Carefully drawing the ring from my thumb I gave it to Dive who closed his hand around it. Lifting his hand he rested his fist against his mouth holding on so tight his knuckles turned white and his own ring which our dad had given him on his eighteenth birthday shone dully in the light. Then he drew the pouch to him, dropped the ring back inside, pulled it closed and slipped it into the front pocket of his jeans.
My attention went back to the ring boxes on the table giving my brother time to regain his control. I drew the older ring box to me and slowly opened it then shook my head as tears filled my eyes. It was Granmama’s ring, a ring that used to be in Mama’s jewellery box. She must have given it to him to give to Sherri and he never returned it after he walked away from her and their child. I left it open on the table and picked up the other. It was even worse. Two wedding rings lay nestled together on the blue velvet. I spotted some engraving on the inside but I couldn’t touch the rings. It wasn’t for me to do. I closed it with a loud snap in the silent room.
Clearing my throat I swallowed then spoke while still staring down at the blue velvet box. “We can never give her those, not ever. She’s starting a new life with Ren and they don’t need this intruding on what they are building together. I’ll keep them until Lori is much older and maybe then I’ll give them to Ren. I’ll leave the decision up to him.”
“No.” Dive growled. “We’re never telling either of them about this. This shit dies here, with Reid. He walked away from his woman and his kid, and that was his decision. We’re not bringing her anymore fuckin’ heartache by bringin’ this shit home to her. What we will do is take Granmama’s ring home and giving it back to Mama.”
He drew the open ring box to him and shook his head. “This ring should have gone to Ren as the oldest son. I need to hear from her why she gave it to Reid instead.”
I took his hand in mine and squeezed. “She gave it to him because Granmama loved Sherri. That ring was always meant to be hers and maybe it still will be.”
Picking up the ring boxes he handed them to Magic who looked like he didn’t know what to do with them. I handed him my jacket and he understood instantly, slipping the boxes into the inside pockets he carefully folded it and placed it on the empty chair beside him.
That left the letters, the USB’s and the memory cards.
I gathered our letters into a small pile in front of me, leaving Bullet’s letter next to the USB’s.
“I don’t know if what you need to know are on those.” I pointed at the USB’s and memory cards. “I’ll take our letters and leave the rest up to you.” I shrugged. “It’s most probably club business anyway.”
Drawing in a breath I prepared to get up but I couldn’t leave without it. “The only other thing I need before I get out of here is the photo.”
Dive immediately shook his head while frowning heavily.
“You’re not gettin’ it back, baby sister. It’s evidence of the club’s failure to protect you and the other girls at the club. It needs to be addressed and you know it.” Dive said softly. “Go, have a drink and read your letter. We’ll see you once we’re done here.” He turned and nodded at one of the guys. “Breaker will walk you to the bar.”
And just like that I was dismissed.
And for once I didn’t mind.
I was ready to get out of that room filled with testosterone and the penetrating and angry eyes of one man I constantly felt on me. I had felt the burn against my skin from the moment I walked into the room.
I had no idea what it meant but I knew I wasn’t going to think about it right now.
I was going to have a drink and gather my courage to open Reid’s last letter to me.
Rubbing my hand over my heart where there was a raw wound that would never heal I pushed my chair back and got up.
Not even a posthumous letter was going to heal that wound.
Nothing in this world could.
Because no one could give me back my brother and best friend.
CHAPTER TEN
Wolf
From the very minute she walked into their chapel he had been unable to tear his eyes away from her. The woman was fucking magnificent. He ached for her when she opened that lockbox and found what she did. Pain was clearly written all over her face.
And that incredible moment when he realised she wasn’t his brother’s old lady had lit a fucking inferno inside his chest. The boulder that had taken up residence on his back had rolled right off, leaving him feeling as light as fucking air. And that pissed him off. What the fuck was wrong with him?
Hawk drew Bullet’s letter towards him and shook his head. “I’ll make sure our brother gets this. Zig, let’s see what Army left us.”
The room went silent as Ziggy plugged the USB’s in one after the other and what the first one revealed had shocked gasps and outraged cries mingling in the air. It was filled with videos and photographs and scanned documents. All of it concerned Winifred Maingarde and the Harrison Syndicate. Army had found damning evidence that the old bitch and the syndicate were major players in sex trafficking, gun running, and drug manufacturing and distribution.
How had their brother done this? Could this be the reason he was specifically targeted during the ambush? Was this the reason his piece of shit mother insisted on turning off the machines that kept him breathing? Was she working with the old bitch? Why the fuck hadn’t he gone to their Prez or to the taskforce with this? As far as he could see there was enough evidence to take them down.
As his thoughts roiled he realised that Hawk had slammed his hand down on the table and a heavy silence had descended.
“There’s something you need to know, Dive. Army was on loan to the taskforce to help take out the Harrison Syndicate. This is his legacy. And a way to make them pay for what they did.” Hawk bit out, reminding all of them of their brother’s sacrifice.
“That was only the first one, boss, I have two more to go.” Ziggy said. “If it contains even more information to support what Army found it will be more than enough to put that old bitch behind bars for the rest of her miserable life and break the Syndicate’s hold in Africa.”
“Fuck. My brother was a fuckin’ adrenalin junky. This shit is so like him, the fuckin’ asshole.” Dive said softly.
Ziggy suddenly sat back and looked at Hawk. “There’s a video on this one with your name on it, Prez.”
“Let’s see it.”
The only sound in the room was the subtle creak of leather as the men shifted in their chairs as they waited. Wolf focused on the screen against the wall. There was a collective drawing in of breaths as Army’s smiling face appeared.
“Hi Prez, if you’re watching this I’m dead, you found my stash and Ziggy has cracked the code on this lockbox.”
He grinned as he tapped the lockbox on the table in front of him.
“If nothing happens tomorrow I’ll be bringing what I’ve found to you and to Van Blerk. I’m making this video because I have a very bad fuckin’ feeling about tomorrow and I have to kinda sort my shit before I’m gone. I used to leave letters for my family with Leo, this time I’m leaving them with you. I hope like fuck Tori and everyone else survived the shit that I feel is coming.”
There was silence as he cleared his throat and started again.
“Right, so, by now you know I’m not who I said I was. When I came here it was to find who I was but instead I found who I was meant to be, a brother, a friend and a valuable part of the Iron Dogz MC. While searching for the bitch who abandoned me at birth I came across some shit that didn’t make sense. I’m fuckin’ nosy, so I started snooping around and Van Blerk caught me at it. That’s how I started working with him. He’s a fuckin’ asshole but a good cop. I called in some favours and found the shit I put on the USB’s. There’s enough there for Van Blerk to move his investigation forward and ensure they fix the old bitch and the Syndicate.”
Waving a hand around him with a wicked grin he looked back at the camera.
“Everything y
ou see here I’ve liberated from some really fucked up people. Don’t worry, it’s not illegal anymore, some friends of mine pulled some strings for me. Bullet and I are now legally registered firearms dealers and this is our very legal stock. You will have to move it to the compound and may I suggest you do this at night even though it’s all legal and shit? The night time guards at the facility are friends plus it’s quiet at night. We don’t want the pigs putting their noses in our business”
Grinning into the camera he winked as he tipped his head to the side.
Now, on to my addiction for speed that’s parked over there. Hey brothers, don’t hate. I know she’s no Harley but damn she’s fast. There’s enough money in my account for the shipping costs. Please ship her to the States to my family. I’m leaving her to Leo. She shares my addiction and this one would be a nice addition to her collection.”
The grin and fun disappeared as he faced the camera again.
“When my family comes, and believe me boss, they will come, give them the letters their files and the USB I’ve left for them. There’s shit on there they need to know ASAP. I hope like fuck Leo doesn’t come out here, but if she does, you fuckin’ keep eyes on her and you keep her safe. My sister is a fuckin’ nosy and vicious little shit. Think about her as another DC and with the Wraiths backing her any fuckin’ thing is possible. Don’t let those big eyes fool you for one fuckin’ minute.”
Army sighed and shook his head before looking right into the camera.
“If I survive tomorrow you will never see this and I will hand over what I have to the club and take care of the shit threatening my family back in the States. But If I don’t survive then I want to thank you, Prez, for taking in a broken man and giving him a chance at a new life and a new brotherhood to replace the one I had lost. I love my blood family but I needed all of you to put the past behind me and start living again. Bullet, my brother, I love you bro. Thank you for everything you did to get my head out of my ass. Do not, and I repeat, do not blame yourself for this. We both know you’re going to do it, so just fuckin’ don’t, bro. I love the club, and every single brother, even bloody Spider and his jokes. Until we meet again on the other side, keep it shiny side up my brothers. Ride free, ride forever.
A heavy silence hung in the room when the screen turned black. Wolf didn’t have to look around to know that several eyes were filled with water right now. He cleared his throat, breathed in deep and blinked to clear his eyes.
“We will share this with the full brotherhood once today is done. They need to hear their brother’s final words.” Hawk said quietly.
Letting that settle he turned back to Ziggy. “Brother, anything else you have to share?”
Ziggy shook his head as he cleared his throat.
“No, boss, the USB that’s left is for his family and their club, as Army said.” Ziggy explained quietly. “There are several files here with dates and names that date back several years. But there are a few more recent files.”
Dive drew in an audible breath. “How recent?”
“The last six months.” Ziggy tapped on his keyboard as he spoke to Hawk. “What do you want me to do, Prez?”
Hawk dropped his head back against the high back of his chair but kept his eyes on Dive. “We have enough fucking problems of our own but saying that I’m curious as to why a brother of ours kept his family’s club and their members under surveillance. What the fuck was he looking for? Or had he found what he was looking for? That’s why we’re going to put our noses in your club’s business and hopefully we’ll get some fucking answers.”
Turning in his chair Dive silently looked at his brothers against the wall. Their communication was silent until one after the other they gave him either a chin lift or a tip of the head. Turning back he tapped his fingers on the table, just once.
“Do it.”
Ziggy opened the first file and clicked on the first video.
Dive and his men burst out laughing as two very naked little kids sitting in a mud puddle appeared on the screen. They were covered in mud, it was plastered in their hair, their faces and all over their bodies. Men in kuttes stood around drinking beer and laughing at a beautiful woman trying unsuccessfully to order them out of the puddle. With big grins the two little devils started flinging mud around and everyone laughed as they scattered.
“Fuck, I forgot about this.” Dive said. “He must have copied Mama’s home videos. That’s Leo and Reid when they were four. It rained just before the club barbeque and Ren and I were supposed to watch ‘em while Mama helped the other ol’ ladies. Of course the little shits gave us the slip. If you look behind the brothers you’ll see us hidin’ behind that tree in the background. Mama wasn’t pleased but Dad and Maniac thought it was the funniest thing ever. Our punishment was getting the little shits clean. Those two were hell on wheels when they were little, they hated wearin’ clothes. Gave our parents grey hairs with the shit they got into.”
Hawk frowned. “Hang on a minute here. Are you saying Army and Leo are twins?”
A heavy silence descended as all eyes turned on the men from America.
Dive sighed as he shook his head. “This is fuckin’ family business but seein’ as how Reid, or Army as you fuckin’ call him, opened this can of worms.” He looked around the table and there was fire in his eyes. “As far as our family and the club are concerned they are twins. But, the truth is they were born five days apart to different mothers. And no, my mother isn’t the biological mother of either of them. Our parents went through a very bad patch and split up. Dad fucked up and got two bitches pregnant. There was a lot of drama for a few months but they got back together and the final outcome was Mama adopting the babies and raising them as her own.”
“Your mother is a fucking saint. Not many women would take the proof of her man’s infidelity into her home and raise them as her own.” Bulldog said the words most of them were thinking.
Wolf glanced at Beast and saw by the way his muscles were clenched in his jaw that it was hitting him hard. He had had two children with a woman he despised while still in love with the woman who was now his old lady. Thankfully that shit had been cleared up and they were now a happy little family.
Even covered in mud the little girl’s unusual violet-blue eyes shone out of her laughing little face. She had been a happy and obviously very spoilt little girl.
Ziggy cleared his throat and all eyes went to him. “I’ve taken a quick look through most of the rest and they’re all family videos.”
Dive sat forward, his eyes intent on Ziggy. “Does he have the video of their sixteenth birthday party?”
Ziggy went back to clicking and then he nodded. “Ja, he does.”
“Is it okay with you if we have a look? Maybe we’ll see what we all missed at that fuckin’ party. How that fucker got to her.”
Dive asked and Hawk tipped his head at Ziggy to go ahead.
Silence descended on the room as they watched.
Fucking hell. The family stood on a small stage smiling at the shouting brothers and their women. To see Army as a tall lanky teen was disconcerting to say the least. Leo, already curvy, was standing by his side and she was tiny compared to the rest of her family. Her dark hair was braided the same as it was today and fell to below her ass. She was fucking gorgeous even as a teen. He felt like a fucking perv as he watched the video of their birthday.
The one called Breaker suddenly called out. “Stop! Can you rewind that to where they are dancin’ please?”
Dive and his crew were out of their chairs and stood close to the screen watching as Ziggy rewound then slowly scrolled forward frame by frame.
Breaker pointed. “There, there’s the motherfucker. Look at him, he’s not even tryin’ to hide he’s fuckin’ salivating over her. How the fuck had we all missed this shit? We were there, all of us, we were there.” He growled with disgust.
Lure rubbed his hands roughly over his face and beard. “We were facin’ the wrong way, brother, that’s why.
After all the speeches and shit and Grave handin’ over the keys to their new bikes the party for the kids was windin’ down and the sluts were comin’ in. Remember how he sent us to find her when it was time for them to leave? We all thought she was in a dark corner suckin’ face with that little fucker she was dating at the time. But we found him in a dark corner with one of the sluts, not her. Remember? She came storming out of the dark, slammed her fist in his face, broke his nose and jumped in the back of your mama’s SUV. We fuckin’ laughed like it was a big fuckin’ joke.”
“Yeah, I remember.” Breaker frowned heavily. “She was white as a fuckin’ sheet and was wearin’ someone’s leather jacket. I noticed because the sleeves fell over her hands and the bottom of the jacket hung down over her thighs. There were dark stains on her jeans but I thought it was barbeque sauce or somethin’.”
Dive sighed heavily. “She was barely sixteen and had to fuckin’ kill a man and none of us noticed.” He said quietly. “She dealt with it on her own. She has always been the clever and focused one out of us kids. If Leo was male she would be the one being groomed to take over from Maniac when the time came to step down, not Renegade or me.”
It shook Wolf that someone so young had been forced to kill to protect herself and others.
“Hang on a minute. Just hang on.” Magic said as he pointed at the screen. “His body was found in the river, right?” He looked at his friends for confirmation and they nodded.
“They knew, they fuckin’ knew.” He bit out. “Maniac and Grave, they knew what she’d done and they covered it up. It was the two of them who told everyone that Scraggs had been drunk off his ass and must have fallen in the river and that’s how the gators got him. They fuckin’ knew what she’d done.”
Vengeance Of A Black Knight (Iron Dogz MC, #4) Page 12
