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Kid
It wasn’t just a couple of brothers who had arrived with the cage. A pissed off Bulldog stormed into the flat. One look and he knew Boots had told their Chaplain everything that had gone down. And then Suzy and Beryl pushed past him and swamped him. The women wrapped their arms around him and hugged him tight until Bulldog dragged him out of their arms and into his.
“Remember one thing son, you’re our boy, always were, always will be.” He said softly against the side of his head.
Kid nodded because he couldn’t get a word past the muscles in his tight as hell throat. Bulldog patted his back before he stepped back and walked deeper into the flat to where Esther sat in the chair, still crying and sniffing.
Suzy stood in front of her with her arms crossed tightly over her chest as she hissed at her angrily. “Why the hell didn’t you tell us about this shit, Essie? We could have helped more than we did. You and Flash treated the boy like he was rubbish while you lavished all your attention on Jane. And now look. She’s the one dragging all of us into her evil schemes.”
Esther’s back straightened as she faced Suzy. “I made some mistakes, some huge unforgivable mistakes. I have no defence for what I did to my son except to say I’m so very sorry. I wish things could be different but they aren’t. And Jane...Jane being involved in the things she’s involved in...I don’t understand it. I just don’t. We gave her everything she wanted. We loved her. Why is she doing these horrible things? Someone had to have led her astray to do these things. I don’t understand anything anymore.”
She once again crumpled into a little ball in the chair and Kid had to turn away because he couldn’t stand to be near her right now.
“What did I tell you in the car. She shut her eyes to all Jane’s faults and blamed Kid and everyone else for her precious little girl’s evil ass.” Beryl stood in front of the chair with no sympathy on her face at all. “Jane and her father are two peas in a pod, bad all the way through, Esther, and it’s time you accepted that fact.”
Bulldog glared at Esther then grunted as if coming to a decision and what he laid out shocked everyone in the room. It was shit that had never been discussed at the table. Shit that had been buried in the past.
“You might think you have everyone fooled, Essie, but you forget there are still enough of us around who remember when you first came to the club. We remember exactly who you used to be.”
Esther visibly cringed as Bulldog stared coldly down at her.
“You threw yourself at all the officers and no one would bite. Flash was the only brother stupid enough to fall for your shit. Imagine his rage and humiliation when he realised he had claimed another man’s son. That’s when he stepped fully onto the dark path. You, and your betrayal had helped to push him over the edge.” Bulldog tipped his head to the side and just stared at her when she drew in a shocked breath.
She wasn’t the only one who was shocked. Every single one of them were.
“Yes, Essie, we all suspected that Kid wasn’t Flash’s kid. As he got older he looked nothing like his father, his mother or his shitty grandparents. Bounty told us to keep our mouths shut to save a brother’s pride. Years later when I noticed how crazy Flash had become I should have taken my boy away from the two of you.”
Rage boiled in Bulldog’s eyes and filled the room like a physical fog. “Had we realised what you people were doing to that child we would have stepped in sooner. That’s my biggest regret, that I didn’t take my boy away from you and your old man.”
Esther jerked back in her seat as if he had slapped her.
“He isn’t yours.” She whispered but her voice became stronger as she continued. “He’s my son and I would never have given him to you or anyone else. Flash and I failed him, horribly, I admit it, but it changes nothing. He is my son and will always be mine.”
Kid couldn’t stop the derisive laugh that escaped him.
“You and Flash definitely failed me. Do you realise the only reason you came back into my life in any sort of capacity was because of shit Flash and Jane were involved in? What does that tell me, Esther?” She stared at him not saying a word. “It tells me that if not for them pissing us, and a few other people, off you would have stayed in that house acting like you didn’t have a son. So please, stop with the bullshit that I’m your son and will always be your son. That’s utter fucking bullshit!”
He was losing his mind and had to get out of there. Pointing at the two prospects who had come in with Bulldog he beckoned them over and they followed as he walked to her bedroom.
“Get boxes then pack every little thing in here. Search every fucking inch of this room and make sure you leave nothing behind. Anything interesting you find put in a separate box. You got me?”
“Yes, Boss.”
“Yes, Boss.”
The prospects left and Kid stood looking around the room. He hadn’t been in it until today and frowned when he saw the group of photographs on the small desk in the corner. There were a couple of him and Jane as toddlers but the majority was of Jane. That’s when he saw it, hidden right at the back, a photo of him, Hawk and Ice after they were patched in. Even then his best friend was a big mother, while he looked lanky and gaunt in comparison. The reason he was so gaunt was that back then Flash had made sure the club whores didn’t feed him. It kept him weak and under his control. Thank fuck that changed the minute Bounty became aware of the situation and stepped in. But it only happened right before his patching in party so he was still fucking thin when the photo was taken.
Putting the photo down Kid moved away from the desk and sat down on the side of the bed. Dropping his head he rubbed his hands over his face and then just sat there. For some reason he couldn’t move from that damned spot.
His life had been turned upside down once again.
The first time it happened he had been too young to realise that everything he thought he knew had been destroyed. His loving parents became strangers overnight and fear and pain ruled his life until he was much, much older.
Today it had happened again. Only now he was a grown man and no longer subject to the vagaries of two people who were supposed to love and protect him but had not.
His phone buzzed in his pocket and he drew it out. His Prez was calling.
“Prez.”
“Kid, brother, get back to the clubhouse. We have some shit to talk about and it’s best we do it here where there’s no chance of us being overheard.”
“Got you, Hawk. I’m organising some shit here then I’ll be on my way.”
“Good, I’ll be waiting.”
Sliding his phone back into his pocket he slowly stood and walked out the room. While he had been gone Beryl had made fresh tea and the women were sitting softly talking to Esther. Bulldog stood with a hip leant against the worktop in the kitchen typing on his phone but he looked up when Kid walked in.
“Hawk called me in. Can you sort this shit for me please, brother?” He had hardly finished when Bulldog drew him into a man hug and gave him two sharp slaps on his back then pushed him away.
“Those slaps are for you thinking you needed to ask. Go, I’ve got your back.”
With Boots and Spook following him he left without saying a word to the woman who was his mother. He couldn’t.
It was going to take some time before he would be able to look at her again, never mind talking to her.
At the clubhouse he parked his bike and went straight to Hawk’s office. All the officers were there waiting on him. Except of course Bulldog, who was handling shit for him back at his flat.
Hawk pointed to the chair at the side of his desk and Kid sank down into it. They were roughly ranged in a half circle facing the monitor on the wall.
“Right. Let’s get to it.” Hawk tapped his fingers on his desk, a habit he had when he didn’t have the damned gavel in his hand. “Ziggy, what do you have for our brother?”
Ziggy cleared his throat. “I’ve got good news. The fucker definitely wasn’t your father. According to my contact there are familial markers but not enough for him to be your father. I didn’t have DNA for Esther so I couldn’t have those checked out but if you want we can get it done.”
Kid couldn’t help it, he burst out in relieved laughter. His brothers looked at him like he had lost his shit. The laughter didn’t last long at all. “Sorry, I’m just fucking relieved I don’t have his diseased blood running through my veins.”
Spider didn’t even hesitate a second. “Nope, just the blood of a Sinner, if we can believe that shit.”
“Jesus, Spider.” Ice growled at his little brother but Kid just grinned.
“He’s right. According to Esther my father rode with the Sinners and was killed in a shoot-out.”
Hawk tapped his fingers on the desk and Kid’s eyes swivelled to his president. He wasn’t smiling. If Kid could believe his eyes his prez looked freaked the fuck out.
“What?”
Ziggy was the one who answered.
“You asked me to dig into someone called Camden “War” Knight. The information you gave me has him dying in a shoot-out before you were born, right?”
“Ja, that’s what Esther was told by Flash.”
Hawk sighed and shook his head and Ziggy just looked uncomfortable.
“You want to take this, prez?” Ziggy looked at their president and Hawk nodded.
Rubbing a hand over the braid at the back of his head Hawk sat forward and those yellow eyes of his pinned Kid in his seat.
“Flash fucking lied to her. War Knight wasn’t killed in a shoot-out. He, in fact, was transferred to their Cape Town chapter. He was seventeen at the time and was patched in shortly after he turned eighteen.” Hawk drew in a breath and let it out before he continued. “If War is your father, he’s alive and well and the president of the Cape Town chapter of the Sinners Sons.”
Staring at his president Kid felt as if he had gone numb. It felt as if the world had stopped turning for a few seconds and it left him dizzy. His hands were clamped so tight around the arms of his chair it felt as if his fingers were digging into the wood. But Hawk wasn’t finished.
“Actually brother, as far as Zig and I are concerned there are no doubts. You look exactly like the fucker.”
Kid forced the words out in a soft growl. “Show me.”
The silence in the office was broken by the soft tap of the keys as Ziggy brought up the photographs he had found of the man called Camden “War” Knight. There weren’t many, but there were a couple of him as a very young prospect and after he received his patch. The rest were of later years and then more recent photos. In the earlier photos he was smiling and relaxed but as he aged the smiles became less and you could clearly see the changes in the man as he climbed in the ranks.
Kid stared at the man in the photographs. He was a tall well-built and rugged looking guy. He had a thick silver and dark blonde beard surrounding his mouth with wide silver slashes running from his moustache down into his fairly long goatee. The scruff on his cheeks was a mix of silver and dark blonde. He wore his hair brushed back and it was heavily streaked with silver and hung to his wide shoulders. Judging by the photos he had started to go grey in his thirties the same as Kid. From the earlier photos he could see that they had the same dark blonde hair colour. It was his eyes that captured Kid’s attention though, a steely grey-blue, the same as his own.
Ziggy had gone further and had set up photos side by side so they could compare the images. Kid couldn’t look away from the four photos Ziggy had up on the monitor. One of him the day he’d been patched in and a more recent photo. When he compared it to the two of the man they thought was his father the resemblance was startling.
“Oh yes, that’s your daddy for sure, bro.” Spider said with a wide grin.
“Why the fuck do you sound so fucking pleased?” Wolf growled at him.
“I’m pleased as fuck because that shit up there means our brother doesn’t have to call the corpse his father anymore.” Spider pointed at the photos, smirked and wiggled his eyebrows. “And look at War, the man is hot for an old guy which means there’s still hope for our brother. But I doubt he could grow a badass beard like that.” Spider teased with a wide grin. “And now that I think about it, I’ve never seen our brother with more than a scruff. He shaves the minute it gets a bit too long, same as his hair.” Spider whirled a finger at his face. “I wonder if it’s because he looks old with all that grey he’s got going on over there.”
Laughter rang around the room and Kid shook his head at his brothers. Fucking Spider. The grey wasn’t the reason why he kept his hair short and his face shaved. And it wasn’t something he wanted to discuss with anyone.
So he turned their attention back to the problem his parentage could cause for the club.
“Are we going to tell Dagger about this shit or are we going to keep it between us, Prez?”
All laughter disappeared as Hawk narrowed his eyes and shook his head.
“Your fucked up mother kept a son from his father for thirty eight fucking years. That’s unacceptable. We’re not keeping any of this shit a secret to spare her from the consequences it might have for her. I’ve set up a meet with Dagger at Zeffers for eleven tomorrow morning. I didn’t clue him in on why I want to meet. He’s bringing Church and Jinx along for the meet. We’ll give them everything we’ve discovered and see what they have to say. Plus we need to know how you being related to the Knights are going to impact both clubs.”
Ice sat forward and the movement had everyone looking at him. “If it turns out to be true, which anyone with fucking eyes in their head can see it is, it means our clubs are connected by blood. Twice. We’re connected through Duncan and now we’ll be connected through Kid. It means a blood alliance between our clubs not only to one chapter but to all of them.”
Kid frowned at Ice because he didn’t get it. “Why to all of them? Wouldn’t it just be between us and their Joburg and Cape Town chapters? And aren’t you counting your chickens a bit early? We don’t know if War is going to believe us or not. If some fucker came to me and said he was my son I’d want to see DNA proof before I’d believe that shit.”
Ice shook his head at him and leant back in his chair and his eyes swept over all of them.
“I’m not counting any damned chickens, Kid. He’ll only have to take one look at you to know you are his, he’ll order a DNA test to use as proof for his club, not for himself. And think about this for a minute, even if he has other children you’re his eldest son. You know how important that will be.”
Kid shook his head. “I doubt it would be of any significance. I’m fucking thirty eight years old, a grown man, not some little kid he can raise to follow in his footsteps. My loyalties are here, with my brothers and my club, with the Iron Dogz MC.”
Ice was about to answer when the door opened and Bulldog walked in. His face looked like a damned thundercloud.
“That bitch is enough to give me indigestion for fucking weeks. She hasn’t stopped snivelling and blaming everyone except herself. To listen to her you’d swear she had been an innocent bystander and not the instigator of the whole fucking mess.” He looked at Kid as he sank into the couch. “Sorry, son, but she’s a sly piece of work.”
Kid had to smile at Bulldogs’ furious outburst. “I know, I grew up with her, remember. I have no illusions as to who she really is behind that façade of a helpless old lady she presents to the world.”
Bulldog sighed as he settled deeper into the couch. “She’s locked in one of the club girl rooms for the moment. No way for her to get out unless we let her out. And just to put it out there, I don’t think she’s told us the truth about what happened between her and War. She likes putting the blame on the men in her life. We won’t know what really happened until we talk to the Sinners or to him.”
“I agree.” Hawk leant his crossed forearms on his desk. “We meet with Dagger, Church and Jinx tomorrow, show them what we have found then take it from there. All we have at the moment is the obvious likeness between Kid and War, and his mother’s word, which we have no reason to trust. There’s nothing more we can do about this today. Let’s leave it for the moment and we’ll take it further once we’ve spoken to the Sinners.”
Spider suddenly waved a hand in the air. “I have a question.”
Hawk sighed and gave him a chin lift, letting him ask his question.
“How old is Esther?” He had a tiny frown between his brows as he waited for the answer.
“She’s sixty four, why?” Kid had a suspicion he knew why Spider had asked. The age difference.
“You realise she was twenty six and he was only seventeen when she got pregnant, right?” Spider raised his shoulders. “Don’t you find that a bit icky? I do. Think back to when all of us were seventeen with raging teenage hormones. If a hot older woman threw herself at you would you have turned her away? Hell no, you would’ve grabbed on and rode her as long as it lasted, but claim her? No way in hell would any of our parents have allowed it.”
Kid was about to answer but Spider wasn’t finished.
“Think about this. War was a legacy with officer status in his future. Have his kid, demand maintenance and you’re set for life. Unfortunately for her it seems he came to his senses and ended it with her. It was most probably before she knew she was pregnant and could get her claws into him permanently. Unfortunately for him he didn’t know she was pregnant with his son when he walked away.”
There was a few seconds of stunned silence before Kid picked up where Spider had left off.
“Realising that she’s not going to get what she wants from War she turned her sights on the next best thing. His half-brother Flash, a power hungry asshole at another club. She tells him the kid is his but instead of paying her maintenance like she thought he would he made her his old lady and married her to give his son his name. A son he belatedly found out wasn’t his. After Jane was born she was stuck with him because he would never have let her leave with his only heir.”
“If that’s how it went down then it’s fucked up.” Beast growled.
“That it is.” Hawk tapped his fingers on the desk and the mumbles died down to silence. “We’re going to leave all the speculation right here. We can’t be sure about the facts until we’ve spoken to War and compared his story to hers. Tomorrow Boots, Spook and Scar will be riding out with us to keep an eye out while the three of us are talking to Dagger and his officers. For now this stays here with us until such time as Kid feels ready to share with the rest of our brothers.”
Agreeing nods came from everyone and Kid knew he was lucky to have these men as his brothers.
He was damned apprehensive about talking to Dagger and Jinx about the possibility that he might be War Knight’s son. And about his possible ties to the Sinners Sons.
It wasn’t going to be an easy meet at all.
