Page 113 of Property of Chaos

“You know it was my old man’s before me.”

He scoffs. “Yeah. So what? Bet they had a few other officers who’d do the job just as good, am I right?”

“I guess.” I shrug. “I don’t doubt my right to sit at the head of the table, King.” I look him in the eye. “I doubt my worthiness.”

He leans back with a sigh, rolling his lips. “Careful with that way of thinkin’. It gets dark, fast.”

“I know.” I wake the screen of my phone, then send it to black again. “It’s just this shit with the loading dock that’s given me a shake-up. Shit’s changing in our area, and change always feels uncomfortable at first.”

“True that.” He turns side-on to face me yet looks out over his people. “But it’s worth it in the long run.”

“You’re somewhat of a legend, you know, for what you’ve managed to do with this club.” I huff a laugh to ease the tension.

“I’ve heard stories.” He nods. “But it’s just my name on it all. All these people put in the work to get us where we are now.”

“No doubt.”

He nods to where I fidget with my phone still. “Expecting something?”

I pull my hand away and run my thumb along my upper lip. “Yes and no.” Hands on the edge of the bar, I lean back. “Sorry, man. You’re a great host, and here I am, sulking at the bar.”

He nods to where Highway tastes what some club bunny had for dinner; his tongue is that far down her throat. “Your brother there is having a good time. I’m happy enough.”

“He’s unstoppable.”

“Question is,” he says, eyeing me hard. “Why ain’t you?” King nods to my phone again. “Who is she?”

Everything.“Just a woman living over the road from where we’re moving to next week.”

“Just a woman.” He huffs at my words. “You still think you can bullshit me?”

“What does it matter?” I straighten and stare him down. “My responsibility is with the brothers and the club. Doesn’t matter how I feel—if she has a chance of coming between them and me, she’s not worth it.”

“You want some paper for that shit dribblin’ out your mouth?”

I widen my eyes, one eyebrow hitched. “Come again?”

“You don’t know how I met my old lady, do you?”

“Not really.”

King shakes his head, reaching for his drink. “And you say I’m a legend.”

“Go on then,” I taunt. “Spit it all out.”

“She was engaged to Carlos Redmond.”

My face falls, gut near dropping out my ass. “The guy who had the kids killed?”

He nods.

“Fuck.”

“And you think no woman is worth risking your club for.” He gestures to his woman, stone-faced, as she pulls one of the drunk bunnies into line. “You want to go tell her that?”

Fuck no.“How’d you decide?”

“I didn’t.” He pats his chest over his heart. “This did.” His leg jiggles as he stares at the drink in his hand. “I damn near walkedaway from the Aces. Our president tried to have me kicked out. She weathered that fucker’s abuse while fuckin’ pregnant with my kid, man, and she made me fuckin’ work to set that right aftersheescaped.” He sets the glass aside and drags a hand over his face. “I put the club first, and I almost lost it all. And now I live with that regret.”

---