Biker Born: The Lost Souls MC Series (The Lost Souls Series Book 4) (21 page)

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

MICHAEL

It’s still early in the morning so I’ll be lucky to find anyone awake yet. Ever since Mark told us he was terminally ill I knew I would be President one day, now it’s here I can’t believe it. The power that comes with the patch is euphoric.

The guys won’t notice too much of a difference at the moment, but when my brother takes his last breath, the plans I have had for the last six years will finally come to light and no fucker can stop me.

I clock Pope working on his bike and head towards him.

“I need a favour.”

He looks up at me and wipes his hands on the rag hanging out of his pocket.

“Whatever you need,” he says, standing up.

“I need you to take two guys with you and do the pickup from Denzel this afternoon. I need to stay here otherwise I’d come with you.”

“Of course, I understand. If you need anything else, let me know.”

I nod and turn for the house trusting Pope implicitly with the job. Mark looked like he had a foot in deaths door last night after Oak and I helped him back to bed. I understood his need to see the guys one last time but as my blood brother I wish he would have stayed in bed and rested.

“Oh and Michael,” I turn back to Pope and see him smiling for once, “Congratulations on the patch, the right guy got it,” he calls over.

“Thanks, brother. Come and find me when you get back.”

“Will do.”

Kitty is in the kitchen with Alannah making breakfast when I walk through the door.

“How’s my two favourite girls this morning?” I ask, seeing Kitty at the end of her tether and Alannah sulking at the table.

“Lana is insisting she isn’t going to school today. She says her dad said she can stay home because that Toby kid is mean to her.” Kitty explains.

Crossing my arms and leaning against the counter, I raise my eyebrows at Lana and wait for the truth to come out. For her age she sure knows how to try and sweet talk her way out of anything.

“Did your dad really say that?” I ask.

She hangs her head and refuses to speak to me which leads me to believe Mark didn’t say she could stay home.

Pushing away from the counter I walk over to her and kneel before her and push her chin up with my finger.

“Alannah, did daddy say that or did he say you have to go?”

Her little lip trembles and I’m nearly undone, when she is upset like this it is hard to refuse her anything. 

“He said I had to go, but what if he pinches me again, Uncle Michael?”

“He won’t baby girl, Uncle Micky and Uncle Pope went and spoke with his daddy last night, this little shit Toby isn’t going to touch you. I bet he is going to be so scared of what his dad will do to him, he won’t even look at you. Anyway, who are you?” I ask.

“Alannah Blake.”

“And what does that mean?”

“It means no one can hurt me because I have loads of uncles who will kick their ass.” She chirps, swinging her legs on the chair.

“Alannah! What have I told you about saying those words, don’t copy the adults.” Kitty warns her.

With my back to Kitty and only Alannah able to see me, I pull a funny face and make her giggle.

“Yeah, Lana, don’t copy the adults,” I say, making her laugh harder.

“Do you want me to take you to school today, I can scare off all the mean boys?”

She nods her head and her pigtails swing about. I kiss her forehead and leave them to finish their breakfasts.

Taking the stairs two at a time, I quickly freshen up before checking in on Mark. My first step into the room I know something is wrong. It feels cold and haunting. Not a single piece of furniture is out of place, and not a ruffle in his blanket, he lay there completely still. I freeze, unable to move waiting for a sign that he hasn’t left me yet. I train my eyes on his chest and wait for the rise and fall but it doesn’t happen. I force myself further into the room and check his neck for a pulse. Nothing.

I sit on the edge of his bed and close my eyes. The fucker knew he was going to die this soon, that’s why he wanted to go down to the bar last night. He wanted to say his goodbyes and then come back and drift away peacefully.

For a couple of minutes I sit with my brother knowing that when I let everyone know he is gone, I won’t ever have this time back to say my own goodbye privately.

Tears spring from my eyes and I don’t care to wipe them away. Pulling the cover higher over his chest, I reach over for his cut from the chair and lay it across him and clasp his hands over it.

“Rest in peace now, brother. Don’t worry about us, I have everything under control.”

I don’t believe in an afterlife but looking at my brother’s body beginning to go cold, I have to believe he will again see our parents and Rayna, I have to believe he won’t be alone, not after fighting all these years to create a place the lost can come and never be alone again.

The next few hours become a blur of activity and grieving. The ambulance came to collect his body. Every brother that was in town congregated outside silently as his body was wheeled out of the clubhouse. And after he was driven away, they congregated in the bar and drink themselves sober till sunrise the next day.

The atmosphere is tangible. No one talking much and no one with a high level of patience. I don’t think Mark quite comprehended how much he was respected and loved by everyone.

I hold my head up high as Mark’s coffin is lowered into the ground. Every brother of the Lost Souls MC is here today to pay their respects to a fallen brother and they were doing him proud.

Alannah was sat stoned faced in between Kitty and Flo and watched the whole service without a tear in her eye.

I know she’s hurting badly but for the life of her, she will not cry. Her grief was written all over her face but she kept her head as high as mine and I knew she was a pure Blake.

Standing centre of my brothers and overlooking the women sitting pretty on their chairs. I walk over and pick Alannah up into my arms.

“You’re being so strong, darlin’,” I murmur, only for her to hear.

I pick up the tray of dirt and offer it to Alannah, “Just pick up a handful and throw it down in the hole.” I tell her.

“Aunt Kitty and Aunt Flo will tell me off for getting dirty,” she says, her eyes flicking over my shoulder to her aunts.

“It’s okay just for today, I promise.”

Her dainty hand collects as much dirt as she can and she throws it down.

“Say goodbye to your daddy, baby girl, he’s in heaven now watching over you.”

No matter how much I’m hurting with my loss, it’s my job to look out for this child in my arms. My brother’s child and the women I have loved for too many years child.

“Bye, daddy,”

Kissing her hair and holding her tight, I give her back to Kitty and throw my own dirt over his coffin. Buried in his cut and with photographs of his baby girl, my brother is laid to rest.

“Time to drink,” I yell, and signal for everyone to leave.

Micky and Oak are the last ones to move and slap me on the back in support as they pass.

Once I’m alone, I bend down on my knees and look at the box that my brother is in and promise him one thing he never heard from me.

“I will find him brother, I will find him and make him pay for killing our Ray. I will make it slow and painful. If you are in hell I will send him down to you, body part by body part. Be ready, my search gets cranked up now.”

I sit with Alannah until she falls asleep. It’s been a long day and when she woke up this morning she knew she was burying her daddy. I saw in her eyes she understood everything as it was happening but she done me proud and kept herself strong. Gently kissing her cheek and tucking her in, I escape her room quietly and leave Flo and Kitty downstairs keeping an ear out for her.

It’s time for a drink. I’ve kept myself sober all day to show my strength and keep the peace between my brothers.

The nightly wind whips around me as I cross the lot to the bar and find a deathly atmosphere inside. The music is barely loud enough to be heard and no one is really talking. The only slice of normality is everyone drinking. I stand and take everyone in and decide to do something about it. A part of me hates they feel the grief of losing Mark as dire as I do, but in a sense it feels good to know my brother was loved and respected by so many. Hopefully, one day these men will pay their respects in the same manner for me if I go before them.

“Listen up, Lost Souls,” I yell, getting their attention.

When everyone is looking my way, I carry on, “Today we buried one hell of a man. Throughout his life he was always looking out for other people, he started with me from the day I was born, he was the big brother everyone should have growing up. Then there was this runt in the school yard, you all know him as Micky now. He took care of him and became best friends, Oak too. I was the one who got into trouble day in and day out. Mark was the one who saved me too many times to count. He was the guy people could rely on and he did it with no questions asked. He served our country and when they let him down he took it upon himself to create a world where no one had to feel alone again.”

I pause for a moment, it hurts too much to talk about him like this.

“Each and every one of you have had the honour of knowing him, believing in the same freedom of our lifestyle and coming together to build something no one can knock down. Mark was a fair and determined man, he was loyal brother and a fuckin’ great President. All he wanted at the end was his daughter to be looked after and by God she will be and for this club to grow stronger. We have suffered a tremendous loss today but it will not break us,” I vow to them all.

“Mark is gone in body but he will always be around here, at the bar, walking out of his office, and on every ride we go on. He will never be forgotten. He was a Lost Soul till the day he died and even in death he is one of us. So let’s drink up and refill our glasses, turn the music up and celebrate his life and what he did for us all. He brought us together and it’s down to us to keep his vision alive.”

Oak is the first one to stand and raise his bottle of whiskey in the air, “To Mark Blake, founder and brother, loved by all,” he roars. Every brother follows suit.

The music gets turned up and the prospects run around handing out more drinks.

I look around and swallow hard. Mark knew I wouldn’t run this club the same way he did, but he trusted me and had faith I could still run it successfully. Now it’s time to make him proud.

From tomorrow, a new era will begin and I will be at the gavel.

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

MICHAEL

SIX MONTHS LATER…

I slam my fist down on the table in the back room unable to vent my anger in any other way right now.

“I want his brother, how hard can it be to track him down?” I yell, looking at everyone sitting around the table.

“Michael, we’ve taken out so many Raging fuckers over the last couple of years. Hunter’s men are few and far, Hunter and Chase are laying so low they might as well be in the ground,” Oak says, trying to pacify me.

“Yeah, I’m sure they’re fuckin’ planning something,” Micky puts in.

I can barely look at him now, if he hadn’t of been such a fucking panicky prick that night I wouldn’t have had a run in with Chase and his guys ending in them trying to ambush me and Rayna off the road. I told him to be ready in case Rayna goes into labour but did he fucking listen? No, he didn’t. For now I need him, but there will be a day when he gets what he deserves.

“Well, we’ll be fuckin’ ready when they come for us.”

I bring the gavel down and leave the room first. Revenge and old grief is still ripe and the coursing through my veins is what I live for these days.

Heading for the bar I notice Alannah sitting on the floor playing with her Barbie dolls.

“What are you doing in here?” I ask, bending down beside her.

“Playing.”

“Why aren’t you playing at the house, you know you’re too young to be in here,” I tell her.

The first few weeks after Mark died, we would find her wandering around the clubhouse looking for him. Kitty has told me she has only cried a few times grieving for her father, the rest of the time she walks around lost within herself.

“Come on, Aunt Kitty will be worrying where you are.”

I take her back to the house and find Kitty in the kitchen up to her elbows in suds.

“You missing something babe?” I ask, keeping Alannah behind me.

“No,” she says, looking at me over her shoulder.

“You fuckin’ sure about that?”

“Why don’t you fuckin’ tell me, Michael? What have I lost?” she asks, sarcastically.

“I found Alannah in the clubhouse on her own, you’re meant to be watching her.”

She turns around not expecting to hear that and glares behind me. Wiping her hands on a towel she gives me her full attention and I brace myself for yet another fight. It is all we seem to do these days.

“Go and play in your room, baby girl. I need to talk to your aunt,” I say to Alannah, I watch her disappear up the stairs and turn back to Kitty.

“Don’t start with me, Michael, all I do these days is watch her. I can’t help it if she got passed me this time. I have other things I need to do too.” She half tells me and half yells.

“How hard is it not to take your eyes off her?” I half yell myself.

“Maybe if you were around more, you could help me.”

“Don’t do this again, babe. I’m warning you now, I’m too fuckin’ tired for your shit today.”

“You’re warning me,” she snorts, “Please, I’m your wife. I’m allowed to want you around, but oh no, my husband has to be off chasing his old loves killers.”

I step towards her and then take two steps back, this same old argument gets me more pent up than the night in question.

“Do they know the real reason why you want Chase dead?” she taunts me, coming closer to me.

One of my regrets in life is telling her what really happened to Rayna, and I have been paying for it ever since.

“How long are you going to be jealous over a dead woman, Kit?” I yell, ignoring her non-threatening threat.

This makes her scream and throw the towel at me.

“When are you going to stop loving a dead woman?” she argues back.

“I’ll tell you what, I’ll stop loving her when you give me something to love, all this shit you give me doesn’t make you high on my list to be around.”

I regret saying it as soon as the words leave my mouth. I am so fed up her arguing with me over Rayna though, I just don’t have it in me to go there with her again.

“Kit, I’m…”

She cuts me off, “Fuck you, don’t bother coming home this time.”

She leaves the room and heads up stairs. I hear her open the door and talk soothingly to Alannah.

Once I have retribution for Rayna, I will give Kitty all of me. I will make it up to her.

OAK

The peace of sleep is a rarity these days. Michael has us running around tracking down Chase fucking Carson every hour of every day and it is killing me slower than it is to find the man in question.

I feel a hard nudge to my thigh again and my eyes flutter open. Eyes still blurred with sleep I barely make out Jane hovering over me looking like she wants to shoot me in the ass.

I’m so fucking tired and now pissed at being woken up.

“Unless the club is on fire, leave me to fuckin’ sleep,” I groan, rolling over away from her.

“The club,” she snorts, “That’s all you fucking care about, isn’t it.”

I feel another nudge to my leg, this time digging in harder and longer.

“I don’t know why I bothered thinking I should tell you in person,” she huffs.

Her heels click against the wooden floor, I lay there until they fade into the distance and then it dawns on me. Tell me what? The longer I lay there trying to find sleep the more it feels like I should be hauling my ass out of bed.

Rolling out of bed and into my jeans, I blearily make my way down the stairs and through the bar. I go outside when I can’t see her about and track her down heading for her car. Jogging over the hot gravel, I regret taking an extra beat to put my boots on.

“Jane,” I yell, stopping her from walking any further.

“Christ, I didn’t think you’d actually chase me down,” she sneers, turning to face me.

“You gonna tell me what you got to say now I’ve dragged myself down here?”

Her anger matches mine and she stands tall before me.

“I came to tell you I’m leaving you, Oak. We’re a joke and I can’t stand to look at you no more.”

Throwing my head back and staring into the sun, I let the rays burn my eyes. The scene before me reminds of Shellie. She left in this way, only I had more compassion for her and actually wanted her to stay. Jane has become a pain in my ass lately and her calling us a joke is damn right.

“Go then, you could’ve left of a note.”

I turn back to the clubhouse and count the seconds it will take me before I’m falling back on my bed when she throws her car keys at my head.

“You’re such an asshole, Oak. That’s all you got to say? I could’ve left a note?” she says, mimicking my tone in disbelief.

“You want to go, then go. I’m not gonna fuckin’ stop ya.”

“You don’t need an old lady Oak, you just need someone to stick your dick in and you’ve got plenty of choice hanging around this place,” she shouts at me.

I’ve had enough of this now, she knew what I was like when we got together. Why do women think I’ll change when they fall for me being exactly who I am? I don’t hide my club is my life, yet she still wanted to be with me.

“I hope you find whatever you’re lookin’ for Jane,” I say and turn to leave.

A tirade of cusses are thrown at me until I hear her door slam and her engine roar to life. Wheel spinning out of the compound, I know I’ve lost a good woman but again, like with Shellie, I feel lighter knowing I don’t have the responsibility of an old lady waiting on me.

That’s two old ladies lost because of my commitment to the club, some would say third time lucky. I say fuck them. Jane was right, I don’t need an old lady to get my good feels. No one is going to make me feel bad for being a Lost Soul. I was one before I met any of them and I sure as shit will be one till I’m in my grave.