My Dark Knight (Kings of Hell MC 2)

“I’ll sort it out. And for the record—I’m not a bigot,” Knight said, wanting to make things clear.

Elliot’s eyebrows went up. “Huh?”

Knight groaned and tapped the steering wheel. “She’s an adult. She can fuck around and have threesomes. You know I support girls doing whatever they want with their bodies, right? But you got to be responsible. You got to use condoms and stop boozing when you’re pregnant. I mean, is that too much to ask?”

“Oh. I… no. I get it. I wasn’t thinking that. Maybe I was never responsible myself. Then again, I was never with a girl, so… yeah.” His eyes were slightly unfocused as he looked through the front window at the bonfire.

Knight swallowed, watching him. “Don’t worry. It will be fine. I promise.”

“I hope, I just… Your mom mentioned my trailer. What if it was my mom your… stepdad was sleeping with and that’s how I have Mercier blood? It’s probably why my dad hated me so much. He must have known I wasn’t his.”

Knight let go of the wheel and sat back, whistling out all the air in his lungs. “Well, fuck. We are almost brothers then. Almost.”

Elliot laughed nervously. “It’s probably for the better then that we’re not sleeping together anymore.”

*

It was past 2 am when Knight parked the car in the garage. The music booming from the party had become slower, more suitable for just chilling or sex. He listened to its echo for a few moments before texting Beast.

Sadly, as soon as they crossed the borders of the property, Elliot had informed Knight that Fane was back, and it soured both their moods.

It took Beast a while, but he finally appeared, not much less tense than before. When he spotted Elliot though, a muscle on his cheek twitched and Knight knew things could get ugly very soon.

“What part of ‘take him off the premises’ do you not understand? He’s dangerous. He’s possessed by the ghost of a serial killer! I can’t get Laurent to calm down. For him, it’s been only months since that motherfucker put his hands on him!”

Knight kicked the wheel of the pink Corvette. “And that’s why he’ll be safest if Elliot stays in my apartment. I just need to change the code for the door, and he will be practically locked in a safe.”

Beast’s expression became like carved out of stone. “If he’s to stay here, Knight, you will be with him 24/7. And I mean it. He doesn’t piss without you there. But I admit I’m disappointed in you. You can’t seem to be reasonable when it comes to him. He’s not a patch, and he’s not family. If you’re sure you want to extend protection to him, you will give up your VP patch here and now.”

Knight’s feet grew roots into the concrete floor, and he had to briefly look away from the punishing gaze of his friend. But there was no denying that Beast was right about this. For the past few weeks Knight was constantly letting him down and even hiding things from him. They were closest friends, but that didn’t mean Knight should get special treatment within the club hierarchy.

“I’ve fucked up hard, haven’t I?”

Beast took a deep breath that told Knight just how tired he was. “You have. I love you like a brother, but I can’t have this insubordination go on. It’s your choice, Knight. We can pay for a motel for him. But if you’re bringing him back here after I’ve explicitly told you to take him away, give up the patch, because I can’t have a VP like you.”

Elliot took a step closer and tugged on Knight’s jacket. “It’s okay, Knight. I can go.”

Knight’s stomach curled, but he pulled out his knife and slowly cut the threads that fastened the Vice President patch to his cut. It hurt like removing a tooth, but he still felt like giving it up was the right thing to do, and not only because of Elliot. “I don’t deserve this honor yet, and we both know it. It’s my fault Fane’s ghost appeared, and then I didn’t tell you about it because I knew you’d be fucking livid. Rightfully so. I’m sorry,” he said and handed over the patch.

Beast took the patch with a scowl, and seeing him upset was even worse than seeing his earlier anger. In this moment Knight knew he’d do anything to earn that patch back, and Beast’s trust along with it.

“Twenty-four-fucking-seven,” Beast said, looking between Elliot and Knight once more, but then walked off without another word.

Chapter 23

Entering the clubhouse again at Knight’s side felt different. Even with Fane by their side, hissing and complaining, Knight’s company was soothing. An ever-present safety net. Knight wouldn’t abandon him at the trailer park, wouldn’t abandon him at the cost of a fight with Beast, and didn’t abandon him even when it meant he’d lose his position within the hierarchy of the club.