Page 32 of A New Era

Chapter Nine

Leo

Luca’s already at our spot when I turn onto the old dirt road between the city and Willow’s Peak. I pull up beside him and hold my fist out for him to bump. “You good?”

Like our father, he pulls a cigarette from his pack, but he doesn’t light it. He keeps it between his fingers. The day River was born he gave up the bad habit. Most people say I’m most like our father, but Luca’s much more like dad than me.

“All good, brother. I heard your old lady got herself into a fight last night.”

The smirk on his face has my laugh escaping. “It was hardly a fight, but her slap echoed all around the club.”

“You seem proud about the fact.”

I snort. “Cause I am.”

I’m proud as fuck that my woman is capable of handling herself when defending our family. It says a lot about a person when confronted.

“I didn’t think she had it in her, but I guess you don’t know someone until you do.”

I love that people don’t know what to expect when it comes to Holly. Grim certainly made it his mission to come to find me and apologise on behalf of Zara. I warned him to keep her away from the club but after Holly handled herself, I let that be the last word on the matter. Letting everyone see she has a power of her own.

“Enough about my old lady, what news do you have for me?”

“I’ve already told you about the call. I met with her last night and the money she’s offering is off the scale ridiculous. She wants me to keep the city free of rivals and be there for her when she or her men need protection or needs her product moved.”

“Makes you wonder why she pays them when they need protecting.”

He shrugs. “I’ve faced her men, they’re pussies.”

“What else?”

“It took everything I had but I sold her. The bond between us has cracked over this deal and she ate it up, but it’s not me she wanted the deal with. I think she’s still hoping you’ll change your mind. She also wanted a show of faith of my loyalty. She’s seen my reaction to her killing Ford, but I made it clear making money is above all else. It was the only angle I had.”

I narrow my eyes and ask, “In what way did she want a show of faith?”

“Something to prove that we’re on the outs over her. I told her not to mistake my acceptance of her deal for me selling you or the club out. Victoria said my tone has the ability to make anyone think I don’t give a shit, Effie so far, seems to have believed it.”

Laughing, I agree. “Victoria’s not wrong, brother.”

“I made it clear that you only care about Willow’s Peak. And me, the city. That the distance between us is enough to keep a fragile peace between us as long as we stay out of each other’s ways.”

“Has she asked you to do anything yet?”

He shakes his head. “So, what now?”

“See where it goes. Find out what you can.”

“Will do but I don’t know how long I can play nice. She killed Ford. Every time I look at her, I want to see her blood trickling down her nose from the bullet hole I put between her eyes.”

“Just keep thinking about the future, brother.”

He nods and holds his fist out. We knock ours together before bringing our rides to life.

“I’ll only get in touch if there’s something to share.”

I nod and as he pulls away, I do too, riding off in the opposite direction. My gut is telling me this is the right move to make going forward. Luca is more than capable of holding his own and looking out for his chapter and he knows to keep his grief in check in order to take Effie down. Yet it’s been ingrained into me from the moment Luca was born to look out for him and protect him when he can’t.

I ride into the club and Grim follows me in. Alone. He won’t meet my eye and I sigh. More petty shit to sort out when I should be focusing on the big shit.

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