Katy's Choice (A Ravens MC Novel Book 3)

by J. L. Leslie

  As I watch them fight, Ravens emerge from the woods. Lincoln, Rob, and Shane along with two others. I shake my head, disgusted at what’s ensued here today. Had Dax worked with me, this could’ve been avoided.

  “That’s enough,” I state, and when neither of the two brawling men move to break apart, I yell it, bellowing out those two words from deep in my gut.

  Luka pulls Kane away and holds his hand out to warn Ford to stay back. He spits blood towards Luka and then grins, his mouth a fucking mess.

  “You had enough you piece of shit?” Kane growls, blood soaking through the side of his shirt.

  “You alright, Katy?” I ask, glaring at Kane who hasn’t bothered to even check on her. She has a large cut on her arm, but other than that, she appears to be fine.

  “I’m okay,” she responds. “How did you–”

  “I put a tracker on your phone.”

  “Motherfucker,” Ford grumbles. “You dumb fucks don’t even know when the DA is up your ass!”

  “Fuck you!” Kane growls.

  I shake my head at these two idiots. Like I said, savages. Men like this have been tearing Verdana apart for years. I started watching it happen when I was just a kid, and there was nothing I could do. My grandmother, Lois, took care of Grandon and me then and she shielded us from most of it.

  We grew up in Garnerville, but loved coming to Verdana, the small tourist town not far from us. We loved the beach, we loved the stores. But we hated the fear it ignited in us when we would see the motorcycle gangs and our grandmother would make us leave, cutting our fun short.

  Grandon and I both knew we wanted to make a change somehow. He went into law enforcement and eventually became the sheriff of Garnerville. I chose to go into law school. I’ve started skirting the edge of that law though. All because of a piece of pussy that never really belonged to me.

  “How many dead?” I question, and Raiden looks at me as though I’ve grown a second head on my shoulders. “How many!”

  She looks towards the Ravens that are keeping a slight distance from us. The fact that they are here and no Sinners emerged from the woods with them tells me they left none of them alive.

  “I’m not sure. They had four stationed here, and they sent some into town. We sent men in to take them out,” she replies. “No head count yet.”

  I calmly walk back to my car and grab the package the redhead brought to me. I take the pictures out and toss them at their feet. Ford is the first to pick one of them up. Kane follows after him.

  “What is this?” Kane questions me.

  It’s my insurance policy. I am drained. I am tired of seeing the town I love so much turned into a war zone for men who don’t give a shit about their actions. For greedy men who take and take until there’s nothing left.

  They stop taking today.

  I have CI’s all over Verdana, and now in L.A. I have men infiltrating the Sinners. I even have men watching the Ravens and the low-level shit the Rykers and Drycos are up to. These fuckers don’t give up. Well, neither do I. I’m done being a fucking doormat.

  “I’m sure none of you fuck-ups realized the evidence each and every one of you left behind. It only takes one phone call.”

  Raiden’s brown eyes flicker over to me. She knows Frank, the owner of EZ-Store would never install cameras there. She doesn’t need to know how I got the photos, just that I have them, which means I have the upper hand on both the Ravens and the Sinners.

  “So, where are the cops?” Ford sneers. “I don’t hear any fucking sirens.”

  Not this time. Like the woman said, I’m part of this life, but I’m not being allowed to live in it. It’s time I face that fact and do something about it.

  I turn to Raiden and I know my words shock her. “Let Dax know I expect my ten percent by the end of the week.” I look to Ford. “I will extend the same terms of my deal with the Ravens to you, only I want the Sinners out of Verdana by the end of the week. No fucking negotiating on that.”

  The fact that I have no deal with the Ravens does not get revealed. I do now. Dax can agree to it, or I’ll take my evidence to Chief Halloway, and Dax can go fuck himself.

  “Maybe I like it in Verdana,” Ford smirks.

  “I have friends in both high and low places, Ford,” I nod towards the cabin, seeing the redhead standing on the porch. “Send her with my fucking money each month.”

  I leave the photos on the ground, knowing I have more. By doing this, they know that I do and I’m not fucking around with them. I open my car door, but before I get in I turn back to them.

  “Get this shit cleaned up. I don’t want dead bodies littering my fucking town.”

  Epilogue

  ~Katy~

  I hold onto Kane, gripping his waist tight as he drives his bike down the suburban streets of Garnerville. He told me he had a surprise for me. He even seemed nervous. I told him I didn’t know if a surprise was a good thing after what happened a week ago at the Sinners’ clubhouse.

  I went to the farm and held up my end of the bargain with Ford. I gave him the bank accounts as promised. I still have my book. I still have the addresses, names, and all the information for the business dealings Mack made on the side.

  When Griffin showed up, I thought he was a dead man. I had no idea he’d followed me there. Had no idea he held the upper hand. Seems like he’s always held the upper hand.

  He was a different person there that day. His eyes were different. Full of anger and hate. I didn’t recognize the man he’d become, and I partially blame myself for that. I had a choice to make, and I chose my heart. I chose Kane.

  Raiden came to Dax with Griffin’s demands, and I’ve never seen a man so enraged. I thought Kane was enraged when he was fighting Ford, but Dax’s anger was deeper. His anger was about losing control. Griffin has him by the balls and is making demands. He’s used to being the one doing that.

  The Sinners left town, and for now, I have peace. I don’t know how short-lived it will be, but I’m going to bask in it. If I know anything about the Sinners, they won’t tuck tail and run for long. It’s not the way they operate.

  At least Victoria’s Diner is reopening next weekend. That has softened Dax’s sour mood some and has the Ravens excited. Kane said Dax will be honoring his late wife and the late cook that died in the fire at the reopening. He will also be honoring the three men who died last week during the attack against the Sinners. For my benefit, Kane requested that he honor Lloyd.

  Kane’s bike pulls to a stop at a house, and I feel my nerves getting the better of me. He grips my hand as he helps me off the bike and leads me towards the door. He stops before knocking, looking over at me with his dark eyes.

  “Don’t be nervous,” he grins.

  “I’m not,” I deny.

  He leans in for a kiss, softly brushing his lips over mine. “You can tell me.”

  “I know,” I smirk.

  He pushes the door open, and a little boy runs up to him. I watch him lift the kid in his arms, lovingly kissing his cheek. I see a blonde headed woman out of the corner of my eye, and she smiles at the two of us, watching the exchange.

  “Katy, this is my son, Eli.”

  ~Kane~

  I park the truck at Victoria’s Diner and see that Brandy and Trevor have beat us here. I’m not surprised. We had to stop twice for Eli to take a piss. At least I wasn’t arrested this time.

  After taking Katy to meet Eli for the first time, I’m happy to say it was a good surprise. She wasn’t pissed that I hid the fact that I had a son from her. Eli took to her well and has forgotten about the woman who showed up to play in the backyard with him. No matter how hard she tries, Ashley will not take my son from me.

  Katy and Brandy have also bonded. I know Brandy has always wanted me to find happiness the way she has with Trevor. I believe I have. Katy didn’t run screaming when I told her everything about my past. About my time in New York. Faking Brandy’s death. Ashley being Eli’s mom. All of it. She’s still here.
/>   I watch Katy climb out of the passenger side and smile as she opens the door to get Eli out of his car seat. He’s really taken to her over the past week. My old lady takes my son by the hand and meets me around the front of the truck.

  I hold my hand out, and Eli reaches up to take it. It’ll probably shock the shit out of these assholes to see me with a kid, but it’s time Eli met the rest of his family. All of them. We’ll eat breakfast and celebrate the re-opening of Victoria’s Diner and then we’re heading to the airport.

  Katy called her boss at Wal-Mart and let him know she wouldn’t be coming back. Her choice, not mine. Then, she booked a flight to Tennessee. The three of us will spend a week there, hopefully having a reunion with her parents, and then when we return, she’ll be working at Victoria’s. Again, her choice, not mine.

  I want us to enjoy our time away from Verdana. Spend every day living our lives together and not worrying about what will be waiting for us when we get back. We can worry about that later. We will protect each other from whatever is to come. We’re a family.

  Dax is giving a speech when we walk in the door, honoring our fallen members, including Lloyd. The three of us take a seat in a booth beside Brandy and Trevor. I see the looks and smirks from a few Ravens, and I shrug. They get it.

  Twenty minutes later and after answering questions about where I’ve been hiding my kid and who his mother is, the waitress delivers our food. I’m happy to see Dax was able to get two of the same waitresses back that worked here when Sonny was alive.

  I slather some peanut butter on a stack of pancakes and Eli squeals excitedly as I pour a ton of syrup over his. Katy shakes her head, a smile on her beautiful face.

  We have a long road ahead of us. I’m petitioning the court to terminate Ashley’s parental rights of Eli. I don’t want to take any chances that she’ll ever get him. I haven’t seen or heard from her since the attack on the Sinners. She probably skipped town, which should make this process easier for me.

  Brandy and Trevor are both testifying as character witnesses on my behalf. I may not be granted full custody immediately, but I’ll take whatever I can get. I’ll even sign my rights over to them if it means Ashley will never lay her hands on him.

  Katy and I are shopping for a house when we return from Tennessee. One with a hell of a security system and playground. It’s a must-have for Eli. It’s time I move out of the clubhouse.

  I feed Eli a bite of the pancakes, and he laughs while he chews, obviously enjoying the sugary sweetness. I dig into mine and nod my head.

  “Not as good as Sonny’s,” I smile at Katy, “but I can admit, Jude is a pretty good cook.”

  “Better than me?” I grin at her question and just take another bite, teasing her by not answering. “Kane, you can tell me.”

  I smile at this. At what has become our usual banter. “I know.”

  THE END

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