The club has completely changed in the couple days since they were gone. There are no smiles or laughter. Everyone is talking quietly amongst themselves.
Sasha and I cook, but there’s no talking involved. After the men have Church, Bear comes to the kitchen and tells us that Derek went to his father’s office.
Everything in me wants to follow him, but he might not need that right now.
Bear says Derek was named the president, and that he was elected as the VP. I know how Derek couldn’t wait to become the president of his club, just like his father, but not this way.
After the food is ready, I take a plate to where Derek is. I knock lightly on the door. I hear Derek say “enter,” and I walk in.
Derek is sitting there looking defeated.
“I brought you food,” I say softly.
“I can’t find her. Fuck. What am I going to do?” he asks, looking at me with sad eyes.
“We will do everything we can to find her. Right now, you need to eat, and then get a rest in so that we can give your dad a proper send off,” I tell him.
When I place the food in front of him, he wraps an arm around me and pulls me onto his lap.
“I don’t think I could sleep if I tried,” he rasps against my hair.
“We will try together. Then I will help you with anything you need,” I tell him.
“I can’t believe he’s gone. I had this feeling in my gut something bad was going to happen. Why didn’t I listen to it?” he croaks out.
“You know, he wouldn’t have wanted to listen to you. He would’ve gone forward with whatever it is that you guys did. That’s the man he was. I don’t know what you guys did, but I do know the man you father was. He was stubborn about what he wanted,” I tell him softly.
“Bear told me that he pushed me down when a gun was aimed at me. He died saving my life,” Derek admits.
“Then he was a hero. He saved the man I love. I think he would do it all over again; save you. You were his son. He made sure to always protect you, and that’s exactly what he did,” I say.
There is pain in his eyes when he looks at me, but he nods his head. I can tell that he knows that what I am saying is true.
I make sure he eats, and he shares some food with me while rubbing my belly at the same time.
I know he’s thinking about what he’s lost.
When we get up to leave, he stops and looks over at a box that is sitting on the couch. He goes over and gets it.
There’s a note. He sits down to read it out loud.
Derek, my son.
This is for Lily, your Old Lady. I know it’s only a matter of time that you are going to make her yours. I’m leaving this note in case anything goes wrong this weekend. You know how I like to be prepared.
If something is to happen to me during this mission, I want you to know that I’m proud of the man you have become. I’m glad I got to meet the woman who is your future and if I go out, I know you will be in good hands.
I had always wanted you to find a woman who would look at you the way your mother looked at me. I’ve had a bad feeling this whole week about the mission. If I go out fighting, I know that it will always be to protect you. I’ll be with your mother again on the other side.
You are going to be an amazing father, and I know the brothers will make you the next president if anything happens to me. They have no doubt you will succeed and bring this club places that I couldn’t. They know that you will continue the Vicious Snakes legacy like you were always born to.
There have never been any regrets when it comes to you.
I love you, my son.
Your father, president,
Tyson Aiden Knight.