Page 37 of Forsaking All Others

“King found Colt,” Ghost shares, his eyes meeting mine. “He’s got Hawk holding him at Booker and Mann, while we finish up with the guns.”

That knowledge should provide me with a little relief, but instead I find myself narrowing my eyes, trying to make sense as to why I’m just finding this shit out now and why Ghost is the one informing and not my fucking VP.

“I’ve been calling King for the last twenty minutes,” I grind out. “Every call goes unanswered.”

Ghost continues to stare at me expressionless and his body goes completely still. There’s something going on in his head and I’m not sure I want to know what that something is—my plate is overflowing. I add anything else to it and I’m gonna drop it.

“I’m not here on King’s orders,” he reveals.

“What?”

He blows out a breath.

“King’s afraid you’re gonna botch the deal with Parrish. That’s why he ain’t answering your calls, brother.”

My brows lift at the absurdity of that comment.

“Why the fuck would I do that?”

When the Corrupt Bastards realize I’m not delivering them their shit, that I gave it all to Parrish’s charter, they’re gonna put a fat price tag on my head. The only reason I’m not worried is because partnering with Parrish secures his club’s protection. When the time comes for the Bastards to retaliate, New York will have my back. But if I don’t come through for the man, I’ll be at war with two charters and that’s a fate worse than hell.

Ghost shrugs, diverting his eyes toward the hallway.

“I’m guessing he thinks you might feel inclined to give Colt a pass on moving the guns once he finds out his kid is in the hospital and all.”

I’m fully aware of the fact I’m soft when it comes to Holly. It’s a weakness everyone is keen to, but what they all seem to forget is that I’m also ruthless when it comes to her. Colt walked out on her last night, he walked out on his son and put my kids in a position where my daughter felt it necessary to question my intentions. In doing all that, he changed the fucking game.

He doesn’t get a fucking pass.

He gets nothing.

Crossing my arms over my chest, I lean against the snack machine and level Ghost with a look. Yesterday he was volunteering to break Vivi’s knees because she got in Holly’s face. God only knows what he’ll want to do to Colt if he learns he abandoned Holly and Theo. I consider that for a moment, then I remind myself of the fact I don’t keep shit from Ghost. When a man proves time and time again that he has your family’s back, you give him all the truth because he will safeguard them when you can’t.

“Colt knows Theo is the hospital. Holly’s been calling him since last night. She left a bunch of messages and because she’s Holly and nothing gets passed her, she confirmed that he heard every last one.”

Ghost raises an eyebrow, his nostrils flaring slightly.

“He fucking knows his kid is sick and he hasn’t reached out?” I shake my head and he follows with another question. “What the hell happened between him and Holly?”

My gaze cuts away from him.

“What do you think happened between them? You were there when Leftie stormed into the clubhouse, you heard him speak his piece.”

“That don’t make any sense, though, Mav. Why is Colt still willing to help you move this shit if he’s hip to you and Holly burning that candle between you.”

Considering those words, I bring my eyes back to him. He makes a good point. If the tables were turned and I discovered my wife was conspiring with her ex-husband, I wouldn’t do jack shit to help him. I don’t give a fuck how much paper he was promising me. If I had a suspicion that my wife was still in love with her ex-husband, well, I’d hang the motherfucker out to dry.

“I got a bad feeling about this, Mav, and the last time I got that feeling I was racing home to find my baby dead in a bathtub.”

Ghost runs a hand over his face, then he blows out a ragged breath and bites the inside of his cheek. I know he’s holding back and that ain’t Ghost’s style.

“You got something to say, brother, you say it.”

“A half hour after you ordered King to find Colt, he had him in the back of a cage in route to Poplar Creek.”

I’m not seeing the problem.

“It’s been a long time since you’ve ordered any of us to keep tabs on Holly’s man.”

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