Good Gone Bad (The Fallen Men 3)

He looked down at his heavily scarred hands. “Doesn’t care ’bout his baby mama’s, hit or miss if he cares ’bout the kids. Coupla months, don’t know how, he took notice’a Kylie and started pushing ’er to hang around the club. Mutt got to ’er.”

I hissed, imagining the damage Mutt might have done to a young girl.

“She’s a grown woman now, twenty-two, but she’s a slight thing. Mutt sent ’er to the hospital. He cut open her mouth with a penknife so he could get his dick in there.”

My gut rolled at the blasphemy of mutilating a woman like that. “Fuck.”

“Yeah, took everything I had not to go into the clubhouse in a rage of gunfire, takin’ out every damn brother I could. They were there that night, you get me? They saw Mutt take ’er into his room, heard her scream and cry out. Didn’t do shit about it ’cause this crew doesn’t stand for brotherhood and freedom, it stands for male supremacy, rapin’ and beatin’ women into submission, killin’ those who oppose us even if it’s over a fuckin’ spilled beer.”

He stopped, his breath fast in his chest. A light turned on, then off in the silent house, on then off again.

A signal.

“He’d kill me he knew she was mine,” Wrath said, holding up a hand to the house even though I couldn’t see anyone looking out. “Kill me and let his boys kill her ’cause his sense of loyalty is whacked and he likes us to prove we’d go to hell for him.”

“What does this have to do with King, brother?” I asked quietly, using the endearment every brother in the club used for each other but using it in a way that showed I was with him, that I had his back and got his tragedy.

“Kylie went to university with him, they struck up a friendship. When shit went down, I went to King to buy protection for her, he didn’t want money though, he just wanted the same for his sister. I fell down on that job, but Cricket was my cousin and it was complicated, but I’m rectifyin’ it now by givin’ her the protection of bein’ my Old Lady.”

I didn’t even try to stem the tide of relief that flooded my chest at hearing Wrath and Rosie’s relationship was a ruse. Guilt followed swiftly like red tide mucking up the clean when I thought about my commitments to Diana and Laken. I could get rid of Diana, we’d been dating for years, but we didn’t have even a spark of what I had with Rosie. In fact, it was a dick move, but I decided to call her that night and end it over the phone. She deserved better, but then, so did Harleigh Rose.

The only problem was ending my relationship with Laken when she was crucial to the investigation. I was pretty damn certain that Reaper only trusted me because his favourite kid did, and getting rid of that security, especially now that Harleigh Rose was involved in the MC, was a dangerous move I couldn’t risk.

“Does he know his sister is involved with the cops?” I asked, because even though he loved his sister, I couldn’t see the new prospect, King Garro, liking that idea.

Wrath’s mouth thinned. “No, and actually, didn’t know that ’til now. Just thought you two had a history.”

“We do,” I said, taking a chance on him just as he’d taken a gamble on me. “And she is.”

“Right, well I’m guessin’ you don’t want me to tell King, that’s fine, that’s her business and it might fuck with my gig. King kept his part’a our bargain. Kylie’s been stayn’ up in Entrance until this week ’cause my girl loves her Mama and it’s her birthday. She’ll go back up after that. Can’t risk it.”

“She gonna stay up there with King forever?” I asked because I knew the answer was no.

His face hardened, and he turned to face me. “They call me Wrath ’cause I’m a big guy, strong enough to crush bones between my fingers, and when roused, I’m a vengeful beast, but they shoulda called me “Hound” ’cause I’m smart ’nough to see shit and know shit others don’t.” He paused. “Like the fact that Harleigh Rose or her daddy prob’ly killed my bastard ass cousin for beatin’ her one too many times. Or that Reaper keeps an iron lock down on his source in the Port Authority, but he’s got a new bitch in his bed he talks to so the opportunities ripe for the takin’ to help you bring these sons of bitches down. Like the fact that you’re a fuckin’ cop and I knew it only ’cause I could fuckin’ smell it on ya.”

I rubbed a hand over my face, reeling from the sudden turn of events, trying to figure out how I could make this work to my advantage and feeling grateful I’d decided not to wear a wire that night, otherwise cops would be rolling up to turn Wrath C.I. even as we spoke.