So we waited.
Until we got this call.
“She’s been arrested,” Hansen added, eyes flying to Swiss whose fists were balled on top of the table. He was pissed but obviously not surprised. Hansen had obviously filled him in first before we sat down at the table.
As he should’ve. That was his right, as her stepfather. No one else should’ve been entitled to that information.
Except I found myself angry, fucking furious that it wasn’t mine. I didn’t have ownership over her like every cell in my body was convinced I deserved.
“Don’t want Kate to know,” Swiss bit out. “And if she finds out I hid this from her, she’ll have my balls.” His eyes went around the table. I restrained a flinch when they skimmed over me. “So I’ll be cutting things off the motherfucker who doesn’t keep this shit locked down.”
I didn’t doubt him. Despite Swiss being one of the most depraved motherfuckers in the club—tied with Hades—he loved his wife more than anything and would move heaven and earth to make sure her life didn’t hold any more discomfort than was humanly possible.
“What’s the charge?” Lucas asked, concern in his tone. No doubt he and Colby were both pissed and worried, both of them close with Violet, something I fucking hated. Colby closer of the two.
They were just friends, which was why they were both still breathing, but I hated that he knew her, hated the protective rage in his voice.
“She was involved in a bar fight,” Hansen sighed, rubbing his temples. “Don’t know much else since they haven’t processed it into the system. We’ve got a lawyer en route, and hopefully, she’ll be out by the time someone from this charter gets there. But we also want to get the details of this incident, make sure the proper party faces consequences.”
“I’ll leave now,” Lucas said without hesitation.
My fists clenched, and it took all of me to stay stationary.
“No,” Hansen said. “Need you here. Also need someone who will be able to keep his shit locked down.”
His eyes found mine. I was known to be the most controlled in the group.
“You good with this job, brother?”
I kept my face blank and searched his own for any kind of inclination that there was something beyond my even temperament as to why he was choosing me.
Surely, he didn’t know shit. Hansen wasn’t someone to find out shit and hold onto it. He would share it, and he sure as fuck would’ve talked to me about it. Because his main job was keeping this club together and destroying things that would tear it apart.
So yeah, he couldn’t know shit.
“I’ll go too,” Colby volunteered, looking to our president.
Though the last thing I wanted was someone else with me, especially him, it would be good. Someone to keep me from giving in to baser instincts.
“All right, take Elden’s lead, though,” Hansen said.
Colby had a phone to his ear. “I’ll organize us bikes and pieces for when we land,” he said.
My chair screeched as I stood. I did my best to keep my movements smooth, purposeful but unhurried. No one needed to see I was about jumping out of my skin to get to her.
I raised my chin to Hansen before walking out. There was no fucking way I could face Swiss, but he didn’t give me a choice. He followed me out, clapping me on the shoulder.
“Appreciate you doin’ this, brother,” he said.
I nodded in response.
“Fuckin’ kills me not to go, but I’m not lettin’ Kate get tangled up with this. And I’m sure as shit not leaving her when she’s fuckin’ pregnant.”
I nodded again. Swiss had a dark past with his last family, so he wasn’t going to lose this one.
“Ain’t no one else I trust to take care of her, brother,” he continued, squeezing my shoulder. “So thank you. And make sure you fuck up anyone who needs to be punished.”
ThatI could do.