Gray's Shadow (Kings of Hell MC 4)

Shadow could only hope that tonight would be different. They’d come to a club party, and Rev was always in a better mood with a female in his lap.

Shadow had only heard of the horrific fire that damaged the clubhouse. The repairs were ongoing, but with so many rooms to choose from, the club members adapted a different part of the building for communal use—easy socializing by day and parties at night. Fridays were the busiest, and he was excited when Gray, who usually avoided the loud, crowded events like the plague, decided to participate.

Bikers and guests alike gathered to drink, chat, and listen to music in three newly renovated rooms. On a small stage, a band played noisy music for a crowd that danced without regard for the beat coming from the speakers, as every single person had their own soundtrack playing in their head. The atmosphere was way more pleasant next door, where the racket became background noise to conversation, but it was the third room that teased Shadow’s senses, even though he knew Gray wouldn’t want him to go there. The last room was lit up in blue this time, but the moans and other noises coming from there made its purpose clear to Shadow. Inside, it was skin against skin. Bodies slotting into each other and becoming one.

But as agitating as the noises were, Shadow’s primary focus was on Gray, who sat next to him on the leather sofa and enjoyed a beer. Shadow wanted to try it too and was somewhat disappointed when he didn’t like the taste, even though the drink was supposedly also the result of fermentation.

“It’s like watching a dog dressed up and walking upright,” Rev said and released a cloud of smoke from his lips. “What did you get him new clothes for?”

Shadow stayed still, unsure how to react. Gray had taken Shadow shopping the other day, and Shadow had never felt more human than now in his new T-shirt that read ‘Not a monster’, dark jeans, and a gray hoodie. The new outfit made him blend in with everyone else, but he also rather liked the way Gray’s face went a bit slack when he’d seen Shadow in it back at the store.

And Gray had even told him he looked hot, after which he’d pretended he hadn’t when he most definitely had.

Next to Shadow, Gray took a deep breath and swallowed his beer before glancing at his father. “Do I ever lecture you when you waste money on another pretty young thing?”

Rev stilled, his gaze darting between Shadow and Gray as if he’d suddenly become more aware. “You’re not suggesting the two of you are…” He bumped his thumbs together a few times.

Any pretense of a smile was gone from Gray’s face. “No. But he’s in my care, and I want him to have nice clothes.”

Rev kicked Gray’s foot, but it was light enough for Shadow to let it slide, even if witnessing the attack made him tense up. “Just remember he’s not human. I wouldn’t stick my dick in some demon lady, no matter how hot she was. It could be dangerous. Just saying.”

Shadow frowned. “My dick isn’t dangerous.”

Gray snorted, hiding his smile behind the bottle. It was the same kind of bottle he’d held in the Polaroid photo of him and Mike. “See? He says it’s harmless,” he told Rev and raised his fist in a gesture that at this point was second nature to Shadow. They fist-bumped, much to Rev’s displeasure.

Despite them being so closely related, there was little resemblance between Gray and his father. Their noses had a roughly similar shape, as their faces would have, were Rev as lean as his son, but their personalities couldn’t have been any more different. Where Gray was thoughtful and somewhat ascetic, Rev didn’t deny himself any pleasure that struck his fancy, and since both found one another’s choices misguided, they often clashed because of this.

Rev shook his head, but before he could say anything, Gray opened his mouth again. “Is it true that you and Angel are no longer a thing? She seems to have moved out,” he said, but it was impossible to say whether it was to take the focus away from Shadow or to hurt Rev’s feelings.

Rev leaned back and opened another beer bottle, getting ash over the front of his T-shirt in the process. “She was hurt because of your monster, of course she freaked out.”

Knight grinned. “More like she caught him fucking Heather.”

Rev scowled. “Shut up. You still haven’t reached my score!”

“And he won’t,” Elliot said from his place in Knight’s lap, greedily embracing his man’s head.

Gray put down the empty bottle. “Score? Really? What is the point? You treat people like objects. No wonder you get more detached each time.”

Rev shook his head. “It’s fun, and healthy. You should try it. Just not with the monster. Eases the tension in the body.”