Page 149 of Tempting Fate

“Joseph knew his son was a loose unit, so he agreed that he was gonna be dealt with. That was enough to satisfy Brutus… the deal was back on. Only the way I heard it; it couldn’t go down until Brutus had somethin’ on you. Somethin’ big enough to force you to vote with him when he brought the drug and skin trades to church. He knew you had the numbers to defeat him.” Toker puffs up his cheeks and shifts uncomfortably in his chair. “I was a bit in and out of it for the last day or so. Blood loss and too many boots to the head will do that eventually... What I figure is Alex managed to get the Bishops to double-cross Joseph and his grandfather. That’s how he got a lock on the location of the safe house. Seems the ambush was Alex’s way of takin’ out Brutus to force his father to partner with the Bishops.”

“Jesus. Fuckin’. Christ.” Hunter punctuates his curse with a long, low whistle. “That’s some convoluted web Brutus has himself tangled up inside. Now, the big question is why.”

At once, our phones beep.

Cub is the first to read his message. He scoffs, “Seems Brutus has chosen our absence to make his big comeback at the compound. Some of the families have tried to get inside for the wake, but the gates are locked, and the prospects are under orders not to open them ’til he’s spoken to Venom.”

“This should be fun,” I joke when twelve pairs of eyes turn to me for answers. “Nothin’ like being held over the barrel by the same prick who wants to kill you. At least he’ll be smilin’ through it all.”

Sander shakes his head. “What does that mean?”

“I’ll tell you later,” Cub murmurs when Angelis motions everyone to huddle closer.

“We should go together,” he announces once Toker and my dad have been pushed into the middle of our circle. “As a show of force. Make him aware we’re not gonna let him hijack our club without a fight.”

After scrubbing a hand over my face, I shrug. “That’s up to you, but I’m not ready to go head-to-head with him, not while Lily’s freedom is at risk. Until I’ve worked out how to nullify his threat, I’m playin’ by his rules. That’s not to say I don’t welcome your support at my back… now and when shit kicks off... also need to know no one plans on steppin’ up to him without the rest of us.”

One by one, the men meet my eyes and offer me a sharp, “Aye.”

It all goes smooth.

Until I reach Cassius.

He shakes his head. “I can’t. Brutus knows… things. I have a wife and a son to protect. They mean more to me than the Shamrocks. Always have. I won’t back him, but I can’t be seen to back you either.”

“I understand,” I tell him.

It’s a complete lie, designed to give him the out he’s seeking.

There’s an air of disbelief surrounding us as Cass turns his back on his club and strides over to his bike. We watch him leave. His Harley is a distant rumble before Hunter breaks the silence.

“I did not see that comin’.”

The little genius’ understated quip hangs around our heads like a noxious gas. The bomb Cass just dropped is so far out of left field, it’s almost swung back on itself. Until a few seconds ago, Cassius Mayberry, the Black Shamrocks Chaplain, was a confirmed bachelor.

Now, he suddenly has a family we didn’t know about.

“Text Brutus,” I say to Cub when it becomes clear no one has anything more to add. “Tell him I’ll be there shortly.”

“On it.”

As we all drift toward our bikes, Slash falls into step beside me. “When are you gonna tell Cherub what Brutus is threatenin’ to do?”

“I’m not.”

Slapping a hand to my chest, he moves in front of me and forces me to stop walking. “You’re kiddin’, right? You have to tell her.”

“No.” I shake my head, then knock his hand away. Pointing a finger in his face, I state, “It changes nothin’ between us.”

“It changes everythin’… just talk to her. Explain where your head was at and how Brutus took advantage of you.”

“For fuck’s sake.” My temper flares. “You and I both know I was done before Brutus levelled his bullshit at me. All he did was make me see it was the right choice.”

“Venom,” he ventures in a tight voice. Pleading snakes around his next words, pulling them tight, making them run into each other. “She needs you.”

The buckles on my bike boots clang as I stomp across the cemetery. The sound matches the clanking in my head as Slash’s plea bounces around in my skull. Breathing hard through my nose because I know if I open my mouth, I’ll scream. I flex my fingers and roll my shoulders to work out the turmoil that’s coiled within me like a spring-loaded bomb on the cusp of detonating.

If he pushes, my control will break.

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