Zero Tolerance (Lost Kings MC 12)

Brother’s a ghost of himself when we’re finally allowed to see him. It only took a bullet to the head to knock Sway down a few pegs.

Janice stays by his side while Priest, Rock, and I do the mandatory ‘Looking good, brother. You’ll be riding in no time’ thing.

When the small talk winds down, Sway gestures for Janice to leave us.

“Shadow’s not,” he slurs his words and stops to try again, clearly frustrated. “Here. But you are.”

It’s hard to tell if it’s a statement or a question, but Priest answers. “Shadow’s here. He’s down in the waiting room. Been here almost the whole time.” Priest doesn’t even bother hiding his surprise that Shadow isn’t a total douche.

“Lots of brothers here for you, Sway,” Rock says.

“I don’t want you to worry about anything except recovering,” Priest says. “I’ve asked Z to temporarily run your club until you’re ready to return.”

Ouch. Way to fuck a guy in the ass with no lube, Priest.

No matter how he phrases it, having someone else take over your club isn’t easy to swallow. I do, however, appreciate Priest making it clear I didn’t volunteer to run his club. Last thing I need is Sway thinking I made a play for his club when he was down.

Sway nods. “Thank you.”

Someone knocks and calls for Priest. As soon as the door shuts behind us, Sway motions us closer. He reaches out, clutching the edge of my cut. “Thank you.”

The desperation in his words and gesture unnerves me. “No problem, brother. We got you.”

He shakes his head, opens his mouth, closes it. Finally, he says, “You’re who I want.”

“Want what, brother?” Rock asks.

He points at Rock. “You. You or Z. Running my club. That’s good. Thank you.”

God, how much brain damage does he have?

The doctors told us he might have significant memory loss. They won’t know the full extent of the damage for a while.

“You need to get in touch with DeLova for me,” Sway rasps out.

Good to know his mind’s a steel trap and even a bullet to the head can’t kill his love for the club. “Already done, brother.”

“Thank you.”

“Told him we’re done with that for a while.”

“Wrath?” he slurs. “He here?”

“Out in the waiting room.”

“Thank you.”

“Murphy and Teller are staying down here with Z to help run things for a bit,” Rock says. “To make sure your guys are okay with him taking over temporarily.”

“Send them in?”

“Who?”

“Shadow.” Sway waves his hands. “All of ‘em. Let ‘em know I said okay with it.”

We’re definitely taxing him. The fucker can barely speak. Where the fuck is a doctor to kick us out when we need it?

“Give it a day or two, Sway. Priest had a sit-down with everyone.” I leave out the part about having a party in his clubhouse all weekend long and try not to call attention to the new patches stitched onto my cut. “Right now, you need to rest.”

Sway doesn’t argue.

“Tawny here?” he asks. “Jan said—”

“How are things between you two?” Rock asks.

“Don’t,” Sway warns. “She didn’t.”

“Didn’t what?”

He points to his head. “Do this.”

Interesting that’s where he jumps. “No one said she did, brother.”

Sway closes his eyes. Rock and I share a look and he jerks his head toward the door.

I touch Sway’s shoulder briefly. “Brother, we’re gonna let you rest.”

Sway nods once but doesn’t open his eyes.

Outside the room, I stop and stare at Rock. “Jesus, I hope we didn’t make him worse.”

Even my always-stoic president seems rattled. “That wasn’t easy.”

We move away from Sway’s door and in the opposite direction of where everyone else is waiting.

“He’s got a long road of recovery ahead of him,” Rock says.

“He’s better than I think anyone expected him to be.”

“You’re not kidding. Christ, the doctor said an injury like that, maybe three to five percent of patients survive. And less than two percent fully recover. That he’s already awake and somewhat with it has to be a good sign.”

“They still need to find the fucker who did it.”

“I’m pretty sure that’s why more brothers from Washington showed up.” Rock clamps down on my shoulder and looks me in the eyes. “They’re not just here to pay respect to their fallen brother.”

Forty-One

Lilly

I can’t believe I got so used to Z being here. The house seems so empty without him. Chance notices it too and asks about him constantly.

Z calls and talks to him every day and calls me every night, but it’s not the same.

My phone rings and, thinking it’s Z, I pick up right away.

It’s my brother.

“How’s it going?” he asks.

“All right.”

“Mom’s still in a tizzy over that dinner. You really should come over again. Just leave the thug home.”

I’m so pissed, I almost hang up on him. “Tough shit.”

“Well, I see Z’s been a good influence on you.”

“Really, Alex? Haven’t I put up with enough verbal abuse from them? Can you look at it from my point of view and honestly say they’ve treated me fairly?”

“Lilly—”

“No, Alex. I’m done. I have my own son to worry about and raise. I’m not subjecting him to their verbal abuse.”

Alex is silent which intensifies the guilt I feel over what I just said. I won’t apologize though.

Talking it out with Z, heck having him witness it first-hand made me realize just how unhealthy my relationship with my parents was.

“How’s Chance?” he finally asks.

“Asleep at the moment.”

“I didn’t interrupt anything, I hope?”

I laugh at what he’s implying. “No, Z’s away for work.”

Away for work. Sounds like his company sent him away on business, when he’s really running another motorcycle club. But that’s none of my brother’s business.

Alex snorts into the phone. Guess I’m not all that convincing after all. “Work. Yeah. Listen, can we get together later this week?”

“Sure.”

“I miss the hell out of Chance. Think we can go up to the park or something.”

“Yeah, just let me know when you’re free.”

“You looking for a job?”

“Not yet.”

He’s silent for a few beats. “All right. I’ll text you later.”

“So, where’ve you been?” Alex asks as soon as he sees me. “I stopped by the house last weekend, but you were gone.”

“With Z.”

“And where was Chance?”

I give my brother a cool look, because I already don’t care for his tone. “He stayed at Hope’s.”

“Oh. That’s good I guess.”

“I think he had a lot of fun. He seems to get along with Heidi’s daughter well and he’s still fascinated with baby Grace.”

A faint smile ghosts over his lips. “You talk to Sophie lately?”

Surprised by the detour in the conversation, I sit back. “Not in a while.”

“She’s back in rehab.”

“Good.”

“She could use a friend.”

I fiddle with my phone, considering whether to tell him I might be moving downstate for a couple months. At least it won?

??t be as traumatic as when I called him all the way from California. After I moved.

“I have a lot going on right now, Alex. Sophie has sucked me dry emotionally. I can’t do it anymore.”

“Jesus, Lilly. How can you be so cold? You two have been friends since before you could even walk.”

Am I cold? “I can’t help her at the expense of myself, Alex. I have a son and he’s my priority.”

He snorts. “Yeah, right. Unless you’re off partying with the criminal.”

“What’s up your ass today?”

He blows out a frustrated breath and looks around before answering. “I had a disturbing conversation with Dad this morning.”

“Aren’t all conversations with him disturbing?” I flick my gaze toward the bouncy house Chance is currently flopping around in, trying to calculate how much anti-bacterial gel I’ll need to rub him down with when he finishes.

“Lilly, I’m not kidding.” Alex’s sharp tone pulls my attention back to him.

“What? Don’t tell me he has a new mistress?”

“Would you be serious for a second?”

When I don’t say anything, he opens his mouth again. “Dad came to me for money. His business is in trouble.”

“Big shock there.” I scoff. Dad’s refused to even consider any changes that might bring his high-end rug business into the twenty-first century. People aren’t exactly clamoring for fifty-five thousand-dollar, hand-knotted silk rugs anymore. A fact he refuses to accept.

“He’s maxed out with credit cards and loans, so he went to someone else to cover the minimum payments.”

A bad feeling settles in my gut. “Who?”

“He wouldn’t be specific. Some mobster type was the impression I got.”

“Okay. So what? Why is this your problem?”

“Lilly, come on. You’re not even the slightest bit worried—”

“The only thing I’m worried about is if it somehow affects Chance. Otherwise, no.”

My brother’s mouth curves into a pained smirk. “Funny you should say that. Guess who came to collect the debt?”

I narrow my eyes and cross my arms over my chest, daring him to speak the words I think he’s about to say.

“Your thug baby daddy.”