22. Dragon

Chapter 22

Dragon

"Have we heard anything from Breaker or Rock?" King asks.

He's here with Ford, T, Dom, Skull, and Hangman. I decided to delay following the Feral Kings for another hour. I had a few reasons for this decision. I wanted to give our men time to locate the bastards. If we knew where they were holding up and had some recon done, it would make our job of taking them down easier. Although that was my biggest reason, it wasn't what drove my decision. I also wanted time to talk to King with my woman by my side. It needed to be done. I want to clear the air. The truth is, we are riding into war in an unknown territory. I don't think the Feral Kings were any true threat in a head-to-head battle. Still, in war, people get killed. That's just a fact. I want to clear the air and allow King to see that I'd like a relationship with him. I fully expect him to laugh in my face. I'm okay with that, and honestly, it's what I deserve. Either way, I can't run from this anymore. My woman is beside me, and with her I can deal with anything.

"I haven't heard from Breaker since I let him and Diego know we were holding back another hour. They aren't due to check in for another twenty minutes, though."

"Don't let my son hear you call him by Diego. I have no idea what's wrong with his given name. Maybe he thinks the road name Rock fits him better. His head sure is hard like one," Skull mutters, clearly disgusted. "But I haven't heard from him either. He'll check in soon, though."

"Where's your daughter?" King asks, staring at Skull.

"The doctor gave her something to help her rest. She tried without it, but every time she closed her eyes, there was a nightmare waiting for her. Hangman had one of their women sit in the room with her."

King nods, rubbing the side of his face. He grabs a seat and pulls it around, straddling it and leaning his front against the back of the chair.

"You don't look like you're in a g-g-good mood," T responds, looking at King.

"Woman trouble," King mutters, with a shrug.

"Women can take down the biggest of us," I admit, drawing a hateful look from King. I don't look away. He's going to hate me. I've always known that. There's nothing I can do about it.

Nicole elbows me and I over-exaggerate how much it hurts. I mean, there is pain, but I bend over, acting like it is more painful than it is. She knows my game. I can see it in her smirk. Then, she walks over to King and shocks all of us by hugging him. "Thank you for everything, King."

"I didn't do anything," he mumbles, clearly uncomfortable.

"You did, and I will never be able to repay you." She goes up on her tiptoes and kisses his cheek, whispering in his ear. He goes stiff, pulling away. As he looks down at her, I see him fighting with himself. The conflict is clear to read across his features.

I decide to pull my gaze away from them as I try to get control of my emotions. Over the years, Nicole's blonde hair started going silver. Never being one to walk away from a challenge, Nicole dyed her hair a gorgeous gray and rocks it. She's also become the ultimate old lady, and she has more leather in her closet than anything else. I know that I'm a lucky son of a bitch to be the one she chose. I don't need anyone to make that clearer. Right now, I know she's welcoming King into our family. I don't deserve her. Fuck, I don't know where she keeps coming up with the energy to put up with my ass.

As I look around the room, I stare at Hangman. "You know," I accuse without explanation. Hangman nods. "For a few years, yeah. Blade discovered the truth right before his brother died. He thought about searching you out, but you had already banned our club from your territory. We had enough on our plate already."

"I would probably do the same thing again, but I do regret everything going down the way it did."

Hangman nods. "Water under the bridge."

"It's a fucking big bridge," I mutter, and he barks out a bitter laugh.

"That it is."

"Why did you decide to help me, considering the way things were with our clubs?"

"Blade. He's getting out soon and has a huge score to settle. He didn't want to take the chance that what happened to Bear would happen to you."

"I owe you. If he needs us, call in the marker anytime. I'd be open to that alliance once more."

"I'm sure he'll be in touch once he takes over again."

"Will you miss your role now?" I ask with a smirk.

"Fuck no. I never wanted to be his second, let alone the man in charge," Hangman chuckles.

"Then why did you step up?"

"When your club loses so many members, you come together. It's what you do. Blade and I had been friends since birth. I'd take a bullet for him. Hell, I'd take his place and be the one rotting behind bars if I could."

I nod in understanding. That same devotion is what led me and my brothers to form our crew. I think back on those days, realizing we were young and stupid and had no idea what we were creating. We only wanted a home back then—a place to belong. We got so much more than that. I find myself hoping Blade manages to find the same shit, too. I frown and let out a sigh as I drop into a chair. Nicole comes over and gets in my lap. I hold her close and breathe her in.

"What are you thinking?" Ford asks. I look up at him and see his gaze on me and Nicole, and for a second I see hunger on his face. Not hunger for my woman—if it was that he'd be dead. He wants what I have. I kiss Nicole's temple and squeeze her tight, knowing what a precious gift she is. I've always known that. It's something you recognize quickly when you almost lose it. Irish almost took everything from me, and that's exactly what is bothering me.

"I don't understand how the photo of Irish ties into all of this," I finally answer, giving a growl under my breath. "There has to be a reason the Feral Kings left it in the van. I don't understand why, though."

"Could Irish be behind all this shit?" Hangman asks.

I smile, but it's not a friendly one at all. "No way. That's one motherfucker who will never breathe air again. He's gone. Which is why the photograph itself is so confusing."

"Dragon?"

I look down at Nicole and squeeze her into me even more. "Yeah, Mama?"

"Did Irish have any children?"

I frown, thinking about it. "Not that I know of. I mean, I also didn't know he was betraying the club, so I suppose anything is possible. Why do you ask?"

"It's something he said to me. King heard him," she explains, motioning toward … my son. Jesus, that's a trip. It's going to take me time to come to terms with everything. Nicole is right, though. I should have done it before now and not tried to pretend it wasn't happening.

"Is that what you meant when you said Nicole might have an idea?" I ask King.

He nods, staring at my woman like she's an enigma that he will never understand. My lips stretch into a genuine smile. I could almost wish him good luck. Nicole is elusive. You will never be able to grasp what she's going to do next. That's part of her appeal. Life with her is anything but fucking boring.

"Something Lucky said to Nicole about you killing his father," King says with a shrug.

"Actually, he said he was going to do to you what you did to his father," Nicole interjects.

"Well fuck, that could be any number of people," I argue.

"True, but if you put those words along with Irish's picture …" I look up at Dom and frown.

"So, all of this could be because of that fucker screwing with me again after all these years? Jesus Christ, can't old ghosts just die?"

"We don't have proof, but I think it's something you should think about and maybe have your tech guy do what they do."

"Do what they do?" I repeat, grinning at Nicole.

"Exactly."

I bend down and press my lips against hers briefly. "I love you, Mama," I murmur.

"I love you," she answers, her hand sliding under my shirt so that her fingers caress my stomach.

"You keep touching me like that, woman, and we're going back to that tiny ass bed."

"You say that like you think I won't agree?—"

"Mom, Dad, you're embarrassing us," T whines, making us both laugh.

"Living with them growing up should have scarred me for life," Dom adds, walking over to King.

"Maybe that's why you've been such an asshole," King suggests. I watch the interaction carefully. I'm not sure how all this is going to pan out, but I know my family is trying to accept King. It will be up to him if he accepts it.

"Thea argues that I was just born that way," Dom responds, not taking offense at all. In fact, he's smiling.

"Could be a family trait," King baits.

"I'd take offense to that, but since you're family, I can't really."

"I'm not family," King denies at once, his body tensing.

"You are, whether you want to admit it or not. I should have welcomed you sooner. I just kind of hated you."

"I'm used to the hate," King shrugs.

"Yeah, well, all I saw when I looked at you was the man my brother picked over me. That shit stung."

I clear my throat. "Would it be possible for us to have the conference room for a bit?" I address Hangman.

"Sure," he agrees, and everyone disburses. Hangman walks up to where King and Dom are standing. "When you're ready, I can tell you more about your mother and what happened to her. You never have to take me up on the offer, but if you want to, you know where to find me."

"You knew my mother?"

"Mavis had a long history with several clubs. She tended to leave chaos wherever she went."

King snorts. "I find that hard to believe," the man answers.

"I don't have a horse in the race. Still, the offer stands if you change your mind," Hangman responds, then walks out, leaving me in the room with Nicole, our two boys, and the man who hates me.

Fuck.