Blood spattered everywhere, including all over Leo.
Leo dropped his arm to his side and looked down at his suit. “I remember why I don’t do this shit anymore. Not because I’m a pussy, but because I hate ruining my suits.” He handed the gun to Princeton, who, in return, held out a handkerchief for Leo.
“Look,” Wrecker laughed. “He pissed himself.”
A puddle of piss pooled around Bobby, and Leo shook his head. “Who’s the pussy now, Bobby?”
Wrecker’s phone rang, and he put it to his ear. He listened silently, and his face grew hard. He ended the call and pocketed the phone.
“They lost Jenkins. They had a blood trail but it dried up when they got to the river. They think he went down stream, but there really isn’t any way to tell.”
Fuck. We had solved half of our problem, but Jenkins was still out there.
Leo finished wiping his hands and dropped the handkerchief on Bobby. “My men will clean this up. We don’t have anything to do with the other man, but we’re more than willing to help you since you helped with Bobby.”
Wrecker nodded. “Appreciate that.” His phone rang again, and he listened silently again. “What do you mean?” he thundered.
Leo glanced at me and shrugged. “I’m guessing this isn’t good.”
That was an understatement.
Wrecker chucked his phone across the room and screamed. “The fucking cops picked up Jenkins! Nickel and Pipe just saw a cop car drive by with that weasel’s ass in the backseat!”
Leo snapped his fingers at Princeton. “We need to get this taken care of now. We don’t know what Jenkins will tell the police.”
Everyone moved, and Wrecker and I stepped outside to get out of the way. Two black SUVs pulled up with more of Leo’s men, and they descended on the building.
Nickel, Pipe, and Boink came jogging around the building and stopped at the foot of the stairs Wrecker and I were at the top of.
“Tell me you are fucking joking.”
Pipe shook his head. “I wish the hell we were, but it was him in the back of the car.”
Wrecker pointed at Nickel. “Get in touch with your contact at the police station and find out anything you can. For all we know, Jenkins could have the whole fucking police force headed this way.”
Leo walked outside. “You guys can get going. We’re listening to the scanners, and as of right now, it is business as usual, but we don’t know if that will change. We’ll be out of here within the hour and headed back home.”
Wrecker shook his head. “Sorry this got messy at the end.”
“Nothing ever goes like you plan. I’ve talked to Murphy, and he’s headed this way with Miss Wilkes.” Leo nodded at me. “Good luck with that one, Freak. She’s bound to be a handful for sure.”
Leo walked back into the building, and I ran my fingers through my hair.
“I’d like to say let’s get back to the clubhouse and back to business as usual, but that shit isn't going to happen with Jenkins in police custody.” Wrecker pointed to the black car headed toward us. “That’s Carnie. Your bike is parked around back with ours. You up for riding?”
I nodded and watched the car pull up to the steps.
“You’re alive!” Carnie shouted. She bounded up the steps and threw herself in my arms. “I don’t have to kill anyone today,” she laughed.
Wrecker shook his head and jogged down the steps. “Everyone back to the clubhouse and try not to get kidnapped.”
“Freak,” Carnie whispered. She ran her hands over my face, and a tear rolled down her cheek.
“I’m okay, doll.”
“I know,” she sniffled. “I guess I didn’t realize how terrified I was that you actually might not make it back to me.”
The guys headed around the building, and I followed slowly behind them. “I’ll always come back to you. You gotta know that.”
“Well, you said you would always keep me safe, but you never promised you would keep yourself safe.” She laced her fingers through mine and clung to my arm as we walked. She sighed when my bike came into sight. Thank God the guys brought it for me. “So, what happens now?”
She didn’t know about Jenkins. There was still a threat out there that wanted to destroy the Fallen Lords. “We head back to the clubhouse, eat some food, and fall into bed.”
“Naked?” she whispered.
“That’s the only way to fall into bed with you, doll.”
I swung my leg over my bike, and Carnie climbed on behind me. She wrapped her arms tightly around me and laid her head on my shoulder. “Take me home, Freak,” she whispered.
“You mean the clubhouse?”
“Yeah, home,” she sighed.
*
Chapter Twenty-Five
Carnie
I traced circles over his bare chest with my fingertips and tilted my head back to look at him. “Why do they call you Freak?”
How weird was it that I never questioned why he was called that?
“You’re really gonna ask me that after I just fucked you in the shower, barely got you dried off and then fucked you against the wall, and fell into bed to fuck you again?”
“So, you’re saying you got the name Freak because you’re freaky deaky in bed?”
He shrugged. “More or less.”
I slugged his shoulder. “So, when Wendy calls you Freaky Deaky, that’s totally the truth.”
“Yeah.”
Well, I wasn’t sure how I felt about that. It made me wonder how the other guys got their names. “So, you’re telling me Boink is Boink because he likes to boink?”
Freak nodded.
That one was sort of a no-brainer, but at least Freak verified it.
“What about Clash? Because he likes to hit people?”
Freak chuckled. “Yeah.”
“You guys are pretty literal when it comes to these names, aren’t you?”
It was well after dinner, and Freak and I were tucked away in his room after having dinner with the whole club and my parents, then we also showed each other how much we missed each other as soon as the bedroom door shut.
“If the name fits, we use it.”
“What would my name be if I had a club name?”
“Sass,” he replied instantly.
I rolled my eyes and pinched his nipple. “I’m not that sassy.”
“I beg to differ, doll. Your sass has been on full display for the past couple of days.”
“Whatever,” I mumbled. “You like it.”
He wrapped me up in his arms and pulled me on top of him. “You bet your ass I do. One of my favorite things about you.”
I tangled my legs with his and rested my elbows on his chest. “And what are some other things you like about me?”
“Your blog.”
“My blog is something you like about me?” I laughed. Oh boy, I was seriously lacking if that was one of the top things he liked about me.
“What goes into your blog. You worked your ass off on it and you actually did it. Not many people can say they wanted to do something and then they actually did it.”
“My blog has ten total views right now, Freak. It’s not like I broke the internet or something.”
“And I’m sure the next one is going to have double the views.”
“What else is on the list?” My possibly failing blog was not something I wanted to talk about.
“The list is long, doll. It might take a while to go over it all.” His hands rested on my butt, and he gently squeezed.
“It’s a good thing I plan on sticking around for a while.”
“A while?” he whispered.
I leaned down and pressed a kiss to his lips. “Forever?”
“Now that's what I’m talking about. Forever sounds just long enough to go over this list.” He flipped me over on my back and covered me with his body.
“Is it a hands-on list?” I giggled.
“Very.”
“Then let’s get to it, Freaky Deaky.”
*
Chapter Twenty-Six
Slayer
“Just take this.”
I looked down at the crumbled hundred dollar bill in my hand. “Uh, why?” I asked Freak.
“‘Cause I’m craving fucking pizza, and I don’t wanna hurt Carnie’s feelings.” Freak looked over his shoulder nervously.
“Brother, you’re acting like a crack fiend trying to make a deal for his next hit.”
“I mentioned I was craving pizza and Carnie said she would make some, but brother, I am craving the greasy shit from Vin’s.” He ran his fingers through his hair. “I just want some damn delivery pizza.”
“Hundred bucks might be a bit too much for one pie.” I pushed the money back in his hand.
“I ordered already. Ten pizzas and five orders of breadsticks.”
My jaw dropped. “Uh, maybe a hundred isn’t enough.” Jesus. Freak must have really had a craving for pizza.
“It is. I got enough for everyone, and Carnie is going to think you ordered it.” He pushed my hand away and stepped back. “It should be here any time now.”
I rolled my eyes and shoved the money in my pocket. “I get the fucking change.”
Freak nodded and smiled wide. “There isn’t going to be any. You can have a couple of pieces, though.” He clapped me on the shoulder and laughed.
I shrugged him off. “You’re pussy whipped like all of the other guys now.”
Freak flipped me off. “That may be true, brother, but at least I’m getting laid tonight.” He strolled over to the couch where Carnie was sitting with some of the other girls.
“Yo, Slayer. Someone at the door for you.” Maniac was standing in front of the open door and shouted over his shoulder.
Freak must have waited ‘til the last minute to come tell me he ordered a shit-ton of pizza. I pulled the money out of my pocket and stalked over to the door.
Maniac moved out of the way, and I pulled the door open wider. “I’m gonna need to know how muc—” My words stalled in my mouth.
A young girl, probably ten or eleven, stood in the doorway. She had a backpack slung over her shoulder, and she was holding an envelope in her hand. She held it out and looked up at me. “My mom told me to give this to you. You’re my dad, and that envelope will explain everything.”
The End
Slayer
Fallen Lords MC
Book Eight
Wall Street Journal & USA Today Bestselling Author
Winter Travers
Table of Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter One
Slayer
“Come again?” My throat was dry, and the words croaked from my throat. I had to have heard what she said wrong. There was no way in hell that this little girl standing in front of me was my kid. I made sure that shit never happened.
“My mom told me to give this to you. You’re my dad, and that envelope will explain everything.” The girl repeated her words again, but they still didn’t sink in.
“Adley, for Christ’s sake. I told you to wait by the damn car until I got out.”
My eyes snapped to the woman behind the girl. She didn’t look at all familiar to me, and I prayed to God this was some kind of prank one of the guys was pulling on me. “What the…”
“I told you that you didn’t need to get out of the car, Aunt Ava.” The girl spun around and propped her hand on her hip.
“Oh, you’re not going to spin that attitude on me, girl.” The woman tramped the rest of the way to the door and stopped toe to toe with the Adley.
I had no idea who either of them were, but I had a strange urge to step between the woman and the girl.
“Sorry, auntie.” Adley’s chin dropped to her chest, and she stared at her feet.
“Did you give him the folder?” Ava demanded.
Adley shook her head. “No.”
Ava’s eyes locked with mine. “You really are her type.”
I cocked my head to the side. “Come again?”
“Anna,” she stated plainly. “There were three guys after you that looked just like you. Anna had a type, and she stuck to it.” Ava grabbed the folder from Adley and thrust it at me. “You hooked up with my sister almost twelve years ago.”
I grabbed the folder from her and peeled it open. I had no clue about what she was saying to me. Remembering who I hooked up with a month ago was just as hard as remembering twelve years ago.
Ava explained further. “Anna had Adley. She never intended to tell you about her, but life had other plans.”
I flipped through the papers, but all the letters blurred together. As far as I could tell, the words were Greek on the papers. “I don’t understand…anything.”
Adley stepped forward.
My daughter?
“You’re my dad. Mom was in the process of getting you added to my birth certificate, but she died before she got the papers filed.”
“Holy shit.”
I spun around and glared at Nickel. “What the hell are you doing?”
Nickel held up his hands. “I was just coming to help with the pizza.”
“It’s not here yet,” I growled.
“Yeah,” Nickel chuckled. “Sounds like you got a whole different kind of delivery.” Nickel held his hand out to Adley. “I’m Nickel, one of your dad’s friends.”
Adley shook his hand. “Adley. You’re taking me being his daughter much better than he is.”
Nickel glanced over at me. “Yeah. I’d have to say if I was in his shoes, I would have the same reaction.”
“Look, I have to go. Everything you need to know is in the folder.” Ava hitched her purse over her shoulder and stepped back.
“What?” I gasped. “You’re leaving?”
This chick seemed like a huge bitch, but she knew Adley. She was her aunt. I was just some guy who might be her dad. I didn’t even know for a fact that it was true.
She pointed at Adley. “I’ve got five of those of my own that I have to take care of. Ages two to fourteen. Adley was with me for a month, but I just can’t take care of her anymore.”
“Holy shit,” Nickel whispered.
“I could be a murderer.” I motioned to the clubhouse. “I live here with a bunch of guys.”
“He also eats ketchup on his eggs.” Nickel wrinkled his nose at Adley who let out a giggle.
“That’s pretty gross.” Adley cringed.
Ava took another step back. “My sister thought you were good enough for you to be Adley’s father, so that’s good enough for me.” She pointed at Adley. “Behave.”
“Wait. I can’t…You need…” Words tumbled from my mouth, but none of them made sense.
“You’re really just going to leave her here?” Nickel asked Ava.
Thank God he was able to form a complete sentence.
Ava glared at Nickel. “I don’t have a choice. I can barely afford to feed my own kids, let alone Adley. It’s either this or she goes into foster care.”
“Please, no,” Adley whispered. Her soft words pulled at my heart. Five minutes ago, I didn’t even know this girl, but even I didn’t want her to go into foster care.
“What happens if Slayer isn’t her dad?”
I really needed to thank Nickel later for actually using his brain. “Yeah,” I stuttered.
“Adley knows how to get in touch with me if she needs to. I’m not abandoning her; I just can’t take care of her every day. A
nna knew that.” Ava pulled her keys out of her pocket. “Call me if things don’t work out.”
Nickel grabbed the folder from my hands and rifled through it.
Ava pulled out of the clubhouse parking lot and headed down the street.
“Jesus, brother,” Nickel muttered. “How the hell did you not know that you had a kid?”
“It’s not his fault,” Adley interrupted. “Mama didn’t want him to know about me.”
“That doesn’t make sense.” Twelve years ago, I wasn’t in the best place in my life, but I didn’t think I was that bad of a guy that Adley’s mom wouldn’t want me to be a dad.
“I can’t wait to see Wrecker’s face when she walks into the common room.” Nickel barked with laughter. “He’s seriously going to have a coronary.” Nickel handed the folder to Adley, bent over and grabbed the two bags at Adley’s feet. “I was wondering what the next crisis was going to be. This is better than anything I could have dreamed of.”
“You live here?” Adley asked.
Nickel nodded to me. “He does.” Then he pointed a finger into his chest. “I don’t.”
“Why does he live here and you don’t?” she asked.
“Because he’s got an ol’ lady who has him by the ba—” The word froze in my mouth, and I realized I was talking to a child. A child who was supposedly mine.
Nickel cleared his throat. “Karmen has me by the heart. My large heart.”
“But why don’t you live here?” Adley asked again.
“Karmen likes having our own home. An infant in the clubhouse isn’t really ideal.” Nickel pulled open the door to the clubhouse.
“You have a kid?” Adley folded her arms over her chest.
“Sure do.” He motioned for Adley to walk in. “His name is Cole.”
Adley wearily looked into the clubhouse. “Maybe you should go in first. I’ll follow.”
Nickel glanced at me. “Maybe your dad should go in first. Sort of announce that you are here.”
Fallen Lords MC: Books 7-9 Page 15
