Page 56 of Dragon Strife
Quinton sits back in his seat and releases a breath, raising his saddened eyes to mine but continues speaking to V. “I’m not trying to make excuses for his actions, but I would assume it was the alcohol, and when we throw ragers like that… things happen.”
“Sure.” V nods, knowing what life here at the club is like during those drunken parties. Chino is not wrong. “Life with Jaeger after he found out my father’s plans were hell. Those weeks I spent mostly praying he would sleep here instead of coming home. He left me with bruises, the same ones Quinton lost his shit over when he saw them for the first time. At least until he learned it was my brother, his best friend, and then it didn’t matter anymore.”
“That’s not true, Genni—”
“It’s V,” I correct him before the storm I see brewing in her eyes lashes outward. Her eyes flick to me and she gives me a quick incline of her head.
“That’s not how it happened, V,” Quinton begins. “Jaeger and I have been best friends since we were young kids. When Vic brought him into the club at fourteen, I prospected at the same time and we started our training together. He was always meant to be President and there was never any doubt that he would one day be Vice. And he was! Then he mirrored Vic for everything, and all his training was to pay off when Vic retired.”
“Only my father was shot in the face instead,” V interjects, effectively shutting Quinton up. “Soon after my father asked me to be President of the Dragons, I was shipped off to be raped in the basement of a club, then left for dead.”
“I was there when he made the plans with Bear—”
“No, you weren’t,” Malik snaps. “The first time it came up was when we found out Vic was trying to take out our cartel route. We saw you pull up to our warehouse, and we decided to pay you a visit. Remember that, Chino?” Quinton runs his fingers along the stubble on his chin but otherwise remains quiet, his thoughtful eyes on Malik. “Bear was sent to strike a deal with Jaeger on behalf of Barrett. I didn’t know that at the time, I thought we were raining on a Dragon parade, but that wasn’t the case. Bear had a little meeting with Jaeger, didn’t he, Chino?”
Quinton’s face falls into his hands and I can feel the desperation pouring off of him in waves. He’s still clinging to the unraveling threads of his relationship with Jaeger. “Yes.” I already knew most of this because Quinton had admitted it during his drunken stupors, but hearing certain pieces fall into place brings me back to feeling like this club doesn’t deserve to survive.
“With Genevieve’s consent, Malik and I started digging around the club, trying to piece together what happened the night she was taken and the weeks leading up to it,” Diego cuts in. “We saw Bear have a small talk with Jaeger outside of the cartel warehouse and not too long after that, Vic was killed and Genevieve was taken. There were a few things we found out recently, but since we just told her, we’ll leave it up to her to tell you or not. Genevieve became the target and Bear said as much to Jaeger, who took the opportunity to get rid of his sister.” Diego is clinical while describing the things he found and I can see why he makes such a great doctor. He can detach his feelings from fact when the time calls for it.
“I can confirm he struck up a deal with Bear to take Slayer and dump her in the desert, hoping she would never want to come back,” Malik finishes. “He was stupid for ever believing that Bear made a deal outside of Barrett’s knowledge and that Barrett would ever agree to the circumstances. I took her from her home that night and I faced you down, Chino. I was hoping you’d put up a fight because I had a feeling she was either going to die in the desert or at the hands of Barrett.”
“Why didn’t you help her?” I ask my brother. There’s no accusation in my tone, I’m truly interested in how my brother went from kidnapping the Varga Princess to clearly being in love with her. “She was helpless and innocent.” Quinton’s head pops back up to look at my brother, probably expecting a fight to break out.
“I was sent on a reconnaissance mission that night and didn’t ride in the van back to the club. I was only there for backup and the pickup, but to be honest? I didn’t care. She was Vic’s daughter and his son sold her out. I did everything I was supposed to do without getting my head shot off.” His voice shakes with anger and I can’t tell if it’s directed at me for bringing it up or at himself for his involvement that night. V reaches out, abandoning the gavel, and covers his hand with her own.
“I’ve never blamed Malik for that night. He didn’t know me, and Barrett wasn’t a stable leader. I’ve accepted what happened to me, and I’m coming to terms with what happened to my father, but it doesn’t mean I will ever forgive his murderer.” I’ve never seen her so conflicted. Her body trembles with restrained anger, but her eyes shine with utter despair.
“According to Jaeger, Vic had made a prior deal with Barrett about his death,” Quinton says so quietly that I almost think no one heard him until V lets out a soft chuckle.
“It’s your choice, Genevieve,” Diego tells her, his eyes filled with remorse.
“My father was diagnosed with terminal cancer.” Her face begins to crumble and I reach for her hand without thinking. Malik growls, but I ignore him and so does she when she intertwines our fingers. “I think he had every intention of giving Jaeger the presidency until he received that news. I haven’t had too much time to think about it because Jaeger said something about it earlier and Malik and Diego only just confirmed it, which means I need to go back into that basement and I need to speak to my brother.”
“He mentioned it,” I tell her as my fingers tighten around hers, her thumb absently rubbing along my wrist. “Jaeger told us about Vic’s illness and his deal with Hell’s March. I truly believe he forced the position of President on you to protect you from a war with the March, but he wasn’t thinking clearly of what it would do inside this club. Jaeger knew that much. I’ll give him that. He knew just how the brothers would react, and I’m not saying I agree with what he’s done. I just understand why he tried to stop it.”
“This club is Jaeger’s life,” Quinton interjects. “Hisfamily.Of course, you, Claire, and Vic were his family as well, but this club? It was his everything. He spent each day and night with us.”
She exhales a long, tired breath. “Nothing changes the fact that he pointed his gun at the only man he regarded as a father and pulled the trigger. I was his sister, and he sold me to solidify his position.Nothingcan change that.” She finishes her sentence with a yawn, making me really take in her appearance. The bags under her eyes are dark and puffy, and her eyelids are growing heavy. She’s fucking exhausted and needs rest.
“You can use my room to sleep—”
“Look, I get the appeal,” my brother drawls as he flicks his hand between me and him. “But we need to get out of here.”
“I need to stay here,” V says with a shake of her head as her fingers tighten around mine. “If I leave now, war will break out and I don’t want to see my father’s blood, sweat, and tears burned to the ground.”
“I think that will happen if you stay here and keep Jaeger in the basement,” Quinton snaps. I can’t fathom what he’s feeling right now. On one hand, Genni is the woman he loves, but Jaeger has been his best friend and brother since they were kids. For him, it goes beyond this club and Jaeger being his President.
“You’re right.” V nods as she releases my hand and stands. “I should give him the justice I feel he deserves and be on my way. What do you think about that, Quinton? Do you feel like buryingyourPresident today?” The words are harsh but her tone is weary.
“I’m Vice and honestly, just being in here and talking to you three is putting me in hot water with the brothers. If you think killing Jaeger will solve all your problems, you’re wrong. It will bring you more.” Quinton runs a hand over the long braid at his back as he exhales. It’s nice to see he’s back to taking care of it again. “Hell’s March and Steel Dragons are rival enemies.” He’s so conflicted, I can hear it in his words as he reflects on the oath we all took to be a part of this club, but the guilt for what happened to Genni still plagues him.
“Solve all my problems?” V scoffs. “I solved most of them when I shot Barrett in the head and then Bear for thinking he could kill me for it. I solved more when I decided to live instead of dying in that basement, and then I furthered my agenda by training my ass off. Do not patronize me.” She leans a hip against the table as she crosses her arms over her chest.
“I will be handing over my Steel Dragon cut today,” I announce. “I no longer feel like this club aligns with my beliefs.” I say it loud and clear, making sure everyone can hear me. I suddenly feel as though a weight has been lifted off my shoulders and I can feel a smile forming along my mouth.
Quinton groans and shakes his head then tips it to the ceiling as he slumps in the chair. “Laith.”
“Well, you can’t join my club. No losers allowed,” Malik snarks, making me roll my eyes.
