Retribution (The Lone Riders MC Series Book 2) (22 page)

‘I still can’t believe it, you know? That Mia… We grew up together, Lex. All of us. We grew up together, and he didn’t say a fucking word. All those years…’

Lexi squeezed her brother’s arm, kissing him quickly on the cheek. ‘We’re just going over old ground now, Kip. And anyway, if this is how
we
feel about what Dad’s done, how do you think Mia’s gonna take it?’

‘It still hurts, sis.’

‘Yeah. I know it does.’

Kip looked at her, right into her eyes. ‘He isn’t good for her. Ben, I mean. He isn’t the man she thinks he is.’

Lexi frowned slightly. ‘You’ve got to get over this, Kip…’

‘I can’t stop caring about her. As her brother, I’m allowed to do that, aren’t I? Care about her?’

‘Of course you are…’

‘Then believe me when I say Ben Salter isn’t the man for her. She needs to step away from him.’

‘You can’t tell her that, Kip. It’s not your place to…’

‘She’s not safe with him, Lex.’

Lexi’s frown deepened. ‘What are you talking about? You know this could just come across as sour grapes, don’t you?’

Kip’s eyes wandered back to Mia, who was now in Ben’s arms, slow dancing to a heavy rock track as they kissed, oblivious to the world around them. ‘He isn’t the man she thinks he is.’

‘Just leave her alone, Kip,’ Lexi sighed, giving his arm one final squeeze. ‘I’m sure Mia can look after herself.’

‘Everyone thinks they know him; who he was, what he did…’

‘For Christ’s sake, Kip, come on. You’re starting to sound like a broken record.’

He stared straight at Lexi. ‘They haven’t got a fucking clue how dangerous he really is.’

Lexi’s frown returned. ‘What do you mean, dangerous? I know he used to be a biker, but…’

Kip broke the stare, sighing quietly as he once more looked over towards Mia. Maybe tonight wasn’t the time to do this. Maybe it was best to just let things roll, while he did a bit more digging. He just had to keep a close eye on Ben Salter, make sure Mia stayed safe.

‘Kip?’

Lexi’s voice pulled him back from his thoughts and he looked at his sister, lightening the atmosphere with a small smile. ‘Sorry… Look, it doesn’t matter. I’m just pissed, okay? That I can’t have her… That someone else
can
.’

Lexi returned his smile, reaching out to take his hand, squeezing it gently. ‘You need to spend a couple of days at the
Candy
Cave
until normal service is resumed.’

He couldn’t help laughing. ‘Yeah. Maybe you’re right. Go on. Go talk to Mum. Make sure she’s all right.’

‘Okay. See you later.’

Kip watched his beautiful little sister run over to their mum. They were all victims of Charlie’s lifelong lie, and once Mia finally found out the truth, she would be, too. And they’d all have to find their own way of dealing with the aftermath. But Kip – he’d found his. And it was the only thing that was keeping him going.

***

‘I could swing for your father,’ Angie sighed, lighting up another cigarette as Lexi sat down next to her. ‘I am so fucking angry with him, after all the shit he put me through…’

Lexi had a lot of sympathy for Angie. Because she was right. Charlie had cheated long before anything had happened between her and
Tay
, which didn’t make either of their actions excusable, it just confused the crap out of something that was already difficult to make sense of.

‘To think of what that poor girl went through, and Charlie just stood there and watched another couple bring her up as their own. Her own father didn’t have the balls to stand up and admit the truth.’

‘I think he regrets that now, Mum,’ Lexi said quietly, a small sliver of sympathy for Charlie now pushing its way to the surface.

Angie gave Lexi a sharp look. ‘It’s too late for regrets, darlin’. He should have spoken out, told Mia the truth, long before now. When Elliot and Tracy passed on, that was his second chance to put things right…’

‘And what would
you
have done, huh? If that’s what had happened?’

‘Had some respect for him, Lexi. That’s what
I
would have done. I was with
Tay
by that time. Me, you and Kip were settled here in
Paradise
when that girl’s world fell down around her. She was just nineteen years old. And your father should have told her the truth instead of hiding behind all this shit he keeps telling us all about making sure she was safe, making sure the club
kept
her safe. As though that makes everything okay…’ She let out a small, cynical laugh, throwing her cigarette down on to the grass below. ‘Was letting her anywhere near Lennie Rose keeping her safe?’

‘To be fair, Mum, Lennie had us all fooled when he first showed up at the compound. You remember, don’t you? How kind and polite he was as a young Prospect. Nobody would have believed he’d turn into the man he ended up becoming.’

‘Your father should have done more, Lexi. He treat us all badly by keeping us in the dark for so long.’

Lexi watched as Charlie approached Mia, who smiled and turned to give him a big hug, her face a picture of happiness. And Lexi felt her stomach sink, because she knew he was about to tell her the truth now. This was it – when Mia either accepted his reasons for lying to her all her life, or shunned him forever. And Lexi wasn’t entirely sure which one of those her father deserved more.

‘Jesus Christ. He hasn’t told her yet, has he?’ Angie sighed, pulling another cigarette out of her pocket.

Lexi shook her head. ‘But it looks like he’s about to tell her now.’

***

Shane checked his watch, downing another mouthful of beer, but that was his last. For now. He needed to keep a clear head if this was going to work.

Pulling his phone out of his back pocket he called Lennie’s cell, tapping his foot against the wall behind him as the disembodied ring tone played incessantly down the line. Why the fuck wasn’t he answering?

Checking his watch again he realized the dim light had made it look later than it actually was. It was only ten to eight. Plenty of time, in reality. But there was a part of Shane that still felt as though he couldn’t fully trust Lennie Rose, and he began to wonder if he shouldn’t have asked Bear to help him instead. After all, he’d done what Shane had asked him to without any trouble.

‘Something wrong?’

Shane quickly turned his head to see who was there. Speak of the devil. A slow smile spread across his face as he looked at the bulky figure of Bear. ‘Ain’t nothing wrong, brother. Just catching a bit of time out before the fireworks.’

Bear looked at him warily. ‘I don’t trust you, Shane. Never really have. Always thought you were far too – “nice”.’

Shane laughed, his eyes never leaving Bear’s. ‘You saying we all gotta be first-rate shit-heads to fit into this world?’

Bear’s expression never wavered, remaining stoic. ‘Where’s Lennie?’

‘That ain’t none of your business. And why you still here anyway? It’s not like you’re needed now. Now they all think Lennie’s gone.’

‘Is he coming for Mia?’

‘What he does is no concern of mine.’

‘Well, you see, that’s a lie, isn’t it? You told me you wanted him alive because you needed him, to help you…’

Shane stepped forward, not in the least bit intimidated by the bigger man. ‘You’re concerning yourself with something that’s none of your business. So why don’t you just get back to the party…’

‘Is he coming for Mia?’ Bear repeated, his voice slow and steady.

Shane laughed in his face; a small, almost sinister laugh. ‘What he chooses to do after tonight, I really don’t care.’

‘What’s going on, Shane?’

‘Like I said. Brother. It ain’t none of your concern.’

Bear moved a step closer, but still Shane held his ground. ‘If anything happens to…’

Grabbing the big man’s wrist, Shane twisted it around his back in one swift movement, causing Bear to howl out in both pain and surprise. ‘Keep that ugly mouth of yours shut, you hear me?’ Shane sneered, yanking Bear’s arm up a little higher, making sure he got the message. ‘Or believe me, you won’t get to see that bleak shit hole you call home ever again.’

Almost throwing Bear’s arm down he let go of him, stepping back and wiping his hands together.

‘Now get back out there and start enjoying yourself.’

‘You don’t scare me, Shane.’

Shane took a couple of steps forward, until he was back in Bear’s face. ‘And that could well be a big mistake on your part.’

Bear’s eyes stayed fixed on his for longer than Shane felt comfortable, but looking away first would give the Englishman the upper hand. And Shane had to stay focused here. Lose that focus, and everything could turn to crap – crap he may not be able to control.

He kept his gaze steady until Bear finally broke the stare, backing off around the corner, and only when he was out of sight did Shane let out a huge sigh of relief. All he had to do was stay calm and in control for another couple of hours, and everything would be okay. Everything would go to plan. Everything would change… Everything…

***

Mia stared at Charlie, unable to feel anything but a sweeping numbness. Her whole body felt as though it had just been dipped into an icy bath, the freezing cold water seeping into her veins, taking over, leaving her frozen. Numb.

‘I know this is a shock, Mia, but…’

‘A shock?’ she whispered, surprised that she could actually speak, because even her lips felt as though that ice-cold numbness had taken over.

‘Mia, I… I’m sorry, baby. I’ve handled this so badly…’

‘All my life, Charlie…’ She may have been able to find her voice, but it was coming out as little more than a whisper, and the more she spoke the more her throat seemed to hurt, the burning sensation at odds with the coldness that had taken over the rest of her body. ‘You lied to me, for all of my life… You stood by and watched as… Jesus! All my fucking life, Charlie!’

‘There were reasons, Mia. Reasons why I had to do what I did…’

‘Reasons…’ Her voice seemed almost detached from the rest of her as she looked over at Ben, who was sitting astride his bike that was parked up by the garage, talking to Luca, his expression serious as they engaged in what looked like a pretty intense conversation. ‘Were there reasons why so many people knew before me?’ She turned back to face Charlie, her coal-black eyes meeting his. ‘My whole life has been a fucking lie.’

‘No, Mia, listen to me, darlin’, please…’ He reached out to touch her but she pulled her arm away, stepping back from him. ‘Your mum and dad…’

‘Which ones, Charlie? Huh? Which mum and dad are we talking about?’ Her voice had started to rise a little in volume, the icy tinge melting slightly as a red-hot anger started to take over.

‘They loved you, Mia.’

She nodded, swallowing hard, folding her arms across her chest, her eyes never leaving his. ‘I know they loved me. And I loved them, too… My real mum – did
she
love me?’

Charlie bowed his head, pushing a hand through his hair.

‘Did she love me?’ Mia repeated, the anger rising, now merging with confusion and fear.

‘She didn’t even get to know you, sweetheart. There wasn’t time.’

‘But there was plenty of time for
you
to get to know me.’ Her voice was back to being barely a whisper, but the harshness hiding beneath that whisper tore into Charlie’s heart. ‘What was the matter? Couldn’t you be bothered? Too busy with your other kids?’

‘Mia, please, it wasn’t like that…’

She shook her head, pulling her crossed arms tighter against herself. ‘No. No, it never is.’

‘Mia! Where are you going? We need to…’

She swung around, her dark eyes blazing. ‘Talk? Is that what you were gonna say? We need to talk? We needed to talk a long time ago, Charlie. You’ve left it too late.’

‘Mia!’

She’d heard enough. And even though she knew – deep down inside she
knew
this wasn’t going to go away just because she’d walked off. They were going to have to talk about it. She just didn’t feel like it right now. She wanted to be alone. She needed time to get her head around everything; to take in what she’d just been told. Jesus! Her and Kip… they’d almost…

Pushing through the crowd of people all partying out in the yard, she kept her head down as she ran to her car, jumping in and quickly driving off. She wasn’t in the mood for explanations. Ben would know she was missing, eventually, but someone would fill him in – Coby, Lexi, Charlie. Even Angie. Enough people knew the truth to let him know what was going on.

Somehow she remained focused and calm as she drove the short distance home, relieved to be away from everyone. She just hoped they’d understand why she needed a bit of space right now, and not follow her. Especially Ben. She loved him, she really did. But at this moment in time she didn’t need him. She didn’t need anyone.