Cade

The first plan I had was sneaking into the clubhouse, shooting anything standing between Piper and me, but I decided not to take the coward’s way out. Frank knows me, and he’ll be prepared for my attack. I’d be a fool to believe I could take them all out on my own, so I’ve decided to face him head on.

I park my bike outside the club, and then swing my leg over it. It’s the first time I’ve ever felt uneasy about passing through the front door of the club. It’s been my home, so to speak, for over ten years, and now I’m not welcomed in it.

There’s no one here. It’s completely empty, which isn’t usual, and the hair on the back of my neck stands up.

“You look like shit,” Frank’s deep voice cuts through the otherwise quiet room.

My gaze whips over to the seat he always occupies at the head of the table. Frank casually lights a cigarette, seemingly unfazed by my presence while he sits alone in the room.

The sound of my heavy boots against the wood floor echoes around me.

He takes a long drag and then blows a large cloud of smoke into the air. “Are you sure she’s worth it? Are you willing to lose everything in order to be with her?”

I lift my chin, but I refuse to answer him. He already knows the answers or else I wouldn’t be here.

Frank’s eyes never leave me as he considers what to say next. “You know you can’t have her. She doesn’t belong here—not with us.”

My fists clench by my side. “She does—with me.”

“Cade, guys like you and me…we’re cut from the same cloth. We don’t settle down and we don’t risk everything for love. That’s not who we are.”

“That might be true for you, but you and I…we’re nothing alike.”

“We’re exactly alike.” There’s a hard edge to his voice.

“No, we’re not,” I fire back.

“We are!” Frank slams his fist down on the table. “Because you’re my son.”

I flinch at his words. “What?”

Frank pushes himself up from the chair he’s sitting in. “It’s true. Your mother was my girl back in the day, but I wasn’t good to her and I wouldn’t put her above the club. That’s why I’m willing to give you a chance to reconsider going against me.” He takes a few steps toward me. “Turn around, and walk back out the door. Think carefully how you want your life to go, because I see you taking over the club someday. Throwing it all away for a woman…it’s crazy.” I’m listening to him, but it’s like my brain is in a fog and this is some strange dream.

He steps in front of me and places his hand on my shoulder. “Go home. Think it over, and then call me in the morning to apologize for going against my orders.”

I lock eyes with him. “And if I don’t?”

Frank shakes his head. “Don’t make me go there, Cade. I wouldn’t want anything to happen to that pretty wife of yours, so don’t force my hand.”

The mere mention of Piper causes me to snap. I grab the glock from my waistband so fast, Frank doesn’t have time to react. I press the barrel of the gun to his temple. “Don’t ever threaten my wife. You might be my father, but I won’t hesitate to pull this fucking trigger.”

Del bursts through the door with a gun drawn and trained on me. “Want me to waste this fool?”

I knew there was so way we were alone in here. Frank’s not stupid.

Del takes another step toward me and I say, “Make one more move, and I will put a bullet in his head.”

“Get the girl, Del. Let him have her,” Frank orders. “I don’t feel like having my brains splattered over some shit like this.”

“You’re letting him go?” The disbelief in Del’s voice is clear. Our prez usually doesn’t show mercy.

Frank stares me in the eye. “He’s my son. I owe him that much.”

Del shakes his head, but he doesn’t argue. Instead, he stalks off, but I don’t dare change my position. We stand there, unmoving for what feels like an eternity. I’m not even sure if Frank’s telling me the truth, but he’s got my head spinning.

Del leads Piper into the room by the arm and then shoves her in my direction, causing me to lose my position on Frank as I catch Piper.

Del’s gun is still drawn on me, but Frank puts his hand on the barrel, forcing him to lower it.

Piper clings to my side and I wrap my arm around her. “Are you all right?”

“Yeah,” her voice is barely above a whisper.

The rumble of a pack of bikes catches my attention and I whip my head toward Frank. He grabs a gun from the waist of his jeans and yells to Del, “Ours?”

“No way. I told everyone the clubhouse was off limits today just like you told me to.”

“Fuck,” Frank mutters just as the door flies open.

My eyes widen when four of the Disciples come barging in with Lemy flanking their side.

That motherfucking traitor.

The Disciples prez levels his stare at Frank. “I’ve come for my daughter.”

“Lemy, you fucking traitor,” I growl. “What the fuck were you thinking?”

Lemy’s top lip curls and his eyes narrow. “I’m sick of Frank cutting you all the breaks and not recognizing the one with real talent around here—me. I’m the one with the skills, and he’s not made me a patch. The Disciples recognize talent when they see it.”

He’s committed the ultimate act of betrayal and what he thinks is going to be a long-term relationship with his new club is going to be cut short once Frank puts a bullet in his brain.