Page 80 of Kane

She swatted his arm. “Not funny. My father is a powerful man. He was already working with the white supremacist freak I told you about. Now it’s personal.”

Kane blinked lazily and pulled her back to him. “Scarier men than Beau Griffin have tried to take me down. Let him try. With you at my side, I’m fucking invincible.”

CHAPTER

TWENTY-TWO

Kane

Kane couldn’t remember the last time he’d been so excited about Christmas. He didn’t have just one, but two invitations to celebrate this year. Neither was with his own family, of course. Nothing had changed about the way the club ignored the holiday.

He’d meant it when he told Mandy he planned to patch out, but selfishly, he wanted to wait until after Christmas. They wouldn’t be sentimental about it, but he would. He didn’t want to face the holiday knowing he was dead to them. Plus, if he was there to oversee one last exchange with Ace, they’d have at least something to work with before they lost their drug connection. Because he had no doubt, without him, Ace and his products were history.

So, he kept his head down; he went to work every day and the clubhouse every night to see his mom. As much as she loved him, she’d choose the club when the dust settled. Her devotion to his father lived above all things, and Malcolm would never forgive his defection.

Mandy didn’t offer a word of complaint. After all the time they’d spent apart, he knew how much she craved his company. God knew, he felt the same way. But she also knew how serious it was to walk away from his brothers. In less than a week, he’d be all hers.

He worried for her safety, though. She’d filed the restraining order she’d told him about, but her ex, Nathan, was a loose cannon. A quick call to Mike filled her brother in on everything. His old friend hired private security on the spot, and at least two guys had quietly trailed her ever since.

He didn’t cut himself off from her entirely. In addition to texts and a few private pictures on social media, he’d surprised her with a quick visit and a few amazing kisses at her place Monday after work and more of the same in her parking garage Wednesday morning. He was tempted to crawl in her bed after he finished his club business every night, but after dealing with drugs and guns day in and day out, he felt too tired and dirty to face her.

Now his last deal with Ace was done. It was Christmas Eve, likely the last night he’d ever spend with his brother. Like all the others, Scott would shun him when he turned in his cut. For all the stupid shit the man said and did lately, he was family, and they had a lifetime of history. Kane loved him, and his heart hurt as he let himself into the clubhouse.

Scott was shooting pool by himself at the table.

“Got any room for me over there?”

His brother’s face lit at the offer, and he gathered the balls together to start a new game. Whatever disagreements they had over the drugs or with Mandy, Scott clearly welcomed the opportunity to hang together. “Wanna break?” He offered Kane his stick.

“Nah. You’ve always been better at it than me.”

Scott preened a little before taking his shot. The balls scattered, and the one-ball sank in the corner pocket. “Solids,” his brother announced and proceeded to drop two more balls before missing his third shot.

Kane tanked his shot on purpose to make his brother grin.

“Ha, ha. Out of practice, baby bro. Watch and learn. The master is at work.” Afterward, Scott ran the table, his smile growing progressively bigger with every ball he put in the pocket. Once he sunk the eight-ball, he let out a whoop and spun around on his heel. “Come out with me tonight, K. We’ll grab a beer at The Watering Hole.” He wrinkled his nose. “Unless Princess Bitch has you on too tight a leash.”

He let the dig on Mandy slide. “Sure, brother. First round’s on me.”

It wasn’t surprising to see the crowd gathered at the bar. If anything, he was shocked his father wasn’t there picking up a piece of Christmas ass. Thank heaven for small favors.

He bought his brother a beer, which turned into two and eventually three. They shot pool again, played a round of darts. He even paid to play Scott’s favorite song on the jukebox, so they could sing along together. What he wanted to do was explain why he was patching out, to tell him he loved him. To beg him to understand. He knew Scott too well, though, to even try. Instead, he bought yet another round of drinks; he sang more songs, and he laughed at Scott’s lame-ass jokes. Then he let his brother use him as a sounding board for his ideas about a new tattoo.

“I was thinking a scorpion, man.” Grabbing a pen from Hangman, Scott sketched a design on the top of his hand. “Maybe we could get a matching set this year. Something special for my blood-brother.”

He doubted Scott would feel the same in a couple of days, but he nodded anyway. “Yeah, man. Sounds great.”

At closing time, he had to force himself to leave. When he dropped Scott back at the clubhouse, he walked him to the door and pulled him into a tight hug. “I love you, brother.”

Scott took it in stride, returning the embrace with a drunken smile. “I love you too, man. Thanks for tonight. Most fun I’ve had in ages.”

He rubbed his chest as his brother let himself in the house. Scott didn’t know this was the last night they’d spend together, but the knowledge burned a hole in Kane’s heart. With one last hug, he’d just told his brother goodbye.

***

Having lunch with Brick and his fiancé provided a welcome distraction from the cloud hanging over Kane’s head. The potluck meal gave him a chance not only to break bread with his only real friend outside of the club but some of the other guys from the construction site too.

Before they ate, he quietly thanked the man again for his help with Mandy’s ex. They’d talked about it once already this week, but it bore repeating. He owed Brick, Cyrus, and Evan more than he could ever repay.