Page 16 of Daddy Issues

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Jester’s white extended-cab pickup windows were tinted so dark you couldn’t see shit, with a white skull on the back glass. You’d have to look close to know it was the Desert Kings MC logo without the crown and piston crossbones.

Because he wasn’t riding, the skull was naked. Because he was a King, he wanted everyone to know.

These weren’t the kind of runs I liked to make. The weapons, the bullshit for the Ukrainians I’d do all day. Hell, if pressed I’d even say I liked Val and considered Ky a friend. Even if the older brothers were weird as fuck.

But cartel…I hated this shit.

If something went south on this run, we were on our own. But we had to make it. Because of Preacher’s debt, we had to mule drugs for the cartel. Or risk Garza’s wrath. With no one to fall back on.

Jester would take it all. Pretty damn close to a life sentence.

It’s why we flanked him. Dekes scouted ahead. Merc, AP, and I brought up the rear. We’d start some shit if we had to, just to keep Jester clear of the cops.

Watching Merc and AP ride together made me sentimental. The only thing in this world that meant more to me than the MC was Eli. Maybe one day I’d ride side by side with my kid the way AP did now, if his bitch ass mom didn’t fuck him up too bad.

If I kept her away, he’d suffer. If I kept her around, he’d suffer. It was a lose-lose situation we’d brought our kid into the worldto. I’d do my damnedest to make it right. Even if that meant doing shit like this.

These men would die for me, for my kid. I had no brothers, not that I knew of. These were those who’d be there for him, even if I couldn’t.

The closer to the county line we got, the more anxious I got. We’d have some coverage through to Vegas. But south of there, into California, we wouldn’t have shit.

I glanced at the entrance to the Bends as we passed that white trash waste land. A brand-new Challenger sat at the stop sign on the busted concrete. Gleaming black, blacked-out windows, barely any dust. It was so out of place in such a desolate location, I took notice.

When it creeped out behind us, I kept my eyes on it through the rearview. Merc did too, falling back to roll beside me. Protecting his dad, our President.

They stopped at Miller’s bar on the outskirts of Dry Valley. It was the sort of place only barflies flocked to. We’d been there before, did charity runs and other shit that stopped there.

No one exited the car while we were in sight. But the sleek sports car wasn’t the sort of thing Wanda’s boys would be driving.

I glanced at Merc and he shrugged. It wasn’t a problem…until it was. And we’d handle it then. Something sat heavy in my gut, though. When a man like Preach died, there was always another sleaze bag to take his place. They were like cockroaches; you couldn’t kill them all.

Or maybe we could. We’d damn sure try.

This was our town.

Kenna

My life was a hot mess. But standing there staring at a basket of mildewed clothes that smelled like rancid feet—I really needed to get out of here before I did something stupid.

I’d been on my best behavior since David moved his girlfriend in. I stayed out of her way, not even hanging out at the clubhouse where she’d been holding court for months. She loved that shit. There were women in Dry Valley that thought they were something special when they hooked up with a King. Nadine was one of them.

Or maybe she was just my excuse. Ghost’s patch vote was creeping closer. I hadn’t worked up the courage to see Cam and Riley. I had avoided Puck as much as possible since he pierced my nipples. And well…

My cheeks heated just thinking about it. Angry at myself for all of it, I held a deep breath and then blew it out to keep from shouting.

I lifted the basket, stomped to the laundry room, and glared out into the backyard at my stepdad’s new girlfriend’s little pink SUV. It reminded me of the Pepto colored lipstick she loved so much. I gagged just thinking about it.

The very thought of Nadine hadn’t always made my eye twitch and my skin crawl. Things had started out nice, but Nadine’s jealousy had soured any hope at a relationship with me.

To her, since I wasn’t David’s biological child, I was only here to manipulate him, take from him,blah blah blah. Not that she said it to me or David, just anyone else who would listen. Every washed-up patch bunny in Dry Valley wanted to tell me all about it.

Nadine was a status climber, and the Desert Kings were the highest rung on the Dry Valley ladder. Dating David made her feel like she was someone important…even if she wasn’t. He was so lonely, he had blinders on. I could shout it at him, pitch a fit, start shit, but it wouldn’t matter. He was so wrapped up in her he couldn’t see straight.

The only way to salvage my relationship with him was to get the fuck out of his house.

And that’s why I was so angry. I couldn’t afford to be late for work at the club.

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