Page 35 of Shadow

Turning, I saw Pence standing by the door. He didn’t look happy to see me. Then again, no one wanted me here.

Sighing, I headed over to him. The faster I found out why Kansas summoned me, the quicker I could get the hell out of here.

“What was so damn urgent?”

“You’ll see,” the man said, stepping to the side, letting me pass.

Entering the Diamondback church, I saw that all the officers were already sitting, including that motherfucker Monk, who shot daggers in my direction.

Fucker was still butt hurt about me killing Jinx.

I got it. I really did, so I said nothing.

I saw a woman sitting near Kansas. I didn’t think anything of it because whatever the issue was it more than likely had to do with her. Only the woman looked unfamiliar to me. So, I still didn’t understand why I was here.

“Shadow, this is Joan Trinity,” Kansas said, making the introduction as the woman got to her feet, then turned to face me.

The second I saw her eyes, I stumbled back, shaking my head.

It couldn’t be.

This had to be some fucking dream.

It was her. I’d know those eyes anywhere.

“It’s you,” her soft voice whispered, as alarm bells started going off in my head.

I knew that voice.

It was the voice of an Angel.

Saying nothing, I just stared at the woman, taking every inch of her in. From her shoulder length jet-black hair to her haunting ice-blue eyes. She was of average height and curvy in all the right places. I hated women who were rail thin. I preferred a little meat on a woman. The more curves the merrier.

“You saved me that night,” she muttered softly as her voice washed over my body, soothing the raging voices in my head when Monk got to his feet and shouted, “That motherfucker didn’t save shit! He killed Jinx!” Before anyone could stop him, Monk jumped over the table to get to me.

The second his fist connected with my face, I stumbled back but stayed on my feet. I knew this was coming and I refused to fight him. What I did was mine alone to atone for. If Monk wanted to kill me, I wasn’t going to stop him.

“Jesus, fuck,” Kansas swore, grabbing Monk from behind, as Whisper and Widow jumped up to help him. Monk was a big boy. One of the biggest brothers in the club. He also had the nastiest temper. “Calm the fuck down!”

“Let me go!” Monk roared, trying to break free. The man was a beast on a good day. With his hatred for me demanding justice, I knew it was only a matter of time before Monk got his wish and killed me.

“That’s it!” Kansas roared, getting in Monk’s face. “You dare disrespect church! I don’t know what bug crawled up your ass and festered, but enough is enough. After church, you and I will be in the ring, motherfucker.”

“Fuck you!” Monk yelled back, shaking off Whisper and Widow. “You are not fit to be President. You let that sick motherfucker waltz in this club as if he belongs. He belongs six feet under. If Big Jim was still alive, that fucker would already be dead for what he did to Jinx. So, fuck you. I’m out of here.”

“You walk out that door,” Kansas calmly but firmly threatened. “You leave your cut.”

Monk got right back in Kansas face. “Go to hell, Kansas.”

Monk pushed past Kansas and walked the fuck out of the room.

I’d seen my fair share of tensions rising in a clubhouse, but this was something else. Something more. Monk just openly challenged the President of the Diamondback M.C. Though not unheard of but generally a challenge ended with one of them dead. I knew the clubhouse had a past. Fuck, most of them did, but whatever was going on here wasn’t just about me. The Diamondbacks were disintegrating fast.

“Whisper, Widow,” Kansas said, as both men shook their heads. “Follow him.”

“Sorry, but I won’t do it Prez,” Widow carefully apologized. “Monk is right. We all feel the way he does. We kept our mouths shut out of respect for you and because we wanted to know what that fucker knew about Jinx, but you crossed the line with this. As long as Shadow is in the clubhouse, I won’t be.”

“Neither will I,” Whisper added, standing next to his brother as the rest of the officers stood. Standing my ground, all the officers quietly left the room, including Kansas’ V.P., Pence.

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