Page 116 of Jolt's Vengeance

Paulie's clutching one of his kids, a little one, no older than five, like a lifeline.

His wife sits nearby, a girl of maybe seven on her lap, while a newborn sleeps in a car seat at her feet.

The picture of domesticity, shattered by fear.

"It... it was Serpent," Paulie begins, his voice cracking. "He found out I was feeding the club information."

My fists clench involuntarily.

Serpent—the Kodiak MC Prez.

That motherfucker's been a thorn in our side for too long.

Paulie swallows hard, continuing, "They... they burned down our house. Serpent probably thought I was inside."

The words hit me like a punch to the gut.

Jesus Christ.

I've seen some fucked up shit in my time with the club, but torching a family home?

I glance around the room, taking in the reactions of my brothers.

Widow doesn’t seem surprised in the least bit, while Dixon looks like he's aged ten years in the last ten minutes.

The kid in Paulie's arms whimpers, and I'm struck by how small, how fragile they all look.

These aren't hardened bikers or ol’ ladies who know the threats that come with club life.

They're innocents, caught in the crossfire of our world.

"Fuck," I mutter under my breath.

This changes everything.

It's one thing to go to war over territory or business, but when families get involved?

Hell, that's when shit gets real.

Damon nods slowly, his eyes hardening. "Yeah, he probably did think you were inside. Sick bastard."

The tension in the room is palpable.

I can feel the anger radiating off my brothers, a living, breathing thing.

Paulie's wife clutches their daughter tighter, as if she could shield her from the danger that's followed them here.

Damon's gaze sweeps the room, landing on each of us.

When he looks at me, I see the wheels turning behind his eyes.

He's weighing options, calculating risks.

This is why he's our president.

In moments like these, he's always ten steps ahead.

"All right," Damon says, his voice low and controlled. "I'll make a call. We've got connections south of the border. I can probably get you and your family to Mexico."

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