OUTLAW KING (14 page)

Aunt Jane reached for my hand. “No, Lindsey. I didn’t have destiny. I had a romance obsession that scarred me for life. Don’t compare yourself to me. Learn from me. You were there with me through the worst of it all. Running out of that house from Jim. Scrambling to buy this house. Trying to make sure I could keep my hours at my job, get you through the last little bit of high school. It wasn’t easy.”

“And I never thanked you for that,” I said.

“You don’t need to. That’s what a… a
mother
would do.”

The night took that turn then, leaving me and Aunt Jane hugging each other, crying. Yeah, she had done some dumb things in life but she always took care of me. Even then, letting me stay with her. I had no idea what to expect with King being away. If I’d ever see him again.

That night, as I slept in my old bed in my old room, old memories flooded back to me. I ended up turning on the light in the middle of the night. And I did something I hadn’t done in a really long time.

I wrote King a letter.

S
OME DAYS MOVED FAST
, some days moved slow. I tried to immerse myself in work but it was a negative week. Three people passed away, two got very ill, and the swirling rumors about the building were almost like a vicious tornado threatening to suck anyone up who wanted to gossip for a little bit.

My little rooftop cigarette smoking heaven escape was no more. There were always at least five to ten people up there, smoking and gossiping. I couldn’t escape the negativity.

I also got a real glimpse at Aunt Jane’s life of dating. A new guy every day I came home. Sometimes they were her age, sometimes they were younger. Lucky for me she didn’t bring anyone home for some extra fun.

So when I pulled up to the front of the house and saw two cars in the driveway I figured it was just another date. I was almost jealous for a few seconds, wishing I had the capability to live that way. But there was no way I could go out with anyone. Not with King back and not without answers from King as to what was going to happen next between us.

I threw my bag and purse over my shoulder and walked to the porch. I opened the door and expected to see Aunt Jane on the couch with her new friend. But they were at the kitchen table. I tossed my stuff to the dining room table and followed the smell of coffee.

Coffee? In the afternoon?

Aunt Jane was at the table.

“Hey,” I said.

“Hey to you,” she said. “How was work?”

“Terrible.”

“That’s why there’s wine,” she said with a wink.

I pointed to the empty seat at the table that had a coffee mug in front of it. “Who is…”

“Oh, yeah,” Aunt Jane said. “We have a problem with the one generator down the street. Electric company is going to have to change a wire or something. So the guy stopped by to give me a heads up. They’re going to try and do it without knocking out power, but we might lose power.”

“Oh,” I said.

“Okay then,” another voice said. “I think we’ve…”

The voice trailed off as I turned around.

I stood there, feeling a shockwave ripple through my body.

It was the guy. That guy.

“Hello there,” he said and offered his hand.

He did not look like an electric company worker. He was too casual. His eyes were full of shit. Even his handshake was pathetic.

It was the guy I had seen King talking to right outside my kitchen window. The morning King stood there in his jeans with no shirt on. This was the guy. The guy King wouldn’t tell me about. Yet he was right there in Aunt Jane’s kitchen.

He pushed his chair back in and grabbed the coffee mug. He took a drink. “This is delicious coffee, ma’am.”

“Oh, stop it,” Aunt Jane said. “It’s whatever is on sale.”

“But you made it,” the man said. “Remember that.” Then he looked at me. “Sorry to disrupt your afternoon. I’m sure you’re very busy. Or at least eager to relax after work.”

“Yeah, right,” I whispered. “I… I’m going to do just that.”

The man walked the coffee mug to the sink and then pointed to the door from the kitchen that led to a side porch.

“Mind if I take that exit?” he asked.

“Not at all,” Aunt Jane said. “Thanks for the heads up.”

“Of course,” he said. “I’m hoping we don’t have to touch the neighborhood wiring though. We won’t know until we open the box and see where the wire went bad.”

Aunt Jane nodded and smiled.

The guy left the house and I charged after him, locking the door. I scrambled to the kitchen sink and watched as he climbed into his car and backed down the driveway.

I spun around and looked at Aunt Jane. “What did you do?”

“What?”

“You let a total stranger in the house.”

“He’s…”

“He didn’t have a shirt with the electric company’s name on it. His car is a normal car. Don’t you know people get robbed with schemes like that?”

“He said…”

“If there was something wrong with a wire, wouldn't the company call you? Or write you? Or…” I was starting to shake. I took a deep breath. “Aunt Jane, listen to me. That guy was talking to King. I saw them. Right before King said he had to leave for a week. He’s tied into all of this somehow.”

“What?” she asked, her jaw looking like it was going to smack off the table.

“Yes,” I said. “I told you this stuff was crazy. Oh, I need to try and call King. Tell him that the guy was here.”

“Why would he be here then?” Aunt Jane.

“Could be anything. Checking for King. Trying to find me. Oh, shit, what if he was at my apartment?”

“Wait a second,” Aunt Jane. “You really think it could be that?”

“Yeah,” I said. “Maybe. I don’t know.”

I tried to call King. Three times. There was no answer.

That was the exact moment I no longer felt safe.

I needed him… I needed my King.

25

⁽
K
ing)

*
NOW*

I
HAD
my bag packed and attached to the back of my motorcycle. I looked back at the cabin with no remorse. I was ready to head back into town and see Linds. It had been a long fucking week. A lot of conversation between me and the boys, and that also included talking to Uncle Jakey.

We had our story for Anderson.

So I would have to wait until Anderson got in contact with me.

The cell reception was choppy and Slam was the only one who had a phone that was able to take the calls.

My cell started to go crazy on the ride back into town but I wasn’t able to check it. I had to hit the clubhouse before I could go see Linds.

The garage was in full swing, business as usual. Which was good.

I went into the office and cut to the left, going right for chapel. Uncle Jakey was at the head of the table while the rest of us started to fill in the empty seats.

“Any contact yet?” Uncle Jakey asked me without hesitation.

“Nothing,” I said. “I’m sure he’ll be all over my ass when I leave here though.”

“I’ve filled everyone in on what’s going on,” he said. “We’re all on the same page here.”

“In a book I don’t want to fucking read,” Ari said. “What if this ends with King going back to prison? Getting the needle?”

“Then that’s my fate,” I said. “This isn’t about protecting me. This is about protecting the Reap. The name. The cut. The club. All of you.”

“I’m gathering up what I need,” Uncle Jakey said. “We’ll talk about a plan soon enough. I have some more calls to make. This is a tricky situation to be in.”

“Why this guy?” Matteo asked.

“Why not?” Uncle Jakey asked, obviously avoiding the question.

I looked at Knox and gritted my teeth. We had a few deep talks up in the mountains about Uncle Jakey and what he meant to the Reap. For fuck’s sake, he didn’t wear a leather cut. He didn’t represent the MC at all. It was just a power and pride kind of thing.

Not that I would push back against the man who acted as the President of the Reaper’s Bastards.

“Keep your eyes open out there,” Uncle Jakey said. “Keep things calm, collected. Move with purpose and stay the fuck out of sight. If this guy is after the Reap, that means all of us. King, the second he contacts you, you contact me. We keep everything in this room and we find a way out of this.”

“What about the legal case?” Slam asked. “King’s case?”

“What about it?” I asked.

“If that shit is legit,” Slam said, “you could get out no matter what happens.”

“We can talk to the lawyer,” Knox said. “See how real it all is.”

“Oh, it’s real,” I said. “I signed papers…”

“Anyone could sign papers,” Uncle Jakey said. “The way this system works… they’ll let out one little rat to take down the entire nest.”

“Rat?” I asked. “I don’t think I’m a rat, Uncle Jakey.”

“Let’s keep ourselves focused,” he said. He grabbed the gavel and slammed it down.

The meeting was over.

I jumped up and grabbed my cell.

I had to hear her voice. I had to see her face.

I stood outside the garage and called Linds.

“Hello? King?”

Her voice was angelic. Smooth and sweet. Just enough to calm my outlaw nerves as they bounced in my body.

“Sweetie, I’m back,” I said.

“I was trying to call you… he was looking for you.”

“He? Who?”

“That guy. In the yard. The one you were talking to.”

I felt my heart jump like someone had punched it. “What?”

“He was at my aunt’s house yesterday. Posing as an employee for the electric company. I have no idea what he was trying to do.”

“Oh, fuck,” I said. “I’m so sorry, sweetie.”

Fucking Anderson.

“You have to tell me what’s going on,” she said.

“Where are you right now?”

“I’m at work,” she said.

“Leave work,” I ordered. “I’m coming to pick you up.”

I wasn’t giving Linds a choice. It was a clear order.

I ended the call and hurried to my motorcycle.

I sped away from the garage and clubhouse going toward the west side of town.

Linds was standing at the side of the building. She looked fucking beautiful in her nursing scrubs. Her hair pulled back. Her badge clipped to the pocket on her shirt.

I pulled right up next to her and ripped my helmet off. I handed it to her and then grabbed her by the waist with one hand and pulled her in for a kiss. The second our lips touched it was like a fire had been set in my body.

“Fuck, I missed that,” I growled. “So fucking much.”

Linds touched my face with her free hand. “I’m scared, King.”

“Not anymore,” I said. “I’m here. I’m back. I said I was coming right back. Can we go to your place?”

“Yeah,” she said.

Linds put the helmet on and climbed on the back of the motorcycle.

I was halfway to her apartment when I saw a car come out of nowhere and start to follow me. The driver was not trying to be discreet at all.

Which told me one thing.

Anderson wanted to talk to me.

A
NDERSON PARKED
his car in the far corner of the apartment parking lot. I sent Linds inside with a kiss to her cheek, whispering to her that
the guy
was here. Fear spread across her face as she rushed to the apartment building.

I turned and made a line right for the car.

I walked right to the open window.

Anderson looked at me with a shit eating grin and that was all I could take. I brought my right fist back and threw a punch right into the car, slamming against Anderson’s jaw. He groaned and fell over to the passenger seat.

I thought for a second I knocked him clean out but then he put his left hand out the window, waving his hand at me.

“That’s for going to her fucking aunt’s house,” I growled. “What the fuck were you trying to prove?”

Anderson pulled himself back up and rubbed his jaw. “Okay. Yeah. Maybe I deserved that one.”

“Just one?”

He stretched his jaw. “The thing you need to realize here, Kingston, is that everyone you touch and talk to becomes part of my game.”

“Your game?”

Anderson looked at me. “This is all a game. What you do. What I do. It’s all a big fucking game. You dragged Lindsey into this. I had no choice but to keep tabs on her. Funny how you leave and she stops coming home. That got my curiosity going. So I had to dig deeper. To find her aunt. The very pretty Jane. And I did. She was so welcoming, too. Then I saw Lindsey there. So it started to make sense. The loving, devoted outlaw sent his woman to her aunt’s house, just in case… of what?”