“And if I refuse?”
“Then I’ll work something else out, I’m not going to force you. But, if you truly cared about the people your father hurt in this town, you can make sure they know life here is going to change going forward.”
I can feel myself relenting.
“How long do you think you’ll need me?”
He smirks again, knowing he has me right where he wants me.
“A couple of months should be more than enough time.”
I can do two months. Eight weeks. Sixty days. Fine.
“Okay, I’ll do it. I suppose it will give me time to sort out my father’s estate.”
“Good. Come on, let’s give this asshole the good news.”
“Hold on, I have one condition. I want at least two of your men with me when I have to deal with Cooper. He gives me the creeps and I don’t trust Gabe and his men.”
“You do this for us, you can have what you want.”
What I want is Mason, obviously I don’t blurt this out and we join Leonard and Cas’s men who he’s been talking with in our absence.
“Aspen is going to stay on, you’ll deal with her and my men here,” Cas tells him, and I force the bile to stay in my stomach when he grins my way.
“Excellent, I must say I wasn’t expecting this turn around when I woke up this morning, but I sure am excited.”
“Great,” I mumble and Cas glares at me.
Guess I have to please the creep too?
“I’ll be in touch in the next couple of days,” Cooper says, shakes hands with Cas and slings his arm around me.
For a moment, I freeze, not comfortable with his touch and he only laughs, pulling his arm away.
He makes his way back to the car and I go to join him to drive us back when Cas stops me.
“Before you go, no matter what you’re feeling, never let men like Cooper and me see it. Men like us search for weakness to use to our advantage.”
“Thanks for the advice.”
“It’s been nice getting to know you, kid. Get this done and you’ll be free of us, you have my word.”
I’m guessing his word means a lot. I nod and prepare myself for the drive back.
As I’m driving out, Mason walks out the clubhouse. I avert my eyes and concentrate on the dirt road. Even seeing him from afar hurts too much.
Mason
“Who was Aspen with?” I demand to know, joining Cas and Sparky.
“Leonard Cooper, he previously made a deal with Jacob to run his drugs through town, that deal now belongs to us.”
“Get to the point where Aspen is involved.”
Sparky raises his eyebrow questioning my tone but I don’t give a shit.
“She’s going to be the go between for us until Cooper is satisfied he can work with us. She met him previously and he wanted her included.”
“So, you’re going to use her?”
My blood is simmering, rapidly building into an inferno of rage. She doesn’t want any part of this world.
“She’s giving us two months, then she’ll be out. Question me again and you won’t like the repercussions.”
“Where are you going anyway?” Sparky asks, steering the conversation in a different direction.
“Mom called, Myles is awake.”
“Good, tell him we’ll be by later to see him.”
“Will do.”
My bike roars to life and I head for the hospital. My brother is awake and we can take the first step in taking his revenge for what’s been done to him. It’s been a long fucking night and the only thing keeping me going is the fact my brother is awake and the rage of impending revenge.
The road feels empty without Myles riding beside me and I’m glad to arrive at the hospital. It might be a while before he rides again, but I’ll be there when he does. Walking through the corridors, I don’t know what to expect. There were murmurs of possible brain damage, and how they couldn’t be certain until he comes around. I come to a stop outside his room and stare through the window. The tubes and wires are gone but he still looks like he’s knocking at death’s door as I walk in and stand at the bottom of his bed.
“It’s about time you woke up, you lazy bastard,” I try to joke but I give up and take the seat mom was sitting on. I lean forward on the bed and take hold of his hand.
“You’ll never know how sorry I am I wasn’t there for you, brother.”
I prepare to embrace his backlash, his anger because I failed him, but he flips his hand in mine and squeezes.
“It’s my fault, I didn’t realise how much I relied on you until it was too late, I should have been better prepared being alone.”
“No! I should have been there,” I argue.
“Where was you?”
Hanging my head, I can’t meet his eyes when I say, “With Aspen.” His hand loosens in mine and I feel sick with guilt.
“I’m your brother, your twin! There’s no excuse…”
“You love her, don’t you?”
Now is not the time to declare my feelings.
“It doesn’t matter, it would never work between us. We’re leaving as soon as you’re out of here and can ride, last night we took out the priest and Jacob. We’ve got the sheriff too, but we’re saving him for you. You can make him pay, brother.”
“Oh, he’ll pay but I’m more concerned about you. When they arrested me, I realised I need do shit for myself. Just because we’re twins doesn’t mean we can’t live two lives. If you love her, I’m not going to get in your way, but I don’t want to lose you either.”
“You won’t lose me, asshole. Never going to happen,” I vow.
“There’s no point in fighting the inevitable, Mase. I know you in and out, I know you’ve never felt like this about anyone, you want her, don’t let me get in the way.”
There’s a small knock at the door before it opens and Grumps walks in, alone. He makes himself comfortable in the chair across the bed from me and looks between us.
“I take it Mase has filled you in, we have the sheriff.”
“Yeah, he said.”
“And you two have sorted this shit out between you?”
“Yeah,” we both say and smile. It’s been a while since we spoke in sync.
“Good, now, Myles, you’re being discharged tomorrow and there’s club business that needs handling. You won’t be in any position to deal yourself but Mase will be your proxy and deliver the blows you can’t. Got it?”
“Got it,” we both answer.
“Now, Victoria is going to need you both when we get home. We’re going to put this bullshit behind us and move forward, aren’t we?”
“Yes, grumps.”
He rises from his chair and smiles down at Myles. “It’s mighty good to see your eyes open, boy.”
And then he leaves. Myles eyes drift closed and when he opens them, they land on me.
“You should go too, I’m tired as fuck.”
“You sure?”
I was planning on staying until he was discharged. I didn’t want to leave his side until we were out of here.
“Go, brother. I want to be alone.”
Alone? Myles never wants to be on his own. Ever since we were kids, being on our own was never an option.
“I’ll be back tonight.”
His eye, the one that is still able to open and close, pins me as I stand and then closes.
“Be careful out there, brother,” he says quietly, and I nod once before slipping out of the room.
Outside the hospital, I bring my bike to life and swing my head right, I could go back to the clubhouse and sit in front of the sheriff some more and fantasise how we’re going to kill him. Or, swinging my head left, I could ride to the Manor and be fucking honest for once. I opt for the honest option and ride fast through the town. As soon as she has the door open, I pour everything I’ve been holding in out.
“I’ve fallen for you, so fucking hard you’ve caused me to question everything about myself, about my brothe
r. Myles is getting out of the hospital tomorrow and we’ll be heading home soon after and I can’t leave without you knowing that you have me tripping over myself trying to work out how to make this work between us. I want to take you home and keep you there, but Cas has you dealing with Cooper and I know it’s not possible.”
“Then why show up here?”
“I don’t know.”
She steps outside and rests her hands on my chest.
“We both like each other, we can find a way, Mason.”
“One day, maybe.”
“But not today?”
“Not today.”
“Then why you don’t you stay, and we can share one last night together until the day we find each other again.”
I hope that day isn’t too far into the future.
Myles
Fuck me, not one part of my body isn’t screaming out in pain as Mason and Dad help me out of the car. I can barely breathe without scorching pain shooting across my ribs, the meds are good but not that good.
Victoria was discharged this morning too and mom ushers her down to their cabin before anyone comes out and sees her. She pleaded for mom to drive her straight back to Willows Peak but dad and grumps both decided they would drive back with the club.
Brothers cheer when I limp my way into the bar and it looks like most of them dragged their asses out to watch the sheriff get what he deserves.
“Miss me that much, fuckers,” I call out and wish I hadn’t. It fucking hurts.
“Let’s get this show on the road so that’s where we can be.”
Cas is desperate to be home and I don’t blame him. The sooner this place is in our rear-view, the better.
“Do you have any last words for Myles, Sheriff Asshole?” Cas asks him as Mase helps me sit on a chair with a clear view of the cunt.
His lips remain tightly closed and he can’t bring himself to look at me.
“No? Okay.” Cas turns to face the brothers and says, “To our Mercy brothers, this is what should happen when someone comes for one of us, or all of us. We are peaceful until one of us is hurt. Let this be a lesson on how to be a fucking Lost Soul.”
He steps back and falls onto a chair beside me. “It’s good to have you back, Myles.”
“It’s good to be back, none of the nurses were worth looking at.”
He barks out a laugh and I find Mason watching me.
‘Are you ready for this, brother?”
Nodding once, I convey what my silence is screaming.
“Do it, make it hurt.’
He nods and rolls his hoodie sleeves up to his elbows. Rolling his neck, he pumps himself up and warms up his arms, stretching them one at a time across his chest.
I trust my brother to inflict the same pain I would if I could throw a fucking punch right now.
“Get him on his feet,” he orders two Mercy brothers. “Keep his wrists bound.”
Just like he had me cuffed when he set his dogs on me. I like my twin’s thinking.
As soon as they step away, Mason lunges forward swinging a hard right to the sheriff’s jaw. It’s quickly followed up with an uppercut, and the cunt’s jaw wobbles like a seesaw.
By the third blow, he drops to the floor and Mason pounces on him, not letting up delivering the blows. Mason’s always fought with precision and tactical awareness. Today is no different. I sit here, watching every blow he makes, listening to brothers cheering him on and then slowly quieten when it becomes clear the sheriff isn’t moving anymore. Mason’s too far gone with violent rage, he keeps punching him until he slumps over him, breathless.
Grumps is first to walk over and pull him up to his feet. Mason looks down at grumps checking for a pulse, his chest rapidly rising and falling and blood dripping from his hands.
“He’s gone.”
“He didn’t last long, the pussy,” Sparky grunts.
“This will never happen to you again, Myles, so help me, I won’t let it,” Cas murmurs, leaning closer to me.
I can only nod and focus on my brother.
I know him, and him killing this man wasn’t just for me, the rage he needed to find to carry it out was because of what happened to me, but laced through the rage was his anger and frustration with Aspen. I light a cigarette and inhale as deeply as my ribs will let me and pull myself up to my feet.
Making my way over to Mason, I stand beside him and flick my ash over the sheriff’s dead body.
“Who’s laughing now, asshole.”
I take another hit on the cigarette and pass it to Mason. He finishes it within two drags and stubs it out on the sheriff’s cheek.
“He’s dead, is that necessary?”
We turn to see Gabe frowning at us.
“What’s your problem, Gabe?” I ask and then Mason says, “You’re an embarrassment to our patch, you fucking pussy.”
I lift my hand to form a fist and he raps his knuckles against mine. He’s not wrong. I don’t know how this guy has been president over this chapter for so long.
“He’s right, Gabe. Now the three threats in town are gone, it’s time to clean house and I’m starting with you,” Cas says, getting up in his face.
“Your actions have been costly to us, deceptive, and straight up out of fucking order. Then again, you know this, and this is why you hid it from us for all these years. Take your cut off.”
Not a murmur can be heard in the bar as we witness what has to be done. JJ was right back home, the club does what needs to be done and if the roots are beginning to rot, they need to be pulled out and destroyed.
“Cas, come on, you can’t do this to me,” Gabe pleads with him.
“I can and I am. Take your fucking cut off before I have someone do it for you.”
Not wanting the humiliation, he shrugs out of his cut and holds it out.
“I don’t fucking want it, take your patch off and hand it to Sparky.”
We watch on as he pulls out his flick knife and sets to slicing his cut to pieces. Sparky nods once as he takes a handful of patches from him and then tucks them in his inside pocket.
“I was hoping taking your patches would be enough to let you walk out of here, but see, I don’t trust you anymore, not to open that mouth of yours and start talking to the wrong people. From now on, the Lost Souls are heading in one direction and we have no time for fuck ups or anyone trying to stop us. You’re a monumental fuck up, Gabe, and you know what’s going to happen, don’t you?”
The old guy nods and hangs his head. He resigns himself to his fate and murmurs, “Make it quick.”
I expect Cas to order someone else to pull the trigger, but he takes out his own gun and releases the safety as he aims it between Gabe’s eyes.
Not one Mercy brother tries to defend him or plead his case. “Over two million, Gabe, never in this lifetime could you make that up to us. To quote Mason, who are we if not Lost Souls? You will not die a brother.”
“Cas…”
Bang.
His body drops to the floor with a thud and Willows Peak brothers know we’re going home so fucking soon.
“Gabe had no fucking idea how to be a brother. We stand back to back, and side by side in times of trouble. If one falls, we all fall. When our enemies come for us, we fight and we do whatever is necessary to survive and keep each other alive and in one piece. We owe no one peace and loyalty outside of this club, no fucker! Anyone who isn’t willing to die for this patch, kill for it, no matter what, say so now, because once we leave, if I have to return to sort out more messes, you will end with the same fate as Gabe.”
No one comes forward as I look around. I sit down, taking the weight of pain off my feet.
“Very well.” Cas sighs and continues, “Aspen will be our go between dealing with Cooper until he trusts in our working relationship. You have two months to make that happen and then she wants out. You’ll vote in a new president, and vote wisely, as you’ve heard, I won’t tolerate any more fuck ups. Until our relationship with Cooper is establ
ished, two of my men will stay and oversee the deals until I’m satisfied you’re working as Lost Souls.”
Willows Peak brothers look to one another, wondering who will be staying but I already know.
“Who?” Grumps asks.
“The twins. Mason already has a connection with her, I trust them to stay and make sure shit gets done.”
I knew it. I fucking saw it coming.
Grumps and Dad fly into reasons why two other brothers should stay in our place and I cut my eyes to Mason, who’s still hovering near the sheriff’s dead body.
‘You don’t want to stay.” He tells me silently, his brows knitting together.
‘But you do.’
We both know we’re not on the same path any longer.
‘Not without you.’
He’s waiting for me to say it, he wants me to be the one who says it’s okay to stay. So I do.
‘You stay, I’ll go home.’
His face falls and I feel the exact same. This bullshit will be hard, but I’ll give him the choice. I just hope he chooses wisely.
* * *
‘You know you want to; I won’t get in your way. I promise.’
He nods, then I nod, and it’s settled. We’ve made our decision while chaos erupts around us.
“I’ll stay, Myles is going home,” Mason calls out getting everyone’s attention.
“No, you stay together,” Grumps argues.
“It’s done, this is what’s happening. It’s not up for discussion.”
“Are you sure?” Cas asks looking between us.
“Yes,” we both answer together.
While grumps tries to talk Cas around, Mason comes over, helps me up and we walk outside to talk alone.
“It’s not like it’s forever, is it, brother?” he says, and I shake my head. “We can call and video chat.”
“You going to start crying on me, dickface,” I snort.
“Fuck you.”
This sucks and right now I’m two seconds away from changing my mind.
“You should go tell your girl the good news.”
Their Fractured Souls: Sons Of Lost Soul MC Book Six Page 13
