Twist of Fate (Kings of Chaos Book 6)

by Shyla Colt

  He laughs. “Yeah, I’m about to be up close and personal with it.”

  “Stone here already?” I ask.

  He nods. “He got in last night. I caught him taking a cup of coffee into his dorm room a little bit ago.” Sighing, he hangs his head. “I never imagined it would come to this. Mike taught me everything I know. He was a good, solid leader for a long time.”

  “We know better than anyone, nothing lasts forever,” I say.

  “Ain’t that the truth.” The gravelly bass gets me on my feet. I turn and see Stone walking toward me. He’s still larger than life despite the silver streaks starting to thread through his hair. Barrel chested, muscular, and cunning, he’s always held my respect.

  He pulls me into a hug and pats my back. “It’s good to see you, brother. Take a walk with me.” I follow him toward the office.

  “I figured now would be a good time to get an update since I’m in town.”

  “I didn’t realize you planned to be here when you first told me.”

  “Last minute decision. I want to make sure this is handled properly. We’ve been gathering intel for some time. I think we got a handle on the ones who can’t get with the new program. I know it’s a change from the founding fathers’ concepts, but this is a new world, and we have to adapt or die.”

  “I think the newer generation understands and respects that. I know I do.”

  “Yeah? How’s that shadowing job going?”

  “Real good. I’m actually helping train a few new people now. I had something I wanted to talk to you about, though.”

  He strokes his chin. “Should I be worried?”

  “Naw, it’s small. Remember the woman I was telling you about? Xia?”

  “The boss’s daughter?” He narrows his gaze.

  “Yeah her. Well, shit’s gotten a lot more serious, and I need permission to tell her about K.O.C.”

  “You thinking about making her an Old Lady or something?”

  “Maybe. I want the option, and I can’t do that while she remains in the dark.”

  He smirks. “Told you it came on fast. You think she can hold water? ’Cause you need to be sure she’s not going to jeopardize anything we’ve got going on.”

  “She’s trustworthy. That’s not what I’m unsure of.”

  “Run it by me then.”

  “She doesn’t know about my past yet.”

  “Why do you have to tell her at all? None of us are saints. If she can handle the M.C. issue, that shouldn’t be a problem.”

  “I might agree with that, except she’s black.”

  His eyes bulge. “Damn.”

  “Yeah.” I rub the back of my neck sheepishly.

  His gaze narrows. “How long have you two been together?”

  “’Bout six months now?”

  He whistles. “Long time to keep something like this under wraps. You got a hole six feet deep to pull yourself out of.”

  I bow my head. “I know.”

  “Make sure she’s worth it.”

  “Her being worth it isn’t the problem.”

  “How long are you going to crucify yourself for mistakes? If you don’t move past them, your father wins. He’s controlling you from beyond the grave. I’ve noticed the changes. You’re withdrawn and despondent. Do I need to be worrying about you? You get too soft, you get distracted and maybe even start thinking the grass might be greener on the other side.”

  Unsure what to say, I remain silent.

  “We’ve all been there. You can love the life, but not be in love with everything that comes with it. If this is for you, it’ll pass. If it continues, you need to figure out your next move. Why do you think I sent you down here for this?”

  “Because I volunteered and I’m good with people?” I ask tentatively.

  “Partially. You also needed a change of pace, some fresh air, and time away from us to get your priorities in order. What I want to know is, if you’ve done that.”

  “I’m still working on it,” I say honestly.

  “When you come back I want you committed with your head in the game. You can’t be half in and half out.”

  “I understand.”

  “Good. You have my permission to tell your woman whatever you need to. But I’m holding you responsible for what she does with that information.”

  “I’ll be sure she keeps everything to herself.”

  “I believe you. Now I need to get a refill. It’s going to be a long day.”

  A few hours later we’re all seated at the thick wooden table in church.

  “So that’s it? After fifteen years of my life, I’m out because I don’t agree with the direction you’re going in?” Mike snarls.

  “The only thing keeping me from putting a bullet in your brain it those years. You were warned. You did fuck all to enforce the rules I laid out, Wizard enforced, and a good majority of the brothers here followed. You figured once Wizard came back home you could go back. You should’ve known better. I don’t do loose ends.”

  “You’re going to find getting me out of here more difficult than you thought. You’re not the only one who takes notice of things.”

  “You threatening him?” Wizard growls.

  The sound of shouting comes through the walls.

  “What the hell is going out there?” Knuckles barks.

  “A challenge of power.”

  Chairs tumble to the ground behind us as we jump to our feet and open the door to a rapidly growing bar fight. Chairs, swears, and fists fly as brother turns against brother.

  The sound of flesh meeting flesh draws my attention. My jaw drops as Stone lays into Big like he’s Rocky Balboa. A bottle shatters near my head. I jump. I’m shoved as the fight expands, and I raise my hands, ready to defend myself. My head jerks back as a punch is delivered. The blood rushes in my ears, and I respond with two punches to the gut of Mutt, a known Big lackey. He steps back, and I follow him with a one-two combo. His counter punch to my side makes me grunt.

  Pain explodes in my head. I stumble. Liquid runs down the side of my face. I reach up to the back of my head, and my hands come away with blood. My head pounds and my stomach sours.

  Chapter Nine

  Xia

  “Your social media is blowing up today,” Ellis says as my phone buzzes again in my pocket.

  “It’s the contest I’m running. They get a chance to name the unicorn.”

  “What unicorn?”

  “The one on the logo. He or she is going to be the official mascot. If their name is picked, they’ll win a fifty-dollar Amazon gift card. After we’ve narrowed down the choices to five or fewer, I’ll take a pole.”

  “Where the hell do you come up with all of this stuff?” Ellis asks.

  “My brain. It pays to be mad sometimes.”

  “Apparently. Where’s your appendage?”

  “Be nice. He took a day off to meet up with some family who were coming to town. They’re all really into motorcycles and take a lot of trips on them. Not shocking since they own some sort of mechanics’ shop.”

  “Then what is he doing learning the ropes of a food truck?” Casp asks from behind me.

  “They want to branch out into other businesses and create new jobs for the next generation. I think it’s smart. The area they live in is a small one near a lot of military personnel. If they do their marketing research, it could be a goldmine.”

  “What happens when his time here is up?” Ellis asks.

  I don’t know. “Are we here to make money or talk about my fledgling relationship?”

  “Both,” Casp and Ellis echo.

  “No ganging up on me. Besides, our employees don’t want to hear us airing all our dirty laundry.”

  “Oh, we really do,” Mandy says.

  I snicker as I roll my eyes. “Too
bad. I’m not in the mood to be gossip fodder.”

  “We are your brothers, you know. It’s kind of our job to worry.”

  “Yeah. Yeah. Get to work already.” I make a shooing gesture with my hand.

  “I know when I’m not wanted. I’m going to round up brunchers,” Casp says as he undoes his apron and heads outside. My brother was born with the gift of gab. I have no doubt he’ll wrestle up patrons.

  My phone buzzes again.

  “Are you serious? Dude, let me see this phenomenon. Maybe Smoke needs to get a mascot,” Ellis says.

  I dig my phone out and hand it to him.

  His expression turns to one of concern. “Xi, you have like thirty missed calls.”

  “What?” I snatch the phone and rifle through the call log. “Weird, they’re all the same number. Who has a six, five, zero area code?” Memory sparks. San Mateo. My stomach plummets. “I have to take this. Something’s wrong.”

  “Go ahead.”

  I walk away from the prep station and out of the truck. My stomach churns as I listen to the first voice mail.

  “Hi, Xia. You don’t know me, but my name is Joel, and I’m Shayne’s older brother. I got a call from a hospital. He has a nasty concussion and needs someone to pick him up and monitor him. I’m two and a half hours away on a low traffic day, and I don’t want him waiting for me. Please call me as soon as you get this.” My ability to focus waivers as I hear the words Shayne and hospital. My knees weaken, and I sway slightly. The thought of that blazing bright light snuffed makes me sick. Life without him is unthinkable. Oh, God. I love him. My mind is filled with all the things I didn’t say because I was cautious.

  My hand shakes as I press call return.

  “Hello?” A deep voice says.

  “Joel?”

  “Xia.”

  “Yes, what happened?” I pace the length of the sidewalk.

  “I’m not sure about the exact details, but I think he got into an altercation at a bar.”

  “Shayne?” I say, stunned.

  “Wrong place, wrong time type of scenario I’m sure.”

  “Has to be. Jesus. Where is he?” I ask. My heart races and my anxiety rises.

  “He’s at Good Samaritan.”

  “I’ll leave now,” I whisper, numb.

  Disconnecting, I jog back to the truck. “I have to go. Shayne is in the hospital.”

  “What happened? Is he okay?” The questions are thrown at me.

  “I don’t know. His brother just called me. He’s two hours away and doesn’t want Shayne sitting there by himself. He has a bad concussion.”

  “Did he lay his bike down?” Ellis asks.

  “I don’t think so. I’m sorry to bail, but—”

  Ellis cuts me off. “Go. We’ve got this.”

  “Thank you.” I rip the apron off and hand it to him through the window before turning to run toward my car. How bad is this concussion? Head wounds can be dangerous. What kind of damage is there? My stomach twists into a knot as I maneuver through traffic.

  What feels like an eternity later, I pull into the parking lot and cut the engine. I swiftly walk to the entrance, passing a fleet of motorcycles. What the hell is going on? I enter the room, passing burly men in leather vests with a skull patch and the letters K.O.C. I’ve never seen this many members of a biker gang before. I do my best not to stare as I walk to the desk. They’re in various stages of disarray, seated in blue plastic chairs in the waiting room waiting to be seen or patched up. Was Shayne caught in this?

  “Can I help you?” the woman behind the desks asks kindly.

  “Yes, I’m here to see a patient, Shayne Spencer.”

  “Wait, you trying to see Charming?”

  The hair on the back of my neck stands on end as I turn to look over my shoulder at the massive mountain of a man in a leather vest that says President.

  “I’m sorry. I think we might be talking about two different people.” I reply politely.

  He cocks his head to the side. “You said Shayne Spencer, didn’t you?”

  “Yes.”

  “That’s Charming.”

  My heart pounds. My family and I run a mechanic shop. We’re nomadic. It comes with having a motorcycle.

  “Oh, you’re the uncle he met up with!”

  He chuckles. “Guess you could say that.”

  I frown. “Is he. Is he okay? Have you seen him.”

  He shakes his head. “They’re stitching him up I’m sure. Maybe even giving him some blood. He lost a fair amount of blood. Head wounds always bleed like hell. Did he call you?”

  I shake my head. “No, Joel did. He’s the emergency contact.”

  “Makes sense. I’m sorry. I’m Stone.” He holds out his hand.

  “Xia.” We shake. His hand is large and calloused. But his handshake is gentle yet firm.

  “Nice to meet you, Xia,” he says. “You want to wait with us?”

  My heart thuds. I try not to make snap judgments, but the men are intimidating as hell.

  “Now’s not the time to pick up a woman,” a man says as the others laugh.

  “This is Charm’s woman.”

  “Are you fucking kidding me?”

  The stunned amusement stings. I flinch.

  Stone’s eye flicker with anger as he turns around. “Have we forgotten our manners?”

  “Come on. You have to be thinking the same thing, P.”

  The murmurs of agreement make me uneasy. He said he’d never done the relationship thing before, but this feels different. My stomach aches for a completely different reason. I place a hand on my belly and work to keep my face neutral. They seem to be like a pack; if I show weakness one may pounce.

  “I’m looking for the party with Shayne Spencer.”

  Stone nudges me forward. “This is his fiancée. His brother is two hours away, and she’s his closest family.”

  Flutters tickle my belly at the new title.

  “Xia Foley,” I whisper.

  “Hi Ms. Foley, I’m Doctor Thompson. “Mr. Spencer has had twelve stitches to his scalp. He’s lost a fair amount of blood and has a grade 2 concussion. He’ll need to be observed for twenty-four hours and another day or two of rest and recuperation depending on how he feels. He’ll be weak and lethargic from the blood loss, but it’s imperative you remain vigilant to ensure his not exhibiting any worsening of concussion related symptoms like time loss, confusion, or repeating himself. If that starts to recur with any frequency, he’ll need to be brought back immediately.”

  I swallow. “O-okay. May I see him?” I’m not sure who I’m asking as I look from the doctor to Stone. He’s got an authoritative air about him. I saw the way one glance shut up a waiting room full of grown men hardened by a tough lifestyle.

  “The nurse will be out to bring you back as soon as he’s all settled in. We’ll get you a prescription for some aspirin and get you on your way.”

  “Thank you.”

  I wring my hands.

  “I hate to be meeting this way.”

  “Me too,” I say quietly as questions arise in my head like smoke, non-tangible and hazy. Is he part of this gang? How could he keep something like that from me for so long? Did he leave to escape them?

  My brain is still working overtime when I follow the nurse leading me back to a room. I step inside and the vest draped over the chair with the Charming patch damns him. I bite the inside of my cheek. Yelling at someone with a concussion would be like a one legged man in an ass kicking contest―pointless. Still, my blood simmers.

  “Xia?”

  The sight of his buzzed and bandaged hair makes my heart skip a beat. They’ve shaved the left side of his head. His skin is pale, and his eyes are unfocused. I walk over to the bed and take his hand.

  “I’m here, Shayne. Your brother called m
e and asked me to come down and look over you.”

  “Hmmm.”

  “So, it looks like you forgot to tell me something rather important about yourself.”

  “What?”

  I glance pointedly at his vest.

  “Oh, shit.” His brow furrows.

  “Not right now. I’m not so petty that I’d leave you like this. But later we will be talking about this.”

  He winces. “You’re pissed.”

  “Livid. How could you lie about something like this?”

  “I-I didn’t lie.”

  “No, you just left out some important facts.”

  “I had my reasons, Xi. It wasn’t intentional deception. We wanted to keep a low profile. That’s why I came down here as a civilian.”

  “You sound like you’re in the military,” I whisper.

  “Basically, we are.”

  “You didn’t trust me to keep this to myself?” After everything, I told you?

  “I had to get permission from Stone first.”

  “Permission. God. Is this like a cult?”

  “No.” He moves too fast and gasps.

  I take a deep breath. Despite his lies, I don’t want to see him in pain. I struggle to rein in my anger and hurt.

  “You have to take it easy.”

  “How can I when you’re looking at me like that? I know you have a lot of ideas swirling around in your head, but they’re wrong. You don’t know anything about this life.”

  “No, and you made sure I stayed that way, didn’t you?” I hiss. It’s like trying to stem a tide. “Look, we need to call a truce while I monitor you. It seems like your family has their hands full.”

  “I can’t talk to you the way I want to right now ’cause the damn world is spinning, but you’d best believe when this wears off the conversation we’ll have is going to look and sound very differently,” he mumbles.

  “Why? You think you can charm your way out of this?” I ask sarcastically.

  “No, but I can set you straight. There’s a lot you don’t know.”

  “Maybe I don’t want to,” I whisper.

  “So that’s it?”

  “If I was a smarter woman, yes it would be. But you’ve gotten under my damn skin, and I want this to be more than what it seems.”