Page 27 of Gunnar

“Did you know what really happened?” I knew Dad would know what I was talking about. God knew it had been a topic of conversation every fucking week I saw him in prison.

“Of course, I knew what fuckin’ happened. I know you’re all adults, but I know everything about all of you. I’ve made it my business to know so I could make sure you always had someone at your back. No matter where you are.”

There was a beat of silence before Pippa piped up cheerfully, “Well, that’s not creepy or anything. But just so we’re clear, you ever barge in our personal space like you did again, you deserve every fucking thing you see. And I’ll bring it up at family reunions and Christmas dinners. You’ll never hear the end of it. I’ll be a scourge on your sanity --”

“OK. OK. I get the message. Knock.”

“What exactly was the deal you made with Knuckles?” I had to know what had happened and how Dad intended this to end for me.

“Just a favor. A big one.” Dad sat back and crossed one ankle over the opposite knee. “Knuckles was in prison for killin’ men who raped and murdered his sister. You know that. But what I doubt Knuckles told you was that, about the time of the killin’, his cover with the CIA was about to be compromised. He could have stayed out of prison, but he and his entire team would have been outed. It would have been a death sentence for all of them.”

“How does that play with him going to prison?” I turned to Knuckles, wanting an explanation.

“The reason my sister was… hurt, was to get me in a compromising situation. They never factored in that I’d kill the men they’d hired. They’d hoped to maybe get me on video beatin’ the piss outta the bastards. What they got was way the fuck more. And by ‘they’ I mean one of the groups I’d infiltrated and was steering negotiations from behind the scenes. It’s what I do. I’m paid by someone to help get the outcome they want out of these deals. I infiltrate a group, gain their trust, and offer advice. I’d been in with that particular group, deep, for several years. I’d done enough to put the right people in place that, as long as I was in their sphere of influence, he’d never have full control over his military again. He couldn’t kill me because he wasn’t sure what my death or disappearance would do with his relations with the U.S. agencies he was working with. Since he couldn’t afford to lose those agencies’ support or business, he set me up to go to prison.” Knuckles shook his head slightly before continuing, as if remembering the moment he was describing. “When they filmed me killing those bastards, I was given the choice to plead guilty and it would be assured I wouldn’t get the death penalty. But I’d be in prison for the rest of my life. In return, my team got to live.”

“You sacrificed yourself for your team?” Pippa’s eyes shimmered, the story obviously striking a chord with her.

“Honey, if you think that’s big, you have no idea what I’d sacrifice for you. You’re the most important person in my life. Ever. But yeah. I went to prison to save the lives of my team and I don’t regret it. Though, I’ll admit, had I known it was all a setup, I’d have been more careful in the killing, then I’d have gone after that bastard, El Diablo, himself.”

A chill went up my spine and my gaze snapped to my father’s. Cain’s mien hardened, and he was laser-focused on Knuckles. I tightened my grip on Pippa’s hand, not daring to say anything. If Knuckles was fishing, I wasn’t giving him anything other than the unavoidable initial reaction.

“What dealings did you have with El Diablo?” Cain was all business now, the cunning warrior of his well-earned reputation.

“Enough to know everything he does is for a reason. He wanted me in prison for a specific purpose.”

“It sounds like you’re saying he deliberately set your sister up for rape and murder.” Cain kept his statement neutral when I knew his insides were roiling. Because mine were too.

“Oh, he set her up to be murdered, sure. But not the rape. I think the rape, when he’d specifically told his men they were to make it a clean kill, was why he let me kill them the way I did.”

“You’re accusing him of killing an innocent, Knuckles. That’s a hell of a thing.”

Knuckles snorted. “I never said my sister was innocent. She deserved the killin’. She was working directly against El Diablo at the time. I tried to warn her, but she thought she could best him.”

“You still got an ax to grind with him?” Cain’s question was more of a demand. I knew that tone of voice often made grown badass Marines piss themselves. I also knew Knuckles wouldn’t be one of them.

“Nah. El Diablo’s a bastard -- and yes, I know your connection to him -- but he’s not evil. Kind of a darker shade of gray, but not evil.”

“So he threatened your team if you didn’t do what he wanted.”

“Yep. Was a stroke of genius, if you ask me. It also put me in a much better position to get revenge with the perfect alibi. Because El Diablo wasn’t the real threat. He was just doing a job he was paid to do. After his contract was up and El Diablo fulfilled his end, he came back to me and we took down the motherfucker in spectacular fashion. Took a few years, but it was worth it.

“While I was in a forced relationship with El Diablo, was when that bastard, Slash and his minions took over Kiss of Death. They killed Dart, our president, and Slash and Rat Man turned my club into a fuckin’ snake pit.”

“If it makes you feel better, we got most of the bastards. Bones and Salvation’s Bane.” Cain rubbed a finger over his lower lip. “Couple of ‘em died pretty hard.”

“I’d hoped you would. Did my best to put ‘em in your path.”

Cain snorted. “Always gotta one-up, huh?”

Knuckles shrugged. “Just keepin’ you on your toes, old man.”

“Was there a point to this fuckin’ story, Knuckles? If not, you’re borin’ me to tears.” Dad wasn’t a good loser even with us kids. Thinking Knuckles had gotten one over on him fared about as well as it would have for one of us.

“Yeah. The point is, all this shit with Gunnar went down just as El Diablo was gettin’ ready to get me out of prison. He knew me and you had a connection, so he told me what was going on and that the youngster over there was forcin’ the issue and pleading guilty. It was mostly done before he could do anything about it. Wrath hadn’t yet joined him, and El Diablo hadn’t had enough of a warnin’ to head things off.”

“What?” I was starting to feel more than a bit betrayed, which pissed me the fuck off. Pippa patted my knee, and her touch helped to ground me.

“El Diablo agreed to get you sent to Terre Haute if I could get you housed with me. I was supposed to teach you how to survive and keep you alive.”

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