3. King

Chapter 3

King

"Where the fuck you going?"

"I'm out of here," I mutter, slamming shit into my saddlebag.

"You just joined our club. You think you can walk away now? If you do, you're as stupid as you look."

I look over at Squaller and barely resist shooting the motherfucker. I hate these assholes. There's not a one of them worth the air it takes to keep them alive. The only reason I'm here is because I need to find out where they're holding Nicole and that other girl. It's not my place to save them. I know that. I didn't do this to try to become a hero so I can grab Dragon's attention. I like him about as much as I like Squaller over there. I did it because no woman deserves to be used in the ways that I know these motherfuckers will use them.

Shelby didn't want me to agree to any of this shit. Then again, these days, Shelby doesn't want me to breathe around the club. Our relationship hasn't been good in what feels like forever. I don't know where it started going wrong, but it did. No one knows—well, outside of Ford. I've spoken with him about it. He thinks Shelby just doesn't like our lifestyle. Maybe that's it. I don't honestly know. She hates when I have to do anything for the club, however. She gives me attitude anytime I have to go out of town or spend the night away. Last month, I had to go to Roanoke for three days and two nights. It took me days to talk her into coming with me. That was the beginning of the end—and I have no delusions. Our run together has come to an end. We still talk, but it's sparingly and I have to push it to have a conversation in the first place.

It wasn't how I saw things going at all. Maybe I'm just not cut out to have a relationship. I'm definitely not the type of man to put up with bullshit and that seems to be all I've been wading through for the last few months. I've asked her what her problem is, but she ignored the question and looked at me like I was an idiot.

Fuck, maybe I was, for thinking I could be normal like T. I saw what he and Lyla have. I wanted that. The attraction with Shelby was there. I thought we were solid. I might have not been one hundred percent happy, but I was willing to lay my life on the line for her. I thought we were building a future— a family. Shelby told me she refused to have kids a month after we settled into our relationship. When T was shot, she used that as an excuse, saying the club life was too dangerous. She brings up my club a lot, which pisses me off—considering she loved them when they were doing things for her and her grandmother.

I push my woman out of my mind. There's a chance we can work it out. Shelby hasn't left yet. We've agreed to meet and talk when she returned from Ireland next week. It was a family vacation for her and her grandmother. I wasn't invited. I won't ever tell her how much that stung, but it did.

"Who's going to stop me, Squaller? It sure as fuck isn't you." I huff, calling him on his shit.

"Eyeball won't let you. You try, and you'll end up a memory around here that he wears around his neck."

I laugh. That's their primary threat when trying to keep me in line. Eyeball is a twisted motherfucker who makes a habit of keeping track of his kills by cutting out their eyes and stringing one up on a rope that he wears around his neck when he goes into war. He's a tall, beefy, asshole who has long, greasy black hair, and a big nose so pointy he's probably stabbed every snatch he's ever buried his face in—to the point they required at least six stitches. It's a toss-up as to which one, he or Squaller, that I hate the most. Honestly, there's not a damn man in the Feral Kings MC that deserves to be living.

"I doubt Eyeball will do shit to me. After all, he lets you keep breathing. Fuck, if I can figure out why. Figure it must be one of life's greatest mysteries."

"Quit pushing him to his limit, King," Eyeball warns, coming around the corner.

"If the asshole can dish it out, he better learn to take it," I counter, standing to look at the man. To look at Eyeball right now, you'd think he was sane. You'd be damned wrong. There's not a sane bone in his body. Word is that he kept his own fucking sister locked up in a five-by-five cell for close to a year. It's pretty tight-lipped on how, but I do know, the woman was beaten often. I'm ready to kill him for that reason alone, if no other. After seeing firsthand how my mom lived the final years of her life, nothing gets to me like watching a woman get abused. Hell, maybe that's the reason I find myself in this situation, trying to help T's mom and his flaked-out ex. I don't even fucking know.

"Where you going?" Eyeball asks, and I watch as his gaze moves to my bike and then back over to me.

"I'm leaving. You brought me into the fold. I chose to come, but I didn't do it to play nursemaid to a bunch of idiot prospects. You told me I'd be on the ground floor of revenge. That's the only reason I'm here."

"Didn't anyone teach you patience, King?" Eyeball jokes. I roll my eyes because he's the poster boy for going off half-cocked.

"Not successfully." He laughs, but I just stare at him, arms crossed at my chest.

"You need to prove yourself as loyal before I move you into important matters."

"Man, I've been working for you for months. I've fed you information from my club about your enemies. I think I've proven myself enough. I'm not about to jump through hoops for you. I can get revenge on Dragon on my own. I just wanted muscle behind me. My old prez sold me out because of his new son-in-law. Still, I can handle this another way—which means, I'm out of here." I hop on my bike and pull out my sunglasses and slide them on. I take my time, knowing Eyeball isn't going to let me go. He wants to use me for revenge on Dragon, too. He doesn't realize I know that, but I do. The motherfucker really thinks he is the one in control right now.

Clueless sap.

"What if I told you I already have Dragon's balls in a vice and waiting to chop them off?"

"Hold up. You have Dragon?" I ask, playing like I have no idea what he's really done. This motherfucker won't even see hell come down on him before it's too late.

"Something better. Would you like a peek?" He's smiling like he holds the keys to the universe. Dumbass is too stupid to know he's living with a clock ticking. His time is almost up.

"It better be worth my time," I growl, getting off my bike. I stand up, sliding the arm of my sunglasses so they close against my shirt. I miss not wearing a cut, but these idiots think I left my old club for them. Luckily, they haven't given me a cut yet and I'm glad. I dread having to put it on—even if it would all be a lie.

"Follow me," Eyeball says, turning away from me. I walk behind him, hoping he's about to show me exactly where Nicole and the other chick are. It will help to get that information to Ford as soon as possible.

And pray it won't arrive too late …