Page 14 of Savior

Even though I was one good pull away from being hanged, I exhaled a laugh. The evidence against Mikey looked solid on the surface, but it wouldn’t hold up. He and I might’ve had our differences over the years, but I knew without a doubt that there was one person he’d never turn on. One person he’d move heaven and earth to keep safe.

Lauren.

Even if he’d considered taking me down, there wasn’t the slightest chance in hell that he would’ve partnered with the same club responsible for killing his wife’s mother. They’d gone out of their way to make it look like an overdose, never expecting anyone to look into it.

Unfortunately for them, they hadn’t accounted for Lauren.

Cobra’s admission only proved that he didn’t know as much as he wanted me to believe he did. Not only that, but he’d also inadvertently given up their mole.

At Dakota’s wedding, a cop had stumbled into me on his way out of the men’s room. At the time, I assumed he’d just spent too much time at the open bar and let him lean on me as I led him over to a table. Looking back on it now, it was obvious he’d been planted to check me for body armor.

It had never been one of my guys.

One dirty cop had been more than enough to give the Sons everything they needed to take me out that night.

“Detective Sullivan came to blows with another club member after your funeral; claimed the club was his to run. If that isn’t a motive, then I don’t know what is.”

No, it wasn’t a motive.

It was a sign that my son had heard me when we were sitting in the waiting room at the hospital. He was willing to become a renegade to protect our family, and I was going to have to play along to keep him safe.

“Maybe you’re right,” I rasped. “Told his mama to take care of it when she told me she was knocked up, but the bitch didn’t listen. Kid’s been nothin’ but trouble since he came into this world. We covered up his shit, and he pays the club back by tryin’ to kill me.”

Cobra tipped his head to the side, watching me intently. “You aren’t going to argue?”

I shrugged. “Why should I? You’re right. I never saw it before; never imagined that he was capable of doin’ it. Kid was so strung out on drugs and alcohol; I’m surprised he managed to pull it off.”

“You know Saint’s all bent out of shape over Sullivan ruining the surprise early,” he slipped.

At my blank stare, he elaborated. “In the cemetery. He stayed back to open the fucking casket; realized that you weren’t in it—

“And? What’s that got to do with anything?” I fought to keep my voice steady. Mikey knew I was alive and was willing to run the club to find me. Instead of feeling relieved, I was more worried than ever.

The Sons were going to be watching their every move.

Was that what Saint wanted—me, chained up, watching the people I loved getting picked off one by one?

He tightened his grip on the rope. “Saint wanted them to believe you were dead, right up until the last possible second. Now, we’re being forced to speed things up. Can’t make a fucking omelet without cracking a few eggs though, am I right?”

I’d been shot New Year’s Eve. It was now almost Valentine’s Day; more than enough time had passed for Mikey to assemble an army. Pain shot through my chest, the rope around my neck the only thing keeping me upright.

Too fucking bad his old man was out of commission.

“So, like I said before… they’re gonna come lookin’ for you,” I forced out through clenched teeth.

Cobra grinned. “Yes… and no. Your son wanted to take over the club to hunt you down, but Bear refused. Declared himself Pres unanimously and, even knowing you were still alive, ordered the club to stand down. Don’t you see? Without you, your enemies get what they’ve always wanted… power.”

Wrong.

I fought the grin playing on my lips, knowing he was seconds away from stringing me up. Bear wasn’t my enemy, and he’d never wanted power. All he’d ever wanted was for the kid he’d raised as his own to acknowledge him. Family had always been the most important thing to Bear, and like Mikey, he never would’ve allied himself with the same men who’d tried to kill his Ol’ Lady and son.

Initially, Saint had wanted them to believe I was dead. Thanks to Mikey, he was now going to try to convince me that the people I’d loved had betrayed me. I still didn’t know how the puzzle was going to come together but was at least aware of where a few of the pieces fit.

Cobra had yet to give up my rat, and I began to wonder if it was because he didn’t know.

I had to remember that if Silent Phoenix had suddenly decided to stand down, it was because they knew they were being played.

And a plan wasn’t worth shit if the enemy knew about it.

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