Page 46 of Shadow

Looking at Kansas, he began, “You guys are here because you joined the club after the massacre. None of you were present during that time and each of you has proved yourself to me and the club. Shadow, you are here because of your devotion to my wife, and you see shit outside the box. A member of this club has brought my allegiance to the Diamondback M.C. into question because I am a branded brother of the Soulless Sinners.”

“What the hell?” Angel said, sitting up straighter.

“That’s bullshit, Prez,” Bongo added. “We don’t give a shit about that.”

“Bongo’s right,Kansas,” Trigger spoke. “Can’t help who your family is.”

“No, but an officer of the club can,” I muttered. “I’m assuming that’s why none of them are present for this meeting?”

Kansas nodded.

Angel looked at Kansas and asked, “Who’s questioning your loyalty, Prez?”

“That’s what we’re going to find out,” he grinned. “And when we get our hands on the bastard, we are going to kill him.”

Shaking my head, I sighed. “Not going to be that easy, Kansas.”

“You don’t get to speak, killer,” Ashe growled.

Kansas held up his hand. “Ashe, he’s here to help.”

“He can help by putting a bullet in his head,” Trigger muttered.

I looked at Kansas and shook my head.

I fucking told him this wasn’t going to work. None of the Diamondback brothers were ever going to trust me.

“God Damnit,” Kansas growled, pointing his finger in my direction. “That man. The one you want dead, just saved my wife’s life. Took a fucking bullet for her. He didn’t think twice about it either. Outnumbered, he still went in that fucking barn.”

Kansas turned and faced Trigger. “You want to tell Hellraiser that her mother died? That her biological father came back and finished the job?”

Trigger paled, then sunk into his chair. “No, Prez.”

“Thanks to that man over there, you’ll never have to. So, show the man some damn respect. You may not like him, but by God, you will respect him in my house. Am I clear?”

Heads nodded.

Kansas sat back in his chair and rubbed his hands down his face before looking at me again. “Okay, Shadow. It’s been a few days. What do you think?”

Sitting up, I took a deep breath and began. “I agree. Jinx was on to something.”

Every head snapped in my direction.

Yeah. Had a feeling that would get their attention.

“I already thought it strange when you said no officers went on that club run with you, Kansas, and apparently, so did Jinx. Club runs are money. At least they are for the Golden Skulls. Doesn’t matter what you’re distributing, if money changes hands, then an officer is required to be there. Been that way from the beginning. Only no officer was with you that day. Which got me thinking, why? Why would Big Jim risk an ambush, or worse? When Jinx returned home from a case he was working on and learned what happened, he immediately began looking into everything. The information he compiled is extensive, and it’s going to take me more than two days to go through it.”

“What is your gut telling you?”

“Though only one of the current officers wasn’t with you that day, all of them have something to hide.”

“Is he suggesting what I think he’s suggesting?” Ashe asked, interrupting.

Kansas leaned forward and flatly said, “Yes.”

“No fucking way,” Judd muttered.

“He’s wrong,” Trigger whispered. “He has to be.”

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