Valen (Henchmen MC Next Generation 6)

This was the part where I was the hypocrite then.

Because I agreed with her.

We did need to tell Fallon.

But I was also not giving him the whole story.

I kind of felt like a dick not giving them the same privacy I was keeping for myself.

“It’s probably nothing,” Louana added. “They maybe just knew each other from a job that maybe doesn’t make either of them look good. But that’s the kind of stuff we’re supposed to share. Fallon has had several little sit-downs with me about my life before this club.”

I found myself fucking jealous of all that information he got that I wasn’t privy to. As pathetic as that was.

“Probably,” I agreed, nodding.

“I’ll let Nave have the night to party and settle in, but I’ll talk to Brooks tomorrow,” Louana said.

“Sounds like a plan,” I agreed, feeling the buzz of my phone in my pocket, and promptly ignoring it.

Sure, it could have been my parents. Or Vi. But, somehow, I knew it wasn’t them.

It was my past inching closer, getting ready to breathe down my neck.

“Wanna get a drink?” Voss asked, inclining his chin toward Louana, almost like he knew I needed a moment alone.

“Sure,” she agreed, but her jaw tensed. Likely at the idea of walking back into the clubhouse.

She was going to tear her wounds back open if she wasn’t careful. But it wasn’t my place to tell her that. Not anymore.

When I was sure I was alone, I reached for my phone with a sort of sick sensation in my stomach as I saw the number there. And the preview of the whole text.

I know where you

They knew where I was.

It was only a matter of time, really.

Especially if they found out my full name. From there, it wouldn’t be hard to suss out who my parents were. My father, especially. And what organization he belonged to.

Which would lead them right to Navesink Bank.

Almost right to the doorsteps of the club.

I had to do something before it went that far. It was bad enough I was keeping some parts of my past from my people—my family, my club brothers. It was another thing entirely to let that past become a threat to them.

I wanted to tell myself that wasn’t a possibility. That this was about me, not them.

But at the end of the day, most bad guys didn’t exactly have a code anymore. They would use whatever means they needed to get to me. They would go through my club if they thought that was the only way.

I couldn’t put them at risk like that.

Especially unknowingly.

I had to stop being a bitch and handle my shit.

Taking a deep breath, I opened the text and shot back my reply.

It was done.

Or, it would be in a few days time.

For better or worse.

CHAPTER TWELVE

Louana

Nave was a welcome distraction.

Despite the flirty introduction, there was no actual interest. Not on my part, or his.

I got the feeling that he was just the kind of guy who flirted with every woman he crossed paths with, whether he was interested or not.

And why wouldn’t he? Looking how he looked?

I mean, really, what man could pull off freckles and still look like sin?

Nave, that’s who.

But it wasn’t his hotness that made me glad he was around.

No.

It was just another person in the prospect room to talk to, since I’d been doing my best to keep distance from Valen. And therefore, to an extent, from Voss.

Which meant there was a lot of damn silence in the room at night, all of us just fucking around on our phones to avoid talking to one another until we went to sleep.

I was the one who got to give Nave another reintroduction to the space, show him which beds were taken, and which cabinet he could use.

“Looks like we are at capacity with these then,” Nave had said as he shoved a single duffle bag into the cabinet next to mine. “Gotta hope Roderick’s kids don’t all try to join up along with us now. They should be getting old enough.”

“Speaking of old enough,” I said, looking at him. “Why’d you wait so long? You should have prospected back when Fallon, Finn, Seth, and Malc did, right?”

“Yeah, somewhere around there. Just wasn’t done being out in the world yet, I guess. Sure, this club brings with it some fun. As you’ve experienced first-hand.”

“Yes. Loads of fun being shot in the ass,” I agreed.

“But once you’re here, you’re here, y’know? I guess I had some wild oats to sow and shit. Figured I’d bounce back here once I’d seen and experienced enough out there, and was craving the familiarity of here. Funny shit, though…” he started.

“That as familiar as it is here, it feels strange being back,” I filled in for him.

“Yeah,” he agreed, nodding. “So how long you been back?”