Page 92 of Protector

“I just want them to feel at home here like I do,”she’d said with a soft smile.

I’d sworn to myself then that no matter how long it took, I would find a way to bring my family back together—my entire family.

And I’d gladly kill anyone who stood in my way.

“What’s wrong?”

I sighed and shook my head. “Crossbones got arrested a few hours ago while movin’ shit for the club.”

She rubbed my arm. “I’m sure you know someone who can make those charges disappear.”

My molars ground together. “Mikey arrested him.”

“Oh.”

I nodded. “Yeah. It’s a fuckin’ shit show.”

Back in the day, Silent Phoenix had an agreement with the local police department. They stayed out of our way, and we continued doing whatever the fuck we wanted.

It had worked out nicely.

Until now.

“Could Comedian talk to him—”

“You think he’s gonna listen to a goddamn thing Comedian has to say? Kid’s been fightin’ to get away from him his whole life.”

More and more, I found myself wondering if my kids being raised by psychopaths was some form of divine retribution for all the sins I’d racked up in my lifetime.

I thought back to club gatherings we’d had when Mikey was still a kid. He’d always been quiet, not once doing anything that would’ve drawn attention. Sometimes, he’d disappear with other kids his age, but for the most part, he’d always kept to himself.

It was funny how some things changed, but others stayed the same. Mikey had moved into our backyard but was still doing everything he could to keep himself off Comedian’s radar.

Celia stifled a yawn and crossed her arms over her chest. “What happens if you can’t get him out?”

I ran my tongue over my teeth. “He was smugglin’ blow and semiautomatics. If that were to get out, or if the fuckin’ thing went to trial, we’d all be screwed.”

Mikey’s actions had created a logistics nightmare for the club; one that would trickle down to the people we did business with. If any one of them got cold feet, it would throw a wrench in our whole operation. All it took was one motherfucker flapping his gums to bring the entire house of cards down.

I should’ve been proud. My son had chased his dreams and become a cop. He wanted to rid the world of crime.

Unfortunately, he was doing it one biker club at a time.

Bear had been the one to break the news to me, along with the fact that our drugs and weapons were now residing in an evidence locker.

“Then, you’re going to have to do it.”

I cocked my head to the side. “Do what?”

She shrugged. “If you want to operate the way you used to, you need him on board. It’s time to let him know you’re alive.”

“You want me to stroll up to the kid’s front door and say what exactly? ‘Hey, Mikey remember me? Guess what, I’m not dead. Oh, and can you call off the investigation into my club?’”

Her lips moved into a flat line. “Well, maybe not quite like that, but yeah. You need him—”

“He wouldn’t do it. Not in a million years, Celia. He was gonna be one of the good guys, don’t you remember?”

“Look around you, Jamie! There are no good guys!” She stood up and began pacing the length of the porch. “Even if there were, it wouldn’t matter. The bad guys win every time.”

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