Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 92519 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 463(@200wpm)___ 370(@250wpm)___ 308(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92519 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 463(@200wpm)___ 370(@250wpm)___ 308(@300wpm)
“I’ve spoken to Daemon, they’re on their way over here.”
“What?” Colt didn’t like this. Inviting that shithead to their clubhouse was a big mistake. “Prez, you can’t do this.”
“Right now, Colt, I’m your father, and I’m telling you, this is good for both clubs. We’ve had a lot of bloodshed lately, on both sides. Something has to give.”
“They’re responsible for what happened to Nancy. Have you forgotten that?” he asked.
Warden glared at him.
“Enough, Colt,” Kim said.
“You agree with him?” Colt asked.
“Yes, I do. How many more people are we going to bury because of this petty dispute?” Kim stood. “I know it’s not the best idea, you marrying someone you don’t love or care about, but we all have to make sacrifices for this family. I have, every single day.”
One look toward his father and he saw Warden drop his head.
Out of everyone in the room, Kim had to give up the most. One night at a party, many years ago, Kim had been hanging out with friends. She’d been the good girl, but for one night, she wanted to experience the wild side. That night, she met Warden, unbeknownst to Kim at the time, he’d arranged for them to meet. Warden had been passing through and spotted Kim running some errands or something. Either way, he took one look at her and wanted her. The rest, well, it ended up in him having to spend a whole year wooing her in secret, and then knocking her up. What happened after that was a wedding without any of her friends or family. They all turned their backs on her, and since then, Warden had kept his promise to love and honor her for the rest of his life. Not once had he swayed.
Colt knew it still upset him to know Kim missed her family. She never said anything, but it always bugged her that she couldn’t take him nor Nancy—when she was alive—to Grandma’s or Grandpa’s.
“You’re asking me to be with the enemy, Dad.”
“This woman, whoever she is, is not the one who killed Nancy,” Kim said. “Have you ever considered that she might not want this either?”
“Please, the chance to have a Satan’s Death Rider between her thighs, I’m pretty sure she’s fucking thrilled.”
He got a slap around the back of the head.
“Don’t you speak so much disrespect in my presence,” Kim said. “You do not know who this woman is. I raised you better than this, and if it means we no longer have to bury our people, then it’s what we must do.” Kim licked her lips and lifted her head high. “I’m going to get a drink.”
She walked to Warden, touched his cheek, making the bangles on her wrist clink as she did so. Next, she came to him and kissed his cheek before leaving the office.
“Prez, come on, what’s the deal here?” Colt asked.
While his mother was in Warden’s presence, he was Dad. When they were alone with other members of the club, he was back to being the boss.
His dad nodded at Ox, Crow, and Pirate, clicked his fingers, and without a word, they left. Warden stepped back, resting against the front of his desk. For the longest time, he didn’t speak. Colt waited, wondering what he wasn’t saying.
“I know this is not an ideal situation, Colt, but you are my only son. I’ve met with Daemon and we both have felt loss.”
“We didn’t kill his daughter,” Colt said.
“I know and I know Nancy’s death on you is hard to bear.”
Hard to bear? Colt had been there. They’d been in the park, he’d been the one watching her, and then, out of nowhere, bullets flew at them. He’d acted too late. Nancy had been shot. He’d held her as she died, as she begged and pleaded with him to make her stay.
That would stay with him forever. There was no way he’d ever forgive any Evil Fuckers MC.
“But, I need us to come to an arrangement with them this time, Colt. We need them on our side.”
He stared at his father and hearing him say that, he knew something else was going on. “What is it?”
Warden shook his head. “I don’t expect you to like her, but you will need to marry her, and you will … need to have children.”
“I’ve got to fuck her as well?” Colt gritted his teeth.
“Yes. This is not a joke marriage, Colt. I expect you to act accordingly. Your mother would expect nothing less from you.”
Colt ran a hand down his face. At nearly thirty years old, he hated that his father was still making him jump through all the hoops, not that he wanted any leeway. Being his father’s son, guys at the club had assumed life would be easy for him, but it hadn’t. He’d had to fight and claw his way to where he was right now, a fully patched member of the club.