Page 112 of Vengeance

Everyone shakes their heads no, and TK shrugs. “Guess everything is the same except the logos you'll be wearing.”

“Cool,” Dax says.

“Welcome to the Drifters,” Jennings says and lifts his gavel.

“Wait,” Colt stops him. “I need to request something.”

Looking at TK, Jennings watches Colt's father shrug. “Okay, what's that?”

“I'd like a transfer. To Summerville.”

The room falls completely silent, and TK stares hard at his son. This clearly isn’t something he’s talked to his father about, but it's Ky who looks the most hurt. “What the fuck, Colt?” Ky asks.

“Look, my wife can't heal here. We talked about it today as I tried to convince her to go to the safe house, which she stubbornly opted out of, to the surprise of absolutely no one. I asked her if things are too broken to be fixed. We all know the only reason she brought the idea to the club was because she felt she had to, and she still went to Grayson to see if Christian was working with the Slashers. I need to do this for her.”

“She can't heal here?” TK asks, his eyes locking on VP.

Colt shakes his head. “No. The three people she needs time away from are the three sitting at the head of this table. And considering Diane's in Black Valley, the only option we have is Summerville.”

“She has to heal from me?” TK looks pained at his son. “What did I do? And what about Zane?”

Jennings stares at Colt. The man just called out his father, father-in-law, and the President of his club. “She needs distance from her father, father-in-law, and me.”

“Well, Zane’s just always a disappointment. She made a good point when we talked, though. You guys have all apologized, and, hell, Jennings, you bought us a fucking house, but at the end of the day, no one's ever broken the cycle. Every one of you saw what kind of shit I was causing, and no one stepped in or even asked her about it. We let her down, and we keep fucking doing it.”

“When is she gonna get over the bullshit she has with Dad?” Zane asks.

“When he changes his habits and finally beats your ass like he should have decades ago,” Colt says. “Nothing actually changes. All that happens is a half-hearted apology with the same shit happening over and over again.”

VP looks at Jennings. “As long as my daughter wants to move to Summerville, I think we should approve it. Assuming Dax is okay with it.”

“I've heard about Lex,” Dax says. “And she's the one who had the idea about the snipers? Fuck, we'll take her. I suppose we have to take her husband, too, but that's cool.”

“You're willing to just lose her?” Shep asks. “Ship her off to another charter?”

“If we keep her here,” Jennings says, locking eyes with Colt, “I think we might actually lose her.”

“I won't risk that,” Colt says. “Honestly, I wanted to walk. I fucked up big time, and I was no better than anyone else who's betrayed her. She kept us with the club, but I can't help but wonder how long until she breaks. It's killing me to know I can't fix this. Not here.”

Psycho sighs and looks at Jennings. “If Lex says yes, looks like you're down a Griffin's Beach member.”

“Looks that way,” Jennings says. “Can I bang the gavel now?”

He hits the table and everyone walks into the main room with a morose tone about them rather than excitement that this battle with the Slashers has finally ended. The man they've sought for what feels like forever is chained up in the basement to be dealt with, but everyone just feels the loss instead. This will be an adjustment, that's for sure.

Chapter Thirty-Five

Griffin's Beach

Lex

Pulling into the clubhouse parking lot, Lex steps out of her Mustang and shuts the door. Colt texted, saying they had O'Malley, and she feels like she can finally breathe. He hangs in the basement, and she can't wait to see her stalker hung up on chains like some would hang a deer to drain the blood after killing it.

She reaches the clubhouse door, but she stops when she hears someone call out her name. Turning around, Diane walks towards her. Or, someone who looks like she was once Diane. Her face is swollen and beaten, and she wears more clothes than she's ever seen on a bunny in her life.

“What the fuck happened to you?” Lex asks. “Mess with another taken man?”

“Slashers,” Diane says and attempts a smile. “Can I talk to you? Please?”

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