Empire of Savages (Savage Hunt MC #1)

28. Nick

Chapter 28

Nick

Vox was in his room, sliding a new pair of gloves over his scarred hands. He looked up when I quietly rapped my knuckles against the doorjamb.

He stared at me solemnly while he fixed his mask into place. I knew he was in here because he hated crowds, and the funeral had filled his daily quota for being around people. “I need a favor.”

He frowned at the rasp in my voice. “What the hell happened to you?”

I stepped farther into the room, shutting the door behind me. Rubbing at my sore throat, I said, “I need to ask you a question, and I need an honest answer from you.”

“I don’t bullshit people, Nick. Life is too short for half-truths and pretty words.”

“Who has your loyalty?”

He frowned at the question. “My president. Why?”

I shook my head. That answer was too ambiguous. If his loyalty was to the president of the MC, it meant it could change—especially if Kaash managed to get rid of Rixon like he wanted. I toyed with the idea of not saying any more, but all of this had to end, and I was running out of time.

“Kaash has been trying to have me killed.” As I said the words, I knew how crazy they sounded. How insane the statement was, but like a faucet opening, the words came tumbling out, recalling everything Kaash had said to me as he tried to literally choke the life out of me.

As I spoke, Vox’s expression grew tighter and tighter. “Why? Why the hell would Kaash do all this?”

“He wants to take the club and move it into the skin trade. He’s keeping the girls at Muse hooked on cocaine, and the woman I spoke to said that he runs through the younger girls quickly. I think he’s farming them through the club.”

“Rixon would never allow that.”

“He wouldn’t have to allow it if he was dead, and Kaash was president.”

Vox rocked back on his heels. “These are pretty serious claims, Nick.”

“I know. I also know who killed Dimitri.”

His lips twisted into a snarl. “Who?”

“Our own fucking enforcer.” And my supposed best friend.

His eyes widened. “Gunnar? Are you sure?”

I nodded, jaw clenched. “From Kaash’s mouth.”

“Do you think he could’ve been fucking around with you? Throwing you off the scent? Trying to get you to forget about Muse?”

I wouldn’t put it past Kaash to deflect—to move the attention off him even at the cost of someone else in the club.

“He had no reason to lie, thinking I was going to be dead in the next thirty seconds.”

“Why would Gunnar kill Dimitri?” Vox asked.

“That’s what I’m planning to find out.”

“Putting the shit with Gunnar aside,” Vox said, his stare intense and weighted. “If what you’re saying about Kaash is true, you could literally tear the club in two.”

“I know.”

“And what if it turns out you’re not right? You’ll be exiled, or worse.”

“I know,” I replied, the gravity of the situation hitting me fully for the first time. When I’d been in jail, getting out and returning to my family was all that mattered to me. Was I really going to risk it all for this? I knew if it was the other way around—if Rixon were in my position—there wouldn’t be a doubt in his fucking mind that he was doing the right thing.

Clearing my throat, I said, “If I find out that Gunnar was the one to pull the trigger, I’m going to end his motherfucking life tonight.”

I walked into the bar area of the clubhouse and found it packed with families. The concern and anxiety was palpable in the air as the members spoke to their old ladies and kids, spending as much time with them before Kaash gave us the order to move. Vox was standing beside me, scanning the faces, looking for his little sister.

“Over there,” I said, pointing to where I could see Alex huddled together with Myla on the couch. My girl seemed to have taken a liking to Vox’s little sister. We moved as one toward them. When Myla’s eyes found Vox, she scooted off the couch and ran to him. He wrapped her in his arms.

Looking back at Alex, I found her watching the pair before switching her attention to me.

“Are you okay?”

She looked horrified at the sound of my voice. “What happened? Why do you sound like that?” Her eyes dipped to my throat then, seeing the angry marks. “Nick?”

Shaking my head, I took her into my arms, where she pressed herself against me. I could feel the tension in her body. The stress. The not knowing.

“What’s going on?” she whispered into the space between my shoulder and neck, her breath warm against my skin.

Dipping my head to her ear, I replied, “I found out who killed my brother.” She jerked in my arms, trying to look me in the eye, but I held her still. “Stay close. I don’t want anyone else to hear this.”

Her sharp exhale was a rush of warm air against my skin. “Who?”

“Gunnar.” I felt her shock run through her body.

“Are you sure?”

“Kaash told me everything. They’ve both been trying to get rid of me since I was put away.”

“Why would he tell you that?”

Because he had intended to kill me today. If Eli hadn’t been there, if he hadn’t pulled him off me…

“Because he’s afraid of the power I have. Now that I’m back, he has to get rid of me some other way.”

She sucked in a breath. “Why were you in jail, Nick?”

“Possession of an automatic weapon. It was a stupid mistake I made, one that put me in jail for five years. But that’s where I was when Gunnar came to the prison and told me my brother was dead. The motherfucker who had killed him told me.”

“Nick,” she breathed, twisting her hands into the front of my t-shirt.

I waited for her to say more, but she didn’t. “If I’m not back in an hour, call your father. Tell him what’s going to happen.”

Stepping back, she wrapped her arms around herself, asking in a low voice, “Where are you going? What’s happening?”

“We’re moving against the Devils.”

The color leached from her face. “When?”

“Tonight.” Leaning in, I kissed her deeply and said, “Take care of Myla while we’re away.”

Her eyes flickered between mine, her bottom lip drawn between her teeth. “Don’t get hurt.”

I kissed her again. Hard. Fast. “I promise.”

And I meant it. Because there was no way in hell I was going to leave her in this world unprotected.