Page 26 of Ruthless Son

“Did you find the info?” I walked into church, shrugging my cut on and taking my seat around the table with the other brothers. I’d left Mickey in the dungeon for someone to move, then I’d have to go back to clean up the mess I’d made.

Sly looked at me with a serious expression, the men avoiding my gaze as I waited for a response. “What did I miss?” Tension rippled through the room, and Cal cleared his throat, giving Sly a nod, permission to proceed with sharing what he’d found.

“Brother, there’s a little problem,” Sly gritted out, while tapping an old phone on the wood. “More specifically, a little English problem.”

My muscles pulled tight, I was ready to leap out of this fucking chair and grab the phone myself, but years of learning to control my anger kept my ass in my seat, waiting patiently for Sly to spill what he had. The minute he’d mentioned an ‘English’ problem, Mia had flashed in my mind, the happiness on her face earlier when I’d given her the flowers, knowing they’d been for her the whole time had lit a fire in my gut.

I just killed a man for her.

I could lie to myself and say it was only done for the club, because we needed the information that Mickey was hiding. But the relief I’d felt when that scum had taken his last breath had felt more like reassurance that he couldn’t touch Mia again.

“There are messages… between Mickey and this ‘suit guy’, it talks about the girl.”

Kannon’s fist slammed on the table. “It’s bullshit.”

“Enough.” Cal’s low command was enough to have every man at the table holding their tongue. Kannon glowered at the phone still held in Sly’s hand, as if the device was the enemy.

“The basics of it is, it seems that Mickey was stupid enough to keep some of the drug money. He was hiding a small percentage of it and giving this ‘suit guy’, whoever the fuck he is, a lesser amount, and he was none the wiser?—”

“How’d he find out?” I gritted out, my patience wearing thin.

“Mickey got cocky, and started taking more, this guy found out and threatened him, which is why Mickey was in hiding in the first place. He uh…” Sly cleared his throat, rubbing the back of his neck and wasting my damn time in the process. “He said his girlfriend has the money, and that she was the one that put him up to it.”

A low growl ripped from Kannon’s throat. “I get it, Brother.” I kept my cool, offering the road captain a minute to calm his anger at the accusation. “Ain’t no way that little girl did that, this is just Mickey trying to cover his own ass. Fuck, I should have kept him alive a little longer.”

Sly snorted. “This is what happens when you get trigger happy, Brother. People end up dying.”

A deep sigh tore from my chest. I’d been quick to get rid of the problem and now we had another problem on our hands. “I’ll talk to the sister—Millie—see what she knows?—”

“Like hell you will, I know your brand of talking.” Kannon stood from his seat, his white-knuckled fists planted on the table.

“You think I’d hurt a little girl?” My own chair rolled backward and I stood, irritated with his claim that I’d ever lay my hands on a woman. Of course, I’m not saying it would never happen. If a woman betrayed us, she would face the same wrath as anyone else, but I wouldn’t just go straight in and harm her or torture her for fucking information! Gauge was at Kannon’s side, grabbing his shoulder and muttering in his ear. “You know me better than that.”

The gavel hit the table with enough force to feel the vibration through my fingertips. “Sit the fuck down, both of you.” Our asses hit the seats, Kannon’s apology was wordless, a nod of his head, but it was enough for me. Tension was high at the moment, especially with Threads off on his own.

“And why the fuck are you getting so bent outta shape when you won’t even speak to her. You go in and buy them damn flowers and give some of them to my wife so you can see the woman, what’s the fucking point?” Prez declared, annoyance flashing across his face.

Kannon ducked his head, shame faced and angry that he had no say in what was going to happen, she wasn’t his, so she had no protection at all.

“Rex, you know the sister, you’ll do better speaking to them. I don’t want anyone going in heavy handed,” Cal ordered. “I also want someone at that hospital, I don’t want whoever this fucking guy is getting his hands on her.”

“I’ll do it,” Kannon offered.

“Of course you fucking will.” Prez rolled his eyes. “Make sure the run is sorted and send me the instructions, then get your ass down there. Rex is going straight there now, I’ll get the dungeon cleaned up, just… see to the woman.”

“You got it, Prez.” I pushed back from my chair, watching the brothers file out. When I was the last one left, I turned to Cal. “What if…”

“What if she’s guilty and we’ve been blindsided?” He scrubbed his hand over his bald head, digging his fingers into his eye sockets like he could get rid of what was running through his mind right now. “Then so be it, Kannon will understand. Plus it depends on how deep she is. If she’s just a stupid girl looking to make a quick buck, it’ll go easier on her. We can just stick her on the first flight back to where she came from.”

The pressure of my role had never felt so heavy, but I eased a small sigh of relief that I could just send her away if she was a problem, and not have to get my hands dirty—again.

But of course, with her departure, also came Mia’s. And I hadn’t had nearly enough time with the sexy blonde.

Mia

My hands were sore and my feet still ached from my long day, but after taking a quick shower and freshening up, I’d rushed over to the hospital to spend some time with Millie before the end of visiting hours.

Her sympathy had felt mocking when I’d complained about how tiring my day in the flower shop had been. Her bottom lip sticking out, contrasted with the humor shining in her blue eyes.

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