I nod, “Yeah, after church I’ll tell them.”
“What was that guy doing there anyway?” my father asks.
“He was just a patron, some guy who’s there every night. He saw Connor with the gun and decided to step in the way and give them an opportunity to escape versus saving his own ass,” Zane answers.
“If anything at least he’s at peace now with his daughter and wife,” Blackjack speaks up, with mumbled agreements filling the room. Everyone has heard the stories of Marty becoming the town drunk after his family died tragically. Personally, if the same had happened to me, I would’ve turned into the town drunk as well.
“So, why was church called all of a sudden? It can’t just be ‘cause Marty died,” Bull states, looking to my dad.
“Yep, you’re right. I called you all here ‘cause there’s been a series of fires that have broken out overnight. We’re not dumb, and we know who’s behind this. They’re trying to fuck shit up in our territory and it’s not going to happen. I’ve tried for years to keep peace with these fuckers and it’s about high time that we put an end to it. I mean it, if any of you find them, we’re shooting to kill. I’m not enlisting the help of any outside clubs for this dire matter, however, one of our own is coming out of the shadows to help us. A bear who will help us end the Bears.”
“Jesus, Machk is coming back?” Dracus laughs, slapping his leg. “I’ve missed that old fool!”
“He has his personal reasons for wanting to step back into the club. You all know he was good friends with Grizzly’s wife before they were married, and since she’s been missing for a few years . . . he thinks something fishy happened. I can’t say I blame him. I don’t think that woman going missing was an accident.”
“’ Cause it sure as fuck wasn’t,” Zorro says to the room, “We all know what kind of shit Grizzly is. I wouldn’t be surprised if he killed his ol’ lady.”
“How long has it been since Cora went missing?” I ask, knowing it’s been a few years at least.
“I wanna say three, maybe four?” Zorro responds almost instantaneously.
“Three,” my father says to the rest of us.
“How much you wanna bet that he drowned her in the Yellowstone River? I wouldn’t put it past him. He’s always been a sick fuck,” Cracker states, speaking to all of us. Much to my surprise, no one responds to his comment, probably because it’s the god awful truth.
“As much as I hate saying this, it’s not our job to figure out what happened to Cora. We need to worry about getting rid of the problem that we’ve had for so many years. I’ve done my best to keep peace with the Bears, but Grizzly has obviously lost his damn mind. After everything that’s happened, there’s no way to live with peace amongst our two clubs. He constantly feels that Montana is his when it will never be. Even with the territory being split, he couldn’t respect it. We all know that with time, he will continue to try to hurt us in any way he can and we need to handle it one way or another,” Dad speaks up, making sure he meets eyes with every single one of us.
“Alright, so Connor shot Marty and went after not only Ivy but Raven and Frank. Now there are fires breaking out around town. Where are these fires happening, and why do we think they’re the Bears?” I ask the questions because I need to understand my father’s thought process with all of this. This could just be something as small as arson, it doesn’t mean it’s Grizzly.
Zane grumbles from his seat, glaring at me with all his might. I watch the way he clenches his fists together before he speaks, “If you would wait to find out more information, you’d know that the buildings that were burning aren’t just random places. One of our drug houses was hit on the east side of town, more specifically, the last one we had since the Bears fucked shit up on us before. If that wasn’t enough of a blow, Blackjack got a call this morning saying the two cabins he owns were lit up as well and they're a bit out of town. Dracus owns a building in town that he rents out as a general store, that was also on fire, and Tex’s gas station made a big boom last night too. All of these fires are somehow tied to club members and you really want to tell me that they have nothing to do with the Bears?”
“I didn’t say they had nothing to do with them. I was asking because I didn’t hear anything that would’ve tied them to these acts,” I look over to my dad, who’s been thinking about getting out of the drug business. By all means, we’re not perfect. We tread the line closely and sometimes crossed over it, but we try our hardest to not endanger the lives of those in our community. “You said you wanted to move us into the legal side of shit, so why are we even fuckin’ around with drugs any more in the first place?”
“Oh shit, here we go,” Cracker mutters from under his breath. I feel the eyes of every brother in the room on me, knowing that I challenged my father in front of all of them and I probably won’t get away with it.
“What would you have me do, trade drugs for sex trafficking? I have been doing this for over thirty years and I might add that I’ve done a pretty good job at it. No club can stay on the right side of the law, son. Not one of us. While we may try, there are prices to be paid and I refuse to pay them. While I respect Reed and Elena, you won’t ever see me making a deal with the feds like they do because one day, it will all come crashing down on top of their heads. I truly believe they don’t think anyone knows about their relationship with the FBI, but it’s not hard to do a background check these days. Anyone would be able to figure out who Elena worked for, and we all know the rumors about the Feds going after the Skulls . . . but suddenly, it stopped. We have legitimate businesses owned by club members, but we’re not angels, son. We’re Reapers, and sometimes, we have to do shit we don’t like. I don’t like that we deal drugs, but it’s the price we pay for keeping food in our bellies, a roof over our heads, and living the life that we do.”
I’ve been born and raised in the club life and understand the prices we pay to so much as exist. Fuck me for just wishing they were different sometimes, but I do. I think if some things were different, maybe we wouldn’t all suffer as much as we do. Maybe, just maybe things would be a bit easier on us.
“Now, I want a few of you on the roads, keeping your eyes open. If we’re lucky, we might just spot them, but I doubt it’ll happen. Regardless, we might see something that will lead us to wherever they’re hiding. We’ve beat these bastards before, and we’re sure as fuck capable of doing it again. Dracus, Tex, Zane, and Zorro, you four go out on the first shift and come back in a few hours. Give me status updates on whatever it is that you find. Until then, proceed as normal.” He slams the gavel down, signaling us all that we can leave.
With everything that’s happened, I’m realizing that life should be treasured because if anything, it isn’t guaranteed. Any day could be our last, or we could have the pleasure of living until our late eighties. We’ll never know. I wasn’t sure what I was going to do with Ivy for the rest of the day, but now I know. I’m taking her down to the tattoo shop and I’m gonna claim her in the way my heart has been itching for me to.
By the end of this day, she won’t be Ivy, daughter of Grizzly. She’ll be Ivy, ol’ lady of Kade.
Chapter Eight
“In the waves of change, we find our direction.”
~Unknown
Ivy
“Where on earth are you rushing me to?” I ask, not sure why Kade walked up to me like a man on a mission. He shoved my jacket at me, grabbed my arm, and started tugging me along with him out the front door. As we exit the clubhouse, he lets go of my arm long enough for me to slide on my coat and it’s a good thing he did, considering it’s snowing out here. Instead of replying, he walks up to his truck and gets in.
I shake my head, place my hand on the handle, and open the door. “What is the matter with you? Did you not hear me talking?”
Kade turns his head to the right, a confused look dragging across his face. “What? Shit. I’m sorry, I didn’t hear you, babe.”
I huff, getting in the vehicle and shut
ting the door behind me. Grabbing the seatbelt, I pull it across my torso and buckle it. “Where are we going? You kind of just dragged me out.”
“We’re going to head over to my friend Dean’s tattoo shop in town. I suppose that I should’ve asked you about this before, but I really can’t bear the thought of you saying no. Life is priceless, Ivy, and I don’t want to keep waiting. You and I have had undeniable chemistry from that first moment. Why should I keep putting off the inevitable? I want you as my ride or die, to be with me through the thick and thin of life.”
I furrow my brows together and try to understand what he’s saying. “What are you trying to say?” Honestly, it sounds like some sort of proposal if you ask me. Never have I believed that Kade is the type to propose, instead, he’d do something else, a tradition that has been done time and time again in the MC life.
“I’m asking you, Ivy, if you’d do me the honor of being my ol’ lady. I don’t think it’s a shock to you that I’m not letting you out of my life. I want this,” he points between the two of us, “We’ve got something special, babe, and no matter what comes our way, I’m not gonna let anything ruin this. I’ve done some serious thinking, Ivy. I wanted to bring it up to you soon but I think today might be the day.”
“Alright, well . . . do you mind turning the truck on so we can get some heat pumping up in here?” I ask him, wrapping my arms around myself. Living in Montana my entire life, one thing I have always hated is how quickly the snow comes. For over half the year, we have the potential of shoveling, plowing, and staying indoors. Hard to believe it’s the first week in November and it’s already snowing. It’s not out of season, though. Who knows, we may even get a blizzard. Time will tell. “Did you already put chains on the tires?” I ask, depending on his answer, it’ll make me feel a bit better. Driving in the snow turns me into anxiety central.
Kade quickly turns on the truck and gets the heat flowing. There’s a small bit of snow on the windows and it’ll melt it right off as it hits. “Yep, paid Bull to put them on for me yesterday considering it’s the season. Heard this small storm might combine with another. Ready for me to tell you my idea? I think it’ll really impact our relationship in a good way.”
I pull my right leg up and set it under my butt, getting a bit more comfortable. At this point, Kade buckles his own seat belt and puts the truck in gear, reversing so we can drive down the lane. He switches to drive and then begins to speak, “I think after all this shit settles down with your Dad and the Bears that we should head down to Vegas. It’ll be different for both of us but I think it’ll give us the opportunity to flourish as a couple and we won’t have to worry about anything. Like my dad constantly hovering over the two of us and judging you.”
As Kade turns onto the main road, I’m listening closely at what he’s saying. He’s giving us both an option to move away from the one place we’ve only ever called home. But why? Just to appease his father and for us to feel comfortable showing love for one another from afar? I’m not sure how I feel about it. If we move, it would be for us, not for Fist.
“Do you really want to leave?” I ask, needing to hear the truth from him.
He glances over at me for a split second before looking back on the road. “Yeah, I feel that it’s best for everyone if we do. You’re always going to be Grizzly’s daughter, babe, and I won’t have you feeling uncomfortable here. You and I are gonna be together until I croak, so my grumpy old dad just needs to accept it. Maybe it’ll be good for us to go to Vegas. It’s not like I’ll be taking the Gavel anyway.”
He might not be taking the gavel, but wouldn’t Kade be the VP? “Are you not interested in being second in command?”
He shrugs, “No, not really. I don’t want the extra bullshit and responsibility that comes with that. Dad always said he had plans for me to be the VP, but I don’t think it’s for me and I don’t have any shame in admitting that to him either.”
“Have you talked to him about this?” I question, and knowing Kade, he most certainly has not.
“Nah, but I will.”
“Mhm,” I mumble out, thinking he sure as fuck won’t, but who am I to growl at him about the way he avoids issues. It’s his problem, not mine.
“So, what do you say? You ready to go on the open road with me and head down to Vegas?” The way he looks at me shows a sparkle in my eye, and it makes me want to try this with him, to have this new beginning.
“Yeah, I think we should but can I make a small request?”
“Sure, babe.”
“We should wait ‘til after Thanksgiving. Raven needs to heal from being shot and I can’t break the news to her that I’m moving almost a thousand miles away. Plus, I think it would be nice if you spent Thanksgiving with your brother and dad before we left.”
Kade nods, “Yeah, you’re probably right. Who knows, with the way Raven is infatuated with Hawk, she might just tag along with us.” I didn’t think about it until now, but Kade makes a good point. She’s not with her sleazebag of an ex anymore and has talked to me about how she liked Hawk from the moment she met him. I want to laugh because the likelihood that they’ll be a blossoming romance is substantial.
Kade turns the wheel and goes down another long road. There’s hardly any landscape beside snow-covered fields and the occasional house until we’re at the edge of town. He pulls into a parking space and parks the truck. I chortle, “I must admit. I’m relieved that the Reapers brand by tattoos and not iron.”
He shakes his head, unbuckling himself, and takes the keys out of the ignition. I follow his lead and get out of the car after unbuckling my seatbelt, shutting the door firmly behind me. Kade grabs my hand and we both walk into the tattoo shop together and I’m thankful it’s heated. Sometimes, our heat craps out on us up here.
“Hey, Dean!” Kade calls out to a man who looks to be in his early to mid-thirties. He has a beard that must go down to mid-stomach and looks straight up like a Viking. I’m sure if Raven saw him, she might just change her mind about Hawk.
He comes over to us from the back of the shop. It’s a bit big, and I only see one chair and cart in here, but there is a couch and some sort of door that has a coffee cup on it. I wonder if it leads into a kitchen or some sort of break room. “Hey, Kade. How are you, brother?”
“I’m doin’ alright, better than usual. I’ve come in hopin’ you wouldn’t be busy. I want you to tat my girl, Ivy.” Kade’s tone is filled with pride, and I don’t miss the way Dean raises a brow at him.
“Oh, you’re gonna brand her, are ya?” Dean smirks, slapping his hands together. “What are we thinkin’ kids?!”
“The usual location, we should do something unique.” Kade stops and gives me a look that makes me feel like he’s just thought of the best idea. “How would you feel about a skeleton being held together by ivy vines? It’ll obviously say Property of Kade.”
“Alright, well let’s come over to my chair and just lift up the back of your shirt and I’ll start getting something drawn up,” Dean says to us, causing me to look over at Kade with nothing but fear.
“Dean, you can cover up scars, right?”
Dean is over a few feet across the shop at some sort of drawing station, “In most cases, I sure can. It depends on if their extremely raised or if the scars are deeply indented. Why?”
“Ivy has a few scars from an . . . incident and there’s a scar on the bottom of her back.”
Dean gets up from where he’s sitting and comes over to me, putting his hand at the bottom of my shirt. “Can I take a look?”
“Yeah,” I tell him and the cool air hits my back.
“Jesus, do I even want to know what happened?” He runs a finger over my flesh and continues speaking, “Yeah, I can cover these up.”
My shirt goes back down and I turn my face to look at him, “So, does that mean all of them could be covered?”
Dean nods, “I really don’t see why not.”
“Okay.” All of a sudden a brilliant idea hits me. Not
only will being claimed by Kade potentially help me with Fist, but I’m going to show my commitment to being his woman right here and now. “Is it possible to do the linework of a Reaper spread across my back today?”
“It’ll take time, but I can get the simple linework done. Shit. I like this!”
Kade is sitting down in a chair on the wall a couple of feet next to me. “Are you thinking of covering up your entire body with artwork?”
“I’m not thinking about it. I’m going to do it.”
Covering up my scars with tattoos will help give me the ability to not look in the mirror and cringe. I see the scars, the words that are written into my flesh, and want to vomit every single morning. If I can look at myself and see art, I can only imagine how much my self-esteem will go up. I’ll admit, I’m a little bit scared, but I’m terrified of what will happen if I do nothing. Right now, I just need to take baby steps.
Chapter Nine
“Expectation is a powerful force. Expect the things you want and don’t want.”
~Unknown
Kade
Ivy and I stayed in Dean’s shop for a little over seven hours before we got back in the truck and headed back. I thought Ivy was going to be the one who asked for a break, but it was actually Dean. His hand started cramping and he suggested we come back in a week to begin working on the rest. I admire Ivy’s decision, to cover her body in beautiful artwork. In my opinion, it’s very fitting. We were chatting in the shop and she wants to start with the back piece and then slowly work her way down to her right sleeve.
“Do you have any idea what you want there?” I ask her as we turn down the lane that leads back to the club. The snow has piled up to a few inches and thank goodness I spent good money on chains and snow tires.
Chaos: A Reapers MC Boxset Page 6
