Page 100 of Empire of Savages

I cleared my throat. “Kaash is running women through Muse.” I kept my attention on Rixon, waiting for any reaction that my words were registering. “He’s selling them to international buyers. And I think his ultimate goal is to take over the presidency of the club and use that to expand his operation.”

“Jesus Christ,” Eli muttered, flicking a worried glance in Rixon’s direction. But Rixon was staring at the bottle, at his fingers wrapped around the neck.

“Rixon was right about Kaash. He’s gathering allies. Maverick is running the books for the strip club and is complicit. I don’t know who else Kaash has influence over, but it’s only a matter of time.”

“Molly?” Rixon said softly.

I jerked my head toward him. “Her death was a mistake. The bullet was meant for me. The attack at the cemetery was also targeting me.” My hands curled into tight fists. “They even targeted me while I was inside. Some fucker named Rios tried to shank me a couple of years after I was put away, but I got the better of him.”

Rixon blinked—a spark of… something… in his eyes. “Kaash killed Molly?”

“I think the bigger problem at hand here is the fact that Kaash wants to take control of the chapter,” Eli said. “And what the fuck you’re going to do with Nick. He killed Gunnar. People will start asking questions. Kaash will want to know where his right-hand man has gone.”

“I think Kaash wanted me to take him out,” I confessed. “He was the one who told me it was Gunnar. When I confronted him, Gunnar just confirmed it.”

Eli’s brows dipped. “If that’s true, Kaash has more machinations than we probably know about.”

I nodded, then looked at Rixon. He was staring at me hard—a lucidity in his eyes that I hadn’t seen in days. “Kaash will want your head for this.”

“It doesn’t matter what Kaash wants,” I replied. “You’rethe president, Rixon.You’rethe one who has the final say.”

Reaching forward, he grabbed the bottle and took another swig. “Any power I may have had is gone, Nick. For all intents and purposes, Kaash is running things.”

My heart dropped. “What are you saying?”

“I’m saying I can’t protect you anymore.”

Anger flash boiled in my blood at the sound of defeat in his voice. “You’re giving up.”

His fingers tightened around the bottle, his eyes downcast. “I have nothing left to live for.”

“That’s fucking bullshit and you know it,” I growled.

There was a sudden, sharp knock on the door. Kaash strolled in without waiting, a beer in his hand and a smirk on his face. “Church,” he announced, looking down at the bottle in Rixon’s hands with a sneer. “If you’re fucking sober enough to preside,Prez.”

Eli stood up, squaring off with Kaash. “Watch your fucking tone,boy.”

Kaash’s blue eyes hardened to ice chips, but he held up his hands in mock surrender. “Chill, Eli. I was just delivering a message.”

“The only person who can call an emergency session of Church is the president.”

“And if the president is indisposed, then the VP has the power to call a meeting.” Kaash’s severe eyes swept over Rixon like he was a piece of shit on the bottom of his boot. “Clearly, he’s not sober enough to run shit, so it’s up to me.”

Kaash turned, knocking into Eli’s shoulder as he went. Before he left the room, he turned his attention to me, made a gun shape with his fingers, and pulled the trigger.

Eli shut the door behind him, folding his arms across his chest and blowing out a breath. “Rixon, you’ve got to pull it together. If you let that bastard take control now, you’re going to lose all your support. Is that what you want?”

“It’s not a matter of when I lose control. It’s gone. I’ve lost control of the club.” Rixon stared at Eli for a long minute, then turned his attention to me. “I want you gone, Nick.”

“The fuck?”

“Kaash wants your blood. My control is slipping. I can’t protect you.”

“Rixon—” I started, pleading for him to see there had to be another way. There had to be.

Ignoring me, Rixon turned to Eli. “You’re my witness in this. I’m exiling Nick.”

“Rixon!” I shouted, feeling like my world was unraveling. First it was my brother. Then Gunnar—the man who I’d known since I was a kid—had betrayed me. Molly. Gone. My dog had been shot. I didn’t know where I stood with Alex, and now Rixon was throwing me out of the club. “You can’t do this.”

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