”

  “We want the preacher,” states Dane.

  The sheriff looks at me and harrumphs. “I didn’t know about your ma. She was a good woman. If he did kill her, I had no part in it.”

  I nod. The man is still a scumbag, but it’s nice to know he’d draw the line somewhere.

  “The preacher,” repeats Dane.

  The sheriff shakes his head. “Can’t let you kill him.”

  “We aren’t going to kill him. But we bought his marker, and we’re going to call it in.”

  “His marker?”

  “How else does a preacher pay for a new church, home, and Lord knows what else,” I state flatly.

  Dane nods and looks back to the sheriff. “Well?”

  “If the preacher, I mean if Russo owes you money, that’s got nothing to do with me.”

  “Russo?” I query.

  The sheriff stands, fixing his pants again. “Don’t seem right calling him a preacher if he did kill your ma.”

  “But beating the crap out of me for years, that was okay?”

  The sheriff shrugs. “Michael was my friend, I believed him,” replies the sheriff sheepishly.

  I snarl at him, turn on my heel, and stalk out of the office. The deputy at the front desk backs away from me as I slam open the door.

  Dane walks up behind me and puts a hand on my shoulder. “Are you okay?”

  I lock eyes with him. “Let’s do this.”

  Michael Russo is in church. The parking lot is full. Dane pulls up out front, and we all get out of the Fiesta.

  “You sure you want to do it this way?” Dane asks.

  “I can’t take his life,” I admit. “But I can destroy his reputation, which is the next best thing. Without his church and his standing in the community, he’ll have nothing, he’ll be nothing. It’s worse for him than death.”

  “After you,” says Dane as he sweeps his arm toward the closed church doors.

  I take a deep breath, steady myself, and walk up the stairs. I open both doors. Dane takes one and Kade the other, propping them open. I walk up the aisle. My father has stopped speaking, hand raised. A murmur makes its way around the church that gets louder the closer I get to my father. Sitting in the front row are his bodyguards. Most churches have them. You never know when a parishioner or an outsider is going to flip out and try to kill the messenger of God. They will all have guns, and I’ve explained this to my brothers. Dane points at one of the men and shakes his head. The guy looks to my father who nods.

  I know what’s about to happen, so I raise my voice, “I wouldn’t if I were you. We’re the tip of the sword and demand vengeance.”

  My father scoffs. “You’re no God-fearing man, you are only the sword and must be smote down!”

  “You’d risk your parishioners over a family matter?”

  “You’re no son of mine!”

  “And that we can agree on.”

  He squints at me and tilts his head. “You have shamed me long enough. Take your friends and leave this house of the Lord!”

  I walk up to the pulpit and stand next to him, facing the crowd. “Let’s talk about this house of the Lord. How did you manage to build it?”

  “Donations from the flock!” yells my father.

  “Let’s do a quick
count. Is this a normal amount of people in here for a sermon?”

  My father says nothing, only smiles and shakes his head. He then turns his back to me, trying to ignore me.

  One of his bodyguards comes forward. “I’ve phoned the sheriff.”

  I look down at him and smile. “The sheriff knows we’re here. We went to him first,” I state.

  “Lies!” yells my father.

  I shake my head. “For years I lived in this town and for years, this man… ” I say gesturing to my father, “… beat me. Not one of you ever came to my aid.” Someone clears their voice, and Doc stands up, sitting either side of him is Izzy and Rush. “I beg your pardon, one man did.” I grin at the Doc who moves out into the aisle. “How many broken arms and black eyes were accidents? None. This man here isn’t a good man.”

  “The good people of this town, don’t want to hear your lies!” bellows my father.

  “They aren’t lies!” yells Doc Green.

  My father scoffs and throws his hands in the air dramatically.

  “I want to ask all of you, how much do you think this church and his new home cost?” I look out over the parishioners, and some are whispering to each other. “One hundred thousand? Two hundred thousand? Anyone?”

  People look about, confusion on their faces.

  “Stop this!” yells my father.

  I move away from him and take a step down from the pulpit.

  “I know you all see the jacket, the tattoos, and think scum. I get it. I don’t lie. I don’t need to. You’re all smart, probably smarter than me. So, your preacher here has a new church, new home, new car. Am I missing anything?”

  “It was all church donations!” yells Debbie from the front row.

  “Sit down, Debbie, and shut up. Your God will judge you when your time comes,” I growl.

  “You can’t talk to me like that!”

  Kade walks toward Debbie and stands in front of her. Slowly, she sits down, avoiding eye contact with my friend.

  “Shall I tell you how much your preacher borrowed?” I glance at my father. His lips are peeled back in distaste as he grips the pulpit with eyes only for me. “Three hundred and eighty-five thousand dollars!”

  Gasps go through the crowd. My father shakes his head and goes down the stairs, heading for the open doors.

  “And what about my mother?” I yell, and he stops mid-stride and whirls around. “I’ve found out recently that he killed her and made it look like an accident. His own daughter, my sister, helped him.”

  “Lies!” bellows my father as he points at me and takes two steps toward me. “All lies!”

  “How did you pay for all of this?” I yell back, arms extended, palms facing upward. “Every person in this room knows it wasn’t from church donations! That would have taken years.”

  “That’s right, it did!”

  “Am I your son?”

  “What?” my father asks, looking around him, hands on his hips.

  “Simple question. Am I your son?”

  “Of course, you are.”

  “Liar!” yells Doc Green.

  My father turns to the Doc.

  “I’m the only father he’s ever known. So, yes, in every way imaginable, he’s mine, just not biologically.”

  “Is that why you beat him? Is that why you had the sheriff and his men beat him? Look at him, Michael! You killed his mother because he’s Devon Rushard’s son,” fires back Doc Green.

  The whole congregation has gone silent. It’s so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Michael Russo smiles and turns slowly, taking in the faces of his flock. The smile fades as he sees, finally, that he’s not convincing anyone.

  I look at Doc surprised. I guess the results came in. I’m not upset. I’m relieved that a good man like Rush is my father. I just wish I’d known sooner.

  His upper lip goes up in a snarl, and he shakes his head. “Your mother was a whore, and you’re a bastard. And as for the money for this church, what’s it to you?”

  Dane steps in the aisle, smile on his face, shaking his finger at him. “Tsk, tsk, tsk. We saved you. How did you think you were going to pay the Russian mob? Did you think they wouldn’t come looking for their money?”

  Michael Russo smiles and chuckles to himself as he looks at Dane. “I knew my son wouldn’t let anything happen to his sisters. I knew he’d find a way to pay, and he did, didn’t he?”

  Dane raises his eyebrows, muscles flexing under his black t-shirt. “You set him up?”

  “Wasn’t hard. It seems he’s dating above his office, and her daddy gave me the contacts.”

  Kade steps beside Dane. “So, you gambled with the lives of your children in the hopes that your bastard son, the son you never had a kind word or soft fucking hand for, would do the right thing? You’re a fucking monster,” states Kade in a deadly tone.

  “And you’re all scum. Look at you! Tattoos! Bikers! Felons!”

  “Yeah, we’re all of those things, and yet you knew I’d do the right thing. You knew I’d protect the girls. What does that say about me, and more importantly, what does it say about you?” I ask loudly.

  Michael Russo sneers at me. “It’s because of me that he did the right thing.”

  “I call bullshit,” states Doc. “That boy gets his moral compass from his mother. You’re nothing but a money-hungry asshole who bet the lives of his children and possibly some of the people in this town for what? Money?”

  Russo raises his arms in the air. “Yes! Money! And why shouldn’t I have some? Why shouldn’t I have the church and home I deserve? I’ve looked after the people of this town my entire life. I’ve scrimped and saved, and it was never enough! And then my whore of a wife bears another man’s son? You’re damned right I wanted a payday!”

  Rush runs toward him and punches him in the face, sending Michael Russo flying through the air and landing on his ass. He’s sitting there, dazed, shaking his head when an older lady, sitting in the front of the church, stands and walks toward him. She drops a bible in his lap.

  “Shame on you. I never liked you. And your wife, she was a lady. Always had a kind word for everyone.” Then she walks out of the church.

  One by one, his parishioners walk past him, some drop bibles but all say the same thing, ‘shame on you,’ as they pass. When the final parishioner leaves the church, I look down at him, covered in bibles, muttering to himself. The only people left in the church are my sisters, Debbie, Leonie, and Elizabeth. Leonie and Elizabeth are looking at him with pity in their eyes while Debbie only has eyes for me. Hatred pours out of her, and she looks like she’s ready to explode. I walk past him, Kade by my side. As we get to the doors, Michael Russo roars. I stop and look at him as he’s getting up off the floor.

  “This is nothing but a setback!” Russo yells.

  Dane pushes him and moves into his space, shaking his head. “The Savage Angels own your marker.” Dane pokes him in the chest. “Which means everything you own you’re going to turn over to us.”

  Kade walks back to Russo. “Dane’s right. You’re finished in this town.”

  “No!” roars Russo.

  “Yes!” yells Leonie. “Why, Dad? Why? Elizabeth and I both have families!” Then she turns to Debbie. “Is it true? Did you help him with Mom?”

  Debbie scoffs. “Don’t be ridiculous!”

  From the back of the church, I yell, “Come on, Deb, you’ve always been his little conspirator. Time to tell the truth. You know how you were created, don’t you? You know why Mom couldn’t bear to look at you, right? He raped her, Deb. You were nothing more than a way to keep her trapped in a loveless marriage. Every day she looked at you, she had to see him!” It hurts to say these words. Debbie begins to shake her head, tears stream down her cheeks. As much as I want to hurt him and have the truth come out, my entire life I’ve tried to protect the girls, and now, now I’ve destroyed everything.

  “You don’t know! You left!” Debbie faces our sisters. “And you, you all left, too. Leaving me with him
!”

  In a quiet tone, Elizabeth says, “You could have left, too, Deb. Why stay?”

  “Money. Dad has always looked after me. I like my life.” Debbie looks at Dane. “As for the debt you claim he owes you? You’re going to forgive it. You’re going to leave us, and in return,” Debbie scowls at me and continues, “we’ll give you your girlfriend back.”

  Rebel and Dirt grab Debbie by her arms, dragging her toward me.

  “Let me go, you heathens!” screams Debbie.

  I pull out my phone and dial Cassia. It’s picked up on the third ring.

  “Hello,” says a male voice.

  “Put Cassia on the phone,” I demand.

  “Not going to work like that. Put the preacher or Debbie on the phone.”

  I feel the color drain out of my face, and Kade takes the phone from me.

  “Talk to me,” Kade says.

  “He’s got Cassia, he wants to talk to Debbie or him,” I say, pointing at the man I once thought was my father.

  “Give me the phone,” demands Debbie.

  Kade holds it out to her, and as she reaches for it, he pulls it out of her reach.

  “If a hair on Cassia’s head has been hurt, hell touched, there will be nothing that can stop me from putting a bullet in your head and,” Kade points at Michael Russo. “His. Not a fucking thing. Do you get me?”

  “Give me the phone,” repeats Debbie in a stronger tone.

  Kade grimaces and looks at me. I nod, and he hands it over.

  “Talk to me,” says Debbie.

  Michael Russo stands up, straightens his shoulders, and looks around the room. No one says anything as we wait for Debbie to finish the phone call. Dane has a tick in his jaw, and Rebel is looking at Debbie like he could gut her in front of all of us. My only thoughts are of Cassia. Kade walks toward me and places a hand on my chest, walking me backward. He stops but continues to stare straight ahead while I have my eyes glued to Debbie.

  “You ready for what’s coming?” Kade whispers.