Page 63 of Always Mine

“I’ve got no choice.”Luke looked around the cage.“Look around you.They were kept in these conditions, and I’ve been doing my research for years, Anthony.Do you get that?Fucking years.Do you have any idea how many women that is?How many people have died because I didn’t act sooner?”

“How could you have known?”Anthony asked, and he couldn’t believe he was even trying to reason with him.“You’re not responsible for this, and if you even try, you’re onto a losing battle.You had nothing to do with any of this.”

“But if I had come to you sooner—”

“There’s a chance we could have kicked you to the curb,” Lash said.

Anthony turned to see his father step into the room.His hands were by his sides, and he looked so calm.

“And you’re not wrong.There was a chance that without good hard evidence, I would have been convinced it was a trick.Something designed by the Monster Dogs MC to set a trap.I wouldn’t have responded.You did the right thing.People died while you were gaining that evidence.”Lash shrugged.“It happens.We win some, we lose some.There’s not a lot we can do in between.”

Luke hung his head.

“But I promise, if you let this get to you, it will eat away at your soul.Even if you could have stopped your father and your club, there are dozens, hundreds, thousands of men out there with the same agenda.”Lash put his hands on his hips.“All you can do is keep fighting.That is all you can do.It’s allwecan do.”

Luke got to his feet.“You’re right.I want to join the Skulls.I want to stop this.I know I’ve got to prove myself—”

Lash held his hand up.“For now, we’re heading home, cleaning up.Then, we’ve got to deal with your dad and the fact he’s still out there, causing whatever fucking mess he can.Will you give me and Anthony a minute?”

“Yeah, sure.”

Luke left the room and Anthony turned toward his father.

“You wouldn’t have turned him away, would you?”Anthony asked.

“No, I wouldn’t.The Billionaires just needed someone from the inside to be able to act.There was a chance people could have been saved, but Luke didn’t know that.”

“And you’re not going to tell him?”

“I just spent a couple of days torturing the boy to get this information.The only person he trusted was you.He didn’t break, and trust me, he could have.Men have done so for less.He’s going to be a good asset, and we also know it is not safe for him out there alone.”

Anthony looked past his father’s shoulder.“Do I need to answer to the Billionaires?”

Lash laughed.“Son, I don’t bow down to the Billionaires.I work with them because I happen to believe in their cause.But they are not the boss.Nothing is going to come of it, and now that the girls have been found, they are going to work to get them home.Everything is good.”

He looked at his dad.

“We’re not good?”Anthony asked.

“Son, you completely went against all my instructions.You went behind my back, and yeah, part of me is proud of that.It’s no different than what I would have done back in the day.You’re going to be one hell of a leader.You have goodish instincts.”

“Goodish?”

“Your woman is in the hospital.”

Anthony hadn’t forgotten that.

“Goodish is still a compliment.”

“But I still got her hurt.”

“You weren’t prepared for what happened.Either way, at the club, I can’t let it slide.You will learn to follow my instructions and if you want back in the club, then you are back to rock bottom.Trust me, this is not going to be easy, and there is a chance I am going to choose Luke over you, and you’re going to take it like a man.You’re going to take your punishment in front of the club, in front of your friends.”

“I already take full responsibility for what happened.”

“Good.”

Anthony’s cell phone started buzzing again.“Sorry, this has been blowing up since we got here.”He pulled out his phone, and then he saw the missed calls and texts.He looked up toward his father.“Daisy’s awake.”

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