I understood.

“This don’t mean nothin’. After today the same rules apply. You get the fuck back to your cabin and don’t return. You’ll only survive about two minutes in this clubhouse if you even fuckin’ think of weaseling your way back in. You gettin’ me? You fix him then fuck off.”

I nodded and resumed my work on Smiler. Styx disappeared a few minutes later. Bella stood just outside the door. But she still hovered close.

Thirty minutes later, I’d patched Smiler up as much as I could. Everyone else was in the bar. “There,” I said, putting the medical bag back on the dresser. “That should do for now.”

“Thanks,” Smiler said.

“You might wanna get someone to re-dress them for you tomorrow.”

Smiler shook his head. “Nah, you can just come back.”

“Smiler. That ain’t gonna happen. Don’t push it,” I warned, but he closed his eyes, blocking me out.

“Need to sleep. I’m fuckin’ beaten and bruised from that fall.” I narrowed my eyes, still questioning how the fuck someone of his skill had aquaplaned. Just as I turned to go out the door, I looked back and saw Smiler watching me. He smirked and winked.

Then I knew . . . the fucker took a dive. I shook my head, not believing it was true, that he’d pull a stupid stunt like that just to get me involved again. But when Smiler’s smirk turned into a grin, I saw the confirmation on his face.

He had.

I cleared my throat as I tried to deal with what he’d just revealed. But Smiler’s pain meds looked like they were kicking in. The brother was snoring within seconds.

I made my way to the bar in a fucking daze, a nervous Bella by my side. Bella waved at her sisters, who were in the corner. Some of the brothers got up from their seats, as if they wanted to come at me. Bella tensed.

I turned to leave, but someone blocked my path. My pulse raced with dread when I realized it was Ky. Out of everyone, he hated me most, and that was a fucking feat in itself. I could see it in his face as I approached, hell, every fucking time he looked at me.

“Bella, go speak with your sisters,” he ordered in a no-shit tone.

Bella clutched me tighter. Ky’s eyes flared with rage. Turning to Bella, I said, “Go on, baby. I’ll be okay.” Bella hesitated, but I nodded my head, and she did as I asked.

Ky watched me like he was one step from ripping out my throat, then looking around the bar to make sure no one was listening, said, “The Klan douches you worked with in Cult Cunt. I need information on the contracts that you made. You’re gonna tell me what they sold.”

I didn’t reply straight away. Ky stepped closer still, his face daring me to say no. “Okay,” I said.

Ky reached into this cut and pulled out a notepad and pen. He slammed them against my chest. “Gonna need that shit now.”

I leaned on the table beside me and tried to remember everything that was agreed, all the deals we’d done and the names of those in charge. Ky never left me alone, fucking lording over me.

I felt others close in around me. When I looked up, Viking, Flame and AK were next to Ky. They looked as if they wanted to murder me just as much as the VP did.

“What the fuck does this pissant want?” Viking growled.

“He’s gettin’ me some intel. Then he’s gettin’ the fuck outta my sight before I scalp the fucker.”

“Intel ‘bout what?” AK asked coldly.

Ky sighed. “Ain’t talked to Styx yet—you know, upcomin’ weddin’ and all that shit occupyin’ his time. But I’m gonna go get Phebe. It’s gotta be done. After all that bitch has done for us, I ain’t leaving her with those skinhead pricks to suffer.”

“Someone mention skinheads?” Cowboy and Hush joined the group.

I wrote faster. I just wanted to get the hell home before one of these guys decided to go against Styx. Being in this clubhouse was like standing with the devil himself. Now I had Bella, I wasn’t ever gonna put myself at risk of dying ever again.

“Li ain’t gonna rest until her sister’s back. So I’m gettin’ her the fuck back, and it’s gotta be done before Styx gets hitched in a couple’a months. Quick in and out. Then it’s all happy fuckin’ families from now on.”

“Who’s goin’?” Cowboy asked.

“Me,” Ky said and shrugged.

“You just got your kid,” Hush said.

Ky shrugged again. AK stepped forward. “Nah. You’re gonna stay here with your bitch and lil’ kid. I’ll go.”

Ky stared at AK. “Why the fuck would you wanna do that?”

AK shrugged. “I’m goin’. That’s all you need to know.”

“Well,” Viking closed in beside his friend. “If my brother AK goes, then so the fuck do I. Just love toyin’ with the Klan. Always promises to be a good fuckin’ time.”

“Then I go too,” Flame growled and the psycho trio stood as a fuckin’ impenetrable unit.

Cowboy slammed his Jack down on the table I was using and turned to Hush. “You gotta want a piece of this white power action, man? It’s gotta be your fuckin’ birthright or some shit to take these fuckers out.”

Hush smiled and his blue eyes shone with excitement. “Always up for polluting the WASPy bloodlines.”

Cowboy whistled in excitement. “Then the Louisiana contingent are in.”

“Gonna piss off Governor Ayers and Landry. But they had this shit comin’ anyhow. They’ve fucked with us too many times for us to just let it be,” AK said.

All the brothers nodded in agreement.

“Y’all sure you wanna go in?” the VP asked. They all nodded again. Ky turned back to face me. “The sooner the fuckin’ better with that intel.” I wrote down the rest of what I knew, then handed it to Ky. “This doesn’t mean shit,” he spat. “Now get the fuck back to that cabin and out of my fuckin’ face. My ability to hold back from stabbin’ you in the skull is fadin’ fast.”

Ky’s attitude slowly began to piss me off. I got they were seething. But I could only take so much. A hand pressed on my arm. “Rider?” Bella said softly, looking worriedly at the other men. “I want to go home.”

I took her hand without saying anything. I felt the brothers watching me as I left. For once, I didn’t care. Not with Bella by my side. She calmed me.