Page 1 of Nines's Time

PROLOGUE

NINES

Growing up, all I ever wanted to do was follow in my father’s footsteps. To be the man he raised me to be. I don’t know who my mother is. From what he told me, she took off after I was born and never came back. I didn’t question him. He was all I needed when it came to parental figures.

Then, he died.

I’d been heartbroken when he’d died. In my grief I was a dick, and I took it out on those around me. I even hurt the ones closest to me with the way I acted. I was spiraling out of control. I even lost my seat as VP for six months. The club voted I needed to go Nomad for a while, and I did. I’d always thought I’d be the President of the Devil’s Riot MC Tennessee charter growing up, but when Blow took the seat, I was pissed.

However, while I was out on the road, I realized why he got the title and I didn’t. It’s what my father wanted on his deathbed. He’d told Sniper, and a few of the other older members agreed with him, so they voted Blow in as Prez and me as the VP.

Looking back, I get the reason for this, and I wasn’t the only one to be raised the same way and not follow in my father’s footsteps. Stoney’s son, Horse, is a VP and doesn’t hold it against Twister for taking what I figured should have been his.But that situation was different since they were starting a whole new charter.

Foolish is what I guess you could say I was, but now, I understand.

I also know that Blow, being my best friend, didn’t want to take the position from me, but in my grief-stricken mind, I didn’t see it that way. During my time on the road, though, I cleared my mind and found I was blinded, and because of that, I was doing dumb shit.

I took my time to get my head together, and in doing so, I went to places my dad told me about growing up. The different places that he’d gone to when he was younger. I even found out about the woman who gave birth to me and why she gave me up. Her name was Renee, and according to the old man who knew my parents, she was a wild child and did what was best by leaving me to my dad to raise. Said she wouldn’t have been a good mom not when she wasn’t able to take care of her own self without help.

By the time I got back to the clubhouse, I’d been from the west coast and back to the east coast. I spent a few weeks in North Carolina, in Buxton, staying in a motel right on the beach. It was peaceful and I’d given into the grief and moved on. I know I’ll always miss the man who raised me, and he’d be disappointed to learn I let him down the way I did, butI’m back now, and I intend to do my job without making any more waves.

Or at least I wasn’t intending on making any more.

However, life has a way of always fucking with us when we least expect it.

* * *

“What the fuck? Seriously? Cat shit? Fuck,” Lucky yells, dropping the diaper he’d had in his hand.

“She got you again.” I chuckle, grinning at my brother, knowing Chelsea was at it again. Glancing in her direction, I find her beaming mischievously. If it wasn’t for Rain demanding all of us taking part in the games she planned, none of us would be caught dead playing baby shower games. But it’s for Storm and Blow, so we all put up with it since Storm isn’t just the ol’ lady to the Prez, she’s a club princess.

“I’m out of here,” Lucky grumbles and mutters under his breath that he is going to make Chelsea pay for her stunt.

I shake my head and move away from the table, not getting anywhere near the diaper game Chelsea put together for Rain. It’s a good thing I knew she’d been helping otherwise I might have fallen victim to her pranks. I swear the woman is hysterical when it comes to this type of shit. When she first got to the clubhouse, she’d fucked with a clubwhore—or, as the ol’ ladies have dubbed them, a ‘fallen harlot’—who Lucky was with at the time. I think she’d done something with honey and bees, and I believe she released her snake in the woman’s room.

A few minutes later, Lucky rushes back inside, his face contoured with fury.“Brace, cops pulling up. A shit ton of them,” he yells and looks straight to Blow, who rushes over to where Storm’s sitting on the couch. “Raid.”

“Motherfucker,” I growl, right beforeofficers wearing tactical gear rush into the clubhouse, guns pointed out in front of them as they order us to get on the ground.

Thankfully, the clubhouse is clean, we don’t keep anything here on the off chance something like this were to happen. Calmly, I do as told, my brothers following suit. I keep my head facing the officers not wanting to be surprised by anything on the off chance something was to happen.

The front doors open again, andtwo other men come in dressed in suits that look to have seen better days, a badge clipped to their belts, a hand on the guns holstered at their sides. If I was in a position to make jokes, I’d say they’re trying too hard to mimic one another or some shit like that. One of them speaks to one of the officers while the other scans over us until he locks eyes with mine and points in my direction as he speaks quietly to his partner.

They seem to agree about something and nod in unison. The one who I’m guessing thinks he’s got the bigger dick steps toward me.“Brick Tucker. Stand up and put your hands behind your back.”

Not wanting to cause problems when there doesn’t need to be any, I do as I’m told, though I make a point to show them I’m none too happy about it as I demand to know what’s going on. “What the fuck is going on?”

“You’re under arrest on a count of sexually assaulting a minor,” the other one declares.

Hold the fuck on. This shit ain’t right.“I didn’t fuckin’ touch some minor. You’ve got it all wrong,” I protest, not liking this shit one bit.

“Right, well, we’ll see what you say down at the station.” The one who moves behind me and slaps the cuffs on my wrist scoffs as the other starts reading my rights.

I look at Blow and see the murderous glint in his eyes as he meets mine. He knows me and knows I wouldn’t have done anything that they’ve claimed I’ve done. There’s no way I’d ever touch a minor anyway, and I sure as hell wouldn’t have assaulted one. This has to be a setup, and I’m sure I can guess who’s behind it, but it’ll take a fuck load of time to prove it if given the chance.

I allow the officers to drag me out of the clubhouse and put me in the back of a squad car. I’m not going to fight them. I do that, I screw myself, and I’m not a stupid man, not by a long shot. My dad didn’t raise me to be a fool. I’ll bide my time until I get to the station and my brothers are able to get Markus there. Then I’ll find out what they have and get this shit dealt with.

CHAPTERONE

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