Page 97 of Kane
Cue flinched. “You need to go now, brother.”
Frank stared at his boots.
He respected his friend’s wishes. “I’ll always be your brother, man.” His heart in his throat, he walked out of the room. His next stop wouldn’t go any better.
***
The clubhouse had returned to its regular condition when Kane arrived. Someone had replaced the broken window and patched the bullet holes in the walls.
He found his parents together at the kitchen table, an open box of Papa John’s between them. Mama V greeted him with a watery smile. “Hey, KC. Want to join your daddy and me for some pizza?”
Wordlessly, he dropped his cut on the table next to the box.
His father’s eyes darkened. “What’s this, boy?”
“I’m out.”
His mother gasped.
Malcolm shot to his feet. “Bullshit. This club just stood at your back against your old lady’s father, and this is how you repay us?”
His fingers curled in the front of Malcolm’s shirt, the urge to hit him coursing hot like the blood in his veins. “Repay you? For setting me up in the first place?” He gestured to the scar on his face. “For this? Forconspiring with the man who got Scott killed?”
Mama V tugged at his arms. “What are you talking about, Kane? Let your daddy go.”
He released his grip, but he stepped further into Malcolm’s space. “You gonna admit it, or are you gonna lie like a fucking coward?”
Malcolm shook his head tiredly. “Do what you want. I’m sick of fighting to hold this family together.”
What a load of shit. “The only person you ever fought for was yourself.” He turned to his mother, but her gaze was rooted to the floor. “Mama.”
She shook her head, tears already falling down her cheeks. “I can’t be your mama anymore.”
“We’re gonna lose everything,” Malcolm muttered. “The deal with the Russians is gone. And you know Ace will only negotiate with you. You don’t care. You don’t care about anything except your precious piece of pussy.”
He did hit his father then. A hard right-hook to the jaw. “You just showed the difference between you and me. I don’t think of the woman who loves me as a piece of pussy. She’s going to be my wife, and I will always put her first. Thank you, Malcolm, for teaching me what kind of husband and father I don’t want to be. And Mom, if you ever decide you’re worth more than this, my door is always open.”
Breathing deep, he turned his back on his parents and left the Skulls MC in his rear-view mirror.
***
Amanda
Amanda traced her fingers nervously over the tattoos on Kane’s forearm as they waited for his friends to arrive. Brick and his fiancé were coming over for drinks, and even though Kane promised she’d love Olivia, she didn’t make friends easily. It was hard to simply be herself around strangers.
She jumped up when the bell rang.
Brick’s broad shoulders filled the doorframe as Kane let them in. “I hope it’s okay. I brought Robby along too.”
“It’s fine.” Kane had told her he and Brick had sort-of adopted Xander’s young assistant. “Come on in.”
Brick’s fiancé was a willowy blonde who greeted her with a hug. “It’s so great to meet you. It’s about time Kane got a little happiness in his life.” She lowered her voice. “And great job with his new look. I barely recognized him without the beard and all the hair. What a lucky lady you are.”
She chuckled. “Oh, I know. I’m reaping all the benefits of his makeover.”
Kane was already handing out beers to the guys. “You want something, Liv? Beer? Wine?”
Her eyes sparkled. “Do I see zinfandel over there?”