Page 72 of Starting Over

“She doesn’t have to marry me if she doesn’t want to,” Fury muttered. “She can still leave with me in the morning.”

“No she can’t,” I reminded him. “She’s Golden, or have you forgotten that?”

“I am too.” He sighed. “My grandmother was Meridiana Doherty. I’m Reaper’s second cousin by blood.”

“You are more than that,” Nav spoke up, clicking away on his computer. “While you’ve been chatting it up, I’ve been running your background. Fury, you are connected by blood or marriage to everyone. I’m talking the Valentinetti’s, the O’Malley’s, the IRA, the Golden Skulls, and by oath to the Soulless Sinners. You are a fucking massive trifecta. We can’t stop him, King. Not without causing a war. If you thought having Carly here was bad, Fury is worse. I don’t see a way we can stop him from taking her when he leaves.”

“Wasn’t gonna stop him, Nav.” I let out a heavy sigh, the sound rough against the silence, as I scraped my fingers on my beard while staring intently at Fury.

I had options here. Fury and I were both related by blood to Braesal O’Malley. As was my niece, who was an officer’s old lady in my club. If I played my cards right and kept my fucking mouth shut, maybe he wouldn’t realize he and I weren’t actually related, by blood or marriage. Braesal may be my brother, but that was because we shared a mom. Now, Braesal’s father Eamon, he wasthe son of Casper O’Malley, and Fury’s uncle, but he was no blood relation to me, and he never married my mother.

Was a common blood link enough to connect our clubs? Maybe, maybe not. But I sure as hell wasn’t passing up the opportunity, not with a war coming.

“Then what’s with all the marriage shit?” Fury griped.

“Like you, I’m trying to protect my own, and what better way to do that than to seal the clubs together?”

Fury glared at me.

Sitting back in my chair, I smiled. “You know I’m right.”

Fury shook his head and seethed, “I won’t force her to do it.”

“I wasn’t suggesting you do, but even I can see from where I’m sitting that there is something between you two.”

“There is nothing.”

“Lie to me all you want, but it’s there.”

Fury slowly got up from his seat and stood, taking Carly with him. Wrapping his arm around her waist, he shook his head and said, “We will not become a pawn in this fucked-up game. I’ve got love for all of you, but I left the Soulless Sinners because I refused to be used as a bargaining chip. I don’t want Carly or our kids anywhere near what’s coming. Find someone else. I’m out.”

“You know it’s not that simple, Chris,” Matlock spoke up. “I hate this for you, brother. I hate it for both of you, but you know King is right. There is nowhere on this planet where either of you could go and be safe. The best thing is to fight this mess together as one.”

Looking up at Fury, Carly asked, “What is he talking about?”

“Tony’s talking about our mutual blood ties. If we marry, no one can touch us.”

“And by joining clubs, the Silver Shadows would be blood bound to protect you both,” I stated, getting to my feet. Walking around the table toward them, I stood before Fury and added, “Take the night. Talk and leave nothing out. She has a right toknow the score, Fury. You can let me know your decision in the morning. Matlock, show them to a room.”

“You think it’ll work?” Cash asked.

After Matlock led our guests upstairs, the rest of the club was dismissed. Only the officers remained.

“Who the fuck knows, but I had to try. There is a war coming, and we need to make sure we are on the right side of it.”

“Which side is that?” Jack asked.

“The fucking winning side.” I deadpanned.

“The Soulless Sinners are the biggest club in the world.” Colt leaned back in his chair. “Unless every other club unites, we don’t have much of a shot.”

“Like that would fucking happen.” Blade snorted.

“Montana may have the biggest club, but you all saw what Reaper and Sandman did earlier this year. Those two fuckers single-handedly took out the Satan’s Angels. I’d hedge my bet that Reaper comes out on top when this shit is over.”

“You don’t know Montana. Club connection aside, the man is ruthless. There isn’t a person in New York who isn’t afraid of getting on Montana’s bad side. Except Malice, his enforcer,” Jingles said.

The Soulless Sinners were dangerous, no doubt about it. But they were rich fucks who thought they were on top of the world. Montana believed he was the king, and there was one thing all kings had in common, they always fucking fell.

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