by K. J. Dahlen
“…is the handing out of cuts.”
I rolled my eyes. Their vest thing and promotion of the ranks.
“Have Nikky brought in!” Bruno called out.
“Nikky?” Bella asked in a whisper from beside me.
I shrugged then saw the double doors open.
Then the Demon guy stepped through.
Bella gasped as she placed her hands over her mouth.
I looked over at her. What was this about?
He walked up to the table. “Yes, sir?”
Bruno nodded at Jaxson.
Jaxson stood up. “Nikky Constantine…Demon. Here is your patch and cut for the Black Devils. You are no longer a Prospect. But you will serve this club till the day you die. You understand?” Jaxson narrowed his eyes at him.
Nikky looked stunned as he accepted the vest.
Bella was shaking as she stood next to me.
“Yes Prez. I will serve till the day I die.”
“You do understand that if called to do so, you will give your life for any brother present in the club,” Jaxson went on.
“I do sir. I swear to give my life for my brothers.”
“You shall put the club before everything. Women, drink, life. You will protect it, remain loyal and steadfast to the code of the Black Devils?”
Nikky nodded. “I shall put the club first above everything and everyone. The club is my family. I will protect it with my life. I swear to the code of the Black Devils.”
I scrunched my brows. What is the code? I never knew they had one. I mean I saw Jumper’s club code and my Dad’s. I never saw one for the Black Devils. Jaxson had never told me any code they had.
Thunder stood up. “Recite the code.”
Bella leaned closer to be able to see him. She seemed to hold her breath, then she stared at Nikky as he raised his hand. She turned and ran out of the closet.
I gasped and stared as she ran down the hall.
I didn’t move. I did not want to get caught spying. Jaxson would be so mad. Well, I didn’t care about that. But it would be embarrassing to get caught out doing it. I shut the door again and went back to the crack.
Nikky was about to open his mouth to recite this code.
The doors burst open and Bella came into the room.
I sucked in a breath. Oh, fuck no. She didn’t!
CHAPTER EIGHT
Bella
“NO!” I shouted.
One of the brothers was struggling with me as he tried to drag me back out. “I’m sorry, Prez. She fucking slugged me and got in!”
“You get your fucking hands off her, Tacks!” Thunder barked.
He dropped his hands and stepped back.
Thunder stared at me. “Bella! What the fuck?”
“I can’t let him do this!” I shouted.
“You cannot be here.” Marco slammed his gavel onto the table.
Bruno stood up as all the men started yelling and standing from their seats. “Everyone shut the fuck up!” he shouted.
At his thundering voice, everyone stopped and quieted.
“Let her in.” Bruno glared at me
Everyone gasped almost in unison.
“Bruno?” Jaxson called.
The big man put his hand up. “No. Let’s hear what she has to say.”
As if he’d just said he believed in fairies, ghosts and leprechauns, everyone gaped at him, including Thunder.
Bruno motioned at Tacks.
Tacks shut the doors.
“I wondered if you knew.” Bruno stared at me.
“Knew what?” Thunder asked.
“I didn’t till just now,” I replied. “How did you get him here?” I glared at him. “If fucking figures you had a hand in this!” I knew it…Bruno was a fucking monster!
“Get who here?” Jaxson looked back and forth between us
Bruno narrowed his eyes at me. “I had nothing to do with it.”
I huffed. “Sure. You mob thugs are all the same. You gotta control everyone and every—“
“SHUT UP!”
Everyone turned to stare at the shout.
Their eyes landed on Nikky…Demon. He was the one who told me to shut up.
He stepped close to me. “How did you know?”
I stared at him as my whole body shook. I never thought I would ever see him in my lifetime. “The star. But really, I think I knew the minute I saw you. Something about you…”
He squared his shoulders. “I should’ve covered it with a tat.”
I smiled. “You didn’t because it is a part of who you are.”
“And who is he?” Thunder shouted, as he looked pissed.
“Yeah, sweet Rose. Tell us who he is,” Bruno added as he raised a dark brow at me.
“Can anyone tell me what the fuck is happening?” Jaxson yelled.
I grabbed Nikky’s hand and raised it up.
His eyes were full of rage as he stared at my face.
I flinched at the look he wore as I dropped his hand. Then I turned to glare at Bruno.
“You have the same, am I correct?” Bruno asked.
I nodded as I reached to the snap of my jeans and lowered my zipper.
“Bella!” Thunder headed toward me. “What the fuck are you doing?”
“Thunder!” Bruno shouted at him.
Thunder ignored him and grabbed my hands.
I looked into his eyes. “You need to let me go.”
Thunder shook his head. “Not until you tell me what the hell this is about!”
“I have to show them something.” I bit at my lip.
“Not naked, you fucking don’t!” he shouted.
“Okay.” Bruno stalked over to us. “Everyone leave! All but Marco, Nikky, Thunder and Jax,” Bruno reiterated.
I looked up at him and realized he knew about this secret already.
The brothers all stood up looking confused and headed out.
The doors finally closed.
I pushed Thunder away.
He crossed his arms over his chest and glared at Nikky.
“Dammit, Dino,” Bruno yelled. “He is not after your woman!”
Thunder huffed out some air and continued to look angry.
I unzipped my jeans and turned around. I lowered them so they could just see the spot above my ass, right in the dimple there.
I heard gasps from a couple of them.
I turned back around and tugged my jeans back up.
“And what was the point in showing that cute ass of yours to the club?” Thunder looked enraged now.
I reached out and tried to grab Nikki’s wrist.
Nikky yanked it back.
“Come on, Nicholas Constantine De Luca!” Bruno shouted. “It’s out now. It’s over.”
Nikky looked upset as he slowly raised his hand to Thunder’s gaze.
Thunder stared at his hand and dropped his angry stance as his crossed arms fell away from his wide chest. “What the fuck?”
Jaxson stepped closer. “What is it? What do you mean De Luca?” He took a closer look at Nikky’s hand. “Oh…that looks just like…” He swung his stunned gaze over to Bruno.
“It’s the family birthmark…” Bruno raised the hair from the side of his neck and showed them the same star like mark there.
“Well fuck!” Thunder exclaimed.
Jaxson looked between us all. “So Nikky is…”
I nodded. “My brother, my twin brother. Not identical as you can see, but yes, he is my brother.”
Nikky looked around at Marco, Bruno and Jaxson. “I came here to find my family. Not to fool anyone.”
“Well, you fucking fooled us.” Jaxson glared at him.
“I grew up in Italy. My mom…” he paused. “…hid me, she gave me up to the orphanage and told her family I had died. She knew being the only male heir to Charlie De Luca that the Bianchis, her family would want me dead, they hated him so much.”
Bruno nodded.”
“I-I was told that she… killed herself.” Nikky s
tared at Bruno.
Bruno rolled his eyes. “The two of you were told a lot of lies is all I know. Charlie never knew you existed. He was told by her that you died at birth.” He looked at me. “You…”
I squared my shoulders.
Bruno went on, “You, he knew about but couldn’t find you. He figured they’d killed you too.”
I gasped.
He nodded. “Yes, they hated Charlie that much. They would have killed you back in Italy. I just found out the truth that Angela’s younger brother had you brought here and then…”
“Then?” Thunder asked.
Bruno shrugged. “One of the family sold you away as a baby. I figure it was your uncle the same one that found you and sold you yet again. That mother fucker…” Bruno looked enraged. “Of course, he found you later on. He knew who you were, what your name was. What family you’d been raised by, because he was the one who sold you to them!”
I shook my head.
“It’s true Bella Rose. Charlie actually never knew about either of you, let alone sell you. Fuck! He died believing he had no progeny.”
“So, what the fuck are you up to then?” Jaxson asked Nikky. “Coming here and prospecting for all these months, without telling us who you were?”
“With the stories I was told and what was in my mother’s letter to me… I needed to find out what was true. I also couldn’t let the Bianchis find out about me.”
“Fuck!” Bruno looked troubled now. “Thank fuck, I sent all the men out.”
“Yeah, Marco added. “Especially, with what all has been going on.”
Bruno sighed.
“I agree,” Thunder spoke up.
Jaxson looked at all three men. “What does that mean?”
Marco shook his head. “Well, there’s a—”
Bruno raised a hand to cut Marco off. “Nikki…Demon. Walk your sister back to Thunder’s room. Do not…” Bruno stared at me. “…tell anyone about this. Upon your brother’s life, you need to both keep this a secret, Bella.”
I nodded then looked over at Thunder.
He raised his brows at me then gave me a wink.
I felt my cheeks flush at this. Dammit, how could the man make me feel like this? Just with a look and a wink? I looked over at Nikky. He motioned ahead of me.
Yeah, this would be an uncomfortable walk. He looked infuriated with me.
We both went out and Tacks shut the double doors while glaring at me.
I ignored him. He shouldn’t have gotten in my way, the asswipe.
Nikky went ahead of me.
I raced to keep up with his angry stride. “Wait up!”
He was clenching his jaw.
“Did you know?” I asked him.
“Know what?” he nearly growled.
“That I-I was your sister?”
Nikky barely nodded. “I was here the day you came with Thunder and they called church.”
“Then when were you going to tell me—”
“I wasn’t!” he barked.
I slowed my walk then stopped. “But why?”
He slowed then halted but did not look at me. “Because I never knew you growing up. In fact, you were supposed to be dead.”
I felt anger flare up inside me. “So, what? You just planned to see me here all the time and never tell me?” I yelled.
He turned to look at me. “Yes.”
I gasped.
“You had a family growing up. I did not,” he said with a glint in his eyes.
Oh…he didn’t—he DID NOT just say that! I sucked in a huge breath and felt like I just got gut punched. I let it out in a rush as my blood boiled. Shaking badly, I stepped close to him. “I had a family. One with a drug dealer dad and a mom he beat on every fucking day of my childhood!”
He blinked his eyes at me.
“I was alone. Then you know what?” I did not wait for him to answer as I went on, “My supposed dad tried to sexually—he tried to fuck me when I was fifteen.” I poked my finger into his chest. “I have been beaten around, stepped on, and treated like trash for my whole life.” I was enraged now. “I could have had a brother to protect me! But NO! I have one that is just like the rest of the fucking male population. Thinking of himself! So I’m not good enough for you, I suppose? Go and embrace your glorious uncle and this wonderful MC. Forget I was ever born. Which is exactly what you did before today.” I gathered my spit in my mouth and broke all the lady like rules in life— I hocked my spit up and spat on his boots.
I went around him and stalked down the hall. “Go and get your fucking patch. Your fucking glory. I do not ever wish to see you again, you selfish prick!”
“Bella!” he called.
I kept walking. Rage burned inside me so bright I felt like beating the shit out of someone. So he best not follow me.
CHAPTER NINE
Jaxson
After Bella and Demon went out, I turned to look at Thunder.
He sighed and pushed his fingers through his hair. “There’s been shit going down right under our fucking noses.”
I shook my head and looked over at Bruno. “I suppose you all know about it. Everyone except the damn President of the club!”
Bruno stared at me. “Now, Jax—”
“No!” I shouted and went back to the table. “You all need to come clean and tell me what the fuck is happening in my club.” I sat down, crossed my arms over my chest and glared at them all.
Marco came over and they followed. He reached into his briefcase and brought out files. “I don’t even have this on a PC anywhere. It is that explosive.” He slapped them down in front of me.
I grabbed it up and opened it. I read page after page. “Fuck!” I tossed the file down. “Fucking stealing?”
Thunder nodded.
I looked over at him. “And how did you know any of this when you have been a sleeping beauty for a week?”
He shrugged. “One of the brothers just came and told me today.”
“Which brother?” Bruno asked.
Thunder looked uneasy. “I think I would rather not say.”
“Oh?” Marco narrowed his eyes.
I let out a sigh. “So, we have a traitor who hid Antonio and who is stealing off the top?”
Bruno snapped his gaze over to me. “What?”
“Come on, Bruno you had to have known. Antonio didn’t die after you shot him.” I stared at him.
He nodded. “Yeah. But I sure as hell did not know you were aware of it.”
“Well fuck, as President, I sure as hell have to know some of this shit.”
“So what do we do?” Thunder asked.
Bruno raised a brow. “Do?”
Marco snickered. “We are doing.”
Thunder looked between the two of them.
“We won’t say it here.” Bruno shook his head.
I crossed my arms over my chest. “And why the hell not? Where else, if not here?”
Bruno then did something odd. He walked over to the far wall.
Thunder and I stared at his actions in confusion.
Marco then pulled out his cell and tapped the screen. “OK, grab him.”
Thunder and I looked over at Marco now.
“What the hell is this about?” I asked.
Bruno nodded. “Well, we cannot tell what all we have planned right now.”
I heard a strange noise. A squeak and a thump from the wall where he stood. “What the hell was that?”
The double doors burst open and in came Miggs, the three hundred pound brother we used as our enforcer. Over his shoulder was a body…a body that fought and struggled uselessly against his girth and strength. This was the only guy in the club that was bigger than even Bruno.
He walked over to the table and heaved her down to stand in front of me.
Bruno nodded at him. “Thanks Miggs.”
The big guy cracked a rare smile. “Yep.” Then he went back out closing the doors behind him.
“Chloe?” I gasped and stood up from my chai
r.
Marco started laughing. “Some mole.”
I shook my head in utter bewilderment. “Mole?”
Bruno walked over to her and crossed his tree trunk like arms over his wide chest. “So, mole. What do you have to say for yourself?”
Chloe bit at her lip as she pushed a stray hair out of her eyes. “I am not a mole!” Her face was flushed pink.
“Oh, really?” Bruno leaned closer to her. “You tripped my alarm in that closet, girlie.”
She let out a sigh. “Okay, so I was eavesdropping. Okay?” she defended.
“What?” I asked more than confused.
“Jax,” Marco spoke up. “We laid a trap for the traitor…well, several but one of them was the closet in the outer hall. You can hear all that goes on in here if you go into that particular closet.”
I still was puzzled.
“I was in that closet, Jax,” Chloe admitted softly.
I raised my gaze to her. “Listening to…church?”
She nodded. “But I am not a traitor.”
Thunder let loose with a loud laugh. “Oh, fuck!” He started to really laugh.
Marco joined him.
Thunder had tears in his eyes and he grabbed his side. “Oh fuuucck! A double dealing biker chick. Really?” He then stopped laughing suddenly and looked over at her. “And I suppose Bella was standing right next to you, right? That’s why she busted in here like she was about to kill someone.”
Chloe refused to look at him. “I never said that,” she muttered.
“Oh, fucking lord!” Marco laughed in earnest. “Thelma and Louise? Parading around, fooling the mafia, and packing heat? What the hell is next?”
“It isn’t fucking funny. Marco!” Bruno roared as he glared at Dino then me. “Why don’t you two pussies have your women under control?”
Chloe gasped.
Oh, fuck…I sighed as I caught the look on her face. Her expression turned from embarrassed to angry in a flat fucking second.
She turned to the tall, wide man. “We are nearly married and married to them. As such, we should be privy to all of this!”
He stared at her as he growled.
“Now Bruno…” Marco warned.
Bruno ignored his cousin. “Oh, really? Then you gonna go out and do heists? Be there for shipments?”
She shoved right up to him and peered up. “Why the fuck not? I have killed for this club and this man. I’ve more than earned my patch, you big son of a—”
