Rock sits back but never takes his eyes off me. “I think I understand what you’re saying, Angus. Doesn’t mean I’m going to let you risk your freedom for some lowlife. We do this smart.”

We.

An injury to one member hurts us all. And we all retaliate.

I’m not in this alone.

“Give me whatever information you have and I’ll see what Tony can find out.”

“Rock, I can track down plenty on my own without involving him.”

“I realize that, but he might be able to tell me something the computer can’t. In no way do we want this traced back to you.”

“Thank you, brother.”

“You don’t have to thank me. You know where I’ll always land in this situation.”

Yes, yes, I do. Senator Kelly won’t be the first rapist to die at the hands of the Lost Kings MC. Brutal? Maybe. Necessary though, as far as I’m concerned. Haven’t lost any sleep over it yet.

“Are you comfortable bringing in the others if we need to?” He motions to the rest of the table. Retaliation at this level really needs to go through a club vote. Since my status is hovering between VP of upstate and prez of downstate, I guess I can choose which charter I want to involve. “There’s no one I trust more.”

He nods. “You might want to keep your relationship to Lilly a secret for now.”

“I’m the only one on the lease for the house downstate.”

“Good.” He gives me a thoughtful look. “You know if she put your name on Chance’s birth certificate?”

Shit, it had never occurred to me to ask. I don’t need a piece of paper to tell me Chance is mine. “I don’t know.”

He shrugs. “Shouldn’t matter. She had him in California, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Find out. The longer nothing connects the two of you on paper, the better.”

“Rock, I’m gonna marry her. Soon. Real soon.”

He snorts and one corner of his mouth lifts. “Of course, you are.” His smile fades. “But you want this done first, right?”

Damn right I do.

Chapter Thirteen

Lilly

The drive down to the new place isn’t awkward at all. Mostly because my brother is driving in the truck behind me. I needed to take my own car, after all.

Chance decided it would be more fun to ride with Uncle Alex so I have the car to myself, which means I can crank up the stereo to music I want to listen to.

It makes the miles go by fast.

And helps me forget all the horrors I explained to Z the other day.

Who am I kidding? I can’t stop thinking about it. The awful feelings it dredged up cling to me like slime. A familiar, heavy, shameful weight presses down on me like a second skin I thought I shed years ago.