Chapter 6

The confrontation with Mom and the Wolf MC had left my blood simmering, but I wasn’t done yet. “Oh, you like those messages from my mom saying I owe her money, right? For what, I don’t know. Dad’s money paid for the house she never lived in, and I never saw her. I have a job, pay my own way, so what do I owe her? Because Dad died saving my life, not just my godmother’s? Oh, from the looks on your faces, that’s not the story she told. Ask President Deacon — he’ll send you the video.”

Before I could shove the phone back in my pocket, someone grabbed my arm, their grip tight and sudden. Instinct kicked in. I twisted, yanking them down, my boot pinning their chest to the ground in one fluid move. I looked down and saw Tanner’s wide eyes staring up at me.

“Shit, Tann, I’m so sorry,” I said, letting him up. “You startled me.”

He grinned, brushing himself off. “My bad, Ice. Gotta work on my stealth.”

I turned to Tank, who was still clutching the cloned phone, his face a mix of confusion and suspicion. “Keep it,” I said, my voice sharp. “You might find it interesting. I don’t need to have fun with your family. I’ll stick with mine.”

Mom stepped forward, her eyes narrowing. “You ungrateful bitch,” she spat. “So what if I didn’t invite you? You had a roof over your head. You were just fine. I don’t think you went missing. I think you’re making it up to cause a scene.”

Before I could fire back, a collective buzz rippled through the crowd. Phones lit up, and gasps followed. A video had hit every device in the room. A grainy clip of masked men holding me, my body limp, my face pale but unmarked. Bobby’s voice, cold and mocking, demanded ransom over a video call to Mom. The footage cut to her face, indifferent, dismissing it like it was nothing.

“Well, there’s your proof,” I said, my voice steady. “Bobby made sure to show you what he was doing. Thanks for introducing us, Mother. What a swell guy you picked for your daughter. I don’t care if you invite me to your events, just stop running around telling people you did when we both know you didn't. We both know why you don’t invite me, do you want me to let everyone in on the little secret, mother? It's pathetic to play the damn victim all the time when you're just a viper who takes advantage of people and I'm sure you will spin this in your favor when I leave.”

A shuffle behind me caught my attention. One of my brothers tried to creep up. I spun, my 9mm out in a flash, pressed to his forehead before he could blink. “Wouldn’t be taking cheap shots now, would we?” I said. I kicked him hard in the chest, sending him sliding across the freshly waxed floor, his body skidding just a bit too far. The crowd froze, eyes wide.

I turned, holstering my gun, and faced Mom one last time. “Keep your people in line, Mother, before someone you don’t want shows up to remind you who you really are. Oh, and the Senator says hello.” Might as well tell her since she is getting too bold these days. I look back, and she is as white as a ghost.

Back in my apartment, I sank onto the couch. Twisted sprawled beside me, his boots kicked up on the coffee table, Zero and Lady curled up at our feet. I glanced at him, my eyes narrowing. “Your dad’s got a hack on that cloned phone, doesn’t he?”

He nodded, a sly grin spreading across his face. “Yup. Tank can’t wipe it without Uncle Rick’s tech code. Everything’s backed up. They’re screwed.”

I snorted, propping a pillow on Twisted’s lap and settling in to watch Gilmore Girls on the TV. Nightmares had been clawing at me every night since the attack, worse than I’d let on. They didn’t drug me enough, I guess, because I remembered more than I’d ever tell anyone except Nana. Flashes of Bobby’s voice, Tank’s brother, the pain — it haunted me, but I shoved it down, focusing on the screen. Outside, I heard yelling from the Wolf MC clubhouse.

“Her uncle won’t let us wipe the phone!” someone shouted, frustration dripping from their words. “He’s got everything on it already!” I smirked, letting the sound fade as exhaustion pulled me under. I fell asleep on the couch, Twisted’s steady breathing beside me, thinking how tired I was of playing dumb. The Wolf MC was dirty, this town was a shithole, and I couldn’t wait to leave.

A week later, it was July 10, 2021—my birthday. Not a single word from Mom or my brothers, not even a “happy birthday.” Typical. I was past expecting anything from them. The roar of bikes snapped me out of my thoughts, a deep rumble that shook the windows. I looked at Twisted, who was grinning like he’d won the lottery.

“Fuck, Twisted, did they bring the whole damn family to move me to Nana’s house?”

“Let’s just say Nana’s been waiting for this day since Ghost got sent away,” he said, his eyes glinting. “She didn’t want to put you in danger, but they’re all here now.” He confirms my fears. They are all here.

I groaned, running a hand through my silver hair. “Well, hell, let’s go. You know I hate surprises. It’s bad enough some punk bitch across the street trashed my Harley after that ransom video went out. I don’t need more shit.”

We stepped outside, the summer air thick with the smell of exhaust and dust. The Wolf MC was gathered out front, Tank looking smug, probably thinking Mom had secured him some contract. Then I saw it. A sleek black limo flanked by at least fifty bikers from Phoenix MC, Twisted’s crew that he ran for Uncle Rick. My jaw tightened as I shot Twisted a look that could’ve burned holes through steel. He just shrugged, unapologetic. A trailer sat nearby, loaded with bikes, one covered by a tarp. I guess they just want to make sure I get to my new home without a problem and in style.

The limo door opened, and out stepped Uncle Rick, followed by Nana and Papa, their presence commanding despite their age. Nana’s silver hair was pulled back, her eyes sharp as ever, while Papa’s tailored suit screamed power. I ran to them and threw myself into their arms. “Thank you for coming,” my voice muffled against Nana’s shoulder. “I’ve missed you. It’s been too long.” I started crying, I felt safe again, she thought they would never find me. It might have been 10 years but of course they knew where I was.

Then Mom’s voice cut through the moment, shrill and venomous. “I thought my ex-husband said you could never see her again when we left! What the fuck are you doing here?”

Then I see my Nana hit her. A sharp crack silenced her. I pulled back to see Nana, her hand still raised from slapping Mom across the face, her eyes blazing.

“You little bitch,” Nana said, her voice low and deadly. “What makes you think you make the rules for this family? I make the rules. I’ve got the mafia and my grandson’s club behind me. What do you have? A bunch of fools who don’t know your lies or how you kidnapped my granddaughter.”

Mom froze, her face paling. She didn’t know I’d seen the laptop, didn’t know I’d learned the truth: she wasn’t my mother. My real mom died protecting me in a fire when I was a kid. This woman — my supposed guardian — had taken me when Dad died, but Nana and Papa hadn’t known the extent of her deceit until recently. The laptop laid it all bare, and now they were here to set things right .

Before Mom could sputter a response, Stone, one of Nana’s towering bodyguards, stepped forward and handed a thick file to Tank. His face was unreadable, but the weight of the moment hung heavy.

Then Nana says, “Oh, and we know none of those boys are my son’s,” she glared at the woman I’d called Mom. “We took DNA tests when they were little, but my son loved your lying ass and wouldn’t believe us. Layla was born before you even met him. Her real mother died saving her in a fire — one you set. We all know it, but you killed the guard who saw you, so we couldn’t bring you before our council to have you executed. When my son died, you knew Layla was supposed to come to us per his will. Instead, you took her and ran. We’ve known where she was, but Layla wanted every shred of evidence against you before we came for her. So, here’s the deal: if you don’t want us coming after you for everything in that file, never contact her again.”

My “brothers” stood frozen, their eyes wide as they stared at the DNA report Stone had handed Tank. The truth was sinking in, and their world was crumbling. Uncle Rick stepped forward, his voice calm but lethal. “Oh, and now only you get the payment for being his wife. Your sons get nothing.”

Mom lost it, screaming, her face red with rage. “This is unfair! You ungrateful bitch, Layla! I gave you everything!” Her words blurred into a tirade, but I barely heard them.

Another sharp crack cut her off. Vengeance, her new man, had slapped her, his face twisted with betrayal. “You’re no longer a Valkyrie,” he growled. “Move to another room. You told us Layla abused you. What else have you lied about? That file’s thick. I’m sorry, Layla, I shouldn't have believed her without proof. I loved her blindly. I should have seen the snake behind the innocent act. I know that's not an excuse. I promise I will do better.”

I let go of Papa’s arm, my blood boiling. Stepping forward, I drove my boot into Mom’s liver, following with a left jab and a right hook to her face. She crumpled, gasping. “Now you can say I hurt you,” I said, looming over her. “Every other time was self-defense. The code to the cameras is pineapple. You’ll see who took me that night outside my apartment when I was taking out the trash — and everything else you did when you’d disappear. You didn’t know the cameras were there, did you? Oh, and it’s all backed up and sent to Papa. You can’t lie anymore, Mother.”

Before she could respond, she lunged, grabbing my hair and yanking me to the ground. The impact knocked the wind out of me, my cracked ribs screaming. Then Nana was on her, a 55-year-old force of nature, throwing punches like a seasoned fighter. Mom could only slap, flailing helplessly as everyone around us laughed. Twisted helped me up, his grip steady, while Papa finally pulled Nana back, ending the brawl. I landed one last kick to Mom’s side, my voice low and deadly. “Touch me again, and it’ll be your head. They’ll never find your body. You know what Uncle Rick can do.”

Rick’s voice cut through, revealing a bombshell none of us expected. “You should have stayed with me and been a good wife but no you thought he was going to be in charge looks like that bit you in the ass. Goodbye, Missy, I hope things work out for you. The lifestyle you love will never be yours again. Your father sent you this letter. He disowned you 3 years ago, and here is the paperwork to prove it. Does the MC want to buy this house, which doesn't belong to her? She used Layla's allowance to buy it.”

Tank’s face hardened as he clutched the file. “I’ll buy it back. I didn’t know she used Layla’s money — or anything else in this file. We don’t allow violence against women and children.”

I rolled my eyes, my voice dripping with sarcasm. “Sure. Watch the cameras, then. You’re in for one hell of a surprise.”

We turned and walked to the side of the house, where a massive picnic was set up, a banner strung across the wall that read "Happy Birthday, Ice." Nana’s crew worked fast—tables groaned with food, a cake sat in the center, and Phoenix MC bikers milled around. They were fast, I guess that’s what happens when you aren’t paying attention. We ate up everything that belonged to me. One of my brothers isn't here; he is my dad's, too. Ghost, my real brother, the one Dad sent to the military ten years ago. I write to him, and I don’t tell him everything or get much back in response. They don't need the stress of his team to get letters, too. There's my brother Ghost, and his team, Panther, Shooter, and Speed they all write me sometimes.

I was lost in thought when shots rang out, sharp and deafening. Pain exploded in my lower back and shoulder, then a third shot hit my chest. I stumbled, turning to see Mom holding a gun, her eyes wild with hate, and beside her, one of the men who’d kidnapped and raped me.

She shot me three times before papa turned around and shot her in the chest 50/50 chance she would live. Well hell I feel numb, then I blacked out from the pain and loss of blood. I did get a knife thrown at her but hit the dumb ass next to her in the shoulder. My aim is a little off right now but I got one of them.

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