Out of the Ashes (Sons of Templar MC 3)

Cade’s face gentled. “Know this shit is hard, babe. My pregnant wife and baby daughter were there too.” His eyes turned murderous and he glanced their way, as if to make sure they were still okay. “But you need to know. We handle this. Not the cops,” he said firmly.

My heart sank and I got what he was asking. “The cops handle this, because it’s how it freaking works,” I whisper yelled at him.

He shook his head. “Not in this world.”

I swallowed tightly. “If you’re asking me to tell my daughter to lie to the police, you’re crossing the line. In fact, you’re so far past the line, the line is a dot to you,” I hissed, failing to be intimidated by his stare.

He sighed, running his hand through his stubble. “People that did this killed my brother,” he said tightly. “Shot at your kid.” He nodded to Lexie. “You want them serving a bullshit sentence if the cops ever do get around to catching them, or you want justice?” he asked flatly.

I narrowed my eyes. “You’re not talking about justice, you’re talking about revenge.”

He eyed me warily. “Sometimes they’re one in the same, babe.”

I chewed my lip, something swirling in my belly. I wanted to gather my daughter up and get her the fuck out of here. These people were nice, good people. But no matter what way you swung it, their lifestyle caused someone to get dead today. Almost caused my daughter to get dead. Zane was nowhere to be seen. Who knows where he was, if he was covered in his own blood…or someone else’s. I shivered at the thought. My mind moved involuntarily to the issues, the problems my kid was no doubt going to have after witnessing this shit. The nightmares. Her happy, carefree life would never be the same. The way she viewed the world would never be the same. An ugly part of me wanted those people who shattered that view to be punished. Not in a way that had them sleeping in a cell and getting out for good behavior.

“I’ll find out if she saw anything,” I said finally, hating myself. “If she did I won’t tell her to lie to the police,” I told him firmly. “But if she did see something, you’re the first to know.”

Cade’s face was blank, then he nodded. He touched my shoulder lightly. “You’re a good mom, Mia, and a strong woman. Your girl too.” He paused. “You’re good for him.”

I knew immediately who he was talking about.

“Today was heavy,” he continued.

Understatement of the freaking century.

“It’s not normal. Not okay. And will never happen again,” he promised firmly. “Our life might be rough, slide into grey sometimes. But trust me, this isn’t how it is.”

I felt like he could see my thoughts, see my panic. My desperation to get the fuck out of here as quickly as possible. He was trying to get me to understand. I nodded slowly, more to disguise my true intentions than anything else.

He looked at me a moment more then got up, continuing to make his rounds.

Turns out Lexie did see something, something that could help at least.

“They were covered,” she said slowly, Cade and Brock watching her. We were in the room called “church” where they had directed Lexie, Killian—who refused to leave her side—and I once I informed them of her information. To their credit, they were gentle and patient with her, speaking softly. “Their faces, I mean,” she corrected quickly. Her voice was stronger than mine would have been. I smiled tightly, proud of her strength. But then a teenage girl shouldn’t have to be strong when recounting what she saw from a freaking drive by shooting.

“But they had bikes—kind of like yours, like Zane’s, but not as cool,” she smiled slightly and Killian squeezed her hand.

Brock’s mouth turned up a tad but Cade’s face stayed blank.

“Couldn’t say what make they were, but definitely weren’t Harley’s,” she said with certainty.

My eyebrows rose at this. Since when did my daughter know the difference between a Harley and a.anything?

Brock’s eyebrows also rose at this and he looked…impressed. “Lost Knights,” he muttered under his breath.

Cade nodded tightly. “Maybe,” he said back. “Anything else, honey?” he asked slowly.

She nodded. “The vests. Leather like yours, but with a different patch. I don’t know what it was but it had red in it,” she said firmly. Something moved in her gaze and she sat up straighter. “The bikes,” she said quickly. “I knew they were familiar but I only just remembered where from. You know that day in the vintage shop in Hope?” she asked me.

I nodded as the blood drained from my face.

“That’s where I knew them from. They’re the same ones, I’m sure of it,” she declared confidently.

Cade’s face went hard as granite and I would’ve been terrified if it was directed at me. It wasn’t. It was at the Lost Knights. It was the look of murder. It immediately transformed when he focused on Lexie once more. “Thanks honey, you did great.”

He made to move.

“You don’t want me to tell the police, do you?” she asked suddenly and Brock and Cade both jerked with surprise.

“Lexie…” I started, my stomach swirling once more at the mature look on my daughter’s childlike face.

She looked at me. “No Mom, it’s okay.” She turned back to Cade and Brock, who were staring at her. “I get it. The police, they probably won’t find them. Even if they do, there’s a chance they might not even go to prison.” She paused. “Not all of them, anyway. But you—” She gave Cade a meaningful look. “You’ll find them, won’t you?” Her voice was certain.

He nodded slowly. I didn’t imagine it was easy to surprise Cade, the big bad president of the Sons of Templar MC, but I’m pretty sure my sixteen-year-old just did. She sure surprised the ever loving shit out of her mom, and not in a good way.

Lexie nodded too. “Right. Well. That’s that, then,” she said firmly.