by Quinn, Vera
Contents
Disclaimer
Character List
Thank You…
Prologue One
Prologue Two
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 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Also by Vera Quinn
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Blurb
Sometimes the wounds from my past felt like they would burst open and consume not only my heart but also within my soul.
I kept the pain locked down tight but no matter how fast I ran away or how far I could hear the chains rattle I could not escape the pain.
All it took was one encounter with my past and no matter how strong my convictions were the wounds have been set loose to wreak havoc in my life.
I have too much to lose, more than I ever even dreamed of.
It’s time to be the man my dad raised me to be and take care of what is mine.
I’m Krill, President of the Troubled Fathoms MC, and it’s time I take control. Some things are worth losing my soul over but not my club.
Copyright
Copyright©2020 by Vera Quinn
This e-book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This may not be resold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please, purchase an additional copy for each person or use proper retail channels to lend a copy. If you are reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please, return it and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the work of this author. Only small excerpts may be used for review purposes of this material. All other use must have written permission from Vera Quinn. Address below.
[email protected]
Editing & Formatting by Maggie Kern @ Ms.K Edits
Book Cover by Tracie Douglas @ Dark Water covers
Disclaimer
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance of actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
This book is intended for adults 18+. This book contains adult situations and language, violence, drug use, and sexual activity. Mature readers only. If any of this is offensive to you this may not be the book for you.
Character List
Troubled Fathoms
Officers
Krill - River Draven - President
Dra - Andrew Draven - VP
Raven - Enforcer
Brass - Sergeant-at-arms
Bandy - Tech guy
Whistler - Road Captain
Snuffer - Secretary
Sanity - Treasurer
Patched Members
Scout - Founding member
Gunny
Butch
Lizard
Bat
Tiny
Slick
Prospects
Banger
Rictor
Gus
Lyles
Ol’ ladies
Maddie - Dra’s
Children
Betsy “B” - Maddie & Dra’s
Lucas - Maddie & Dra’s
Bartender & club girls
Maudi (Bartender - takes care of club girls)
Coralyn
Tinker
Kim
Sprit of Arms MC
Rico - President
Blade - VP
Nutz - Sergeant-at-arms
Cinch
Grater
Horse
Skin
Zip
Kingston’s Crew
Cassius Kingston
Lip
Mouth
Red
Hinton Family
Jennifer Hinton
Bethany Hinton
Cage Hinton Draven
Dedication
This book is dedicated to Liam.
Thank You…
I want to say thank you to everyone that helps to keep me going in this big crazy book world. I usually try to list everyone but then I forget someone, and I feel bad about it. If you are in my life, on my social media, my readers, my supporters, or an author friend then you have touched my life in some form and I want to say this thank you. Sometimes life gets busy and we don’t take the time to show our gratitude to the people that touch our lives and life is too short for that because no one is promised tomorrow. From me to you this a big thank you.
Prologue One
One year after Severed Ties That Bind
Krill
I have a son. Me, a dad. It’s hard to wrap my mind around the idea. Nine years I have had a son without knowing. Now I know how Dra felt. I don’t know anything about my son except he’s nine years old and his first name is Cage. If I had known that Jenny was pregnant with my child, I would have fought Dad. I would have fought the whole damn Troubled Fathoms MC to be with Jenny and our kid. Jenny and I loved each other but went our separate ways because of club business. We had plans for our future, and they were all blown to hell because Rico wanted more power and money. Greed, that’s what tore us apart. I know that’s what I’ve told myself all these years, but it’s about time that I take some responsibility for my own actions. I could have stood up to Dad and the club and claimed my woman. I didn’t even have my cut at the time, I was still a prospect. Putting the club first is what got me my cut. I traded being a dad for being a brother. I know the full responsibility doesn’t lay on my shoulders, but it is hitting me directly in my heart. Jenny was barely a woman at the time but then again, I was barely a man. I was only eighteen myself. I haven’t let a woman get close to me since her. She was the only woman that ever meant more to me than just getting my cock wet. I can’t ignore what Bethany told Dra. Has Jenny changed? She had to have changed. The Jenny that was mine wouldn’t have not told me when she found out she was pregnant. Did she know the night we said our goodbyes or is that the night she conceived our child and Rico kept her from telling me? Does Jenny have an agenda? Did Rico persuade Jenny to keep silent? Bethany took a risk warning us. Is she safe? Is Cage safe? Surely Rico isn’t such a bastard he would hurt a child. Rico has always hated my family. Their club has always dealt in drugs and our club won’t allow it in our territory, not by anyone. If Rico would just stay in his territory, then the only people he would need to worry about are the authorities, but he wants more territory and to get that he will have to go through the Troubled Fathoms and that won’t be happening. As president of the Troubled Fathoms MC, I am going into this situation with my eyes wide open. I am aware that it’s a big coincidence that drugs have started moving through our town and then suddenly Jenny shows up. Drugs were a big part of the Spirit Arms MC. Dad always said there is no such thing as a coincidence. He also said there is no going back in time. The pull between Jenny and me is still there. We had a sexual chemistry that I haven’t felt since then. There are too many unanswered questions. My mind keeps going back to sweet Bethany and Cage and their safety. Mayb
e I can save them all. I’m no white knight but I am going to do everything I can to find the answers I need. We have Ties Bonded By Blood and no one can break that.
Prologue Two
Bethany
I can’t abandon or be disloyal to my family, but Cage is my family too. Cage is more like a son to me than he is a nephew. I have taken care of and protected him from Jen and Rico, and it’s time for me to step up and do it one more time. I know what the consequences will be when I return, but I’ll get through it. Rico has promised me to Blade, and if I am going to get Cage out, it must be now. I just hope my gut reaction is right. I didn’t like the way Rico was glaring at Cage. I know it’s just a matter of time until Cage will feel Rico’s wrath the way I have for years. I just hope Krill is still the boy I remember from all those years ago, and he can deal with what I am going to do.
Chapter One
Krill
I pound the gavel to bring church to order. I look at my brother’s chair next to me and it’s empty, again. All the brothers’ eyes glance at the chair next to me one by one but no one says a word. The silence in the room is thick with anticipation. I spent another morning in court with Jen and her attorney and again, it was another big disappointment. I stand up and all eyes are on me. “The judge gave Jen and her attorney another continuance because of all the information that my attorney has found on not only Jen but also Rico and their club. He rescheduled for next Monday and warned my attorney, Mr. Lawler, that there would be no more stalling. Children’s services are also doing another visit at Jen and Bethany’s apartment. They’ll be doing their final check at my house this week as well. I have completed everything the state has required so Dupont, my attorney in Boulder, thinks we should have visitation by next Monday and it’s about damn time. I know I decided to go about this the legal way, but I never thought it would take me over a year to get to meet my son.” I take a moment and just breathe and my eye catches Dra’s chair again. “Has anyone heard from Dra? He knew we were having church this morning. I talked to him yesterday evening.” No one says anything. I wait a minute and then my eyes land on Raven.
“Dra and Banger haven’t been around a lot lately, but they’re always together. Banger has been sleeping at Dra’s house.” I don’t know what my brother has been up to lately. I can’t remember the last time that I was at Dra and Maddie’s house. Now that I think about it, the last time I remember seeing Maddie is right after Lucas was born and that must be two months ago. I need to get over there and visit my niece and nephew. Hell, I still consider Maddie one of my best friends and I have neglected her. I will get by there tonight.
“Has Banger been keeping up with his prospecting duties?” I know I should know this, but I’ve been a bit distracted.
“Dra said that he was keeping Banger busy and when Banger wasn’t with him that he would be on Maddie and kid duty,” Scout tells me with a bit of heavy sarcasm that catches my attention.
“Scout, if you have something to say just say it. I know I’ve been distracted, but I thought Dra was picking up my slack. Every time I’ve asked him how things were going, he said everything was under control.” All the brothers laugh. What the hell has my brother been up to? “Someone better start explaining.”
“Dra has gone back to his ways before he and Maddie were married, and he and Banger are joined at the hip. Maddie has been having a challenging time with Lucas and Maudi has been helping her out so she can get some sleep. Dra is spending his time at the clubhouse in Kim’s room. I’m surprised that you haven’t put a boot in his ass yet. Maudi said that Maddie is at the end of her rope and it’s only a matter of time before she walks, and I don’t blame her one damn bit,” Scout says with malice in his voice. I look at the old man that I’ve always looked up to. “Your dad has to be rolling over in his grave right now. We have rules in this club for a reason and Dra is breaking every fucking one of them. He’s bringing a damn prospect in on club business, business that a prospect has no right knowing. He’s leaving his family unprotected just so he has a fuck buddy on the side.” I look at Scout and I know he’s only speaking the truth. Scout helped raise all the children that have been in the Troubled Fathoms’ clubhouse and he would never lie to any of us.
“Coralyn has even started helping Maddie out. Lucas has the colic and he cries a lot, but Dra started straying as soon as Kim hit the clubhouse. I don’t feel right getting in a brother’s business but Maddie needs help. Maddie asked us not to say anything to you because you need to concentrate on getting your son, but we’ve heard rumors that Rico is trying to get the Kingston’s Crew to move into Sunshine,” Bandy our tech guy adds.
“You should have brought this to me anyway. I know I’ve spent a lot of time in Boulder, but our case was sent back to the courts in Sunshine for over a month now and this is just now being brought up? What could the Kingston’s Crew want with the small town of Sunshine? They’re a damn street gang and to make money they need a bigger town to operate in. The shit they pull in a big city won’t fly here. Everyone here knows what’s going on with everyone here. If a stranger shows up in the community then we’re going to know it. They can’t sell skin here and the only drug trade is at the high school and that leads back to Rico. Surely ten-to-fifteen thousand a week is not enough to bring a crew here. We’ve been shutting down the drug trade since the fiasco with Angus and Sunshine. Get me up to date on everything fast.” I know it’s my fault things have gotten out of hand. It’s my responsibility to know these things, but I also just want to know my son.
“The only thing we have right now is chatter in town. We can’t prove anything. If we could then we would’ve brought it to you. We don’t want any surprises, so we have all reached out to our contacts and what you just heard is what we’ve heard. We need to get a person we can trust inside the Spirit of Arms MC. They have burned every friendship they’ve had with all the clubs we know. The only way they can recruit any help is to go to a gang or one of our enemies, and since we put Angus in prison, we don’t have any enemies that we know of. Not any that hate us enough to throw in with the likes of Rico and his club.” Brass, our sergeant-at-arms, is right. We are a quiet community and we keep the law around here. “Rico knows he isn’t strong enough to take us on by himself. It makes no sense for Rico to even bother. He’s letting his hate for the Troubled Fathoms to cloud his judgment and he’s going to make a mistake. He thinks his ace in the hole is Cage, but he must know that the judge is leaning your way. After you and Jen split ways, you did your time in the military and you have nothing on your record. The social services even gave you a good report.”
“If Cassius is willing to come into Sunshine, then there has to be a bigger payoff somewhere. The thing with the crew is they are all younger people, some still minors. Cassius recruits his members within the cities and towns that he moves into,” Bandy adds to the conversation.
“How much information do you have on his crew?” I ask Bandy.
“Since the name was mentioned, I’ve been collecting information from different sheriff and police departments through contacts I have. The Kingston’s Crew is one of the largest street gangs in Colorado, and they’re branching out to surrounding states. A lot of the members are minors from troubled homes, or where it’s a family tradition to join. Once you join the crew, it’s a lifetime membership. The only way out is a body bag. Parents will kill their own children if they turn against the crew. They live in small groups and they don’t have any contact with the bigger groups until they’re needed. They don’t phone or text like normal people do. All communication is through social media, but they have their own codes and no one outside the crew knows the code. When they say they’re going to a birthday party, it could mean a hit or a beatdown. They’re under investigation for murder, gun running, slave trading, drugs, organized crime, and RICO charges but besides a few minor beefs the authorities can get nothing to stick. We don’t want these people in our territory,” Bandy informs us all.
“We need to fi
nd out what Rico has that they want and make sure he can’t deliver it, or we’ll be going to war.” I think about it for a minute. Cassius isn’t a complex person. He’s not much older than I am, but he has always been money hungry. Dad always kept the man in his place. They had a mutual respect and kept out of each other’s way.
“Set me up a meet with Cassius. The only way to find out what Rico could be offering him is to ask. This could all be rumors. Whistler, don’t you have contact with Mouth? See if he can set us a meet in a neutral territory.” Whistler nods his head. “We can’t rattle Rico’s cage just yet. I want to get Monday’s court done first and then we’ll set up a sit-down with him away from the court. He’s acting like I did him wrong instead of the other way around. It’s time to find out what the hell has crawled up his ass. Is there anything else besides Dra that needs to be handled?” I look around the table.
