Chapter Thirteen

Storm

I learned the news broke the moment I woke from surgery.

There was no hiding it now.

Soon, it would be all anyone talked about and only time would tell what the fallout would be. My company was already feeling the ramifications, and while I was confident Calloway Investments would weather this storm, I was more worried about the Soulless Sinners.

I knew the second the news broke about Delany's father, Montana wouldn't think twice about distancing himself from me or my company, wanting to protect the others from the coming melee.

For the last twenty-something years, I'd devoted my life to rebuilding my father's company into the best investment firm in the city and the Soulless Sinners Motorcycle Club was along for the ride, benefiting from the millions my company had made for them. The club did nothing, invested nothing without my okay. They knew I had the Midas touch and used my gift for finding gold in shit to expand and further the reach of the club. Because of me, Montana was able to take the club global, making the Soulless Sinner Motorcycle Club the largest MC in the world. With chapters far and wide, Montana sat back on his throne and reaped the rewards of all my hard work.

Too bad for Montana that he turned his back on me, because he was about to learn a very important business lesson.

Never put all your eggs in the same basket.

"What do you think?" I asked, looking at Malice, who sat in a chair near the window, watching the city below as he munched on an apple.

"Gonna piss him off."

"Maybe he'll learn something."

Malice huffed. "Won't learn shit."

"Malice is right, Storm," Matthew Law admitted, sitting in a chair next to my bed. "You do this and there is no taking it back. You do this and you mark yourself and your family. Montana won't think twice about using them to get to you. You need to consider that."

"I have," I stated. "Like me, he took an oath. A blood oath. Brothers, no matter what. For years, I've made that bastard richer than he ever imagined. It's because of me the club is profitable and don't even get me started on Stone Corporation or the Stone Charity."

"I get that," Law said. "But a hostile takeover. Really? Is this how you want it to go down? Bankrupting the son of a bitch."

"A little humility never hurt anyone."

Malice smirked at that.

Law chuckled. "Montana doesn't know the meaning of meek, Storm. Fucker is going to tear this city apart until he gets his hands on you. All I'm saying is I think you need to really think about this before you do anything. I get he threw you under the bus, but this will only escalate everything, and you know it. Because if you want him to do the right thing, this isn't the way."

"You need to find out the why before you do anything," Malice said, getting to his feet, throwing the apple core into the trash can.

"Why what?"

"Why he's determined you sign those papers. Thought it odd that he already had them drawn up before you even got the paternity results back. You said it yourself. You got the results minutes before Mercy handed you those papers. That means Montana already knew what the results would be."

Sitting up in my bed, I winced as pain shot up my right side. "You think he already knew about Delany and Harlow?"

"Makes sense." My brother shrugged.

Law nodded, adding, "He's got a point. You are a businessman, Storm. When running a company, who is the one person that is always under the most scrutiny?"

"The money man."

"Exactly," Malice growled. "And you control all the money coming in and out of the club."

"How do we find out if he knew?" I asked.

"Already know the answer to that, brother."

He was right.

There was only one person who would know if Montana knew about Delany and Harlow. Problem was that person was in the mailroom, recovering from the Blood of a Sinner —George Stone.

"There is no way he will tell me anything. He knows I voted against him. Besides, how in the hell would I even get into the clubhouse, let alone the mailroom, to speak with him? Thanks to fucking Cynic, Montana had all the fucking surveillance systems overhauled. You can't take a piss in the clubhouse without at least three cameras on you."

"I can walk in. No problems," Malice muttered.

"And the second you do, Montana will order your ass quarantined to the clubhouse. He really fucking hates it when you disappear."

Malice grinned darkly. "Fucker can try."

Leaning back in his chair, Law smirked. "There is another way."

"And that is?" I asked.

"I can have Ace call his baby brother."

Well... shit.

That might just work.

Sitting next to the bed, I stared at my sleeping daughter as Marco monitored the machines in the room. There were so many tubes and wires attached to my little girl. It made me sick to my stomach.

"She's getting better, Storm," the man said. "Her vitals are improving."

"How long before we know if it worked?"

"A few days, maybe a week."

I never wanted to be a father.

Never had the desire to become one. I loved my single life, my company, and my club. For the longest time, I believed I had everything I wanted and needed. Even when Vicious showed up with Linsey and her nieces in tow and Fury laid his paternity bomb on the table. And when Tessa returned with York, I never considered, never thought of having a family of my own. I was happy with my life as it was. I didn't want or need any complications.

Yet, the second I laid eyes on Harlow, something inside me reached out to her, needing to protect her. She was my little girl. Mine. Now, everything I did, everything I thought or wanted to do, I took her health and welfare into consideration. I was no longer the single bachelor without a care in the world. It astonished me how one little girl had filled a void I never knew existed until she was the only thing I cared about.

Looking around the room, I frowned. "Where is Delany?"

"I made her go rest. Woman hasn't left Harlow's side since the surgery. I'm starting to worry about her, Storm. She isn't eating and she's losing too much weight. If she keeps going like she is, she will be in a bed next to Harlow soon."

Sighing, I nodded, getting to my feet. "I'll go talk to her."

Slowly making my way down the hallway, I walked into the living room to find Delany standing in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows that overlooked the city.

Walking up behind her, I looked out at the city I loved more than life itself and wondered what life would be like when all this mess was over. I never cared for uncertainty. Not in my line of work. I preferred the sure thing.

I hated unknown variables.

Anything could change on a dime and that was something someone like me refused to bet on.

"This is all my fault," she whispered while she stared into the void. "When Finley told me, I didn't understand how something that happened over twenty years ago could be so relevant today. I should have listened to her."

"You were barely older than Harlow back then. You couldn't have known."

"He was a good father, Jason. I can't believe what the papers are saying. The way the papers portray him. They are making him out to be some sadistic monster. He was a hero."

"Fuck the papers. They only know what someone is telling them. They are only getting half the story. A story that someone wants them to believe."

"Who? Who would be so vindictive to tarnish my father's good name?"

"I don't know," I admitted truthfully. "But I'm going to find out."

The elevator doors to the penthouse of the Harbor on 5th dinged right before they opened up and in walked Ace Franks with his brother, Sypher.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, looking at the young kid, who was now a man.

"You have a problem." Sypher glared angrily. "A big fucking problem."