“What if Malcom decides to go after Zig because he doesn’t have the club on his back anymore?” Luna asked.
“I told him the dangers of leaving the club right now, but he didn’t want to hear any.” King nodded to the cut. “He made his choice, and there is nothing we can do but listen to it.”
“Listen to it,” I laughed. “This is such fucking bulllshit.” A bullshit move that Zig had made. He was so worried about me losing my head to Tess that I would be distracted, and what did he do? He fucking leaves the club. “He always said we were family, but family doesn’t leave.” I slammed my fist on the table. “Ever.” Even when shit was going a way you didn’t like, you never left.
“So is he leaving Rockton, or is he staying?” Pie asked. “Are we still going to be able to see him?”
King shrugged. “I don’t know what his plans are. He gave me his cut this morning, and all he told me was what I already said. He doesn’t like where the club is headed, and he’s not happy.”
“Did he talk to you?” I asked dad.
Dad shook his head. “I found out when King told me. I went over to his place as soon as I heard, but he wasn’t there. Your mom and I have no idea what he is doing. We’re as surprised as all of you.”
“Malcom is going to go after him,” Luna pointed out. “Even if he doesn’t want to be a part of the club anymore, that doesn’t mean we don’t watch his back anymore. Maybe he is just smothered living in Rockton and needs some more excitement.”
“And maybe since he wants to be on his own, that is what we are going to give him.” I sat back and folded my arms over my chest. “If he doesn’t want to be a part of the club, then he doesn’t get our protection anymore.”
“No,” dad thundered. “He is still family even if he thinks he knows better.”
“He can’t just leave the club,” Snapper pointed out. “It’s right there in the bylaws of the club. If you want out, then you have to pay to get out. Money or blood. One of them has to be given.”
Dad shot up from the table and slammed his fist on the table. “Even if he isn’t a member of the Knights, he is still your brother. That doesn’t change. Ever.” Dad stormed out of church and slammed the door behind him.
King shook his head and threw up his hands.
“What the fuck do we do?” Hero asked. Hero wanted to be the one to take over the Devil’s Knights, but even he was thrown by Zig’s choice to leave the club.
King sighed and stood. “We let him go, and when he comes to his senses, we’ll be here for him.” King’s eyes connected with mine. “He’s gone, but he will always be our brother.”
Everyone filed out of church except for Frost and me.
“What happened?” Frost asked.
I stared down at the table. “I don’t know. He let me know he wasn’t happy I decided to stay with Tess, but I didn’t think he would leave the fucking club because I changed what the club decided.”
Frost sighed. “He was convinced that Malcom was going to come after you.”
“So he thinks that Malcom will come after me, so he leaves the fucking club? How the hell is that helping me?” I didn’t fucking get it.
“It doesn’t make sense,” Frost reasoned. “So, there has to be more to it. What was making him so unhappy? He never said anything to anyone about wanting to leave the club.” Frost ran his fingers through his hair. “Fuck, man. Dad didn’t even know what the hell was happening.”
“It happened right in front of us, and we didn’t see it coming.”
Frost tapped his fingers on the table. “He’s going to come back.”
I hoped that too, but I wasn’t sure how realistic we were.
Something had chased Zig away, and none of us knew what that was.
Who knew if we would ever know?