Chapter 1

 

Graham

 

 

 

NORMALLY, I’M NOT a violent guy and pretty level-headed.

For the most part.

But, everyone has a breaking point; mine came on Christmas Eve, around two o’clock in the afternoon. It was totally unexpected and landed my ass in jail.

Worth it?

Hell, yeah.  

The day actually started out pretty fucking fantastic. I’d shown up early for work – I’m a master electrician- to complete a job my company had been commissioned for, which was a newly constructed hotel. We finished before eleven a.m. and not only did I receive a nice fat Christmas bonus, but also found out that I’d won two airline tickets in a raffle contest I’d forgotten all about. So, I was on top of the world and feeling like anything was possible, which was why I stopped at the jeweler on the way home from work. My girl and I had been dating for over two years, and I’d been thinking about proposing to her. She was beautiful, and in fact looked a lot like a young Demi Moore. Although neither of us had talked about marriage, I knew that I wanted her to stay in my life, and a ring would at least make my intentions clear.

Anyway, after looking at several engagement rings, I purchased one I thought she’d love and had it wrapped in shiny, red Christmas paper. 

“Bonnie is going to love it,” the saleswoman promised, handing me the small package with a tiny, white bow.

Smiling, I thanked her and wished her a “Merry Christmas”.

“You, too, Graham.”

As I walked out the front door of the jewelry store, I found myself whistling to the Christmas music playing and stuffing a twenty-dollar bill into the Salvation Army bucket.

The man dressed as Santa Claus, and jingling a bell, smiled brightly at me. “Thank you, young man. Have a Merry Christmas!”

“You, too,” I said, grinning back. “Best time of the year. Except for the snow.”

“The snow isn’t so bad,” he said, glancing up toward the thick, fluffy flakes that were falling. “To be honest, I can’t imagine not having a white Christmas.”

He was right, but… I was missing my Hog. I hadn’t had it out since October and wouldn’t see it until March or April. It was one reason why I’d been putting money away for a snowmobile. Not exactly the same thing, but it was still as fun as shit. This money was now going toward the engagement ring, but I didn’t care. I was in the giving spirit and wanted to put a smile on Bonnie’s face.

We chatted for a couple more seconds and then I went home to surprise the woman I loved. Turns out, the surprise was on me.

 

***

 

BONNIE HAD MOVED in with me two months prior. She worked out of our apartment, selling bath-bombs, shower gel, and other perfumy shit, on Etsy. It was now taking up most of our closet space and was a little irritating, but when you love someone, you learn not to sweat the small stuff.

As I walked in the door, I was still flying high and had no idea what was about to unfold. Not until I walked into the bedroom and all hell broke loose.

“What the actual fuck?” I gasped, seeing my neighbor - a piece of shit drug dealer - balls deep inside of Bonnie. If that wasn’t bad enough, he shot his load as our eyes met.

“Graham!” Bonnie squealed, trying to cover herself with the sheet. “Oh my God. What are you doing here?”

Shock turned to rage, especially when I saw Seth’s jizz on the mattress. My fucking mattress that I’d paid three thousand dollars for because Bonnie couldn’t live without it.

“I fucking live here, that’s what I’m doing here!” I hollered.

“Hey,” Seth said, scrambling to find his clothing. “Sorry, man. This just kind of happened. I gave her a sample of some ecstasy and ended up taking some too. Things got out of hand, but it wasn’t planned. Right, Bonnie?”

“Of course not,” she said, her eyes filling with tears. “It was a mistake.”

Seth pulled on his boxers. “Seriously, this shit is really powerful. The best I’ve ever sold. You should try some, Bro. Or maybe some weed to calm you down. I’ve got a joint with your name on it. No charge, of course.”

“Is that right, Bro?” I said angrily. The next thing I knew, I was on top of Seth, beating him to a bloody pulp. It wasn’t until Bonnie screamed that the cops were on their way that I came to my senses and pulled myself off of him.

“Graham,” sobbed Bonnie, trying to touch me. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know this was going to happen. You have to believe me.”

“But it did.” I snaked my arm away from her. “Pack up your shit and get the fuck out of my house,” I growled before storming out of the room.

 

UNFORTUNATELY, THE COPS showed up and hauled me down to jail for assault and battery charges. Apparently, one of the other tenants in my apartment building had called, putting the finishing touches on a most memorable holiday. I spent the next two days in jail, and was released the day after Christmas when someone made my bail. Interestingly enough, he was a stranger. Or so, I thought.

“Do I know you?” I asked the dark-haired man waiting for me in the lobby of the station.

“Not yet,” he said, staring at me with interest. He held out his hand. “The name is Jordan Steele.”

I shook his hand. “Graham Dodge. Why did you bail me out?”

“Because that’s what family does, apparently,” he said with a smirk.

His words made now sense. “Family?” I repeated, taking a step back. “I think you have the wrong guy. I don’t have any family. Not living, at least.”

Jordan reached into his coat pocket and pulled out an envelope. “Apparently you do. Read this.”

 

I took it from him and opened up the letter.

 

Dear Slammer,

 

 

I’ve done some terrible things in my life and I’m trying to work through them. Thankfully, Jordan and Trevor have found each other and I hope that one day they’ll forgive me. That being said, I hope you’ll help me find my other son. Although I have a lot of regrets, I know that leaving him in the church was the right thing to do. I was a mess and all that I cared about was getting high. I’m ashamed for so many things, and I’m trying to set things right, which is why I need you to help me locate him. Even if he doesn’t want to have anything to do with me, he has two brothers and they’ll want to know about him. In time, I hope that I can face all three of them and ask for forgiveness. Drugs have ruined our lives and I have nobody but myself to blame.

 

The letter went on to explain where exactly she’d left her baby and when. It was signed by someone named Mavis.

“What does this have to do with me?” I asked Jordan.

“Slammer and Mavis are both deceased, but his wife gave me this letter a few days ago. After doing some research, I found out that the child she left at the church was you.”

I stared at him in disbelief. “What? I don’t think so.”

“You were adopted, right?”

“Yeah, but they’d never mentioned anything about someone leaving me at a church.”

“An administrator at Saint Michael’s, the church you were left at, said that you were given to an adoption agency and went to a home right away. Your adoptive parents are named Jack and Emily Dodge, right?”

“They were,” I said, my heart heavy as I thought of the couple who’d raised me. Unfortunately, both had died after I’d graduated from high school. The only father I’d ever known, Jack, had been everything I could have asked for in a parent. Supportive, loving, and stern enough to keep me out of jail, even though I’d sometimes hung out with a rough crowd. Unfortunately, he’d smoked like a chimney and died of lung cancer.

Then there’d been my mother, Emily. She’d spoiled the hell out of me, which probably made me kind of an asshole, admittedly. She died a couple years, after Jack, from a brain aneurism. Their deaths had been hard on me and Bonnie had been my salvation. Her betrayal was such a blow. It felt like someone else close to me had died, only this time… I didn’t have anyone to help me through my grief.

“That’s what I thought. If you check your adoption records, you’ll find that Saint Michael’s released you to them twenty-seven years ago.”

“How do you know all of this?”

He smirked. “I have my ways.”

 “What does this have to do with you?” I asked and then remembered the name in the letter. Jordan.

His lips twitched. “Apparently, I’m one of your older brothers.”

A flood of emotions rushed through me. It was hard to believe that what he was saying was true. “You sure about this?”

He shrugged. “We can take a DNA test.”

So, in other words this guy wasn’t totally convinced yet either.

 

JORDAN STUDIED THE man next to him and had to admit, he had some of Trevor’s mannerisms. Like the way he held his head to the side when he talked and the smile. They definitely had the same mouth and chin. As far as Graham’s other features, his jet black hair and darker skin tone, reminded him a little of his own, which he’d inherited from his old man, Acid.

What if he was Acid’s?

If that were the case, he couldn’t exactly blame Mavis for trying to keep her pregnancy a secret from the bastard. He would have fought tooth-and-nail for Graham. For his property. Acid had been a homicidal maniac who’d taken pleasure in torturing anyone unable to defend themselves. Jordan still had scars, both physically and emotionally, from living with the scumbag.

“So, where do you guys live?” Graham asked as they began to walk.

“Jensen,” he replied, which wasn’t too far from Davenport, where he’d learned Graham lived. “By the way, Trevor is a member of the Gold Vipers. He’s the V.P.”

Graham stopped abruptly, a shocked look on his face. “You’re kidding me? We’ve met before.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Yeah. Just briefly,” he said, a funny smile on his face. “At Sal’s. I also met Tank there a couple of times. He and his wife Raina own that bar, right?”

“Yep.”

“Small world,” Graham said. “So, are you a member of the Gold Viper’s as well? I noticed that you’re not wearing any of their club patches.”

“Nope. It’s not my thing.”

“Why not?”

“I prefer solitude. And privacy.”

Getting the point, Graham nodded and said no more.

When they got into Jordan’s SUV, he asked Graham if he’d like to stop home or go straight to the clubhouse.

“The Gold Viper’s clubhouse?” he asked, surprised.

“Yeah. They’re throwing a party. It’s supposed to be a surprise, but if I were in your shoes, I’d want to know about it first.”

“You’re shitting me?” Graham said in disbelief. “The Gold Vipers are throwing me a party?”

“Yeah. Get used to it. Trevor’s accepted you into the family already, which means his club brothers are willing to as well.”

“Wow, that’s heavy,” he replied, looking thoughtful. “What kind of party are we talking?”

Jordan smirked. “Since I ruined the surprise already, I’ll let you see for yourself.”