Page 41 of Massacre
“None taken.”
“I mean, that family is bat-shit, skin-your-ass-alive, fucked-up-in-the-head crazy. To make matters worse, the St. James family was in bed with the Craven family. The same motherfuckers who started theSociety.”
“Jesus Christ,” Jingles muttered.
“Oh, it gets worse.” Sypher grinned, and everyone groaned. “As you all know, I do security for most of the biker world and the Little Rock Chapter of the Silver Shadows is no exception. It was during one of my routine upgrades that I recorded a private conversation between Steele and his brother Stone.”
“Don’t say it, Sypher,” King muttered, shaking his head.
“Sorry, King. It wasn’t just Steele. Both brothers were in on it. They pulled a Menendez and killed their parents, blaming it on a rival club.”
“Why?” Cash asked.
“Because Steele was running drugs and flesh under the table, behind his father’s back, for the Death Dogs.”
“You got proof of that, kid?” King sneered.
“Yeah, and a lot more,” Sypher admitted, then looked at Nav. “I just sent you everything. I’m sorry I kept this file from you, but I wanted to be sure.”
“And the Death Dogs?” Gunner asked.
Sitting up, I held on to Amber and said, “That’s where I come in.”
“What do you mean?” Amber whispered, confused.
Looking at Reaper, he nodded, and I began, “I’m not a proud man, Amber. I’ve done things in my life that I will carry to my grave, but I’d like to think I’m an honest man. My life didn’tbegin with the Golden Skulls. I was born in Chicago, Illinois as Dwayne Sean Buchanon, the first-born son of Colin Michael Buchanon and Donatella Maria Valentinetti. I spent my early life as a typical kid, half raised in the Italian Mafia world and the other half raised in the Irish Mob. To most people, living a double life would be confusing as both worlds believed in different things, but for me, what I took from those worlds honed me into the man I am today. You see, I wear many masks. I am what I need to be to get the job done.”
“I don’t understand,” she whispered.
“Just listen, sweetheart,” Reaper advised softly.
I drew in a slow breath, the memories sharp as broken glass and twice as dangerous. “You wanted to know why I believed we were married. Why I gave you my patch that day back in Louisiana? Why I walked away from you? It wasn’t because I didn’t want you, baby—it was about survival. About protecting the people I care about, the people I love, even when that meant leaving the one person I wanted to protect and become something I hated.”
Her brow furrowed, confusion mingling with curiosity, but she stayed silent, letting my words settle.
“The Golden Skulls are just one chapter in my long torrid story. A necessary one, maybe. But every move I made—every deal, every betrayal—is a piece of a puzzle that’s shaped me into who I am today.” I let the silence stretch for a heartbeat as the weight of my confession pressed down upon me.
My brother Reggie walked over and placed his hand on my shoulder, giving me the strength I needed to continue. “I’m with you, Dwayne. No matter what. Always.”
Nodding, I took a deep breath and said, “Sometimes, to keep my soul intact, I had to tarnish my hands, and, baby, mine are stained badly. When I left my childhood home, I told you I did so to protect my baby brother, Reggie, and that I never lookedback, but that wasn’t the entire truth. You see, when I left I also took with me the lessons my father taught me. It’s because of those lessons that the Golden Skulls considered me a valuable commodity and boy did the club utilize my knowledge. I’m what the biker world would call a Sleeper. When a club needs information, they send me in to learn everything I can about a particular person, group, business or club. I am very good at blending in and making myself conform to my surroundings. Shortly before we met, I’d returned from going nomad along with four other brothers. We were all tasked with a job. I don’t know what my other brothers did, but I was tasked with infiltrating the Brotherhood of Bastards and to learn everything I could about them.”
“JesusfuckingChrist,” King cursed as he paced the room. “No. No. No!”
“Let him finish, King,” Reaper said, taking a seat at the bar. “It gets better.”
“Sometimes, the problem with inserting myself into other people’s lives is that I have to do things I really don’t want to do, and this particular case was no different. Please understand when I did what I did, I didn’t know about you, or that you even existed. Had I known, I would have walked away and got word to Reaper that he needed to send someone else.”
“Why?” she asked.
Holding her hands tighter, I let the truth fall from my lips. “Because, when a brother in the Brotherhood of Bastards gives a woman his patch, it means they are married.”
“But you’re a brother in the Golden Skulls.”
“Yes I am,” I whispered, releasing her hands as I slowly stood and removed my cut, handing it to Reggie. I then took off my black henley and allowed her and everyone else to see the tattoo above my heart. There, clear as day, inked for all eternity, was the Brotherhood of Bastards’ crest.
“Holy fuck!” Romeo shouted as he took several steps back, while Bane rushed over, hauled off, and punched me in the face, breaking my nose.
“You motherfucker!” he roared as Val, King and Reaper moved quick, getting between us. “You stay the fuck away from my daughter!” Bane shouted as Reaper stood in front of me. I didn’t try to fight. I knew this wouldn’t be easy for anyone to hear. Hell, it was my own fucking life, and I had a hard time with it most days.
